Greg Bashaw * Death of a Scientologist

[deb_thang]

I'm giving this thread a bump so that I and other newer posters have a chance to take in its contents. Hopefully it will be read by many who missed it the first and second time around.

[lrh_lied]

From: "Magoo" <magoo44@Charter.net>
Subject: Letter to Chicago Reader: Scientology suicides
Date: Mon, 19 Aug 2002 13:11:35 -0700

(To someone at the Chicago Reader. I'm not saying who, as it will just give OSA a heads up on who to write about me.)

Having been in Scientology for 30 years, and now out, and having known now 5 people personally who have killed themselves (each in Scientology, or wanting out) I cannot thank Tori Marlon and the staff of the Chicago Reader enough for writing the article about Greg Bashaw.

JimDbb posted much of it on a well read newsgroup where people both "in" and people considering joining often read. One of THE most tragic things about Scientology is they break up families, over and over again. They also hide facts from people, deceive them, and refuse to let them get ANY outside help.

People need to read this article and HEAR what happens, blow by blow. This story is truly an honest account of one man who lived trying his hardest to believe and do what he thought needed to be done, and taking his own life due to frustrations he could not overcome.

Again, having known 5 people now -- 4 young men, who have taken their lives -- I am asking you to please don't make Jim take this article down.

Many of us have Web sites up telling the factual other side of the story. I would suggest that you all allow this to be posted. It is truthful and honest, and people should have the right to know what their children are getting into, on both ends.

I used to be the ED of what is named "The Scientology Parishioners League". Our entire purpose was to stop any kind of communications such as these, for these commuications are supposedly "against freedom of religion". I realized while doing this they are actually mostly telling facts Scientology doesn't want known, and if you look at it honestly, C of S (Church of Scientology) has to be against Freedom of Speech to stop these communications. Soon after I left, after being in for 30 years, and doing much of what Greg did.

I grew up in Chicago, and the media has always been strong in telling the facts, and not getting pushed around by others. Please keep this long standing history in tact, and allow this article of Greg Bashaw to be posted publically.

It just might save someone's life.

My thanks to you all

Tory Christman
(Daughter of Paul Christman, used to be #44 of the Chicago Cardinals
many years ago )
_________________
Lisa McPherson escaped long enough to show she had heart...before scientology killed her

[Prufrock]

A must read. Bump.
_________________
"Just think, I turned to a cult for mindless happiness when I had beer all along." - Homer Simpson

"$cientology must be the only church without a religion." - Peter Schilte f.k.a. Navy

[butwehave11]

awesome. bump.
_________________
I fart in your general direction!

[Ladybird]

<BUMP>

Please read this thread!

From "The Chicago Reader" by Tori Marlon:

[Lamb]

I am trying to get intouch with Greg Bashaw's family. My father died in a very similar manner, I want to speak with his family very much. Any info????? reply here or PM. Thanks.
_________________
your present state of bondage is the result of an erroneous idea about yourself.

[carol]

Hmm - too many people associated with this cult seem to do this - Shawn? LRH's son?...
_________________
stillsearching

[Lamb]

shawn lonsdale wasn't a scentologist. BUt Bashaw and my father bother were denied services, told they were illegal pcs and then they both went insane and commited suicide. now THAT is a pattern emerging. I have read Kathryn's story on this board and it sounds very similar to the kind of psychotic paranoia my father experienced. Any one else??? can anyone else point me toward other similar experiences??
please help!
_________________
your present state of bondage is the result of an erroneous idea about yourself.

[Hoot]

[carol]

It is horrible Lamb what has happened to your father.
Please note my reference is that Shawn was associated and there seems to be a similarity in exit choice that seems uncomfortably coincidental.
I wish you the best in trying to get to the bottom of this.
Carol
_________________
stillsearching

[lucy skywalker]

[Sunshine]

When I read the story of Greg Bashaw for the first time, I cried.
Greg was such a devoted Scientologist until the end.
He had fought Cult Awareness Network as a true Scientologist, and when he needed understanding, and compassion the most, the "Cult" turned his back on him.
It must have been a loss to him! Betrayal! He dedicated his life to the Cult in a certain way, paying a lot of money to go up to the "bridge" (to nowhere), and spent precious time of his life.
When he found out what the Cult was about, he committed suicide. It was too much to confront! I heard of similiar cases.
Those things to me were red flags and they helped me to realize that $cientology was not a Church, but a Cult, in which the most valuable product to it was MONEY, not people.
Sunshine
_________________
Very well done Anonymous!
Bringing awareness of Scientology crimes to the world!

[Twin A]

Scientologists ditch their friends all the time. 'Cause they have this devotion to this "group"--- what they don't realize is that that makes them have NO friends because a group isn't a person.

When I was little girl I had a friend(little boy) and we played in the local park after school. I got into a play fight with him one day and I was wrestling with him in the grass. A crowd of other kids and older kids formed around us. They were yelling out , "hey it's a fight, a boy and girl fighting!" They thought it was real. so, I went along with it. At one point I managed to overturn my little friend and pin him down on the ground. The crowd started chanting "Hit him!" "Hit him!" "Hit him in the face!" and I felt confused all of a sudden, I'd lost track of what I had beeing doing (just playing with him earlier) and I was going along with this crowd. The "crowd" was my new friend. So I hit the little boy in the face and gave him a bloody nose. He cried and ran home and he never played with me again. The crowd stopped chanting and left. I was left all alone in the park. With no friends. No one in the crowd wanted to be my friend.

I didn't really understand what happened. I just understood that I was sad and lonely for a while. I tried to find the little boy to apologize, I needed someone to play with, but his Mom said that I wasn't allowed to talk to him any more and to go away.

Scientology Organizations and the Sea Org---- they are the crowd. They are not the friend.


I found a song that I really like and I think of some of the lyrics of this song when I think about real friendship -- It's Rihanna's Umbrella.

[Benny's Friend]

Twin A, that was a beautiful post, as usual.

You have a wonderful way of making everything so real.





There are some among us here who would wish to reduce our efforts to "group think." You, Twin A, show us "group think" at its ugliest, and then graciously allow us to mentally contrast it to what we are really about.

Of course there are differences among us. Of course our opinions vary. But we are not a bunch of schoolyard bullies shrieking for blood.

We have a common goal here. And we are friends. Despite our differences.

My best to you.

BF
_________________
My top issues with Scientology: human rights abuses including the SP Hole, RPF, forced abortions and forced divorces, Fair Game, PTS/SP, disconnection, Jeff Stone, and all the lies the Church of Scientology tells its own members.

[Ladybird]

Bumping this thread because this is the story of Greg Bashaw that Nancy Many talks about in her video:

Why Now

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gpQQO_llwj0

Her book is available here:

http://www.amazon.com/Billion-Year-Contract-Nancy-Many/dp/1441566872/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1255994923&sr=1-1