The Disappearance of Shelly Miscavige (a Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath thread)

[Mike]

You mean the people who were successful in leaving made sure to be in a public place when they said ok I'm leaving the church forever now bye, so that other members couldn't literally drag them back?

Yeah on the show several people mentioned planning out elaborate escape attempts. They knew they would be pursued if they left, or the church would try to stop them from leaving.

 

[DoomPatrol]

Well what of the sources that say she's more or less being held under house arrest at Twin Peaks?

Doesn't sound very credible to me. I wouldn't be surprised if she was there and that her and David were having issues, but I dont think for one second that she's been kidnapped for real. She's probably made an agreement to stay out of sight because she has a lot to lose too.

 

[Guestx]

Doesn't sound very credible to me. I wouldn't be surprised if she was there and that her and David were having issues, but I dont think for one second that she's been kidnapped for real. She's probably made an agreement to stay out of sight because she has a lot to lose too.

I think it's more along the lines of David has told her what to do and his psychological hold over her is strong enough that she will obey. What he says goes.

 

[DoomPatrol]

I think it's more along the lines of David has told her what to do and his psychological hold over her is strong enough that she will obey. What he says goes.

I agree with that statement. That's how I've felt about all of the stories from Leah's show. They use a lot of peer pressure after getting you so connected to the organization that you have no outside resources to leave once you've finally had enough. While they won't actually cross into criminal kidnappings, they will make it so difficult to leave that it might as well be.

And on another note, Fucking bless Leah Remini. That girl is so fine. She's slathered in makeup and Red Buttons and it gets me going.

 

[Guestx]

I agree with that statement. That's how I've felt about all of the stories from Leah's show. They use a lot of peer pressure after getting you so connected to the organization that you have no outside resources to leave once you've finally had enough. While they won't actually cross into criminal kidnappings, they will make it so difficult to leave that it might as well be.

Well they say as much in the show, I think. Mike Rinder talks (I think in ep 3) about how everything they do is "just on the edge of legal."

So I don't think any of these people are being held like they just got kidnapped by Colombian drug dealers, but because of the psychological hold they are more or less paralyzed.

And on another note, Fucking bless Leah Remini. That girl is so fine. She's slathered in makeup and Red Buttons and it gets me going.

She looks good, but you can tell she's had some work done and I hate that.

 

[Guestx]

Damn, the people viewing this thread boosted significantly in the past 30 mins or so.

We must have a late-night Sherdog crowd who just arrived.

 

[DoomPatrol]

Well they say as much in the show, I think. Mike Rinder talks (I think in ep 3) about how everything they do is "just on the edge of legal."

So I don't think any of these people are being held like they just got kidnapped by Colombian drug dealers, but because of the psychological hold they are more or less paralyzed.

Yeah, it's crazy to me just because I've never met anyone who actually believes in this shit. To me, hard-core Christians are insane. I can't imagine how crazy you have to be to fall into scientology. I've never actually read Dianetics so I'm not sure what they do to suck people in so bad. It sounds real self helpy.

She looks good, but you can tell she's had some work done and I hate that.

I know, and normally I prefer a natural girl, but there's just something about the way she puts it all together that I love. Fingernails so long she can barely use her hands. Fake eyelashes that hang off her eyes. Big doctored up lips. She's still got that banging body too. I just know her pussy tastes delicious.

 

[Guestx]

Yeah, it's crazy to me just because I've never met anyone who actually believes in this shit. To me, hard-core Christians are insane. I can't imagine how crazy you have to be to fall into scientology. I've never actually read Dianetics so I'm not sure what they do to suck people in so bad. It sounds real self helpy.

I think with Scientology they get you first with the self-help stuff. "Hey, here's a course you can take and you'll learn skills that will improve your life." And then you take that course and it actually does teach you some interesting and useful stuff.

And then everything else develops from there.

 

[Mike]

Yeah, it's crazy to me just because I've never met anyone who actually believes in this shit. To me, hard-core Christians are insane. I can't imagine how crazy you have to be to fall into scientology. I've never actually read Dianetics so I'm not sure what they do to suck people in so bad. It sounds real self helpy.



