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Former Member Tells Post About Scientology Experience
By
Jen Chung
Published Nov 15, 2009
Modified Nov 20, 2009
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By
Jen Chung
Published Nov 15, 2009
Modified Nov 20, 2009
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Last weekend, NY Times reporter Ariel Kaminer wrote about her experience taking the Church of Scientology's personality test and almost managing to go a little deeper into the mysterious group. This weekend, the Post tries to up the ante by speaking with a former member: "MANDY MULLEN, 20, a shop assistant from Old Bridge, NJ, joined Scientology last year when the religion claimed it could fix her spinal disorder, Scoliosis. But, she tells The Post, it did nothing but destroy her finances and mess with her mind — forcing her to break free a few months ago..."
Mullen, in the opinion piece, writes:
"Your face makes me want to puke.”
“You look like a big dufus sitting there.”For two straight hours, I sat in a chair, not allowed to move a muscle or blink, staring into the eyes of the man slinging insults at me.
I was in a TR — or Training Routine — at the Church of Scientology on West 46th Street in Midtown Manhattan, a session that cost $150.
The process was called “auditing.” Ultimately, it was supposed to make your IQ skyrocket and give you greater confidence and control in life. At one point, the church brass even told me that Scientology — the religion founded by L. Ron Hubbard in 1952 that offers spiritual rehabilitation — could straighten my spine, which has been curved with Scoliosis since I was born.
She also says she once witnessed, at a fundraiser where members are implored to donate (staffers would yell, "This is your planet and all you care about is your money! You should be giving every last dollar! If you don’t give your money you’re a Suppressive Agent!") one man cry, “I’ve donated so much money that I’m broke. I have nothing left. You took all my money.”
Mullen claims she directed thousands to the group and couldn't move out of her parents' home, which was problematic to the church, since she was supposed to distance herself from non-believers. She ultimately left—after much drama— after an ethics officer said, “You’re too open-minded to be a Scientologist" (perhaps for looking at an anti-Scientology site) and ended up joining a Scientology protest taking place outside!
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church of scientology
ex-member
scientology
Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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