Scientology At Comic-Con
Here is what a reader of CDAN named Colleen had to say about her experience with COS at Comic-Con. Remember, DON'T ever give them your name or e-mail or any other contact information. Think of them like the people at the mall who want you to fill out a form to win a car. Know how much those people bother you? Multiple that by about ten and think about being hounded for 10 years.
I was at the booth next to [Scientology's] when my husband called me over to ask me why the name L. Ron Hubbard was so familiar. Thanks to Agent**it, I've spent the past two weeks doing nonstop reading about Co$ (Village Voice, Marty Rathbun, etc.) and naturally had to go look at why he was asking me. Turns out a "publishing company" set up a display of LRH's sci-fi books. It's a small table, but in a good trafficked area. There was a big display of LRH books and posters there. When I walked over, a VERY intense woman asked me, "Do you recognize this author?" I said I did. She then spoke the wonders of his "writings" & tried to convince me to buy some books. It was somewhat aggressive and very salesman. Generally exhibitors don't behave this way. My husband at one point tried to "save" me by loudly saying, "We have to go, we need to line up for our next panel right now!" She wasn't phased at all by this. Kept trying to convince me to buy his "writings" and tell me how great he was. When I again insisted that I had to go, she handed me an LRH propaganda booklet to look over if I wanted to know about all of his writings. I've been to the last 6 Comic-Cons and never seen this table. That by no means is proof they weren't there before, but I generally try to spend quality time in the book section of the Exhibit Hall and don't recall seeing it in previous years. Maybe my newfound knowledge made me more aware of it, but both my husband and I walked away feeling 100% like they were using their table to try to pick up new blood at SDCC & using LRH's sci-fi novels as a non-creepy method of luring people over.
Colleen, you made my day !
ReplyDeleteWow - you should have asked her if she would be interested in converting to YOUR religion, and telling her that you had some pamphlets to share. That probably would have stopped her in her tracks. Or maybe not.
ReplyDeleteP.S. You should have asked her where Shelley was, lol!
ReplyDeleteNo! That's Sherry or Steppy!!! I'm the normal one!!!
Deletewow, a cult was trying to recruit. *yawn*
ReplyDeleteI would have asked her for some inside scoop on the Tomcat divorce. I bet she'd have let you leave after that.:)
ReplyDeleteI wld say, "get the hell outa here with your batshit cult!" they are like a virus! ugh!
ReplyDeleteWow, the COS booth sounds scarier than what The Walking Dead folks had planned to do at Comic-Con.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I would have asked that crazy ass bitch about Tommy Girl and Katie, and was she upset to see Suri go. That would have shut her hole.
What did the walki g dead people have planned
DeleteYou totally should have gone on and on about the TomKat divorce and asked if all the stuff you have read up on is true and reported back. Oh creepy indeed!
ReplyDeleteComic-con seems like the perfect place for a science fiction tale. With characters like xenu, they would fit right in.
ReplyDeleteyou are awesome Colleen thanks, we should make CDAN a religion and get some tax breaks. All Hail ENTYYYYY
ReplyDeleteBut seriously, even from the distance in the picture those women behind the booths have dead eyes. And they look totally on top of the people browsing the books. That is not how you conduct a booth at all I have worked a few in college years. Colleen nailed it they are trying to recruit people through the back door of his sci fi books. Just terrible, glad you guys didn't let Xenu get you.
Thank you Colleen. LOL We have been doing the same searching the last week or so. Interesting and disturbing.
ReplyDeleteMy local bookstore employed a $cilon (and probably still does). Several years ago, for some reason, the "best-selling" shelf in the sci-fi and in the mystery sections all contained nothing but LRH books. I casually moved them to the "true crime" sections. A few weeks after I did that, I received what seemed like a mass mailing $cilon recruiting flyer. No one else in my complex had one. Probably a scare tactic; probably nothing. To this day, I still try to move his books elsewhere more appropriate.
ReplyDeleteUgh. This makes me very disappointed in the folks at Comic-Con.
ReplyDeleteI retweeted colleen's tweet to enty last night.
ReplyDeleteWow, thanks Colleen! That is so disturbing!
ReplyDeleteThat's great Colleen. Thanks for your info. It's sad they're preying on kids there. It's supposed to be a fun safe time for all. How did Comic Con even let them have a booth? Wonder what they paid for it? This is just wrong.
