WInterfalls

His parents joined Scientology when he was 6 and he was raised in it. His children are third generation Scientology and know nothing else. I'm sure this was very hard for him because he knows this could just as easily been his kids' life. In fact as far as the manual labor and physical punishments go he knows it was their life.

I think what is relevant is that these children were left without parental supervision at the mercy of strangers and no one to turn to when they were assaulted. Yes sexual abuse happens everywhere (and that is a very sad truth), but when there is no one there to listen and a culture of well what did you do to cause this then that needs to be exposed. I did not find this episode to be boring or a waste in the slightest and I certainly forgive them their tears reliving the things they experienced. Nick Lister is a very interesting voice but according to Aaron Smith-Levin he is having a very tough time right now and just trying to move on with his life. He actually wanted Aaron to remove his videos from his site.

That was brutal to watch. What those poor women went through was unconscionable. I'm glad they covered this story because those of us that have been down the rabbit hole know about some of this stuff but most people don't and it needs to be exposed. It certainly seems like they are attempting to take some action now. Go get them girl.

I seriously watch this episode every Christmas Eve.

I would say 90% of these stories they got from Rinder because they all know him. Season 2 I'm betting is more people who have reached out to them since the show started.

Eh these guys know the risks when they sign on. It's a precision sport and they have to figure it out and stay in bounds in order to get it right. I don't see that as a big deal. Of course you don't want people to get hurt but those rock climbers do way more dangerous stuff all the time than anything on that course.

That's actual true on average for home schooled children especially in the Verbal portion of the SAT. Where you see more of the issue with some fundamentalist sects has more to do with isolation. Though as an educator I have worked with several kinds from a local fundamentalist school and they are consistent 2-3 years behind in reading and writing. That maybe the way this particular school run but it's certainly concerning.

I've been watching ANW since season 3 back when it was on G4 and they had Ninja Boot Camp and took the top 5 or 6 guys to Japan to compete. That year Drew competed in Japan and blew out his knee in Stage 1 and I have enjoyed him pretty much every year since then. I do really hope that this is his year to make it up. All these women are amazing. I remember back in the day no woman could get past the 3rd obstacle and no woman was ever taken seriously. Jessie Graf was actually the first woman to make it past the 4th obstacle and it was amazing then. What she has done now just blows my mind. Pretty much any time I see a woman make it past the warped wall I get all choked up with pride.

It's such a tough situation I can't imagine how they work it up. It was so heartbreaking how Jessie was saying his first wife was the one pushing for him to marry her sister but then she was so hurt afterwards. I'm glad that he realized he couldn't have another wife and that he didn't want his children to grow up this way. That's where I see hope for this family it's the better life for the future generation. On another note did it seem like Jessica was going to puke when he said he had two wives?

I think most go in at entry level and work their way up because they are smart and super hard working. I would highly recommend watching some of Aaron Smith-Levin's YouTube videos because he answers a lot of question about these sort of things. IIRC he said that initially he was on staff for the church (not Sea Org) and he left and went to a temp agency and started temping and all the companies he was temping at wanted to make him permanent because he was a hard worker and smart and presentable. Then he later joined the Sea Org and after he left the Sea Org he was still a practicing Scientologist and went to work for a company owned by a Scientologist doing I think he said market research or some such thing. (He said Scientologists love hiring ex-Sea Org members because they are used to working insane hours for really crap pay.) Then once he was declared he was able to take the skills and business connections he had made at that job and start his own business in the same industry. I read somewhere else that Amy Scobee and her husband got a job working at a box company and then started to make furniture for fun in their off time and that became their full time business. That's all just about Sea Org members of course. I think the public Scientologists we saw on the show like Mary Khan just had money to begin with which is how they could afford to be in Scientology for so long. I think it's worth noting most of those are first generation Scientology and probably have a pretty decent education it's their kids that don't.

Did anyone watch the episode last night? That guy was a real fascinating case. Two wives, knows polygamy is wrong, doesn't want more wives, but plans to continue living polygamy because he already has these 2 wives and 8 kids so he's kinda stuck. I kind of wanted to hate him because of the two wives and them being sisters and all, but at the same time he seemed like a nice, caring guy.

This is an excellent point and to that point I have heard Chris Shelton say that there are people out there who often help Sea Org members that have blown. They just don't talk about it because it is dangerous for those people. But if there are people who need help when they get out they can contact him or Rinder or others and get some support.

I think their homes are nice but they aren't all that extraordinary. I think for a lot of them they are for the most part smart and hard working people so they are able to make the transition to society pretty well. Aaron Smith-Levin has talked on his YouTube channel a few times about how when you are former Sea Org and used to working 17 hours a day 7 days a week it's not hard to be successful. In fact he said that he was never wealthy before he left Scientology but since he has and went out on his own he's done quite well for himself. Do you honestly think that Scientology with their armies of PIs and surveillance they don't know where these people live? I feel most of them know exactly where they are and what they are up to.

Mark used to be really heavy. He said earlier that he lost 100 pounds a few years back so that might have something to do with it. After I heard that everything about him made more sense I think he is still kind of a fat kid in his head so he isn't as socially competent as most of the dude bros on the show. Josh really is insane. He taunts Mark incessantly as Mark sits there quietly and when he finally snaps he's the bad guy? I don't get it at all.

I don't know if you've seen the newest promo for the show on facebook, but it's great! She's not here to play nice anyway! HAHAHAHA

Yep. Just saw on TVLine it's back Tuesday, August 15th.

Emmy Nominated "Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath" http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/leah-reminis-a-e-scientology-series-nabs-2017-emmys-nom-1020760

Has a start date been announced yet? I mean beyond Summer which is halfway over.

No that was his character on Warehouse 13. He plays a tech savvy bounty hunter of the future on Killjoys.

Guys, Troy was so great. That Ashmore is on a SyFy show called Killjoys now, and shocker he's great. Aaron Ashmore is the best Ashmore. Shawn's pretty good too though.

She is and yet somehow she is also in a same sex relationship at the same time. I wonder how that works.

So I have listened to a few podcasts recently with Nora Crest and I would really love to have her on the show. Her experiences in the Sea Org and the RPF as a Lesbian are really interesting and harrowing. Also she comes across as very likable and witty.

Absolutely. Especially because Lucille Ball was the first pregnant woman ever to appear on TV and it was a scandal at that.

Eh, it's pretty on brand with what they are doing lately what with Animal Kingdom and Good Behavior. Actually the sex was kind of tame compared to what Good Behavior sometimes had. But yeah the network is definitely trying to rebrand itself. I really enjoyed the show. I love Niecy so much she's always great. And I too did not like Roller. He had a good body, but total butter face. Dean Norris had me cracking up as Uncle Daddy!

I know what you mean, Deaja. I had a lot less sympathy for Shelly Miscavige after reading Jenna's book. I still like Rinder a lot because you can see that he is kind of coming to terms with the things he did on behalf of the church and has made clear attempts to expose the church and their misdeeds. I'm not necessarily super sympathetic toward him and the harassment he's endured but more pleased with the mission he has taken on and what he does now.