Dear Scientologist,
I am writing to you in hopes of bringing some clarity to the recent upsets and protests.
L. Ron Hubbard speaks much about integrity, responsibility, honesty and ethics. These are good things. The world needs more honesty and people need more integrity, better ethics, and need to take more responsibility.
But we have a problem.
I'm sorry but I must be blunt here. You have given up your responsibility for your church. You have given all the responsibility for your church to unnamed and unseen “others” of church management. Most Scientologists only know of one person, David Miscavige, who is in charge.
You trust that your church management is doing a good job. You trust that they are doing the right things. But your only source of information on how and what management is doing is management's own event presentations, which are, obviously, produced to make management look good.
The actual actions and statistics of the Church of Scientology management are hidden. The actual people involved in church management, except for David Miscavige, are hidden.
You are told that all information from outside sources about the church is false, and that church management's event presentations are the only valid sources of information. And you believe, and follow that.
This is irresponsible.
It is your church. You are responsible for the Church of Scientology. You. Not David Miscavige, not some mysterious and unnamed “management team”, not “someone else”, you.
You have been told that your "responsibility" is to follow management's orders. This is not responsibility. "Obedience" is not part of any definition of responsibility. Responsibility involves knowledge and it includes action--knowledge you have gathered for yourself, not some spoon-fed, predigested presentation, and action you have decided is best, based on your own personal knowledge.
I won't tell you what you should do, except to say that you need to take responsibility. The information available on the Internet won't kill you. Millions of people have read everything available and no one has died from it. No one has even gotten sick. Scientology has certainly not made you weaker than those people. It is safe for you to look.
Some of the information may be upsetting. So? Is your faith so weak that it falls apart at the slightest contrary opinion? Don't you think you have the intelligence and awareness to spot truth and lies? I think you do.
Taking responsibility has never been easy, but it has always been necessary. It is time for you to step up and assume the responsibility you abandoned.
You should be ashamed that others have felt it necessary to take responsibility for your church. They might not understand and may be clumsy in their attempts to correct things. You would obviously be better at it but you haven't done anything.
Take responsibility for your church. It is time.
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Speaking as an ex-Scientologist, I must admit that there is a lot of truth in this letter. I hope that it will be read by some Scientologists. but I can also tell you that the folks who most need to read it, the staff members of the various hierarchies within the church, will not be allowed to read it. Unfortunate, but true. But if even one Scientologist reads it and realizes the truth in these words, it will be worth the time it took to write it.
ReplyDeleteI wrote this letter from my heart. I sincerely believe in the goodness of most Scientologists--especially the public and the lower levels of the organization. They just don't know, and they should.
ReplyDeleteI published this letter in the hopes that people more clever than I can help me get it distributed where it can do the most good.
Thank you for your kind words.
Bill
What you have written here is incredible. It needs to be heard. These are important things that simply have to be said -- respectfully and often -- by those of us who have contact with members of the church.
ReplyDeleteWhen you say that you hope that this could be disseminated, are you saying it's OK to use and quote your writings? Set them to video or audio in a respectful way?
Thanks to you and please keep up the good work you do.
These writings have already appeared elsewhere, usually with attribution, but I'm not too picky. I hope that, in whatever way it happens, these writings get disseminated -- and read.
ReplyDeleteThey aren't too valuable if they aren't read and we, at Ask The Scientologist are totally in favor of these writings being seen by as many people as possible.
I do hope that such things as this Open Letter do reach the eyes, and minds, of Scientologists.
So, emphatically, "yes", people can use these writings to forward this message.
And we're always very glad to hear back from people about these messages.
Thanks,
Bill
After inadvertently running into your blog, I read some bits & pieces.
ReplyDeleteYour intentions here appear sincere and respectful. It will hopefully go further with respect. Being rude simply gets one ignored.
You are not alone. Scientology struggles repeatedly in Germany to establish itself as a "religion". The Federal Republic of Germany has consistently refused to grant it this respect/right, claiming that it is a cult. The absence of transparency is what prevents them from getting what they want there.
I find it sad. For all the overly zealous rabid Christian evangelizing, they are at least equally rabid in their enthusiasm to tell you everything about their faith.
How can the rest of us be expected to respect Scientologists' beliefs, if we cannot easily access them? I'm Roman Catholic, and I find it bizarre that someone might not want to explain how to achieve salvation (of whatever flavor you wish). I worship a god who wants me to get off my butt and help as many people as possible find that salvation. No purchase necessary.
