Scientology Events - What Happens Before And After?

[Mick Wenlock]

I think it's fair to say that the public well of information about what goes on in an average religious family's home before/after a religious holiday is accurately and amply described. Depictions in music, film, television, literature, and the like are abundant -- and abundantly available -- to say nothing of real-life personal interactions with friends/family/neighbors.

For example, people of other faiths (and those without faith) understand, generally, that prior to Christmas, an average Christian family decorates their home, purchases/gift wraps their presents, and make their way to church on Christmas Eve and/or Christmas Day. Catholic families similarly celebrate Christmas with decorations and presents, but might instead go to Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve.

An Italian-American Catholic family may only eat fish on Christmas Eve prior to attending Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve, whereas a Polish-American Catholic family might place emphasis on specialty desserts served only at this time of year.

So, with that in mind...


What's it like for an average family, 'public' members of Co$, before and after an event?

Are there any traditional foods or activities?

Do Co$ member-family traditions differ geographically?

Do Co$ member-families get together with other member-families to celebrate the Co$ New Year's Eve Event - as opposed to regular New Year's Eve?

If a Co$ member-family lives in, say, St. Louis, and they go to their local org where video is shown of a Flag event, do they get dressed-up? Cook special foods? Host after-parties?

Would a Co$ member-family invite Co$ staff and/or sea org people to a dinner party?


JB - Asking because I've never seen anything mentioned here about this. If there's already a link, please let me know and I'll delete this thread.

It's an interesting question JB. My experience is, of course, way out of date but in my 13 years the ONLY time there was a real event was Christmas in the SO. Sea Org orgs do (or did) prepare for Christmas =- setting aside money for the dinner, there actually was time off and the dinner and party - all the ones I attended were pretty good, FOLO EU had some awesome ones and I heard that there were good ones on the ship (Apollo) and at Flag.

The cofs as a totalitarian organization would never permit the peasants to actually organize a real holiday. The only "holiday" for a scientologist is to take a holiday where there is no phone service.

 

[aegerprimo]

When I was in the Sea Org, for a while was in CMO CW at Flag. This was the mid 1980’s, and back then they threw a big shin-dig for staff, nice dinner, desert, live entertainment. The only problem was that I had to CSW my senior in order to go, otherwise it would’ve been rice & beans for me in at my desk. I remember the staff mess hall was nicely decorated with Christmas trees, and the food was delicious (probably cooked by downstat staff and RPFers).

I got married on the Freewinds. This was before the first maiden voyage, and things were laid-back. The crew at the time threw together a “wedding” for us and it was nice really. We had a ceremony, a wedding cake, dancing, and one of the fancy cabins for the night as our “honeymoon suite”. I don’t think they do that for Sea Org members on a regular basis. Our family was not allowed to come because the Freewinds was in a "confidential location" at the time and WOGs were especially not allowed aboard.

As a Sea Org member, it was a big hassle to get time off to go visit family for Thanksgiving or Christmas. After a while, most stop trying, as did I.

Later on when I left the Sea Org and was public in Los Angeles, all the big Scientology events took place at the Shrine Auditorium. I went to all of them, even though I considered them BORING. I acted happy about all the Scientology expansion all over the planet because it seemed everyone else was. I was a good “Ron Sheeple”. Parking for such events was a real hassle. Maybe after cruising the streets for nearly half an hour would a parking place open up that ended up being blocks and blocks away from the Shrine. So there was a lot of walking, formally dressed, through a bad neighborhood of Los Angeles, in the dark…. Only the whales could afford valet parking. My spouse and I would leave events right away in order to avoid the reg-fest part of the “event”.

