Well, here goes...
Posted: Thu May 01, 2008 1:35 am
Hoo boy! Where to start? Well, let's start with me:
I may be flamed to high hell for this, but in all honesty, I don't care. I'm not toting around a soap box, I'm just writing to get some thoughts flickering about in my cavernous skull onto some pixelated parchment.
I'm an ex-Sea Org member, I've been out for a few years now. I still consider myself a Scientologist, I'm one of the crazies that entices you to buy books on the weekends. I was in the Sea Org for quite awhile, and thusly, met and befriended quite a few of you. It's surprising how many of you I remember; Astra, Emily, Melanie, Kendra, Alex, Kim, Tiffany, Izzy and quite a few others (I don't know if all of you post or read these forums, but I've seen your names mentioned).
Now, as I have been lurking since the genesis of this site, I am quite aware that the Sea Org has a certain stigma on these forums which I will describe delicately as unsavory. However, I feel like the Sea Org made me into a better, more capable person, vis-a-vis bad times and good times. I also feel that through the SO, I've met and made life-long friends that I will truly love, remember and cherish, despite anything and everything, let alone a trivial matter such as someone's religious beliefs.
For those of you that were hurt, scarred or generally mistreated by anyone in the Sea Org or Scientologists, I am effusively sorry and I feel that no one has the right to treat you in a manner unbecoming of a human being. I do hope you all are doing well and everything is "on the up and up". I'd love to find out more about how you are doing, and I read over your stories of times in the SO, leaving and after, with eager and sometimes sympathetic eyes.
To be clear(pun?), I believe in Scientology and it has been one of the most influential experiences in my entire life (the second being my parents). Were the Church to be dismantled and prohibited worldwide, I would still harbor my books and lectures, read and listen to them and enjoy them. Not in some sort of religious trance or some zealous fervor, but because I do enjoy reading and listening to Ron's philosophies on life and people and just about everything under the sun, moon and stars. I'm not in it for the organization, I'm in it for selfish old me, because I like it.
I'm not going to disclose my identity, as I feel I will be flamed, unfortunately, engulfing me from both sides. I will continue to read, occasionally post and generally live up to the title of lurker.
This ended up becoming a bit long and soap-boxy for which I apologize, and here follows a tl;dr version below.
tl;dr: Hi! \^_^/
I may be flamed to high hell for this, but in all honesty, I don't care. I'm not toting around a soap box, I'm just writing to get some thoughts flickering about in my cavernous skull onto some pixelated parchment.
I'm an ex-Sea Org member, I've been out for a few years now. I still consider myself a Scientologist, I'm one of the crazies that entices you to buy books on the weekends. I was in the Sea Org for quite awhile, and thusly, met and befriended quite a few of you. It's surprising how many of you I remember; Astra, Emily, Melanie, Kendra, Alex, Kim, Tiffany, Izzy and quite a few others (I don't know if all of you post or read these forums, but I've seen your names mentioned).
Now, as I have been lurking since the genesis of this site, I am quite aware that the Sea Org has a certain stigma on these forums which I will describe delicately as unsavory. However, I feel like the Sea Org made me into a better, more capable person, vis-a-vis bad times and good times. I also feel that through the SO, I've met and made life-long friends that I will truly love, remember and cherish, despite anything and everything, let alone a trivial matter such as someone's religious beliefs.
For those of you that were hurt, scarred or generally mistreated by anyone in the Sea Org or Scientologists, I am effusively sorry and I feel that no one has the right to treat you in a manner unbecoming of a human being. I do hope you all are doing well and everything is "on the up and up". I'd love to find out more about how you are doing, and I read over your stories of times in the SO, leaving and after, with eager and sometimes sympathetic eyes.
To be clear(pun?), I believe in Scientology and it has been one of the most influential experiences in my entire life (the second being my parents). Were the Church to be dismantled and prohibited worldwide, I would still harbor my books and lectures, read and listen to them and enjoy them. Not in some sort of religious trance or some zealous fervor, but because I do enjoy reading and listening to Ron's philosophies on life and people and just about everything under the sun, moon and stars. I'm not in it for the organization, I'm in it for selfish old me, because I like it.
I'm not going to disclose my identity, as I feel I will be flamed, unfortunately, engulfing me from both sides. I will continue to read, occasionally post and generally live up to the title of lurker.
This ended up becoming a bit long and soap-boxy for which I apologize, and here follows a tl;dr version below.
tl;dr: Hi! \^_^/