Sun Jan 18, 2009 7:54 pm
Why I was a Scientologist
Sunday, January 18, 2009. 1:10 pm CST.
Name or Alias: Douglas Ramsay Elder/DRE
Training and/or processing level: Not even a Clear.
Org or location: Austin, TX
Time involved in the Church of Scientology: 12/2006-3/2007.
Recommended Website - www.exscientologykids.org
1. How did you first become acquainted with the Church of Scientology?
I saw an Org on my college campus across the street from the Baptist church I attended. For years I was strangely compelled to avoid the place (1997-2000). In 2000 I saw Operation Clambake for the first time and became very worried about Scientology. I saw businesses I loved (a bakery and a video arcade) close down and become absorbed by the expanding church and was further concerned. I honestly didn't know how to feel about Scientologists and leaned toward the anti-side. Then in 2006 I found out some people I wanted as friends were Scientologists. I was forced by my own volition to change my views and become tolerant of the church.
2. What initially appealed to you about scientology?
I liked some things about them. I thought maybe they had something for me. They could show me the truth of who they were. I joined to research the CoS and see what they were really like. I was told I could be one of them without sacrificing myself, without losing the person I was. I believed that. I felt the need to live as a Scientologist.
3. Were there problems in your life that you thought scientology would address?
Loneliness, anger at myself, trouble with my own views and the way I wanted to see the world, burnout on emotions and writing, the desire to refrain from intolerance and the desire to sympathize with others.
4. Did you see, experience, or hear about things that didn't seem right while you were in the Church of Scientology? What were they, and what convinced you to set aside your feelings?
I met a Sea Org member who was a selfish racist jerk. That didn't seem right to me. A friend of mine got him sent to the RPF with a Knowledge Report and I never saw him again. I shrugged him off. I also saw very few people in the classes I took, which I sometimes had to adjust my budget to pay for. And yet the instructors acted like these were popular courses, good for the entire world. That bugged me too. I heard Scientology ministers speaking about how they were only providing help to the world and they were loved by everyone. I knew the reality was different and had to grimace at the ways they were fooling themselves. I brought up issues and I was ignored, marginalized, and told to shut up as much as I had my concerns agreed with and addressed.
5. Why did you choose to stay in the Church of Scientology?
I wanted to learn more about the religion and what value people found in it. I was willing to put up with the suspicion I got from outsiders, including my family, for a time. I was willing to put up with the things that didn't seem right also, because I had friends helping me see not all Scientologists were bad people.
6. Were you staff or public? If staff, was it at a mission or an org? Were you ever in the Sea Org or OSA? Which unit? If not on staff, did you ever volunteer to 'help out'?
I was public. I took a few courses and that was it. I interacted with other Scientologists and volunteered a couple times. Stacked books and did janitorial tasks for auditing discounts. I felt wrong doing that too. Why not just make the "great tech" freely available to the people who wanted it? "We need the money and it's worth it", I was told.
7. Why did you leave the Church of Scientology? Was there a "final straw"?
I left because I realized Scientology wasn't for me and I could no longer take the contradictions I saw in it. I departed on LRH's birthday 2007. He said "this church will take off like a rocket" several times on a video during a service and I watched people walk out of the service before it was over without a qualm or anyone trying to stop them. I left too. I do not want to go back at this point. There was no "final straw", just a lot of little things I couldn't bear anymore.
8. Do you think the Church of Scientology needs to change some of its practices? If so, what should be changed? How did those practices affect your life?
Yes. It needs to follow its creed. For those unfamiliar, the creed is:
"We of the Church believe:
That all men of whatever race, color, or creed were created with equal rights;
That all men have inalienable rights to their own religious practices and their performance;
That all men have inalienable rights to their own lives;
That all men have inalienable rights to their sanity;
That all men have inalienable rights to their own defense;
That all men have inalienable rights to conceive, choose, assist or support their own organizations, churches and governments;
That all men have inalienable rights to think freely, to talk freely, to write freely their own opinions and to counter or utter or write upon the opinions of others;
That all men have inalienable rights to the creation of their own kind;
That the souls of men have the rights of men;
That the study of the mind and the healing of mentally caused ills should not be alienated from religion or condoned in non-religious fields;
And that no agency less than God has the power to suspend or set aside these rights, overtly or covertly.
