S02.E11: Aftermath of Aftermath

[Guest]

Quote

Leah and Mike sit down with Leah's childhood friend Chantal Dodson and her mother, Ramina, who decides to leave Scientology after 42 years in the church; previous contributors reveal how their lives have been impacted by appearing on the show.

[mbaywife123]

Chantal and Ramina owe me for a box of tissue!

Loved the part at the end with Aaron and the first known Declared SP dog. Co$ clearing the planet one dog at a time!

Edited November 8, 2017 by mbaywife123
Auto correct spelling of name.

[3girlsforus]

Chantal and Remina killed me. I had to pause watching to get my crying under control.

i can only imagine how Mike and Leah must have felt to see the direct fruits of their labor. 

[Quilt Fairy]

A very powerful episode.

[CindyBee]

Another amazing show.   Mary's disconnection from Sammy is so sad.   And poor Heather not being able to be with her parents but how nice that she and Aaron understand why they choose her siblings over her.   Like someone said, Sophie's choice.

As for Chantal and her mom, what a beautiful thing that they can now be a family again.   But like Mike, Ramina will need to let the guilt go of what she did to her girls in the name of the "church".

[Ina123]

The number one sh!tty thing that the CO$ does to people who leave, IMO, is to release that terribly personal and private info that you confess under "auditing".

She was a mess at 20 and knew it. She gave her baby to the father and stepmother to raise. She goes to Scientology to clean up her life and get her head straight. She decides it's not for her and chooses to leave. Scientology tells the world her most embarrassing secrets which she revealed under "auditing". Secrets that just happen to be why she wound up in the cult in the first place. BRING. THEM. DOWN. LEAH!

[Pondlass1]

It was wonderful episode.  I'm hoping there's a mass exodus and the Co$ crumbles to the ground. It's awesome that the folk inside this expensive book club are able to actually watch Leah's series, it must be quite the wake up call.

I have to say, tho, that everyone we've seen that has left appears wealthy and not destitute at all.  Ramina was elegantly and expensively dressed.  I don't think the Co$ got all her money.

Keep it up Leah!

[TaraS1]

I am not a big crier, but man...when Chantal's mother broke down and Mike lost his composure, I couldn't hold back the tears.  My mom is my best friend in the world and that whole segment really got to me.

Such a great episode.  Well done, Leah & Co!

[3girlsforus]

11 minutes ago, Pondlass1 said:

It was wonderful episode.  I'm hoping there's a mass exodus and the Co$ crumbles to the ground. It's awesome that the folk inside this expensive book club are able to actually watch Leah's series, it must be quite the wake up call.

I have to say, tho, that everyone we've seen that has left appears wealthy and not destitute at all.  Ramina was elegantly and expensively dressed.  I don't think the Co$ got all her money.

Keep it up Leah!

I’ve been wondering about that financial side of it as well. I could see that maybe the show dresses Ramina but these people seem wealthy across the board. The couple who wrote the 46k check to avoid the settlement with COS - I was thrilled to hear they didn’t cave but I couldn’t help but wonder where they got the money. The fundraiser wasn’t until after they paid. 

[Mom2twoNonna2-3]

From what I understood they had the fundraiser and then paid. 

 

Leah has always said that if they can get one person to open their eyes and leave, then she's succeeded. Well, Leah, you are a true success story. Welcome to the real world, Ramina. Here's hoping you can stand strong for your daughters.

 

Poor dog, an SP, or SD/SC (Supressive Dog/Supressive Canine). Welcome to the outside, too. We support you all.

[frenchtoast]

9 minutes ago, 3girlsforus said:

I’ve been wondering about that financial side of it as well. I could see that maybe the show dresses Ramina but these people seem wealthy across the board. The couple who wrote the 46k check to avoid the settlement with COS - I was thrilled to hear they didn’t cave but I couldn’t help but wonder where they got the money. The fundraiser wasn’t until after they paid. 

I was thinking he had a chunk of money from his book sales/royalties so they were able to write the check. 

