Wtf?!? Scientology Guy Freaks Me Out!

[teej]

The story is rather simple. Well, not really. I met (through association of a sporting club in which I'm a member) who seemed to be a normal man. Casual conversation ensues: my current employ and he asks me how I concentrate while working, and I respond with an off-the-cuff "xanax and painkillers" and a chuckle. Not a single reaction from him. Just a weird stare.

But now the conversation changes tack to a 'book' he is working on and how he'd like me to read it. Well, being a kind conversationalist (I'm not interested, but hear him out for the sake of courtesy) I listen and ask a few questions (i.e. Is it difficult translating a work from English to Thai -- a pretty lame question, but it's all I could do to really not care).

But this guy really really wants me to read this thing, like he's a hard-selling salesman, and it starts to make me a bit uncomfortable. And he's staring at me, not like a "look 'em in the eyes" business-school stare, but like an empty-but-freaky stare. Hard to explain, I hope somebody else on the board can confirm the weird stare. It's really like that. Weird.

So I finally find out that he's working on the book 'Dianetics.' Now I've heard of L. Ron Hubbard and Scientology and seen Tom Cruise freak out on Oprah and argue with Matt Lauer about drugs. And I have seen the hilarious South Park episode. But other than that, I have no experience with the 'religion' **cough**cult**cough**. At this point, now I want to get away, because I figure this guy is trying to push this ideology on me and I despise people that try to do this to me, be it any ideology. So I point over the way to a friend of mine just arriving and make my exit, saying "Hey man, I haven't seen you in like 2 months! (but thinking, "<deleted>??? I gotta get the eff outta here!")

The whole encounter is forgotten -- until I run into the same guy at a petrol station near my house -- today. I know he doesn't live near me, and I go to this petrol station all of the time because it's the only one in my area that sells 95 Benzene. So it's just that much more freaky when he calls out my name.

I turn around to see the guy, properly dressed, a proper businessman -- I know he's successful at what he does from prior conversation. Casual conversation again, and then he tells me that he'd really like me (and this time my girlfriend) to read this 'book' or pamphlet or whatever he has. "It can really help you," he says. (I'm thinking to myself, "uh... do I need help? When did we even talk about 'helping.' This guy is not right. Go. Go!") A can of Coke and a Gatorade in one hand, cigarettes and my keys in the other -- rain begins to fall -- and thank god I'm saved by the rain. I tell him I gotta go and I high-tail it outta there. What freaked me out the most is this guy's unwavering Mad-Cow stare.

So putting the pieces together on my drive home, I figure this guy has gotta be a Scientologist, and he was clearly trying to hard-sell the idea to me (Dianetics). Fine, I think to myself, but the dangerous and freaky thing is that he's working on translating L Ron Hubbard's rubbish into Thai! Which I can only assume would serve one purpose: to recruit Thais to Scientology. A very scary thought, but I brush it off with the hope that a Thai's faith in Buddhism will not be easily wavered by the alien Xenu of the Intergalactic Freakshow that is Scientology.

So I get home and do some youtube-ing. Type "Tom Cruise" and there pops up a 9-odd minute video in which Mr. Cruise speaks utter nonsense but with real psychotic conviction -- I mean really, he appears to be totally off his rocker, like "medicate/institutionalize-me" crazy -- but I recognize something... the stare! The same weird stare! Is it a Scientology thing to give freaky stares? If you don't know what I mean, look up the video, or any recent video of Mr. Cruise and check out the intensity of his stare. It's not normal. It's not confident eye-to-eye contact. It's a creepy stare. Please, somebody confirm.

Now I find out that Will Smith has openly said he is part of the Scientology cult. Yes, cult -- Germany has banned it (I think that by now the Germans would be rather adept at recognizing cult-ish behaviour if they saw it). And Will Smith is starting some school?!?! For children!? <deleted>?! Now I've already taken any Tom Cruise movie off my list of 'to-sees,' but now I can't go see Hancock (not that I really wanted to)? Will Smith?!? He believes in Xenu -- an alien?! This is more strange than the guy at a car dealership in Hong Kong who said to me (while test-driving) that the world was going to end in 2012. <deleted>?! And he was trying to sell me a freaking high-dollar sports car?! That's your sales tactic?!?!

