I am very grateful to Arnaldo for his courage in getting that website up in the early days of the Internet, keeping it up, and enduring the legal actions and fair game that the Church of Scientology’s Office of Special Affairs.
Topic | Life After Scientology
Militant Anti-Scientologist John McGhee Assaults Female Scientologist in Dublin, Ireland
Militant Irish AntiScientologist John McGhee becomes enraged and physically assaults female Scientologist on the street in Dublin, Ireland.
Ex Scientologist Janette Allen’s Personal Experience With The Aftermath Foundation
A link to an Important expose on Scientology and the Aftermath’s Aftermath Foundation. Should the damage they do to Exes be corrected?
Victoria Britton Has Been Working for 10 Years to Get Answers – Where’s Scientology and the Aftermath?
So far the series has stayed away from the most important Scientology stories, such as Mike Rinder’s OSA involvement in the cover-up of the Danny Masterson rape cases. So when will Scientology and the Aftermath have an episode on the Death of Kyle Brennan?
How The Anti Cult Movement’s Ideology Harms Ex-Members
Adopting the beliefs of the anti-cult movement dramatically changes the views and attitudes of those who experience a loss of faith. Those changes have a profound effect on how Exes make sense of their own past. So we must ask: How helpful is the ideology of the anti cult movement in making sense of your […]
The Scientology Brainwashing Defense
The anti-cult movement provides the principle ideology almost all Ex-cult members are given to adopt after they leave their minority religions. The foundation of that anti-cult ideology is the belief in “brainwashing”. But does “brainwashing” really exist? Or is it just an excuse?
Skeptics and Pseudo-Skeptics of Scientology
The key characteristic of a pseudo-skeptic of Scientology is the furious and dedicated certainty of their position, and their squinting suspicion that anyone who would question them must be an OSA agent.
Critical Thinking on Scientology and Anti-Scientology
I used to think that as long as I was not in the cult of Scientology any more, I would never fall into the unquestioning, partisan mindset that I had adopted when I was a Scientologist.
The Social Construction of the Anti-Scientology/Anti-Cult Narrative
The more power that you assign to subversive techniques such as “mind control” the easier it is for Ex-members to explain their membership and participation in minority religious groups after they’ve re-entered the mainstream.
Cult Expert, London School of Economics Social Science Professor Eileen Barker Submits Herself to the Gearty Grilling
Why do anti-cultists reject science so much? When they call a social scientist a “shill” or a “quack”, where is their quantitative data that disputes the work of that social scientist? I have never once seen them offer any scientific data to dispute the results of any of the scientists they wish to discredit with […]
Embrace Your Inner Scientologist
To dismiss that part of your life, to wall it off under labels of “delusional Scientologist” or “weak” or “crazy loon” is to remain in a dissociative state – to continue living a fractured life with some of the best parts of you buried underneath a wall of self-hatred and shame.
Adjusting to Mainstream Society After Scientology is Not “Recovery”
The cult recovery paradigm of Ex-Scientology sets up a whole bunch of things you think you need to “recover” from because you were in Scientology. This is a dysfunctional view. Paradigms are insidious things. They can hide all the assumptions and viewpoints and framing you are using to “understand” something. It’s always a good critical […]
Does Anti-Scientology Deserve Any Criticism?
During all 3 Seasons of Leah Remini’s Scientology and the Aftermath, Leah and Mike have sought to make anyone who criticizes their show out to be a Scientologist. Because who could possibly criticize the holy work that they are doing but a Scientologist?
Scientology & Hindsight Bias: An Ex-Scientologist’s Deadliest Disease
The human mind has certain biases which routinely, and falsely, color the perceptions of people called cognitive biases. One of the most important for a former cult member to know about is called the “hindsight bias”, or the “I knew it all along” effect.
How L Ron Hubbard Tricked You: Re-Defining “Individuation” Like That’s A Bad Thing
What if being a Scientologist was never a really a disease in the first place that you needed to “recover from”? What if it was just one part of your own much longer spiritual journey that taught you many important lessons, and from which you emerged stronger and wiser than ever? How would you know?
