Running into Scientologists who recognize you

[Martini]

Thought we could all share experiences on this thread of running into Scientologists we knew when we were in and how it went.

Yesterday was a day of coincidences as I ran into 3 people I had not seen in years.

Two were Scientologists who are still in (and I ran into them at different places - note I RARELY run into them; the last time was about 7 months ago). The other person I ran into was an ex from about a year ago. All in the same day.

The humorous thing was that the only one that was rude was the ex! Hell hath no fury...

One of the Scientologists I saw was at an amusement park. He was very friendly, shook my hand, and asked me to hold his eyeglasses before we got on a roller coaster. I did and we went our separate ways after the ride.

The other was at a night club. He said hello and we shook hands and it was all very friendly.

Both of them were the initiators of the communication, which is interesting as they aren't supposed to be talking to declared SPs!

Maybe this is a sign of the times? Has the internet leveled the playing field to where some Scientologists are privately in disagreement with the b.s. going on in the church and hold to their own integrity when running into people they know weren't such awful people as the cult wants them to believe?

Have any of you had similar experiences?

[programmer_guy]

The only time this happened with me was shortly after I left the cult and went back to college.

I was in a MacDonald's fast food restaurant and got my order and was leaving when I walked right past Jim Hamre (now a reg at the Buenaventura Mission last time I heard). We knew each other as fellow staffers and yet he totally ignored me (not that I cared about this).

[Iknowtoomuch]

Are you sure they knew you're declared?

I haven't had this happen as they still think I'm in.:D

[Martini]

Are you sure they knew you're declared?

I haven't had this happen as they still think I'm in.:D

They definitely know I'm declared.

I reflected on this a bit more.

The guy getting on the roller coaster needed someone to hold his eyeglasses as he had jeans on and didn't want to break the glasses during the ride by putting them in his pocket. He and I had spotted each other IN LINE, though neither one of us was making it known until that point. So the urgency of "I've got to put these glasses somewhere" was the point at which he decided to make the contact. He could have asked someone else though.

The guy at the club could have easily avoided me and acted like he didn't recognize me, turned away once he saw me looking his way, etc. but he made a point to say hello.

[Miss Withhold]

These certainly don't match up to my experiences.
I was dropped faster than a hot potato by most and those that were a little slower the org arranged special one on one briefings to inform them of just how horrible I really was.
I had close friends on staff who's children were friends with mine. These were kids that I had looked after OFTEN, that my kids had know since they were tiny.
Well I can assure you my children were never able to even say goodbye to their friends. :bigcry:

Since leaving I have bumped into a few scientologists that I knew and boy oh boy you should see them run the other way!
I always consider it a major compliment, that I am so hard core and powerful that these mere OTs tremble in there boots upon seeing me. :coolwink:

[Dark Phoenix]

I remember one scn who knew me quite well being next in line to me paying for groceries, and I might as well have been invisible. I remember looking at him quite intently, trying to catch his gaze but he wouldn't make eye contact with me. And what struck me was how natural he was about it; he didn't seem to get uncomfortable or start furitively packing his groceries. He just carried on as usual.

[byte301]

I run into one every once in a while since she lives in my neighborhood. She always talked to me since I haven't been declared. (At least I don't think I have.) But I blew and they all knew it.

She's a really nice person and would always try to get me to go into the org saying it was better there, more staff, etc. I'd be nice and acknowlege her but would make excuses and get away asap.

I did run into one years ago that glared at me. lol She was always blowing about one thing or another and would get handled. But me blowing was SO much worse I guess. Hypocrit. I doubt if she's even still in the cult now.

The people that dumped me? Well, they can bite me. I never disconnected from anyone the whole time I was in. I always thought disconnection was evil and unproductive.

[Iknowtoomuch]

They definitely know I'm declared.

I reflected on this a bit more.

The guy getting on the roller coaster needed someone to hold his eyeglasses as he had jeans on and didn't want to break the glasses during the ride by putting them in his pocket. He and I had spotted each other IN LINE, though neither one of us was making it known until that point. So the urgency of "I've got to put these glasses somewhere" was the point at which he decided to make the contact. He could have asked someone else though.

