me reading this post: oh wow there’s a cult awareness network? I can’t believe no one has told me!!! I should- oh I see.

At my previous job, my path to my bus stop put me past a rather large church of Scientology. When I went for my interview with that job, I was walking back when a nice Swedish lady handed me a pamphlet. Trying to be polite, I said thank you and took it with intent of throwing it away, which is when she started talking to me, asking if I knew about dianetics or whatever, and I said no, attempting to display my polite disinterest. She started leading me over to another side of the street, talking about how it would just take a second, complimenting me and the bracelet I was wearing, and I was too scared of conflict to tell her no as she brought me to the stress test.

The stress test is where a Scientology Man hands you two tin cans connected to a thing, and it tells you if you’re stressed. I sort of joked with the man when I attempted to leave, saying oh no, I know that I’m stressed, no need haha! But he said hey let’s try! And of course, immediately, the needle shot up to high stress.

He began asking me extremely personal questions about my depression, my anxiety, about how long it’s been going on and how it impacts me, he asked about my family, my love life, and even when I said ‘that’s kind of personal’ or ‘I don’t feel comfortable answering that’ he tried to ask me in different phrasing. I gave him as short answers as I could and attempted to show that I was not interested. He then offered me a huge tome. Apparent that book would help me, it would make ALL of my mental health problems DISAPPEAR!

It’s some book by Hubbard or whatever his name is about unlocking your… waves, I don’t know, I didn’t buy it. I would see it and other books in the windows of the church, translated into every language you can imagine. He told me it was $25, and I told him I didn’t have that money

“When will you have it?”

“I’ll have to see when I get paid”

“When do you get paid?”

I folded and said next Friday

“Okay, but won’t it still be too much money then? Would you want to split the payments up? What can I do to make sure you buy this. Don’t you want help with your anxiety?”

“I don’t know. I’m sorry. I’ll just have to see.”

(I am very bad at saying no directly)

“I want to make sure, you said you’re forgetful right? Let me have your number, I’ll text you right when you get paid. Can you come here on the bus? Is it on the way for you? Will you be able to make it? What bus do you take to come home?”

Finally I shook him off, I took down his number and then immediately blocked him. I threw away the two hour long DVD he gave me for free. As I was hustling away, having wasted 30 minutes of my life, the Swedish lady asked what I thought, if I liked it, if I bought the book, when I’d be buying it, I told her ‘next week maybe’ and crossed the street.

While I worked at that job I got hounded literally every time I passed by. They offered to let me watch a free movie, asked me if I had time before I caught my bus, ‘if you miss this one you can catch the next one!’ and gave me so many pamphlets and flyers that I immediately discarded. It got so annoying that I eventually started walking an entirely different way home.

They targeted people under the guise of the Stress Test, to find people who are stressed, anxious, depressed, in need of help, and they promise them that everything will be better if they read the book, heck they’re not even concerned with how you pay for it apparently. They find people who are vulnerable. They make you talk about your stress and what makes you sad so you feel vulnerable, and that’s when they let you watch the free movie, all under the guise of help. and what’s worse is they HARD sell you on it, making it seem like they really care about you on a personal level. I’ve never met a salesperson who dug their heels in as hard as the numerous scientologists I met in so short a time.

I’m by no means an expert, but that seems pretty fucking cultish to me.

Germany recognises Scientology as a cult.