http://www.sherdog.net/forums/f78/i-am-ex-scientologist-long-read-1107218/This is only a snippet of what was posted by this Ex on a martial arts forum. I find so many things disturbing in his story. First, he was very young at the time he was inducted into scientology, and probably more susceptible to the deceptive methods used to lure him in. He thought it was going to be like the Peace Corps
I also thought it was a perfect example of how scientology holds family disconnection over people's heads to keep them from leaving and how very difficult it is for members to leave.
I was raised by scientologists.
I have a very hard time talking about it. Especially because the church has had my little sister with them since age 13 (in 2001). If I bad-mouth them in any way publicly, I will be "Declared a Suppressive Person" (blacklisted), and they will forbid her and my other family members from having any contact with me.
I was recruited to work for them when I was 13. I didn't enlist until after high school. They made it sound like the Peace Corps. Like it was volunteer work to help make the world a better place. But it's a total farce.
Soon after joining, I realized that it wasn't right. And wanted to leave within the first year of being there. But if you try to leave, you are threatened with being blacklisted and sued. They even threatened to have me arrested for abandonment even though I had no kids. And they wont let you leave until they have exhausted every effort to keep you. It took me 2 and a half years to do so. My cousin tried to leave several times before finally, after a few years, they gave up on them just like they gave up on me.