I know, and normally I prefer a natural girl, but there's just something about the way she puts it all together that I love. Fingernails so long she can barely use her hands. Fake eyelashes that hang off her eyes. Big doctored up lips. She's still got that banging body too. I just know her pussy tastes delicious.

Apparently there's only something like 25k of them. So you aren't going to run into them much.

 

[chickenluver]

Hilarious video. I had been especially confused why the hydrogen bomb was necessary.

And holy fuck at Scarlett Johansson actually quitting MI3 because she was freaked out by Cruise trying to recruit her. That's insane. If I ever meet her or get the chance to ask her a question I'm coming right out and saying "So tell me about your dinner with Tom Cruise"

 

[Guestx]

Hilarious video. I had been especially confused why the hydrogen bomb was necessary.

And holy fuck at Scarlett Johansson actually quitting MI3 because she was freaked out by Cruise trying to recruit her. That's insane. If I ever meet her or get the chance to ask her a question I'm coming right out and saying "So tell me about your dinner with Tom Cruise"

Fucking LOL, I know right?

There's a whole series of those YAAFM videos. They're old now, but still good. The Scientology ep is the one that I remember the most.

 

[Mike]

I think with Scientology they get you first with the self-help stuff. "Hey, here's a course you can take and you'll learn skills that will improve your life." And then you take that course and it actually does teach you some interesting and useful stuff.

And then everything else develops from there.

I think they fit a niche for someone looking to improve themselves, and looking for a community to fit into.


They claim to be interested in self improvement, science and technology. If you think about it there aren't a lot of places for someone to go that's interested in those things, disenfranchised with religion, but still longing for a sense of community and a spiritual outlet.

 

[SSOTO]

This guy looks like a villain in an episode of Law & Order SVU

Exactly. He reminds me of an actor who always plays the quiet sociopath but i can't remember anything he been in and it's bugging the hell out of me. Kinda resembles the guy who plays Lumbergh in Office Space.

 

[chickenluver]

Apparently there's only something like 25k of them. So you aren't going to run into them much.

They have a spot in downtown Seattle. They have signs outside saying free stress test, Hubbard books on display in the window, and there's always one person standing outside watching everybody who goes by. I've seen people arguing with them a couple times.

 

[Guestx]

I think they fit a niche for someone looking to improve themselves, and looking for a community to fit into.

They claim to be interested in self improvement, science and technology. If you think about it there aren't a lot of places for someone to go interested in those things, disenfranchised with religion, but still longing for a sense of community and a spiritual outlet.

Here's the thing, no joke, that sounds interesting TO ME!

So if I had never heard about Scientology and someone approached me about it with some reasonable-looking literature then I'd probably be down to listen. Once they busted Xenu out on my ass though I'd seriously be like WTF.

And of course then there's the money. I know that Leah Remini on the show, on multiple occasions, says that ALL members--not just the rich ones--are going to spend at least a quarter of a million dollars if they stay long enough. That's just crazy.

 

[LiLoMMA]

@LiLoMMA I saw you lurking.

This seems like your kind of story. You got nothing on this one?

I'm 3 episodes into the show, really enjoying it.
I was going to catch all the way up before commenting, but here are some tidbits I thought were interesting.
Like a lot of people said itt, Miscavige outright looks like a made for tv villain, can't believe he got to be the leader. Made me think of when Lenin died and the Bolsheviks needed a new leader. Josef Stalin was like "I got this", how do these people get away with such obvious red flags?! When Stalin died, he was in his room for over 24 hours before someone checked on him, because people were terrified of waking him and possibly upsetting him. I bet it's similar here, if Miscavige was a few hours late out of his room, I don't see many scientologists volunteering to go in there.
I do think the Scientology strategy of recruiting famous people is downright genius. A lot of people in Hollywood are already away from their families, which probably makes them easier to recruit then people close to their families who come from a different religion and would never stand for it. And in the cutthroat world of entertainment, you promise them success... promise then happiness... ??? ... profit?
And then for regular people, the best way to legitimize something crazy (like a new freakin religion!!) is to make it seem like the cool people they look up to are doing it, and it's totally normal.
Woof.
My sherdog crashed four times during this reply, weird

 

[Guestx]

They have a spot in downtown Seattle. They have signs outside saying free stress test, Hubbard books on display in the window, and there's always one person standing outside watching everybody who goes by. I've seen people arguing with them a couple times.

