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Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath (2016-19) (1)  or      Are we being properly (mis)informed or not? (Review of TV show that ran 3 seasons. Hosts: Leah Remini and Mike Rinder)

(to other Scientology pages)

1) G e n e r a l   o v e r v i e w / i n t r o d u c t i o n :   M i s s i o n   s t a t e m e n t ,   o v e r v i e w ,   r e s e a r c h   s p e c i f i c s I n t r o d u c t i o n   t o   S c i e n t o l o g y   a n d   L R H K e e p i n g   S c i e n t o l o g y   W o r k i n g ,   f u n d a m en t al s S c i e n t o l o g y   i n   m e d i a   a nd   I n t e r n e t   ( +   f o r u m s ,   W i k i p e d i a ) S c i e n t o l o g y :   I t s   t r u e   h i s t o r y   e x p o s e d ? S c i e n t o l o g y   Q & A   ( F A Q ) E x t e r n a l   l i n k s M a t e r i a l s   w a n t   l i s t R e c o m m e n d e d   l i s t   o f   m a t e r i a l s 2) R e s p o n s e s   ( w i t h   a n n o t a t i o n s ) : A p p r e c i a t i v e   r e s p o n s e s   t o   m y   p a g e s C r i t i q u e   r e c e i v e d   ( 1 )   f r o m   c h u r c h g o i n g   S c i e n t o l o g i s t s C r i t i q u e   r e c e i v e d   ( 2 )   f r o m   o u t - o f - c h u r c h   S c i e n t o l o g i s t s C r i t i q u e   r e c e i v e d    ( 3 )   f r o m   a n t i - S c i e n t o l o g i s t s 3) T o p i c s   o f   p a r t i c u l a r   i n t e r e s t : (a): G e n e r a l   t o p i c s H o l y   S c r i p t u r e s   v s   S c i e n t o l o g y L R H   v s   D i c t i o n a r i e s L R H   v s   t h e o r y   o f   e v o l u t i o n L R H ' s   w o r k s   o f   f i c t i o n (b): O r g a n i z a t i o n a l   t o p i c s A   p r i n t i n g   h i s t o r y   o f   t h e   m a t e r i a l s   o f   S c i e n t o l o g y S c i e n t o l o g y   M e m b e r s h i p :   H A S I   v s   I A S L R H   v s   p r i c i n g   p o l i c i e s T h e   c o p y r i g h t s   i s s u e   a n d   l i c e n s i n g (c): T e c h n i c a l   t o p i c s H i s t o r y   o f   G r a d e   C h a r t :   a )   G e n e r a l H i s t o r y   o f   G r a d e   C h a r t :   b )   D e t a i l e d ‘ C l e a r ’   d e f i n e d N E D   f o r   O T s T h e   ‘ P r i m a r y   R u n d o w n ’ 4) C o n t r o v e r s i a l   t o p i c s : M i s t a k e n   i d e a s   o f   ‘ E t h i c s ’   c l a r i f i e d T h e   F a i r    G a m e   L a w P r a c t i c e   o f   D i s c o n n e c t i o n S e c u r i t y   C h e c k i n g F r e e l o a d e r s   v s   E x - s t a f f   m e m b e r s T h e   ‘ R e h a b i l i t a t i o n   P r o j e c t   F o r c e ’   ( R P F ) 5) C h a n g e s   i n   t h e   f l o w   o f   ‘ i n f o r m a t i o n ’: (a): A l t e r a t i o n s   ( L R H   o r   n o n- L R H ? ) L R H   v s   A l t e r a t i o n s N o n - L R H   t u r n s   i n t o   L R H ?   &   P r o p o s a l   t o   s o l u t i o n T h e    ‘ C r a m m i n g   S e r i e s ’   -   L R H   o r   n o t   L R H ? B a s e d   o n   L R H   p u b l i c a t i o n s (b): G e n e r a l   o v e r v i e w L R H   v s   A   N e w   O r d e r   ( i n t r o d u c t i o n ) → A d m i n i s t r a t i v e   a n d    o r g a n i z a t i o n a l   m a t t e r s S e t u p   o f   t h e   p r i n t e d   m a t e r i a l s   ( 1 9 7 3 - 8 6 ) T h e   R T R C ,   t h e   u n i t   t h a t   w r o t e   L R H   i s s u e s   ( 1 9 7 3 - 8 2 ) T h e   d a w n i n g   o f   R T C   a n d   n e w   m a n a g e m e n t   ( 1 9 8 2 - 8 3 ) → T e c h n i c a l   m a t t e r s I n t r o d u c t i o n   t o   t h e   e v e n t   o f   l o s i n g   a   B r i d g e ) A n a l y s i s   o f   H C O B   “ T e c h   C o r r e c t i o n   R o u n d - u p ” L o s t   B r i d g e :   T e c h   c h a n g e s   d u r i n g   1 9 7 8 - 8 2 T h e   h i s t o r y   o f   t h e   o r i g i n a l   O T   V I I I ‘ G o l d e n   A g e   o f   T e c h ’   ( G A T )   a n a l y s i s D r i l l i n g   i n   S c i e n t o l o g y (c): T h e   m a t t e r   o f   D a v i d   M a y o S t o r y   o f   D a v i d   M a y o ‘ S O   E D   2 3 4 4   I n t’   a n a l y s i s T r a i n i n g   d r i l l s   ( T R s ) M a y o   r e f e r e n c e   l i s t 6) C o n s p i r a c i e s   -   I n   L .   R o n   H u b b a r d ' s   f o o t s t e p s S c i e n t o l o g y   v s   a   N e w   W o r l d   O r d e r → W h e r e   i s   L .   R o n   H u b b a r d ?   ( c h r o n o l o g y   o f   S c n   h i s t o r y ) W h e r e a b o u t s   o f   L .   R o n   H u b b a r d   c h r o n o l o g y T h e   e r a   o f   a d o r a t i o n ;   P r e s e n t a t i o n   o f   L .   R o n   H u b b a r d L .   R o n   H u b b a r d   i n t o   a r t i s t r y :   M u s i c   &   F i l m → W h e r e   i s   h i s   w i f e   a n d   f a m i l y ? S t o r y   o f   M a r y   S u e   H u b b a r d T h e   l a s t   s t a n d :   T h e   G u a r d i a n   O f f i c e 7) S c i e n t o l o g y   u n d e r   a t t a c k (a): A   p r e m e d i t a t e d   s e r i e s   o f   o c c u r r e n c e s ?   ( ’ 8 0 s   c o n s p i r a c y ) I n t r o d u c t i o n   &   R o n   D e W o l f G e r r y   A r m s t r o n g   ( ‘ a f f i r m a t i o n s ’ ) R u s s e l l   M i l l e r    ( ‘ B a r e - F a c e d   M e s s i a h ’ ) A   r e l i g i o n   c r e a t e d   f o r   t h e   m o n e y ? (b): B a t t l e s   f o u g h t   a n d   t h e   i n t e r n e t   ( 2 0 1 6 -   ) L e a h   R e m i n i :   S c i e n t o l o g y   a n d   t h e   A f t e r m a t h   ( T V   s h o w )

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Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath (2016-19)  (page 1, index page)

“A series featuring stories from former members of the Church of Scientology whose lives have been affected by the Church's alleged harmful practices.” (Series description on IMDB*)

Observe! This form below will only perform a search on this TV show review.

 
Index:

		Foreword (page 1)
			(Includes:  Reason for this study; Setup of the study)
		Fair use of any copyrighted work - Responding to this study
		The dubious outset and focus of the TV show
			- A dubious outset and what it did cause - Independent Scientologists, why are they invited to appear on the TV show? - TV show cancelled, now what?
		Scientology not applied...
			- Scientology means of defence and rights not utilized, an overview - ‘The Auditor's Code’
		Public relations, abuses and the “laws of the land”
			- The public relations angle... - Sexual abuses & forced abortions
		The problem with international management...
			(Includes: The times they've been a-changin’; The effect that new international management has had since 1982 till this day...)
		Various further useful observations and pieces of information
			(Includes: Do as you're told?; Baffling matters (why staying); The easily persuaded...; Children; ‘The Church of Scientology’ versus ‘Scientology’ (the topic); Scientology is not a belief system; Leaving staff and residing in US; Freeloader bills)
		Your hosts...
			- 1) Leah Remini (creator and executive producer)
			- 2) Mike Rinder (co-host, side-kick and co-executive producer) - Leah Remini making up her mind: “Who is bad, worse, worst... and not bad?”
				(Includes: Creation of a ‘snitching’ and ‘disconnection’ culture; Warnings as early as 1952)
			- Generating an income...
			- Having come to insight or just changing camps?
		(for the Facebook initiatives, see at the end of this index, following the episodes)
	The episodes
	Ep.	Season 1 (29 Nov 2016-17 Jan 2017, 29 May 2017)
	1	Disconnection
			(Leah Remini, the celebrity - Amy Scobee & mother Bonny (disconnection) - Amy Scobee (2) sexual abuse (blaming the victim) - Amy Scobee (3) leaving Church with husband Matt Pesch (conditions, disconnection))
	2	Fair Game (page 2)
			(Mike Rinder's personal story - Fair Game - Harassment and intimidation - Mike Rinder (2) wife and children - Mike Rinder about David Miscavige - Mike Rinder (3) family responses after leaving Church - Leah Remini and some of her ideas... - Following the party line)
	3	The Bridge
			(Scientology books (claimed requirements) - Scientology courses - Cost for services - The Bridge - E-meter: Auditing versus sec checking - Redoing stuff, and paying for it, on command - Leah Remini and her donations (Incl. IAS) - Mary Khan's story (Incl. Redoing stuff, and paying for it, on command (2); Do as you're told, or else...; New OT VIII eligibility; Do as you're told, or else... (2) sec checking))
	4	A Leader Emerges (page 3)
			(David Miscavige the ruler - Jeff Hawkins about David Miscavige - Tom DeVocht about David Miscavige - Ron Miscavige about his son)
	5	Golden Era
			(Scientology events and Marc Headley - Claire Headley's considerations and fears - Abortions and Claire Headley - Leaving or escaping? - Prosecuting the Church)
	6	Auditing
			(Dedication of Leah Remini as a Churchy - Auditing, Golden Age of Tech; Aaron Smith-Levin (GAT1) - Full-time Scientology for children without schooling - The (troublesome) Golden Age of Tech E-meter drill (GAT2) - Blowing; Collin Smith-Levin - Knowledge reports - Departing the Church)
	7	Enemies of the Church
			(Mental illnesses and psychiatry - Introspection Rundown (1) - Brandon Reisdorf's story; Introspection Rundown (2) - Mike Rinder and his hobbyhorse - John Sweeney and his core belief)
	0	Ask Me Anything (page 4)
			(Questions (1) - Paulette Cooper's story - Questions (2) - Chris Shelton's carrot (promises of going OT) - Karen De La Carriere and husband Jeffrey Augustine - Jeffrey Augustine about Church contracts - Questions (3))
	8	Ask Me Anything, Part 2
			(Questions (1) - The matter of homosexuality - Lawrence Wright about war record - Preparing the return of L. Ron Hubbard? - Working schedules and liberty days in Sea Org - Questions (2))
	9	Merchants of Fear
			(Policy (1) - Enemies (1), medical profession, psychology, psychiatry - Guardian Office - Enemies (2), IRS - Enemies (3), press - Policy (2) - The secluded world of one Professor Stephen Kent... - Roundtable (Incl. “Will Fair Game continue?”))
		Season 2 (15 Aug-21 Nov 2017)
	1	Thetans in Young Bodies (page 5)
			(The meandering mind of Leah Remini (children) - The story of Mirriam Francis (sexual abuse) - Children and the Sea Org - The story of Saina Kamula (sexual abuse) - Mirriam Francis’ aftermath)
	2	The Ultimate Failure of Scientology
			(Suicide and workability of a technology - The story of Marie Bilheimer (suicide1) (Incl.: No party time allowances?; Mandatory divorce?) - The story of Lauren Haggis (suicide2))
	3	The ‘Perfect’ Scientology Family
			(The story of Elizabeth Gale (suicide3) - Family legacy lost, who to blame)
	4	The Bridge to Total Freedom
			(Reactive mind and state of Clear - Leah Remini and Mike Rinder selling their story (Incl.: The examiner) - Reverse Bridge vs cost - OT levels (Incl.: OT III; New OT V; New OT VII))
	5	The Rise of David Miscavige (page 6)
			(Power struggle - The story of John “JB” Brousseau (Incl.: Mary Sue Hubbard; Dede and Gale Reisdorf; Pat and Annie Broeker) - The story of Gary “Jackson” Morehead (jackson1) (Incl.: ‘Flag Order 3879’, 19 Jan 86 “The Sea Org & The Future”) - Abortion again (jackson2) - The continuous meandering mind of Leah Remini... (jackson3) ‘the evil of David Miscavige’)
	6	Scientology and Celebrity: The Betrayal of Paul Haggis
			(Obsession about celebrities? - The story of Paul Haggis (celebrity defector))
	7	The Ranches (for children)
			(The Mace-Kingsley Ranch - The story of Nathan Rich (at Palmdale facility) (Incl.: Leah Remini ‘explains’...) - The story of Tara Reile (at New Mexico facility) - The story of Nathan Rich (2) (at New Mexico facility) (Incl.: Mike Rinder and Leah Remini ‘explain’...) - The Mace-Kingsley Ranch (2))
	8	The Greatest Good
			(Purpose of the Sea Org - Keeping Scientology Working (What is policy?) - The dynamics - Responsibility and counter-responsibility)
	9	The Business of Religion
			(‘Follow the policy’ - ‘Follow the policy’: Refund policy and rights - Oxford Capacity Analysis (OCA) - ‘Big League Sales’ and ‘hard sell’ - Legal papers)
	10	Lifetime of Healing (page 7)
			(Leah and two childhood friends about growing up in Scientology (Disconnecting from her friend and patching up & Does she see the light?))
	11	Aftermath of the Aftermath
			(Marc and Claire Headley, “kids that are alive” (as opposed to abortion at Gold Base) - Aaron Smith-Levin, losing wife's grandparents (disconnection) - Occurrences because of the airing of the TV show - The story of Ramina Nunnelee, walking out of the Church (Incl.: A mindset hard to quit))
	12	Propaganda Arms (front groups)
			(IAS events - Historical - Narconon - The Way to Happiness - Volunteer Ministers - Citizens Commission on Human Rights (CCHR))
	13	The Life & Lies of L. Ron Hubbard
			(Leah and Mike, diety worshippers... - Hana Whitfield, diety worshipper... (Dianetics) - ‘Russell Miller: The Bare-Faced Messiah’ (Dianetics) - Russell Miller, the story teller (2) - Russell Miller (3) L. Ron Hubbard's fiction legacy - Russell Miller (4) L. Ron Hubbard's war legacy - L. Ron Hubbard's recovery needed to make ‘Dianetics’ appear credible? - ‘Dianetics’ (2) bankruptcy? - Russell Miller (5) money, money, money... (Dianetics vs. Scientology) - Sea Org vs. Scientology - Russell Miller (6) Quentin Hubbard - Russell Miller (7) Mary Sue Hubbard, Snow White and Guardian Office - Concluding words)
	14	Ask Me Anything Season 2
			(Questions (Incl.: “Scientology does not work, now let's stay on for 35 years!”; Psychiatry; Stop the abuse or stop the practice?; Mike Rinder: Only L. Ron Hubbard can change his writings))
		Season 3 (18 Nov 2018-5 Feb 2019, 26 Aug 2019)
	1	Emotional Aftermath (after Scientology)
			(Is Scientology programming you? - Tone scale and bull baiting à la Leah Remini - The ‘real’ aftermath... )
	2	Star Witness (Gold Base) (page 8)
			(Valerie Haney's story (Incl. Shelly and David Miscavige) - Valerie Haney (2) Leaving the Sea Org and the mental prison (Incl. Mike and Leah admitting an error))
	3	Spies Like Us
			(The TV show's promotion of desinformation... - The Church's harassment of Robert Almblad - Robert Almblad (2) damage caused by the Church... for no reason)
	4	Unlikely Pairing
			(The Nation of Islam taken on by the Church of Scientology? - A first step: The setup of the Ideal Org - What became of Scientology under the helm of David Miscavige? - A ‘hidden’ scenario... (Incl.: Leah Remini and Mike Rinder...))
	5	Where Is Shelly?
			(Leah Remini and Shelly Miscavige - Missing persons: Shelly Miscavige vs L. Ron Hubbard - Janis Gillham Grady, the Apollo and Commodore's Messengers (1) - ‘Other Messengers’ vs Storytelling... (2) - Waiting for the return of L. Ron Hubbard?)
	6	Ideal Orgs
			(Buy your org a building (The concept...; Displaced responsibility...; The routine...) - Crazy business... (Incl.: The drill...; Knowledge report written for saying no))
	7	The Collection Agency
			(Finances (Incl.: Prepayments) - Signing up for service or A registrar cycle that went sour (Incl.: Next life services all paid for...) - Freeloaders)
	8	Gilman Springs Road
			(Does Gold Base have a repute? (Incl.: Gold Base origins) - Are policies changing? or Is it Leah Remini that is changing her mind?)
	9	Buying a Town (page 9)
			(The Clearwater history (70s) (Incl.: Arrival, storytelling à la Mike Rinder; Settling in Clearwater) - Deliberate policy misdirections... - The Clearwater history [cont'd] (80s))
	10	Buying a Town Part 2
			(Lisa McPherson case (1995) - Battling with the Church over Lisa McPherson)
	11	Church and State
			(IRS tax-exempt status since October 1, 1993 (Incl.: Tactics employed; Tax-exempt hinder) - Reasons and criteria for tax-exemption - Arguments against granted tax-exempt - Is lying alright for the Greatest Good? - Scientology tax-exempt outcome)
	12	Waiting for Justice
			(The isolated world of Leah Remini and Mike Rinder (1) (Incl.: Distortion of policy; OSA) - “Scientology, the sex cult”(?) - The isolated world of Leah Remini and Mike Rinder cont'd (2) (Incl.: Mispresentation of a bulletin?) - The robot auditor - Blaming the victim - Blaming the victims (2) Danny Masterson, rape allegations (Incl.: ‘Ethics Protection’ vs ‘Ethics Presence’))
	Aftermath...
		Facebook initiatives
		‘Supporters of “Leah Remini: Scientology & the Aftermath”’
			(Created by Aaron Smith-Levin)
		‘Fans of Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath’
			(Administrator Tony Ortega)
			(Tony Ortega and his seven-year-old girl - First confrontation with Tony - Tony Ortega and his little boys - Russell Miller, the Bare-Faced Messiah? - A visit from OSA?)