Asteroid Guy "Floor it. Yeah, that V10 is sweet isn't it?"

Me "Oh yeah"

Asteroid Guy "Cherish it while you can..."

Me "While I can? What do you mean?"

Asteroid Guy "Well, I'm not sure if you know, but.....(insert Freakazoid Asteroid story here)"

long pause....

Me "Um, I've never driven paddle shifters before, they are quick (in my head, "<deleted>??????@$#$?@!!?!?!??")

Are you kidding?! I mean Christ, he tried to sell me a sports car by telling me that the world was going to get hit by a huge asteroid!?!? Are you serious?!

Are rich people this crazy?! Am I alone!?!? Freaky. I mean at the time, I just went back home to my girlfriend and cried laughing about it, but now -- armed with this experience with Scientology Freak Man -- I'm getting paranoid that high net worth people aren't right in the head, and for some evil reason.

Now I know that's only 2 people. But they were very very very strange 2 people. And surely they must have friends -- friends who think just like them. Which is totally freaky. Fine, I think the Asteroid 2012 Guy is harmless and just a little crazy (a bit!?), but he didn't appear to be hurting anyone, as the way he spoke of it was like just warning me, kind of like "Hey man, subprime is gonna blow soon, I'd get out of Financials."

But the Scientology Guy, with his sales method and his stare, that's scary. Cult-ish behaviour is very frightening and dangerous. I've seen the Jonestown Massacre documentary. I know Waco, Texas. Stuff like this just doesn't end well. Now as I write this, I'm recounting in my head many experiences I've had with people who just didn't seem right in the head now that I think about it. Is it some "Club" that you get invited into after achieving x-amount of success? Have I not reached that level yet? Or is The Force too strong in me that they don't bother to try with me?

I've just come to the realization that these are probably the questions that these Freaks ask themselves right before they are recruited into Freakdom. <deleted>?!!?!??! Xenu, are you there!? Can you hear me?!? I hope The Force within me is strong enough to overcome...

Ok I'm ranting now. But I'd still like some answers here. LaoPo, Naam, Heng: you guys aren't Scientologists, are you ? Has anybody met the freaky guy that I've met? Does he read this board (If so, you're weird. Don't talk to me anymore)? What is the deal with these guys and what is the deal with that <deleted>' stare??!?!

I laughed when in Talladega Nights, Will Farrell was screaming, "Help me Tom Cruise! Tom Cruise use your witchcraft to get rid of the fire!" But the freakiness of Tom Cruise and Scientology and Xenu has, since encountering one of it's followers, become personal now, and it's creepy. Is it just me? Wow that was a long post, I'm sorry...

[JOHN2]

That's far too much to read

[teej]

You're right John, it is too long... which I only realized when I was finishing it up.... I don't think I would even read it....

I guess it was a rant, really... but the short version is:

1. I have had 2 encounters now in Bangkok with a man trying to push Scientology on me.

2. This man has a freaky stare, which eerily resembles the freaky stare of Tom Cruise.

3. This man is translating the Scientology "Holy Bible", if you will, into the Thai Language. This is scary.

4. The whole experience is creepy and I fear it's implications.

Wow, I guess I could have just written that!

[Carib]

you forgot that you are not interested, and also forgot to tell him..

[teej]

Touche Carib. You are correct.

However, the dynamic of the conversation (the 1st one) wasn't really structured in a way that I could just say, "I'm not interested." It wasn't like he was handing out fliers or asking me, "So, are you interested in Scientology?"

He would ask me questions, and I'd answer them (mostly because we were in a social setting seated next to each other and I think it would have been rude to ignore him). He'd ask things like, "So, are you happy with what you're doing?," to which I'd reply, "Sure. I mean there are some times when everything gets a bit stressful, but that's life." Then he would pry a bit deeper, with some more vague and probing questions.

I suppose I could have just ended the conversation by not answering him, but since the questions he posed weren't rude, per se, I felt it courteous to reply to them. But if you line up his questions you can see some sort of methodology in controlling the conversation. It's just that I couldn't really be bothered, so I just kind of answered the way you would answer anybody in a social setting... but he just kept going. So my way out was to just get up and talk to somebody else.