The Capture Stories, Escape Stories, and Atrocity Stories of Anti-Scientologists
Sociologists who study the issues surrounding minority religions have identified 3 types of stories that form a socially-constructed narrative of a leave-taker’s experience inside their former group. These types of stories are not unique to Ex-Scientology. They have been found to occur as common coins passed around by those who leave, assuming a role which […]
Is Scientology a Religion? Leah Remini Now Says It’s Not
When you look at the cosmology of Scientology from the viewpoint of social science – its rituals such as auditing, training, dissemination, and its clearly religious teachings on the thetan, the mind, and even Xenu – it is inescapable that Scientology is a religion.
You Still Have Control
An interesting article written about victims of abuse from Slate.com on February 8th 2014 by Samantha Gelmer, the woman who was sexually abused as a 13 year old by the film director Roman Polanski. Her message, while written within the context of sexual abuse, applies just as strongly to anyone who has experienced religious and […]
Enthralling Interview: Leah Remini Tells Her Powerful Story of Leaving Scientology
Leah tells her powerful story about what happened to her in the Church which led to her leave Scientology – the only religion she knew for 34 years.
Michael Shermer’s “The Believing Brain” & “Why People Believe Weird Things”
Michael Shermer has written two books, “The Believing Brain” and “Why People Believe Weird Things”, which have been life-changing reads for me. There are several key points made in these books which can help a person understand Scientology, and Scientology-like experiences, in brand new ways. For me, a key point came early in “The Believing […]
A Study List for Life After Scientology
Your assumptions can be quite insidious. You must study the actual subjects that Hubbard “spun” for you – from sources completely independent from L Ron Hubbard – so as to challenge your own assumptions, separate out Hubbard’s installed ones, and inspect them for their weaknesses.
Binded and Blinded By the Tribal Mind
Once I’d spotted that my thinking was tribal, I was no longer consumed by my tribe’s survival. I resented that the tribe had taken over my thinking. I could finally see the eclipsed and thoughtless cruelty of my former tribe.
Healing From Scientology Abuse is Not a Social Media Activity
If you were not abused in Scientology, and you say so in the various social media platforms on the Internet, then you can be accused of being heartless to those who were. A common way to avoid that is to forget your own viewpoint and to take up other peoples’ problems of abuse as your […]
Consonance & Dissonance in Thinking About Scientology
The human mind wants to think about things – especially important things – as either ALL GOOD, or ALL BAD. Not both. A mixture of good and bad in the mind gives you a feeling of dissonance – disharmony, conflict, chaos. Thinking about things as ALL GOOD, or ALL BAD, gives you a feeling of […]
Catastrophizing Scientology
Don’t catastrophize Scientology or your experiences in it. Always work to keep your experiences in Scientology in perspective.
Smarm & Exploitation in Louis Therouxs My Scientology Movie
If you’ve written enough screenplays, you learn that the main difference between the good guy and the bad guy in a movie is that for one, you know his motives for the actions he takes in the story, and for the other, you don’t. Good guys can kill people, blow up cars and bridges – […]
Does Science Refute God?
Thrilling debate by 4 very smart people on whether “Science Refutes God”.
Part Three: Never Go Full Anti
Scientologist and Anti-Scientologist alike can not think. They are both too militantly tribal to be able to think rationally. Here’s how.
Professor Hugh Urban Responds to Tony Ortega’s Stereotyping of “Religious Studies Types”
I’ll hand this to Tony, whenever it is to his own advantage, he does make stabs at being intellectually honest. In this case, he published a response to his criticism of professor Hugh Urban and his stereotyping of all social scientists who study religion as “religious studies types”. Professor Hugh Urban is the Director of […]
Apostasy – Is it Really Just David Miscavige Trying to Discredit You?
Apostasy: It’s not just for the Bitter Ones Sitting on the Porch of Infinity on the Fringes of the Internet any more. Don’t look now, but it could be you!
