THE SP TIMES

Here’s why I named this blog “The SP Times.”  First of all, the domain name was available when I went looking for one that would be relevant to what I planned for the subject matter to be.  In Scientology, an SP is someone who’s antagonistic to Scientology.*

But more importantly, “The SP Times” became a nickname for the newspaper that used to be named the St. Petersburg Times (now renamed the Tampa Bay Times) after the reporters Randy Tobin and Joe Childs broke the story called “The Truth Rundown.”

One of the things I find the strangest about the so-called Church of Scientology is that people outside of it know more about its inner workings and shenanigans than its members do — like the Xenu story, for example.  Everybody who’s had Scientology come even slightly onto their radar knows this story, while Scientology’s own members only find out about it after an investment of many years and/or tens (sometimes hundreds) of thousands of dollars.

Or the location of the Int Base, sometimes called “Gold” (short for Golden Era Productions) or “over the rainbow” or “uplines,” as it’s known inside the orgs.  As a member, in order to go uplines (or even know where it is), you have to (1) sign the billion-year Sea Org contract and then (2) “get qualled” (i.e., meet the qualifications) in order to (3) get clearance to go.  And getting qualled invariably involves hours of sec checking.  Over my years an an auditor, I’ve done many such sec checks.  I’m not particularly proud of that now, but it was my duty at the time, and I did it well (not abusively, as it’s done today).

In contrast, anyone driving up or down State Highway 79 in Riverside County, California, can see a large sign marking the entrance to Gold.

The Truth Rundown was the same way.  Any member of the public could buy a copy of the newspaper and have revealed to them what was then an unprecedented quantity of Scientology’s dirty laundry.  But the members — the true believers anyway — would know nothing about it.  In the old days, that knowledge would have been suppressed by the Guardian’s Office (now renamed the Office of Special Affairs, commonly known as OSA).  It was  standard operating procedure for the G.O. to send people out to buy up all the newspapers in the area where the org was, so that none of their members would come across such negative information.

Nowadays, the internet has rendered that kind of move impossible.  Since the story was also online, all it would take is the emailing of a link to some member who’d been on the fence anyway, because of the growing discontent with David Miscavige’s style of “management by hissy fit” and other abuses.  And then it would go viral from there.

Apparently, this — or something like it — was exactly what happened, because the release of the Truth Rundown was a watershed moment in the chronicle of Scientology’s demise.  The Truth Rundown started a mass exodus of Scientology’s members.  Some announced their departure — which would have started a chain reaction.  Others simply left quietly and changed their phone numbers.  But the result was the same.  They were out of there.

And that leads to another issue — the mythical number of members Scientology claims to have, which I’ll tell you about in a future post.  But anyway, that’s why I thought “The SP Times” would be a good name for this blog.  What’s your opinion?
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*For the full text of this reference go here and scroll down to page 213 of the pdf file (listed as page 177 in the Table of Contents).
photo of entrance to Golden Era Productions courtesy of wikipedia.org

OK, so I promised to explain about the sign in the window.  In Scientology, to “blow” means to leave without authorization.  Incredibly enough, many members of Scientology’s elite Sea Organization aren’t aware that they can simply walk out the door and never come back.*  Not only are they treated (and paid) like slaves, but they’ve also been brainwashed into thinking that if they leave without completing the billion-year contract they signed, and without “routing out” properly, they’ll owe a “freeloader debt” — that is, they’ll have to pay for all the on-the-job training and services they received while they were working there.

They don’t know that the freeloader debt is not enforceable in a court of law and doesn’t even show up on your credit report.  Weird, huh?  Well, not really.  Not when you consider that they’re (1) not allowed to look on the internet, (2) discouraged from reading newspapers and magazines, and (3) prohibited from associating with anyone who might know facts they learned by doing those things.  Even watching television is frowned upon, for fear they might encounter some negative information about Scientology.

This all seems perfectly logical to them, when it’s explained in terms of the damage such data could do to their “case progress,” and if one’s case doesn’t progress, one’s “eternity” is in danger.  And when one is convinced that the entire universe is a trap and that Scientology is “mankind’s only way out,” it makes perfect sense.  See?  (Not to mention the fact that it costs big bucks and/or lots of time and trouble to have the situation corrected in the event that you’re exposed to any negative information about Scientology.)

When your whole environment is manipulated so that the only things you ever see are  wretched living and working conditions with never a day off to enjoy life, it’s easy to believe the universe is a trap.

But anyway, back to the sign in the window, that phone number — 1-866-XSEAORG — belongs to Chuck Beatty, an ex Sea Org member who managed to escape and is extending a lifeline to his friends who are still in.  I’m happy to help him do this.  Some of them were my friends too.

The reason my shop window is a good place for the sign is that many Sea Org members have to walk right by there on their way to where they sleep (assuming they’re lucky enough to not have to pull an all-nighter) — the Anthony Building, about three blocks away on Fountain Avenue just west of Normandie.  Here’s a picture of it.

I’ve been told that this sign has provided information that was needed to help reunite at least one family.  Good.  That’s what it’s there for.

Now, the next thing I need to tell you about is how come I’m calling this blog “The SP Times.”  It’s kind of an inside joke, and Scientology-watching veterans will get it right away.  But I’m writing for the newest Scientology watcher on the ‘net, and I don’t want anyone to feel left out.  So I’ll tell you about it in my next post.
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*Some people have extenuating circumstances and would be adversely affected by Scientology’s disconnection policies if they just suddenly left like that.  I’ll tell you about that too.

(picture of the Anthony Building courtesy of angrygaypope.com)