Fri Mar 07, 2008 1:09 am
My Experience with a Scientologist
In October 2007, I was involved in a car accident in Burbank, CA. I was sitting in the passenger seat and the side airbag deployed. It struck my elbow with incredible force and I was in a lot of pain.
Immediately after the accident, I was struggling to open the door when a woman opened it for me and helped me out. She sat me on a nearby bus bench and examined my elbow. Her name was Cherry DeDear.
Once Cherry determined that my elbow was not broken, just badly bruised and swollen, she asked me if I would like to take a walk. In retrospect, this was an odd question considering the circumstances. I looked at my boyfriend, who was driving the car. He was exchanging information with the driver who hit us and he appeared to be okay. I was probably in a state of shock because I agreed to take a walk with Cherry.
We walked to a nearby gas station where she bought me a bottle of water and got ice for my arm. Then she said something even more peculiar, “I am going to audit you, are you ready?”
At this point I guess I assumed she was a nurse, and I was in no position to say no to a possible nurse stranger who just bought me water after a traumatizing experience, so I said yes. Then, in a completely monotone voice, seemingly to no one, she said, “Begin audit.”
She pointed to a restaurant sign across the street, “Do you see that sign?”
“Yes.”
“Good.” She pointed to a bird. “Do you see that bird?”
“Yes.”
“Good.” She pointed to the ground.” Do you see the ground?”
I thought to myself: Great. Not only did I just get into a car accident, but now I am probably going to be mugged by this crazy woman who preys on people in venerable states of mind. I looked down, waited for her to hit me, and very hesitantly said, “Yes, I see the ground.”
“Good. You’re doing very good.”
“How can I be doing good? I’m just looking at things. Are you a nurse?” And then she laid it on me.
“No, I am a minister of Scientology.” And in the monotone voice she said, “End Audit.”
As we walked back to the accident I was thinking about how, in a way, she was taking advantage of my venerable state of mind. I appreciated the water but I was expecting her to ask for my contact info so that she could bombard my mailbox with Scientology propaganda and try to recruit me.
I have to say, she never asked. She even offered to leave her info in case we needed a witness. Cherry stayed just long enough to find out that everything was okay, and then she left.
I didn’t think about her much after the accident until one day in mid January. I watched a leaked Scientology video of Tom Cruise. In it he says something about when Scientologists pass an accident, they have to stop because they know they are the only ones who can help.
A tingle went down my spine. I was pretty creeped out to say the least. But all in all, I don’t know what to make of it.
Is it a coincidence that Tom Cruise used the example of a car accident to demonstrate what good samaritans Scientologists are? Is stopping at the scene of accidents something Scientologists regularly practice? Or was Cherry at that conference where the Tom video originally aired and was so influenced by him that she now regularly audits at car accidents?
If you can shed light on any of this, would like to comment on my story, or if you possibly know Cherry DeDear, please reply. I would love to hear what you have to say.
Best,
Jackie
Immediately after the accident, I was struggling to open the door when a woman opened it for me and helped me out. She sat me on a nearby bus bench and examined my elbow. Her name was Cherry DeDear.
Once Cherry determined that my elbow was not broken, just badly bruised and swollen, she asked me if I would like to take a walk. In retrospect, this was an odd question considering the circumstances. I looked at my boyfriend, who was driving the car. He was exchanging information with the driver who hit us and he appeared to be okay. I was probably in a state of shock because I agreed to take a walk with Cherry.
We walked to a nearby gas station where she bought me a bottle of water and got ice for my arm. Then she said something even more peculiar, “I am going to audit you, are you ready?”
At this point I guess I assumed she was a nurse, and I was in no position to say no to a possible nurse stranger who just bought me water after a traumatizing experience, so I said yes. Then, in a completely monotone voice, seemingly to no one, she said, “Begin audit.”
She pointed to a restaurant sign across the street, “Do you see that sign?”
“Yes.”
“Good.” She pointed to a bird. “Do you see that bird?”
“Yes.”
“Good.” She pointed to the ground.” Do you see the ground?”
I thought to myself: Great. Not only did I just get into a car accident, but now I am probably going to be mugged by this crazy woman who preys on people in venerable states of mind. I looked down, waited for her to hit me, and very hesitantly said, “Yes, I see the ground.”
“Good. You’re doing very good.”
“How can I be doing good? I’m just looking at things. Are you a nurse?” And then she laid it on me.
“No, I am a minister of Scientology.” And in the monotone voice she said, “End Audit.”
As we walked back to the accident I was thinking about how, in a way, she was taking advantage of my venerable state of mind. I appreciated the water but I was expecting her to ask for my contact info so that she could bombard my mailbox with Scientology propaganda and try to recruit me.
I have to say, she never asked. She even offered to leave her info in case we needed a witness. Cherry stayed just long enough to find out that everything was okay, and then she left.
I didn’t think about her much after the accident until one day in mid January. I watched a leaked Scientology video of Tom Cruise. In it he says something about when Scientologists pass an accident, they have to stop because they know they are the only ones who can help.
A tingle went down my spine. I was pretty creeped out to say the least. But all in all, I don’t know what to make of it.
Is it a coincidence that Tom Cruise used the example of a car accident to demonstrate what good samaritans Scientologists are? Is stopping at the scene of accidents something Scientologists regularly practice? Or was Cherry at that conference where the Tom video originally aired and was so influenced by him that she now regularly audits at car accidents?
If you can shed light on any of this, would like to comment on my story, or if you possibly know Cherry DeDear, please reply. I would love to hear what you have to say.
Best,
Jackie
Last edited by Jackie on Fri Mar 07, 2008 1:15 am, edited 1 time in total.
