Escaping L. Ron Hubbard's Scientology
Free After 20 Years in Praetorian Guard and Sea Organization
I escaped the cult just over a year ago, having been an ultra orthodox member of its militant inner circle for 20 years. During my last year in the cult, I was involved in a plan to infiltrate a relatively important local government institution. Ironically, my subversive mission exposed Scientology for what it is, and led to my life in "wog world."
I had been more or less cut off from the real world since 1986. Access to TV, Internet and other media has always been discouraged, but since 1990, Internet use for the Sea Organization member, with the exception of those in the intelligence and policing branch, has been strictly verboten.
My work granted me considerable latitude with regard to typical organizational rules and restrictions, and the fact that I was in a rather senior position a long distance from the cult HQ in Sussex, gave me unprecedented freedom to do internet searches to trace key targets for the purposes of my mission.
One evening I Googled 'Scientology' and came across posts, essays and exposes of the cult, very often from colleagues I had known over the years and who had disappeared into the real world. A Scientologist describes the world outside as 'the wog world'; the unenlightened humanoid is a 'wog'. The cult member who 'falls from grace' and leaves the church is described as a 'degraded being', destined for a short pain-filled life and reincarnation as a lunatic.
Scientology's Celebrity Endorsers and Media Reputation
Most people who think of Scientology, think of Tom Cruise's tirades on national TV, John Travolta and Lisa-Marie Presley's endorsements, Lisa McPherson's emaciated corpse, 'The exhibition of death' toured around the world by the Church in a vain attempt to obliterate two hundred years worth of neuro-psychiatric and psychological research.
They think of the yellow-coated Scientology Volunteer Ministers, guaranteed to appear at the site of any national disaster, like vultures, to recruit and gain positive media as 'help' (in actuality, they tend to get in the way of qualified professional rescue and emergency personnel, while wasting valuable resources that could otherwise be passed onto the victims of disaster).
As is typical of many ex-cult members, I suffered a period of acute suicidal depression, which I survived thanks to Hubbard's and Scientology's bete noir; psychiatrists and psychologists. In my new life outside, I have found a sense of contentment I did not think possible while moving up Hubbard's torturous 'Road to total freedom.'
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Comments
Thank you for sharing your story, your life story really, i am glad that after so many years being told what to think, you've discovered your own critical mind.
I wish you all the best on your road to self-discovery and happiness.
Great story. Having spent 13 years of my young adult life inside this hideous cult, I can verfiy your perspective. Thanks for sharing your insights.
This is a funny article, considering that the author was never a Scientologist!!! He just scraped together some "usual" online rah-rah on Scientology from maybe two websites and - there you go - another anonymous "ex" is born! Dear Orato Team, please crosscheck your authors, would you...
Thanks for your comments luana1980 ... Orato is all about giving everyone the opportunity and platform to tell their own stories in their own words - please feel free to write something from a different perspective on Scientology if this story doesn't reflect your own experience. I'm curious to know why you think the author was never a Scientologist ...
All the best,
Robyn Stubbs
Community Building Editor
Hi Robyn,
He's repeating stereotypes actual ex-Scientologists wouldn't state due to lack of actual experience but which are common of third-person "observations" (guesses and opinions) on the internet. That caught my attention, being a researcher on such subjects. I also contacted some Scientologists in Stuttgart/Germany and they have never heard of him.
L
There is another story on Orato submitted from someone who says they are a Scientologist:
My Personal Experience With Scientology. It's a different perspective.
Orato contributors are bound to submit true stories as per our guidelines. This piece is written from the writer's personal perspective, and unless the story can be found to be plagiarized, we have no way of confirming one's personal experience. The beauty of citizen journalism is that you, too, have a voice and can submit your own personal story for the world to read.
The above person was deprogrammed by a team of deprogrammers who had about 1 year to do their horrid work on this unfortunate individual.
A couple of things strike me about John's articles. Firstly, it strikes me that he was given a lot of time to do what he wanted in Scientology. So the notion that he was somehow entrapped is a heap of hooey!! Secondly, I doubt it if John actually knew very much about the subject. His rantings, however incoherent strike me as coming not from him but from a cut and paste montage of drivel and hateful rhetoric from his new "masters". Namely members of anti-religious hate groups. That John is completely befuddled by all this is completely understandable. That persons of this ilk spread their hatred with impunity is nothing new. It is an old strategy from the Spanish Inquisition. Namely make someone renounce their religion by threat, argument and a series of horror stories invented to muddy the target religion. It is used by many deprogrammers and is often far worse thatn the apparent "brainwashing" that the deprogrammers are trying to combat.
