The level of moral turpitude concerning blackmail can only be matched by the level of effectiveness it holds. An individual will go to great lengths to make sure their skeletons stay safely in the closet.
But what if we remove the needs for the skeletons to exist at all? What if the promise of the skeletons existing were enough to turn virtually all of your friends and family against you? The organization capable of fabricating said skeletons would, for lack of better terms, own you.
And that is just the relationship Scientology has with its members. Ownership.
It owns them through the use of what Scientologists refer to as “SP Policy.” SP stands for suppressive person, Scientology’s term for those who harm the Church. This policy was previously known as “Fair Game Policy,” due to the fact that enemies of Scientology are to be considered fair game, subject to any means of harassment the Church deems fitting.
So, what does it take to be given the title of SP? Less than you’d think.
Caught in a photograph with another SP? You’re an SP. Take a search online for any information – outside of the official church website – on Scientology? You’re an SP. Watch ex-Scientologist Leah Remini on Dancing with the Stars? You’re an SP. Hold the bacon on your BLT? You’re an SP
Sandwich jokes aside, Scientology can declare anyone they want to be an SP. They can do it for any reason or no reason at all. Worst of all, when current Scientologists are told that someone is declared an SP, they are not told why. They are only told to cease all communications with the SP, and ignore their existence completely.
Scientology is great at convincing its members that it is in their best interest to associate primarily with other Scientologists. Consequently, most Scientologists associate exclusively, or almost exclusively, with other Scientologists.
“How do you sit there so calmly and destroy someone’s life? How do you do it?” Sylvia DeWall asked, during her meeting in which she was informed that she had been declared an SP for so-called crimes against the church.
“You need to take a look at your actions” was the smug response she received from the Church official tasked with dropping this social guillotine.
DeWall’s husband Tom was a Scientologist. In his own words, he was “Mr. Church.” Her three children were Scientologists. Her friends, not to mention her client base, were Scientologists.
The Church knew exactly what they were doing when they chose to declare DeWall. That conversation effectively revoked her citizenship from Clearwater, FL. It divorced her from her husband. It made her children deem her worthy of hatred. It took every aspect of her day to day life and destroyed it.
Or at least… that’s what they thought it would do. DeWall’s story has a happy ending. Her family left the Church entirely, and relocated to Arizona. Tom and Sylvia have opened a new business, reestablishing themselves. The children are enjoying a school and network of friends not tied to Scientology.
Was the DeWall family victorious over Scientology? They held together, but it wasn’t Scientology that had to relocate.
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ReplyDeleteI never would have expected this behavior from a "real" business with a "tax ID." Makes sense how they could thwart the IRS using Snow White. Miscaviage and Hubbard must be some real high ego, low dick size, dudes.
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