To cut a long story short I was on my way back from college after doing some shopping and I managed to get caught by someone handing out "free personality tests" and bundled into a building to fill out this god awful 200 multiple choice questionare and with an hour or so to kill I thought why not:lollol: after I finished I walked out into the lobby and then suddenly realised what the place was turns out is was one those Scientology "Academy's" ended up disccusing the results of my "personality test" with some guy who basically did one of those fake readings fortune tellers do where by they are ask allot of broad spectrum questions and then judge what to ask you next based on your reactions (getting very chummy and asking where your from and "..oh I have an aunt from there" or "haven't been there myself however I've sailed passed" etc. this happened with every person I spoke too) after all that (an hour or so later) he tries and sells me the book Dianetics at some ridiculous price and then tries to pressure me into buying it when I said no:o Most interesting thing that's happened to me all week:hehe: I'm slightly worried that these con artists are out there though:(
some background info for people --> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientology http://www.xenu.net/ here's the test I filled out some pretty interestingly worded questions... http://dl.dropbox.com/u/2699680/perstest.pdf
Did you manage all that in an hour Aesculus.? I think I would just be marked as SLOW and put in the remedial section.
They are extremely dodgy Aesculus. They used to (perhaps still do) have a shop on Tottenham Court Road, near one the London Universities - trying to recruit. Glad you got out of there - avoid them like the plague. They are banned in Germany, which they are livid about of course! And whenever a Tom Cruise movie is premiered in Germany, there are always people outside demonstrating about this extremely dangerous cult.
It was just the most surreal thing... I'd previously known about Scientology but never actually realised how wide spread it was:skp: sticking well clear of the place now anyway, will let my friends know to stay clear as well the thing that got me was that they say "were a legitimate religion" yet they have a dingy back alley office and have no signs or anything outside just a small white sign which says "free personality test" I really don't know how I do it:ywn:
Good idea. Like all cults, they prey on the young, those who maybe are away from home for the first time and the vulnerable. They especially hate the fact that a lot of European countries refuse to allow them to be called a 'church'.
I have not really bothered about this "Scientology" obviously i have read a few snippets on this cult. i am quite amazed at the number of well known names who are involved with Scientology >> John Travolta, Tom Cruise , Jennifer Aspen, Katie Holmes, Pricilla Presley, Demi Moore , Sharon Stone just to mention a few . music .
Never met any Scientologists, but had an encounter with a couple of Mormons many years ago. I was driving from our then home, on the side of the Great Malvern into the town. As I drove down the hill I saw two smartly dressed young men with very short haircuts trudging down the road. As the bus service even in those days was abysmal, I stopped and offered them a lift, which they gladly accepted. As soon as they were in the car they "started." So I stopped the car and said, "I don't mind giving you a lift but I'm not willing to listen to your sales pitch." I started the car again and carried on down the hill. The next words they spoke were "Thank you" as I let them out of the car in the town centre. I've reached an age where I don't get approached in the street very often by people doing surveys, dunno why, as it's mostly our generation who are the ones who can afford to spend money. But when I am, I smile and politely interrupt their approach with; "I'm sorry, I don't give interviews." We get a few "door-steppers" of all types, but I can see them through the bay window in the front room. I just ignore them, after all we didn't ask them to call.
Time share in another dimension .... we have actually had them walking up through the orchards here twice and shouting through our gates ... it's not polite or a 'done thing' to enter someone's property here without invitation. Keep well away my young friend ... say you are Catholic and they shy away ...
On any official document where it asks "Religion?" I always put "Jedi." I believe this is what many people do and thus make it appear to be a very widespread faith. Asked "Occupation?" if there is an opportunity not to choose from a list I always put "Pleasantly unemployed."
Any time we get Mormons or Jehovahs knocking I tell them I am a 'Born again Agnostic', and while they are thinking about it I shut the door.:D
I can happily confirm what Victoria says-as soon as I mention I am Catholic-after which I fix them with my finest, indignant and defiant "I dare you you" stare, they seem to dissolve away. Having said that I might have had a look at this Scientology thing-it's getting too easy to handle the Joeys and Mormons.
You did good Aescelus all the Scientology lot want is your money... That is why the stars go but I do know of a family in the USA in Idaho who have lost everything to Scientology... The father was widowed & within 6 months had signed the whole fruit farm & canning business, family farm wealth everything.....!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! They preyed on him & his sorrow after his wife's death It has ripped the family apart as the father has since been diagnosed with Alzheimers, but because he did this a couple of years before the diagnosis he is considered of sound body & mind... He now lives with his eldest son, but it is dreadful as both the sons worked in the family business right from school & thought they were going to carry it on for the 3rd generation.......!!!! Now they are jobless & looking after the father who put them there.... As far as I am concerned Scientology is a HUGE HUGE con unless you have millions........
We don't think any religion has a 'right' to force themselves on you. We were both brought up Catholic but are not practicising now because we choose not to. We don't think any religion should impose themselves on anyone. How sad is it that a particular religion has to go door-to-door ... or for heaven's sake in our case .... orchard to orchard .... to 'find' believers? Or in A's case almost kidnap him? One believes in what one believes .. I lost faith when my mother died aged 36 (when I was 7) and she was a true Catholic. I obviously don't remember a lot about her sadly but there is one thing I remember she told me ... God is where you want him to be ... in the room, behind you, in the fridge ... he's where you 'believe' him to be .. not necessarily in a church. I haven't been to a church much since she died. What I believe in is in my mind. T'other half is also an ex-Catholic .. I went to Convents and he went to Jesuit schools .. so between us we keep the devils away!
