Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath 2

[DaisyD]

Continued from here:

 

[Jencendiary]

Someone in the previous thread noted how Tom Cruise or the other Scientology Celebs hadn't come up much. I'm glad for this, honestly. Going Clear, the book, was an excellent exploration of the financial malfeasance, illegal information gathering, and fraudulent claims of the Church of Scientology. The movie was two hours of tittle-tattle about Tom Cruise and John Travolta. I'm done with Enquirer level gossip. Show me where the bodies are buried.

[Howl]

8 hours ago, Jencendiary said:

Show me where the bodies are buried.

Literally!  This is harder than investigating a criminal operation like the Mafia of drug cartels because of Scientology's status as a religion.

[DaisyD]

And because the victims are so brainwashed that getting them to inform on the church is impossible while they're still in the fold. When they do finally blow, the "church" covers their tracks.

[CTRLZero]

An interesting article on a former Scientologist who escaped.  Just more confirmation on how people get sucked into the life and how hard it is to disengage.

Former Scientologist Performs Cathartic One-Woman Show

A few quotes from an interview in Nashville Scene:
 

Quote

 

Now, after escaping the organization she [Cathy Schenkelberg] calls a cult, she’s telling her story — mistakes and all — in a one-woman show titled Squeeze My Cans. The title is a play on words, inspired by the church’s “auditing” process, wherein church members grasp metal, can-like tubes that are hooked up to an “E-meter,” while recalling some of the most personal and/or traumatic moments in their lives. Some have accused the Church of Scientology of using this private information as a means of extortion against people who try to leave the church, but Schenkelberg shamelessly puts everything on the table herself — how she first fell into it, why she went along with it for as long as she did, and how she finally got out.

. . . .

My goal is to hit the vulnerable 20-something before they get involved in a cult. When people go, “How could you be so stupid? It’s all out there.” It wasn’t.

. . . .

A lot of people want to see Scientology end. Do you see it ending? It would only end if there was a revoke of the tax status. They own billions of dollars in property. That’s why they buy property, because they have to put their money into something because they’re not-for-profit. 

Do you care if it ends at this point? I’d love it to end, but here, look at this way: There’s offshoots of everything. Since the beginning of time. It’s going to be a pyramid scheme of another kind. 

 

 

[Grimalkin]

Did anybody else see Jenna Elfman's AMA on Reddit? It was a disaster, for her anyway. She got slammed with Scientology questions, then a bunch of Scientologists got sock accounts to ask benign  questions like her favorite ice cream flavor. She shut it down in an hour. It was very funny.

[Inky]

I didn't actually listen to it (I'm not a Jenna Elfman fan) but I must admit to feeling rather pleased when I read about what a disaster it was. 

I hate these celebrities pushing scientology when in reality, they are treated totally different from the average person.

[Grimalkin]

And another blow for Scientology!

Clearwater city council voted against allowing COS to buy a piece of land centrally located in the city. The church was willing to pay 14 million, and the city bought it for 4 million. I wonder who Will be beaten by Miscevege over this. 

      Church is claiming persecution because people don't want their kids to be able to have a nice pool. Lol.

 

http://web.tampabay.com/news/scientology/live-clearwater-city-council-set-to-vote-on-land-coveted-by-the-church-of/2321083

CLEARWATER — The City Council on Thursday voted unanimously to buy a vacant but high-profile downtown lot from the Clearwater Marine Aquarium, intercepting a crucial piece of land the Church of Scientology said it needed for its campus.

 

 

A packed auditorium at City Hall greeted the 5-0 decision with applause. 

Scientology leader David Miscavige had offered to bankroll a multi-million dollar revitalization of downtown if the city stepped aside and allowed the church to buy the lot, which borders its 13-story Oak Cove religious retreat. He pitched the idea last week to a select group of downtown stakeholders with help from Scientology celebrities like John Travolta, and was willing to pay more than three times what the city was offering.

[Inky]

That was good news. I think the City of Clearwater is starting to understand just how "beneficial" the COS is. They don't do anything without an ulterior motive and I don't think helping Clearwater was anywhere in that plan.

[Grimalkin]

   I really think Leah's show made a difference. They are so crappy. They were only going to revitalize the city IF they got that parcel of land.

