Category Archives: acknowledgments

Jesus Christ and the Resurrection

Posted on April 4, 2010 by | 89 comments

On Easter Sunday Christians acknowledge the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.

While I am not a Christian, I drew quite a bit of inspiration from reading historical accounts of the life of Jesus. I also regained faith in humanity by witnessing  seflless acts of kindness and care by stangers during my darkest days of groping through the valley of the shadow of death. They were what I consider real Christians, mostly common folk who to some degree or another tried to emulate the example of Christ.  In honor of Jesus the man, I want to share some passages from one  historical text I read, Will Durant’s The Story of Civilization, Part III, Caeser and Christ:

He taught with the simplicity required by his audiences, with interesting stories that insinuated his lessons into the understanding, with pungent aphorisms rather than with reasoned argument, and with similes and metaphors as brilliant as any in literature.  The parable form that he used was customary in the East, and some of his fetching analogies had come down to him, perhaps unconsciously, from the prophets, the psalmists, and the rabbis; nevertheless, the directness of his speech, the vivid colors of his imagery, the warm sincerity of his nature lifted his utterances to the most inspired poetry. Some of his sayings are obscure, some seem at first sight unjust, some are sharp with sarcasm and bitterness; nearly all of them are models of brevity, clarity, and force…

…What did he mean by the Kingdom?  A supernatural heaven?  Apparently not, for the apostles and the early Christians unanimously expected an earthly kingdom. This was the Jewish tradition that Christ inherited; and he taught his followers to pray to the Father, “Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” Only after that hope had faded did the Gospel of John make Jesus say, “My Kingdom is not of this world.”  Did he mean a spiritual condition, or a material utopia? At times he spoke of the Kingdom as a state of soul reached by the pure and sinless – “the Kingdom of God is within you”…

…Christ obviously scorned the man whose chief purpose in life is to amass money and luxuries. He promised hunger and woe to the rich and filled, and comforted the poor with Beatitudes that pledged them the Kingdom…

…The revolution he sought was a far deeper one, without which reforms could only be superficial and transitory. If he could cleanse the human heart of selfish desire, cruelty, and lust, utopia would come of itself, and all those institutions that rise out of human greed and violence, and the consequent need for law, would disappear. Since this would be the profoundest of all revolutions, beside which all others would be mere coups d’etat of class ousting class and exploiting in its turn, Christ was in this spiritual sense the greatest revolutionary in history…

…It was an ethic limited in purpose but universal in its scope, for it applied the conception of brotherhood and the Golden Rule to foreigners and enemies as well as neighbors and friends. It visioned a time when men would worship God not in temples but ‘in spirit and truth’ in every deed rather than in passing words…

…He brought religion back from ritual to righteousness and condemned conspicuous prayers, showy charities, and ornate funerals…

Whether or not you believe in his sanctity, or even in his existence, the lessons of Jesus as researched and written by Durant certainly seem applicable to the world and situation we face today.

This Easter happens to fall on the anniversary date of the Resurrection of another man we’ve regularly acknowledged on this blog, Dr. Rev. Martin Luther King.

I’d like to acknowledge Easter Sunday/Resurrection Day with Rev King’s favorite Gospel singer Mahalia Jackson, encouraging us to do what all teachers and seekers of spiritual betterment preach:

 

 

 

 

89 Comments

Posted in acknowledgments, healing, martin luther king, the future

Italian Independence

Posted on March 29, 2010 by | 49 comments

For all the Italians waking up and attempting to wake up others, you now have a wonderful new resource to assist you, http://indipendologo.wordpress.com/.

The cat who operates indipendologo is one informed, trained, and OT dude.  He has begun translating a lot of what is happening in the US for Italian speaking folk. His work is appreciated.

It just so happens that a huge portion of  the support we have received over the past several months (in terms of energy, validation, and creative thought) has come from Italians.

Go Italian Battalion!

49 Comments

Posted in acknowledgments, the world, Uncategorized

A Scientologist Speaks Out On Church Abuse

Posted on March 16, 2010 by | 47 comments

An interview with Christie King Collbran was broadcast on numerous NPR stations across America this afternoon. Having listened to it in full, all I could think of were the words of the immortal Daryl “Chocolate Thunder” Dawkins, “when all has been said and done, there’s nothing else to say or do.”  Check out at this link (fourth story down on menu) http://www.hereandnow.org/2010/03/rundown-316-2/

47 Comments

Posted in acknowledgments, celebrities, cover up, disconnection, healing, int base, tech, tech alterations, the future, the Reformation, wins

Going Clear

Posted on March 15, 2010 by | 42 comments

I just read Dan Koon’s article “Going Clear” on his blog at http://www.rediscoverscientology.com/blogs/joe-howard.html.  I highly recommend it to anyone interested in going Clear or in the subject of going Clear.

