06 Sep 2000

mistmagoo55@aol.com (Mistmagoo55)

How Could You Possibly Get So Suckered IN???? This is a question many people ask me, and I ask myself daily, having been a part of the Church of Scientology for 30 years, and having been out for two months.

People all have different emotions when they leave this Church, but for me I must say for the first 15 years I was very happy to be a Scientologist, and I still feel that way. I know many others do not share these feelings and that is fine. I respect their feelings, and I only ask they respect mine.

As I even type that, I realize that is a "normal" thing to hear in society, but not something you would EVER be allowed to say within the C of S. When you first "get in" it is usually just to do some simple course. One of their first ones is in Communication.

Most people will agree they can communicate better, and even if they cannot, they know others can. So with this, for a small fee (when I got in 1969 it was $25) you can start. Seems simple enough.

One of the first things you read then (and on EVERY single course after) is Keeping Scientology Working where Hubbard talks about how vital it is to stay on the path, and if you drop off how bad things can and will get for you. He gives many examples, and it is not as obvious as I am stating here, but it IS the beginning of the programming. Here he announces one must turn their "mamby pamby wandering into a dedicated glare!"

Well, who wants to be a mamby pamby? So easily one agrees that this is the new plan. Right here, right here, you stop thinking for yourself to some degree.

Then there is Ethics, which really puts the nails in the coffin. Here in "Ethics" you are told how it is a HIGH CRIME to even look at "another practice". Now again, as you are not in THE TRUMAN SHOW, it seems so obviously bogus.

But get the idea of tons of people around you who are happy and "winning". They truly are doing better in their lives and telling you their successes daily. That is another thing Scientology is great at: PROMOTION. They LOVE to print success stories, in the "old days" at the end of every course people got up and told their wins to the group. So that reinforcement is ALWAYS there. "We are winning!"

Right.

So when does it go south? Well, for each person it is different. Obviously for me being in for 30 years, it took a long while. On that path I did what are called my "Upper Levels". This is counseling where you are "solo" auditing.,..,or doing it by yourself. Here the restrictions really begin to pile up.

Because it is such an "honor" to be allowed on these levels (you have to request it, and be invited)...one begins to be very careful. Before every level there is what is now called "Eligibility". This is an expensive phase ($8,000 per 12 1/2 hours, and one usually needs 3 or 4 hours at least) of questions about you:

Are you here to steal the OT materials?
Have you ever committed a crime?
Did you ever look at other practices?
Are you connected IN ANY WAY to someone who is PTS or SP?
etc etc.

This list goes on and on, but by the end you have it well in your mind you had better shape up or ship off! Remember, you are paying for this grilling, and the worse you are, the more grilling (that you pay for ) you get!

Now again, for me I actually loved a bunch of these levels. I had huge life changing wins on many of them. I felt more confident, less worried, and was just overall happier after doing each level. However, this mind control was being built in, and I didn't see it at all, not even for a second!

All I knew was I was getting more and more "OT" or able. I knew some people had broken off from the C of S, and the stories that were spread about these people were so subtle, I am still stripping off what was told to me. They have a way of doing this, and I am not really even sure how. But it is so subtle you buy into it, not even realizing you have. My husband for example yesterday told me I could not come home and sleep in our house if I was "Talking to THOSE PEOPLE". He has never really even met my friends! Ok, he talked to Bunker....but that was through the Church's eyes. Again, he feels like he knows Mark Bunker. Does he? Not even a little bit! This is a grown man we are talking about, who is supposedly at the top of the C of S's "Bridge to Total Freedom".

Right! And this same man is telling his wife who he has been married to for 26 YEARS that she cannot sleep in the same house if she even talks to "those people". Do you see it??? Unbelievable, but this occurred 2 days ago.

So is he suckered in? You betcha! Can he see it even a little? Hell no! He swears he's not even with the C of S. HA! And he doesn't even know this is all well planned out ahead of time, put into his head, and he hasn't the faintest idea it might be someone else's idea. Amazing, but true.

I began "seeing the light" in 1990. I got onto a level, actually their next to the highest level, and something just was not right. Ok, it took me 10 years to actually GET IT that the whole thing had gone bogus............but at least I did finally get it. Many of my dearest friends are still totally IN the show, and cannot see the wall for the life of them. They are totally succerred in! Sad, but true. For me, there are not words to describe how truly happy I am to be out of this crap, and free. Just having REAL Freedom of Speach is amazing, when you have not had it for years and years. OF course when you are "in" you would never have a clue you do not have freedom of speach. Not one clue, or if you did get a clue, you quickly stop thinking about it ....because remember, it gets expensive to think like that!

What can you do about it if you have a loved one who is suckered in? First off, be patient. Secondly, don't right away tell them they are morons. You will lose them fast that way, for years and years. Take your time. Read books about it.

Get on the Internet and type in Scientology. In there are other pages of alternative things. Study up. Then when you are ready, see if you can introduce whatever you find that may be real to the person. It is tricky, because as I have said, it IS just like the Truman Show, and they do NOT see the wall!

But keep at it, and hopefully you can walk them over to the wall.

Most of all, love them. They are losing love daily with how the C of S runs things now. They will feel your love.

Good luck and you can always call me if you need help! For now, I am at (727) 467-9335

My love to you all!

Tory Bezazian

Alias Magoo!~still dancin in the light~