I was in the Church of Scientology Choir for a while in the early to mid 1990’s. The Christmas season was our big time for gigs, and there were many talented singers and composers in the group. The choir was directed by Marcia Powell (I think she is still around?) . We would put a couple of shows on at the Pavilion at Celebrity Center Int., and do several free shows for anyone walking the streets at the “Winter Wonderland” the Co$ decorated on Hollywood Blvd. (I did not know then that all the construction work was done by RPFers). The Choir would do Christmas Caroling outside several orgs in the LA area that had good sidewalk traffic. It was fun, but I guess the real purpose was to increase the org’s “bodies-in-shop” stats, even though it seemed we were bringing Christmas Cheer and Goodwill to People.

In retrospect, I don’t think the Co$ gave a flying hoot about holidays, families, and having a good time. The church just made is SEEM like it cared. It used holiday times to get people into the orgs to buy services, books, whatever. Sea Org members and staff have to work just as hard if not harder during those times.

 

[Helena Handbasket]

A few times -- after leaving the church and becoming independent -- I invited a few of my friends out to a restaurant on LRH's birthday "to keep our traditions alive". But it quickly became obvious that no one I invited was interested in celebrating anything -- they just saw it as a free meal.

I never heard of anyone else doing the same thing.

As far as I know, no "scientology family" does anything on their own at home on "scientology holidays" such as auditor's day.

When I was in (1977 - 1997), Christmas was not celebrated, for obvious reasons. So the orgs always did a big New Year's thing instead. I don't remember any regging/sales going on at those events, but perhaps I simply don't remember.

Helena

 

[aegerprimo]

<snip>
Yes to getting dressed up, no to foods and after-parties. We did clap to the screen and cheer the bronze bust.
<snip>

Yep, that is the quintessential Scientology "event".

 

[aegerprimo]

There used to be a book called the “Volunteer Minister’s Handbook” and it had several ceremonies in it, including wedding ceremonies. There was a course that went along with the book, and upon completion, you got to wear a ecclesiastic collar and; lead Sunday services, wedding ceremonies, and such things. My wedding ceremony was from the book. There is a small quote from this ceremony at Beliefnet.com

"Now -----, girls need clothes and food and tender happiness and frills, a pan, a comb, perhaps a cat. All caprice if you will, but still they need them," and to the bride: "Hear well, sweet -----, for promise binds. Young men are free and may forget. Remind him that you may have necessities and follies, too."

Another example of LRH’s viewpoint on women… that all they need are pretty clothes, cooking utensils and hygiene products?! (The cat idea is cool though, and as a couple we got a few when we left the Sea Org). Though I did not see it at the time, this ceremony is very chauvinistic.

 

[JBWriter]

That's a perfect thumbnail sketch from the public's perspective.

Here's the lowdown from the staff member side...

Before the event:

Go to muster and get handed the "Call-In Patter", memorize it and decide not to use it because it sounds beyond hyperbolic and yet you can't quite figure out how else to get someone to come without saying, "This will be like no other event you've ever seen! You HAVE to be there!" Call the same people that everyone else is calling and don't even bother to coordinate it in anyway. Mark absolutely nothing down so that the next person can "jack the person's TA", yet again, by having to tell yet another person that he or she is going to a wedding that weekend, out of town, only to get another lackluster half-ack of disapproval. Do this everyday for a week or two before the event. Leave a million phone messages begging people to come. Attack every student before course. Ask each person who will actually answer the phone who he or she can bring with them. Go collect your prize of a few pieces of candy or a Starbucks card for being a good little staff member who made the quota.

A day or two before the event:

Get assigned hats for the event. Quietly cringe in horror at what you will have to do. Do the "Bag-Drill" where you practice over and over forming a human barricade to then approach people after the event with the robotic phrase, "Cash or credit" while handing them a bag filled with the new release. This assumed close is all the rage in Scientology. It's quite effective.

Day of the event:

Go to a special reg meeting where all of you will meticulously go over the confirms list and put each and everyone of these people into a category for which they will get a different color coded sticker adhered to them to denote said category. This way the staff know who to spend time with and who to ignore. Some categories are: 1) Whale about ready to go to Flag. Reg for package of 10 new releases. 2) I/P on current reg cycle for 12 Intensives. Get the balance tonight and tack on new release. 3) Appointment this person to see the Bridge Consultant, in from ASHO (god, I hope they can finally debug this person). 4) DB only comes to events for the food.