One of the saddest things for me to behold in the world of Scientology is the lamenting that goes on about the state of Clear.  There has been so much hogwash and voodoo entered into the Clear equation by Miscavige over the past couple decades the laments are far and wide. 

Some people  attempt to invalidate the  idea of Clear being an attainable state.  In my experience, status-0riented people seem the loudest in denouncing the idea.  It seems as if the logic goes, if they can’t have it the hell with anybody else – less qualified in their minds – having it.  If you attained it, there is no doubt about it. And those who have are likely to give a hand to those they care about so that they might have similar gains.  

Clear just doesn’t happen. It takes work. The work is fun and every task produces its own benefits. But it is work nonetheless without which, no prize.

I think Dan’s article captures those factors about navigating to Clear. If you are interested in pursuing the state of Clear, check out Dan’t article. If you already have attained clear (whenever), Dan’s article can have a nice rehab effect.

42 Comments

Posted in acknowledgments, l. ron hubbard, tech

Abuse At The Top – Amy Scobee’s new book

Posted on March 10, 2010 by | 83 comments

Over the past year Amy Scobee has contributed a lot to exhausting the 3rd dynamic engram we have all lived. She has provided very accurate accounts (with time, place, form and event) that have helped a lot of people to better understand and evaluate their involvement in a group gone seriously awry. Amy has now completed her memoir which provides context and detail of her own narrative.

You can check out more about the book and order it at http://www.scobeepublishing.com/

“The route from death or apathy or inaction is to know something about it, take some responsibility for the state one is in and the scene and control oneself to a point where some control is put into the scene to make it go right. Then know why it went wrong, take responsibility for it and control it enough to make it go more toward an ideal scene.”  – L. Ron Hubbard – Symbols of Dianetics and Scientology

83 Comments

Posted in acknowledgments, black dianetics, celebrities, disconnection, FLAG, harassment, healing, int base, miscavige crimes, the future

Ordinary People Are Extraordinary

Posted on March 8, 2010 by | 66 comments

 

Hi Marty,

I just wanted to let you know I’ve sent personalized versions my “opt-out” notice, below, to the Scientologists I’m currently in touch with and to the Mission and Orgs that consider me a part of their field.  I’m also sending a copy to the MAA at KSW.com, in case there’s a count being kept.

 I don’t have any expectations or grand delusions about this having any effect, other than for my own health and well being.  Up until recently I was of the mindset that any kind of a public announcement from me, regarding leaving the Church of Scientology, would be of so little consequence that it wasn’t worth doing.  Why risk creating any ill effects when no positive effects could come from it – such a tiny pebble tossed in the water that any ripples created wouldn’t even be seen, let alone felt.

 See, I was just a member, just a parishioner.  Not a celebrity nor a big status donor.  Not a business owner, nor influential in any large circles of Scientologists, either public or staff, or non-Scn VIPs.  Haven’t witnessed any crimes or illegal malfeasance the CoS leadership would want me silenced about.  Not a creative writer, nor public speaker, who might be sought out by media.  Apparently, I am not in a position to be of any significance to the CoS.  Just a parishioner.  No threat = No value to CoS. 

There’s also no reason for anyone in the church to come try to keep me because I don’t command a big income, commissions, bonuses.  I haven’t received any inheritances nor been given any large monetary gifts that I’m “withholding”.  I’m in the latter part of my “income earning years”, and what $$ of any size I did have, I’ve already donated to the IAS, the local Ideal Org campaign, and paid for auditing or the purchase of shiny new replacements of books and lectures. I’m the “common-man” work-a-day gal.  As an ex-Sea Org member I’m not eligible to join staff and I don’t live close enough to the local Org to be a prime volunteer candidate.  Church loses nothing, based on its current values.  No potential big bucks or cheap labor = No value to CoS.

 I’m fortunate not to have any family left in the CoS and nobody where I work gives three figs about Scientology, one way or the other.  Although, I’m sure there will be some Scientologist friends and acquaintances that will choose to keep my “enturbulation” off their lines by disconnecting, the whole reason for sending this notice out is to get the BS behemoth’s enturbulation off my lines.  I’m disconnecting from them.  What a HOOT!  Quit calling, quit emailing, quit sending print mailers in epic proportions, and quit coming to my door.

 I step away with my values intact and I keep my eternity.  Life is Good.

 Thanks to you and the other bloggers, commentators, ex’s, non’s, and anon’s – it’s quite the little intervention and rehab gig you’ve got going!  

