“Oh what a tangled web we weave, When first we practice to deceive” – Sir Walter Scott
For anyone who missed them, there were three great media stories about the Church of Scientology’s abuses and human rights violations. This morning, it was Matt Lauer’s interview with Christie King Colbran on the Today Show. Christie did a great job describing her experiences, and the current threatening atmosphere of the Church.
Christie was also the subject of a major New York Times article on the 6th, “Defectors Say Church of Scientology Hides Abuse” by Laurie Goodstein.
And there was an excellent, in-depth program on Scientology on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation’s Four Corners, “Scientology: The Ex-Files.”
Each of these gave Church spokesman Tommy Davis another opportunity to demonstrate his complete incompetence. I can’t believe Tommy is still being trotted out as the Church spokesman, but then who else do they have? Rinder blew, and Heber Jentzsch has disappeared.
Tommy tries to push the Church line that big buildings and renovations are what is important, and that these things demonstrate “expansion.” He proudly gave the New York Times a tour of the interminable Superpower Building:
“’This is a representation of our success,’ said the church’s spokesman, Tommy Davis, showing off the building’s cavernous atrium, still to be clad in Italian marble, at the climax of a daylong tour of the church’s Clearwater empire. ‘This is a result of our expansion. It’s pinch-yourself material.’”
“Pinch-yourself material?” Really? Maybe someone should pinch Tommy Davis and get him to wake up from his delusional dream. What matters is not buildings, Tommy, it’s people. And on that subject, he was deliberately evasive.
“The church is vague about its membership numbers. In 11 hours with a reporter over two days, Mr. Davis, the church’s spokesman, gave the numbers of Sea Org members (8,000), of Scientologists in the Tampa-Clearwater area (12,000) and of L. Ron Hubbard’s books printed in the last two and a half years (67 million). But asked about the church’s membership, Mr. Davis said, ‘I couldn’t tell you an exact figure, but it’s certainly, it’s most definitely in the millions in the U.S. and millions abroad.’
“He said he did not know how to account for the findings in the American Religious Identification Survey that the number of Scientologists in the United States fell from 55,000 in 2001 to 25,000 in 2008.”
It’s interesting that later in the interview, Tommy stated “One can’t be a Scientologist and not be part of the church.” Well then, maybe he should tell that to the people who compile these fanciful totals of numbers of Scientologists. Are you trying to tell us, Tommy, that the Church that keeps statistics on everything, that can give us down to the inch how many square feet of renovated buildings were done last year, cannot tell us the total number of Church members? No, they know exactly how many active members they have, believe me. And it’s in the five-figure “order of magnitude,” not the seven-figure.
And I loved his response on ABC’s Four Corners program to the heart-wrenching story of Liz Anderson, who hasn’t seen her eldest child, Fiona Peachey, since 2005.
“TOMMY DAVIS: Well, let me put it this way. Considering just in the last couple of days and on my last trip to Clearwater, I saw Miss Peachey walking down the street. I believe, come to think of it, the street that she was walking down I saw two or three pay phones that she most capably could’ve stopped, picked up the phone and called whomever she wished to speak with. So if she wanted to speak to her mother, I am sure she’s perfectly capable of doing so.”
Really, dude? Pay phone? Why don’t you hop in your DeLorean and jump on up here to the future. In 2010, believe it or not, people don’t use pay phones (and there are none, by the way, on the walk from the Fort Harrison to the Bank Building or the West Coast Building). Nowadays, people have cell phones. Except of course, if you are a Sea Org Member, where they are forbidden. And, as anyone who has been in the Sea Org knows, if you are caught talking with your family on a pay phone, without a Master-at-Arms or Security Guard present and covertly listening in, you are toast.
Tommy Davis is the master of blathering Doublespeak.
“QUENTIN MCDERMOTT: But once you expel someone from the church, you tell that person’s family inside the church to have nothing to do with them?