 
Foreword
(Includes: Reason for this study; Setup of the study)

What caused the show into existence? It was for the simple reason that in 2006, Leah Remini attended the wedding of Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes. Leah Remini then wondered about the absence of Church leader David Miscavige's wife, Shelly Miscavige. She asked around and she was seriously reprimanded for that by the Church. This set off a chain of events that ultimately led to her leaving Scientology and originating this TV show. Till this day (2024), 18 years later, Shelly still hasn't been seen, no one wants to tell where she is or what happened. It obviously bears significance as she is the wife of the person that is heading/running the Church of Scientology.

There are no perfect answers for all the things that may have been happening. The TV show however presents matters and draws conclusions in ways that the makers personally found suitable or correct. That they assume may however not be so! For this reason you will find here various of my observations and experiences that may give a deeper understanding on various matters that are discussed on the TV show and shed a different light on them or may say against that which is claimed on the TV show.

Reason for this study

Setup of the study

 
Fair use of any copyrighted work - Responding to this study

Fair use is made of any copyrighted work:
	“The fair use of a copyrighted work, including such use by reproduction in copies or phonorecords or by any other means specified by that section, for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching (including multiple copies for classroom use), scholarship, or research, is not an infringement of copyright.”
US Code:  Title 17, Chapter 1, Sec. 107. - Limitations on exclusive rights: Fair use & Notes (external link) (last checked: 18 May 2024)
See also:
US Code:  Title 17, Chapter 1, Sec. 102.- Subject matter of copyright: In general & Notes (external link)(last checked: 18 May 2024)

Fair Use has been made for research, critique and study purposes. If the situation arises that it is found that I am in error regarding any of these as found in this study and I would be in actual violation concerning my use of copyrighted works, then I would expect to be contacted first about this and given specifics before any other action taken.

Any person affiliated with the TV show, the producers/makers, the hosts or the quests, may contact me for responses, corrections or additions. Any such that is forwarded to me will very carefully be reviewed, and if there is sufficient reason I will include these in this study, this after verifying the identity of the person contacting me. This study is an honest attempt to let come to light that may have been hidden or was overlooked in the TV show. It's purpose is not to attack, but among other to clarify any misconceptions or misrepresentations that may have entered the TV show.

 
The dubious outset and focus of the TV show

• A dubious outset and what it did cause
  
• Independent Scientologists, why are they invited to appear on the TV show?
• TV show cancelled, now what?

A summary of observations that one should not find if the effort for the TV show would have been with a correct intent and carried out earnestly and meticulously. When regarding that what instead has been found it makes you wonder what the real reason is for the creation of this TV show...

 
A dubious outset and what it did cause

The frequent quotations from materials (usually written by L. Ron Hubbard, or attributed to him), are presented in such a way that the organization would appear to be evil from within. We see that quotations regularly are presented out of context, just so that a claim made can be supported (seemingly). Even the lifted quotations can appear with erased text, which is then replaced with ‘...’. Further we see policy letters presented that long since had been cancelled, but... that it is implied as if they were still in use. Every so often it is claimed in the TV show that something would be Scientology policy when it is not supported. It is for this reason that the presentations and conclusions thereof are outright misleading. Both Leah Remini and Mike Rinder frequently resort to extremes to place all the blame on that evil L. Ron Hubbard, his evil policies which are the foundation of that evil Scientology, when the creators of the TV show fail to show a correct application of these policies and their claims.

 
What did the TV show cause?

In fact most people that have watched the TV show have forgotten it already. On the whole, the TV show only succeeded in adding a lot of persons on the list of Scientology haters that are outside of the Church, that have no prior knowledge about the topic, and never even read a Scientology book, and that for the most are not particularly intellectually gifted. They picked up on it and think they now know something because they watched the series, not realizing they have been fed with one-sided information or should we call it misinformation. Only visit one of these Facebook groups about the TV show and see the things that they spout. Is it this what Leah Remini wanted to achieve?

 
Independent Scientologists, why are they invited to appear on the TV show?

What are Independent Scientologists? These are people that practice Scientology outside of the reign of the Church. They have a rather strict focus on the actual auditing technology of Scientology, and certainly do not approve of what the official Church has become. Most of the Independent Scientologists left the Church because they did not see an application of Scientology ongoing there.

On season 2/episode 4 at 34:33 we see two Independent Scientologists appearing as guests. These are Ronit & Yossi Charny, both became highly trained auditors (Ronit is Class IX), members for 30+ years of which 9 years in the Sea Org. It is really not clear to me why they were invited, other then that one of them (Ronit) was a previous auditor of Leah Remini's mother Vicki Marshall who is also a guest in this episode.

At 34:45 Leah Remini: “I love that you're here. I love you two. Even though you left the organization of Scientology, you still believe in Scientology. And you're still delivering Scientology outside of Scientology. You're still an auditor. Yeah, I just wanted to show, this is very un-Scientology of us. If I didn't believe, and I was speaking out against Scientology, and you were in, we wouldn't be able to be sitting across from each other. And so I thought it was important to show this is not Scientology. We are allowed to have different beliefs. I respect you, that you still believe, and you respect us that we don't.”

Leah Remini insists with her “beliefs” talk. The whole foundation of Scientology is practice and not belief. Anyway no questions are asked about why they continued practicing Scientology and being active as auditors. The focus on the brief meeting (it wasn't many minutes) was primarily on why they had left the Church which had to do with worsening staff conditions that all were getting drilled for selling book packages. This is not what they signed up for, and so they left.

That what Leah Remini tells, and then does not ask, may be rather contradictorily. The least she could have asked is why they continue to practice Scientology, but she just doesn't. Obviously she is not interested to discuss that. She does not want to provide for any platform to straighten out such matters. Would the viewers of the TV show not be intrigued to at least get some glimpse of that? Now, if these Scientologists, that are active outside of the Church, are not allowed to tell that story, then... why do they appear as quests on this episode?! I guess I just don't get that... Now, didn't Leah Remini say: “I love that you're here. I love you two.”? Hmm, really?

The problem is that the TV show and Leah Remini with it deem that the cause of all the problems is Scientology itself and particularly L. Ron Hubbard and his (evil) policies. She made that very clear time and time again. I think thus rather that she is speaking here with a forked tongue...

Leah Remini makes her intent with the TV show rather clear with the observations provided here above.

 
TV show cancelled, now what?

Last words on the last episode (season 3/episode 12, Aug 2019) of the TV show state that the fight will continue and that Leah Remini and Mike Rinder will never stop.

In Jul 2020 Leah Remini and Mike Rinder reunited and started this ‘Scientology: Fair Game’ podcast. A total of 81 podcasts, one hour long each, are listed (#0-80). Broadcasted one episode a week on Thursdays during Jul 2020-Mar 2022. The same approach, the same prejudices, the same misinformation is had on this podcast as it was on the TV show. So, if you want more of the same... that is in audio without video.

Where Leah still had some intent to keep a certain class, she dropped it altogether on the podcast. She is very childish and self-righteous, silly talk, silly voices, rough-mouthed, it really shows on the podcasts. Mike Rinder is just playing along.

The‘Scientology: Fair Game’ podcast ended abruptly as it appears (last one 8 Mar 2022). I have a podcast message dated 11 Aug 2022 (entitled “Fair Game 2.0”) in where Leah Remini and Mike Rinder are informing that the podcast will be coming back “at the end of August”. Well, thát didn't happen...

Interesting is that there was a follow up on the case regarding Danny Masterson (which was addressed on the last episode of the TV show). Since then he was convicted and is serving a jail time of 30 years. Wouldn't it be worth mentioning things like that on an actual created website in where Leah Remini could update about matters and progress on her continued fight? Wouldn't that be a victory worth celebrating in a proper manner? I failed to find such an initiative. The absence of that may make you wonder again why the TV show was created to start with. All that we saw were some videos posted about that on her YouTube channel.

The TV show was created by Leah Remini, who is listed as one of the Executive Producers, Mike Rinder is listed as a Co-Executive Producer. Then these Emmy awards, the public attraction, three seasons, all this would have created a considerable income. The income that can be created with further initiatives may have been a consideration. The Fair Game Podcast nor the few YouTube videos would have given a particular revenue.

I also found something called Aftermath Foundation (domain created Nov 2017). By the looks of it this is an initiative of various of the persons that appeared on the TV show. Mike Rinder is listed as a board member, not sure though what activities are involved with that. It is for people that seek help to leave Scientology and/or the Sea Org. They also offer help to re-establish your life after you left, helping you getting a job and things like that, which are good things. Leah Remini however appears not at all involved in this.

