Hi! (they phone me, I join here)

[Xclam]

Hi everyone -
it seems that the dear "church" has a phone campaign going - they are calling me from the US (to Sweden!), on every phone number I'm registered to, from different numbers, all the time. They just won't stop. And I haven't had any contact with them for 20 years! I was a member in 87-88 in Australia.

Anyway, one consequence of this is me joining here. I hope to catch up on the latest news about Scn (a success story as always, or?), and maybe to even meet up with some old friends from the Adelaide org. Anyway, glad to have found this place!

[Wisened One]

:welcome: Another Aussie staff here! :)

Yeah, they're callin' many of us exes (also that haven't had any contact with scn in over 20 yrs) It's nuts, huh? :eyeroll: Tryin' to sell the repackaged 'Basics' books squirreled by Misavige, himself, I'm sure!

Anyways, you'll be in company here, as there are lots of Aussies here! :thumbsup: (I'm not, tho, call me a yank, I 'spect). :coolwink:

Michelle

[Xclam]

Hey - actually, I'm not an aussie either, I'm Swedish. Well, the good thing is that they must really be desperate considering the energy they spend on trying to contact me...

[NeXTep]

:welcome: aboard. :thumbsup:

I am out for 20 years too, they never called me. :)

Sweden happens to be my last station within Scientology.

[Nomad]

I'm here to do due to a call a month or so ago. Been out over 20 years.

[Iknowtoomuch]

Welcome to ESMB!!


Thanks to Scientology for another member!:D

[Megalomaniac]

That's funny. Now I call them, but they don't like talking to me anymore. :confused2: :bigcry:

:welcome:

Mac

[Operating DB]

They've been hounding me too. John Devries from ASHO calls. The last message he left he wanted to know if they should be sending me mail or not and even stated my full address. I know not to answer based on the caller ID. It's just a ploy to get you to talk to them and try to get you in their dragnet. They've also been contacting other exes in my area that have been out for 20+ years. The scios must be DESPERATE!

[SweetnessandLight]

Hi, Welcome XClam! I think you'll enjoy yourself here.

Yes, there is a big push on at present to get everyone offlines back on, and to sell the new basics. Don't worry about it, it's not personal.

Glad you joined us! :happydance:

[Xclam]

Thank you all :) Seems like a very active board this. A few years ago I posted on Operation Clambake, but that site doesn't seem very active any more.

What bugs me about the phone calls is that they also call my wife and kids - since their phones are also registered in my name. Often there is noone there when we answer, but once I talked to a woman from Clearwater, and told her (not very politely I'm afraid) that I didn't want anything to do with them. Well it didn't help... Hopefully it won't go on forever. What's the best policy, just not answer? Try to convince them to delete me from their lists? Be abusive and hope they'll get the message that way?

And again, glad to be here :happydance:

[Megalomaniac]

What's the best policy, just not answer? Try to convince them to delete me from their lists? Be abusive and hope they'll get the message that way?

Since you asked. I recommend the following:

- Treat the caller like a real person. Don't think of him as some cult wacko. Be polite. Be honest and straightforward.
- Be ready with a summary of what you want to say. What *I* want to say is:
--- I had some great experiences with Scientology.
--- I also had my own communication crushed by LRH policies.
--- I am outraged by the abuses I've learned of: coerced abortions, in particular. I've gone to great lengths to get the truth on these abuses, and so far, the info I have says they are real.
--- I demand a solution.
- Demand from them, personally, a solution. That specific person calling you needs to explain why they, personally, support an organization that has committed such abuses and have not taken responsibility. Pressure them into taking responsibility.
- Make 'em a deal. Offer to buy a book if they can provide specific credible evidence, say, that refutes Astra Woodcraft's story. Offer to buy a CD if they cancel the Disconnection policy. That would be a fair deal.
- Ask to talk to their senior, since the phone calls aren't stopping. Get the name and phone number of their senior. Follow through and call the senior.

