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Hiya, quick story of my intro to the church

Tong Daddy

Patron
My story is brief, luckily, but I want to at least put it out there. Around 1985 I was about 15 yrs old and I picked up a copy of Dianetics at a local drugstore (irony?) I have and remain a voracious reader, and read it cover to cover..... at the time there obviously no internet or major 'flap' about Scn, as a matter of fact I was under the impression that this was all new information (I failed to realize the book was almost 30 yrs old at the time). I passed it on to a few friends of mine, and we all became interested, I even got a copy of Self Analysis as well. I was young, lived in a very small town in South Central PA, so all of this was very exciting to me. (This was also about the time of the big Dianetics book push...thank you Jeff Hawkins :wink2:)

About a year later a buddy got his drivers license and we decided it would be fun to take a road trip to Philadelphia..... I found out that there was a church of Scn in Philly and suggested it as a stop on our trip, my buddy who also read Dianetics also thought it would be interesting.... So off we went in his ole Ford Fairmont.

After some South St. sightseeing and checking out the last bits of the punk rock scene, we headed to Chinatown and found the 'church' We we greeted warmly and the place was somewhat busy, probably due, again, to the big push at the time. We did the whole thing, personality test, e-meter pinch test, etc. etc. Even then I was aware of the 'stare' I was always a shy kid, and having these people look so directly at me was unnerving, at best.

I dont exactly recall the whole of the 'sell' BUT I do remember 'Miles' Miles had his TR's in, penetrating gaze, yet also somewhat gregarious. He told us all about being clear....perfect memory, immune to most illness, etc, etc..... He told us they were having an event later that evening and we should come back. We agreed and then proceeded to try to find someone to buy us booze haha.....

We returned to the church later in the evening and they had a buffet which was laughable, seemed like day old pizza and a I believe french fries. Some people told success stories, attested, etc.....all not too odd......then as a group we were instructed to 'locate' a person, a spot on the wall, etc. followed by a 5-10 mins. applause of a picture of LRH, and the hip hip hooray..... we scuttled out, agreed it was all too wacky and went home.

FAST FORWARD: about 2 years later a friend of mine had moved to Philly and opened a small record store on South Street, So me and my buddy once again jumped into his car (fairmont had died, I think this was a chevette) and headed to visit out friend.

Now Im not entirely proud of this, but in that 2 year span between Philly visits I experimented with drugs....lots of drugs....pot, lsd, more pot, more lsd, inhalants, and a pretty good amount of booze. I would have been referred to as a 'burn out'. After visiting our friend and some local head shops, I said for a laff we should see if the church was still there.....sure enough it was....

We walked in, and there was still a decent about of foot traffic, and sure as shit...there was Miles! I walked right up to him and said 'Hey Miles!' I could tell right away, he had NO CLUE whatsoever who I was...it was then and there I realized the whole 'clear' thing was a scam...I spend 2 years killing brain cells as if it were a war of attrition and this 'clear' with perfect memory has no idea who I was.


I know it isnt a real 'juicy' story. But it was enough to put me off Scn forever. I now live in philly, and have many fleeting thoughts of swinging into the ole church to see if Miles is there...I hope not, because I think he was genuinely a nice guy, like most lower level staff...... IF anyone knows the time period of which I speak, or knows anything about Miles, Id love to hear about it.


Ok thats it, Im back to being a watcher. :happydance: Thanks for listening.

-TD
 

Ogsonofgroo

Crusader
:welcome: Tong Daddy! Good to hear you figured it out all those years ago, and it sounds like you got your own life on track without going down the rabbit-hole. Enjoy your lurking, tonnes to read and absorb, lots of good folk around and about too!

:cheers:
 

Idle Morgue

Gold Meritorious Patron
Welcome and thanks for the great story. Congrats ... looks like you are a past life clear! ha ha!! That is what the clams would tell you if they could get you back and then on the road to a long banging your head against a brick wall only to find out ... you must go clear in this lifetime. $$$$$$$$$$$$! Then when that does not work ... it is the drugs and you are an illegal PC...this is after you have money on account, of course!
 

Techless

Patron Meritorious
Hi Miles - welcome!

I noted your story and it just struck some chords for me. I got into - joined staff in Boston (was up at Berklee College of Music-circa 1980). After my gig with being staff member there, an 'eye-opening' experience for sure, I left staff (prematurely) mainly because friends who I'd met at Berklee had now 'demanded' that I come to Philly area, and be member in 'the band' - so I did.

As this was and had been my whole goal up to this point, I gladly accepted and 'used' it, to fairly painlessly get out of my staff contract. So moved down to about 30mi west of Philly area and played in band for 3 years throughout the entire tri-state area.

I too, did all of those little 'trend-chemical amusement aids' that you mentioned, which probably says something about the effects from my having been on staff. As life went on, got less and less into those things...UNTIL, moved back to my home area and slowly got hooked back up with Scn there...

