This is what can happen when you trust people connected to the church.... We won't be so dumb again.

Believe me, I feel like a total moron for having anything to do with them.

A couple months ago my husband's brother in law, Matt, contacted him. He wanted my husband, David, to work with him and his brother on various construction projects. It did seem like a bad idea - I am declared and my husband's sister Kristi is married to Matt and they are both Scientologist's. I was pretty shocked that Matt had even called us, but he and his brother wanted David because they know he is great with construction, and Matt was certain it would be okay and that he could handle it.

David agreed to work with them. They were discussing making him a third partner. He had been working on his own before this, but decided that this could work out really well - they all knew each other, and knew they worked well together. So David started with them instead of continuing with his own business.

David has never been a scientologist, and his only "crime" is being married to me.

When asked about the church, Matt said that he is his own man, that no one could tell him who to talk to. He said not to worry, because since he didn't feel it was an overt, it wasn't. Nobody controls him, etc.

We believed Matt because at one time we were very good friends, and I know that he is a good guy. I still feel that way. I told him that the church might use tremendous pressure on him to not be connected to David. Matt was sure he could handle it, and live his life as he sees fit (yeah, right!).

Anyway, David started working with Matt. Everything went fine until this morning.

David called me and he had just talked to Matt. He said that Matt won't work with him anymore. Kristi found out and Matt is in a lot of trouble with the church, worried about losing his wife and little girl - all because he was doing construction with my non scientologist husband.

Just to make it perfectly clear, Matt contacted my husband. We did not seek him out. He called my husband and told him that he wanted to work with him.

He told him that there was a lot of work, and they needed him. Now, David has to scramble and get work lined up on very short notice.This puts us in financial danger - hey there's something the "church" can take as a win

My husband has a very hard time understanding why his own sister is against him, when he has done nothing wrong. I understand, unfortunately, so was not shocked to find out in addition to that, my old closest friend who I knew way before scientology, was the one who found out and wrote up the knowledge report.

In the past 2 years, before I got declared, but everyone knew it was coming, Matt was the only one we would hear from every once in awhile. I have never heard from anybody else, except one other person who will remain nameless.

Matt is my and Dave's relative only through law, but Matt, and not Dave's sister, wanted us to know that he loved us no matter what. She used to be a good friend of mine, too.

I am aware that I should have never, never allowed this to happen. I was depending upon loyalties that no longer exist. I want to believe that love, family, respect, and integrity are the guiding forces in the lives of the people I care about. But that was very stupid to attribute those qualities to people who are connected to the "Church" of Scientology.

I hope that Matt will re-evaluate his life and his beliefs. I hope he sees that he is NOT his own man, NOT free to make his own choices. That any person or group that obtains your compliance by manipulation and threat is something to stay far away from. I am so sorry this happened, but I hope that it will lead to realizations for the people I still care about, but can no longer talk to.

I am looking at this as a very good reminder of the devastation, heartbreak and evil that is the "Church" of Scientology. I, and now also my husband, will make even more of an effort to expose the truth about this horrible "church" to our friends and family, and anybody we come across. We will never stop. That is a promise.

Maggie (& David!) Sanders

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