Or just be snarky. Whatever.

:)
mac

[CherryTree]

Actually the best way to get them off is very simple:
1, don't answer the phone with your name, just Hello or something.
2, When they ask for you just deny it, sorry you called the wrong number.
3, Repeat if needed.

It worked for me! :D They somehow got my cellphone number a few months ago, did just that and never got another call. :happydance:

[Zinjifar]

Answer with 'Lord Xenu's Yummy Pastry Barn and PDH Factory' 'Would you like fries with that?'

Zinj

[ChuckNorrisCutsMyLawn]

I kept seeing "UNAVAILABLE" numbers on my caller ID after they sent me the Basics DVD a few years back, I happen to answer on of the calls one day and it was the cult. The female on the other end was nice enough, but I didn't bother listening to her questions and started asking her the questions, mainly why they waste so much of the church's resources filling my trash can with their junk mail. I think they finally took me off of their mailing lists, I now only receive a few pieces of junk mail from them a year, mainly around the holidays. I have no idea if they are still calling because I rarely answer the phone when I see "UNAVAILABLE" on my caller ID, and they never leave a message.

[supafreak]

:welcome: Glad you joined ESMB!

Would love to hear your story about your time in Adelaide. As far as I know, the Adelaide org is pretty dead these days.

[BlackCatTango]

Welcome Xclam.:welcome:

I ended up here after they tracked me down and started calling me. I am also out of the church for 20+ years.

Mostly I screened the calls and said that I wasn't there and who's calling. (I have been called by perhaps 5 different orgs or divs). One day my daughter got on the phone and led the caller to believe that it was me. (she never said so, though). Then they started sending literature. Now I send it back marked "Refused, Return to sender"--let them pay for the return postage.
Under General Discussion, there is a link called Scn Staff at my doorstep.(last post June 12) There are a lot of other suggestions on it for handling phone calls.

They don't get hold of me much these days, since I spend the time here reading and some posting and that ties up my line. They were calling me sometimes after midnight!!!!!!

The above-posted ideas are really good. If I do get called again, I may just use another of those ideas. When they started calling, I knew not to engage them in any conversation. I well remember being regged.

Plenty of good reading here especially for catching up on what has really been going on. The C0$ has become really twisted under Miscavage and there are a lot of staff and other horror stories. You'll find out if you have the time to read some.

Hope you can connect with people you know. I doubt any of my old friends are here. I moved out of LA and many were still in scn or on lines with splinter groups so I lost contact with all of them....there was no internet then. It was so transient living in LA. It was easy to lose touch with people even while living there.

Best to you.

[myrklix]

Answer with 'Lord Xenu's Yummy Pastry Barn and PDH Factory' 'Would you like fries with that?'

Zinj

As Ronald Reagan said in one of his more lucid moments "There he goes again!"
I will remember this reply as an alternative to Megalomaniac's

[myrklix]

Since you asked. I recommend the following:

- Treat the caller like a real person. Don't think of him as some cult wacko. Be polite. Be honest and straightforward.
- Be ready with a summary of what you want to say. What *I* want to say is:
--- I had some great experiences with Scientology.
--- I also had my own communication crushed by LRH policies.
--- I am outraged by the abuses I've learned of: coerced abortions, in particular. I've gone to great lengths to get the truth on these abuses, and so far, the info I have says they are real.
--- I demand a solution.
- Demand from them, personally, a solution. That specific person calling you needs to explain why they, personally, support an organization that has committed such abuses and have not taken responsibility. Pressure them into taking responsibility.
- Make 'em a deal. Offer to buy a book if they can provide specific credible evidence, say, that refutes Astra Woodcraft's story. Offer to buy a CD if they cancel the Disconnection policy. That would be a fair deal.
- Ask to talk to their senior, since the phone calls aren't stopping. Get the name and phone number of their senior. Follow through and call the senior.

Or just be snarky. Whatever.