“TOMMY DAVIS: No, that is not the case. What… specifically what you’re referring to is if somebody is expelled from the church, anybody who insists on continuing to be connected to somebody who’s been expelled from the church would be told that as long as they maintain that connection they’re not welcome in the church because the church… any organisation and particularly a church, like other churches, has a right to not welcome in its… in its ranks people who are supporting or connected to people who are attacking the church and mean the church harm.”
Oh, let me get this straight, Tommy. You don’t tell the person’s family to have nothing to do with them, you tell the person’s family that if they do have anything to do with them, they’ll be expelled from the Church. I get it.
And there’s plenty more of Tommy’s Doublespeak. Recruiting underage children becomes “not discriminating against people by virtue of age.” The Rehabilitation Project Force becomes “a private religious retreat.”
And when a private investigator was caught, on camera, tailing Marc Headley and an ABC reporter, Tommy has this gem of a response: “I couldn’t comment on that. I couldn’t comment. I mean, I couldn’t be able to… I wouldn’t tell. I wouldn’t know how to answer that. I have no knowledge on it, so I don’t know how to answer it.”
There’s not much Tommy does know how to answer. And I don’t think either he or the Church realize the damage he is doing to the Church’s reputation by his incompetence. Those being interviewed tell heartbreaking stories of abuse, coercion, and disconnection. They come across as honest human beings who have suffered tragic experiences. And the normal human response to anyone telling stories like this would be concern, empathy, and a desire to right the wrongs they have suffered.
But the Church, in the person of Tommy Davis, exhibits no empathy for these people. He calls them liars, all of them. He denies any and all wrongdoing on the part of the Church. He comes across as arrogant, cold and deceitful. And as he is the spokesman, that is what people think of the Church of Scientology.
And unfortunately, it’s an accurate perception.
Tune into NBC Today show this morning (7 or 7:30) your time to watch the Mat Lauer interview with Chrsitie King Collbran. http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/26184891/vp/35775749#35775749
With more than 10000 posts after its inception 4 months ago, scnforum.org has established itself as a unique place on the Internet.
It is one of the very few places where people can freely discuss Scientology in a balanced environment free from trolling, mud-throwing and exposure to upper level confidential material.
The posts are of high quality – thought provoking and sometimes mind boggling – from detailed discussions on the e-meter, auditing tech, Scientology basics and wins from outside the church to discussions of the CST vaults, current church management and the current scene within the church and to discussions on logic, theta, reincarnation and subjective versus objective truth.
I take my hat off to the contributors. They have shown that it is possible to co-create a high quality forum for discussion on Scientology – something the current church will never approve of as they are firmly opposed to such free speech.
Thank you all, and a personal thanks to the moderators who have made my life easier. I will celebrate by opening the comments section on this blog post – although the place where it’s happening is over at the forum 
An old friend of mine who writes as Plain Old Thetan was a superb technical resource for me as a mission holder and for certain organizations in the LA area. He stopped being active on church lines after his detailed Knowledge Reports on the out tech in the “Golden Age of Tech” were ignored.
When I [...]
I just wanted to let you know I’ve sent personalized versions my “opt-out” notice, below, to the Scientologists I’m currently in touch with and to the Mission and Orgs that consider me a part of their field. I’m also sending a copy to the MAA at KSW.com, in case there’s a count being kept.
I don’t have any expectations or grand delusions about this having any effect, other than for my own health and well being. Up until recently I was of the mindset that any kind of a public announcement from me, regarding leaving the Church of Scientology, would be of so little consequence that it wasn’t worth doing. Why risk creating any ill effects when no positive effects could come from it – such a tiny pebble tossed in the water that any ripples created wouldn’t even be seen, let alone felt.
See, I was just a member, just a parishioner. Not a celebrity nor a big status donor. Not a business owner, nor influential in any large circles of Scientologists, either public or staff, or non-Scn VIPs. Haven’t witnessed any crimes or illegal malfeasance the CoS leadership would want me silenced about. Not a creative writer, nor public speaker, who might be sought out by media. Apparently, I am not in a position to be of any significance to the CoS. Just a parishioner. No threat = No value to CoS.
