This past Saturday my 21 year old daughter, Shelby, went to visit the Church of Scientology in St. Paul, as she was curious to see their new building. What followed was a great example of how many Scientologist are decent people, but a few are completely looney and even dangerous.
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| Scientology in St. Paul's Grand Opening |
She went with a friend who also wanted to tour their building and see what Scientology was all about from the perspective of the Church itself. The Scientology Church in St. Paul had been promoting on the radio that people could come in for free tours.
As the girls approached the building Kristin, a Scientology staff member who knew Shelby, was walking out of the building. When she saw Shelby she turned around and ran back into the building like a Branch Davidian who spotted the ATF approaching.
Shelby and her friend exchanged confused glances and continued on into the building where they were greeted by Deb, the receptionist. Deb recognized Shelby, whom she had known for years, was pleasant, friendly and said Shelby could go on a tour of the building.
A few minutes later another staff member who probably had something to do with security approached Shelby. His name was Craig and he had also known Shelby and our family for years. In short, Craig very respectfully and pleasantly let Shelby know that he couldn't let her tour the building because of her "status" with the Church. He believed that she, like her mother, had been ex-communicated, or as Scientology calls it "labeled as a suppressive person".
If you are tracking with me, so far we have one staff member turning and running into the building, and two Scientology staff members who were professional, pleasant and knew how to use their words.
Shelby and her friend left the building without their tour. Keep in mind this was Shelby's friend's first introduction to the Church of Scientology, and she wasn't really feeling the love so far.
On their way out they ran into another staff member who Shelby knew named Chris. He knew Shelby had left the Church but still had a pleasant conversation with the girls for a few minutes. Shelby's friend said to him, "It's sad that in a place of faith you can feel so unwelcome." Chris responded with a smile,"Well I've been really welcoming.", to which both girls agreed.
At that moment from about 200 feet away another Scientology staff member named Karen screamed at Chris, "Chris you need to back away!" pointing her finger in a move away motion. Chris shrugged and said "Guess I gotta go now." and awkwardly walked away as Karen came barreling down on him with her hands up in the air yelling "What are you doing!"
All of this played out on the street in front of the Church in St. Paul with other people walking by. For a group that claims to have the solution to your relationship and communication problems, Karen sure was freaked out about Chris speaking to Shelby and her friend. Overreaction would be an understatement.
To recap: Kristen turns and runs like a Branch Davidian seeing the ATF approach, Deb and Craig were pleasant, decent, caring human beings who could communicate, poor Chris did his best to make the girls feel welcomed despite knowing Shelby had left the Church, and then we have Karen. Karen who waved her arms around while screaming at Chris from 200 feet away, on a public street right in front of their Church. Hmmm..... 3 out of the 5 Scientology staff members were good examples of Scientology itself, while the other two were perfect examples of what the Church of Scientology has become, a cult.
After this experience Shelby posted on Facebook, "I visited the Church of Scientology in St. Paul yesterday. Apparently not everyone is welcome on the free tours they advertise. When I arrived, I was promptly asked to leave."
About ten minutes after Shelby posted that on Facebook, two States away a woman, who we now realize has been stalking Shelby online, lept into action. This woman works for another Church of Scientology in another State. She is NOT friends with Shelby on Facebook. For her to see Shelby's post she would have to specifically seek Shelby's page out like a creeper (as the kid's like to say) and see what she was posting.
This Scientology staff member two States away got on the phone to a friend of Shelby's who was also once in Scientology, to tell her what Shelby had posted with the obvious hopes that this friend would agree that Shelby was a bad person and not someone she should be connected to.
As is often the case with the Church of Scientology, who tends to handle rejection worse than a jilted lover, they work overtime to cut ties between people who are in the Church and those who disagree with the actions of the Church.
Shelby's friend two States away wanted none of what the woman had to say, and stood up for Shelby and their friendship.
To recap once again: Shelby goes to tour the Church of Scientology in St. Paul, speaks with three well-meaning, decent individuals who work for the Church, sees two who epitomize the reasons why the Church of Scientology is seen as a cult, and then finds out a Church of Scientology staff member in another State is stalking her on Facebook, which I'm pretty sure falls into the "Creepy cult behavior" category.
All of this is a classic example of how there are some really great people in Scientology, and some outright aggressive, stalking loonies. If you were to use Shelby's recent experience with these six people as a yardstick, you might deduce that 50% of Scientology's staff members are well intentioned, caring individuals, and the rest are cowed cult members, or aggressive stalkers.
With those kinds of statistics it stands to reason why there has been a worldwide mass exodous out of the Church of Scientology. The most famous departed member being of course Katie Holmes. I can't help but wonder, if Scientology staff member Karen saw Tom Cruise on the steps of the Church speaking to Katie Holmes, would she charge at him while screaming "Tom you need to back away!"
3 comments:
great recap of what Shelby experienced, made me laugh. Isn't it well know yet that the church of Conology uses facebook as their primary source of intel. I mean what could Shelby possibly "harm" by taking a tour? The "church" if
I dare call it that, is very childish. The world can see that, to bad they can't.
Haugens... the "harm" is telling the staff members the truth. Really that's what it comes down to. I know in our situation Shane's friends were told so many lies and then when he told them what really happened, they freaked out and stopped communicating. The truth makes people think!! =)
Ugh and yes they use facebook, like it's the be all end all of communication. Idiots!!
You've got a very cool daughter. And she's got a cool mom. There is absolutely nothing I can say about Cof$ that you've not already said here beautifully.
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