 
Scientology not applied...

• Scientology means of defence and rights not utilized, an overview
  
• ‘The Auditor's Code’

While going through these episodes of this TV show there are recurrences of Scientology not being applied. It makes you wonder if the people that appear as guests, that are sharing their stories and their complaints, if the places they were at in some way are devoid of simple basic Scientology principles?

 
Scientology means of defence and rights not utilized, an overview

The materials of Scientology are not devoid from means that will defend your rights if your are wronged. Yet you get this impression that this would be the case if you watch these TV series without previous proper checkup and familiarity with the topic. Nothing however could be further from the truth as there exists a whole array of such means! The thing is that you need to be aware of them and above all you need to have the courage to use them and insist they are applied!

The overall conclusion of the series is that the persons appearing on the show seem to have little (or no) knowledge (?!) of the means of defence that are factually found in the writings of Scientology themselves! Many of them have been in the organization for thus many years, decades, why are they not utilizing their rights and using the means that are available to them? They are supposed to be familiar with them!

As an example the Class XII auditors at Flag (Clearwater, Fl.). It happened that their org (FSO*) was “assigned a Condition below Normal Operation as a whole entity, it applies to all staff members at once EXCEPT those individual staff members who can immediately show in person the Org's Ethics Officer their true statistic being Normal Operation or above.”  LRH Practically that meant that they carried on as usual without having to suffer possible consequences of a lower condition (for example longer working hours, lower pay or other). This policy letter we referred to as the upgrade policy, as it meant your condition was upgraded.

Such means/policies appear wholly unbeknownst to Leah Remini, Mike Rinder and about all the quests that appear in the show! They are all, more or less, playing or rather dramatizing an effect position, as if nothing else could have been done. It's like they all have been sitting ducks, and asking “Shoot me!”? I personally applied these rights provided by Scientology writings whenever the situation called for it. I am rather dumbfounded about that this is simply not taken up in the show or forwarded by those person forwarding their complaints in the show. Why don't you stand by your rights? Use the internal means that are available to you! Many of the quests in the show had thus been staff for decades, and that do not know about these things? Then what did they study all these years while being there?!

I have been in the Sea Org at Flag and I never followed some command just because some person, higher ranked in the organization, missionairy from international management, or whatever, then I was. When I did say no, and anything non-standard came my way, then I reported it and very detailedly. I knew my references very well indeed. The result was that people stopped trying as they just got nowhere with me. I refused to be ordered around or treated disrespectfully. I can tell funny and odd happenings about what was tried and how I dealt with it.

“The purpose of the Ethics Officer is ‘To help Ron clear orgs* and the public if need be of entheta* and enturbulation so that Scientology can be done.’”          LRH (from HCO PL 11 May 65 “Ethics Officer Hat”)

So, if “Scientology can be done” and there is no further “entheta and enturbulation” it would mean his hands are kinda tied.

 
‘The Auditor's Code’

	“1.	I promise not to evaluate for the preclear or tell him what he should think about his case in session.
	2.	I promise not to invalidate the preclear's case or gains in or out of session.
	3.	I promise to administer only Standard Tech to a preclear in the standard way.”          LRH
	(from HCO PL 14 Oct 68 “The Auditor's Code, AD18”)

You may consult all of them here (pop-up window).

 
Public relations, abuses and the “laws of the land”

• The public relations angle...
  
• Sexual abuses & forced abortions

 
The public relations angle...

It is repeatedly forwarded on the TV show there it is assumed and stated that everything must make way for the impression that Scientology makes to the public and the media. The public relations (PR) are to be protected at all cost! Practically that meant that if persons within the organization had been caught doing something particular objectionable that action would be taken to cover it up. To that effect, as is told on the TV show, persons (Odo SA staff I guess) are being send out for damage control, which practically could mean to arrange that parishioners or staff are instructed what to say and what not to say to civil authorities. In the process, as told on the TV show, internally within the Church, we then see that offenders are being protected and victims are being blamed. This you would see particularly if an offender has a particular stature in the Church. And in the process you have then turned something that is already particularly objectionable into something even more objectionable! Considering that the purpose of Scientology is to rid man of its mental burdens, you are here involved in a counter activity. So, don't go for it.

The remedy is rather simple actually. If you break the law of a country you are obliged to report it to the civil authorities. It may very well be that you take various actions to deal with the matter also internally, but the last thing you do or allow is that it is being swept under the rug. If the matter is not dealt with properly internally within the organization, then you go outside of it. Why? Because the law requires you to do that, and Scientology requires you to do that. And if you are threatened by some persons/staff within the organization that you will get declared suppressive person something and have to disconnect from family and such (as various guests on the TV show are telling), then you go above these staff and reach out for their seniors in the organization, you report their juniors and it is preferred that you talk them in person, so look them up, if they are reasonably close by. If that doesn't work, then you go above them, you report it to Justice Chiefs, COs whatever. Of course you insist on immediate action taken. Just don't get scared! The chances are that things will go your way, it always did for me. In case if it doesn't go your way, in spite of you doing the only right thing, then I guess you don't want to even remain in such an organization, or do you?

And if you do come across something particular objectionable, then you may wish to point this out:

 
Sexual abuses & forced abortions

Leah Remini: “The first book that was written was called ‘Dianetics,’ and after that was a book called ‘Science of Survival.’ In the books that every Scientologist has to read....”  (from season 1/episode 8 at 7:54)

Isn't that interesting! What did Leah Remini know or did not know? She can read and understand a text I hope?! If she did, she would have read abortion and its forbiddance 56 times. She however never takes this up in the TV show.

“... we handle the first (self) and the second (sex and family) only to achieve better function on the third and fourth.”          LRH (from ‘Scientology 0-8, The Book of Basics’ (1970))

The “third” would be a group, and “fourth” a planet if you like. Destroy the second dynamic with an abortion (particular a forced one) and see what you get...

The problem that presents itself is that matters of such a nature are not tolerated by the actual policies of the organization. We have these Ethics Officers that have to follow guidelines as are found laid down in policy letters. There are no policy letters that instruct matters that are so to say unethical, unjustly or would result in harm. There will be consequences if you do or allow that, for the perpetrator but also for the person sweeping matters under the carpet. It would be hard for individuals to hide such things as well, as the Church is very much involved in (excessive) sec(urity)-checking, having people undergo confessionals in sessions on the E-meter*.

During my years working in the Sea Organization I have personally never come across there this has occurred. In spite of that I was stationed in HCO, the Ethics department is located in HCO. As I was working in mimeograph section, the printing area, where thus the Ethics Orders were proofread, printed and filed, you get to know a lot of things. In the AOSH EU* where I for a brief while was tackling huge backlogs of ethics reports that had not been sorted, I read about many silly things, but nothing of this serious a nature.

 
The problem with international management...
(Includes:  The times they've been a-changin’; The effect that new international management has had since 1982 till this day...)

There are quite a few episodes on the TV show in where guests tell about horror type of experiences they experienced at international management.

The times they've been a-changin’

Changes however have been occurring ever since. During the ’80s and ’90s the various organizations around the world always had open doors, you could just walk right in. A couple of years back I was at AOSH EU in Copenhagen, to my great surprise, they had locked its doors. At the reception there was this young girl, literally reprimanding me that people came there to do services. When I asked for a bathroom to fresh up a bit she directed that I go to McDonald's, I was simply not allowed to enter. Wow! Considering that I was already there when this girl wasn't even born yet! I however did not insist. For a moment the door was opened to let in a parishioner that was taking services. My companion knew her and spoke to her, the receptionist and some security guy however were standby to stop us from getting in (as if we still wanted that). Forcefully the door was closed while my companion and the parishioner were still talking. And I was thinking, “Who wants to take services in such an unfriendly place?”

Recently I dropped by the Class IV organization in Amsterdam, Netherlands. I could not enter the building, reception unmanned and locked doors. At Flag you have the berthing for Sea Org members referred to as Hacienda Gardens. It was all open space, anyone could walk right through it. Since quite a while now they have been building fences around it and they were having security personnel there.

In Frankfurt (Germany), while we were visiting the town, we dropped by the local org there that was close by. I wanted to see the Qual Library, check if they had a reference I was looking for. We saw one person in the course room and a few staff. Still we were regarded with suspicion, some security guy watching. They want your name and an immediate search will made to determine, I guess, if you are not some kind of bad person. Few people on the premises and then you are fronted with this type of unwelcoming gestures. Who wants to stay?

The effect that new international management has had since 1982 till this day...

Coincidentally we find that the technology also was turned around during 1978-81. Geez, I wonder if these matters are related somehow? The originators, makers and participators of the TV show appear to be about completely in the dark about any of these things. They reason it had always been all bad and a scam, in the 50s, the 60s, the early 80's till today... there is no distinction made at any point.

 
Various additional useful observations and pieces of information
(Includes:  Do as you're told?; Baffling matters (why staying); The easily persuaded...; Children; ‘The Church of Scientology’ versus ‘Scientology’ (the topic); Scientology is not a belief system; Leaving staff and residing in US; Freeloader bills)

“You can join the Sea Organization from 12 and above as long as you have parental permission up to the age of 18. When a child joins the Sea Organization, the parents waive all responsibility, all care and participation in the life of their child.”