These guys aren't complete fools. They do have some ability to steer conversation to suit their result, especially when you're not really paying attention. He followed up with most of my replies with, "That's wonderful...." or "That's great....." but then would go right on continuing along the same line.

Another issue is that he is friends with friends of mine, so I didn't want to come across as rude or unwilling to socialize, but in the end, I suppose you're correct: I did not say that I wasn't interested.

[Tigs]

teej

I actually found it a very witty read, and actually enjoyed it. It made me giggle. As far as the scientology goes, yes it is weird and we are all lost, and they will be the only ones that survive and are taken to another planet, just before ours is destroyed. The only draw back is that while they are here they have to pay most of their fortunes to progress to the 'higher, privileged levels', where they are promised to be 'landed gentry' and people of status on the planet nombrung 10 in the phlinex galaxy 84 million light years away

[pampal]

stay away from freaks

[girlx]

good writing teej... i have never met a scientologist but would venture to guess most zealots have some version of "the stare". i grew up mormon (shunned it as soon as i realized i had free will), and certainly some missionaries and "sisters" had it. i will never in my life understand such dogma. on a side note, you've made me lose respect for will smith, i thought he was a really cool guy but if he is really into scientology- sad! still makes good movies though- loved the pursuit of happyness.

[teej]

Thanks guys... the story is actually funnier/freakier when I tell it in real life, but I tried to convey the situation's ridiculousness in writing. Glad it wasn't a total bore, as it is quite long, and I'd be pissed if I read it all and found it to be rubbish...

girlx, Mormon? Some great skiing in Mormon territory, that's pretty much all I can say about that area (I've only been to Snowbird, Alta, and Park City, but Utah has some of the best powder in the USA -- though maybe you're not from Utah)

And yes, Will Smith... confirmed Scientologist. I was quite disappointed as well. Apparently it comes on hard and fast -- just a few months ago Mr. Smith was saying that he wasn't a Scientologist, just that Tommy Cruise was telling him about it. Now, just a few months down the road, he's confirmed.

Movie studio execs must be having serious headaches over this crap.

[Carib]

Touche Carib. You are correct.

However, the dynamic of the conversation (the 1st one) wasn't really structured in a way that I could just say, "I'm not interested." It wasn't like he was handing out fliers or asking me, "So, are you interested in Scientology?"

He would ask me questions, and I'd answer them (mostly because we were in a social setting seated next to each other and I think it would have been rude to ignore him). He'd ask things like, "So, are you happy with what you're doing?," to which I'd reply, "Sure. I mean there are some times when everything gets a bit stressful, but that's life." Then he would pry a bit deeper, with some more vague and probing questions.

I suppose I could have just ended the conversation by not answering him, but since the questions he posed weren't rude, per se, I felt it courteous to reply to them. But if you line up his questions you can see some sort of methodology in controlling the conversation. It's just that I couldn't really be bothered, so I just kind of answered the way you would answer anybody in a social setting... but he just kept going. So my way out was to just get up and talk to somebody else.

These guys aren't complete fools. They do have some ability to steer conversation to suit their result, especially when you're not really paying attention. He followed up with most of my replies with, "That's wonderful...." or "That's great....." but then would go right on continuing along the same line.

Another issue is that he is friends with friends of mine, so I didn't want to come across as rude or unwilling to socialize, but in the end, I suppose you're correct: I did not say that I wasn't interested.

Yes, i know it is sometimes hard to deal with people like that, especially as they a kind of surprise you with their " thing" , and keep on going.

I have learned to tell them in an early stage that i am not interested, or even just asking and telling them in the same sentence something like,: Are you trying to make me believe something i have no desire to believe, i am happy as i am now.

If still they continue i tell them very politely that i admire them for trying to tell the world of their beliefs and respect them for it, but ...expect them to respect me too, so if i tell them i am not interested they should leave it at that.

If still they do come over with their story i will just tell them that they are waisting their time, and donot respect the things i have told them already and that the conversation as far as this subject is over.