There’s also no reason for anyone in the church to come try to keep me because I don’t command a big income, commissions, bonuses. I haven’t received any inheritances nor been given any large monetary gifts that I’m “withholding”. I’m in the latter part of my “income earning years”, and what $$ of any size I did have, I’ve already donated to the IAS, the local Ideal Org campaign, and paid for auditing or the purchase of shiny new replacements of books and lectures. I’m the “common-man” work-a-day gal. As an ex-Sea Org member I’m not eligible to join staff and I don’t live close enough to the local Org to be a prime volunteer candidate. Church loses nothing, based on its current values. No potential big bucks or cheap labor = No value to CoS.
I’m fortunate not to have any family left in the CoS and nobody where I work gives three figs about Scientology, one way or the other. Although, I’m sure there will be some Scientologist friends and acquaintances that will choose to keep my “enturbulation” off their lines by disconnecting, the whole reason for sending this notice out is to get the BS behemoth’s enturbulation off my lines. I’m disconnecting from them. What a HOOT! Quit calling, quit emailing, quit sending print mailers in epic proportions, and quit coming to my door.
I step away with my values intact and I keep my eternity. Life is Good.
Thanks to you and the other bloggers, commentators, ex’s, non’s, and anon’s – it’s quite the little intervention and rehab gig you’ve got going!
Marta L. Willson
OPT OUT COMMUNICATION:
I’m sending you this email, not with the intent to create upset, but out of respect for our past relationship. I don’t want you to be blind-sided hearing it from someone else. And so that you can take whatever action you think is needed as a result of the information. I’m writing to let you know firsthand that I am leaving the Church of Scientology. I have been a Scientologist since 1969, completed through grade VA on public lines, and solo-audited to Clear and OT as a Sea Org member and executive – prior to 1980. I have had personal gains in Scientology that words just can’t do justice. But, it is my experiences and observations over the past eight years that bring me to this decision.
I’ve always been a steadfast supporter of LRH and the Scientology philosophy, so I didn’t arrive at the decision quickly or easily. Yes, there are an abundance of reasons for my decision, but I won’t go into them here. Suffice to say, that my personal values and (in my opinion) the fundamentals of the Scientology philosophy, do not align with the current operations and practices of the Church as it is currently organized and managed. What I see is that the Church is producing far more BS and self-promotion than any other product or service, and is leaving as a by-product a wake of toxic bad news and ill repute the half-life of which is anybody’s guess.
Until there is significant reform in the Church’s organizational structure, management style, and operational practices – I’m opting out.
Respectfully,
Marta L Willson
Hi Marty,
I just wanted to let you know I’ve sent personalized versions my “opt-out” notice, below, to the Scientologists I’m currently in touch with and to the Mission and Orgs that consider me a part of their field. I’m also sending a copy to the MAA at KSW.com, in case there’s a count being kept.
I don’t have any expectations or grand delusions about this having any effect, other than for my own health and well being. Up until recently I was of the mindset that any kind of a public announcement from me, regarding leaving the Church of Scientology, would be of so little consequence that it wasn’t worth doing. Why risk creating any ill effects when no positive effects could come from it – such a tiny pebble tossed in the water that any ripples created wouldn’t even be seen, let alone felt.
See, I was just a member, just a parishioner. Not a celebrity nor a big status donor. Not a business owner, nor influential in any large circles of Scientologists, either public or staff, or non-Scn VIPs. Haven’t witnessed any crimes or illegal malfeasance the CoS leadership would want me silenced about. Not a creative writer, nor public speaker, who might be sought out by media. Apparently, I am not in a position to be of any significance to the CoS. Just a parishioner. No threat = No value to CoS.