 

53 minutes ago, Ina123 said:

The number one sh!tty thing that the CO$ does to people who leave, IMO, is to release that terribly personal and private info that you confess under "auditing".

She was a mess at 20 and knew it. She gave her baby to the father and stepmother to raise. She goes to Scientology to clean up her life and get her head straight. She decides it's not for her and chooses to leave. Scientology tells the world her most embarrassing secrets which she revealed under "auditing". Secrets that just happen to be why she wound up in the cult in the first place. BRING. THEM. DOWN. LEAH!

What really, really upset me about that is the mother did the best thing for her child. And isn't that what a mother is supposed to do? How hard it must have been to let go, but knowing that was the best thing for the child. That's not abandoning, that is providing the best care. That shit pisses me off. And on top of that, betraying the confidentiality. So, so disgusting.

[3girlsforus]

4 minutes ago, frenchtoast said:

I was thinking he had a chunk of money from his book sales/royalties so they were able to write the check. 

 

What really, really upset me about that is the mother did the best thing for her child. And isn't that what a mother is supposed to do? How hard it must have been to let go, but knowing that was the best thing for the child. That's not abandoning, that is providing the best care. That shit pisses me off. And on top of that, betraying the confidentiality. So, so disgusting.

Oh yea that makes sense. I forgot about the book. 

And yes - the rest makes me ill too. 

[SunnyBeBe]

If viewers want a show that really touches you to the CORE, they should watch this program.  These people are really feeling strong emotions and sharing.  It's not about some BS crap that amounts to nothing. It's about real people and real life struggles and triumph.  It's about real life and how people need to wake up.

Did anyone catch the part where Leah said that government agencies were contacting them?  Maybe, there are now going to be some REAL investigations to get to the truth and hold those responsible for harming kids, holding people against their will, harassment, and violation of labor laws. It seems that the COS has recently changed some of their practices, since this show has held a light to them.  It's good if they stop the abuse, but, the past crimes still need prosecuting. 

Also, while I would be wary of the COS trying to destroy you, to me, it appeared that those websites that attack people who leave and speak out, like Leah, Mike, and others, are pretty silly and stupid.  I mean, they looked to be very fake and obviously fueled by the COS.  And who would read them or even care, unless it's another COS member.  Anyone who isn't brainwashed wouldn't give it a second thought, right?  Are the leaders of the COS so naive to think those sites actually hurt those people?  I recall that attorney that the COS hired and allowed to appear in a major network interview a year or so ago.  She did a TERRIBLE job and was not believable at all.  They must have very poor judgment in what is credible. 

Edited November 8, 2017 by SunnyBeBe

[LegalParrot81]

Last nights show ripped my heart out.   

Listening to Ramina apologize over and over to Chantel had me in full out ugly cry. Add to it watching Mike fight to keep it together and I was one giant ball of snot.  It is wonderful that the light came on for Ramina before it was too late, especially given her health issues.  May she have years of joy with her daughters. 

I can only hope/wish that the light shines square in the eyes of all these other parents who've sacrificed relationships with their kids, siblings who have tossed their brothers and sisters aside and finally, children who have tossed their parent(s) aside for a cult that wants nothing more from them than their hard earned dollars.

I hate what this cult did to Mary.  This woman made the hardest decision of her life, to make sure her child could have the best possible life and this cult throws it in her face and condemns her for it.   May all those that contributed to it burn in hell. 

Oh Goliath, you handsome SP.  Not to worry, the outside world has better kibble.  You go boy!!!!

Edited November 8, 2017 by LegalParrot81
I owe Ramina the courtesy of spelling her name correctly.

[Gregg247]

The first half of this episode was a little slow, as much of it was a rehash of previous stories, but, boy, that second half was powerful!  I'll bet even the camera crew were shedding a tear or two.  Excellent job, Mike and Leah!

As far as the "money situation", I get the feeling that most/many Scientologists are fairly well-off, as they'd have to be able to afford all those courses to work their way up "the Bridge".  Sure, they have a lot less money at the end of the Bridge than they had at the beginning, but I don't think most Scientologists are hurting for money.  They seem to own nice houses and live fairly well (except for the kids in the Sea Org, who apparently live out childhoods worthy of a Charles Dickens novel).