How could I possibly refuse to give someone the keys to such redemption?
@Gopher MPH
ReplyDeleteThanks.
You can read more about the Church of Scientology's secrecy, and the motivations behind it in my article Scientology vs. the World.
They are secretive because what they plan and what they do is illegal and/or socially unacceptable.
That's why they can't tell you.
gopher said:
ReplyDelete"...No purchase necessary.
How could I possibly refuse to give someone the keys to such redemption?"
You shouldn't, it is immoral. True religion is free. You can extrapolate at least 2 things from these 2 statements.
That's a good first letter, but where is the second letter? You know, the one that explains that Scientology really isn't a Church, and that the Bridge is a ramp, sloping upward at the beginning, then sloping downward into gradual physical and mental illness?
ReplyDeleteWhere's that letter?
Oh... never mind.
LOL! That's the rest of the Internet.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure you understand, but one cannot open a conversation with Scientologists with "it's all a scam!" They are trained to automatically reject that -- so you might as well have not spoken at all.
When I speak to Scientologists, I speak more gently -- I actually want them to read, and think. If I can get them to think, the rest will happen.
I have a distant family member who has contacted me who is involved with scientology for over 10 years.(seeking a relationship) I am skeptic as to what the reason is and have been reading about scientology, new concept to me. Can anyone comment why someone who is allegedly to be against the 'outside world' and family would contact? I find what I have been researching too overwhelming.
ReplyDeleteRe: Odd contact from a Scientologist.
ReplyDeleteIt may be that the person just wants to be connected. It's possible.
Personally, I'd think this was part of some Scientology program to "contact people you know" and "get them into Scientology".
In general, Scientologists don't try to get in touch with out-of-contact family or old friends unless there is a Scientological reason. Everything is subsumed to the church's purposes.
It is very good that you are informed about the truth about Scientology. If you know the truth, you can't be fooled.
Thank You for the comment. I suspect more of what your opinion is as well than something else. Few days ago, I knew nothing of the topic. It is very overwhelming. I find I am okay with the understanding of what it is. [it's not the internet itself, it's the information, I am having a new view on freedom of information actually and I guess I am thankful for my condition as someone who lives 'outside']. One could literally do a graduate study in this. It's quite extensive. I find it sad to think that it's such deep thought control; for the simple respect to the fact we live one life and one is choosing (?) to live it believing a supposed fictionist and what it and all it entails. (not meaning to be conclusive on the after life topic and beliefs) I understand it is a slow process however I question you know: at some point, would one not question things (as an agent, their own agent; where is the capacity practice, besides that yes it's highly explained where it actually is/was driven to)? I mean from all/what is available to us to follow and study none dictates to conform in such way. It makes me think that believers weren't raised right or not very educated however there are evidences that older/educated people follow along. These are very initial reactions. I suppose I was wondering if this person is trying to leave this organization (when having no 'outside' contacts)...followed by this organization is instructing to call/this is part of its curriculum, just as you say. It's essentially a bad experience and devastating to feel that this may not be a reunion. Haha. Reason directs to that I don't feel that this person and I would get along and I am actually not very educated in terms of how to deal with this and I am more tempted to choose to restrain. In all honesty, I find it scary. In reality, I find it would be naive and falsly optimistic to think that one could aid/if it were the case. I think ex involved would do a better job/it would be suppositions to think that one knows what someone in such case may need (aside the obvious basic needs). It's something to get one's head around that they didn't mean to speak to you, rather you are a project? Thank You for having this post because you help people. Your energy goes to good, I mean the good good, not the 'good'. I don't know what you believe in, you know' eg. if it's God, then God Bless, if other, please relate.
ReplyDeleteThanks. My intention is to explain, to non-Scientologists, exactly what is going on inside the Scientology bubble. How did it happen? Why do Scientologists act and speak the way they do.
ReplyDeleteAnd, I try to clarify some things to Scientologists. How did they get tricked, controlled, fooled. And what they can do about it.
I am always sorry when I hear someone say that Scientologists must be stupid or different, to have been fooled so badly. I know that most Scientologists are good, caring and usually intelligent people, and that Scientology used the person's desire to help others to trap them. That is especially evil.
You have seen all the information, all at once. That isn't how Scientology ropes people in. Scientology hides it all and finds one little thing the person can agree with -- then another little thing, and another.