There’s also no reason for anyone in the church to come try to keep me because I don’t command a big income, commissions, bonuses. I haven’t received any inheritances nor been given any large monetary gifts that I’m “withholding”. I’m in the latter part of my “income earning years”, and what $$ of any size I did have, I’ve already donated to the IAS, the local Ideal Org campaign, and paid for auditing or the purchase of shiny new replacements of books and lectures. I’m the “common-man” work-a-day gal. As an ex-Sea Org member I’m not eligible to join staff and I don’t live close enough to the local Org to be a prime volunteer candidate. Church loses nothing, based on its current values. No potential big bucks or cheap labor = No value to CoS.
I’m fortunate not to have any family left in the CoS and nobody where I work gives three figs about Scientology, one way or the other. Although, I’m sure there will be some Scientologist friends and acquaintances that will choose to keep my “enturbulation” off their lines by disconnecting, the whole reason for sending this notice out is to get the BS behemoth’s enturbulation off my lines. I’m disconnecting from them. What a HOOT! Quit calling, quit emailing, quit sending print mailers in epic proportions, and quit coming to my door.
I step away with my values intact and I keep my eternity. Life is Good.
Thanks to you and the other bloggers, commentators, ex’s, non’s, and anon’s – it’s quite the little intervention and rehab gig you’ve got going!
Marta L. Willson
OPT OUT COMMUNICATION:
I’m sending you this email, not with the intent to create upset, but out of respect for our past relationship. I don’t want you to be blind-sided hearing it from someone else. And so that you can take whatever action you think is needed as a result of the information. I’m writing to let you know firsthand that I am leaving the Church of Scientology. I have been a Scientologist since 1969, completed through grade VA on public lines, and solo-audited to Clear and OT as a Sea Org member and executive – prior to 1980. I have had personal gains in Scientology that words just can’t do justice. But, it is my experiences and observations over the past eight years that bring me to this decision.
I’ve always been a steadfast supporter of LRH and the Scientology philosophy, so I didn’t arrive at the decision quickly or easily. Yes, there are an abundance of reasons for my decision, but I won’t go into them here. Suffice to say, that my personal values and (in my opinion) the fundamentals of the Scientology philosophy, do not align with the current operations and practices of the Church as it is currently organized and managed. What I see is that the Church is producing far more BS and self-promotion than any other product or service, and is leaving as a by-product a wake of toxic bad news and ill repute the half-life of which is anybody’s guess.
Until there is significant reform in the Church’s organizational structure, management style, and operational practices – I’m opting out.
Respectfully,
Marta L Willson
To Marta and the rest of the extraordinary ordinary people among us:
The level of sadism DM had sunk to since my departure after four days into the Hole in Feb 2004 are enough to boggle any civilized mind. Not only did all of International Management (CMO INT and Exec Strata), and then CO FSO, but also the by-then holed CO FCB (Kirsti Wilhere), and President CSI (Heber Jenzscth – yes, the 75 year old plus several decade face of Scientology) were subjected to these inhumanities.
In the middle of summer 2007, when local temperature regularly rises well above 110 degrees, DM ordered the electricity in the Hole to be cut off for many days at a time. DM also ordered that the penniless Hole prisoners pay for their own food. What they paid for was, as one survivor described it, ”slop” or like “gruel” Oliver Twist style. For breakfast it was only oatmeal, and all other meals were slop. Everybody had to wait in line and pay before eating. There were more than one hundred people there.
The same Korean brainwashing technique of physically forcing Holers to give confessions to the group were still going on daily; a practice DM instituted in 1998, and intensified in late 2003. Remember again, this is mid 2007.
In order to add insult to injury, DM had U Haul trucks pull up outside, and U Haul boxes brought in to let all participants know he was serious with his threats, “I’m going offload all of you.” I am sure most would gladly have been offloaded, but after several years of mind torture they no doubt understood there was no way out.
On many occasions the Holee’s were ordered to run a few hundred yards to the Cine Conference room where DM held court during event preparations. He would interrupt whatever he was doing to go out to the front lawn where the Holees had to stand for high volume toastings and severe degradation adjustments. They had to stand at attention for receipt of long, profanity laced dress downs of some or all of them depending on his mood.