Now that I think about it, it seems like the worst stories we hear about on the show involve the Sea Org, their "premier" organization.  These people live under terrible conditions.  Is there some kind of financial separation, where less-affluent people are encouraged to join the Sea Org and basically become servants in exchange for discounted Scientology courses?  I don't remember hearing anything about this on the show, but there does seem to be a difference in experiences based on income.

It always surprises me to remember that, unlike other cults, Scientologists live among the rest of us instead of being holed up in a private compound somewhere.  Somehow, they live their lives alongside the rest of us, but the brainwashing is so strong, they see the world around us completely differently.

Edited November 8, 2017 by Gregg247

[LilWharveyGal]

$cientology has already smeared Ramina.  (I'm sure we're all shocked.)  Here's Mike's analysis of their comments.

[SunnyBeBe]

I can see how Mary was so devastated over the revelation of her first child.  I can understand why that information getting to family members for the first time might have been shocking and embarrassing, but, I do hope that Mary is able to process it and understand that except for members of COS, other people would not blame her or hold that against her. For people, who see the COS for what they are, their dissemination of that information is despicable and obviously a ploy to distract from their own faults.  I hope that by networking and banning together, those who escape the COS, can learn to have confidence and stand fast.  The truth about people comes forth on this show.  THAT is something that the COS can DO NOTHING ABOUT.  They cannot discredit PURE TRUTH as it comes out on this show.  It's so obvious that it jumps through the tv screen. 

  I'm just not sure if the higherups with the COS are too ignorant to know that.  What they are doing to discredit the whistle blowers isn't working.  Maybe, it will keep some existing members in check, but, it has to be backfiring on them as far as recruitment goes.  I mean, if I was considering the COS and discovered that they released confidential, personal information that a former member gave in confidence........ it would give me pause. I mean, they could do that to me too, one day, should I decide to leave.  The COS isn't smart enough to figure that out. 

Edited November 8, 2017 by SunnyBeBe

[Nancypants]

Ramona, sobbing:.HOW CAN THIS BE CONSIDERED A CHURCH?..chills..

[pinguina]

I enjoyed the revisit to past contributors.   I liked how they were surprised by the compassion and praise they received from non-members/never-ins.   Then Mark Rinder said something like "Scientology doesn't believe in compassion."  Plus other Scientologists reaching out to them and basically saying that they are waiting for an opportunity to get out or being on the down low so that they can still be part of their families.

Ramina and Chantel - that was just amazing!!  Ramina deciding that her children were important enough to get her attention, support, and love.  I felt bad for Mark - he just broke down too.

I've really been thinking about the power that this cult has over parental responsibilities and affection for their children.  That they are encouraged to never see their children (and grandchildren) because they don't believe.  Or in the case of Mary and Sammy - a child refusing a parent's love, recognition, support.  That last thing just kills me - My mom has Alzheimer's and it hurts to look into her eyes and know she has no idea who I am.  I would give anything for her to recognize me, to have memories of "us", to talk.   To consciously choose not to acknowledge, see, talk to a parent who just wants to love you?? It boggles the mind.

[SunnyBeBe]

22 minutes ago, pinguina said:

I enjoyed the revisit to past contributors.   I liked how they were surprised by the compassion and praise they received from non-members/never-ins.   Then Mark Rinder said something like "Scientology doesn't believe in compassion."  Plus other Scientologists reaching out to them and basically saying that they are waiting for an opportunity to get out or being on the down low so that they can still be part of their families.

Ramina and Chantel - that was just amazing!!  Ramina deciding that her children were important enough to get her attention, support, and love.  I felt bad for Mark - he just broke down too.