Now, continue to work beyond the point where you have any time to get ready for the event looking anything more than a stressed out 1970's throwback, donned in thrift store formal wear replete with shoulder pads and sequins. Get to the hall or hotel and look for snacks or hors d'oeuvres because you haven't eaten since breakfast and your health and well being were never figured into the event-day formula. Find no food. Go smoke a cigarette instead.

At the event:

Watch people stream in, with their kids, and make sure to escort them to the "kids room" where one teenager is watching 20 screaming, crazy kids. Justify this in your head somehow and walk away (you've got targets to meet) and go back to the front taking note of who kept their word on coming and who did not. Tell yourself you are going to write a KR on the people who didn't come but never do that because the org has no paper. Make sure to get people to "sign in" further irritating the shit out of them by asking them to leave their name, address and fucking case level (for the eight-hundredth time) until they become that label in their minds.

Good thing you told everyone to be there at 6PM SHARP! because it's now 7PM and you're ready to start. "Come on everyone, the events about to start." Heavily corral the stragglers into the event and let her rip.

After the video starts blaring at a million decibels and you can hear Jeff Pomeranz rumbling through the walls, now is your moment to finally relax by going to another reg meeting where you firm up and adjust your pre-event strategy based on who actually came. Sink down into abject terror when you realize that you will not meet your quota because everyone on your reg line-up bailed and never arrived. Make it through reg meeting and continue to walk around in your high heels (ouch) until you're ornery enough to give any public, who dares leave early, a piece of your mind.

After the event:

Perform your human barricade bag-drill realizing it's more difficult than you thought, to control these people who have been sitting in the same uncomfortable seat for 4 or more hours. Do the best you can and hope that you are one of the lucky ones who gets to do "after event surveys" and if you are, make sure to jot down that every single person tells you that the events are way too long. Immediately fax these surveys uplines so these important responses can be entered into the data files and ignored. Even though you think the events are tortuously long yourself, be sure to act surprised when the person tells you the same thing.

After all public leave:

Look around the event hall and figure out how to get the hell out of there before 1 am so you can sleep. Lug all the shit back into cars and vans (don't tip over the extremely heavy LRH bust) and go back to the org and report your stats on a right now, right now basis!

The next day:

Start call-in for the next event.

Brilliantly written.
Thank you, Sindy.

JB

 

[Orglodyte]

That's a perfect thumbnail sketch from the public's perspective.

Here's the lowdown from the staff member side...

Before the event:

Go to muster and get handed the "Call-In Patter", memorize it and decide not to use it because it sounds beyond hyperbolic and yet you can't quite figure out how else to get someone to come without saying, "This will be like no other event you've ever seen! You HAVE to be there!" Call the same people that everyone else is calling and don't even bother to coordinate it in anyway. Mark absolutely nothing down so that the next person can "jack the person's TA", yet again, by having to tell yet another person that he or she is going to a wedding that weekend, out of town, only to get another lackluster half-ack of disapproval. Do this everyday for a week or two before the event. Leave a million phone messages begging people to come. Attack every student before course. Ask each person who will actually answer the phone who he or she can bring with them. Go collect your prize of a few pieces of candy or a Starbucks card for being a good little staff member who made the quota.

A day or two before the event:

Get assigned hats for the event. Quietly cringe in horror at what you will have to do. Do the "Bag-Drill" where you practice over and over forming a human barricade to then approach people after the event with the robotic phrase, "Cash or credit" while handing them a bag filled with the new release. This assumed close is all the rage in Scientology. It's quite effective.