People from New Religious Movements so deprogrammed are then encouraged to come out with atrocity stories as a final "line in the sand". This is meant to further distance themselves from their former group and help in the former members "rehabilitation". In my experience, people like John are just being used in a spiritual warfare battle with anti-religious groups and when they have served their purpose (usually hidden from them), they are left to rot.
It is most unnerving that John didn't mentioned that he was deprogrammed. This is part of the plot to confound and confuse the reader as a somehow sudden epiphany by John. This is nothing of the sort. John has been ridden up the ass by these guys and understandably is now out trying to bite his former religion. John must take some responsibility for his own actions and stop being the victim he is pretending to be.
P.S.: The photo of you tells me all I need to know!!!!
It always amuses me, how Scientologists are so quick to make snap judgments based on nothing at all. One user gains cosmic insight from a photograph. Another claims John Duignon is an anonymous poster who was never in Scientology. That individual also makes the uncited claim that Mr. Duignon was "deprogrammed." Outside of the cult, people generally would like to see some sort of information to substantiate your claim. Outside of the cult, people don't just automatically believe anything somebody throws out there.
I have met and talked with many ex-Scientologists, some of whom were very high up in the organization. Their stories parallel John's experience to a 'T.' Only in the creepy, insular world of the Scientologist would accusations be flung against the ex-member, because Scientology can *never* be at fault.
The other think I'd like to point out is the attempt to divert this issue over to one of religious intolerance. It isn't even an issue. Scientologists have the right to believe whatever they wish.
They do not, however, have the right to impinge on the rights of others in defense of their "religion." The main issue concerns the abuses perpetrated by this cult against its own members, its critics, and the courts. These are not religious issues.
As one who has been repeatedly subjected to cult bullshit, I can definitely state that this cult often crosses the line when it comes to the rights of others to speak out in protest of this type of behavior. What kind of "church" would send someone to threaten my elderly parents? Or send someone door to door in their neighborhood, slandering me as a "terrorist and a drug dealer?"
What kind of "church" would phone in a fake complaint to the police department, claiming I planned to blow up the local Scientology establishment? What kind of "church" would send people out to stalk my friends and family?
Belgium will be asking all these hard questions and more, when they put Scientology on trial for fraud, intimidation, and practicing medicine without a license! I can't wait!
Thanks John,
Looks like some here doubt you could be for real.
They might be interested in my story....
It is free of 'confidential' data and is 'safe' for Scientologists: My Journey To OT3 & Back
Best wishes,
Recovery
I would like to post a comment to defend John Duigan's veracity. I was born and therefore, grew up in this terrible cult. I can personally attest to all of the the things he mentioned in the article, particularly the statement about ex-sea org members being degraded beings. When I was 16, I started to open my eyes to world around me and realized how insulated and dogmatic I was forced to be despite having no context for this behavior. I voiced these confusions to be my mother who promptly stated that I was degraded being. I was completely floored and confused and I was not sure what it meant, had she banished me to some purgatory? Turns out yes.... I was from there on attacked viscously by the COS (Church Of Scientology), threatened with Declare, called a SP and eventually completely lost my family. It has been over 14 years and I have had NO contact with my parents and my siblings will not talk to me. This behavior is not because of some egregious error of morality but rather having the audacity of wanting to think for myself. Those of you who doubt his story are in the words of the slavish cult persona, Tom Cruise, "glib."
Assalmu Alaykum Mr. Duigan!
Great article!
With the comments made against you, what your opponents have actually done here was to give us the final proof, if we needed any, of the veracity of your experience and testimony.
My friends just go back and check the vicious way in which they attack Mr. Duigan’s and freedom of speech. Trying to disqualify him so vigorously they have only helped him make his point even more clear.
Happy new life Mr Duigan, way to go!
I was a Scientologist for 16 years.
The author's article is a highly accurate portrayal of life in Scientology. I learned quite a few new things in this article about Hubbard's biography which Church members would never be allowed to know, nor would they want the world to know through articles like this.