ReplyDeleteInteresting, thanks for sharing. Wonder how much stuff they continue to talk about if you don't get the hell away from them? Would they keep talking and handing out stuff? I'd be tempted to plant myself there.
ReplyDeleteAwesome story, Colleen! Next year you and your husband should dress up as Xenu!
ReplyDeleteThink of all the teenagers there. My 19 year old brother is there. That's their ploy is it? Suck them in when their young? As long as they market it as "Sci-Fi writing of L. Ron Hubbard" I guess it'll be allowed.
ReplyDeleteIt makes total sense for them to try to lure in sci-fi geeks with LRH's sci-fi novels.
ReplyDeleteWhat 'they' don't realize is that people are onto them now and they have lost the advantage they used to have, when most people knew only a teeny bit about Scientology. I don't think there's any going back for them.
They had a triple booth at BEA Book Expo America that was in New York in June, 3 days of them dressed up as pirates grabbing onto passers by trying to get them to stop..........
ReplyDeleteNeedless to say they didn't get much traffic .
I was wandering around NYC and stumbled past the Co$ center there. I looked in but never went inside. I was too afraid I'd say the wrong thing and they would abduct me and send me to sea org.
ReplyDeleteI know everyone knows this, but as I was wondering why a COMIC convention would allow a religious group to exhibit, I remembered that it's a religion founded on a science fiction story about aliens. I mean..... How lost are you in life that you accept a stranger telling you everything you ever believed in was wrong and we came from aliens from another planet or whatever the story is? I want to hate them because they don't have the confidence to be tolerant of any other beliefs, but I feel so sorry for those people.
ReplyDeleteThe Church doesn't tell you about the Xenu stuff until you have advanced, via auditing, through several levels over several years. Auditing isn't free, and by the time a member has reached the level at which they explain Xenu, they've spent thousands of dollars & have countless hours of recorded auditing sessions in which they've shared all of their darkest secrets & biggest screwups.
DeleteThe Church is unique among current religions in that the basic "doctrine" isn't available to beginners.
The former members who posted the mythos online are real heroes, and Matt Parker & Trey Stone genuinely changed everything by publicly explaining the Xenu story on 'South Park' (a favor they also performed for the Mormons).
Can you imagine if Jews or Catholics had tried this? First of all they wouldn't have been allowed.and even if they were, they would have been........well, no , they wouldn't have tried. Just wouldn't have been appropriate
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure you could use LHR and "non-creepy" in the same sentence.
ReplyDeleteThis was great, thanks for the insight!
SusanB - most legitimate religions don't go around trying to recruit you - that's usually left to the fringe groups. Can you imagine, like you said, if Jews or Catholics tried to drag people into their synagogues or churches, then locked them in a room for hours, just like the Scientologists do? All hell would break loose.
ReplyDeleteThe IRS has to look at them again and take away their tax exempt status....this is no religion.
ReplyDeleteMISCH, they always have that booth at BEA. This year it was unfortunately next to my company's booth. Had to watch those pirates all day for 3 days straight.
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ReplyDeleteFuck scientology.
ReplyDeleteI filled out a comment card for "Dianetics" EIGHTEEN years ago at a fair. They still send shit to this day! I know this because my father still lives at my old address.
ReplyDeleteYeah I had a similar experience here in London and when the guy wouldn't relent on his pushy technique, I asked him casually 'oh Scientology that's the scary cult right?' stopped him in his tracks, and he left me alone.
ReplyDeleteYou know, it would be funny to stalk them at the booth. Bring a camera and a microphone and ask them about Tom and Katie relentlessly. Have about 100 questions ready to ask and see how long it take before they lose it.
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ReplyDelete@Shelly they mean Shelly Miscaviage David Miscaviage's wife she hasn't been seen in 3 or 4 years. Her non-CO$ freinds and family have listed her as missing. and CO$ says she isnt missing. CRAAAZZZZYYYYY
ReplyDeleteThat's Right! I read about that. With all these sherry and steppy comments I don't want to be categorized with them. Sorry! Thanks for the clarification.
DeleteWe should distinguish her as ShellyM or the missing Shelly!
DeleteWell done to Colleen. A CDANer will always rise to the challenge and hand the scienos burnt asses back to them! It’s funny that they’re a sci-fi cult at comic con and yet they’re a religon when the tax man is around. I’m very confused.....NOT! Glad they aren’t aknowledged as a religion in the UK.
