Another Ex-scientology executive joins ARS

From: "lrnobs" <lrnobs@netguard.net>
Newsgroups: alt.religion.scientology
Subject: Another Ex-scientology executive joins ARS
Date: Thu, 22 Jan 1998 21:16:45 -0600

Hello everyone, I've been a lurker for some time.  Recent events have pushed
me off the fence.

I had married a scientologist in my early years and had two children.  Over
a year ago I received a disconnection notice from my oldest child.  At 16
years of age she was going to sign a seven year work contract for about $2
an hour pay.  I told her I didn't care what her religion was but joining
staff was a bad idea.  Bang! Disconnect Notice - Goodbye Forever.

Well this past week I received letter number one from my son.  He is 15
years of age and plans on signing a five year contract this summer.
Everyone who knows the scientology pts/sp handling policy can tell you that
when you get letter number one - the game is over.  It doesn't matter how
eloquent or convincing you might be - the organization has the child under
control.  Your responses are culled for any negative comments or sarcasm.
You have two choices.  Either compromise your integrity and agree it is ok
to join the organization and promise to never speak your mind again or lose
communication with your loved one.

It's almost funny after all these years that the readings I did still ring
in my head.  I started to remember the Code of Honour.  Never compromise
your own integrity.  Never fear to hurt another in a just cause.  I am
following the code now.

I am sure they will not let my son read this posting, but then again the
same is probably true of the hand written letter.  But I will respond to his
letter.

Son I know you now believe you are helping the only group on the planet who
has a chance to save the world.  It is admirable that your heart is in the
right place. But you do not truely know this group.  The world is large and
if you feel you want to benefit mankind with self-sacrificing work there are
many groups which would welcome your help.  If everything which was written
by Ron Hubbard were true the common man would have rallied behind his work
and after more than 40 years we would be well on our way to a world without
crime and without insanity.  Millions of people have walked through
scientology's doors and when they found contradiction upon contradiction and
heavy handed sales techniques and extreme peer pressure they left.  If a
lifetime is a wink of an eye, then I can surely wait a few years for you to
discover this for yourself.

I will give all of you a brief history then sign off.  I got involved in
scientology at 13 years of age.  I joined the sea organization at 15 years
of age at flag operations office western United States.  I was sent home
after a summers work, because of the legal situation of not being 16 years
of age and Hollywood High School would not admit me without my legal
guardian living in Los Angeles.

I went back in 1976 and held the jobs of deputy flag representative ASHO
Day, deputy flag representative AOLA, and deputy flag representative St.
Louis.  I left when I received the new game for the year, which is the
orders/goals for the new year.  My understanding was that while these orders
were tough to achieve, with extraordinary work we could achieve them.  It
was my job to enforce these orders.  We were to clear the planet in one
year, which basically means that the entire world would either join
scientology and move up to a certain spiritual level or the great majority
would accomplish this and be able to affect everyone else by their presence.

I could not reconcile within myself that I was supposed to enforce orders
which I believed to be completely insane.

Larry Nobs