If anything, this really does not sound very good at all.

I have seen the various staff facilities for the very young and the little older, this at Flag and the AOSH in Copenhagen (late 80s), it just wasn't all that promising. The places looked disorderly, things lying around everywhere, they also were in need of paint jobs and repairs. People that were not really qualified could be assigned to take care of the children, often new staff. Various of them however really did their best with the means they had! The children though seemed frequently left on their own. They often didn't see very much of their parents as they were on their posts working for the organization. There was a daily family time, usually one hour, late in the afternoon at around dinner time. During the late 80s at Flag I recall a rebellion of parents when, because of low statistics in the organization overall, management had cancelled family time. This gets of course very wrong, as why do you punish these children for that?! Quite a few parents did not give in, and they had to call it off.

The impression you get is that the children were not seen as a priority, at least that does not seem to be the case in the Sea Org. After all they were not producing for the organization, and thus not too much effort and money was allocated there. They were groomed early to prepare them for production for the organization. To become useful as it were. Overlooked is that an investment in children is an investment for the future. The problem was that there was never money for any of these things.

Leaving staff and residing in US - The persons that appear as a quest on the TV show are all residing in US, which bears a particular significance. It means you will be in reach for the Church of Scientology. It means you can be subjected to various harassment and get to experience unpleasant things. They for example can picket at your front door. People can follow you around, and so on. Something that is not going to happen if you are residing outside of US. The Church has no particular jurisdiction or power of authority or means to get to people that live in other countries. This is something that should be understood! The persons that appear on the show, and that are being harassed in various ways, they reside in the US.

Freeloader bills - We are being told in the TV show that people, who decided to leave their staff position, that they were presented with a huge bill. Essentially these bills are illegal, they can't force you to pay it. However you are forcedto do it anyway, that is is if you wanted to continue doing Scientology in the Church. You bill then had to be paid in full before you were eligible to take any services. Why did they get a bill? Well, it is figured that they broke a contract and thus should pay for anything and everything they had received while on staff. How is that for a fair exchange?! They usually added just about anything, student auditing (from persons in training) could suddenly be charged for with professional prices, which is utterly silly and unjust. Now, imagine having been staff for 20 years, that would get you a significant bill to pay. There was a system in use that carefully calculated the exchange, what should be charged for and what not. This system was pretty much so abandoned since the ’90s though. I documented the history of this in detail in this study here below (separate window).

“Scientology: Freeloaders and Ex-staff members examined  or  What shall we do with our old?”

I too got such a bill, but I never paid a single dime. See, I got it cancelled and I got that in writing. To achieve that I send literally hundreds of detailed reports, many nudges, to all persons of concern in the organization. My query was essentially two-fold, I resented the label of freeloader (as I was not), and I opposed the billing itself. This study (at link here above) was one of the first Scientology pages that I wrote and published, as people were frequently contacting me and wanted to learn what could be done to get the bill cancelled or at least get the amount asked for significantly lowered. I also helped people successfully to get a refund for the things they should never have paid for in the first place.

 
Your hosts...

• 1) Leah Remini (creator and executive producer)
  
• 2) Mike Rinder (co-host, side-kick and co-executive producer)
• Leah Remini making up her mind: “Who is bad, worse, worst... and not bad?”
          - Creation of a ‘snitching’ and ‘disconnection’ culture
          - Warnings as early as 1952
• Generating an income...
• Having come to insight or just changing camps?

 
1) Leah Remini (creator and executive producer)

First out is Leah Remini who is an American actress that received fame with her performance in the long-running sitcom series ‘The King of Queens’ (1998–2007). After various other endeavours in the Hollywood world she launched the documentary series ‘Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath’ in 2016, there she served as executive producer and host. That what kicked off the show were personal engagements she has had with the Church of Scientology. It all started at the age of 8 years when her mother joined the Church of Scientology, because of her stepfather, since she and her sister were raised as Scientologists. They were then groomed and drilled for the Sea Org routine, a senior level within the Scientology organization. Eventually they left this outfit, but did remain in Scientology and took services. As she was accepting acting commitments in Hollywood she was associated with Celebrity Center in Los Angeles, which is the part of Scientology that manages celebrity Scientologists. With that followed also that short video snippets were filmed, these in turn were used for promotional purposes. The Church of Scientology has released 20 of these video snippets covering 1997 to 2011.

Promo snippets (1998-2001)

Things however were not to last. Since 2006 she had become more and more outspoken. That which got that going was how she was treated by Church representatives when she inquired about the wife of David Miscavige at the wedding of Tom Cruise with Kathy Holmes. This apparently was a no-no-no. It would become clear in the events that followed that this was an obvious mistake pursued by the representatives of the church. Thus far she had been this gullible, easily persuaded, uncritical, mostly naïve girl that went with the flow. A true believer. (see video) This time around however they were stepping on her toes real hard. They underestimated her ego. She did not take kindly of the efforts made through intimidation to have her submit into obedience. Gradually, since having gained this new reality, she had become more and more disgruntled about that what she now was seeing, hearing and a growing awareness, this in regards to the Church of Scientology and the people that worked in it.

Stated mission (2016)

She still participated in promotional video snippets as late as Nov 2011, although they are by far not so gullible anymore as the pre-2006 ones. Finally in 2013 she left the Scientology organization or rather she was kicked out of it. In 2015 she published her biographical memoirs in ‘Troublemaker: Surviving Hollywood and Scientology’. In the following year followed by her documentary series about Scientology that run for three seasons.
If the organization had not stepped on her toes like they did, she may today still have been the gullible obedient one.

It should be said that she has never been very knowledgeable about the history of Scientology as such. She was just a Scientology parishioner doing her courses, her auditing, going to events, buying materials, socializing, donating money, doing what she was told to do and so on. She went with the flow. In one of the episodes of the show she is guiding the cameraman into the room there she kept her collection of Scientology materials. All you saw were the latest versions of these materials. There were no old books, magazines, old red or green volumes. She is no academic or intellectual herself. Intellectual is defined as “a very educated person who is interested in complicated ideas and enjoys studying and careful thinking”.

Here she is mimicking Oprah Winfrey when she says in season 1/episode 7 at 41:23: “For some reason, I believe that I am the person to help to make it right.”. Is that even possible to accomplish if you do not have your information all straightened out? If you have a false why or reason, then how are you going to change or reach the people in Scientology?

She may have thought that joining up with Mike Rinder in the TV show would fill in her gaps of lack of knowledge. This however may be found an oversight...

 
2) Mike Rinder (co-host, side-kick and co-executive producer)

Her series side-kick and co-host was Mike Rinder whose travel with Scientology is an entirely different story although there are some resemblances. It does appear that both were infant Scientologists through their parents. Originally from Australia, when Mike Rinder reached the age of 5 years, his parents became interested in Scientology, and the family was attending services. By the time he reached the age of 18 years he had joined the Sea Org. He rapidly rose in rank to the headquarters in Los Angeles, to finally function as the executive director for the Office of Special Affairs (OSA). In earlier years this was referred to as the Guardian Office (GO), the outfit that aimed to protect the organization from among other infiltration. Various developments since 1979 lead to that the Guardian Office was dismantled in the 2nd half of 1981 whereupon the Office of Special Affairs arose from its ashes in Sept 83. The reputation of this outfit spread by the media in later years involved among other dead agent operations and character assassination of individuals or groups. Mike Rinder served on this post during 1983-2007. This also meant that he served as the chief spokesperson and representative of Scientology to the media during this time. Although not during his final two years during which time, for some reason, he was being disciplined. He was allowed to resume his duties when there was a flap on the media lines involving John Sweeney and his documentary ‘Scientology and Me’, which he was ordered to take care of. Various matters evolved, but didn't work out as intended.

It finally got to a breaking point for him, when he was threatened he would not see the rest of his family ever again (two children, wife, mother, brother and sister).

	“I was now no longer doing anything that remotely resembled what I believed I had joined the Sea Org for.”
	“And at that point, I went, you know what? I've got nothing to lose anymore. I picked up my briefcase. I walked out the front door and then started running to the tube station. I looked around to see if they'd figured out that I had just walked out without an escort. I bought a ticket for the tube, got on the train, and went... I'm done, I'm out.”

He basically admits that he functioned as a bully and was harassing people while he functioned as the executive director of OSA.

It may be seen as a bit odd, that since he appeared on the show, he sort of is considered some kind of hero, or a swell guy, and everything he had done wrong in his past seems forgiven or forgotten. That when he was, by his own admission, hurting so many people during his 25 year term of holding this assigned position in the organization.

His appearance in the show and the things he says does reveal that he does not appear very erudite in regards to Scientology principles and how they came about. He too, also in the TV show, just repeats the same agreements that we find spread throughout in mainstream media. He does not either appear to be an intellectual. He rather appeared and behaved like an order following type of person. That what he did was not evaluated by him for moralistic grounds. I personally find he behaves robot-like in the show and his way of talking, to me, appears annoying and monotone. Is it shame? Is he being truthful? Probably so. I also perceive he keeps a certain distance, like he is not there, which is not so surprising if you admit to such things. It can't be a comfortable position he finds himself in at present. He is far from being really relaxed.

