So who watched the Scientology doumentary?

[cleo29]

I caught it midway through, it was really good. I think Miscavige has a thing for Tom Cruise.

[Booze Raccoon]

LRH was a total asshole.
Tom Cruise is unhinged (not new info).
I cannot wrap my brain around how people fall for this shit. It's crazy.
Likewise, I cannot wrap my brain around how Nicole Kidman and Katie Holmes got wrapped up in Tom Cruise.
AND so fucked up if they did in fact blackmail the IRS.

The mind reels.

[ECB]

A lot of it wasn't really new. But at the same time, seeing LRH talking... yeah, I'm w/ Booze. I can't wrap my mind around that people actually FELL for this shit. I look at John Travolta and Tom Cruise now and think "wow- you are both just idiots".

But damn if the church doesn't have a whole hellofuva lot of power.

They and the NRA really scare me.

[Bernadine]

We watched it last night.

It left me feeling sorry for John Travolta, as they've completely blackmailed him. And Tom Cruise is just completely insane.

It's so terrible how every single thing about this organization is made so that people feel they can never leave. And I feel so bad for the people who do leave, and are ashamed and embarrassed that they were ever part of the organization to begin with. It's so abusive.

[Booze Raccoon]

Mar 31, 2015 7:13:51 GMT -5 Bernadine said:

We watched it last night.

It left me feeling sorry for John Travolta, as they've completely blackmailed him. And Tom Cruise is just completely insane.

It's so terrible how every single thing about this organization is made so that people feel they can never leave. And I feel so bad for the people who do leave, and are ashamed and embarrassed that they were ever part of the organization to begin with. It's so abusive.

Agreed.  It also gave me a new respect for Leah Rimini (spell?) and everyone else who has left.  I nearly cried over that woman who was disconnected from her daughter and granddaughter.  

[knx9211]

I have to wonder how many people "fell for it" and how many people were into the therapy portion of it and then by the time they realized how fucking insane it was couldn't get out because the org knows everything about them.

[cleo29]

Yeah, I think JT ad TC have too much to lose to break away.

Also, the woman who became pregnant while being reformed or whatever. I got a strange feeling about that, I mean was it something consensual? The way she said it just seemed strange.

[knx9211]

Mar 31, 2015 7:19:22 GMT -5 cleo29 said:

Yeah, I think JT ad TC have too much to lose to break away.

Also, the woman who became pregnant while being reformed or whatever. I got a strange feeling about that, I mean was it something consensual? The way she said it just seemed strange.

it struck me as extremely odd, too. She said they were always awake and working for ~30 hours, then got about 3 hours to sleep.  But that she got pregnant in there. 

[cleo29]

Mar 31, 2015 7:22:30 GMT -5 knx9211 said:

Mar 31, 2015 7:19:22 GMT -5 cleo29 said:

Yeah, I think JT ad TC have too much to lose to break away.

Also, the woman who became pregnant while being reformed or whatever. I got a strange feeling about that, I mean was it something consensual? The way she said it just seemed strange.

it struck me as extremely odd, too. She said they were always awake and working for ~30 hours, then got about 3 hours to sleep.  But that she got pregnant in there. 

She had a strange pause and never mentioned that she was able to see her husband during that time.

[miniroller]

Also watched last night, & man- I knew this Scientology stuff was cray, but this movie took it to an entirely different (scary!) level! The blackmailing of the IRS is what really disgusted me. This "religion" has so much $$$ & would owe the govt over at least a billion dollars, if not for their false exemption.
And that's only a start of the crazy. These people are in CrazyTown!! The Hole?!? Working 18 hours a day for $0.14/ hr?! WILLINGLY.
The movie basically left me horrified.

[knx9211]

I wonder what the odds are of the IRS taking away their exemption? I have no idea what the process is for that.

[Bernadine]

Mar 31, 2015 7:28:39 GMT -5 knx9211 said:

I wonder what the odds are of the IRS taking away their exemption? I have no idea what the process is for that.

Yeah, I was wondering the same thing, and hoping they'll face some pressure after this documentary.

[donthasslethehoff]

I feel asleep pretty much after they went over the piece about how they finally became a 'religion' and wouldn't be taxed by the IRS. I will watch the rest tonight. I think I missed like 30 minutes or so.

It just blows my mind that seemingly normal people get involved with this stuff. The woman Hana that they interviewed seemed like a really nice and normal woman. Maybe she was a lot more fucked up in her teens/20s/30s, but wow. The fact that people just hand over money constantly is crazy to me.

[tacokick]

I feel bad for the people who are born into being Scientologists. Those poor Sea Org kids. They are born into this, end up signing those billion year contracts as teenagers and never really make enough money to leave.

[pagas]

I wish the IRS would take away the exemption for all religious organizations.

[knx9211]

Mar 31, 2015 7:46:23 GMT -5 pagas said:

I wish the IRS would take away the exemption for all religious organizations.