And we of the Church believe:
That man is basically good;
That he is seeking to survive;
That his survival depends upon himself and upon his fellows and his attainment of brotherhood with the universe.
And we of the Church believe that the laws of God forbid man:
To destroy his own kind;
To destroy the sanity of another;
To destroy or enslave another's soul;
To destroy or reduce the survival of one's companions or one's group.
And we of the Church believe that the spirit can be saved and that the spirit alone may save or heal the body."
I think all the abuse you hear about Scientologists committing comes from their getting corrupt and violating their own creed. Their creed needs to become policy, not just guidelines. The evidence is indisputable it isn't policy. That's not good. At the same time, some Scientologists are living the creed. I call these people friends. I hope their numbers grow and they come to dominate the church.
I also agree Scientology needs to stop practicing medicine without a license, that it should dump its policies on attacking critics and trying to 'utterly ruin them', and that it should learn how to apologize and learn from its mistakes. These practices have not affected me, but they have other people, including people I know. That ain't cool, man.
They need to stop charging for services too. I think more people would show positive interest in their church if membership was free.
9. If the items you listed in the previous question were changed, would you consider rejoining or staying in the Church of Scientology? If so, why?
I would consider it. I met good people while inside Scientology and some of them aren't disconnected from me even now. I would be happy to attend services with them. My family has dropped their suspicious attitude towards me thanks to my focused and committed tolerance. I believe I could get other people to follow suit.
At the same time, I probably would never go back to the CoS. I don't need to. I get spiritual fulfillment elsewhere. I joke from time to time that the right friend could drag me back, but the reality is if they were that kind of person I might not consider them a friend.
10. Any additional comments you would like to make?
Scientologists are not all bad people. The ones who are nice and good, the ones who live their creed, should be allowed the right to live as human beings and seek solace in whatever religion they choose, including Scientology if they feel that's best for them. If someone wants to be friends with such people, they should be able to do so without being called "clam-lovers" or treated like dirt by Anons. They shouldn't be forced to convert to Scientology either, for any reason. Nor should they be forced to live a stringent intolerant view of anything, including Scientology. We are all human beings and individuals. We should be allowed our rights. Amen.
Name or Alias: Douglas Ramsay Elder/DRE
Training and/or processing level: Not even a Clear.
Org or location: Austin, TX
Time involved in the Church of Scientology: 12/2006-3/2007.
Recommended Website - www.exscientologykids.org
1. How did you first become acquainted with the Church of Scientology?
I saw an Org on my college campus across the street from the Baptist church I attended. For years I was strangely compelled to avoid the place (1997-2000). In 2000 I saw Operation Clambake for the first time and became very worried about Scientology. I saw businesses I loved (a bakery and a video arcade) close down and become absorbed by the expanding church and was further concerned. I honestly didn't know how to feel about Scientologists and leaned toward the anti-side. Then in 2006 I found out some people I wanted as friends were Scientologists. I was forced by my own volition to change my views and become tolerant of the church.
2. What initially appealed to you about scientology?
I liked some things about them. I thought maybe they had something for me. They could show me the truth of who they were. I joined to research the CoS and see what they were really like. I was told I could be one of them without sacrificing myself, without losing the person I was. I believed that. I felt the need to live as a Scientologist.
3. Were there problems in your life that you thought scientology would address?
Loneliness, anger at myself, trouble with my own views and the way I wanted to see the world, burnout on emotions and writing, the desire to refrain from intolerance and the desire to sympathize with others.
4. Did you see, experience, or hear about things that didn't seem right while you were in the Church of Scientology? What were they, and what convinced you to set aside your feelings?
I met a Sea Org member who was a selfish racist jerk. That didn't seem right to me. A friend of mine got him sent to the RPF with a Knowledge Report and I never saw him again. I shrugged him off. I also saw very few people in the classes I took, which I sometimes had to adjust my budget to pay for. And yet the instructors acted like these were popular courses, good for the entire world. That bugged me too. I heard Scientology ministers speaking about how they were only providing help to the world and they were loved by everyone. I knew the reality was different and had to grimace at the ways they were fooling themselves. I brought up issues and I was ignored, marginalized, and told to shut up as much as I had my concerns agreed with and addressed.