 Marta L. Willson

OPT OUT COMMUNICATION:

I’m sending you this email, not with the intent to create upset, but out of respect for our past relationship.  I don’t want you to be blind-sided hearing it from someone else.  And so that you can take whatever action you think is needed as a result of the information.  I’m writing to let you know firsthand that I am leaving the Church of Scientology.  I have been a Scientologist since 1969, completed through grade VA on public lines, and solo-audited to Clear and OT as a Sea Org member and executive – prior to 1980.  I have had personal gains in Scientology that words just can’t do justice.  But, it is my experiences and observations over the past eight years that bring me to this decision.

 I’ve always been a steadfast supporter of LRH and the Scientology philosophy, so I didn’t arrive at the decision quickly or easily.  Yes, there are an abundance of reasons for my decision, but I won’t go into them here.  Suffice to say, that my personal values and (in my opinion) the fundamentals of the Scientology philosophy, do not align with the current operations and practices of the Church as it is currently organized and managed.  What I see is that the Church is producing far more BS and self-promotion than any other product or service, and is leaving as a by-product a wake of toxic bad news and ill repute the half-life of which is anybody’s guess.

 Until there is significant reform in the Church’s organizational structure, management style, and operational practices – I’m opting out.

Respectfully,

Marta L Willson 

To Marta and the rest of the extraordinary ordinary people among us:

66 Comments

Posted in acknowledgments, healing, the future, the Reformation, wins

Shane and Chrissie Pearlman Weightman Prevail!

Posted on February 24, 2010 by | 80 comments

  I attended a very important event last Friday at Mary Jo Leavitt’s home in Los Angeles. It was the wedding party of Chrissie Pearlman and Shane Weightman.

 Do you all remember the level of energy Chrissie created when she announced on this blog that despite the C of M’s best efforts (and war chest to finance it) she was going to walk out with her boyfriend Shane? If not, here is the link https://markrathbun.wordpress.com/2010/01/08/

 Well, the party was befitting of the OT achievement Chrissie pulled off. Thirty independent souls made it a night to remember. Personally, I’ve never attended a more fun and fullfilling event. The atmosphere was like a Scientology Mission public party from the seventies – and so much more. I had the opportunity to have a meaningful conversation with just about everybody there. No cliques, no downtone j and d, just pure theta from a bunch of extraordinary folk.

a good portion of the crew

 At one point I heard loud voices on Mary Jo’s front balcony overlooking the street. When I went to investigate I found fifteen people lustily cheering Mary Jo’s son Gregory , her daugther Joanna, and Chrissie’s daughter Breyana. The three were in the street below confronting the well manned PI’s corps DM had sent. And the PI’s were speeding off like cockroaches stunned by the light.

Mary Jo not only raised two extraordinary offspring, she has created a home where everyone feels welcome and special. She is one charming, warm, and theta being. 

Host Mary Jo with the bride and groom

I was honored to be chosen to toast Chrissie and Shane.

at the original toast

 I was caught by surprise and did not really do it justice. So, I decided to write one befitting the ocassion:

 To Shane and Chrissie, and for that matter Sam

who braved the entheta, stood and said “no” to the man

 With Shane firmly in their suppressive physical grip

the C of M thought they would pry Romeo from Juliette

 But they underestimated Chrissie who arrived in the UK

over the Atlantic by jet she came to save the day

 Waves of lies and alloying of affinity did Shane withstand

because a woman on fire decided DM wasn’t strong enough to take her man

 Independent and United! Raise your glasses to Chrissie and Shane

now a legendary example of the power of the spirit of play!

Finally –  for Chrissie, Mary Jo, Mosey, and the many other strong women in our universes:

80 Comments

Posted in acknowledgments, disconnection, FLAG, harassment, los angeles, PI reports, the future, UK, wins

Happy Birthday Mosey!

Posted on February 23, 2010 by | 217 comments

 

 I’ve been planning to acknowledge her on her birthday 23 Feb.  It is hard to describe just how special this being Mosey (Monique) is.  After failing to find the words, I decided to share a short chapter of a book I’ve been working on. I think it gives one at least a glimpse of what I am talking about

  Chapter ___

She said I need you to hold me

I’m a little far from the shore

and I’m afraid of sinking

You’re the only one who knows me

and who doesn’t ignore

that my soul is weeping

 – Jamie Houston, Buck Johnson and Damon Johnson

In the Spring of 2006 I lay dying in bed. I hadn’t moved for a week but to occasionally struggle up to use the bathroom, and perhaps ingest a bit of sustenance. When I did rise the entire room swayed as if I were aboard a vessel in a stormy sea. Within minutes I would be so exhausted I would stagger for the bed to lie down once again. For forty-eight hours I hadn’t risen at all, having no more appetite there was nothing to expel from my body. The entire time Chiquita sat on the corner of the bed, looking at me sorrowfully with her usually perky golden ears now drooping like a hound dog. At first she tried to revive me by licking the side of my face. When she failed after several days of effort, she stopped eating too. By then, lying down did not stop the dizziness.