Day of the event:

Go to a special reg meeting where all of you will meticulously go over the confirms list and put each and everyone of these people into a category for which they will get a different color coded sticker adhered to them to denote said category. This way the staff know who to spend time with and who to ignore. Some categories are: 1) Whale about ready to go to Flag. Reg for package of 10 new releases. 2) I/P on current reg cycle for 12 Intensives. Get the balance tonight and tack on new release. 3) Appointment this person to see the Bridge Consultant, in from ASHO (god, I hope they can finally debug this person). 4) DB only comes to events for the food.

Now, continue to work beyond the point where you have any time to get ready for the event looking anything more than a stressed out 1970's throwback, donned in thrift store formal wear replete with shoulder pads and sequins. Get to the hall or hotel and look for snacks or hors d'oeuvres because you haven't eaten since breakfast and your health and well being were never figured into the event-day formula. Find no food. Go smoke a cigarette instead.

At the event:

Watch people stream in, with their kids, and make sure to escort them to the "kids room" where one teenager is watching 20 screaming, crazy kids. Justify this in your head somehow and walk away (you've got targets to meet) and go back to the front taking note of who kept their word on coming and who did not. Tell yourself you are going to write a KR on the people who didn't come but never do that because the org has no paper. Make sure to get people to "sign in" further irritating the shit out of them by asking them to leave their name, address and fucking case level (for the eight-hundredth time) until they become that label in their minds.

Good thing you told everyone to be there at 6PM SHARP! because it's now 7PM and you're ready to start. "Come on everyone, the events about to start." Heavily corral the stragglers into the event and let her rip.

After the video starts blaring at a million decibels and you can hear Jeff Pomeranz rumbling through the walls, now is your moment to finally relax by going to another reg meeting where you firm up and adjust your pre-event strategy based on who actually came. Sink down into abject terror when you realize that you will not meet your quota because everyone on your reg line-up bailed and never arrived. Make it through reg meeting and continue to walk around in your high heels (ouch) until you're ornery enough to give any public, who dares leave early, a piece of your mind.

After the event:

Perform your human barricade bag-drill realizing it's more difficult than you thought, to control these people who have been sitting in the same uncomfortable seat for 4 or more hours. Do the best you can and hope that you are one of the lucky ones who gets to do "after event surveys" and if you are, make sure to jot down that every single person tells you that the events are way too long. Immediately fax these surveys uplines so these important responses can be entered into the data files and ignored. Even though you think the events are tortuously long yourself, be sure to act surprised when the person tells you the same thing.

After all public leave:

Look around the event hall and figure out how to get the hell out of there before 1 am so you can sleep. Lug all the shit back into cars and vans (don't tip over the extremely heavy LRH bust) and go back to the org and report your stats on a right now, right now basis!

The next day:

Start call-in for the next event.

Nightmarish. Truly nightmarish. I was one of those public people making your job difficult, dodging and weaving around that human barricade. It helps to fall in with others and move in a school, you can keep someone between you and a reg at all times.

How awful to be on the other side of that! Scientology regging in any form is a degrading and miserable job. I'm glad you're out. I have enjoyed your posts very much.

 

[Panda Termint]

That's a perfect thumbnail sketch from the public's perspective.

Here's the lowdown from the staff member side...

<snip excellent post for brevity...>

Awesome write-up, Sindy. Yes, that's exactly how it is!

 

[He-man]

Everyone said it before me - Scientologists don't "celebrate". the get fleeced.

For me when my family were publics:

Before: Confirm, confirm, confirm, confirm, confirm, turn off phone.

During: Clap, clap, clap, clap, clap, clap, clap, clap, clap, clap, try and wiggle your arse around to get some blood into it.
Then what? Get fleeced. I remember the picket line described by Sindy, it was there at the AOSHEU too. And they would body route(basicly hold on to you and drag you) to the regges(Main fleecers) to get fleeced.

After: Rearrange your live to conform to a new set of realities, no monies, the need to travel for parents to go on course/auditing etc..

For me as a staff it was pretty much like Sindy said. Only thing was the bloody balloon blowing, I've never used my lungs like that before or after.