There's a lot of exemptions I feel should be taken away. Like the giant hospital system in my area.. their CEO made SIX MILLION DOLLARS in 2013. SIX MILLION.

[ECB]

Mar 31, 2015 7:48:55 GMT -5 @this said:

I watched last night and was really hoping they would talk about David Miscavige's missing wife.

I was disappointed that they didn't.

[memenee]

And that guy rathbun? The scientologists set up a surveillance house next to his after he left and filmed him and his wife nonstop for 5 years? Harassing and stalking them for five years? Day in and day out?

[knx9211]

Mar 31, 2015 7:57:59 GMT -5 Lucy Honeychurch said:

I'm only halfway through. So far I'm torn between feeling sorry for the people who have been so completely sucked into this, alarmed at its seductive nature, and astonished that anyone stays. The story of Spanky is incredibly heartbreaking. And I'm beginning to really feel sorry for John Travolta, though honestly at this point I doubt anyone would ever care if his auditing files came out. I wish he'd take the risk, and expose this "religion" for what it is.

I'm here. 

Look, we all think we might know what's in those files - something about his sexuality. But everyone suspects that and does anyone really give a shit? I hope he has the courage to say something.

I had heard whispers that Scientology helped to cover up much more sinister activities of their members, but who knows if that's true.

[knx9211]

Ps this is NOT my type of law - why can't the people in the documentary sue? I didn't understand that. Rathbun's wife could, but he couldn't? Why? It's not like it's a simple grievance with the church - it's harassment and assault.

[knx9211]

Mar 31, 2015 8:13:11 GMT -5 Lucy Honeychurch said:

Mar 31, 2015 8:05:40 GMT -5 knx9211 said:

Ps this is NOT my type of law - why can't the people in the documentary sue? I didn't understand that. Rathbun's wife could, but he couldn't? Why? It's not like it's a simple grievance with the church - it's harassment and assault.

Considering the tactics of the church used to intimidate and harass, my best guess is that former members don't want anything to do with the church at this point, let alone to file a lawsuit or press criminal charges. 

I was admittedly VERY tired when I watched this, but I thought they said something about it being a 1st Amendment issue? And they'd have to go through the arbitration procedures that Scientology uses?

[Deleted]

I still have a half of a hour more to watch. 

The take away message, for me, is less about Scientology and more about humanity itself. 

This kind of documentary could have been done about so many things.  

So many human organizations have contained very negative elements. 

The dark elements of human organization, these hidden corners of humanity that flourish in the blackest ways. 


Burn it down. 

lol.

eta: This is also about people allowing themselves to be controlled by an outside entity, which is basic to human organization.  I could bring in marijuana and the government.  Why can't people freely grow and use marijuana as they wish?  Why if there is that desire, do citizens allow themselves to be restricted?  How much power do people allow organizations to have over their behavior and to constrict their lives?  What are people willing to adhere to, to be a part of an organization and be counted as a member?  I could bring in the topic of gay marriage.  There could be many topics that could be touched upon.  What freedoms do people sacrifice to be a part of our free society?  


What percentage of abuse generally occurs within organizations and is that size dependent?

[moolarkey]

I didn't get to see it and forgot to record it. I hope they show it again.

[Deleted]

I watched it last night.

I feel for Nicole Kidman.

[ECB]

Mar 31, 2015 8:35:10 GMT -5 moolarkey said:

I didn't get to see it and forgot to record it. I hope they show it again.

If you have On Demand, you can watch it whenever you want. 

[pagas]

Mar 31, 2015 8:35:10 GMT -5 moolarkey said:

I didn't get to see it and forgot to record it. I hope they show it again.

HBOGo

[cleo29]

I could not get over the laser shows and fire. Literally, smoke and mirrors people. lol

But seriously, they nothing good for the people in their organization or the area around them. And I could not get past the fact that they are part military (with the outfits and saluting) and then part "religion".

[ECB]

I'm also curious about all this "good" that they supposedly do to make the world a better place.

[cleo29]

Mar 31, 2015 9:14:33 GMT -5 Lucy Honeychurch said:

Mar 31, 2015 9:07:29 GMT -5 cleo29 said:

I could not get over the laser shows and fire. Literally, smoke and mirrors people. lol

But seriously, they nothing good for the people in their organization or the area around them. And I could not get past the fact that they are part military (with the outfits and saluting) and then part "religion".

It's the cheesiest stuff EVER.  omg. 

I think the military stuff -- the "navy," SeaOrg, the uniforms -- are manifestations of Hubbard's own failed military aspirations/delusions.  He very clearly wanted to be seen as a war hero. 

That makes sense. Hubbard was the biggest con man ever and was laughing all the way to the bank.

Did you get to the part with the song done We Are The World style?   The cheese factor is off the charts.

[Deleted]

If I am going to be paranoid about any internet surveillance, it's going to be about the government.