waterbuffalo

Notta, how cool! I'm very happy for you as well. Dot, did your dad drink?

ooooo, that sounds good...the chocolate part, I mean....

I know, I know...

Yes, more similarities than I could count. The Curises have built in baby sitters, accountants, housekeepers, you name it--the Sea Org disciples can get it done for them--and at no charge. They make $35/wk. Sound familiar to anyone who used to be on staff?

I know, Mark, I know :-) He is sooooo right where I'm concerned. But, my friend actually likes them so she'll probably like this one.

Oh well, Obama will save us

Cheranne, I just finished Morton's Tom Cruise Bio. The thing that amazed me is how exactly like twi they are. For example, Sea Orgs, Scientology's discipes who are paid $35 per week, LIVE in the Cruise's house. They are their housekeepers, do laundry, buy groceries, in effect, wait on them constantly because of Tom's celebrity status. They did that during Nicole's marriage to Tom also. Sound familiar? In addition, they each have a Scientology person assigned to them who go EVERYWHERE with them. Tom's is usually the leader of the group who is also his "best friend," and Katie has some woman who goes everywhere with her. How creepy is that? As Oeno said, Scientology makes twi look like Sunday School, but some posters might disagree with that. People who have left the group and gone public telling what it was/it like, have been harassed, stalked, and some have even committed suicide. As I said, some may think it is closer to twi than others. I think CONTROL and MONEY are the duo bottom lines. Tom left Nicole, e.g. moved his things out of their house after she gave an interview in which she answered a question by stating that Scientology, Roman Catholicism, and something else made up her religious beliefs. Can't have that. His spouse has to believe totally in S., according to Morton. I read his book because he claimed to have interview many, many ex-Scientologists. Also, it's creepy that Tom of course has custody of the two adopted children and is raising them completely in S. Nicole has video cam visitation with them. I suppose she decided she couldn't fight them... Edited by wb to add MONEY to the bottom line.

Took your advice Now I See. Just ordered one from Monasterybakery: Holy Cross Abbey

good point, nowisee.

Thanks waysider for the link. The cake looks moist and good, for a fruitcake, that is :-) Leafytwiglet, thank you for going to all of the trouble to type out the recipe! Wow! I'm just not much of a cake baker, though. Maybe someone would like to move this to the recipe section of the forum for others who would like to bake it. It looks like a great recipe!

OK. This is only for fruitcake lovers, but feel free to throw all the rotten tomatoes that you want I personally intensely dislike them, so it's not for me. I want to buy one for a very dear friend who loves them. Anyone have a personal favorite? If so, it would be greatly appreciated if you would be so kind as to advise me as to where you purchase them--hopefully online. Thanks all you brilliant GSers!

Yes, but even if I could weasel the name out of him, which I don't want to because of not wishing to be controlling. I would rather keep my friend than report his unethical therapist. Hopefully, someone else will do that when he makes the same mistake with them.

Linda and everyone else concerned about the psychiatrist in the equation, yes, my friend says he is licensed and is an MD which is what psychiatrists are. Hum. I told him I'd never heard of one recommending a church to someone. The guy called him yesterday and about 5 minutes in, asked what he thought of the book. Definitely courting him and I told him so. Also, reminded him of the lobster boiling analogy and he said that made sense. Psychiatrist talked about how "uplifting" the meetings were. My next post will be 2,000 :-)

Just to clarify, the therapist, "who is also a friend," has been to a few meetings, not many, so far. But, he apparently was hooked enough to give my friend reading material. I will ask him more today about the therapist and his credentials...

Pawtucket, please take care of yourself first, my friend (I've never met you, but feel fortunate to have known you through this forum). Yes, you have made lots of sacrifices that few, if any, will ever completely know about, I feel sure. If it is needed, another forum will present itself under new ownership, imho, the same way that you took over for Waydale. Peace and love. Peace and love.

nyunknown, what is your opinion of Tom Morton's Tom Cruise--an Unauthorized Biography? I'm about half way through, and I'm pinching myself to remember I'm reading about Scientology, not The Way International. So many exact mores and practices; it's unnerving.

Thanks, notta. Here it is: Noah Lottick's Story

Could you give us a link to read Noah's story?

Please! Fire away Luke. What are the most important things that you think my friend/anyone should know about Scientology? I greatly value your input.

...it's dark...

...well, it's 3 degrees here. the low today was 4, so hum....and snowing... (((((Shellon and family)))))

WOW! Boy, I was waaaaay off base on that one. Then, there's the some people just aren't honest component. Yeah, that musta su**ed. It happens to women, too, as Excathedra said. Remember when Tom Cruise divorced Nicole Kidman? She said very little about it, but I remember she said she still loved him for a long time afterwards, and then, not long before she married her current husband, a reporter wanted to dig a little and she said she didn't know why Tom left her. Of course, people have speculated that the cult ldr. told him to leave her, but that's another thread.

No, Geo, I don't think you hate women. I think you'd like to know what went wrong. At risk of getting rotten tomatoes thrown my way, I could venture to say there were clues all along. You just weren't reading them. Doesn't make you bad or stupid or any of those things. Sometimes what women don't say is more revealing than what we do say. Did you grow up with a sister or sisters? I mean one that lived in the house with you--not at college when you were getting old enough to have a real sibling relationship. If you didn't, maybe that plays into why you didn't notice things. I'm sorry. Not trying to analyse anything or especially you, here. I don't blame you for wanting answers. I would too.

Awesome. I'm so happy for you. Will check out the books. Thank you!

Shellon, hi. What are some of your favorite parts or what was something that stuck out or did it for you? Does it end up telling people to go to church? Hope not.