Monique tried to persuade me to see a doctor. She thought perhaps I had West Nile fever because of all the tromping around the local bayous I had done with my camera and dog in tow. Bayous had been my sanctuary, where I’d go for space, contemplation and solitude. But, I knew there was nothing physically wrong with me, technically. By then I was not aware enough to pinpoint it precisely, but the cause later became clear; I was dying of a broken heart and spirit. It started when I decided that I had placed myself in an untenable position and had utterly failed.

I had reasoned that I could not totally commit to Monique. Yes, she was the light of my life. Yes, she was the embodiment of the unconditional love that each of us harbors a longing to obtain, even if kept as a low burning desire deep down within our souls. It was the ultimate in dichotomy. The closer we became, the more guilty I felt for denying her access to Scientology. I was a Suppressive Person (an excommunicated one) according to the Church, meaning anyone connected to me would be automatically denied access to Scientology because of it. I could imagine under no circumstances reconciling that split. I had earlier ultimately decided the only way I could possibly impinge on Scientology’s leader Miscavige to reform his escalating sadistic conduct was to create a shock by leaving. Even if I had a desire to return it was impossible to do without becoming a prisoner because of what I knew – something I was unwilling to ever again become. Because I had seen indications that my leaving had precisely the opposite effect, and Miscavige had instead accelerated his madness, I recognized that I had accomplished nothing.

In fact, it was worse than nothing, because as long as Monique remained my partner she would be unqualified to participate in Scientology. If ever there were a special being who deserved to sample the spiritual gains possible through Scientology, it was Monique. Matter of fact, from the few writings she had read, and the teachings I passed on to her in conversation, she was far more of what Scientology founder Hubbard defined as a “Scientologist” than just about anyone I had known in my twenty-seven year experience within the organization. But as I had become more familiar with her life I knew she, like any one else I had ever met, would benefit greatly from formal auditing up the Scientology grade chart.

It did not become clear to me till later that I was removing myself as her problem. I loved her so much that I unwittingly willed my own death so that she might one day experience that which my very existence was denying her. This was no high minded martyrdom going on. I was not even consciously aware of the decision. All I knew at that time was that on one particular morning the body was going to complete the process of shutting down, I (the spirit) was going to slip out and move along. Monique’s hurt and Chiquita’s mourning were painful, but for the greatest good I knew I was simply an impediment to the advance of a far more gifted and wonderful person.

Monique kissed me on the forehead before taking off for work that morning.

Man, I felt bad about leaving – but I resigned myself to the fact it was inevitable. I felt like I was living in a surrealistic haze. There was no sound, but the occasional low, muffled whining of Chiquita – she sensed something was wrong. There was no time, no space, no energy, and finally no matter. All I felt was absolute exhaustion and weakness, no ability to even maintain involuntary nervous system function. Then, I began to sense myself slowly rising through the top of my skull. I could faintly make out the room from a point of view a foot above my head. It was all ethereal shadows. Chiquita’s whimpers startled me and held me in equilibrium; I was in suspended animation in that spot for some time. Finally, I began to ever so slowly float above that spot, I could see the room with my own body lying in the bed below all in black, white, and gray shadows.

Suddenly, I – me, the spirit not part of the body – sensed an urgency some distance off. Just then, the sliding door between the living room and driveway opened. Seconds later Monique appeared in the doorway. She looked toward me, not the body. She said “Mark, don’t leave me. I need you to please stay with me.” I had never experienced more love directed at me, ever. In a heartbeat I was back just above my head, comfortably. Monique was holding my head to her cheek with her hands. I felt an indescribable warmth and life force course through my body, starting with the head and flowing to my fingers and toes.

Monique pulled back, continuing to hold my head in her hands, she looked directly at me, face to face. Suddenly, I could see with perfect clarity. First, the physical beauty. Then as we continued to gaze at one another, I perceived a spirit and it occupied the entire room. While my body was still weak, I felt more alive than I ever had in my life.