It still leaves enough space for other things, but " the subject" is closed.

Donot enter a discussion, they love it, just say no thanks...and that is it.

[bendix]

I don't find Scientologists freaky or scary; I find them rather pitiful. To have one's life so wrapped up and based around something so trite makes me feel for them.

I was once approached by a Scientologist in Auckland. Of course, I knew what he was immediately - the ridiculous questions about life's challenges etc. He asked me if I would like to take a free Personality Test. I said there was no need; I already knew I was screwed up.

But, curious to see what happens and at a loose end before a meeting, I went along.

It was all very nice for the first 10 minutes until they asked me to fill in a form of personal details. I put in a false name, false address and under "Occupation" I completely lied and wrote "Investigative Journalist."

They asked me to leave.

[Beardog]

TEEj

Net time you see him ash him aren't you guys a spinnoff from the moonie cult!

And then ask him if he could loan you 60,000-80,000 baht for 3 months.

that should get rid of the Hoser.

[Crushdepth]

That's far too much to read ohmy.gif

My eyes...glazing over...must...join...scientology..... :-)

[h90]

I was interviewed once by them....

About my problems.....no I don't have any problem.

Never tired, can concentrate, learn quick, find girls....

They search your weak point, if you don't show any. There is nothing which can be improved, they are outside what they get trained for and don't know what to do.

(At least the lower ranks)

[Prakanong]

All religions are homes for nutters - be they god squadders or whatever - all believers are best avoided - even the most innocuous

[PattayaParent]

I was interviewed once by them....

About my problems.....no I don't have any problem.

Never tired, can concentrate, learn quick, find girls....

They search your weak point, if you don't show any. There is nothing which can be improved, they are outside what they get trained for and don't know what to do.

(At least the lower ranks)

And they want you to go to sessions where they can help you with your 'problems' but of course you have to pay for those sessions and they get really really pushy about it when you say no.

But I did know a guy for a couple of years who was (maybe still is) a Scientologist. First time we met and he told me I said 'so you beleive god is a Martian?' He said no and never ever mentioned Scientology again.

John Travolta is also one, and Kirstly Allen.

[kmart]

Just tell him that John Travolta's "Battlefield Earth" is your favourite ever movie, and he will leave you alone...

[Shotime]

I enjoyed reading it too. It read like it flowed out of you. You must have felt better after you wrote it. I find TV very therapeutic. I've seen many stares, but that one I remember as being mindless. I try to get rid of crusaders by telling them what I believe. It takes about 5 minutes for them to get scared and say goodbye. Sometimes I make it really nuts when they try to discuss it with me, and afterwards what I said seems to make sense to me. Sometimes, I just give them that "What the f__k you want" stare. Sometimes, I'll ask to borrow money from them.

Don't let them bother you. That's what they want.

Edited July 3, 2008 by Shotime

[johninbkk]

The story is rather simple. Well, not really. I met (through association of a sporting club in which I'm a member) who seemed to be a normal man. Casual conversation ensues: my current employ and he asks me how I concentrate while working, and I respond with an off-the-cuff "xanax and painkillers" and a chuckle. Not a single reaction from him. Just a weird stare.

But now the conversation changes tack to a 'book' he is working on and how he'd like me to read it. Well, being a kind conversationalist (I'm not interested, but hear him out for the sake of courtesy) I listen and ask a few questions (i.e. Is it difficult translating a work from English to Thai -- a pretty lame question, but it's all I could do to really not care).

But this guy really really wants me to read this thing, like he's a hard-selling salesman, and it starts to make me a bit uncomfortable. And he's staring at me, not like a "look 'em in the eyes" business-school stare, but like an empty-but-freaky stare. Hard to explain, I hope somebody else on the board can confirm the weird stare. It's really like that. Weird.

So I finally find out that he's working on the book 'Dianetics.' Now I've heard of L. Ron Hubbard and Scientology and seen Tom Cruise freak out on Oprah and argue with Matt Lauer about drugs. And I have seen the hilarious South Park episode. But other than that, I have no experience with the 'religion' **cough**cult**cough**. At this point, now I want to get away, because I figure this guy is trying to push this ideology on me and I despise people that try to do this to me, be it any ideology. So I point over the way to a friend of mine just arriving and make my exit, saying "Hey man, I haven't seen you in like 2 months! (but thinking, "<deleted>??? I gotta get the eff outta here!")

