I joined the Sea Org in 1976 and resigned in 1979. I mostly worked in the Los Angeles Child Care Org. My time in the EPF was largely spent helping to renovate the newly purchased Cedars of Lebanon hospital complex in Hollywood.

When I was a SO member, I did not feel underpaid or exploited.

More than 25 years after leaving, I still do not consider myself fully recovered but have made a lot of progress.

After researching Scientology and cults I developed a recovery program for myself. Posted here is the current version of it. (It has gone through a lot of revisions and may well change in the future.)

I'm not sharing it here with the intent that other former "church" of Scientology members should imitate it. I feel each person needs to personally select their own recovery goals and recovery steps.

The publication most beneficial to recovering from "church" of Scientology membership that I am aware of is "Captive Hearts, Captive Minds," by Madeleine Landau Tobias and Janja Lalich (1994). Reading the descriptions by recovering cult members gave me more confidence that I can recover too and practical suggestions on how to make it happen. (Only one of that book's personal recovery descriptions is by a former CofS member - Hana Whitfield - the other ones were written by members of other cults.)

Here are the 14 elements of the current program. The steps were not executed in numerical order (finish one, then do the next) but were often simultaneously worked on.

1. Compare the condition of your life now with how you were doing before your involvement with Scientology. Break it down into categories. Use Hubbard's eight dynamics if that appeals to you or use other categories such as health, job satisfaction, relationships, material and financial abundance, etc. Also note whether you seem to have lost any abilities that you had prior to becoming involved with Scientology.

2. Describe what you would consider to be a full recovery from your experiences with the "church" of Scientology. Here is the recovery goal I chose:

To equal and surpass my pre-Scientology levels of prosperity and contentment

3. Do your best to disconnect from the "church" of Scientology and any other oppressive groups or individuals that you may still be connected to.

4. Learn the truth about L. Ron Hubbard and his "church". Compare any PR lies you learned while in Scientology with the facts.

5. Study the characteristics of cults and cult leaders. Compare the "church" of Scientology with other cults.

6. Accelerate your recovery by studying descriptions of how other former cult members were able to heal their lives.

7. Fully release yourself from the compulsion to agree with or obey Hubbard. Be able to comfortably revise and ignore LRH policy and tech.

8. Effectively use Scientology concepts to enhance your personal success.

9. Repair any of your personal relationships damaged by your exposure to Scientology.

10. Write a detailed description of your experiences in Scientology and share it with other people.

11. Reinstate having a very enjoyable daily routine that includes being able to successfully meet your financial and economic needs. (This is an ability I had before becoming involved with Scientology but not during the 25 years following my 1979 departure from the Sea Org.)

12. Maintain a personal collection of any Scientology concepts that still appeal to you (without giving financial support to the "church" of Scientology). To help reduce the expense of this, xerox material from libraries and shop around for used books. Continue your education in Dianetics, Scientology and their offshoots if you are interested in doing so.

13. Identify how you were susceptible to being recruited and deceived by the "church" of Scientology.

14. Do what you consider to be your fair share to help other former members of Scientology recover.

= = = = = = =

Additional Comments - Lawsuits

A few former members of the "church" of Scientology have collected cash settlements from the CofS as compensation for the abuse they suffered.

I decided not to make the collection of a cash settlement from the CofS one of my recovery goals, even though I believe Hubbard and his "church" clearly committed fraud. My decision was based partly on the nature of the U.S. legal system, which gives unfair advantages to those who are wealthy over those who are not. Also, I personally do not feel that justice is one of the main purposes of the US legal system. In my opinion, other purposes are more dominant; for example, maximizing income for lawyers.

Fraud

If the activities and background of Hubbard and his "church" had been truthfully represented to me, I would not have spent large sums of money on auditing or provided three years of labor for a salary averaging about $12 per week.

What I was told or read: Hubbard did not receive the income generated by his ""church"es".

Reality: Hubbard controlled Scientology finances. Money was funneled into offshore accounts controlled by him.

What I was told or read: CofS is an ethical humanitarian group.

Reality: Scientology's Guardian's Office harassed critics and former members (Paulette Cooper, for example) under Hubbard's direct orders. "Church" members ran an illegal spy operation against the IRS with Hubbard supervising the operation.

What I was told or read: Personal information that a Scientologist reveals during auditing sessions is confidential.

Reality: Hubbard ordered staff members to examine PC folders to obtain information that could be used for blackmail.

What I was told or read: Various lies about Hubbard's background as given in Scientology books that I studied in the 1970's.

Reality: "The evidence portrays a man who has been virtually a pathological liar when it comes to his history, background, and achievements." (Judge Paul Breckenridge, in his 1984 decision on "Church" of Scientology of California v. Gerald Armstrong)

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