Today, with so much information out there, this technique won't work. They can't hide things.
Thanks for your comments. Good luck with your family member.
I think it is great what you are doing and especially great to receive what you say as you speak so clearly.
ReplyDeleteI certainly didn't actually mean to imply that they would be stupid or different. You are right, not initially just end up being different in its due process. I was trying to get my thoughts around accountability and responsibility to self protect. As I said too there are many who are essentially altruistic and kind and educated all that for sure, just I feel sad they don't have an additional quality that says 'hm' earlier; but it's a bubble after all. Granted. I mean I reached out for guidence involving this topic and found it in less than an hour. We have an actual way to make decisions and practise this over that, free will, create opportunities, paths. I feel bad for those who don't. This can be applied to many realities where people are restricted to whatever resource it may be.
Just so you know, you may like to know this site was refered to me saying I would find a wealth of information and I certainly did.
Thanks again, you deserve many thanks for being available.
Speaking as a current Scientologist, I must admit that your "Open Letter to All Scientologists" is very well intended and appreciated by those who can see past the Public Relations that the church sometimes uses. You are absolutley right in that we, every Scientologist must look for ourselves and take responsibility and not just take the word of the Church Officials. I have recently been doing just that and am very much in shock about the information I am running into. Believe me, I plan on doing what I can to get to the bottom of some of the things I have read and seen. But know this, that most Scientologists are very good people, with the best intentions to help our communities and most of them just don't have the other side of the story or believe me they would be doing something about it as well. Thank you for your open letter!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for your comment.
ReplyDeleteI do know that most Scientologists are good people. That is why I wrote this open letter. I trust them to want to know the truth, and, when they find out the truth, I trust that they will do what is right.
Bill
help!
ReplyDeleteplease need help Bill..
i did copy and paste in my email this great letter to all scientologists and emailed to my exhusband (long history). Im not Eos but i would like and love he can see the real truth..
He anwered and asked why I send this to him and where did I find this letter!!
I need touch his heart!!! help me please!! what I should reply him???
and not sound antagonist or SP for him!!? I want him out of this cult.
thanks and wait for your answer
Re: Help!
ReplyDeleteI don't have a simple, easy answer to this. I wish there was some magical phrase that would wake a Scientologist up, but that is unlikely.
However, I can tell you, when talking to a Scientologist, do not tell them anything about Scientology. This will be perceived as "an attack" and automatically rejected. That approach does not work.
The mind control practiced by Scientology is quite effective in this way. The only way to continue communicating with a Scientologist is to avoid saying anything about Scientology completely.
Ask them questions. Not about Scientology, but about their life. If you trigger the "I-must-disseminate-Scientology" machine, just say "I'm not interested in that," and continue to ask them about their life. If they ask why you're not interested, do not get into reasons, just say, "I'm just not interested right now."
If you are patient and a good listener, they might open up and tell the truth. You know, we all know, that things are not going well for them. If you are quiet and open, they will start to tell you these things. Encourage this with gentle questions. Let them come to their own realization.
This open letter isn't bad as a start. It does not attack Scientologists or Scientology, it just indicates that there are some problems with the current church and points out that each Scientologist has a responsibility to know more.
But you know your ex-husband much better than I, so you would have a better idea on how to approach him.
I suggest reading Combatting Cult Mind Control by Steve Hassan. It will help you understand how this kind of mind control works, and help you deal with it in the Scientologist.
Re: Help!
ReplyDeleteA bit more:
In answer to his question "Why did you send this to me?" I'd simply say, "I don't know, it looked interesting".
Since it isn't very negative, your ex-husband might let it go at that and not consider it an attack from you.
Scientologists are very defensive. Very, very defensive -- because they know things are not going well. You really don't need to point this out, they already know it. All you have to do is get them to stop lying to themselves.
well.. thanks for the answer., still wanted something more deep that could make him think reallt think about it :(
ReplyDeletebut thanks bill
any suggestion from public will be very appreciate.
I understand very much what you want. I wish that kind of Magic Phrase existed. Unfortunately, it doesn't.
ReplyDeleteHubbard's and Scientology's thought control is really quite effective. It is self-installed by the person -- and it can only be uninstalled by them.
The point I'm trying to make is that a vast majority of Scientologists know something is wrong. That's why they are so defensive. Scientology didn't work for them. Scientology is not working for them. It isn't.