ReplyDeleteThose women look absolutely miserable. They probably know they have some impossible quota to fulfill, or they will be sent off to some punishment hellhole for the next year or so.
ReplyDeleteHere's what I don't get - they sell these Xenu worshipers that if they buy into Xenu, pledge a billion years of their life (?!) that they will be happy and successful. Do these people look happy and successful? Do the people in "the hole" feel happy and successful? Does even Travolta seem happy? What did they give every cent of their money and every minute of their lives for?
ReplyDeleteIt must be hard to accept that all of that was a huge huge mistake.
I had Jo idea what I was in for when I dropped by to find out more about COS. Stupidly I gave them my real name, address and phone number. I had to threaten to go to the police to stop their hounding. In Wichita Kansas of all places. Kirstie Alley is from Wichita and has a house a block from COS.
ReplyDelete@janele - that's what I call being a soldier for the cause. It's little things like that that's gonna knock this "religion" down for good.
ReplyDelete@LJNDawson...
ReplyDeleteIs it me or does the booth get bigger every year ?
At least you don't have to worry about long lines for signings blocking your booth..
In the 30's and 40's, Elron was a legitimate sci-fi author. Pulp dreck, but it sold well. So, technically, for his "publisher" (a COS front) to have a booth at Comic-Con is legit.
ReplyDeleteBetcha they won't be there next year. Hopefully people complained.
ReplyDeleteOn another site I read, when talk starts about Scientology, all of the sudden a bunch of people unknown to the site will post about how wrong people are to talk about them, etc. I am surprised they have not done this on this site. Scibots are watching and will show up in masses to defend their aliens.
ReplyDeleteAs @B.Profane says, the publishing company is one of the dozens of CO$ "legitimate" front groups that they run. I'd be surprised if today's graphic-novel fed youth would be able to stomach L. Ron's period pulp style but who knows, maybe they'll rope in a few rubes.
ReplyDelete@Colleen, you MUST read "Bared-Faced Messiah," an incredibly well-written and researched biography of Hubbard. The fact that these people can follow the teachings of a man who could not tell the truth if his life depended on it is endlessly amazing to me.
I meant to note that this is the second Tom/COS blog entry today, and it's a Sunday. The staff of CDAN really don't want to let the controversy die off, even though Tom quickly settled the divorce. Commendable, and brave. You know that the COS goons are pulling out the stops to bust the anonymity of the blog.
ReplyDelete@SaintsFan...they are afraid of CDANers. We make way too much sense for them.
ReplyDeleteIf you ever find yourself being solicited by an especially aggressive Scientologist, just tell "look, I've been on a high dose anti-depressant for 25 years" and they'll back off. They won't accept people that have used "mind-altering drugs"
ReplyDeleteHahahaha, so true, Brenda L. That would be more than enough to bring on a brain haemorrhage!
ReplyDeleteThe "L" in L. Ron stands for "Lafayette." HAHAHA!
ReplyDeleteCelebitchy is getting hounded by Co$ commenters. I'm glad they haven't infiltrated this site. I'm sure there'd be some crazy comment wars if they did show up.
ReplyDeleteYeah they are out in full force today on that site. It's getting ugly
DeleteOdd, I thought they'd try to jam the comments here too by now. Other than a few obvious shills, they haven't. I wonder if CDAN's predictions and commentary about Tom & Katie, Travolta, etc., has been a little too accurate for the COS monitors and they don't want to draw more eyeballs to the blog by attacking it.
ReplyDeletethis is news? Hubbard sci fi books have been at comicon since i can remember...stupid conspiracy people
ReplyDelete^ Right on cue!
ReplyDeleteI'm watching Chronicles of Riddick today on cable. I turned on the tv right when the Lord Marshall wants everyone to kneel and swear allegiance to their creepy religion. Then he pulls the soul out of a male dissenter. "We will not stop until all humans are converted to the Necromonger way!"
ReplyDeleteThis is how I feel about Scientology. Except no one realizes that it was just a bad novel and even worse movie!
Run, don't walk away. Wow, how cool that Colleen was educated by this site and knew what the CO$ was really selling. Sharing amongst ourselves, has enriched and educated us in many ways. Love to you, Enty, for bringing us all together and allowing us a forum to get to know each other. The more you know...