The guy at the club could have easily avoided me and acted like he didn't recognize me, turned away once he saw me looking his way, etc. but he made a point to say hello.



Sounds like either they can think for themselves or you're just one rung up from a Wog.:D

You should have written a KR on them.:D

[Voltaire's Child]

A few months ago there was one of those yellow tents outside where I worked, in a kind of concrete park thingie. I was walking by and the person recognized me- I hadn't been planning to engage them in conversation as I did not know if they knew I was expelled and declared. So I stopped and chatted politely. The guy started touting the Basic Books b.s. I said that I'd rather get my tech straight from LRH and with that, I whipped out a copy of Handbook for Preclears that I had in my handbag. We chatted a bit more, he doing his true believer thang, me being polite, and that was it.

[FinallyFree]

I have not yet experienced it – but with all the scientologists I know I am expecting it to happen eventually. I have only come out to my parents so far but I can tell you I hold my head high and I am proud of the decision I have made and want them to follow in my lead (however unlikely that maybe). The more I tell people (telling those closest to me first) I expect to be able to hold my held high more stably. Frankly I WANT people to know I am out. I want them to think about it and wonder. Like I have said before, two down, two to go.

My opinion is to be OUT and be confident about it, HAPPY and content – no matter what is said to you. I think that would be the best reaction; cool, happy confidence. That’ll let em’ wondering and that is always a good start! :thumbsup:

[Axiom142]

I’ve bumped into several who are still ‘in’ while I’ve been ‘out’, mostly staff, and had a mixed reception. A couple said “Hello” without stopping to talk, but one girl had a look of sheer horror on her face as she spotted me walking towards her bookstall. It was so extreme and unexpected, it was almost comical. It wouldn’t have looked out of place in a 50s Sci-Fi horror B-flick. I mean, I might look a bit strange, a bit dorky even (please feel free to step in and contradict this, anyone who has met me) but there wasn’t any call for that reaction!

What did she expect me to do, bite her? Anyway, she seemed to recover her composure after speaking to someone on her mobile phone and then spent the next 10mins studiously ignoring me even though I was standing right next to her. It was rather spooky, like the movie ‘Ghost’ in fact. At one point, I had to look at my reflection in a shop window just to check that I was really there! Talk about lack of confront!

But mostly when I see a current Scientologist, I just avoid approaching them so as to not cause them any embarrassment. If they want to talk, that’s fine, but I wouldn’t want them to feel like they have to stop what they are doing and leave.

Axiom142

[Iknowtoomuch]

I’ve bumped into several who are still ‘in’ while I’ve been ‘out’, mostly staff, and had a mixed reception. A couple said “Hello” without stopping to talk, but one girl had a look of sheer horror on her face as she spotted me walking towards her bookstall. It was so extreme and unexpected, it was almost comical. It wouldn’t have looked out of place in a 50s Sci-Fi horror B-flick. I mean, I might look a bit strange, a bit dorky even (please feel free to step in and contradict this, anyone who has met me) but there wasn’t any call for that reaction!

What did she expect me to do, bite her? Anyway, she seemed to recover her composure after speaking to someone on her mobile phone and then spent the next 10mins studiously ignoring me even though I was standing right next to her. It was rather spooky, like the movie ‘Ghost’ in fact. At one point, I had to look at my reflection in a shop window just to check that I was really there! Talk about lack of confront!

But mostly when I see a current Scientologist, I just avoid approaching them so as to not cause them any embarrassment. If they want to talk, that’s fine, but I wouldn’t want them to feel like they have to stop what they are doing and leave.

Axiom142


:hysterical:
Now that's real confront!

[Voltaire's Child]

The "lack of confront" church members have would be hilarious if it weren't so appalling. And it's incredibly ironic considering all the drills they do, the stuff about communication, confronting, pan determinism, etc, that they read...Huge huge amounts.

[dixi88]

According to the book Conversations With God, people are either motivated by Fear or Love. Its either one or the other. Try responding to those who show Fear with a return flow of Love. See what happens.