My wonderful wife found a great scene in a new (2000) novel by a Canadian playright and author that shows really well how Scientology is viewed by the non-Scientologists. The book is about the dysfunctional family of a real estate agent who has cancer. It is really quite well written. The author is Cordelia Strube and the book is "The Barking Dog", published by Thomas Allen Publishers, Toronto, Copyright 2000, 418 pages.

The scene is found on pgs 225-227.

This is the only reference to the happy fun cult in the novel, but I think it speaks volumes about the reality of what happens in Scientology, without even mention of Xenu, the Marcabs or past lives. It boils it down to its essence for the average person.

Fair use quote follows:

-------------------------------------- "Bob’s become a Scientologist," Rachel informs me. She hasn’t touched her quiche. I refrain from forking it into her. She seems to be shrinking. I recognize the dress she’s wearing; she used to fill it."It’s been going on for a while," she admits. "He’s been taking courses. They’re so expensive, all our savings, even some RRSPS he’s spent on them."

"With your permission?"

"I want him to be happy." She fiddles nervously with one of her gold ioop earrings. "He says he wants to be ‘clear.’ That’s what happens after you’ve been ‘audited’ over and over - you become clear. They hook you up to an E-meter. I think it’s supposed to be able to tell if you’re getting emotional. You’re not supposed to get emotional. The auditor keeps saying words that bring back bad memories. He says them over and over until they don’t upset you any more." She stares at the dregs in her coffee cup. "It’s not much to look at, the E-meter, just these two cans attached to a string or something. Reminds me of when we used to play phone, remember that, with orange juice cans?"

I nod but withhold comment because I know that no matter what I say it will be interpreted as big sister’s intolerance for little sister’s foibles.

"Anyway," she adds, "it’s expensive."

I sip my wine, fondle the stem of the glass. A man is washing the window, making lovely rivulets with his squeegee. He spins it in his hand and wipes them dry with the rubber edge. "Rachel, Scientologists are scum."

"Well, I knew you’d say that, that’s why I haven’t told you about it."

"So why are you telling me now?"

She looks down at the linen napkin on her lap. "Because I need money."

"How much?"

"Ten thousand dollars. It’s just credit cards, you know, they just pile up. I’ll pay it back."

...

"The deal is," I tell Rachel, "I’ll give you the ten thousand if you cut up the credit cards, or just the ones he uses."

She nods meekly, my little broken sister. I reach for her hand and grip it. "Scientology isn’t going to go away," I advise her.

"No, I know that. At first I thought maybe it would be good for him, he’s always trying to improve himself, there’s nothing wrong with that. So I thought maybe I’d try it, you know, see for myself.

So I went down to the ‘Org,’ that’s what they call it, and did a personality test. You know, you answer questions and they show you on graphs what you need to work on."

"And recommend courses."

"That’s right. According to the graphs I’m... I need a lot of work."

I can see she’s trying not to cry, the little girl with the bleeding ears. "It doesn’t hurt," she said.

"But you didn’t want to take the courses?" I inquire.

"Well, no. The man interviewing me seemed like he needed a lot of work. He was very edgy, and had bloodshot eyes. Bob told me he was clear. So I thought, if that’s clear, I don’t want any part of it. Anyway, you don’t stay clear. After a while you have to be audited all over again."

"It’s a money pit," I suggest. "What’s happened to Amway?"

"Oh, Bob’s just... he’s lost interest. I’m doing what I can but I’ve never been that good a salesperson. I’m better on the business end."

...

"I know it’s none of my business," I tell Rachel, "but if you want to leave him, you’re welcome to stay with me."

"Oh I would never do that, leave the house? They’re not getting my home."

------------------------- Well. It's a good thing that Scientology enjoys such a sparkling reputation.

Fastest growing religion in the world. Right.

James

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