Despite Rumors, Church Of Scientology Does NOT Issue Refunds
David Hauslaib’s Jossip is running a misleading story titled “The Church Of Scientology Will Refund Your Money” which must come as news to former Scientologist Michael Pattinson, who after spending $500,000 on Scientology courses ostensibly to cure him of his “homosexuality” is still gay, and is still without his $500,000.
Michael sued the Church of Scientology for false claims and you know what he got in return: bankruptcy, his reputation tarnished, fired from his place of employment and ultimately the depressing knowledge that a vast portion of his life (24 years) were not well-spent.
The gist of the Jossip post:
The Church of Scientology may be a vindictive cult, but at least they issue refunds.
Actor Jason Beghe – of Cane, Numb3rs, Criminal Minds, CSI, and all the other shows that rip off each others’ plotlines – got back the $60-$70,000 he paid toward future study when he finally cut ties with David Miscavige’s legion. But now he never gets to talk to a Scientologist ever again. It’s policy.
Beghe is, according to gossip Roger Friedman, “the bravest actor in Hollywood†for coming out against Scientology, which he was a member for 14 years and spent about $1 million becoming a senior level “OT5 auditor.â€
So what’s Beghe doing now? Fashioning himself into a video blogger, posting clips to YouTube exposing the church’s brainwashing ways and declaring his wish to “meet a motherfucking clear.â€
A second, longer video will be going up on YouTube Wednesday or Thursday. It’s not to make money or to get publicity for himself, Beghe says, and I believe him. “If it helps people, that’s what’s important.â€
And that’s because Beghe says that most Scientologists are completely insulated from the criticism that we all read or publish. All the jokes, the “South Park†stuff, anti-cult stories, real data about people who’ve suffered inside the sect largely go unnoticed by the Scientology community. “They just say, ‘You don’t understand.’†[Fox 411]
Completely insulated? So the Church of Scientology is now … banning Google?
No offense to Jossip, but dude, seriously, you aren’t getting it at all. Even if they did refund Jason Beghe, that’s simply because he is a celeb, and it’s a well-known Hubbard/Miscavige policy: celebs get special privileges other Scientologists do not. Also, not only is the CoS insulated, but they have been monitoring their “flock” for years. This is a sophisticated, highly secretive group. I know most people in the mainstream get their info from soundbites and Tom Cruise videos leaked on the web, but the CoS isn’t playing games. And Jason Beghe is right, “these are some bad motherf*ckers.”
Oh, and the Church of Scientology does NOT issue refunds, but they will sue your ass into oblivion.
If you are unsatisfied with their results all you get is declared a “suppressive person,” cut off from your known support system within the CoS, and if you are extra special you might get “fair gamed.” And if all that fails to shut you up, perhaps you will get an Operation named after you. Like Operation We Harass You ‘Til You Jump Out A Window.
It certainly worked on these poor souls. I am glad the mainstream media is picking up on this stuff, but damn, do some research.
Scientology is MUCH worse than you think.
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Regarding the suicide in Norway, Scientology has this sick publicity ad that I believe goes to the heart of that matter well…
It reads
“She laughed when I asked her to take a stress test.
She cried when I found her ruin.”
Yes, this is real.
Image here.
http://img413.imageshack.us/img413/3336/22605279nt2.png
Some one did their own version of the sick Sci-advertisement, which I feel is accurate…
http://img329.imageshack.us/img329/218/dngirllg72vg6.png
Comment by Maxwell Smart — April 16, 2008 @ 5:50 pm
“Even if they did refund Jason Beghe, that’s simply because he is a celeb …”
And it wasn’t really a refund. By Beghe’s own account, the Co$ was paying back money he gave for FUTURE services.
A refund would be if the Co$ paid back fees (oh, excuse me – “donations”) for services already rendered.
Comment by Narcissus — April 16, 2008 @ 6:07 pm
Actually Dawn, I hate to have to correct you, but the cult does give refunds. Unless HCO PL 23 DEC 1965 was superceded (in which case I’m wrong and I apologize):
“Such suppressive acts include… demanding the return of any or all fees paid for standard training or processing actually received or received in part and still available but undelivered only because of departure of the person demanding (the fees must be refunded but this Policy Letter applies)”
Refunds are honoured but only to keep legitimate legal authority out of the orgs. The person’s declared suppressive regardless.
Comment by Anonymous — April 16, 2008 @ 9:10 pm
Do it!! Rock it!!! Tell the truth and this is so weird that I am on a gossip board. I supose that I am enturbulated. Yikes!!!!
Comment by Jack — April 16, 2008 @ 9:32 pm
perfectly put. Volley!
Comment by Doctor — April 16, 2008 @ 11:32 pm
You should, theoretically, get back some of the money that you paid. But, as you notice, Jason got back 60 or 70,000 (of advance unused payments), while he spent something like $1,000,000 on Scientology. That’s no refund.
It’ll never be as easy as just asking for it. Suddenly the org has no money so they can’t pay it back, or promise to do so in smaller installments weekly out of the weekly FP, whenever there is money left over (which is never).
Most people don’t even bother to ask for their money back, they just want the hell out of there.
Comment by Victor — April 17, 2008 @ 6:38 am
IN addtion to the valid point that only celebs would ever get refunds, is the point that this was not even a refund– Joseph did not get money back for services rendered. Rather the money he got back was prepayment for “future services.” The money was, basically, held in trust, and was unspend. He could have sued for unjust enrichment after leaving and probably would have won. In fact, such an action would be another way to attack the COS tax exemption. Under debtor creditor law, generally donations are not recoverable. But these fixed fee “donations” are not donations at all, they are clearly payment for services.
A court of law will not be compelled to rule the way the IRS deterimined– a Court of law may say, “these are not donations, these are fees for services.” Thus, possibly bringing us one step closer to ending IRS’s gift to the CoS.
Comment by AnonymousNow — April 17, 2008 @ 10:20 am
Occasionally, needy people get tangled up with psychs, soothsayers and others who say they can contact the dead, etc. Many of those fraudsters have bilked these poor grieving souls out of thousands, tens of thousands, and in some cases hundreds of thousands of dollars. In the end, they’re always dragged into court, brought up on charges, convicted, and barred from doing any such “services” in the future. The same should be true of the Scientologists’ fraud — whatever assets can be seized through confiscation and sale of real estate and other real property held by the cult should be distributed to victims establishing claims through a class action suit.
This fraud has gone on long enough. This victimization has gone on long enough. People have suffered and given not just enough, but too much. End it now, before more people die, are abused, or are defrauded. Lives and livelihoods are at stake.
Comment by Rationalist — April 17, 2008 @ 5:26 pm
That’s the policy. You demand a refund, your money is cheerfully refunded. And don’t take my word for it. Phone any Church of Scientology and ask them. That’s the policy, all right. You demand refund for undelivered services and you are given a refund for undelivered services.
Comment by Terryeo — April 17, 2008 @ 7:04 pm
If the Scienos were handing out refunds to those who deserved them then I suspect there’d be a few examples of happy defectors….bring me ten ex’s who have been happily refunded and I’ll start shitting gold bars:)
Comment by Mapissa — April 18, 2008 @ 12:58 am