Three of Scientology's elite parishioners keep faith, but leave the church (Includes video)

The Saint Petersburg Times (Florida) / Tampa Bay.com ^ | December 31, 2009 | Joe Childs and Thomas C. Tobin

[Stoat]

They advanced to the Church of Scientology's highest spiritual level, to "Operating Thetan VIII," a vaunted realm said to endow extraordinary powers of perception and force of will.

(edit)

Isene left first, a decision that emboldened Leavitt, who inspired Katz. Such departures are rare among the church's elite group of OT VIIIs, who are held up as role models in Scientology. The three each told the St. Petersburg Times that they had spent decades and hundreds of thousands of dollars to reach the church's spiritual pinnacle.

(edit)

The three OT VIIIs said they want reform of leadership. They pointed to the revelations by Rinder, Rathbun and others who told the Times that church leader David Miscavige resorted to violence to control and discipline key managers, assertions the church strongly denied.

(edit)

For an hour, an ethics officer posed questions while she held the metal cans of an e-meter, the electronic device used in auditing sessions.

Who are your friends?

How are your finances?

Do you have any money offshore?

"I'm sitting there trying to keep really calm and cool, and I'm going, 'This has gone completely gestapo.' "

(edit)

"I kept telling them, 'I'm not putting money on a credit card.' "

She said she was told: You're not with the program. You're not keeping Scientology working.

No, she told them, I guess I'm not. "I just walked out."

(edit)

 

[Stoat]

My apologies for the severe editing of this article....this was done in order to remain in compliance with Free Republic rules pertaining to the posting of articles from this source.  Please click on the main article link to read the full story.  It's worthwhile, in my view, as is the video.

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He joined Scientology at 18 and developed communication skills and the confidence to host a popular radio show. He learned to structure his time, curing his chronic problem with punctuality, and he found his creative side, writing poetry and short fiction.

Ummm....

• You can learn communication skills with the Toastmasters or Rotary clubs.
• You can learn how to structure your time and be punctual in the Boy Scouts and simply by holding a traditional job that requires punctuality for the paycheck.
• You can learn to be a creative writer by reading a lot, taking college courses and doing a lot of writing.

And none of these more traditional routes will employ people who scream at you, hit you, destroy your family ties and endlessly harass you for hundreds of thousands of dollars.

[HiTech RedNeck]

Looks like they have gotten their Wittenburg door.

[the invisib1e hand]

insanity goes mainstream.

and spawns.

[GeronL]

But but but don’t they want to become God of another world someday??

So short-sighted!!

//extreme sarcasm

[americanophile]

Crazy

[SnakeDoctor]

So ... two profoundly crazy people have departed from a group of slightly less crazy people. Okee doke.

I actually dated a Scientologist in high school. Nice girl. Completely certifiable ... but she was “top heavy”, so what did I care?

SnakeDoc

[centurion316]

Looks like they need to invent an OT IX level, so that they can soak a few hundred thousand more dollars from these clueless dolts.

[WeatherGuy]

[aruanan]

"Operating Thetan VIII"

Are there parallels to a "practicing homosexual?"

[GOP Poet]

bookmark

[magslinger]

Are there parallels to a "practicing homosexual?"

Not really. You can become a practicing homosexual for free.

[Stoat]

I actually dated a Scientologist in high school. Nice girl. Completely certifiable ... but she was “top heavy”, so what did I care?

 

At certain times in our lives, different attributes of interpersonal relationships will be more important than others.  ;-)

[SnakeDoctor]

Actually, certain attributes endure in importance — but luckily the wife’s also sensible, gracious, and definitely non-certifiable. ;)

SnakeDoc

[gatorhead]

“Thetan” is satan pronounced with a lisp

[4buttons]

"Operating Thetan VIII"... BWAAAAAAAAAAAhahahahahahaaa!!!

[aMorePerfectUnion]

Great Home Grown American Cults

The major cults:

Scientology
Mormonism
Jehovah’s Witnesses
Christian Science

And what is a cult:

First, there is the theological consideration. How consistent are the group’s beliefs with the basic tenets of the historic Christian faith? This evaluates the eternal significance of such beliefs.

Second, there is the social-psychological consideration. How are power, authority, and control exercised in the group? This evaluates techniques of manipulation and mind control.

Christians care about both of these issues in defining a cult. Sociologists care about the second only.

The major American cults qualify on both tests. Some have more couch jumping than others...

[OldGuard1]

But but but don’t they want to become God of another world someday??

Isn't that the mormons? God and his wife, and you can become a god too...