I've really been thinking about the power that this cult has over parental responsibilities and affection for their children.  That they are encouraged to never see their children (and grandchildren) because they don't believe.  Or in the case of Mary and Sammy - a child refusing a parent's love, recognition, support.  That last thing just kills me - My mom has Alzheimer's and it hurts to look into her eyes and know she has no idea who I am.  I would give anything for her to recognize me, to have memories of "us", to talk.   To consciously choose not to acknowledge, see, talk to a parent who just wants to love you?? It boggles the mind.

Hugs to you Pinguina.  That has to tough with your mom and Alzheimers. It's a horrible and cruel disease. I detest it so.  I have a loved one who has late state dementia and just recently, she doesn't know who I am. It's heartbreaking.   We don't know how blessed we are, until we lose things like our memories, our bonds, or our FAMILIES.   Our family is a precious gift from God and not to be squandered.  ONLY POWER, CONTROL and GREED for money would make someone go against those tenets, imo.  

[sara416]

I was doing just fine until Chantal and Ramina started crying and then Mike with his whole body wracking with sobs...oh Mike, you wonderful man! I think this show is his pennance, and he is doing an amazing job with it. Every episode, you can see how he would rather be anywhere else, but he knows that this is important and helpful. 

[pinguina]

6 minutes ago, SunnyBeBe said:

Hugs to you Pinguina.  That has to tough with your mom and Alzheimers. It's a horrible and cruel disease. I detest it so.  I have a loved one who has late state dementia and just recently, she doesn't know who I am. It's heartbreaking.   We don't know how blessed we are, until we lose things like our memories, our bonds, or our FAMILIES.   Our family is a precious gift from God and not to be squandered.  ONLY POWER, CONTROL and GREED for money would make someone go against those tenets, imo.  

Thank you, Sunnybee.  I have to say that most of the time I actively work to just be in the moment with her (I try to see her at least five days a week).  When she holds my hand or strokes my hair, that is enough.  

Yes, our families are precious and yet this cult works to demolish them.   I think that is why I find the episodes where these relationships are destroyed so hard to take.

[Guest]

3 hours ago, Gregg247 said:

Now that I think about it, it seems like the worst stories we hear about on the show involve the Sea Org, their "premier" organization.  These people live under terrible conditions.  Is there some kind of financial separation, where less-affluent people are encouraged to join the Sea Org and basically become servants in exchange for discounted Scientology courses?  I don't remember hearing anything about this on the show, but there does seem to be a difference in experiences based on income.

From what I've read and seen, I don't think there is.  I think those in the Sea Org are poorer because they make next to nothing, but other than celebrities, I don't think there is much difference in treatment between rich and poor.

[italianguy626]

5 hours ago, SunnyBeBe said:

Are the leaders of the COS so naive to think those sites actually hurt those people?  I recall that attorney that the COS hired and allowed to appear in a major network interview a year or so ago.  She did a TERRIBLE job and was not believable at all.  They must have very poor judgment in what is credible. 

It's all spelled out in policy left by LRH - you never defend, you always attack. You must utterly destroy the "enemies" of the church. According to fair game, anything goes, even lying and making up stuff about the enemies of Scamatology.

That's what makes these attack sites so laughable. They are so over the top in their condemnation that they aren't believable.

[italianguy626]

4 hours ago, Gregg247 said:

Now that I think about it, it seems like the worst stories we hear about on the show involve the Sea Org, their "premier" organization.  These people live under terrible conditions.  Is there some kind of financial separation, where less-affluent people are encouraged to join the Sea Org and basically become servants in exchange for discounted Scientology courses?  I don't remember hearing anything about this on the show, but there does seem to be a difference in experiences based on income.

It always surprises me to remember that, unlike other cults, Scientologists live among the rest of us instead of being holed up in a private compound somewhere.  Somehow, they live their lives alongside the rest of us, but the brainwashing is so strong, they see the world around us completely differently.

They do prey on the poor and less affluent. It's just when it comes time to discuss taking and paying for courses, if the mark is truly destitute or near destitution, then Scamatology says "Hey, we've got this thing called the Sea Org. If you join, you get all your courses and auditing for free! What a bargain!"