The whole encounter is forgotten -- until I run into the same guy at a petrol station near my house -- today. I know he doesn't live near me, and I go to this petrol station all of the time because it's the only one in my area that sells 95 Benzene. So it's just that much more freaky when he calls out my name.

I turn around to see the guy, properly dressed, a proper businessman -- I know he's successful at what he does from prior conversation. Casual conversation again, and then he tells me that he'd really like me (and this time my girlfriend) to read this 'book' or pamphlet or whatever he has. "It can really help you," he says. (I'm thinking to myself, "uh... do I need help? When did we even talk about 'helping.' This guy is not right. Go. Go!") A can of Coke and a Gatorade in one hand, cigarettes and my keys in the other -- rain begins to fall -- and thank god I'm saved by the rain. I tell him I gotta go and I high-tail it outta there. What freaked me out the most is this guy's unwavering Mad-Cow stare.

So putting the pieces together on my drive home, I figure this guy has gotta be a Scientologist, and he was clearly trying to hard-sell the idea to me (Dianetics). Fine, I think to myself, but the dangerous and freaky thing is that he's working on translating L Ron Hubbard's rubbish into Thai! Which I can only assume would serve one purpose: to recruit Thais to Scientology. A very scary thought, but I brush it off with the hope that a Thai's faith in Buddhism will not be easily wavered by the alien Xenu of the Intergalactic Freakshow that is Scientology.

So I get home and do some youtube-ing. Type "Tom Cruise" and there pops up a 9-odd minute video in which Mr. Cruise speaks utter nonsense but with real psychotic conviction -- I mean really, he appears to be totally off his rocker, like "medicate/institutionalize-me" crazy -- but I recognize something... the stare! The same weird stare! Is it a Scientology thing to give freaky stares? If you don't know what I mean, look up the video, or any recent video of Mr. Cruise and check out the intensity of his stare. It's not normal. It's not confident eye-to-eye contact. It's a creepy stare. Please, somebody confirm.

Now I find out that Will Smith has openly said he is part of the Scientology cult. Yes, cult -- Germany has banned it (I think that by now the Germans would be rather adept at recognizing cult-ish behaviour if they saw it). And Will Smith is starting some school?!?! For children!? <deleted>?! Now I've already taken any Tom Cruise movie off my list of 'to-sees,' but now I can't go see Hancock (not that I really wanted to)? Will Smith?!? He believes in Xenu -- an alien?! This is more strange than the guy at a car dealership in Hong Kong who said to me (while test-driving) that the world was going to end in 2012. <deleted>?! And he was trying to sell me a freaking high-dollar sports car?! That's your sales tactic?!?!

Asteroid Guy "Floor it. Yeah, that V10 is sweet isn't it?"

Me "Oh yeah"

Asteroid Guy "Cherish it while you can..."

Me "While I can? What do you mean?"

Asteroid Guy "Well, I'm not sure if you know, but.....(insert Freakazoid Asteroid story here)"

long pause....

Me "Um, I've never driven paddle shifters before, they are quick (in my head, "<deleted>??????@$#$?@!!?!?!??")

Are you kidding?! I mean Christ, he tried to sell me a sports car by telling me that the world was going to get hit by a huge asteroid!?!? Are you serious?!

Are rich people this crazy?! Am I alone!?!? Freaky. I mean at the time, I just went back home to my girlfriend and cried laughing about it, but now -- armed with this experience with Scientology Freak Man -- I'm getting paranoid that high net worth people aren't right in the head, and for some evil reason.

Now I know that's only 2 people. But they were very very very strange 2 people. And surely they must have friends -- friends who think just like them. Which is totally freaky. Fine, I think the Asteroid 2012 Guy is harmless and just a little crazy (a bit!?), but he didn't appear to be hurting anyone, as the way he spoke of it was like just warning me, kind of like "Hey man, subprime is gonna blow soon, I'd get out of Financials."