We've got a Scientology place here, just a handful of blocks away in fact, but it's pretty nondescript. In fact, I don't think they even have the Scientology sign out anymore. They used to, but my guess is that it either kept getting vandalized or the employees were getting threats and shit.

I've always wondered what would happen if I went in there.

 

[chickenluver]

We've got a Scientology place here, just a handful of blocks away in fact, but it's pretty nondescript. In fact, I don't think they even have the Scientology sign out anymore. They used to, but my guess is that it either kept getting vandalized or the employees were getting threats and shit.

I've always wondered what would happen if I went in there.

That surprises me they would have one so deep in Mormon country. Not surprised they would take their label off though.

I too have wondered at the creepy mysteries contained within

 

[Mike]

Here's the thing, no joke, that sounds interesting TO ME!

So if I had never heard about Scientology and someone approached me about it with some reasonable-looking literature then I'd probably be down to listen. Once they busted Xenu out on my ass though I'd seriously like WTF.

And of course then there's the money. I know that Leah Remini on the show, on multiple occasions, says that ALL members--not just the rich ones--are going to spend at least a quarter of a million dollars if they stay long enough. That's just crazy.

Same here. Thing is all the xenu bullshit is super high level stuff. Most members don't hear anything about that shit.


The people that have are probably many millions in, and are incredibly wealthy influential people. Imo that's the kind of person more likely to buy into that, it seems like it would appeal to the egomaniac. There's a reason you've always felt superior to everyone else, it's because you ARE superior. You're operating on a level they can't even comprehend


Look at someone like that smug Asshole Cruise and tell me it doesn't sound like something he'd like. It does suck because religion just doesn't appeal to a lot of people. But they idea of something based on around self help, knowledge and introspection, using tech to try to make the world a better place?


Sounds very appealing to me. Too bad it's all bullshit. When Remini talked about all the humanitarian stuff they SAID they were doing, and they showed the propaganda clips they would show members, I could see why it would interest people.

 

[Guestx]

I'm 3 episodes into the show, really enjoying it.
I was going to catch all the way up before commenting, but here are some tidbits I thought were interesting.

Well I've only watched the first three eps myself. This thread is about the show, but it's more specifically about Shelly's disappearance. Not sure if you went through the OP, but there are no show spoilers or anything.

Like a lot of people said itt, Miscavige outright looks like a made for tv villain, can't believe he got to be the leader. Made me think of when Lenin died and the Bolsheviks needed a new leader. Josef Stalin was like "I got this", how do these people get away with such obvious red flags?! When Stalin died, he was in his room for over 24 hours before someone checked on him, because people were terrified of waking him and possibly upsetting him. I bet it's similar here, if Miscavige was a few hours late out of his room, I don't see many scientologists volunteering to go in there.
I do think the Scientology strategy of recruiting famous people is downright genius. A lot of people in Hollywood are already away from their families, which probably makes them easier to recruit then people close to their families who come from a different religion and would never stand for it. And in the cutthroat world of entertainment, you promise them success... promise then happiness... ??? ... profit?
And then for regular people, the best way to legitimize something crazy (like a new freakin religion!!) is to make it seem like the cool people they look up to are doing it, and it's totally normal.
Woof.

Good thoughts.

I agree about the celebrity strategy. Like you say, it's genius. I wonder how many celebrities are actually Scientologists? Like, what percentage of the Hollywood elite are card carrying members?

My sherdog crashed four times during this reply, weird

They're onto you, bro. They don't want you posting in this thread. Fair Game and all.