      I wonder how many scientologists actually live there. I would fear them infiltrating local politics.

[Jana814]

I think her show was an eye opener for so many people who problem question Scientology. Maybe someone who might have considered joining the church saw the show and realized it was not for them. 

[DaisyD]

It can only help. The internet has really helped keep people from getting sucked in. Most of the current congregation consists of second or third generation members. They were raised not to look at anything negative. 

[lilwriter85]

12 hours ago, Grimalkin said:

   I really think Leah's show made a difference. They are so crappy. They were only going to revitalize the city IF they got that parcel of land.

      I wonder how many scientologists actually live there. I would fear them infiltrating local politics.

I have wondered about that too. In the past, I read articles that said that COS had their fingers in some of the Clearwater politics and law enforcement. Some Clearwater cops would work for COS when they were off duty.  Also it's been COS has a lot of contacts within law enforcement agencies in Southern California. One former LA county sheriff endorsed Scientology drug programs and rode their float in some parade.

[Grimalkin]

13 hours ago, Jana814 said:

I think her show was an eye opener for so many people who problem question Scientology. Maybe someone who might have considered joining the church saw the show and realized it was not for them. 

I think it also helped people not be so afraid of what they would do to them. Less intimidated by them. Their attacks carry less weight.

[MamaJunebug]

Saw that  Scientologist Elisabeth Moss called "The Handmaid's Tale" NOT a feminist story & I was all ready to be up in arms until I read her actual quote. I vividly remember reading the book and in pre-Gilead times, Offred was just a working mom and happy in her normal (non-patriarchal) marriage, no feminist agenda. It's a story of how the pawns, male and female, get run over when those in power take absolute  power.  Ergo, it is a human rights story, not only female rights. 

 

What do  you all think?

http://www.celebitchy.com/532535/elisabeth_moss_the_handmaids_tale_is_not_a_feminist_story_its_a_human_story/

Edited April 26, 2017 by MamaJunebug

[lilwriter85]

I remember being sad when I first learned that Elisabeth Moss is a Scientolgist. I loved her on Mad Men. I can cut her some slack because she was raised in the cult. When she talked about human rights, I also thought about the human rights violations COS has committed. On a related note, actor Michael Pena is a Scientologist and he starred in that biopic about Cesar Chavez. During promotions for that movie, he talked about how Chavez fought for farm workers' rights, I thought of how Pena is involved with COS which has mistreated SeaOrg members and has used child labor in their various operations. It pisses me off how these Sceintologist celebs talk about human rights and human rights violations all while being tied to COS.

[Palimpsest]

On 4/26/2017 at 1:19 PM, MamaJunebug said:

What do  you all think?

That females are human and that feminism is, and always has been, about women's human rights.  Feminism tries to eliminate socio-economic, legal, and political discrimination against women.

And that Elisabeth Moss wouldn't know her arse from her elbow, doesn't understand the issues, and should shut up. 

 

[MamaJunebug]

14 minutes ago, Palimpsest said:

That females are human and that feminism is, and always has been, about women's human rights.  Feminism tries to eliminate socio-economic, legal, and political discrimination against women.

And that Elisabeth Moss wouldn't know her arse from her elbow, doesn't understand the issues, and should shut up. 

 

You may be right, and yet I think -- or want to think -- that she had an agenda of positioning the feature not as a women's film but more universal. Of course the profit motive could be identified as her motivation.

The book was fairly clear about how a patriarchal theocracy runs roughshod over even the upper-tier women and lower-tier men.  One of the more horrid images the author wrote was of the body of the executed abortion physician. 

I dunno...

ETA -- When I found out EM was a true-believer Scieno, I was very sad.  She seems intelligent though and I hope she sees the light. Jana Duggar, Sarah Maxwell, E Moss. I'm hopeful for all of them.

Edited April 28, 2017 by MamaJunebug

[Palimpsest]

30 minutes ago, MamaJunebug said:

You may be right, and yet I think -- or want to think -- that she had an agenda of positioning the feature not as a women's film but more universal. Of course the profit motive could be identified as her motivation.

Perhaps.  I think they are doing the book and film a disservice (and buying into the use of "feminism" as a negative term) in the way they are portraying this.  You may, of course, disagree.  

