Years ago in LA a friend and I were finishing up brunch across the street from the "church" of Scientology HQ. We were bored, curious, and looking for a laugh, so we walked over to the visitors center. I'll never forget the strong sensation as we walked in - as if steel dungeon door slammed behind us. It wasn't long before a succession of kind but creepy zombies shepherded us deeper into the building, higher up the chain. Each asked questions more weird and prodding. While sitting alone in a waiting room, my friend and I conspired to adopt false personas for whatever came next. He would be a Hollywood Blvd. runaway with a rebellious temper and I would be a rich kid with a submissive, passive personality.
We were split up and put through several more hours of tests and interviews. The questionnaires were hundreds of questions long and cleverly designed to begin the process of raising doubts about self-worth and distrusting your current support structures. The interviewers were powerfully shrewd in their use of psychology to these ends. They deflected any questions that sought to understand a bigger picture of the steps I'd take, what I'd gain from each, and how much they would cost. I was only to look at the next step in front of me.
By now our fun little lark was going on about 5 hours and I wasn't entirely sure I was free to leave. So, in character, I began to have a panic attack. It took making quite a fuss, but I was finally able to retrieve my friend and get the hell out of there. We literally gasped for fresh air when we got outside.
My friend, as expected, had a different experience. They recognized he was a free thinking troublemaker and were eager to get him out long before me - (even though his character arguably needed spiritual guidance more than I).
For six months afterward, my persona continued to receive Scientologyt letters (to the empty mailbox in our building). They even came around to ring the doorbell a few times. My friend, on the other hand, received no follow up.
My experience convinced me that Scientology exhibits primary characteristics of a cult: identify the gullible, separate them from the pack, sow doubts, create dependency and fear of leaving. All religions do some of these things to some degree, but Scientology seems far and above more cultish. End the tax-free status for these creeps now!