:)
mac

Megalomaniac,

Looks like you learned something from your comm course. ;)

Actually, I really like your reply and see potentially really good communication in it. You just never know when some doubt may be instilled in someone doing call-in. I'd love to try it out but I haven't gotten a call in almost a year since allegedly being declared. (Never was told officially & never saw any goldenrod.)

[Tiger Lily]

:welcome: Xclam!

Funny -- it was the phone barrage from the Basics release that precipitated me finding EMSB too!

I just didn't answer -- got the most out of my caller ID, and finally they stopped. But since they called from so many different numbers, cell phones even, I had to screen every call that from a number I didn't recognize.

Glad you are here!
-TL

[degraded being]

Suggest you talk to them but say: "excuse me, I can talk to you but I can't give you my full attention because I am reading some very interesting articles in our Swedish newspapers right now...":)

[Carmel]

Welcome, Xclam! :)

When they call, if you want to get rid of them, rather than enlighten them, just tell them that you oppose the CofS, and that they can have a conversation with you if they like, but that you will be posting whatever they say on the net - that should do the trick! :)

[scooter]

Welcome, Xclam! :)

When they call, if you want to get rid of them, rather than enlighten them, just tell them that you oppose the CofS, and that they can have a conversation with you if they like, but that you will be posting whatever they say on the net - that should do the trick! :)

What she said and tell them you're keeping notes of the phone call:D

I guarantee they'll get off the phone before you can say "Xenu.":yes:

Oh, and welcome to ESMB.:thumbsup:

[Xclam]

Thanks all!

Megalomaniac - good suggestion, I'm afraid I don't feel eloquent enough or updated on the current state of Scn to be ready to get into any conversations with them. But I'm trying to remember that I could have been one of those people who have to make those phone calls so I'll try not to be too rude. I think I'll go for the "wrong number" option, or not answer and hope they'll stop.

I'll tell my story about my time in the Adelaide org some time, but it's not very spectacular. I have a feeling the Adelaide org was quite relaxed, otherwise I would probably have been sent to the Ethics office more often than I did (only once). The people there was quite nice for the most part. I took care of the personality tests in Waymouth St org and for a short while also in the little office they had on that other street that I forget the name of.

[Feral]

Welcome Xclam, I'm never rude, but they don't call me anymore.

When they did I took the time to explain the inconsistencies of the church, the abuses at INT and the long list of high ranking defectors. The lack of even 1% of the 10,000,000 members and the enforced abortions and human rights abuses throughout the SO.

I used to keep notes by the phone so I wouldn't forget to tell them anything important.

I don't know why they don't call anymore...

[Minuet #1 in G]

Hi Xclam old fellow Adelaidian. Might have known you, though I was off Ade org staff by March 1986.

Dont remember a Swedish fellow doing OCAs. You might have been at the test centre that was going for a little while in Hindley Street.

Re the phone calls they dont call me anymore since they found out I posted here.

Went from about 3-4 a day to mobiles and land line to nothing now for months and months. Ah bliss.

Cheers
Min

[Xclam]

Then we didn't meet, Minuet, I joined in December 87 (or did you stay on after 86?). I was staff at the evening org, for a short while in Hindley Street but most of the time in Waymouth. First I stayed in a flat with some other Scienos in the southern part of the city but then I had a room at the Hungarian dentist's flat if you know who I mean.

When I joined there was another Swede there actually, but he left shortly after. Many of the students at the org were non-Aussies like me, and I think many of them hadn't been there for very long. Maybe we have some mutual acquaintances though. Hudson was the boss when I was there (is there a policy against naming people here?).

[Cherished]

What's the best policy, just not answer? Try to convince them to delete me from their lists? Be abusive and hope they'll get the message that way?
I'd use the opportunity to ask them why two former members of the WatchDog Committee agree that David Miscavige is a violent bully and abuses Sea Org staff. Or to ask why the Church leaders gave out parts of Marty Rathbun's and Mike Rinder's pc folders to be published in the newspaper.