 

[Infinite]

I think it's fair to say that the public well of information about what goes on in an average religious family's home before/after a religious holiday is accurately and amply described. Depictions in music, film, television, literature, and the like are abundant -- and abundantly available -- to say nothing of real-life personal interactions with friends/family/neighbors . . .

Ummm . . . slight problem with your premise:

 

[JBWriter]

Ummm . . . slight problem with your premise:

I did not (and would not) claim that Co$/scientology is a religion.

JB

 

[aegerprimo]

I think it's fair to say that the public well of information about what goes on in an average religious family's home before/after a religious holiday is accurately and amply described. Depictions in music, film, television, literature, and the like are abundant -- and abundantly available -- to say nothing of real-life personal interactions with friends/family/neighbors.

For example, people of other faiths (and those without faith) understand, generally, that prior to Christmas, an average Christian family decorates their home, purchases/gift wraps their presents, and make their way to church on Christmas Eve and/or Christmas Day. Catholic families similarly celebrate Christmas with decorations and presents, but might instead go to Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve.

An Italian-American Catholic family may only eat fish on Christmas Eve prior to attending Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve, whereas a Polish-American Catholic family might place emphasis on specialty desserts served only at this time of year.

So, with that in mind...


What's it like for an average family, 'public' members of Co$, before and after an event?

Are there any traditional foods or activities?

Do Co$ member-family traditions differ geographically?

Do Co$ member-families get together with other member-families to celebrate the Co$ New Year's Eve Event - as opposed to regular New Year's Eve?

If a Co$ member-family lives in, say, St. Louis, and they go to their local org where video is shown of a Flag event, do they get dressed-up? Cook special foods? Host after-parties?

Would a Co$ member-family invite Co$ staff and/or sea org people to a dinner party?


JB - Asking because I've never seen anything mentioned here about this. If there's already a link, please let me know and I'll delete this thread.

 

[Outethicsofficer]

Prior to the event I/we would psych self up on what we knew was to be a gauntlet of regging wherein we knew we'd have to pay...something at least even to just get away from an interminably long night! Then afterwards some relief from knowing we got away without paying in more of money we really didn't have. Or abject overwhelm from having paid in or pledged too much. Either way we would then be a state of how the hell do make this good now! Now if you got away without paying you somehow felt terrible as you were letting the planet down and so on. So in all honesty there was little to look forward to in going to an event and not much to look forward to after it. Celebration and Event. NOT SYNONYMOUS!

 

[Outethicsofficer]

I cannot think of any event I went to when involved with Scientology where it was simply a celebration. Everyone of them was set up to take in money. There was always that aspect to it!

 

[Idle Morgue]

I think it's fair to say that the public well of information about what goes on in an average religious family's home before/after a religious holiday is accurately and amply described. Depictions in music, film, television, literature, and the like are abundant -- and abundantly available -- to say nothing of real-life personal interactions with friends/family/neighbors.

For example, people of other faiths (and those without faith) understand, generally, that prior to Christmas, an average Christian family decorates their home, purchases/gift wraps their presents, and make their way to church on Christmas Eve and/or Christmas Day. Catholic families similarly celebrate Christmas with decorations and presents, but might instead go to Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve.

An Italian-American Catholic family may only eat fish on Christmas Eve prior to attending Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve, whereas a Polish-American Catholic family might place emphasis on specialty desserts served only at this time of year.

So, with that in mind...


What's it like for an average family, 'public' members of Co$, before and after an event?

Are there any traditional foods or activities?

Do Co$ member-family traditions differ geographically?

Do Co$ member-families get together with other member-families to celebrate the Co$ New Year's Eve Event - as opposed to regular New Year's Eve?

If a Co$ member-family lives in, say, St. Louis, and they go to their local org where video is shown of a Flag event, do they get dressed-up? Cook special foods? Host after-parties?

Would a Co$ member-family invite Co$ staff and/or sea org people to a dinner party?