You don't have to tell them Scientology doesn't work, you only need to let them tell you that. That takes patience and a safe environment.
hello again Bill
ReplyDeletethank you !! for all your answere. Certainly I understand some of what you saying. This crab (scientology) is very powerful and i just cant fight to them
By the way I will keep reading all your interesting info/posts.
keep with the great work and blessings to you not matter in what you beleive (Im pretty much catholic :) )
Bye for now
And that's the thing, Anon and Bill; I've always said that you can't "fight" religion into or our of anybody. It backfires in multiple ways: it makes them defensive, forces their mind to reconcile their decision, etc.
ReplyDeleteThat's not to say that it's not effective to make them, at least, THINK about what they're doing- that has it's place. If they have been forced to disconnect, and someone happens to throw a comment their way about loved ones, it might just make them think, and that's all that I want for them. Not to force them to leave their belief system and not to force their mind to change, but just to help them consider things that they had not before.
Like Bill had said, it's the gentle and the understanding that will reach those that are currently "lost"- and those are the ones that need that the most!
@mark.tomles
ReplyDeleteVery true. The Church of Scientology, Hubbard and Miscavige work very hard to prepare Scientologists to be attacked. If you attack them or Scientology or Hubbard or Miscavige, they know you are "one of the Evil Ones" and they know exactly how to "handle" you -- disconnect, ignore, run away...
This means that any "attack" (meaning any negative information) will be ignored by the Scientologist. This is what they are very carefully trained to do.
As I said, a person doesn't need to tell Scientologists something is wrong -- they already know this. The trick is to get the Scientologist to tell you that something is wrong with Scientology. That's tricky, but it really is the only way to bypass all their defensive training.
You can do this by asking questions about the Scientologist's goals, desires and progress; what they wanted to personally accomplish in life; what they hoped for; when they were young, what they planned for their life.
For most Scientologists, the admission that they have failed, and that Scientology has failed will be inevitable.
Thank you for those tips, Bill- I wish more people knew this.
ReplyDeleteIt's so true. Ur not allowed to question anything in scn...when i started to think for myself and ask my mom why certain things were the way they were i was told that you're not allowed to ask why questions....unfortunately, you just can't have an open minded conversation w/ a scientologist and express even the slightest bit of disagreement. i am so glad i got out when i did and didn't get harrassed...they did however not remove me from their mailing list and even 10/15 years later i still get mail, and used to get random calls from people trying to get me to come back. so far, everything i have been reading online i can attest that it is true...i have seen much of it and experienced it myself....crazy as it sounds.
ReplyDelete$cientology is a cult.
ReplyDeletePeriod.
It is the MOST difficult thing for a scientologist to ever come to grips with, agree with and do something about. After all, we have dedicated decades of our lives to the clever controlling ramblings of a man whose greatest claims to fame is that he is a so-so science fiction writer, a sneaky manipulator regarding other writings (ex: The Russian Manual Of Brainwashing, HIS work) and a master of delusional thinking.
He died with chronic pancreatis, chronic allergies and chronic strokes (over 15 years) until the last two, a week apart, finally did him in. Not to mention the drooling rantings of his towards all the invisible monsters floating around that were giving him so much trouble.
Scientology is a cult.
Look up the standard definition of "cult". Scientology fits it all.
Scientology is a cult.
Period.
Sorry about all those lost years and decades. Time to get over it like we all eventually have to. Time to live again and not worry about the next 'reg cycle' or the next 'ethics cycle' or the next 'sec check'.
Live again!
Eat well. Enjoy the food.
Laugh again, not at people but rather with them!
Make love.
Love someone.
Let someone love you.
Meditate, for hours, without a thought on your mind. Feels good.
Stop staring at people. It was called 'TR's' by the enslavers. It's actually a control mechanism, abnormal and you'll get along much better with others when you snap out of it.
Breathe in. You're alive.
Breathe out. Calm your mind and spirit.
GTF out of scientology!
I happened to stumble upon this page and I see intereting discussion going. Most of it is sound and sensible discussion.
ReplyDeleteYes, Scientologists can be persistent and difficult to shake off. I have managed to achieve a rather healthy/objective distance from the whole love/hate affair. I had the faith and help of my own religion to guide me out of the mess.
I know David Miscaviage and the Commodores and the Commanders. Long time since I heard from them!