Welcome aboard, matey.

[Mystic]

I got a call from some reg trying to push the basics spew and I've been out for 28 years. How in the world they tracked me down is a wonderful work of spending a mess of useless money. I finally told the bitch I was a declared suppressive and she buggered off.

Butt! I got another call about a month later and I screamed into the phone that Hubbard could just stick it all up his dead ass.

And I've now not heard from them in 6 months.

[Alanzo]

I used to keep notes by the phone so I wouldn't forget to tell them anything important.

Now this is a causative SP!

Much better than, "Hello? Oh Hai! Wait. I gotta go get my fully bullet-pointed manifesto. It's hanging on the refrigerator. Be right back!"

Click.

With it right there next to the phone, you can begin rattling off each carefully worded point - and they don't even have a chance!

It's a reverse boiler-room technique.

Very effective.:thumbsup:

I also like this one from Megalomaniac:


Since you asked. I recommend the following:
Treat the caller like a real person. Don't think of him as some cult wacko. Be polite. Be honest and straightforward.
Be ready with a summary of what you want to say. What *I* want to say is:
--- I had some great experiences with Scientology.
--- I also had my own communication crushed by LRH policies.
--- I am outraged by the abuses I've learned of: coerced abortions, in particular. I've gone to great lengths to get the truth on these abuses, and so far, the info I have says they are real.
I demand a solution.
Demand from them, personally, a solution. That specific person calling you needs to explain why they, personally, support an organization that has committed such abuses and have not taken responsibility. Pressure them into taking responsibility.
Make 'em a deal. Offer to buy a book if they can provide specific credible evidence, say, that refutes Astra Woodcraft's story. Offer to buy a CD if they cancel the Disconnection policy. That would be a fair deal.
Ask to talk to their senior, since the phone calls aren't stopping. Get the name and phone number of their senior. Follow through and call the senior.Or just be snarky. Whatever.

:)
mac

[Happy Days]

Welcome to ESMB.

I too receive phone calls from Flag, Freewinds, LA etc etc. Especially since the new releases are out with the Maiden Voyage events.

I question everything that is said however, I'm very polite and very certain on what I'm saying and I instill enough doubt in their sales pitch that it sends them into a spin...:ohmy:

Anyway, the best advice is be happy :happydance:

Cheers
Happy Days :dance3:

[Dark Phoenix]

Welcome Xclam!

I love the Aussies, great to have one more:happydance:

[Scn.Hun]

Hi Xclam!

Great to have you here. :thumbsup:

You should pick up the phone and tell them, that you are very eager to speak with them, but not right now, because you are very busy. Just tell them to call you back when it is 4 or 5 a.m. in the morning in LA or Clearwater (it should be like 10-11 a.m. in Sweden) :D
If you did it some times they will give it up.

[Lucretia]

What's the best policy, just not answer? Try to convince them to delete me from their lists? Be abusive and hope they'll get the message that way?



Hi Xclam. I'm an old Adelaidean too. I was on staff in the early 80's then on course for years and years after that.

Here is a suggestion regarding the telephone calls - its not very nice, but it has worked for me. The minute I realised there was a $cn on the phone, I would say, very politely, excuse me a minute, and put the phone down and walk away (not hang up you understand). This wastes their time and phone money, you are not caught up in a endless harangue, you don't have to be rude, and you don't have to be involved with the bullshit. It is also very satisfying to come back half an hour later and find they have gone. I had to do this a few times, but they all eventually stopped ringing. It also made me laugh, and that was good too.

[Adrian Pybus]

It seems a lot of us 'old timers' have joined this board after Co$ started phoning and calling. I did too!
Keep the good work going Co$! This drive has obviously backfired on them!

[xenusdad]

Welcome aboard Xclam, enjoy the noise!
:happydance:
Pete
AnExOnAMission