Cognitive Dissonance – More About
Jeff Hawkins wrote a post a few years ago detailing much of the basics behind Cognitive Dissonance Theory, and I am very grateful that he did, as this theory is fundamental to understanding not only how cult dynamics work, but how human beings work. I’m currently listening to free online lectures from a Social Psychology […]
Scientology Was a Test of Our Character
People who got themselves involved in Scientology were continually presented with all kinds of moral choices about how they would treat their fellow man. Because Scientology is a cult, it takes all the social traits of human groups, and turns them up to an intensity that can only be described as ELEVEN. If the bullies […]
I Grew Up in the Westboro Baptist Church. Here’s Why I Left
This will knock your socks off.
What You Have to Look Away From In Order to Remain an Anti-Scientologist
Back when I used to be a Scientologist, I would look away from a lot of things in order to remain one. Even in that little bubble, there were things that I was aware of which were “truths” that I didn’t want to look at. For instance: I didn’t want to look at the idea […]
Thinking the Worst of Yourself as a Scientologist
How gullible can some Ex-Scientologists get? Jon Atack wrote a post on Tony Ortega’s blog, accusing everyone who was ever involved in Scientology of being gullible. I commented about Jon’s broad-brushed generality of anyone who ever called themselves a Scientologist. It gave me the chance to use the word “hootenanny” (twice), and I have been […]
Ex-Scientologists: Are You Being Emotionally Manipulated?
A cool even head is always smarter and more effective at eradicating abuse, if it does exist, than a hotheaded ideologue. And it will be harder to manipulate you. Good luck out there.
Revised & Updated: Alanzo’s Top 5 Criticisms of Tony Ortega & His Underground Bunker
Tony Ortega is one of the most valuable critics of Scientology ever. But is he so biased that, over time, you can start to live in a delusional world about Scientology? I think so.
The Truth Rundown, Scientology’s Most Brutal Brainwashing Technique
Have you heard that the term “brainwashing” is a nebulous term that doesn’t describe anything, and been told that it should be beneath you to say that a “religion” brainwashes people? What exactly is a brainwashing technique? Chris Shelton describes what a brainwashing technique is, very specificly and very clearly, in his exposure of the […]
What Mike Rinder Did As The Head of Scientology’s Office of Special Affairs for 22 Yrs
This affidavit, filed in the Ken Dandar case, shows the daily routine that Mike Rinder lived as the Commanding Officer of the Office of Special Affairs for 22 years under David Miscavige.
Mike Rinder Needs to Come Clean About What He Did to Gerry Armstrong & Others As Head of the Office of Special Affairs
This is the first in a series of videos by Gerry Armstrong, the most fair-gamed person in Scientology history, to Mike Rinder. This one is dated February 18th, 2018. Here’s the 2nd, dated Feb 18th, 2018 Video Number 3, dated February 23rd, 2018 Video Number 4, dated February 25, 2018 Video Number 5, dated February […]
Nathan Rich Responds to the Church of Scientology’s Vicious Attack Videos on Him
For Nathan Rich Scientology was simply not something he wanted to get involved in – ever. No matter how much they forced him, Scientology was not ever something that was going to work for him. And he makes a very good case about how it actually harmed him from a very early age. This video […]
Anti-Scientologists Display Frenzied Hysteria & Dysfunctional Negativity Over CNN’s “Believer”
Reza Aslan’s episode of “Believer” on CNN regarding Independent Scientology changed my life for the better. It reminded me of an approach to belief and spiritual pursuits that is positive, constructive, and life-giving.
Atheist & Anti-Scientologist Tony Ortega Goes After Christians In Hysterical Twitter Rant
I’ve reached out to Tony Ortega via email for a comment about what kind of hatred of Christians was going through his mind, or if there was anything they did or said in the real world that set him off.