But the Scientology Guy, with his sales method and his stare, that's scary. Cult-ish behaviour is very frightening and dangerous. I've seen the Jonestown Massacre documentary. I know Waco, Texas. Stuff like this just doesn't end well. Now as I write this, I'm recounting in my head many experiences I've had with people who just didn't seem right in the head now that I think about it. Is it some "Club" that you get invited into after achieving x-amount of success? Have I not reached that level yet? Or is The Force too strong in me that they don't bother to try with me?

I've just come to the realization that these are probably the questions that these Freaks ask themselves right before they are recruited into Freakdom. <deleted>?!!?!??! Xenu, are you there!? Can you hear me?!? I hope The Force within me is strong enough to overcome...

Ok I'm ranting now. But I'd still like some answers here. LaoPo, Naam, Heng: you guys aren't Scientologists, are you ? Has anybody met the freaky guy that I've met? Does he read this board (If so, you're weird. Don't talk to me anymore)? What is the deal with these guys and what is the deal with that <deleted>' stare??!?!

I laughed when in Talladega Nights, Will Farrell was screaming, "Help me Tom Cruise! Tom Cruise use your witchcraft to get rid of the fire!" But the freakiness of Tom Cruise and Scientology and Xenu has, since encountering one of it's followers, become personal now, and it's creepy. Is it just me? Wow that was a long post, I'm sorry...

Hi TeeJ,

A B S O L U T E classic, just loved the read, felt like I was reading a short novel, science fiction of course. Well I'm a very, very straight forward guy, I'd tell him to <deleted>> off, on meeting people I like I warm to them well, but when I meet morons like your new mate, 5555555, I can tell them straight, them ask him how to improve that problem. AS FOR WILL BEING ONE OF HTEM, well I find his movies crap, typical Yankee over the top, well except for men in black...... Last point, resign from what ever post you're at and start writing short novels,, love the car salesman’s, oh! Did you buy it?............

[awakened]

I once heard a man telling me there were WMD's in Iraq. I tried not to listen but he wouldn't shut up. Kinda creepy looking. He then went on to tell me a complete fairy story about 9-11. Pictures and everything! Kept on and on and on. He had a creepy looking pal too, called Cheney. Have you seen HIS stare? Talk about freaking people out!

I think they're members of one of those cults you're talking about. Like, y'know, the take over the world cult.

[Moonrakers]

Iv'e done a bit of reading up on these guys in the past, and they are not just scary the are downright dangerous.

The lower 'Ranking' scientologists are abused to the point of slavery to serve the higher ranks. All of them are told to abandon anybody that does not share their belief and come down hard on anybody who interefere's. There have even been strong suspicions of murder.

They have a huge amount of wealth and with it a huge amount of legal clout. Should I meet a scientologist then I would stay well clear.

Germany are right to ban them, and all other countries should follow suit.

Should any scientologists be reading this then get a grip, and I offer no apologies for flaming here.I mean come on, our souls where transported here by spacecraft resembling dc whatever aircraft???? <deleted>!!!

I have no qualms with religion on the whole, in fact I am rather envious of those who have a belief. But scientology IS NOT a religion. I don't consider the mormons to have a legitimate religion either but these guys are harmless and promote good values, ad so I have no qualms with them.

Scientologists: watch the South Park episode.... It is not only funny but also very informative.

[TAWP]

Translating books from Scientology to sell...perhaps even setting a non-linked local charter, a spin-off if you so will, must be a really smart biz idea...the money one can make is really great.

And there would be enough people around to trick.

[Insight]

Great read teej, a few laugh out loud moments...

I remember trying to download that Panorama investigation into Scientology where the journalist utterly lost his rag (can't blame him really). What was bizarre about that was how much effort it took to download - sites that I thought had nothing to do with Scientology were redirecting me to a completely different torrent of a 30 minute video endorsing Scientology.

Bizarre how much clout these people seem to have....

[Jimjim]

And yes, Will Smith... confirmed Scientologist. I was quite disappointed as well. Apparently it comes on hard and fast -- just a few months ago Mr. Smith was saying that he wasn't a Scientologist, just that Tommy Cruise was telling him about it. Now, just a few months down the road, he's confirmed.