 
Leah Remini making up her mind: “Who is bad, worse, worst... and not bad?”

• Creation of a ‘snitching’ and ‘disconnection’ culture
• Warnings as early as 1952

At 42:05 Leah Remini: “And if I don't listen, the planet will be destroyed, and ... [I] was earnestly doing ... [my] job, thinking that ... [I] was protecting the planet. Like, protecting the planet's salvation, and that's what they all believed. This is the game that Scientology plays. This is David Miscavige following Scientology policy.”

At 16:40: “It's not David Miscavige that's bad; it's the actual Scientology is bad, and it demands you to destroy people who are telling the truth about it”

And here she rephrases:  (see season 2/episode 5)

At 42:30: “Is it true that David Miscavige is bad? Yes. But if David Miscavige wasn't there, they would grab... Guillaume Lesêvre, and they'd, you know, give him a shower and put a suit on him, and then he would carry on the same legacy. Because that is what Scientology teaches. So they are only upholding L. Ron Hubbard's policy.”

It is interesting here that she is factually excusing David Miscavige who had been the person that had reshaped the whole Scientology organization all by himself. It is also the only version of Scientology she has ever known, and it is this Scientology that she knew of which she today says “is bad”.

It is at least since Jul 2004 the RTC website said referring to “Mr. David Miscavige” that “He authored the early 1980s reorganization of Church corporate and management structures”. (previous website link (Internet archive), presently here (slightly rephrased) (last checked: 25 Apr 2024).

Now, if Leah Remini persists with “it's the actual Scientology is bad,” when Scientology, through the book ‘Dianetics’ (1950), ultimately condemns abortions, then who or what is promoting the abortions? So who or what then “is bad”?

 
Creation of a ‘snitching’ and ‘disconnection’ culture

	(1)	snitching on other people, which was prescribed by HCO PL 22 Jul 82 “Knowledge Reports” through making people an “ACCESSORY to the crime”; and
	(2)	practice of disconnection, which was reinstated in its worst form ever through HCOB 10 Sept 83 “PTS-ness and Disconnection”, this after cancellation 15 years earlier in 1968. A cancellation that forecasted it would not ever return because “Since we can now handle all types of cases”.

A whole episode of their ‘Scientology: Fair Game’ podcast series, #70, 21 Dec 2021 was dedicated to this (1)“Mandatory Snitch Culture” as this episode was entitled on the YouTube re-release. At 0:48 Leah Remini says: “Scientology has as its, I would say, one of the-their most important tools that they use is a thing called reports Scientology Knowledge Reports”.

Where it concerns (2) practice of disconnection, this does not even quality as a policy because it is not in a policy letter. The Religious Technology Center (RTC) likes to think differently though. Their magazine ‘Keeping Scientology Working News’ refers to it as an HCOPL (same date and title), it is also still today on the RTC website. A problem, as it does nót exist as an HCO PL. (see here, separate window)

Both of these, let's call them rules, came about under the reign of David Miscavige! Now, when exactly did he officially assume power? That was with the establishment of the Religious Technology Center (RTC) in Jan 1982. The same entity as mentioned in the previous paragraph and doing as it does. Now regard the dates of the HCO PL at (1) and HCOB at (2) that did cause so much pain and damage. The attributed authorship also has been seriously questioned. Robert Vaughn Young has admitted in court that he wrote #2 by order of David Miscavige (see here, separate window).

Of course there is nothing wrong with David Miscavige, it is Scientology and ultimately L. Ron Hubard that are the culprits! Still Leah Remini thinks they could “grab” some dude “give him a shower”, “put a suit on him” and is expecting that this dude would do all these same things David Miscavige had done? Duh...

 
Warnings as early as 1952

	“Did you ever read poor old George Orwell's 1984? Yes, yes, that's wonderful. That would be—could be the palest imagined shadow of what a world would be like under the rule of the secret use of Scientology with no remedy in existence. ...
	It's a very simple remedy. And that's---just make sure that the remedy is passed along. That's all. Don't hoard it, don't hold it; and if you ever do use any Black Dianetics*, use it on the guy who pulled Scientology out of sight and made it so it wasn't available. Because he's the boy who would be electing himself ‘The New Order’. And we don't need any more new orders. All those orders, as far as I am concerned, have been filled.”          LRH

Now, who removed these coloured passages from this lecture?

If you wish to believe Scientology was “available”, then do some research. The whole Bridge was turned upside down during 1978-82, then David Miscavige blamed some other guy (David Mayo, Snr C/S Int 1978-82), kicked him out with a lot of noise, but... maintained the altered route that was put into place by this David Mayo.

	“As the organization rapidly expands, so will it be a growing temptation for antisurvival elements to gain entry and infiltrate, and attempts to plant will be made.
	To foil these, all staff members must be alert to attempts of this nature and it is their duty to inform the Technical Director, or above, of any doubts they may have and to see that the necessary action is taken.”          LRH      (from HCO PL 30 Oct 62 I “Security Risks Infiltration”)

“... the United States government and the efforts of that government since 1955, stepped up since 1963, to seize Scientology rather than forbid or stop it ... .”          LRH     (from HCO PL 14 Jun 65 III “Politics, Freedom from”)

 
Generating an income...

Where it concerns Leah Remini it turns a bit ironic. Pointing all these fingers at Scientology. In the end she did succeed to make a career in Hollywood. It made her rich enough to become a ‘Platinum Meritorious’ in the IAS which will cost you $2.5 million. It also enabled her to pay for her mother's Bridge to New OT VIII, which really wasn't all that cheap. Her mother had been on New OT VII for 18 years. Mike Rinder calculated that it would amount to “$30,000 or $40,000 a year”. That would get you to $540,000 or $720,000 just for New OT VII!

Did she succeed in spite of Scientology or because of it? I guess one thing does not exclude the other. She created the TV show, she is also listed as executive producer, then it got various awards, this too would not have left her penniless. Likely because of the attention the TV show got, an Emmy award, it was renewed two times (we got three seasons), it would have generated a generous income for Leah Remini. In that sense she very probably got the money back and with interest that she once spent in the Church. And I haven't seen any notices or announcements in the media that she gave it all away, because she would not want to make a profit from this.

The TV show also must have created an income for Mike Rinder as he is listed as co-executive producer. Which is not wrong considering he received no regular schooling or college education due to being in the Sea Org for 40 years. The Sea Org does not provide you a pension either. He is not being criticized for having an income from the TV show, but thus far it does not excuse Leah Remini.

 
Having come to insight or just changing camps?

It happens that people turn against something, after having been passionate advocates for it for decades. What does that mean? One should establish if it is because of insight, or if it may have been that one realized that one had been tricked. It is quite a thing to first be totally devoted and in favour of something, to then suddenly become its most fervent enemy.

What is the case for Leah Remini, and what is the case for Mike Rinder? Was there insight or did they just change camps? Did they change as a person? Did they become wiser? Now, can you suddenly see, if you have been living in the blind for literally decades? You see, it is a mind set! Both of them, and about all of the complainers that appear as a quest on the show, they give all of the blame to something outside of them. In this case, they point fingers at the Church of Scientology and L. Ron Hubbard. They are forgetting they (the present complainers) were there all the time. The information hasn't changed, it has always been in reach. They could have acted on their rights, looked further than the nose was long, but they did not. Today we hear, “They... did it to me!”. Were you not there?

There was no understanding of Scientology as a topic while being in the Church, it does not appear this has changed. They created this belief system instead of relying on their reading skills and act on that. There were all these tools and they did not use them, familiarized themselves with them or even found out about them. Neither of them, till this day, can separate the present Church from actual Scientology, for them it is one and the same. That we can conclude though is that the TV show that has been put together is by no means any objective attempt to have clarity about the topic of Scientology. It is more like an attempt to get even...

‘Disconnection’  (s1e01 - 29 Nov 2016)
	[Wiki: Remini visits former Scientology executive Amy Scobee in Seattle and hears about how she was “disconnected” from her mother.]

• Leah Remini, the celebrity
• Amy Scobee & mother Bonny (disconnection)
• Amy Scobee (2) sexual abuse (blaming the victim)
• Amy Scobee (3) leaving Church with husband Matt Pesch (conditions, disconnection)
  

Leah Remini, the celebrity

	At 2:28: “I didn't want to leave the Church of Scientology. Nobody in my family wanted to leave. Nobody wanted it to be true. I didn't want to find out that what I had done my whole life was a lie.”
	At 7:07: “But really, I'm making such advancement in my church, and I continued to be on course, and I continued to go acting class.”
	At 8:01: “I did attribute the communication course to my success. When walking into a room full of producers, and I could look at them in the eye and go, ‘ow are you?’ You know, I mean, like, I really did believe that I had one up on everybody, because I had this Scientology thing.”
	At 8:26: “Now not only am I a celebrity, bona fide, but I've also become an Opinion Leader at my church. And now I've started giving seminars in my church, and I've started to help people within the church.”

She does mention “communication course” which is only starter level. Giving “seminars”? What about exactly? We learn nothing about her actual training.

