Protest at the Celebrity Center Gala

I went to the Celebrity Center Gala to protest. As expected the entire thing was shrouded in tarps. This is where the Church of Scientology wrestles as much money as they can from famous people. I wish more protesters were there. But Smurf and I had fun anyway!

My First Protest and the Ask an Ex Campaign

People don't know much about Scientology's PAC (Pacific Area Command) Base on L. Ron Hubbard Way. For starters I'll give you a list of the buildings and what function they serve:

Scientology: It Still Hurts

Today I stray from my usual style of posting, which focuses on Scientology in a general aspect. This post is much more personal to me.

I was ousted from the Church of Scientology on April 12th, 2012. A year later and I had not spoken to anyone in my family. Somewhere during that year I opened an e-mail account--separate from my normal one--and e-mailed my mother. I sent her a short message just to say, "I miss you." Her response was curt. She stated simply that she could not speak to me.

Edit to add: It is not a lot of money. Just a small sum. I was tempted to refuse it because I thought it was coming directly from my father, but I have the contact information for the agency.

Life After Scientology

I write a lot of negative things about Scientology on my blog. Primarily because one of the major things that contributed to my exiting the cult was my pent up anger against injustices I experienced.

Being in Scientology is much like being in an abusive relationship. Except instead of it being one on one, it's more like you are in a abusive relationship with Scientology itself. There are some good things and some bad things which come out of your relationship. At least it seems like there are some good things. The entire cycle runs in ups and downs.

The only way out of such a relationship is to do what seems almost unnatural to all of us. You have to focus on the negatives of the relationship. When you are at one of many of the peaks, instead of looking up at the sky and thinking that things will get better, you focus on that valley and remind yourself that this is going to turn bad very quickly.

The Truly Dark Side of Scientology

A common sentiment in Scientology is the idea that, "You pulled it in." What this statement, in all it's infinite simplicity, means is that everything that happens to you in your life is your fault. If you get sick, contract cancer, are born mentally challenged or are mentally ill it is said to be your fault.

Scientologists lack compassion for anyone who suffers in this life. Any suffering is automatically deemed to be the fault of the individual, regardless of circumstance. They believe that you made a choice when you were born, to which family you would be born and that the state of your body at birth depends entirely upon the deeds which you committed during your previous life.

Working in the Sea Org

After finishing the EPF a new recruit is quickly put to work. It is at this transition that you find out your job is much less "world saving" and much more "clerical". Most of the "posts" (what they call a job in the Sea Org) are average jobs: clerical, file keeping, accounting, sales, sales assistants, even janitorial and car mechanics.

These employees are paid at the most $50 a week, most of the time I was there I was making $20 or less.

This is the Advanced Organization of Los Angeles (AOLA for short). This is where I worked

A lot of the cases that the Church of Scientology has won in court have been based on the idea of a "ministerial exemption". This means that because the work in the Sea Org is religious in nature they don't have to follow wage and hour and child labor laws like the rest of the civilized world. This is because the US court system is apparently so afraid to take a peek inside a religion, that they fail to recognize that only 10% of any of the laborers in the Sea Org are working on something religious in nature.

The Estates Project Force

Please be sure to scroll to the end if you don't read the whole thing. I have included a video from a protester in Clearwater, FL. This Scientology organization is essentially the same in management structure as the one here in LA. I have included some screen shots of some EPFers for you from the video so you can see an example of the EPF.

The Estates Project Force (referred to as the EPF in the never-ending, acronym filled language of Scientology) is the boot camp that brings you into the Sea Org. It is supposed to prepare you for the paramilitary life of the Sea Org. You are not considered a "member" of this elite force until you graduate the EPF.

Typically the EPF is not supposed to take more than 30 days to do. They study a series of courses that teach you everything from Scientology policy to how to brush your teeth and tie a tie. The other half of the day is spend doing manual labor which includes cleaning restrooms, the streets, moving furniture, landscaping and so on. The morning consists of first cleaning your communal quarters until it can pass a white glove inspection, practicing close order drills, rolling and unrolling a fire hose for fire drills and receiving your projects for the day.

My First Friend

Well the time has come and passed to enjoy being so full it's uncomfortable to move, hard to breathe and your back hurts. Alternatively, you can spend your Thanksgiving evening waiting in line to buy electronics or stab someone or other madness for Black Friday.

I have too much to be thankful for; so much that words could never express it. I have been helped along my way and continue to be helped by so many people, to whom I am very grateful.

I figured I would share one story about one of the first people I met, outside of the world of Scientology that changed my life forever.

Comment from The Underground Bunker

Scientology Desperately Wants Your Children: The Cruise Ship Come-On

I read a blog written by Tony Ortega, the same man who shared my story a few months ago. He has been reporting on Scientology for years, decades even and has done so much to expose the abuse that people suffer at the hands of this religion.

The Lure of Scientology

As a child who was raised in Scientology, I myself was not lured in through usual tactics. Scientology was basically all I knew. My parents were victims of these tactics and I was privy to many of the common ones that are used.

Scientology was designed by L. Ron Hubbard to infiltrate and dictate every aspect of a person's life. As you can imagine, if you were to present any problem  you were having in your life to a Scientologist, they can open a book and show you what Hubbard said to do about that particular problem.

On the outside Scientology seems to have all the answers. For example, when you are stressed at work, Scientology tells you to "take a walk". When you are having trouble with a business Scientology gives you a series of steps to follow that is supposed to correct the area in which you are having trouble. This aspect of Scientology really is just glorified common sense.