Ex-scientology kids: "I was born. I grew up. I escaped."

[pnwmom]

http://exscientologykids.com/index.html

Who We Are: Ex-Scientology kids is designed, owned, and operated by three young women who grew up in Scientology, and later left the Church. We feel that growing up in the Scientology environment is a unique experience that's almost impossible to comprehend unless you've lived it yourself. For what it's worth, we offer non-judgmental support for those who are still in Scientology, discussion and debate for those who've already left, and a plethora of easy-to-understand references for the curious.

For the record, while the site admins make every effort to be non-judgemental, that doesn't mean we're unbiased. Most of the people that write for this site have had extremely negative experiences in Scientology. Some of us have lost our families due to Scientology's Disconnection Policy, some of us have experienced physical abuse, and some of us were denied a proper education. However, we do welcome pro-Scientology email, comments and forum posts. There's even a "no registration required" forum area where anyone may anonymously post questions, comments and advice.

Note for Scientologists

Scientologists: We understand that you don't want to ruin your case by accidentally looking at the OTIII materials, and we respect that. We've done our best to keep all info on confidential materials clearly marked and partitioned off from the rest of the site. If you want to look, look. If ya don't, ya don't have to.

Announcing the Voices in Unison Project!

ESK is proud to announce the Voices in Unison project, a unique campaign created to help those who have never before told their Scientology story to speak out without fear of reprisal.

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[yardwork]

1. Link doesn't work.

This sounds interesting. I've seen similar websites for people who have escaped from Amish communities, Apostles of God, and others.

[pnwmom]

6. I hope I just fixed it. n/t

[MadHound]

2. The same can be said by any number of kids who grew up with weird religions

I grew up in a fundamentalist Baptist household. I was born, I grew up, and escaped, same as these kids.

What is the difference?

[pnwmom]

7. The difference is that many of the escapees are telling stories

of imprisonment, beatings, forced work for $50 dollars a week, etc.

And some of these ex-scientologists have come from the very top of the organization.

The one ex-Scientologist I know had a different story. After thirty years working long hours for the SeaOrg for practically nothing, she was kicked out in her late 70's because she was too old to work for them anymore. No pension, no Social Security, no money! Fortunately for her, the family she'd abandoned decades earlier took her back.

[MadHound]

14. And the same stories can be heard from ex-Christians.

Yet one religion is now mainstream, accepted, even celebrated, and the other is derided.

I don't give a damn about Scientology, but I abhor the hypocrisy that people have concerning it.

[pnwmom]

19. Where are the stories of imprisonment in mainstream Christian religions? Do you have a link? nt

[roguevalley]

20. they don't but that won't slow down some folks.

and I don't consider the polygamists of Jeffers community anything but a pedo ring.

[Dawson Leery]

15. Correct. Scientology is militant when to comes to controlling their members.

[Warpy]

16. Did the whole church unite and separate you from your family?

Remember, even if you call Mom on Xmas Day, that's a hell of a lot more than the $cientologists would let you do if you left them.

It's pure, cultish behavior that rips families apart.

[K8-EEE]

17. Your story is important and so is theirs

We are all inundated with "born again" stories but the huge amount of people who find peace ESCAPING religion, their voices are silent. I applaud them all and am interested in their stories.

[hedgehog]

3. Scientology: making Roman Catholics, Evangelists and Mormons feel normal!

[DCKit]

4. Wanna spend some time with me (dogma free) out in the woods?

Like I should talk, I'm going to meet the Mennonites on Friday night.

Anyone want to give me a head's-up?

[kestrel91316]

10. The Mennonites are hardly a cult. Neither are the Amish.

[DCKit]

12. I grew up with the Amish. They fed us.

I'm still learning about the Mennonites, but I'll let y'all know after Friday night.

But yeah, what you said, nobody will ever convince me they're more scary than the Scientologists.

[kestrel91316]

13. The Mennonites are the more modern and relatively liberal of the Anabaptists.

They are a peace church like the Amish and Quakers.

[DCKit]

18. I'm not bichhing, cute guys and attractive women.

Now that I think about it, half the kids I grew up with were probably free Amish or Mennonite. The rest, we knew who they were. We didn't always agree, but we respected them and I had an issue when they had to leave school.. I grew up in the most liberal/conservatiive area that could ever be - a college town surrounded by the Amish. It's why I can blend in at the weeekend place, and why my Republican friends are sane. I don't agree with organized religion, but I respect it.

No different than the Amish kids I grew up with. Not stupid or brainwashed. LIke my Catholic S.O. they know their bible, and I respect that. I've got arabs here in the neighborhood now, need to learn how to deal with that. If it continues to get any more multicultural, I'm going to have to study hard.

[longship]

5. They escaped, but just wait for Lord Xenu to come back!

Seriously, good for what they are trying to do. Unfortunately, Scientology lawyers are probably busy trying to shut this down.

I wish these kids the best.

[hedgehog]

8. Quite seriously - there are a number of groups within the Catholic Church

that many would describe as cults - I'm looking at you, Opus Dei!

[pnwmom]

9. Opus Dei is awful. That's why all the Rethug converts love it. n/t

[rox63]

11. The link didn't work for me either

But this one did: http://exscientologykids.com/