However, if the person leaves Sea Org, they are presented with a freeloaders bill, where the church bills them for all the "free" courses and auditing they did while they were in Sea Org.

As for being holed up in a private compound, Sea Org is holed up in private compounds. I would guess that most of the membership, outside of the celebrities, are Sea Org and there are very few members that actually live among the general population. I've read that the ones who do live in the general population usually have Scientology issued computers and devices that either have Internet access disabled or the computers/devices are filtered to exclude anything that is anti-Scamatology.

That is, unless you are Miss Cabbage and give your dad a Kindle and forget to disable the Internet on the device and he uses it to access the Internet and find out all the crap the cult pulls.

[SunnyBeBe]

So, when we hear them describe members of Sea Org, they say they work all the time.  What are they working on?  I mean, what would those people being doing all day and most of the night?  I'm trying to figure out if these Sea Org members are mopping floors, doing laundry for other members, doing the accounting for the COS, cooking, doing missionary work abroad?  Just trying to wrap my brain around it. If the Sea Org members just study and maintain the property, how does that bring in money? 

[italianguy626]

9 minutes ago, SunnyBeBe said:

So, when we hear them describe members of Sea Org, they say they work all the time.  What are they working on?  I mean, what would those people being doing all day and most of the night?  I'm trying to figure out if these Sea Org members are mopping floors, doing laundry for other members, doing the accounting for the COS, cooking, doing missionary work abroad?  Just trying to wrap my brain around it. If the Sea Org members just study and maintain the property, how does that bring in money? 

When Leah was in Sea Org, she worked at the Fort Harrison Hotel in Clearwater doing housekeeping. Fort Harrison is the hotel Scamatologists stay at when visiting Clearwater to do their higher OT levels at Flag (the so-called Super Power Building, which is attached to the hotel). Sea Org has to keep the hotel in tip-top shape so that visiting Scamatologists (non-Sea Org) are comfortable in parting with their money. /sarc

Pretty much, Sea Org does the upkeep and maintenance on Scamatology's properties and they get paid $50 a week, plus the "free" courses and auditing, for the privilege.

[Guest]

32 minutes ago, SunnyBeBe said:

So, when we hear them describe members of Sea Org, they say they work all the time.  What are they working on?  I mean, what would those people being doing all day and most of the night?  I'm trying to figure out if these Sea Org members are mopping floors, doing laundry for other members, doing the accounting for the COS, cooking, doing missionary work abroad?  Just trying to wrap my brain around it. If the Sea Org members just study and maintain the property, how does that bring in money? 

Some of the things they do that I've read about from Leah's book as well as Jenna Miscaviage:

1) Serving as childcare providers for higher ranking people

2) Cleaning 

3) Cooking

4) All office work for Co$

5) Personal assistants for the higher-ups

I've also heard that the Co$ has done crazy things for TC - like planting a field of wildflowers so he and Nicole Kidman could run naked through them.  This type of grunt work sounds like it would be a Sea Org job. 

[SunnyBeBe]

Hmm.....okay.  With that kind of setup with employees, labor traded for compensation, such as room and board, classes,  etc., it would seem to me that there would be some people getting jammed up with the IRS and Federal Wage and Labor.  I suppose they have their tax people working on it, but, still.  Even though they are technically, a church and get tax exemption, they are also employers for a lot of people. It sounds like a huge, nasty can of worms, that no one has bothered with though.  

[WInterfalls]

This episode was great! I watched it on my lunch break and now my makeup is all a mess lol.  Hopefully people at work won't notice.  

Chantal and Ramina were so touching. I cannot image what that would be like.  There is going to be a need for some serious therapy to work out the lifetime of issues between them.  I was very pleased at how Ramina took responsibility for her mistakes in the church first and wants to be there with her family now.  I hope others open their eyes as well.  

I felt bad for Mary and I really hope her son opens his eyes.  She gave up her first child to give him a better life and then it's thrown out there as weapon against her.  I love Aaron and if you watch his youTube videos he often can't help but cry when he discusses personal things.  He's just a big ole softy. I love that about him.  

