Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath

[SportsgalAnnie]

6 hours ago, bucherwurm said:

I watched last night. I liked seeing the conversations she had with Mike Rinder, and the convos they got to have with the other guests on the show.

I also like how they have interviewed people that were directly effected by Rinder, like the journalists, and how he can admit to everything and talk to these people like they are actually people.

To me that shows how strong he and Leah are, It can't be easy for him. I think that's part of what makes the show so captivating, it's rare to see someone admit they screwed up big time. Even rarer for them to face people they have harmed and be able to have a conversation with them. 

[quiversR4hunting]

I'm watching it on demand right now. Like all the other shows, I really like it. And now I want to read going clear. When that movie came out, I was thinking it was like "The DaVinci Code". Wow was I wrong!

[quiversR4hunting]

I love, love, love the interview with the psychologist Steven Hassan. He said Scientologist still are some of the most heavily mind controled people. 

While he was describing what cults do it made me think of Gothards, FLDS, Duggar, Bates, Rods, Nauglers, Maxwell, Ardnts. 

The other thing he said was fascinating that even born into a cult your true self wants protection from bad things and tries to be free. He didn't say as much but I am guessing that is how some escape amazing odds.

[PennySycamore]

Watching the AMA right now.  Missed it last night because I was watching the special on OJ Simpson on Discovery ID. 

[SoybeanQueen]

I don't know how anyone can watch the videos of interactions with $cn folks and think they sound like they have the power to communicate effectively and ethically or control situations. They just yell and make weird accusations that they repeat over and over. That's the big secret to controlling the world? My 5-year-old has had that skill for a couple of years already.

[SHERA]

On 1/15/2017 at 7:17 AM, Cleopatra7 said:

I have been wondering about Tom Cruise's popularity. I know he's still a laughingstock in many quarters of the internet for his couch jumping antics, but don't his movies still do pretty well at the box office (I honestly don't know; I haven't been to a movie theater since I saw Spotlight)? A lot of people may find Cruise personally unpleasant or weird, but will see him in an action movie if he delivers a solid performance.

My husband is a huge Jack Reacher book reader and will go to the movies, but he can't stand Tom Cruise. 

[Howl]

17 hours ago, quiversR4hunting said:

I love, love, love the interview with the psychologist Steven Hassan. He said Scientologist still are some of the most heavily mind controled people. 

While he was describing what cults do it made me think of Gothards, FLDS, Duggar, Bates, Rods, Nauglers, Maxwell, Ardnts. 

The other thing he said was fascinating that even born into a cult your true self wants protection from bad things and tries to be free. He didn't say as much but I am guessing that is how some escape amazing odds.

Yes, Steven Hassan is a remarkably tender hearted and compassionate man.  

[Jencendiary]

20 hours ago, quiversR4hunting said:

I'm watching it on demand right now. Like all the other shows, I really like it. And now I want to read going clear. When that movie came out, I was thinking it was like "The DaVinci Code". Wow was I wrong!

Going Clear the book is excellent. Going Clear the movie is more of the same celebrity tittle-tattle. For all the hype, I found it disappointing. I listened to it on Audible, and the narrator is very good. It's the kind of book that could make you start sleepwalking, but the narrator keeps your attention.

5 hours ago, SHERA said:

My husband is a huge Jack Reacher book reader and will go to the movies, but he can't stand Tom Cruise. 

My bio-mom's most recent husband is a huge Jack Reacher book fan and complains endlessly about Tom Cruise being cast. Apparently he's just wrong for the part entirely. Thomas won't even go see them. He complains about not seeing them. But he won't.

[K'Z'K]

4 hours ago, Howl said:

Steven Hassan is a remarkably tender hearted and compassionate man.