Amy Scobee & mother Bonny (disconnection)

At 12:02: Leah Remini: “And then I called Amy, and she told me the story of her mother and that at a certain time, they had to disconnect from each other.”

Amy had left the organization, her mother had not yet at the time.

At 12:13 we see the following screen dump:

Leah Remini further states at 12:21:

“The church's biggest weapon is their policy called ‘disconnection.’ It says that a parishioner shun their family member or friends.”

She gives her opinion here. I guess she arrived at that as this is what she herself perceives. The matter however is not this simplified as she likes her viewers to believe. Realistically it is not untrue that it is used as a weapon to separate people, I have experienced this personally at Flag, and I have seen the intent. I did however compiled a written query to the Continental Justice Chief (CJC*) at the Flag Land Base (FLB*) which I delivered in person. The CJC said that he could not approve it just now, after which I pointed out to him that it does not need approval. A query means that which is queried is invalid until the data forwarded in the written query is proven untrue. The separation order was accordingly dropped when I said that I refused to submit to the order.

The original outset (dates to the 60s) for disconnection or separation orders was to take away the possibility of or ongoing commotions on the service lines of Scientology and its public, that would interfere with that Scientology can be done. There is essentially no other reason! They have to prove this is the actual case! As (underlining is mine) “The purpose of the Ethics Officer is ‘To help Ron clear orgs and the public if need be of entheta and enturbulation so that Scientology can be done.’”  LRH. And of course, it is the Ethics Officer that issues these orders.

You could also apply ‘The Code of Honour’ as it for example determines that you decide yourself with whom you wish to communicate with or not to communicate with. See, in Scientology you can not have clashing guidelines around! Now, think this over for a moment...

	“1.	Never desert a comrade in need, in danger or in trouble.
	2.	Never withdraw allegiance once granted.
	6.	Never compromise with your own reality.
	7.	Never permit your affinity to be alloyed.
	10.	Your integrity to yourself is more important than your body.
	14.	Be your own adviser, keep your own counsel and select your own decisions.”          LRH

Now, ain't that all interesting! Why did no one think about this?! Leah Remini does not make the connection, and Mike Rinder doesn't either! The full list is here (pop-up window).

Anyhow, Leah makes a decision at 13:29:

Amy Scobee (2) sexual abuse (blaming the victim)

	At 21:13: “..., they didn't tell any authorities because it would be bad PR for Scientology. So, and they indoctrinated me that if anything serious goes on, it's handled internally. It happened to me, so, therefore, I must have done something that caused it, you know? And I-I was innocent. I was innocent.”
	At 21:34: Leah Remini: “You believed it, though. You believed that you were not a victim. You believed that you were -- You had done something wrong...to have deserved that.”
	At 21:39: Amy Scoby: “That's right.”

This is blaming the victim. The trend is the same in the world outside of Scientology. Unfortunately it has become also a sort of typical behaviour within the Church. Something was done to you, and therefore you are to blame for what was done to you. They are quick to say, “You pulled it in!”. Because of this logic the perpetrator must then be considered innocent. It is insane logic, it is false, and it is not Scientology.

The cause of this erroneous idea is deriving from HCOB 10 Aug 73 “PTS Handling” that basically redefined or simplified the cause of the condition of PTS. The HCOB states “That all illness in greater or lesser degree and all foul-ups stem directly and only from a PTS condition.”. This was written during a time that L. Ron Hubbard was missing in action, nonetheless it got signed with his signature. PTS stands for ‘potential trouble source’ which is a condition that is said to be caused by the presence of a ‘suppressive person’. It is then said that a person that is PTS needs to find his suppressive person, but this is only part of the story. As “The engram and only the engram causes aberration and psychosomatic illness.”  LRH (from book ‘Dianetics’ (1950, p. xiii). The remedy thus is Dianetic auditing but that it not in use for that anymore in the Church. Instead it got to blaming a victim, as after all that is easy to do. You slam the person that was hurt again and again. It is much harder to correct or deal with the real culprit having done the evil to the victim!

It would be obvious that if such a sexual abuse occurs, as that is really what it is, must be reported to the police. It is paedophilia, illegal and serious. One may wonder what the worry is of the organization, as it is not Scientology that did the evil act. No, it was a person working there. Another mystery may be why the evildoer was not caught before doing his evil deeds, this considering that staff is subjected all the time to these security checking auditing procedures?

At 26:56 Amy Scobee: “You know, the thing that you really learn in Scientology, specifically in the Sea Organization, is that the Church is first. And family is a distraction.”

The would violate the principle of the 8 dynamics* of life. The Church or the organization would be dynamic three. If all is not well with your second dynamic, which is your family, it will have a negative effect on how you will perform on that third dynamic (group) or fourth (planet). It is rather basic.

“... we handle the first (self) and the second (sex and family) only to achieve better function on the third and fourth.”          LRH (from ‘Scientology 0-8, The Book of Basics’ (1970))

Amy Scobee (3) leaving Church with husband Matt Pesch (conditions, disconnection)

	At 33:10 Matt Pesch: “So we originate that we want to leave. So, of course, right away, you get separated. Amy: With individual security guards on me and on him 24/7.”
	At 33:14 Amy Scobee: With individual security guards on me and on him 24/7.”

In spite of that Matt Pesch says that one could get out. Even in spite of being chased if you ran.

	At 33:46: “No matter what the security. ... It's totally mental.”
	At 34:01: “So anyway, I said, ‘Unless you want to shoot me in the head, we're out of here.”

At 34:20:

To determine if you are qualified being in the Sea Org you receive a Fitness Board. If you want to leave you are automatically deemed not qualified to be on staff, and they have to let you go. Before you are allowed to leave however, you have to subject yourself to some security checking on the E-meter, there is a standard list of questions for that. Not a long cycle. If you then receive the final permission you can leave in ‘good standing’. This is all carefully laid out in Flag Orders. If you insist that it all be done like this, you then can not be “declared enemies of the Church”. You just leave a staff position. Be warned though that attempts will be made to stall you, to convince you to stay and ‘come to your senses’.

It is what I did, I requested a fitness board, and left. I did though demand a signed paper that said I was allowed to leave! It was the first thing the Church was asking about after I had left. They dropped trying the declare me (which was the intent) when I send them a copy of it.

If you however blow, disappear during the night something, leave without a written permission or the results of the Fitness Board, then they will declare you an enemy of the Church.

At 35:30:

If you left without a written permission, this is what the Church will place on you. There is also another matter which is the earlier discussed ‘The Code of Honour’. Additionally the original reason for issuing such things is for reason if having that contact is interfering with the public service lines.

The reverse side is that it just makes the Church look very bad in the public eyes if they insist upon this for the wrong reason. It is a matter of deliberately breaking up families, which by itself would be a suppressive act! Not a good thing if the Church claims they are the most ethical group on this planet. Just tell them that! Tell that to the Ethics Officer if he comes to your house!

At 36:31:

This is a very brief description indeed. Per this, if you have no “intent on harming others” and you do not fall into this category of “critics of Scientology”. Well, then you should be home free. It is really quite simple. You however have to define matters properly, as what does “critics” imply exactly? See, you may criticize in Scientology, in fact it is asked that you do disciminate, but this is not the same as being a ‘critic of Scientology’. There is a difference!

	At 36:24 Mike Rinder: “For a Scientologist, being declared a suppressive person is -- It is a fate worse than death.”
	At 36:36 Amy Scobee: “Before I left the Church of Scientology, I did every single thing they asked me to do, so that I would not get declared a suppressive person, because I have family in Scientology. I know the ramifications of the disconnection policy. I've seen it with other people and breaking up families and how devastating it is. And I am very close with my family and especially my mom.”
	At 37:01 Leah Remini: “They usually start going after your Scientology family and friends, and they will try to talk to the family member or friend into disconnecting from you and shunning you.”

Unfortunately there is always a risk that some family member will disconnect, just because the Church threatens them with that they otherwise risk being declared themselves. There are reasons for that. One of them is that they have been made to believe that the Church is the only place there they have the correct technology that would lead them to this way to freedom. This is something that is heavily promoted all of the time by the Church. Now, when you think about it rationally, does disconnecting from family because someone tells you to, and demands it of you, is that a place that can harvest that promoted freedom?!

There is the option to do a simple written query per the format as laid out in HCO PL 15 Dec 69 “Orders, Query of”. If you do, and you have valid arguments, then the declare is deemed invalid until such time the Church provides solid proof to the contrary. Even if you do this correctly one should not have very high hopes that those that remain in the Church will oblige you. I have seen it firsthand and in personal circumstances. It will take its course and time. It is in your favour that you show that you use Church policy to redress. It gives you a better fighting chance for to convince someone that is still in the Church.

“If it is not in an HCO Policy Letter, it is not policy.”          LRH (from HCO PL 5 Mar 72 II “Policy: Source of”)

You see the disconnection practice from modern days and that was reinstalled does not derive from an HCO PL. The reference is HCOB 10 Sept 83 “PTS-ness and Disconnection”. So, why calling it “disconnection policy”?

