Sun May 25, 2008 7:08 pm
Okay, okay. I'll stop lurking and say hello.
Hello! I've been lurking for a few days, but figured I'd finally be all introductory.
My name is Karyn and I am not, nor have I ever been involved in Scientology. I'm just an amateur enthusiast who was pulled in by various information on the interwebs about six or so months ago.
This downward spiral was instigated by a discussion as to whether or not Jenna Elfman was married to Danny Elfman. I set out to prove she wasn't and found the infamous encounter where Jenna and Bodhi demanded to know if John Roecker had, in fact, raped a baby.
This made me wonder two things: 1) Who just randomly asks if someone raped a baby? And 2) What is this Xenu that Roecker mentions? Because it sounds excellent.
A swift Google search later and I've learned the basics of Xenu and managed to track down the classic South Park episode which I had somehow managed not to see until that moment. I also came across John Sweeney's Panorama episode about Scientology, as well as a couple other Google and You Tube videos about the subject.
Shortly after this Googlefest, a DVD came in the mail. An ex-roommate of mine had dabbled in Scientology about four years ago, but, honestly, couldn't afford to keep up with it. He's an actor and, I think, he was just looking forward to swilling cocktails with Leah Remini and Juliette Lewis. Or, at least, I'm sure that's the image he drummed up in his mind. This DVD featured the big black tie event that happens, I guess, once a year. All the big name celebs were there in the front row. I must take this moment to give Katie Holmes some props for looking bored out of her mind. I was afraid to watch the whole thing, straight through, because I was a little worried that I might wake up the next morning with a compelling desire to drive to the Celebrity Centre and sign right up. Because who doesn't love cocktails, Leah Remini, and Juliette Lewis?
I skipped around and watched bits and pieces. It seems that the main purpose of this event was to announce that, now, there is a giant chart to keep track of all the materials you, as a Scientologist, have read. WOW! Tom Cruise thought it was so AWESOME he had to hoot and holler while Katie just looked like she really needed to use the bathroom.
There's an average of one mailing per day in my mailbox. I finally saw a phone number on one of the brochures, stating that if I was receiving the mailings in error, I could contact the mailing department. I thought about it, but then I didn't get that far. Then, maybe a month ago, I checked my answering machine... and there was a message from the Church of Scientology Mailing Department. The weird thing? The phone number is pretty new. I didn't have a land line for a couple years, and this is definitely a different number than what I had when my roommate still lived here. I would have called back, but the number's not toll free and I didn't really want to call on my cell phone. So, I'm stuck with the pamphlets and magazines for the time being. At least I know I can get my Basics course for ONLY $3,500! And, who doesn't love reading about Jason Dohring's latest OT level?
Most recently, I came across Jason Beghe's interview, and that kind of fueled my Googling fire, once again. And that's how I ended up here. This is exactly what I wanted to know. Because, with the exception of Jason Beghe, I wasn't really finding much about personal experiences, especially from people who aren't on the covers of magazines. The founders of this site come across as very awesome and brave women, who embody an urge and desire to help others, to inform those who don't know, and to give the general public the tools they need to help someone they might know inside CoS.
I think Cos has long been a giant Jenga puzzle and people are just now finding the loose pieces they've been looking for. It won't be too long until it can't support itself, anymore.
Thus endeth this massive post which was originally supposed to read, “Hi! I'm Karyn, nice to meet you.”
My name is Karyn and I am not, nor have I ever been involved in Scientology. I'm just an amateur enthusiast who was pulled in by various information on the interwebs about six or so months ago.
This downward spiral was instigated by a discussion as to whether or not Jenna Elfman was married to Danny Elfman. I set out to prove she wasn't and found the infamous encounter where Jenna and Bodhi demanded to know if John Roecker had, in fact, raped a baby.
This made me wonder two things: 1) Who just randomly asks if someone raped a baby? And 2) What is this Xenu that Roecker mentions? Because it sounds excellent.
A swift Google search later and I've learned the basics of Xenu and managed to track down the classic South Park episode which I had somehow managed not to see until that moment. I also came across John Sweeney's Panorama episode about Scientology, as well as a couple other Google and You Tube videos about the subject.
Shortly after this Googlefest, a DVD came in the mail. An ex-roommate of mine had dabbled in Scientology about four years ago, but, honestly, couldn't afford to keep up with it. He's an actor and, I think, he was just looking forward to swilling cocktails with Leah Remini and Juliette Lewis. Or, at least, I'm sure that's the image he drummed up in his mind. This DVD featured the big black tie event that happens, I guess, once a year. All the big name celebs were there in the front row. I must take this moment to give Katie Holmes some props for looking bored out of her mind. I was afraid to watch the whole thing, straight through, because I was a little worried that I might wake up the next morning with a compelling desire to drive to the Celebrity Centre and sign right up. Because who doesn't love cocktails, Leah Remini, and Juliette Lewis?
I skipped around and watched bits and pieces. It seems that the main purpose of this event was to announce that, now, there is a giant chart to keep track of all the materials you, as a Scientologist, have read. WOW! Tom Cruise thought it was so AWESOME he had to hoot and holler while Katie just looked like she really needed to use the bathroom.
There's an average of one mailing per day in my mailbox. I finally saw a phone number on one of the brochures, stating that if I was receiving the mailings in error, I could contact the mailing department. I thought about it, but then I didn't get that far. Then, maybe a month ago, I checked my answering machine... and there was a message from the Church of Scientology Mailing Department. The weird thing? The phone number is pretty new. I didn't have a land line for a couple years, and this is definitely a different number than what I had when my roommate still lived here. I would have called back, but the number's not toll free and I didn't really want to call on my cell phone. So, I'm stuck with the pamphlets and magazines for the time being. At least I know I can get my Basics course for ONLY $3,500! And, who doesn't love reading about Jason Dohring's latest OT level?
Most recently, I came across Jason Beghe's interview, and that kind of fueled my Googling fire, once again. And that's how I ended up here. This is exactly what I wanted to know. Because, with the exception of Jason Beghe, I wasn't really finding much about personal experiences, especially from people who aren't on the covers of magazines. The founders of this site come across as very awesome and brave women, who embody an urge and desire to help others, to inform those who don't know, and to give the general public the tools they need to help someone they might know inside CoS.
I think Cos has long been a giant Jenga puzzle and people are just now finding the loose pieces they've been looking for. It won't be too long until it can't support itself, anymore.
Thus endeth this massive post which was originally supposed to read, “Hi! I'm Karyn, nice to meet you.”
