A portrait of the founder of Scientology, L. Ron Hubbard, in a church retreat center in Clearwater, Fla.
Posted on 03/07/2010 9:48:45 AM PST by SkyPilot
CLEARWATER, Fla. — Raised as Scientologists, Christie King Collbran and her husband, Chris, were recruited as teenagers to work for the elite corps of staff members who keep the Church of Scientology running, known as the Sea Organization, or Sea Org.
A portrait of the founder of Scientology, L. Ron Hubbard, in a church retreat center in Clearwater, Fla.
They signed a contract for a billion years — in keeping with the church’s belief that Scientologists are immortal. They worked seven days a week, often on little sleep, for sporadic paychecks of $50 a week, at most.
But after 13 years and growing disillusionment, the Collbrans decided to leave the Sea Org, setting off on a Kafkaesque journey that they said required them to sign false confessions about their personal lives and their work, pay the church thousands of dollars it said they owed for courses and counseling, and accept the consequences as their parents, siblings and friends who are church members cut off all communication with them.
“Why did we work so hard for this organization,” Ms. Collbran said, “and why did it feel so wrong in the end? We just didn’t understand.”
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As for the defectors, Mr. Davis called them “apostates” and said that contrary to their claims of having left the church in protest, they were expelled.
Snip
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“It was all built on lies,” Mr. Collbran said. “We’re working 16 hours a day trying to save the planet, and the church is shrinking.”
“You’re in fear,” Mr. Collbran said. “You’re so into it, it’s everything you know: your family, your eternity.”
Mr. Davis, the church’s current spokesman, said Scientologists are no different from Mormons, Catholics, Jehovah’s Witnesses and Amish who practice shunning or excommunication.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
Big ol’ “DUH” here. It’s only been written about since Scientology was conceived.
L Ron Hubbard - a raving lunatic when he was alive.
And a pornografic author.
I went with that title last night and the mods changed it to prevent duplicate threads. I guess there is something that Drudge gets that tells him the headline for the article even though at that particular moment last night it said something else on their website.
I am sure the Times lawyers are already gearing up for a Scientology lawsuit. That is the Scientologist's standard practice - sue, threaten to sue, sue to some more, intimidate, and then file suit.
It works sometimes.
The problem for Scientology is that the Internet has been its biggest enemy. Far too much has come out about this cult, and they have not been able to bar the door on the truth.
Mr. Davis, the church’s current spokesman, said Scientologists are no different from Mormons, .... who practice shunning or excommunication.
____________________________________________
Plus Scientologists are no different from Mormons in that neither are Christians...
The article is interesting from the perspective of
examining exactly how cults treat their followers.
There are amazing parallels to mormonism.
ampu
“These are common religious tenets,” he said. “The very survival of a religion is contingent on its protecting itself.”
Very interesting comparison Mr. Davies makes here. I've never heard of Catholics doing this though.
"On the pay issue, it says that Sea Org members expect to sacrifice their material well-being to devote their lives to the church."
Again, another parallel to JW's and Mormons that bears a striking similarity to teachings of their churches. Mormons are "encouraged" to give of their "talents" and "means" to the church.
“Why did we work so hard for this organization,” Ms. Collbran said, “and why did it feel so wrong in the end? We just didn’t understand.”
As for the defectors, Mr. Davis called them “apostates” and said that contrary to their claims of having left the church in protest, they were expelled.
HMMmm...
Sounds identical to ANOTHER 'church' we hear about a lot on FR.
Don't say this TOO loud!
Both have a science fiction base
"Rookie"
-Joseph Smith, founder and "prophet" of the Latter Day Saints.
I had the same reaction.
He lumped the Amish in with Scientologists as well. It is not true that the Amish treat their people (who almost all blood relatives) who wish to leave their community the same way as these brutes in Scientology. If they want to leave, they can leave that life and community. I met some airline pilots who had come from Amish communities in Lancaster PA. They were loved by their relatives, and had their blessing. What the Scientologists are doing to any member who wants sheer terror and typical behavior for cults.
Moreover, I wish the Catholic church still excommunicated people. I would love to see some courage by Catholic leaders who would throw out the likes of the Kennedy's, Nancy Pelosi, John Kerry, and Joe Biden. The truth is (except for a few examples of great courage), the Catholics let any member get away with almost anything that goes against what the church officially teaches without repercussions.
My understanding is that those not accepting of the Church’s teaching “excommunicate themselves” and formal excommunication is unneeded, at least since Vatican II.
wrong, your's is the only cult I know of that plays these types of games!
I HAD A GOOD FRIEND WHO JOINED THE JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES. THEY MADE HIS LIFE SO DIFFICULT WHEN HE LEFT THAT HE HAD TO MOVE OUT OF STATE.
Your caps-lock key is stuck.
no, i sometimes do it in either upper or lower case because it’s been hard to type sometimes with my swollen fingers.
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