One of the interesting things about $cientology is that women were promoted in the ranks. To an extent. So $cienos do think of themselves as feminists.

The big hooks of $cientology are that people are told that it will improve the world.  But at what a personal cost.

[lilwriter85]

1 hour ago, MamaJunebug said:

You may be right, and yet I think -- or want to think -- that she had an agenda of positioning the feature not as a women's film but more universal. Of course the profit motive could be identified as her motivation.

The book was fairly clear about how a patriarchal theocracy runs roughshod over even the upper-tier women and lower-tier men.  One of the more horrid images the author wrote was of the body of the executed abortion physician. 

I dunno...

ETA -- When I found out EM was a true-believer Scieno, I was very sad.  She seems intelligent though and I hope she sees the light. Jana Duggar, Sarah Maxwell, E Moss. I'm hopeful for all of them.

I have some hope that EM will see the light. She seems much more intelligent than the Masterson acting family(Danny, Chris, and Alanna) who are also second generation Scienotolgists.

[Jencendiary]

Speaking of the Mastersons, there's some scuttlebutt about the Church of Scientology covering up reports of Danny perpetrating sexual assault against several ex-girlfriends or sex partners. One of the survivors says that the church has subverted the official police investigation:

 

http://tonyortega.org/2017/03/03/lapd-probing-scientology-and-danny-masterston-for-multiple-rapes-cover-up/

 

http://tonyortega.org/2017/03/11/source-scientology-made-danny-mastersons-victim-b-search-past-lives-to-explain-being-raped/

 

 

Edited April 29, 2017 by Jencendiary

[MamaJunebug]

19 hours ago, Palimpsest said:

Perhaps.  I think they are doing the book and film a disservice (and buying into the use of "feminism" as a negative term) in the way they are portraying this.  You may, of course, disagree.  

There is that, of course (the bolded), with which I most certainly disagree. Feminism is one of the philosophies that will save this world, if it's not too late. 

(@ anybody: it's nigh impossible for me to italicize, bold, etc., text within a quote unless it's done word by word. Any tips? I'll go to the tech topics if it's not something that can be presented to my insect brain simply. Thanks in any case!)

10 hours ago, Jencendiary said:

Speaking of the Mastersons, there's some scuttlebutt about the Church of Scientology covering up reports of Danny perpetrating sexual assault against several ex-girlfriends or sex partners. One of the survivors says that the church has subverted the official police investigation:

Aurrgghhhh!!!!!

[louisa05]

12 hours ago, Jencendiary said:

Speaking of the Mastersons, there's some scuttlebutt about the Church of Scientology covering up reports of Danny perpetrating sexual assault against several ex-girlfriends or sex partners. One of the survivors says that the church has subverted the official police investigation:

 

http://tonyortega.org/2017/03/03/lapd-probing-scientology-and-danny-masterston-for-multiple-rapes-cover-up/

 

http://tonyortega.org/2017/03/11/source-scientology-made-danny-mastersons-victim-b-search-past-lives-to-explain-being-raped/

 

 

I always thought Danny Masterson was skeevy on That 70s Show (which I hate with a passion and Mr. 05 watches whenever it is on). I assumed it was the character's look--the hair, glasses, etc...Then I saw that stupid The Ranch show on Netflix at the in-laws house--my parents-in-law are obsessed with it. He looks more normal on that show and I still find him skeevy. Apparently, it is because he is. 

[Grimalkin]

    The more I think about it, I hardly know anything about EM. I really like the characters she has portrayed. I don't know if she is smart or not. 

[Palimpsest]

On 4/30/2017 at 10:20 PM, Grimalkin said:

    The more I think about it, I hardly know anything about EM. I really like the characters she has portrayed.  I don't know if she is smart or not. 

Sadly, I don't think that intelligence is much of a defense against cults or cult thinking.  I wish it were.

Very intelligent people can be fooled by cult tactics at vulnerable times in their lives.  Cults are good at attracting idealistic people.  Once in a cult, and for those raised in cults, the brainwashing techniques block their ability to think critically about their beliefs - although they can seem, and probably are, intelligent in other areas.

And, as Leah Remini has said many times, Scientology forbids its victims to research information outside the cult.  I'd call Leah a very intelligent and extremely strong person.  It took her a long time to get out.