This eventually and slowly got me back into wanting to do more trend chemical amusement aids and then I decided this is crap, BS, whatever and left the Scn realm for good - emotionally, spiritually, etc. This was all coinciding with divorce from hell and very strange 'ethics' pyscho-crap being used on me.

Haven't done any drugs since. Yet I do occasionally drink.

So my point: For me: getting off drugs had everything to do with getting away from Scientology. I'm thinking here there are some who may understand this, but this is rather weird, from the 'normal' departure stories you will find here.

I'm glad to hear you did that too. Please have a cheesesteak for me! I am still totally addicted to them, but they don't do them right out here - Chicago/Wisconsin. There is apparently no Technology for this addiction!! I never did get the 'stare' thing down very well.

Philly just has so many amazing and fun memories for me!

Best,

Techless
 

Techless

Patron Meritorious
I apologize TD, not sure how I got 'Miles' from that...other than the trance thing.

(This is what happens when you join staff)

TL
 

Purple Rain

Crusader
Hi Miles - welcome!

I noted your story and it just struck some chords for me. I got into - joined staff in Boston (was up at Berklee College of Music-circa 1980). After my gig with being staff member there, an 'eye-opening' experience for sure, I left staff (prematurely) mainly because friends who I'd met at Berklee had now 'demanded' that I come to Philly area, and be member in 'the band' - so I did.

As this was and had been my whole goal up to this point, I gladly accepted and 'used' it, to fairly painlessly get out of my staff contract. So moved down to about 30mi west of Philly area and played in band for 3 years throughout the entire tri-state area.

I too, did all of those little 'trend-chemical amusement aids' that you mentioned, which probably says something about the effects from my having been on staff. As life went on, got less and less into those things...UNTIL, moved back to my home area and slowly got hooked back up with Scn there...

This eventually and slowly got me back into wanting to do more trend chemical amusement aids and then I decided this is crap, BS, whatever and left the Scn realm for good - emotionally, spiritually, etc. This was all coinciding with divorce from hell and very strange 'ethics' pyscho-crap being used on me.

Haven't done any drugs since. Yet I do occasionally drink.

So my point: For me: getting off drugs had everything to do with getting away from Scientology. I'm thinking here there are some who may understand this, but this is rather weird, from the 'normal' departure stories you will find here.

I'm glad to hear you did that too. Please have a cheesesteak for me! I am still totally addicted to them, but they don't do them right out here - Chicago/Wisconsin. There is apparently no Technology for this addiction!! I never did get the 'stare' thing down very well.

Philly just has so many amazing and fun memories for me!

Best,

Techless

Me, too. While I have always been a good "wog" student I was always a dismal failure in a Scientology courseroom. I felt suffocated and couldn't wait to escape. It probably didn't help that I was smoking at the time, I guess, but still I hated their courserooms like the plague. I often enjoyed reading the various writings on my own, though, so that was quite funny.

But as far as TRs went I could not get through it. I considered them as akin to torture. I would do almost anything to get out of twinning with someone on them. The worst part was that the more I looked at someone the more their face would change. Sometimes they looked quite demonic. Other times I would see white light around them. It always messed with my head. But mostly there was just this feeling of panic, and the physical discomfort of sitting in the one position for hours on end. Fuck that. Just to look like a zombie and not react to anything. A few good shots of botox would achieve the same thing and be a damn sight cheaper.
 

Techless

Patron Meritorious
"...the more their face would change."

Oh yeah - I know, that was the strangest thing and made it more like the later bull-bait TR thing, as you see the devil or whatever in the others face! Always had some fun with that...but just the staring thing was 'eewwee'. I can see a basic value of 'just being there', and yet luckily never had to do the 'for hours with no blinking' psycho stuff - that was just sadomasochistic.

TL
 

Purple Rain

Crusader
"...the more their face would change."

Oh yeah - I know, that was the strangest thing and made it more like the later bull-bait TR thing, as you see the devil or whatever in the others face! Always had some fun with that...but just the staring thing was 'eewwee'. I can see a basic value of 'just being there', and yet luckily never had to do the 'for hours with no blinking' psycho stuff - that was just sadomasochistic.

TL

One of my biggest fears for a while was if I went into a room with a mirror that some other face would be staring out at me. I think that was partly a horror story I read and partly the whole TR thing. I still hate catching sight of my face in a mirror in a dark room. Yes, I am not normal. :p
 

Techless

Patron Meritorious
...still hate catching sight of my face in a mirror. Yes, I am not normal. :p[/QUOTE]"

Yep most definitely - I am very not normal either. I just now remember the childhood "I believe in Mary Worth" thing (saying over and over while looking into mirror in dark room) that kids did to freak themselves out. Has same effect!

Laughs...

TL
 

Tong Daddy

Patron
I've told that story countless time to people to explain why I'm 'interested' in Scn....so they don't think I am INTERESTED in Scn :omg:.

