Anyone else watching the Leah Remini series "Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath" on A&E?

by NikL 25 Replies latest jw friends

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  NikL

  My wife and I started to watch this last night and have covered only 2 episodes so far but it is really interesting.

  There are so many similarities between Scientology and WT. Not in beliefs of course but in their shunning, of their version of apostates etc.

  It was amusing for me to see my active JW wife watch and get all indignant. At one point a statement was made that a religion "shouldn't separate families" and she muttered to herself "absolutely not".

  I am kind of hoping that JWs will watch and see what is being carried on by a high control cult and eventually recognize it in their own lives. I know it probably wont. They will probably just criticize and say things like, "I am so glad I have the truth".

  But I can always hope.
  
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  LongHairGal

  NIK L:

  Yes, I'm keeping up with this series and have seen a few episodes. I give a lot of credit to Ms. Remini. I'm sure the outraged feelings she got after her experience compelled her to go public about this.

  Now, the public has an insight into the goings-on of a group they knew nothing about and had no reason to even think about. Now, maybe they'll think twice about these non-mainstream religions/groups that flourish in the U.S. like weeds.

  When I was younger and before I became a JW, I saw books about this group, but I had no interest.

  The similarities to the JW religion are amazing - even though the JW religion has nowhere near the money or other resources this group (or empire) has.....Their practice of Disconnection is just like the Witness Disfellowshipping. Of course, this particular group takes it to another level.

  I saw an episode last night where one of the ex-members interviewed related how he was spied upon with a hidden camera set up in a birdhouse across the street from his home...His garbage was also stolen by a private investigator paid by the group to get some "dirt" on him. The shenanigans go on and on. It's truly scary.
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  blondie

  The elders like to play CIA or FBI and spy on jws...............but sue them not so much because that causes too much publicity.

  I wonder if jws are watching it and not see their organization as similar.
  
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  Londo111

  I love this series. I hope Leah eventually exposes other cults as well.
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  blondie

  I think she is doing a good job exposing the cult she is an expert on.
  
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  flipper

  My wife and I are watching every episode- it's riveting. Leah Remini and Mike Rinder are doing a tremendous job of exposing the different aspects of Scientology as a mind control cult and the damage it does to people and their family relationships. I highly recommend anybody on the board to watch it if you can - very revealing and eye opening. The comparisons to the WT Society and JW mind control are so similar it's eerie. I think Episode 4 is on tonight on the west Coast Pacific time at 10:00 P.M. on the Arts & Entertainment channel we'll watch it for sure. This is just fantastic A&E is carrying Leah's show. This is important stuff people. Now if we can just get JW's to watch it - perhaps it can secretly make something " click " in their brain and they'll start thinking. One can only hope
  
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  notalone

  I am encouraging my JW friends to watch it.Telling them it is ' a very tricky religion', and this would be very beneficial to know out in service. I only hope some seeds of realization are planted.
  
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  flipper

  Anyone see the experiences and Leah's show last night ? Very interesting
  
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  Finkelstein

  I watched it and its very disturbing to see the manipulation and exploitation of people not only to get money out them but to take over their minds, The other sad aspect is how this cult too are quite willing in its operations to break up families for the sake of keeping individuals as supporting members.

  You thought the JWs cult was high controlling !
  

  The familiarity to the JWS cult can be seen in the literature proliferation, people are expected to read and distribute the literature as to increase their spirituality.

  The new light or revisions to past teachings couldn't be unnoticed either.
  
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  Nathan Natas

  I too am finding "Scientology and the Aftermath" completely FASCINATING in several ways.

  First, there is the shared experience - both XJWs and XCoSs dealt with the cognitive dissonance that always comes before we make a mad dash for the exits; the strange looming awareness that "something is not quite right" in the thing that just a day ago seemed like the ultimate path of truth. It is very easy to empathize with the pain and heartbreak of those who are subjected to "disconnection."

  Second, I realized that I knew very little about the teachings of Scientology -- like WHY THE HELL do they use a cross-like symbol of the church? I found the explanation interesting...

  First, Christianity does not have an exclusive claim on the cross -- the cross was used by humans since before they were modern humans -- it is just an "X" -- so get over the feeling that the CoS "has no right" to use -- or abuse "your" cross...

  ...and it may be "abuse," because the 8 pointed cross used by Elron (I'm joking) Hubbard is derived from the cross used by L. Ron's buddy, Aleister Crowley. There are multiple levels of meaning concealed in the 8-pointed cross, ranging from the simple mundane 8 points of the compass that L. R. H. was so familiar with, he being a sailor. Then you can look at the CoS cross as a 4-pointed Christian cross with an "X" laid over it, harkening back to Hubbard's explanation that there was NO jesus, so let's just "X" him out...

  Me personally? I'm not a Christian, so I have no emotional ownership issues with the cross. I just think this is a great example of how something that LOOKS LIKE one thing can actually mean the exact opposite of what the uninitiated might think it means.

  In regard to some other CoS teachings, I would say they appear to be AT LEAST as ethical or "moral" as Watchtower/JW teachings. No drugs, no alcohol, many really valuable and helpful (in my opinion) psychological ideas -- better than Watchtower/JW teachings by a long shot, and that is due to the fact that LRH was an intelligent modern man and not an Israelite goatherd or "upper crust" member of the Jewish priesthood, who were not very much higher than cavemen when you get down to it.

  During the most recent show Leah and Mike discussed the CoS forcing abortions and divorces on people, and this I found repellant.

  I am curious about the CoS teachings regarding human sexuality issues, and I am always amused to hear how the CoS has a love/hate relationship with that whole "Xenu" mythology, which they mix up with their other teachings, tiny marshmallows and canned fruit cocktail into a hilarious theological Jello Salad.

  Yummy!

  I admire Leah and Mike for taking the stand they've taken, and I fantasize about having them meet Barbara and Joe Anderson to discuss the "apostate" experience.

  I have read that Mike Rinder has his own Scientology organization, and I'm curious about what CoS teachings and organizational practices he would throw overboard (to keep with the naval set dressing).

  Some of the things that Leah, Mike and their XCoS guests have related, like Karen telling about how her son was having sex with a 40 year-old woman, and how that same son died very young and she was not permitted to see his body -- these stories made my head explode.

  I hope Leah and Mike see their hopes fulfilled and that somehow a way will be found to stop the damage being done by these CULTS to an end.