It is very important that Ex-Scientologists like the author tell their stories, despite the harassment they may receive from members of the Church of Scientology who, through some sense of duty to their cult, are trying to shut them up and keep the truth of Scientology from getting out.
I commend Mr. Duignan for an excellent article.
Thanks for writing it.
Alanzo
http://www.alanzosblog.blogspot.com
I can only agree to what Alanzo states. I have been in this cult for over 17 years, and this article is very, very accurate indeed. Mr Duignan has most definitely been in the position to know this information he is writing about, as I know exactly the part of the organisation he was part of. I am just so glad he managed to escape and I belief he is very brave to speak up and inform the world about what is going on and I join Alanzo in commending him for that.
None of those laughable attempt of C of S members will prevent the truth from getting out - because it is out there to be seen, thanks to free speach like this medium.. Carry on John and thank you.
Petra
I spent close to 30 years in the cult of Scientology. 14 of those
years, I worked for Scientology's "dirty tricks" department,
a.k.a., the Office of Special Affairs. My "volunteer" work there included
stealing the trash of people who the C of S considered to be
"enemies". Scientologist believe that anyone that criticizes
Scientology or L Ron Hubard or the current Maleficent Monarch
David Miscavige, has hidden crimes and must be investigated
exposed and silenced..
Some of my other OSA activities included digging through public
records of the "critics" of the Church, infiltrating groups considered to be
"enemies" and a full assortment of "investigative" actions
that were really nothing more than acts of harassment toward
Church critics in an attempt to silence their criticism.
In the Scientology mindset, no one is allowed to criticize
Scientology, nor L. Ron Hubbard,nor their Maleficent Monarch
David Miscavige. The Office of Special Affairs is the Branch of the
Church that deals with or "handles" critics and they use a full assortment
of "covert intelligence" techniques, fully described by Hubbard.
The comments previously made on this thread is a classic
example of how Hubbard instructs Scientologists to
"handle" former members who speak out.
They have to make little of John Duignan and pretend he either
didn't exist, or if he did, he's inconsequential. They've done this before
by calling the # 2 guy in Scn, Jesse Prince, a janitor, and dismissed
all of Jesse's stories as distortions and lies. And they really believe
what they are saying. That's the problem with Scientologists. They
are so fully indoctrinated into the Hubbard Way of Thinking, that they
robotically answer exactly as they were "drilled" to answer. It would
be nice, if just for once, they stopped for a few minutes and just threw
away the "drilled answers" and just answered with the TRUTH. I wonder
what amazing things might happen if they only told the truth!
But that's not gonna happen. Scientologists can't tell the
truth, they can only repeat the drilled answers.
The Church of Scientology tries to control people with fear.
John Duignan is a courageous man that has stepped up
and eloquently told the truth.
The Scn Indoctrination is so deeply ingrained that it's a
miracle some of us were able to break free of it. I understand why
so many can't. It's such a huge betrayal. Not many can
actually confront the truth.
Thank you John Duignan for your courage and for standing up to
the face of evil. My hat's off to you.
Here's some of my stories.
http://www.xenu-directory.net/critics/pieniadz1.html
If you google my name you will also see Scientology's attempt to
silence me by putting up a page on their hate site known as
Religious Freedom Watch. Now there's a good example
of Scn in action. Their RFW site is all the "dirt" they can
find on critics. They then smear the person with half truths
and creepy comments. They even found my bankruptcy
papers and posted them! They did this in attempt to silence
me.
They effectively silenced me for almost 30 years, I'm done
with that.
Patty Pieniadz
A fantastic story full of insight. I just couldn't stop reading it.
What you are saying is so true. Every word of it. It is well known that CS is notorious for using scare tactics and even causing the death of ex-members. I watched with interest, the rantings of the likes of Tom Cruise and even John Travolta. It's funny, how do you have a 'religion' and never, ever use the word God in your conversation?
This is a very dangerous and dark cult, and a very slow form of brainwashing is going on here. They are so good at it, I believe anyone could fall prey to it.
Good for you, Mr. Duignon, for having the guts to speak out about this experience. I hope you are using a false name, as we know CS is all about retrobution.
Regards, Tory
Our poll results are interesting. So far, the vast majority of people believe it's a cult. (90%)
Thank you for sharing your experience. The one thing that I disagree with would be your portrayal of L. Ron Hubbard's ability at writing.