After writing it out, and knowing what I know now from reading/this site/others, I see that on my first visit I would have been prime pickin for the/any cult, I was young, impressionable and willing to eat cold pizza whilst I stared at a spot on the wall! :hysterical:
 

Enthetan

Master of Disaster
One of my biggest fears for a while was if I went into a room with a mirror that some other face would be staring out at me. I think that was partly a horror story I read and partly the whole TR thing. I still hate catching sight of my face in a mirror in a dark room. Yes, I am not normal. :p

I hate catching sight of my face in a dark room.

Then again, other people find my face pretty scarey too. :eyeroll:
 

Gib

Crusader
I dont exactly recall the whole of the 'sell' BUT I do remember 'Miles' Miles had his TR's in, penetrating gaze, yet also somewhat gregarious. He told us all about being clear....perfect memory, immune to most illness, etc, etc..... He told us they were having an event later that evening and we should come back. We agreed and then proceeded to try to find someone to buy us booze haha....
.


-TD

If only we all ex members when we read dianetics or got first involved with dianetics or scientology, if we would have only said or asked of the staff member, OK

ok, show me a clear, I'd like to see one

or show me a OT, I'd like to see one

and what can they do

Do you staff member have before and after results of auditing and training of such and such clear or OT? Can I please see this. Can I talk to one and can he prove it?

This would be from the viewpoint of somebody completely new, and no having read any PR or books or training PR.

I put myself in this viewpoint now, and I no see it.
 

Lurker5

Gold Meritorious Patron
TongDaddy, I like your story - lots. Thanks for sharing - it gave me a laugh. And a belated :welcome: to you. :yes: :wave:
 

MissWog

Silver Meritorious Patron
GREAT STORY!!!
im on travel so I'm not posting much but you made me laugh out LOUD!
welcome to the forum!!!
 

Dulloldfart

Squirrel Extraordinaire
If only we all ex members when we read dianetics or got first involved with dianetics or scientology, if we would have only said or asked of the staff member, OK

ok, show me a clear, I'd like to see one

When I was very green, had been on the comm course in London a week, I had a look at the grade chart. I found someone there who was GRADE ZERO! (Tony Luker.) Wow. I was impressed. I was. Only a week and I had fallen for it hook, line and sinker. Of course I was impressed by the fact that he was three inches up the chart, not by his obviously-superior communication skills.

I remember an incident with dear John Harvey a few weeks later when I was in the SO. I knew he was at least Clear. I lent him a razor blade (remember those things?), and he *didn't give it back.* I was terribly disappointed, him being Clear and all.

It never occurred to me to ask anyone to DEMONSTRATE those abilities that "all Clears have."

Paul
 

Loohan

Am I Mettaya?
Er, Techless, something does not compute.:duh:

You say "As this was and had been my whole goal up to this point, I gladly accepted and 'used' it, to fairly painlessly get out of my staff contract.":omg:

I can really picture that:
"This has been my whole purpose up to this point! Gotta go, sorry..."
"Oh OK. We can understand that. Sounds in-ethics to me. Best of luck to you!"
 

Techless

Patron Meritorious
Er, Techless, something does not compute.:duh:

You say "As this was and had been my whole goal up to this point, I gladly accepted and 'used' it, to fairly painlessly get out of my staff contract.":omg:

I can really picture that:
"This has been my whole purpose up to this point! Gotta go, sorry..."
"Oh OK. We can understand that. Sounds in-ethics to me. Best of luck to you!"

Sorry Loo, (and for being not so posty lately...)

I probably said it wrong: When on staff and wanting go bye, bye, I did get the push to stay there, and for all the ethics, mankind stuff, etc. While not easy for me: in MY mind, I was using my music and Art goals that I was setting out to do, as the 'reason/excuse' to have a 'real' purpose away for the org and that was aligned with a lot of I was reading then on staff, either bulletins or POs about 'art' - so they couldn't then try and tell me Scn doesn't care about art and so on. So yes, it wasn't like Scn bought any of that or what real easy, like you mentioned - but I was fairly green, and I don't think they had many other options (back then) to belittle these goals to any extreme - and to persuade me much further. I certainly did know by that time, that saying "oh, I just wanna be out of this place", wasn't gonna work... As it was a legitimate goal, I knew I could get through any sec checks, etc, that I did incur.

Actually this may be good info for others needing ways to get out. But I'd be stupid to say anything about current day 'best' practices.

Hope this may clear up some ?! and you are correct in saying that 'they', wouldn't have bought that alone. I'd learned covert ops by that time - and lucky too, as I was out before the Fan met the Kaka with missions and all in the early '80s'.

Thanks for pointing this out to me.

My writing often times can't be understood very well at all, and often by me! need to work on - But I swear this has to do something with study tech and my experiences in scn overall. That is a whole other thread/topic altogether.

TL
 
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