JB - Asking because I've never seen anything mentioned here about this. If there's already a link, please let me know and I'll delete this thread.

Here is what Scientologist's are ALLOWED to do before the event:

CALL-IN!

After the event, here are the activities allowed by the Cult Leader, David Miscavige:

Sign up for Staff or Sea Org?

Registrar - ask for money for one of Scientology's front groups!

Fundraise for Ideal Org Building!:shock::shock::shock::shock::shock::shock::shock::shock::shock::shock::shock::shock:

Anything other than those listed activities would be considered a HIGH CRIME by COB!

 

[phenomanon]

I was staff nearly the entire time I was in, so from my perspective:

What's it like for an average family, 'public' members of Co$, before and after an event?

Before the event there's the constant haranguing to attend the event - calls to confirm, calls to reconfirm, calls to remind - I'd estimate that our org made at least a dozen calls to each person in preparation for the event itself. Unlike other religions, Scientology demands a certain number of attendees at its "religious celebrations".

Are there any traditional foods or activities?

No to foods. Traditionally the majority of our public would confirm attendance and then blow off the event!

Do Co$ member-family traditions differ geographically? Not to my knowledge.

Do Co$ member-families get together with other member-families to celebrate the Co$ New Year's Eve Event - as opposed to regular New Year's Eve?

No.

If a Co$ member-family lives in, say, St. Louis, and they go to their local org where video is shown of a Flag event, do they get dressed-up? Cook special foods? Host after-parties?

Yes to getting dressed up, no to foods and after-parties. We did clap to the screen and cheer the bronze bust.

Would a Co$ member-family invite Co$ staff and/or sea org people to a dinner party?

If they did, chances are the staff/SO would have to decline due to the amount of work required of them after the event, or due to the policy against fraternizing with the public (for SO), or simply due to the fact that they couldn't get the CSW approved.

So has policy against fraternizing with the public?

 

[clamicide]

I did the whole staff thing and so concur with that hell, but I also had time in-between where I was public and did spend time with public, although I never quite felt like I fit in there at times. Anyhow, this is what I recall:

What's it like for an average family, 'public' members of Co$, before and after an event?

I think this really would vary on the climate of the particular org and such. I knew families that would plan to meet up before the event and sometimes after. There seemed to be quite a few cliques. Members of the OT Committee always were doing things together. Those who had money seemed to treat the regging mildly for whatever new release that came out--they actually weren't regged, but just bought and then went on with their night. Although the orgs provided nanny service, there were a lot I saw who would hire a Scio teen and they thought it was a good time for the kids to get together.

When I was single, event season was pretty much Scio mating season. Those without families or (felt more with 'that' crowd would get dressed up. It was a time to meet and party with other Scios. I've been in rented limos for a couple of these. Afterwards, there were choices of parties to go to. None of this is 'tradition', but it was the climate I was exposed to. IAS member appreciation dinners were different. No regging; just a black-tie affair. I attended a few of the events and the after-party at CC, and that was always black-tie.

They started scrimping more on the festivities and putting less into the local event spaces, and so things soured.

Are there any traditional foods or activities?

Not really. It's not like there's a lot of time or intriguing things that came about in the short time since 1950 to have traditional foods that Scio would identify with. On Auditor's Day, everyone who has any training as an auditor is acknowledged. When I was on staff and presented as an auditor, it was expected that we showed up in black tie. We got inspected as to appearance prior to the event.

Do Co$ member-family traditions differ geographically?

Sounds like it from what I see here. I know it tended to be a bit different at different orgs I've been, but I think that's just sort of how differently people do things as you'd see anywhere. The town where I live, the wannabe hipsters are going to be celebrating some things a lot differently than those living in the high-rent district or a blue-collar family living middle of the road.

Do Co$ member-families get together with other member-families to celebrate the Co$ New Year's Eve Event - as opposed to regular New Year's Eve?

