Mad Scientologists!

Two things first: I love "Nightline!" I hate Scientology! Things can't be so cheery if the niece of the current leader of Scientology is speaking out against the religion. Jenna Miscavige Hill spoke out to "Nightline" about the abuse she received growing up in the Church. She was in the Sea Org, an elite group of people who run the Church. At six years old, when normal girls outside of the cult are playing with Barbie dolls, Hill was collecting rocks at 'The Ranch' as a part of some exercise. Hill spoke to Nightline about how members do an exercise where they are tested by a machine to examine their feelings. She adds that often the exams at times become interrogations. It's as if they're taking lie detectors, answering questions about urges to leave the Church. When Hill was twelve she was sent far away from her parents to work for the Church elsewhere. She would be rebellious towards the people in charge of her and when she wanted to call her parents her supervisors hung up the phone. Hill tried to run out to call elsewhere, but was grabbed by church-goers and held down forcefully. She'd be grabbed again when trying to fly out to see her parents. Until she was sixteen years of age she only saw her parents about three times for 30 minutes at a time. Scientology strongly places the religion first over family. This is to serve the future of Scientology. Members that register sign a 'billion' year contract. Another young woman by the name of Astra Woodcraft was also having problems with the Church. Woodcraft was forced to sneak out to secretly visit her father on weekends as he re-signed from the Church. Members that wish to quit the religion have to sign a contract stating that they won't talk about the Church. Upon leaving the Church all friends and family remaining in the Church are to cut off communication with the person. Scientology calls these defectors S.P.s or Suppressive Persons. Woodcraft explained that when girls at sixteen were getting pregnant the Church would stress having abortions. Some girls would have up to four abortions. Woodcraft said that when she was in her teens the Church made a strict decision that no one else could have children at all. Woodcraft wasn't ready to make that kind of decision. What kind of future is Scientology building without children? Is only Tom Cruise allowed to have children?

In 1992, I moved out to Los Angeles to pursue a career in the film industry. While I started to attend Columbia College-Hollywood I was always attending other seminars on filmmaking. I saw an ad for a seminar being held at the Church of Scientology in Hollywood, the mansion-like building on Franklin Ave. It was like entering a dark castle out of a creepy Stanley Kubrik movie such as "Eyes Wide Shut" starring Tom Cruise except you could see everyone's faces. The film seminar was a decent lecture about the basics of filming. I even purchased a film book afterwards. As I was following other attendees out of the room, I was flanked by two people that wanted to escort me into an office talk about their 'program.' I was reluctant. I didn't know much about Scientology. I only knew they were some sort of self-help career-oriented organization. So, I humored them. Actually, being the writer that I am, always seeking good ideas, I was a bit intrigued. All I remember was that a handful of people shared the office as I sat in their comfy chair and listened to their pitch. They asked me about my career goals and pointed out that I hadn't met them yet and could use some help. One woman would pitch and then a man would take over. It was like they were feeling me out. How can we rob this guy? How can we make him feel worrthless like he needs to be here? Then they started throwing figures at me that if I sign up for this it would only cost this amount and then I would want to sign up for an additional class and buy Dianetics book from some L. Ron Hubbard loser. It felt like I was in that room a lot longer than 5 minutes. I stood up and even as I headed for the door they were trying to talk me into staying and holding my arm, etc. Now, every time I get that hard sell on anything I'm reminded of that day in Church. "Help me help you." I just thought of this line from "Jerry Maguire" starring Tom Cruise again. It brings a whole new meaning to the line. I have nothing against Tom Cruise. I just wish he'd simply sit on a chair, not jump on it. That day at the Church was in 1994. To this day Scientology still sends me junk mail, ridiculous newsletters. As it is Earth Week, how about saving a few 'billion' trees!!! I'm just one person that attended a film seminar in 1994. Imagine all the billions of people that have attended some film or any other seminar that have been receiving newsletters since then. If Scientology doesn't care about family they definitely don't care about trees. Their idea of going 'green' is in dollar signs.