I am a sci-fi/fantasy nut. I love the stuff... I can't read enough! Out of all the science fiction books I've ever read, the most brilliantly written novel (in my opinion to date) is "Battlefield Earth". At 1050(ish) pages in paperback format, it can hardly be characterized as a short story...
I believe he was a brilliant novelist and I also very much enjoyed his decology the "Invasion Earth" series.
Just my opinion...
Probably can't blame him if he held a grudge against "all things Hubbard"... - considering what he went through.
I to have a history with Scientology, for about five years. During this time Ive done auditor internships and administration work. I can relate to this story. Although there were some things in the procedures that work well. It is the hypocrisy of the people and the organization that turned me off. I dont know if it is the fault of naive people that are there or the evil policies of Scientology, maybe both. After I left the only things that cleared up my clouded Scientology thoughts were anti-Scientolgy books that I later read, the ones that the organization does not allow Scientologist to read. Thanks for these. When I finally got some of my advanced payment money from the Organization ( I had to threaten and play their game, the way that they ruthlessly play it, to get it) They took a huge amount off for administration fees and on the back of the check was a declaration that I would be sued if I publicly invalidated the organization or its leaders. So how do you cash the cheque if you dont sign it! So more threats, seems to be Scientology is based on being paranoid schizophrenic , like its founder. Im glad Im out and if you know anyone that wants to get involved in it, have them do all the research into it the good and the negative. The organization works like the carrot in front of the donkey. The donkey goes for it but never reaches it. So will go ones money, time, energy and mental health.
A fantastic story full of insight. It was a nice reading
Useful and effectual informations. Thanks
Greet the authors of the site. Want to express thanks for good work.Your article very useful and interesting. .
Mr. Duignan's book, 'The Complex,' is finally being offered by Amazon.com. It's an expanded version of his article here, which starts out with a gripping account of a flight from Scientology, fear of being retrieved, and a plane that is delayed due to weather.
Amazon began taking prepayments last December. Suddenly, all those who had prepaid received a notice from Amazon, stating that they would not be carrying 'The Complex,' and that the prepayment would be refunded.
There was outrage among the people who'd ordered the book. Rumors that Tom Cruise had met with Amazon executives were later confirmed. After a hailstorm of letters, calls, and emails, Amazon finally caved in to public demand for the book. It is now available, despite Scientology's best efforts to suppress it.
I have my copy. It's no wonder Scientology did not want 'The Complex' distributed. John Duignan relates the many years of abuse and privation wasted in this destructive cult. I highly recommend that you read this book. If you were intrigued by Mr. Duignan's article here, you might wish to see what it is about his story that sent Scientology into a spasm of attempted censorship.
I'm a former member of Alcoholics Anonymous that has made a concious choice to walk away after certain facts about the fellowship were finally made clear to me. Turns out that although A.A. is a "God" based "program" that, for the most part, can be very valid, they do share some things with the scientologists like administring guilt to it's members to keep them in line or fear in the form of "if you don't do this you will get drunk again and die" keeping their psyche in a traumatized state to keep the member docile and amenible to the whims of the sponsor as in the case of the Mike Q/Midtown group in Washington D.C. and if anyone dares to speak up publicly about the treatment of some of it's members they will seek retribution and make posts like luana80's and disgrace's trying to deride and obfiscate the truth, but the fact is that there a lot of garbage going on inside the fellowship of A.A. that, indeed, one should not get involved with if the alcoholic intends to get better.
First off, I would like to say to the comment of "disgrace" that John Duignan is not an "Anonymus made up ex-Scientologist". He is for real. How do I know? I used to work with him for 12 Years in Saint Hill, and know him quite well. I myself had the unfortune situation of having been raised in a Scientology family and joined the Sea Org with the age of 13.I had spent 12 years there and finally managed to escape. I have to give John my respects as he dares to speak openly about his time in Scientology. I caught attention of him having seen him in an interview in TV, and everything he said is accurate and true, and if a Scientologist tries to discredit this it is just to cover things up.
There was outrage among the people who'd ordered the book. Rumors that Tom Cruise had met with Amazon executives were later confirmed. After a hailstorm of letters, calls, and e-mails, Amazon finally caved in to public demand for the book. It is now available, despite Scientology's best efforts to suppress it. tower defense
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