I did see a lot of this. FSMs would hang together and such, and they'd group together to get a couple of sittters and go to the event and then go out elsewhere. Our org usually had a band, but most of the public had other plans.

If a Co$ member-family lives in, say, St. Louis, and they go to their local org where video is shown of a Flag event, do they get dressed-up? Cook special foods? Host after-parties?

I think I hit this.


Would a Co$ member-family invite Co$ staff and/or sea org people to a dinner party?

Really depends... where I was, there were old-timers who used to be staff that would do this all the time. FPower FSMs would, but there was always a longer relationship there. There do tend to be unwritten social strata.

 

[TG1]

I remember going to only two events -- the LRH death announcement event in 1986. And that was just fucking weird.

The other one I went to with a girlfriend. And that was before the events = regging gauntlet. Knowing us, I'm sure we went out to a bar afterward and agreed we'd never go to another one. We were embarrassed by the forced applause.

Staying away from command events is a time-honored Scientology tradition.



TG1

 

[JBWriter]

I did the whole staff thing and so concur with that hell, but I also had time in-between where I was public and did spend time with public, although I never quite felt like I fit in there at times. Anyhow, this is what I recall:

What's it like for an average family, 'public' members of Co$, before and after an event?

I think this really would vary on the climate of the particular org and such. I knew families that would plan to meet up before the event and sometimes after. There seemed to be quite a few cliques. Members of the OT Committee always were doing things together. Those who had money seemed to treat the regging mildly for whatever new release that came out--they actually weren't regged, but just bought and then went on with their night. Although the orgs provided nanny service, there were a lot I saw who would hire a Scio teen and they thought it was a good time for the kids to get together.

When I was single, event season was pretty much Scio mating season. Those without families or (felt more with 'that' crowd would get dressed up. It was a time to meet and party with other Scios. I've been in rented limos for a couple of these. Afterwards, there were choices of parties to go to. None of this is 'tradition', but it was the climate I was exposed to. IAS member appreciation dinners were different. No regging; just a black-tie affair. I attended a few of the events and the after-party at CC, and that was always black-tie.

They started scrimping more on the festivities and putting less into the local event spaces, and so things soured.

Are there any traditional foods or activities?

Not really. It's not like there's a lot of time or intriguing things that came about in the short time since 1950 to have traditional foods that Scio would identify with. On Auditor's Day, everyone who has any training as an auditor is acknowledged. When I was on staff and presented as an auditor, it was expected that we showed up in black tie. We got inspected as to appearance prior to the event.

Do Co$ member-family traditions differ geographically?

Sounds like it from what I see here. I know it tended to be a bit different at different orgs I've been, but I think that's just sort of how differently people do things as you'd see anywhere. The town where I live, the wannabe hipsters are going to be celebrating some things a lot differently than those living in the high-rent district or a blue-collar family living middle of the road.

Do Co$ member-families get together with other member-families to celebrate the Co$ New Year's Eve Event - as opposed to regular New Year's Eve?

I did see a lot of this. FSMs would hang together and such, and they'd group together to get a couple of sittters and go to the event and then go out elsewhere. Our org usually had a band, but most of the public had other plans.

If a Co$ member-family lives in, say, St. Louis, and they go to their local org where video is shown of a Flag event, do they get dressed-up? Cook special foods? Host after-parties?

I think I hit this.


Would a Co$ member-family invite Co$ staff and/or sea org people to a dinner party?

Really depends... where I was, there were old-timers who used to be staff that would do this all the time. FPower FSMs would, but there was always a longer relationship there. There do tend to be unwritten social strata.

Wow - thanks for such comprehensive responses, Clamicide!
I'd seen "Auditor's Day" mentioned here and there before, but wasn't quite sure what it meant until now.

JB

 

[Enthetan]

So has policy against fraternizing with the public?

When you think about it, the LAST thing management would want would be SO members having people they could "blow" to, and to whom they could tell the truth about what really goes on inside the SO. The more isolated SO members are from the outside world, the better management likes it.