E-mail received asking for advice:

[START]
Greetings,

For the past 6 months or so, The Church of Scientology has been heavily advertising and recruiting in NYC. They set up tables and lure people in by offering a "Free Stress Test". I've seen them everywhere from subway stations, to Times Square. People have no idea that this is a trick and that it's sponsered by Scientologist.

Is there anything that can be done? I understand that this is a cult, and am truely disturbed by it--I am very bothered by this current "stress" scheme, and am shocked by the numbers of people that take the bait.
[END]

Unfortunately, they were already confronted, but won't leave. It's illegal to sell things in the subway, though they were selling Dianetics. They were investigated, and reprimanded by the police, but they were only gone for a few days.

I'm too timid to take a stress test or watch the intro video at the org on 46th even though I really want to. (Can anyone assuage my fears?) I can verify, though, that they're selling courses and books in all kinds of languages in the subway.

If it comforts you, it's my intuition that most New Yorkers are too cynical and self-centered to fall for it after they take a stress test.

On a humorous note, I was walking to the shuttle train between Grand Central and Times Square, and an extremely attractive (and kinda cute) Scientologist was stepping in front of people trying to get them into a stress test. Her aggressiveness was captivating.

Justaddness, First let me tell you I LOVE your nick! Just add "ness" to any word and you have the key to scientologese.

In the interest of assauging your fears, the emeter cannot read your thoughts or diagnose what ails your soul. It is a very simple resistance ohmeter(look it up, Lermanet has a very good scientific assesment) similar to but less sophisticated than a lie detector, (not admissible in court) or a TENS unit, or various other electrical impulse measurement or delivery devices.

You don't have to be aggresive about it, just sit down in the chair, hold the cans, and when the poor schill asks you, "there! what were you thinking about?" just tell him "well, I was thinking about XENU!" Depending on your mood, you can expand on that theme, "Xenu has escaped from the volcano and is living right here in the subway!" or "I know I am destined to be the mother of L. Ron Hubbard in his next incarnation, and I need your seed, will you please f--k me now for the sake of every man, woman and child on this planet?

Trust me, I have spent thousands of hours on both sides of the e-meter, and no one knows what you are thinking. Unless you tell them. Tell them what you want them to hear.

The e-meter is nothing more than a crude lie detector, the only power it has is the gullability of the person who picks up the cans and spills their guts.

There is truth in this world, but scientology does not have it.

Ladybird,

LOL - I love this post !!!!

"I know I am destined to be the mother of L. Ron Hubbard in his next incarnation, and I need your seed, will you please f--k me now for the sake of every man, woman and child on this planet?"

Testing the TR's of the guy or the confront by talking like this?

It's the freedom of mind and the humour which speaks through these lines !!

James

James, It is all ephemeral. The material world is fleeting, and hopefully is not all that there is, but you know what? If this IS all there is, you won't know anyway.

Thank you for letting me know I made you laugh.

It really is all kind of funny, don'tcha think?

I hope you play the game and win. It IS a game you know, and if you lose, all you have to do is start over.

It's not over til it's over.

My game right now is to see scientology go down before I do.

They gave me their best shot, and I am still standing.

And I still think it is funny.

Ladybird, I'm not afraid of anything like that. I'm just a timid person, and I know they would get upset at me if they knew what an SP I was. If I ever did it, I would make sure not to bring my wallet.

One of my friends at work enjoys toying with the stress testers and has told me such entertaining, disturbing stories. He told one of them that he had no money, and with a blank-eyed stare, the Scientologist said, "Everyone has SOMETHING to give..."

Justaddness said:

"He told one of them that he had no money, and with a blank-eyed stare, the Scientologist said, "Everyone has SOMETHING to give..."

Yeah, right. If you don't have money scientology will be happy to sign you up for a billion year slave contract, or help you cash in your house, business, retirement fund, etc.

You do not have to be funny or aggressive, actually that approach might be more easily rejected by the deluded adherent sitting there at the stress test table.

Maybe the most effective message to break through the scientology spell is just to care about that poor schill and say what is on your heart. Ask the questions they cannot answer, ask the questions that got you to think for yourself, say whatever truth seems appropriate to you at the time.

Please do not feel like being an "SP" is a dishonor. All it means is that you did not buy into all the crap, and you maintained your personal sense of integrity and honor despite whatever pressure you were under to toe the party line.

I am proud to be an SP, but I must admit it was devastating at first. You are in good company, Justaddness!

I think in the overall scheme of things, sometimes a timid word spoken from the heart can be more effective than a lecture series by an "Expert".

What do you have to lose? Give it a try, you can't save everybody, but we can help chip away one word at a time.

My resident nerd insists that I correct my mistake. The E-meter is an ohm-meter, not an ohmeter as I stated in an earlier post.

That said, the fact remains that when you pick up the cans there is not an instant secret window to your soul.

No matter what you say in response to the scientologist saying "that, THAT!, what are you thinking?" they will readily accept it.

So say what you want them to hear.

CofS NY email for July 15th event, please report on this if you know anything:

[start]

It's our biggest party YET!

This Friday's event includes our
history making announcement!

Celebrate our win!

We've all been working on this for a loooooong time.

Email us back that you'll be here.
Bring everyone you know!

Friday 15 July at 7pm
Church of Scientology New York
(org address, etc.)
It's against the law to miss this one!

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Hi,

I was approached in Port Authority the other day. Has anybody else been addressed there? Anyway, I've never been in a Scientology facility and for some reason feel like I need to experience it first-hand. Any suggestions for a first time personality assessment-er? My cousin did his doctoral thesis on Scientology and I can't seem to read enough about it. I've always had to experience things that weird me out for myself, and I'm looking forward to this. Friends that refuse to go with me are requiring full disclosure, of course.

Coult you tell us a little more about what a "Doctoral Thesis on Scientology"
is?

"My cousin did his doctoral thesis on Scientology..."

I'd like to read that thesis.

Dajama asked: "Any suggestions for a first time personality assessment-er?"

Yes, leave your wallet at home.

Cerri

Here is what I would do.
1. Leave all forms of currancy at home, wallet, checks, credit cards, debit cards ect...
2. Make a cheat sheet or memorize the answers for the personality test from this here http://www.xenu.net/archive/oca/
3. Dress extremely casually, Shorts, T-shirt, and running shoes.

Go and take the stress test, either on the street or in the org, answering all the questions as they are exactly on http://www.xenu.net/archive/oca/.

Watch them still try to reg you using your 'ruin'. It is fun to see really.

Methods of escape.
1. Not suggested, but extremely funny, interrupt the ruin interview by asking if $cientologist really believe they are infested with dead space aliens who were blown up in non-existant volcanos, here on earth 750 trillon years ago by the evil overlord Xenu. (Before doing this make sure you have a clear path to the exit. If the 'interviewer' gets up to get you an answer leave immediately)

2. Tell them your ruin is that you just declared bankrupcy and lost everything, your house, your car, ect... and that you are living with your father/mother who is a clinical psychologist. Don't worry about the exit being clear with this one, they will escort you to the door. If they don't, remember why you are wearing running shoes and casual cloths...

Well try it out, remember, the time they waste trying to reg you, is time they won't be regging someone else, you may also plant the seed of doubt in one of the members.