 

1 hour ago, SunnyBeBe said:

So, when we hear them describe members of Sea Org, they say they work all the time.  What are they working on?  I mean, what would those people being doing all day and most of the night?  I'm trying to figure out if these Sea Org members are mopping floors, doing laundry for other members, doing the accounting for the COS, cooking, doing missionary work abroad?  Just trying to wrap my brain around it. If the Sea Org members just study and maintain the property, how does that bring in money? 

Based off of what I understand from YouTube videos of former SO members. It really depends on the department you are in.  The physical labor is actually only small part of it.  There is sales where it's all about getting people signed up and sold.  There is ethics where they do the sec checking. There is a bunch of stuff around getting people up the bridge and on the OT levels.  Making sure people have done what they need to move forward, or if they aren't on course why? and what do we need to do to get them back.  Planning and organizing of events. The crazy amount of mailing that goes out. Tons of office work.  Plus there is a ton of redundancies so each person has like 6 bosses breathing down your neck.  And it is always about your statistics.  Stats must improve every week or you will get in trouble.  They do not look at stats from an annual basis that would make sense, but only week to week.  That is why many SO members can't get off for holidays because their stats are inevitably down that time of year.  

[SunnyBeBe]

5 minutes ago, WInterfalls said:

This episode was great! I watched it on my lunch break and now my makeup is all a mess lol.  Hopefully people at work won't notice.  

Chantal and Ramina were so touching. I cannot image what that would be like.  There is going to be a need for some serious therapy to work out the lifetime of issues between them.  I was very pleased at how Ramina took responsibility for her mistakes in the church first and wants to be there with her family now.  I hope others open their eyes as well.  

I felt bad for Mary and I really hope her son opens his eyes.  She gave up her first child to give him a better life and then it's thrown out there as weapon against her.  I love Aaron and if you watch his youTube videos he often can't help but cry when he discusses personal things.  He's just a big ole softy. I love that about him.  

 

Based off of what I understand from YouTube videos of former SO members. It really depends on the department you are in.  The physical labor is actually only small part of it.  There is sales where it's all about getting people signed up and sold.  There is ethics where they do the sec checking. There is a bunch of stuff around getting people up the bridge and on the OT levels.  Making sure people have done what they need to move forward, or if they aren't on course why? and what do we need to do to get them back.  Planning and organizing of events. The crazy amount of mailing that goes out. Tons of office work.  Plus there is a ton of redundancies so each person has like 6 bosses breathing down your neck.  And it is always about your statistics.  Stats must improve every week or you will get in trouble.  They do not look at stats from an annual basis that would make sense, but only week to week.  That is why many SO members can't get off for holidays because their stats are inevitably down that time of year.  

Yeah....I get it.  Sounds like typical sales jobs.  I wonder what the stats are about now?  I'd think that the show is having some impact and not in a good way for their recruiting. And if the COS keeps mistreating members, who they treat as servants, things might get even worse. 

Edited November 8, 2017 by SunnyBeBe

[italianguy626]

1 hour ago, SunnyBeBe said:

Hmm.....okay.  With that kind of setup with employees, labor traded for compensation, such as room and board, classes,  etc., it would seem to me that there would be some people getting jammed up with the IRS and Federal Wage and Labor.  I suppose they have their tax people working on it, but, still.  Even though they are technically, a church and get tax exemption, they are also employers for a lot of people. It sounds like a huge, nasty can of worms, that no one has bothered with though.  

I believe they get around this by referring to Sea Org members as the church's clergy. Here is the page at the IRS website that discusses how clergy wages and income are treated.

[Waterlilly]

I cried, a lot.  But, how funny that CO$ condemned Mary for abandoning a child.  Isn’t that their MO?

[CindyBee]

I just rewatched Mary's original episode as I didn't remember her story that well so now I'm sitting on the sofa sniffling into a kleenex.  It breaks my heart that she and her husband  have been disconnected from Sammy.  Hopefully one day their family will be together again.  