Scientology OT 7 Reverend Rex Fowler Guilty of First Degree Murder
Rex Fowler Scientology Operating Thetan Level 7 “Ciancio died Dec. 30, 2009 while he went to the office to collect a severance check from Fowler Software Design. Ciancio had decided to leave the company after the founder, 58-year-old Rex Fowler, had diverted $175,000 in company funds to Fowler’s church, the Church of Scientology.” Scientology OT […]
Alarming Rhetoric on Mike Rinder’s Blog
Yesterday, Mike Rinder wrote a post that he hoped would whip all his commenters up into a lather against Scientologists in the entertainment industry. Here are his final paragraphs of that post: “But of course they ignore the huge failures that are stinking up the lobby at CC: Jenna Elfman has not been able to […]
Ron Miscavige Sr Prostrates Himself Before Tony Ortega on Scientology: “I Was Conned”
Why has this community of Ex-Scientologists let this kind of boorish oppression happen to the most vulnerable Exes at the most vulnerable times of their lives? There is more to the idea of who you were as a Scientologist than “I was conned”.
Leah Remini Blames Cathy Tweed for Her Daughter’s Suicide – What if it Was Your Daughter?
Please Leah. I used to believe that you were one of the most level-headed and powerful critics of Scientology in their history. But ever since you knowingly mis-characterized a quote from Dianetics to make it seem like Scientologists believed in pedophilia, and now you have publicly blamed a mother for her own daughter’s suicide to […]
Paul Haggis must face civil rape suit: judge
A Manhattan judge said “Million Dollar Baby” screenwriter Paul Haggis must face a civil rape lawsuit by a publicist after hearing a graphic account of the alleged assaults. “What Mr. Haggis did is forcibly removed her clothing, forcibly kissed her, forcibly penetrated her vagina,” an attorney for Haleigh Breest said in Manhattan Supreme Court Thursday. […]
A Question for Tony Ortega & Leah Remini Regarding Scientology Suicide
Tony Ortega loves it when a Scientologist commits suicide. He jumps all over every Scientology suicide he hears about. He even blames Scientology mothers for their daughter’s suicide. It’s where Tony Ortega’s cruelty against Scientologists who have nothing to do with the abuses in Scientology really shines. Ortega recently published an article on his blog […]
Scientology Fatigue
In all my 19 years of being out of Scientology and watching what other Scientology watchers are saying, and how they are faring – I have never seen so much boredom with the subject of Scientology. I do believe that A&E is going to have to survive ratings crashes for any time slot they insert […]
Critics of Scientology Question Direction of Season 2 Scientology and the Aftermath
A few days ago, Mike Rinder, as is his wont, asked for comments on Scientology and the Aftermath S2E2 featuring two tragic suicides by Scientologists. So I posted my thoughts on it: “Alanzo says August 23, 2017 at 12:29 pm I personally can not believe that you and Leah have gone down the road of […]
Scientology and the Aftermath: With a “Friend” Like Tony Ortega, Who Needs Enemies?
Aaron Smith Levin visited Tony Ortega’s blog this morning in an effort to enlighten us on what’s going on behind the scenes of Season Three of “Scientology and the Aftermath”. It looks like Ortega’s blog post this morning, “SHOCKING MOLESTATION CLAIMS LEAKING OUT BEFORE AFTERMATH EPISODE”” gives details of a young Ex-Scientologist’s life that – […]
Read Plato
Another excellent discussion over on Mike Rinder’s blog prompted me to post this solution to the endless tribal warfare between “spiritualists” and “scientists”. Although I almost always disagree with her, Marildi, once again does an admirable job making her case. As well as Eclipse-Girl, Roger Hornaday, and the rest. _____________________________________ marildi says June 17, 2015 […]
Was Elizabeth Moss a Brainwashed Cult Member Playing a Brainwashed Cult Member in “The Handmaid’s Tale”?
To hear Anti-Scientologists tell it, Elizabeth Moss was just a clueless & brainwashed Scientologist during her Emmy-winning performance portraying Offred in “The Handmaid’s Tale”. But is thinking with stereotypes about people in minority religions ever going to explain how Elizabeth Moss is such a great actress? Having been a member of Scientology for 16 years, […]