I wouldn't say Will Smith is a confirmed Scientologist. I wouldn't necessarily trust the press on this one. They get things wrong on all the time such as reporting Angelina Jolie had her babies a month ago and she hadn't. Smith has ties but is not necessarily a confirmed member. If he was, why would he deny it? I don't think that religion takes too kindly to people denying it.

Even if he is, I don't see why it matters in terms of enjoying his movies. Is Scientology nuts? Certainly seems that way. But it doesn't matter to me. I'm sure if you looked at the beliefs of a lot of stars out there you wouldn't agree with them at all. It doesn't matter. If you enjoy an actor's acting, then go and see that movie. Doesn't matter what their religious beliefs happen to be.

[TAWP]

If one should completely avoid nutty religious people's movies, one couldn't watch anything...besides my own homemade. :|

[Sabum]

RESISTANCE IS FUTILE

[dbrenn]

I don't find Scientologists freaky or scary; I find them rather pitiful. To have one's life so wrapped up and based around something so trite makes me feel for them.

I was once approached by a Scientologist in Auckland. Of course, I knew what he was immediately - the ridiculous questions about life's challenges etc. He asked me if I would like to take a free Personality Test. I said there was no need; I already knew I was screwed up.

But, curious to see what happens and at a loose end before a meeting, I went along.

It was all very nice for the first 10 minutes until they asked me to fill in a form of personal details. I put in a false name, false address and under "Occupation" I completely lied and wrote "Investigative Journalist."

They asked me to leave.

I was a bit more naive when offered the free Personality Test outside the (now closed) Sciemtology Centre in London's Tottenham Court Road.

I was only a young uni student at the time, and had never even heard of Scientology. I took the test, after which I was subjected to a hard sell to buy the Dianetics book, which I foolishly bought. After I'd paid for it, the cashier casualy asked me for my address 'to put on the tax receipt'. Big mistake - I gave her my address (she was very pretty) and was bombarded over the next several months by personally handwritten letters from various people asking me how I was getting on with the book, and offering me all sorts of 'courses' to help me rectify all the defects in my personality that the test had apparently revealed. I didn't reply to any of the letters, but they kept coming. Eventually, I wrote to them pretending to be someone else and telling them that I had moved on with no forwarding address. A couple more letters came, so I started returning them to sender, then they finally stopped.

Completely deranged, sinister and dangerous bunch of people, who are really just after your money and have no scruples at all.

Interesting cult awareness website here: http://www.rickross.com/ that talks about Scientology and other similar soul destroying cults.

[kmart]

I remember the J. Witnesses in the UK adopted an effective marketing strategy to spread their equally risible (imo) credo. - They recruited good looking girls who came knocking on doors in pairs. Worked a charm with people like me, having watched lots of 70's porno flicks...

[waveydavey]

I remember the J. Witnesses in the UK adopted an effective marketing strategy to spread their equally risible (imo) credo. - They recruited good looking girls who came knocking on doors in pairs. Worked a charm with people like me, having watched lots of 70's porno flicks...

I think they've adopted the same approach in LOS as well Kmart.

A few months ago I was living in a small village out in the middle of nowhere when one day I had two of the cutest young creatures ever to pass my eyeballs turn up on the doorstep out of the blue. Turns out they were JWs from Korea of all places. My resistence to all things religeous was broken instantly and I was all set to invite them in until the girlfriend shouted 'who's that at the door ?' from the kitchen....

I still dont understand how they ended up in our village out in the sticks. It was only later I also wondered what their visa situation was.....

[Shotime]

I remember the J. Witnesses in the UK adopted an effective marketing strategy to spread their equally risible (imo) credo. - They recruited good looking girls who came knocking on doors in pairs. Worked a charm with people like me, having watched lots of 70's porno flicks...

How often would they show up? I liked John Travolta from when he was on TV until he made the first Elmore Leonard movie. What's his politics got to do with his acting? I didn't like T. Crews from before he was transformed. Please, no unsubstantiated remarks about Will Smith. He's a homey, and he has made some pretty good movies.

Edited July 3, 2008 by Shotime