[spiderpig]

I thought this episode effectively summed up the utter evil of this cult.  How this bunch is recognized as a tax-exempt "church" never ceases to amaze me.

Interesting that we haven't heard a peep from Miss Cabbage or Tommy in ages.  Not that I'm complaining.

[LegalParrot81]

35 minutes ago, spiderpig said:

Interesting that we haven't heard a peep from Miss Cabbage or Tommy in ages.

After Miss Cabbage's complete and total debacle with Ted Koppel in 1992, they don't let him speak in public unless it's to a group of cultists.  LOL

I did have to giggle at Leah telling Aaron not to make her cry again and gave him a look.  

[TWP]

During part of Ramina's recount, the show blanked out to one of those rainbow test screens for a couple of minutes (I'm not sure how long, because I fast forwarded.)  It was strange.  Did that happen to anyone else?

[spiderpig]

14 minutes ago, TWP said:

During part of Ramina's recount, the show blanked out to one of those rainbow test screens for a couple of minutes (I'm not sure how long, because I fast forwarded.)  It was strange.  Did that happen to anyone else?

YES!  It did to me, but I was watching from my Comcast saved programs on my computer and thought it was due to that.

[TWP]

3 hours ago, spiderpig said:

YES!  It did to me, but I was watching from my Comcast saved programs on my computer and thought it was due to that.

Ordinarily, I'd chalk it up to being a Comcast customer, but I really wondered in this case.  We DVRed the show too, so maybe it had something to do with delayed watching.  It was strange, though.  I've never had that happen..

[MisterBluxom]

21 hours ago, Pondlass1 said:

It was wonderful episode.  I'm hoping there's a mass exodus and the Co$ crumbles to the ground. It's awesome that the folk inside this expensive book club are able to actually watch Leah's series, it must be quite the wake up call.

I have to say, tho, that everyone we've seen that has left appears wealthy and not destitute at all.  Ramina was elegantly and expensively dressed.  I don't think the Co$ got all her money.

Keep it up Leah!

I understand and agree with your sentiments. Unfortunately, given this criminal cult has more than one billion dollars, it seems unlikely they will just crumble without Mr. Miscarriage getting arrested and being sent to prison.  I think the FBI and other law enforcement agencies have done a terrible job and have let down all Americans. Somewhere, somehow, it seems like there is something rotten going on. I wonder if it's possible these crooks have somehow bought off the FBI?

[PityFree]

8 hours ago, TWP said:

During part of Ramina's recount, the show blanked out to one of those rainbow test screens for a couple of minutes (I'm not sure how long, because I fast forwarded.)  It was strange.  Did that happen to anyone else?

No.  Not to me. I was watching it DVRd on Comcast.

[Pondlass1]

I thought it was the law that children attend school.  How does the Co$ get around this?  Apparently none of the children born into the cult have received any formal schooling - although to their credit they all seem articulate and intelligent.  I'm sure their work ethics are phenomenal too. 

[humbleopinion]

Where are Child Social Services in the communities that children are being warehoused by this cult?

There are powerful undertows of looking the other way by local government agencies...

The raw hurt of the ex members is palpable through the screen.

How these uneducated people who leave the cult rise from the ashes of neglect and poverty is to be commended.

The teens raising each other is heart breaking.

Leah's continued guilt over her behaviors to her friends who left sooner than her continues to wound her.

Ramina was a twist that was a total surprise and what she had to say was riveting.

[TWP]

2 hours ago, Pondlass1 said:

I thought it was the law that children attend school.  How does the Co$ get around this?  Apparently none of the children born into the cult have received any formal schooling - although to their credit they all seem articulate and intelligent.  I'm sure their work ethics are phenomenal too. 

This is another area where I think religious exemption comes into play, along with enabling indentured servitude in children and adults.  It's all okay if done in the name of "religion".

[LegalParrot81]

2 hours ago, Pondlass1 said:

I thought it was the law that children attend school.  How does the Co$ get around this? 