No, he's not. I knew him long ago, and he's a total dick. He believes (or believed then) in Satanic Ritual Abuse (source: personal email, long since deleted), which had been debunked long before that. He's been whining about falling for the Moonies for decades and needs to get over it already--he can't do a single interview without it being all about him and how he was an innocent little lamb plucked off the street and mind-controlled into doing unspecified Bad Things. An "expert" should be able to stop talking about his own brief foray into crazy and focus on other people once in a while.

He has compassion and a tender heart if and only if he thinks you're the right kind of victim. If you've, say, been falsely accused of horrible crimes while associated with a group he doesn't like (a "mind-control cult," even when it's a harmless but non-mainstream group), or are even just associated with any harmless-but-offbeat group he has decided (based on things like wild but totally unsubstantiated accusations) is evil, then you're just evil. Again, this is based on personal correspondence, so I can't really back it up, but the Steve Hassan I knew was a complete and utter asshole. I have no reason to think that's changed.

Yeah, Steve got Fair Gamed, but we all did. Many got it way worse than he ever did, and they laughed about it even then because it was so ridiculous. It wasn't Operation Freakout-level stuff, just the usual tell-your-neighbors-you're-a-Nazi crap (especially funny when the target was Jewish, which, yes, did happen--repeatedly). As an "expert," he should have known what they'd do and prepared for it rather than be surprised they got mean.

I know how this sounds, but I really really don't like him on a personal level and just had to rant about it. A blemish on an otherwise awesome series.

[Jezzable]

7 hours ago, KZK said:

An "expert" should be able to stop talking about his own brief foray into crazy and focus on other people once in a while.

I of course cannot discount the personal experiences you have had with him, so I won't go there; however, I have found the examples of his experience compared to Scientology to be helpful.

The last part was particularly helpful - the part where someone asked what people could do if they have a loved one in Scientology. I had to watch it a 2nd time to make full sense of it.  It could appear that he was trying to draw the audience solely to his personal story of being in the Moonies (as you suggested). But he was not - he was sharing a tactic to challenge someone who is in a cult so they aren't as likely to put their defenses up and shut you off.

You can't tell someone in a cult what's wrong with their cult, they won't listen to you. In fact in Scientology, you would automatically be labeled an SP. However, rather than discussing Scientology, you can appeal to them by discussing another cult group and the ways in which they use thought reform, and then ask "have you ever felt this way?"  This truly is expert advice. 

[SHERA]

It looks like there is going to be a "never before seen" clips episode on Tuesday. 

[Coconut Flan]

They're reaching the stretch it out for ratings at this point.

[THERetroGamerNY]

Found this tucked (rather firmly) in my mailbox.

I wonder if they have stepped up advertising in the wake of the show?

[Howl]

56 minutes ago, THERetroGamerNY said:

I wonder if they have stepped up advertising in the wake of the show?

If so, it's a sign of complete cluelessness.  They're thinking, "Well, they've heard how awful we are, but if they come in to check it out, they'll realize that we fart unicorns and we really are saving the world! More $$ for Co$!! Eleventy!!!1.11.!!"

My DVR recorded the last 3 minutes of the current episode and all of Hoarders.  It's not on line on A & E yet. Pffft! 

Crickets on Leah's  request to the LA police dept for their records about the welfare check on Shelly Miscavige.  

[Jezzable]

4 hours ago, THERetroGamerNY said:

 

I wonder if they have stepped up advertising in the wake of the show?

Twitter has be inundated with Scientology ads since the show has aired. 

[Palimpsest]

On 1/19/2017 at 8:58 PM, KZK said:

I know how this sounds, but I really really don't like him on a personal level and just had to rant about it. A blemish on an otherwise awesome series.

Hmm.

I've met Steve Hassan a couple of times (professionally and quite a while ago) and I think he would be the first person to admit that his views have changed and developed over the years.  Disclaimer: he is also a friend of a friend.  I've always thought he was a nice guy, a skilled MH professional, and like that he pioneered the shift to non-coercive methods of deprogramming.  The worst I've heard about him from (a few) MH professionals is that he is rather too good at self-promotion.  