217 Comments

Posted in acknowledgments, the future, Uncategorized, wins

Independent and Proud

Posted on February 12, 2010 by | 66 comments

  I have told a number of friends that there will come a day when we know we have accomplished a major target in the mission to salvage the subject of Scientology from the havoc the church is playing with it. That benchmark will be achieved when the following scenario becomes common place: Someone mentions that he or she is a Scientologist to someone generally uninformed on the subject. The second person then asks the Scientologist, “are you with the church, or are you an independent?” When this becomes common then we’ll have achieved stripping the subject from the atrocities of the organization in the minds of the general public. Once people know you aren’t a bot with no imagination or confront, they will actually start inquiring about the subject and listening to what you have to say about it. That has been my experience on a one to one basis.

 An independent Scientologist sent the following email to Bill Handel a talk radio host broadcast on KFI in Los Angeles. The entire email was read on the air. While the discussion went to the j and d side with references to Xenu and the playing of Cruise’s DM directed IAS medal rambling the host seemed intrigued about the idea that there was an independent movement afoot separate and apart from the church.

Hi Bill, I listen to your show every day on my way to work. I heard your segment ridiculing Scientologists and their efforts to help with the disaster recovery in Haiti. I felt it was ill informed and filled with inflammatory rhetoric. You are attacking the wrong target here. Scientologists as individuals are among the kindest, most ethical people you could ever want to know. I can also tell you that there are serious problems with the church management that are causing trouble for the parishioners and staff members of the Church of Scientology, let alone the public at large. Many parishioners are now abandoning the formal organization of the church and declaring themselves Independent Scientologists. They have been doing so since the mid-eighties. 

 As you know, virtually all of the founders of other religious movements – Jesus Christ, Mohammed, The Buddha, Abraham, et. al. left a legacy that has seen the organizers and followers of those great religious movements go on to pervert and corrupt the revered tenets and foundational principles of their own religious organizations over time. Scientologists are no different. However, if you were to count the outpoints regarding the Church of Scientology, I think you would find that they are attributable to a very different “who” and “why” than the innocent scientology parishioners that you routinely attack and ridicule.     

 All I am saying is, if you are going to report on this subject, please do us a favor and do some real research on the goings on within the Church of Scientology. If, after you have done your research (which should include interviewing members of the church and Independent Scientologists) feel free to attack or support the right target. By the way, I am a 25 year Scientologist, 16 years as an independent.  

 Incidentally, this independent has done more to defend the VM’s than DM or Tommy combined from what I can tell.

 Finally, the independent told me that for  many years he has been embarrassed to mention he was a Scientologist. He said with the events that have unfolded in our community over the past several months, that is no longer the case. He is for the first time proud to call himself a Scientologist to his friends and business contacts and has no back off on talking about the subject.  He just makes it clear he’s an independent one.

66 Comments

Posted in acknowledgments, the future, wins

Bravo to Roberto Sanchez

Posted on February 4, 2010 by | 156 comments

First, a repost of October 21st’s post on DM’s attempt to bury one of the first announced independents Roberto  Sanchez:

 

“I would rather die standing than live on my knees.” – Emiliano Zapata

October 21, 2009 · 47 Comments

An OSA mission to Mexico rounded up virtually every family member of Roberto Sanchez (Mexican Amigo) and used what ever means, fair or foul, to turn them against Roberto for having spoken his mind.  Roberto is standing strong – even at the potential cost of losing his entire family. Please communicate to him your support, let him know he has family across the world who would never turn on him no matter what. Thank you.

“I would rather die standing than live on my knees.”  – Emiliano Zapata

Next, today’s new post – an update from Roberto  Sanchez:

I´m putting this info about me for all those who went on mystery about me after the drama at late 2009. I make a promise that I will flourish and prosper more than ever. So after the crush this happen…

I was elected as the president of the business association of the 3 cities in the west of my state.

President with business association

  One of the main assistants of the president of my country, México, the National Health secretary, came to officially appoint me on this.

Roberto with National Health Secretary

 We have now a close communication line on health and mental health subjects with the department and brief them in detail about some interesting subjects.

Roberto Sanchez front page news

More Roberto Sanchez front page news

 I open a factory out of almost nothing and it is working big time now.

I was elected as member of the citizens board of advisers for the government in my city.

I am happy with my family and searching for new, true friends this time.

I’m improving conditions of people and groups with this posts.

I am facing challenging environments and am making things go right and carry on when hard to achieve.

I can go on and on and on but that´s the summary of it, a brief one.

Stand tall; there´s nothing to fear at the end of the day but to compromise one´s integrity.

PS: May I suggest you hear this moving lecture by J. K. Rowling:

http://harvardmagazine.com/commencement/the-fringe-benefits-failure-the-importance-imagination

 

156 Comments

Posted in acknowledgments, harassment, mexico, miscavige crimes, the future, Uncategorized, wins