Leah Remini

[19Sandy]

Anyone watching the Leah Remini show on A & E that is exploring scientology's cult practices?

[bae]

A high school friend of mine was a quite intelligent young man.

Unfortunately for him, his father was very highly-placed in the Scientology organization.

After high school graduation, my friend spent years working for the organization basically as a slave. They eventually even selected a wife for him. He spent 20 years in "Sea Org", their super-special offshore-boat branch, where they tell you all the amazing top-level Scientology secrets.

He finally escaped the organization just a few years ago. But clearly ~3 decades of this programming, isolation, and control have really messed him up.

Shameful.

[Teacher Terry]

I meant to tape it but forgot. That is really sad Bae.

[freshstart]

I enjoyed the books Going Clear and Inside Scientology, they really delved into the inside workings of the organization. It drives me nuts that they are tax free and considered a religion when there were internal memos leaked that they would call themselves a religion just to be tax exempt.

[iris lily]

I feel love/hate toward the Scientologists.

While I think their schtick is quite stupid, they took over a huge turn of the century building in my neighborhood and for the first seven years seemed to put in a good faith effort at renovating it. I talked to the woman in charge of the project and she is passionate about that old building. You all know where my heart lies – with buildings!

This is a 70,000 square-foot building that is more than 100 years old . It needs freaking everything. That ain't cheap. Only the Catholic Church or God or maybe the Scientologists have enough money to complete this project.

We have been hearing rumors that they want to sell the building now it is too big a project for them.

Here are photos

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[Lainey]

Haven't watched this show but I did see an interview with her. It's quite brave to finally remove yourself, and your family, from it. It looks like her motivation, as well as others, was in seeing her young daughter in it and realizing that she could lose her if their religion dictated she not have any contact with her mother.
"Religion" indeed.

[Ultralight]

But what if the Scientologists are right and we're all fools for not believing?

[ToomuchStuff]

Not the only religion with issues. I have a friend who is a descendant of Joseph Smith, and has nothing to do with either church (LDS, or RLDS), and they still try to get him "back in the fold".
Had a friend who has since passed, whose grandfather, has/had his own cult/religion thing as well as an insurance company.
Catholics have been covering up pedophiles, other "Christian" groups, have their own hate issues, so do Muslim's, etc.

[19Sandy]

I doubt most churches put cameras in a neighbor's birdhouse to watch someone or spend $10,000 bucks hiring someone to watch you.

[19Sandy]

Episode 3 is on tomorrow night. They had a clip tonight about it. She showed her room of videos and books that they are required to buy. You can't share books or information with others but have to buy it. Then in a few weeks, they will tell you that the book or whatever has a misprint or something, and you have to buy another one.

There is a list of steps that they must go through - that all cost money, and you must pay for interrogations to prove you learned from the books and tapes. After a few weeks, they tell you that you have to repeat the steps. Again, you have to pay money.

I have never heard of any religion requiring this much money from people. Sure, they pass the collection plate and want you to tithe, but nothing like this.