5. Why did you choose to stay in the Church of Scientology?
I wanted to learn more about the religion and what value people found in it. I was willing to put up with the suspicion I got from outsiders, including my family, for a time. I was willing to put up with the things that didn't seem right also, because I had friends helping me see not all Scientologists were bad people.
6. Were you staff or public? If staff, was it at a mission or an org? Were you ever in the Sea Org or OSA? Which unit? If not on staff, did you ever volunteer to 'help out'?
I was public. I took a few courses and that was it. I interacted with other Scientologists and volunteered a couple times. Stacked books and did janitorial tasks for auditing discounts. I felt wrong doing that too. Why not just make the "great tech" freely available to the people who wanted it? "We need the money and it's worth it", I was told.
7. Why did you leave the Church of Scientology? Was there a "final straw"?
I left because I realized Scientology wasn't for me and I could no longer take the contradictions I saw in it. I departed on LRH's birthday 2007. He said "this church will take off like a rocket" several times on a video during a service and I watched people walk out of the service before it was over without a qualm or anyone trying to stop them. I left too. I do not want to go back at this point. There was no "final straw", just a lot of little things I couldn't bear anymore.
8. Do you think the Church of Scientology needs to change some of its practices? If so, what should be changed? How did those practices affect your life?
Yes. It needs to follow its creed. For those unfamiliar, the creed is:
"We of the Church believe:
That all men of whatever race, color, or creed were created with equal rights;
That all men have inalienable rights to their own religious practices and their performance;
That all men have inalienable rights to their own lives;
That all men have inalienable rights to their sanity;
That all men have inalienable rights to their own defense;
That all men have inalienable rights to conceive, choose, assist or support their own organizations, churches and governments;
That all men have inalienable rights to think freely, to talk freely, to write freely their own opinions and to counter or utter or write upon the opinions of others;
That all men have inalienable rights to the creation of their own kind;
That the souls of men have the rights of men;
That the study of the mind and the healing of mentally caused ills should not be alienated from religion or condoned in non-religious fields;
And that no agency less than God has the power to suspend or set aside these rights, overtly or covertly.
And we of the Church believe:
That man is basically good;
That he is seeking to survive;
That his survival depends upon himself and upon his fellows and his attainment of brotherhood with the universe.
And we of the Church believe that the laws of God forbid man:
To destroy his own kind;
To destroy the sanity of another;
To destroy or enslave another's soul;
To destroy or reduce the survival of one's companions or one's group.
And we of the Church believe that the spirit can be saved and that the spirit alone may save or heal the body."
I think all the abuse you hear about Scientologists committing comes from their getting corrupt and violating their own creed. Their creed needs to become policy, not just guidelines. The evidence is indisputable it isn't policy. That's not good. At the same time, some Scientologists are living the creed. I call these people friends. I hope their numbers grow and they come to dominate the church.
I also agree Scientology needs to stop practicing medicine without a license, that it should dump its policies on attacking critics and trying to 'utterly ruin them', and that it should learn how to apologize and learn from its mistakes. These practices have not affected me, but they have other people, including people I know. That ain't cool, man.
They need to stop charging for services too. I think more people would show positive interest in their church if membership was free.
9. If the items you listed in the previous question were changed, would you consider rejoining or staying in the Church of Scientology? If so, why?
I would consider it. I met good people while inside Scientology and some of them aren't disconnected from me even now. I would be happy to attend services with them. My family has dropped their suspicious attitude towards me thanks to my focused and committed tolerance. I believe I could get other people to follow suit.
At the same time, I probably would never go back to the CoS. I don't need to. I get spiritual fulfillment elsewhere. I joke from time to time that the right friend could drag me back, but the reality is if they were that kind of person I might not consider them a friend.
10. Any additional comments you would like to make?
Scientologists are not all bad people. The ones who are nice and good, the ones who live their creed, should be allowed the right to live as human beings and seek solace in whatever religion they choose, including Scientology if they feel that's best for them. If someone wants to be friends with such people, they should be able to do so without being called "clam-lovers" or treated like dirt by Anons. They shouldn't be forced to convert to Scientology either, for any reason. Nor should they be forced to live a stringent intolerant view of anything, including Scientology. We are all human beings and individuals. We should be allowed our rights. Amen.