Anonymous’ Interview

Reposted from here.

1. How did you first become acquainted with the Church of Scientology?

Born into it.

2. What initially appealed to you about Scientology?

Being able to be ‘powerful’ and having the secrets of life. I want to help others.

3. Were there problems in your life that you thought Scientology would address?

No — I wanted to be ‘OT’.

4. Did you see, experience, or hear about things that didn’t seem right while you were in the Church of Scientology? What were they, and what convinced you to set aside your feelings?

Harsh Ethics — reminded me of a what I’ve read about Stalinist Russia, or North Korea. Censorship of information, force-fed bullshit, fake stats, lines like ‘we’re doing great and everyone else is terrible!’

Most of the staff struck me as being without sympathy — i.e. no regard for the misfortunes of others. ‘They just pulled it in.’

Most staff and many scientologists were so poor, living in poverty, etc. Treated poorly, always working. Even worse, the church has no regard for past upstats — one minute you are a superstar and the next you are in treason. No loyalty. Plus, a total lack of results. When the chips are down, and you are at your lowest, you can count on them abandoning you to protect their own interests. They are too concerned with their own PR and preventing ‘flaps.’

They operate from a position of fear, and secrecy.

5. Why did you choose to stay in the Church of Scientology?

I thought that it was just me, and that I must just have overts and MUs.

6. Were you staff or public? If staff, was it at a mission or an org? Were you ever in the Sea Org or OSA? Which unit? If not on staff, did you ever volunteer to ‘help out’?

Public and Staff.

7. Why did you leave the Church of Scientology? Was there a “final straw”?

The final straw was when they hung me out to dry when a family member went psychotic. Instead of helping and giving support, they acted like I did sometime wrong by having a psychotic family member, and they were more concerned with preventing a flap then they were with helping us. They prevented us from seeking medical help, and my family member almost died. Then they wanted me to do treason for ‘endangering’ them by having this situation in the first place. A friend sat me down and showed me xenu.net — I’ll always be thankful to Andreas for that site.

8. Do you think the Church of Scientology needs to change some of its practices? If so, what should be changed? How did those practices affect your life?

1) Stop trying to conquer the world.
2) Stop hiding things.
3) Stop your thirst for money.
4) Stop the harsh ethics.
5) Stop putting down everyone who is not a scientologist.

9. If the items you listed in the previous question were changed, would you consider rejoining or staying in the Church of Scientology? If so, why?

No. Because I don’t believe their technology works. However, if they changed the above, and acted like a friendly religion, I would have no qualms with them.

10. Any additional comments you would like to make?

I don’t have a problem with people believing in Scientology. I do have a problem with the Church treating people so poorly and being so hateful, non-sympathetic, etc.

To you scientologists out there — ‘no sympathy’ is lower on the tone-scale than sympathy. Think about it.