Scientology is not exactly "A Rose Garden as Promised". I have been in it for over 15 yers. Time just flew by while I hurried to be "Clear" and "OT".
But I appriciate and I am compassionate about the untiring hopefulness of the staff and their trust/faith in the "TECH".
I did not have the right attitude to just go out and blame the Scientologists for all the things that went wrong.
There must have been some good somewhere that drew me to them in the first place; probably the dream of an ideal society where everyone is good, responsible, beautiful, powerful, and a world population that is happy,healthy and well fed. Peaceful, too! (Quite a dream to sell or buy, as long as you DO NOT wake up).
As to LRH, if it helps, a being called TOBIAS of
crimsoncircle.com has refered to him as having been an angel who used to lead a group of angels, in some distant past. This being was not impressed by LRH but had respect for his and followers' opinion/way of life.(Democracy?)
Finally I want to say that I hve become stronger and matured by this journey out of Scientology. I trusted myself and my decisions. I did not believe in shouting "Hate" out in the great blue only because I did not have the same reality as Scientology.
I might admit one little good thing about Scientology: At the time of my contact with the Church I was in much trouble: divorce, loss of my father, much strife within my famiy. I was in vulnerable state. My OCA test was not so bad. I "was easy to help", as I was told. I did the "comm-cource" and 10 hrs Dianetics auditing. I did some "WordClearing", "Studen Hat",too. Just by this I managed to steer me out of the mess around me. Then I became "Staff"!
I did not like the nagging and bugging about the forced attendance of "events", "stuffing parties", and the "fund raising events", and the "the div.6 body-routing". I liked most of the staff I have had the honor of working with, all the "Clears", "OTes" that I have had the pleasure of knowing. They may be Scientologists, but in the last analysis they are all God's people and the Christian virtue of Love: "Love is...forgiving, unassuming, non-judgemental, not harsh, is compassionate, etc." So I chose the Love way out of the mess.
Finally I could not help being aware of the following: If you decide to look into the mirror to get a good view of yourself, be prepaired to fix the flows you may see in the mirror. If your glasses are not sitting right on your nose, you are automatically inclined to put them right, right?
But I am very sure you won't break the mirror for showing you the flow. Nor do you wish to damage your own glasses or your own body, for that matter, because it had flaws. You have enough sense and caring inside you, that you will not think much about it when you just reach out and fix your glasses.
Thanks for running this blog.
For those people who get enticed into bad groups becauese one is looking/searhing for the truth about oneself, about God or about the usiverse, there is a book called THE URANTIA BOOK. There is enough detail, theory, suspense,about the story of our earth, the universe, Jesus, God, in the most beautiful english I have had the pleasure of enjoying.
Gratefully,
Annonymus
Bill says:
ReplyDelete"It is your church. You are responsible for the Church of Scientology. You. Not David Miscavige, not some mysterious and unnamed “management team”, not “someone else”, you.
You have been told that your "responsibility" is to follow management's orders. This is not responsibility. "Obedience" is not part of any definition of responsibility. Responsibility involves knowledge and it includes action--knowledge you have gathered for yourself, not some spoon-fed, predigested presentation, and action you have decided is best, based on your own personal knowledge".
Be responsible for our "church"....well, most of us who have left did exactly that. Staying, we were either declared (without any Comm Ev or Fitness Board) or thrown out, and ignored by the many "OT's" who knew it was "out tech".
So? We left---we're finally free, and you my friend are stuck with what you consider to be a "church".
It is, in actuality, a "mafia-like organization" run by a very Suppressive Person, David Miscavige.
My suggestion to you? Bail while you can.
Don't die, trying to "save" some group who could care less about you, will not really help you (Unless you have either $$$ or donate lots of time)--and is about as Ethical as drug dealers are. Same game, different pitch.
You want it? You got it.
For me? Responsibility is in what you do. Your "church" does VERY harmful things, daily, and calls
those very actions "Ethical".
Your leader admitted, in pubic, he had trained all of we OT 7's "Wrong"---but then wanted us to pay another
$25,000 to go back to go and re-do what he'd trained us on, AND PAY FOR IT, TOO.
You don't want to hear it---so I wish you well.
To those who honestly will LOOK---Make up your own
minds.
My best,
Tory Christman
X-Scientologist after 30 years "in"
Free at last!
www.youtube.com/ToryMagoo44