At 39:12 Leah Remini: “In Scientology, you're also led to believe, by disconnecting from your son or daughter or brother or divorcing your husband, is because you're helping them to get back in the good graces. By you saying, ‘I'm not talking to you,’ will straighten you out. You will come to your senses and come crawling back to the church to get help.”

I recognize this attitude from within the Church. It is quite true. There is however no ground for this found anywhere in Church policy. Now, if you are being suppressed, without that a valid reason can or has been forwarded, “crawling back” would then mean you submit returning to the suppression already endured. It would be an advantage if you use the policies and guidelines that are in force in the Church to defend yourself. This way you would you use their own policies against them.

At 43:14 Mike Rinder (about Bonnie and Amy): “There aren't many stories like this. I wish it could happen with every family. If that were the case with every family, then disconnection would be no tool at all to control Scientologists.”

If you understand the principles of disconnection and its history within the organization you can use it as a defence to expose the perpetrator, as then you can show your opponent does not understand nor can apply Church policies. Education, having the information, and use it, gives you always some advantage.

Vocabulary:

     AD..:
‘After Dianetics ..’. The main book ‘Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health’ was first published in 1950. Therefore for example AD8, AD12, and AD29 would respectively give the years 1958, 1962 and 1979.
     AOSH EU (or AOSH EU & AF):
‘Advanced Organization Saint Hill Europe (& Africa)’: A Scientology organization which services higher level auditing & training, located in Copenhagen, Denmark.
     audit, auditing, auditor:
The application of Scientology processes and procedures to someone by a trained auditor (listener). The goal of the auditor is to make the receiver of the auditing look at incidents and reduce the mental charge which may lay upon them. The auditor may not evaluate and has to adhere to the Auditor's code.
     CJC:
Short for ‘Continental Justice Chief’. The highest justice terminal for a certain area or continent within the Sea Organization of the Church of Scientology.
     CMO CW:
‘Commodore Messenger Organization, Clearwater’. A senior entity within the Sea Organization of the Church of Scientology, located at Clearwater Fl.
     cramming:
A section in the Qualifications Division where a student is given high pressure instruction at his own cost after being found slow in study or when failing his exams. The cramming section teaches students what they have missed. This includes trained auditors who wish to be brought up-to-date on current technical developments.
    C/S:
‘Case/Supervisor’.  1. That person in a Scientology Church who gives instructions regarding, and supervises the auditing of preclears. The abbreviation C/S can refer to the Case Supervisor or to the written instructions of a case supervisor depending on context. (BTB 12 Apr 72R)  2. The C/S is the case supervisor. He has to be an accomplished and properly certified auditor and a person trained additionally to supervise cases. The C/S is the auditor's “handler.” He tells the auditor what to do, corrects his tech, keeps the lines straight and keeps the auditor calm and willing and winning. The C/S is the pc's case director. His actions are done for the pc. (Dianetics Today, Bk. 3, p. 545)
     Dynamics:
The urge, thrust and purpose of life – SURVIVE! – in its eight manifestations. The First Dynamic, survival of self; the Second Dynamic, the urge toward survival through sex and children; the Third Dynamic, the urge to survive through a group. The Fourth Dynamic, the urge to survive through all mankind; the Fifth Dynamic, the urge to survive through all living things; the Sixth Dynamic, the urge toward survival as the physical universe; the Seventh Dynamic, the urge toward survival through spirits or as a spirit; the Eighth Dynamic, the urge toward survival through infinity. (Marriage Hats booklet)
     E-meter:
‘Electro-meter’ or ‘Electropsycho-meter’.  1. It is an aid to the auditor (minister, student, pastoral counselor) in two-way communication locating areas of spiritual travail and indicating spiritual well-being in an area. (HCO PL 24 Sept 73 VII)  2. An electronic instrument for measuring mental state and change of state in individuals, as an aid to precision and speed in auditing. The E-meter is not intended or effective for the diagnosis, treatment or prevention of any disease. (Scientology Abridged Dictionary)  3. Used to verify the preclear's gain and register when each separate auditing action is ended. (HCOB 5 Apr 69R)  4. Electropsychometer. (HCOB 23 Aug 65)  5. The meter tells you what the preclear's mind is doing when the preclear is made to think of something. The meter registers before the preclear becomes conscious of the datum. It is therefore a pre-conscious meter. It passes a tiny current through the preclear's body. This current is influenced by the mental masses, pictures, circuits and machinery. When the unclear pc thinks of something, these mental items shift and this registers on the meter. (E Meter Essentials, p. 8)
     engram:
1. Simply moments of physical pain strong enough to throw part or all the analytical machinery out of circuit; they are antagonism to the survival of the organism or pretended sympathy to the organism's survival. That is the entire definition. Great or little unconsciousness, physical pain, perceptic content, and contra-survival or pro-survival data. (Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health, p. 68)  2. A moment when the analytical mind is shut down by physical pain, drugs or other means, and the reactive bank is open to the receipt of a recording. (Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health, p. 153)  3. The word engram is an old one borrowed from biology. It means simply, “a lasting memory trace on a cell.” It may be engraved on more than the cell, but up against Dianetic processing, it is not very lasting. (Science of Survival, p. 10)  4. A recording which has the sole purpose of steering the individual through supposed but usually nonexistent dangers. (Science of Survival, p. 10)  5. A mental image picture which is a recording of a time of physical pain and unconsciousness. It must by definition have impact or injury as part of its content. (HCOB 23 Apr 69)  6. A complete recording, down to the last accurate detail, of every perception present in a moment of partial or full unconsciousness. (Scientology 0-8, p. 11)
     entheta:
Means enturbulated theta (thought or life); especially refers to communications, which, based on lies and confusions, are slanderous, choppy or destructive in an attempt to overwhelm or suppress a person or group. (Scientology Abridged Dictionary)
     Fitness Board (FB):
Its purpose is to determine the mental and physical fitness of personnel and recommend the issuance of probation or denial of a provisional or full fitness certificate. (FO 2630R)
     Flag Order (FO):
This is the equivalent to a policy letter (HCO PL) in the Sea Org (senior organization within the Church of Scientology). Contains policy and sea technical materials. They are numbered and dated. They do not decay, HCO PLs and FOs are both in effect on Sea Org orgs, ships, offices and bases. Black ink on white paper. Distribution to all Sea Org members. It is vital for SO units to have master files and quantity of FOs from which hats can be made up for SO personnel and courses. (HCO PL 24 Sept 70R)
     FLB:
Short for ‘Flag Land Base’. Located in Clearwater, Fl. This is the place where the highest senior Scientology services are being delivered.
     Gold Base:
Holds the Golden Era Productions facilities where Scientology religious training films and audio properties are produced and technical compilations occur. (‘What Is Scientology?’ (1992 edition), page 508)
     HCOB:
‘Hubbard Communications Office Bulletin’. Color flash–red ink on white paper. Written by LRH only , but only so starting from January 1974. These are the technical issue line. All data for auditing and courses is contained in HCOBs. For more information go here (separate window).
    HCO PL:
‘Hubbard Communication Office Policy Letter’. Color flash–green ink on white paper. Written by LRH only, but only so starting from January 1974. These are the organizational and administrative issue line. For more information go here (separate window).
     IAS:
‘International Association of Scientologists’. A Scientology membership granting amongst other 20% discounts and other financial advantages.
    IMDB:
‘International Movie Database’. Internet address: https://www.imdb.com. Used as a source reference.
     LRH:
An usual abbreviation for ‘L. Ron Hubbard’.
     Mimeo:
Mimeograph section. The section within the Scientology organization that takes care of all the printed references, printing, storing, organizing, filing etc. Since the ’80s however the printing is not done anymore with a mimeograph machine (or ‘Roneo’), it became off-set printing. However the name Mimeo is still the name used to address this section.
     org(s):
Short for ‘organization(s)’.
     OT:
Short for ‘Operating Thetan’. Denotes a person having advanced to the higher levels in Scientology.
     PAB:
‘Professional Auditors Bulletin’. Scientology periodical (monthly) send to all members to keep auditors informed about the latest discoveries concerning processing procedures and other.
     PTS, PTSness:
‘potential trouble source’.  1. Somebody who is connected with an SP (suppressive person) who is invalidating him, his beingness, his processing, his life. (SH Spec 63, 6506C08)  2. He's here, he's way up today and he's way down tomorrow. (Establishment Officer Lecture 3, 7203C02 SO I)  3. The mechanism of PTS is environmental menace that keeps something continually keyed in. This can be a constant recurring somatic or continual, recurring pressure or a mass. (HCOB 5 Dec 68)
     Sea Org (SO):
Short for ‘Sea Organization’. This is the senior organization within the Church of Scientology that see to it that Advanced Organizations (AOs) and the Class IV-V organizations do function well. They send out so-called missions if there are indications or if they find that improvement or corrections are called for. They also provide for dissemination and other programs that the Scientology organizations are to comply with. Missions may be send out to implement these and instruct the organizations.
     third dynamic:
There could be said to be eight urges (drives, impulses) in life. These we call dynamics. These are motives or motivations. The ‘third dynamic’ is the urge towards existence in groups or individuals. Also referred to as the ‘group dynamic’.
    Wiki:
On this page this is short for Wikipedia. Used as a source reference.