One day DM announced to the assembled in the Hole that Marc Yager (one time CO CMO INT/WDC Chairman) and Guillaume Lesevre (one time ED INT) were homosexual and were engaged in a gay relationship. To those who have read my full blog and Scientology-cult.com you’d know that by that time, DM had been alleging this to the entire crew for ten years. But, for Debbie, Kristie (exCO FCB) and Heber, it was news.
Debbie was there when DM announced that Tom Cruise would come the next day to “punch you guys out” if the one hundred Holee’s failed to get a confession out of Guillaume and Marc.
When DM left Jenny Linsen Devocht, Angie Blankenship, and Lisa Schroer (who were DM’s pets at the time, sort of in charge of the Hole while being Holed themselves) decided that the Holees collectively will “give some people some black eyes before Tom has to.” Russ Bellin (once CO CST) lead the charge of the bigger and stronger men in the hole who began the beat downs of Yager, Guillaume and Ray Mithoff (once Snr CS INT). The crew battered Marc, Guillaume and Ray. In the psychotic frenzy even Norman Starkey and Heber sustained some collateral damage. Debbie managed not to participate in the carnage.
When DM returned for a report, Lisa Schroer (who remained a DM pet throughout given her position as CO of Gold, that handles the only product he gives a damn about, Events) in her inimitable fashion, started embellishing the forced confessions allegedly gotten from Guillaume and Yager while under legally recognized conditions of torture. Lisa dutifully reported that Guillaume and Yager had in fact confessed to having a homosexual relationship.
Debbie tried to correct the report, interjecting that they never really confessed as Lisa was reporting. DM shut her up in a heartbeat. Once DM left, Lisa Schroer , who was a little more in charge of the Hole at the time than Jenny and Angie, briefed the Holees what a treasonous “bitch” Debbie was for “defending” Marc and Guillaume. She was accused of being “mutual out ruds” for having sided with the victims of torture. That included loud accusations from Lisa, Angie and Jenny that Debbie “must be a lesbo.”
For the next twelve hours Debbie was made to stand in a large garbage can and face one hundred people screaming at her demanding a confession as to her “homosexual tendancies”. While this was going on water was poured over her head. Signs were put around Debbie’s neck, one marked in magic marker “LESBO” while this torture proceeded. Debbie was repeatedly slapped across the face by other women in the room during the interrogation. Debbie never did break. And fittingly she was rewarded with what turned out to be a break in another sense of the word.
When I confirmed all of these facts with multiple sources, I knew without a doubt there was no turning back for me.
I well remember the purpose of the Sea Org.
Written by Marty Rathbun
Helmut Flasch is one of the greatest Scientology disseminators of all time and has personally brought thousands of people into Scientology. This is his Suppressive Person Declare Order for David Miscavige, leader of the Church of Scientology. Mr. Miscavige’s offenses: illegal and unnecessary ethics handlings, taking donations to create illegal projects, perverting L Ron Hubbard’s technology, and more.
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Well, that would define a Scientologist according to the church’s official spokesman. The Church of Scientology claims at least 8 million Scientologists across the world. One can then conclude that there are 8 million people being part of the church. That would work out to almost 50 000 Scientologist for every church (counting any Scientology Mission related to each church). The Tampa Bay area hosting the spiritual headquarters of Scientology should have 100 000. They report less than 10 000. The church of Scientology Oslo should have 50 000. They have 50. Sweden should total 150 000, they have no more than a few hundred. Etc.
“Never use lies in PR. L. Ron Hubbard
The New York Times – Sunday edition – has published an informative account of Christie King Collbran’s parting with the church and turning Indpendent (she is the first Independent, by the by). Don’t miss the multi-media pieces that go with the main story, particularly the video of Christie. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/07/us/07scientology.html?pagewanted=1