The cult has "schools".  Most of the 2nd generation escapees who've been interviewed have said their parents enrolled them in Scientology schools.  All admit that the "schools"  didn't have a normal public school curriculum or really any curriculum.  Personally, I believe the only thing the schools did for these children was use them for as much manual labor as possible.  

[Rlb8031]

21 hours ago, italianguy626 said:

When Leah was in Sea Org, she worked at the Fort Harrison Hotel in Clearwater doing housekeeping. Fort Harrison is the hotel Scamatologists stay at when visiting Clearwater to do their higher OT levels at Flag (the so-called Super Power Building, which is attached to the hotel). Sea Org has to keep the hotel in tip-top shape so that visiting Scamatologists (non-Sea Org) are comfortable in parting with their money. /sarc

Pretty much, Sea Org does the upkeep and maintenance on Scamatology's properties and they get paid $50 a week, plus the "free" courses and auditing, for the privilege.

It's more than just grunt work however. SeaOrg is the staff for all of the church activities. Think of them like a business and its easy to see. You have a church that has an entire administrative arm (finance, accounting, PR, HR, purchasing, maintenance, security, IT, etc.); then they have separate businesses that are in publishing (all the LRH books and materials), production (video, audio and events); copyright maintenance; staffing all of their facilities (housekeeping, groundskeeping, security, etc.); equipment production (they control the manufacture of the e-meters); food service; logistics and delivery, and on and on. 

[iMonrey]

Quote

Also, while I would be wary of the COS trying to destroy you, to me, it appeared that those websites that attack people who leave and speak out, like Leah, Mike, and others, are pretty silly and stupid.  I mean, they looked to be very fake and obviously fueled by the COS.  And who would read them or even care, unless it's another COS member.

Exactly. They seem to exist only so the "church" can point their members to them and say "See? Totally debunked!" Because . . . who else would care? The fact that David Miscaviage's father has over 500 of these hate sites pretty much says it all, doesn't it? They're really desperate to debunk him more than anyone else. Why, I wonder? Hmm.

What really gets me is that even if we were to believe all these disclaimers, you'd still reach the conclusion that the Co$ is filled with nothing but liars who are constantly getting kicked out of the church for egregious behavior! One after another, they've all been kicked out! And are all liars! Even the grand leader's own father! How come the "church" attracts so many liars?

I do wonder how the "church" got raw/behind-the-scenes footage of the Mary episode to use in its debunking video though.

[Auntie Anxiety]

I hope Leah and Mike manage to clear the planet of all the Co$ cultists.

Chantal and Ramina made me cry; I can't imagine losing my sons to anything or for anything. Nothing in the world would keep me from having a relationship with them and their families. It's the most precious thing to me.

[Darian]

I was a mess watching this, too. I grew up loved and protected, able to take for granted  that my parents and sisters would always be there for me if they could.  What these families have lost...I cannot comprehend it. And that they're helping others...I am awed. It's always killed me that so many of them entered Scientology and stayed because they wanted to do good in the world.  They were victimized because they wanted to help others and improve the world.  Damn Scientology to the hell I don't believe in.  

From early in first season, I've admired how this show is put together. They started with a huge amount of material and had to organize it and present it to make it interesting and compelling as a TV show. But I'm always studying nonfiction storytelling, and the way they've been chosen to do that shows clearly that their motivations are just what they have always said--to expose the church and help people. I never doubted that, but while I am sure they consider the ratings and have to keep a general audience watching to keep it on the air, it's always felt like they are first and foremost trying to reach out to those who are being and have been harmed by Scientology and help them. I feel like I am watching something important. 

[carly2jjs]

Another great episode, still a little sniffly over here. Anyone know if it was the season finale?

On the web sites - to me that seems like a bullying thing as much as anything else. It must be extremely distressing to know there's this army of people out there working 24/7 to attack you. Many of whom are former friends and some family. The sites are an ever present representation of that.

 

Also, During the montage of news articles, I saw places mentioned like Budapest, India and Ireland(?). I get the sad, sinking feeling Co$ is making up for US losses by recruiting heavily overseas.