It was good to see him sitting there with Lawrence Wright.  He was rather harsh about Going Clear.  I don't see how Wright could have shoe-horned into that book all the things Steve Hassan wanted him to include without it having doubled in length.  Perhaps they have reached detente, if not understanding and friendship.

This is what I mean by being rather harsh.  Or perhaps too self-promoting.

http://tonyortega.org/2013/01/28/lawrence-wrights-scientology-book-gets-some-thrashing-from-cult-expert-steven-hassan/

I think he made a lot of sense in that Q & A too.

On 1/23/2017 at 2:02 PM, Coconut Flan said:

They're reaching the stretch it out for ratings at this point.

Isn't that just A&E milking a hit show for all its worth?

[MamaJunebug]

Very much enjoyed the 20/20 rebroadcast. Must get "Troublemaker" ASAP!

[Penny]

Talking to my friend the other day, we decided that we should send Scientologist to defeat Isis. 

[Howl]

17 minutes ago, Penny said:

Talking to my friend the other day, we decided that we should send Scientologist to defeat Isis. 

The Touch Assist Brigade.  I like it.  Make them earn those medals. 

[Soulhuntress]

Scientology is quite a special cult.  And the arrogance is appalling.  No wonder Anonymous does what they do with masks.

[Toothfairy]

On Tuesday, January 24, 2017 at 7:03 PM, THERetroGamerNY said:

Found this tucked (rather firmly) in my mailbox.

I wonder if they have stepped up advertising in the wake of the show?

Omg they have a church near me they just opened.  They'regiving out free stuff. 

[Gobsmacked]

On 19 January 2017 at 8:38 AM, SoybeanQueen said:

I don't know how anyone can watch the videos of interactions with $cn folks and think they sound like they have the power to communicate effectively and ethically or control situations. They just yell and make weird accusations that they repeat over and over. That's the big secret to controlling the world? My 5-year-old has had that skill for a couple of years already.

Donald Trump has the same skill set sadly.

[THERetroGamerNY]

12 hours ago, Toothfairy said:

Omg they have a church near me they just opened.  They'regiving out free stuff. 

Free stuff? Scientology?! 

[quiversR4hunting]

Esquire just published a summary of an interview Leah Remini did on The Joe Rogan Experience.

Here is the article link: http://www.esquire.com/entertainment/tv/news/a52881/leah-remini-scientology-john-travolta-murder/

It's a short article so here you go:

Quote

By Matt Milller Feb 6, 2017

There are many theories out there about why big stars like Tom Cruise and John Travolta have remained in the Church of Scientology long after the organization's horrifying practices have been exposed by defectors. As Leah Remini said in a new interview on The Joe Rogan Experience, this could partially be because of how much power the two actors have within the organization.

She explains that Cruise has a staff of people who do his every bidding, people who "believe as a Scientologist that you're working for someone who is single-handedly saving the planet... That's an abuse that's not justified."

As Remini said, Cruise and Travolta are among the most powerful men in the organization. Travolta has a designation of Khakhan, she explains, that "basically says you can kill another human being. If you're Khakhaned, you're going to look the other way."

"So, he's allowed to kill people?" host Joe Rogen asked.

"Yes," Remini responded. "It's called ethics protection. There's another policy called the responsibility of leaders, which he says that what you gotta do to protect the leader you gotta do it. If you see a body, you gotta clean it up."

That's truly chilling stuff.

 

[Howl]

1 hour ago, quiversR4hunting said:

"Yes," Remini responded. "It's called ethics protection. There's another policy called the responsibility of leaders, which he says that what you gotta do to protect the leader you gotta do it. If you see a body, you gotta clean it up."

That's truly chilling stuff

Which leads me to believe that there are bodies.....that people have been killed in the name of protecting Co$, especially protecting Dear Leader, David Miscavige -- my fingers keep wanting to type "McSavage".

Still waiting for an update on Shelley....