ReplyDeleteLong time lurker new commenter, love the site love the comments :) Interesting that they were at comicon- did Connor stop by with his sc bodyguards, when he was there to offer the ladies support, or that have been too obvious? The sc trolls have been on TMZ too, they are fun to play with but don't respond to real questions, but gee they lurve Tom blindly. I think because there just aren't as many of them as they claim and it's hard for them to find every pop culture site. They can't have just anyone troll as it exposes them to the real world, and this is how they have lost "members" , including long term sc execs. before.
ReplyDeleteI saw them up here in Seattle this weekend, too! We had a booth at a local street fair, and they had a tent and were wearing t-shirts with "Dianetics" on them. We were giving away free coffee and they glared at us when we offered them some. Same response, every staff member, all three days of the event.
ReplyDeleteI didn't want to talk to them anyway, but I was a little puzzled. Is coffee taboo for Co$ members?
Holy crap, thanks guys! I should be thanking all of you for the interesting discussion I've read daily the past 4 years. Love reading the comments every day.
ReplyDeleteMISCH & LJN, I was at Blogworld during the Book Expo at the Javitts. Is that where you saw them?
Hendrix, I will check out that book. Thank you!
Timebob, you make me laugh.
Did you see my neighbor's booth? It would be cool if you did :) He (kid you not) set up a booth about how to protect yourself from the zombie invasion. I think (but can't be sure) that he was giving away free pens.
ReplyDeleteIt was all about promoting his art. He's actually really good.
Creepy and too sadly funny, all at the same time. I agree with the commenter upthread who said they look dead in the eyes. It's like they know it's bullshit but they've indentured themselves now, they *have* to stay. There should be more of a publicised effort to let budding "SP" runaways know theres a place for them in the really real world.
ReplyDeleteAn aside, the only brush I've had with the was when they set up a booth in Buchanan St, one of the busiest shopping streets in Scotland. Every Saturday "causes" booths are allowed to set up right up the street, and they were offering their personality tests. Within 30 mins of setting up, Anon showed up and protested right next to them. The loonies complained to the police but they pretty much told them to man up since they weren't being a (legal) nuisance. I've not seen them there since.
Colleen....
ReplyDeleteI wish I could remember which aisle , but for some reason I think the were near Hachett....
Maybe around 3400 ...but they were smack in the middle of the primary publishers..
Thinking back I'm pretty sure I remember them being there for the last 3 or 4 years...but the booth just gets bigger, which is crazy since I can't believe they do much business.
@ janele
ReplyDeleteYour moving the books story cracked me up! I don't get to too many bookstores but you can bet your bottom I'm going to do exactly what you do the next time I'm in one!
LOL!
LOL, oh god this reminds me of a great story! About 20 years ago we had a cousin in her early 20's live with us for a couple years while she was finishing college etc. She was dragged into a Dianetics meeting by a friends once because she was feeling down about a breakup or something.
ReplyDeleteFor two years after she moved out, EVERY SINGLE DAY we received at least one or two pieces of mail for her from CO$ trying to recruit her. Finally we had enough. For an entire month, we collected all the mail from them in a huge bag. At the end of month, we sent it ALL back marked "Not At This Address" and sent it all back to CO$. It was a LOT of mail. We got one or two pieces after that but it stopped. LOL! Asshats.
She should have just called over to her husband and said "Just a sec, Satan!" and then sheepishly looked at the CO$ and whispered, "That's my pet name for him!!!"
ReplyDeleteScientology at a science fiction/fantasy convention.
ReplyDeleteHow appropriate.
They set up a booth at the annual ALA conference each year as well, but they go out of their way to NOT be labeled as CO$.
ReplyDelete@ starstattoo , currently reading about Steven Fishman and also the Fishman affidavit (mid- 90's), fascinating research.
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ReplyDeleteIs this Colleen G., husband of Jay from Jay & Jack's podcast? Just wondering as I've only discovered Enty's site because of you guys & know that you cover Comic-Con. Great story either way
ReplyDeleteWow, what a sad article! I've seen Galaxy Press there many times. What you fail to see is that this booth is for Hubbard's science fiction, western and adventure books and audio books. They never discuss Scientology. It's all about the fiction works, which is what these books are.
ReplyDeleteAs for sales, well, duh! Of course they will try to sell you. It's a seller's booth.
The websites you checked are all anti-Scientology websites. You clearly are misinformed and biased.
I've gone to SDCC on and off for many years, being a collector. I've also visited the Galaxy Press booth and they seemed intelligent and are decent salespeople.
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