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With all the Tom Cruise/Scientology stuffcirculating right now, i thought I'd bring you my parent's experience with the headquarters of the "religion".
Something 25/30 years ago, my parents were in southern California with my aunt and uncle (which makes me want to say it was arounf LA) when they passed a large cobalt-blue building about the size of a New York City block. The building said "Scientology World Headquarters."
As if they were going to pass this up?
All the people coming and going from the building were like automated robots, I kid you not, that's what my mother said. the men all wore pocket protectors and carried briefcases, the woman wore A-line two piece suits. Both parents say it was eerie, with my mother (who I got most of the story from last night, on the direction of my father) saying that if you looked in their eyes, you could almost see the little swirls used in cartoons to show someone's hypnotized.
Then they went inside, and within seconds, were surrounded by what can only be called a phalanx of people. They didn't wander much, but did get into the bookstore, which contained titles such as "How to Cure Cancer by L. Ron Hubbard and a Medical Doctor" and "How to Build a Bridge by L. Ron Hubbard and an Engineer."
The vibe inside was what mymother could only describe as "skeevy" and they left the building after not too long. My uncle (not the one they went with, but another), stopped by later and we mentioned what discussion had been. HIs comment was "Didn't you guys get kicked out of there or something?"
This whole thing happened in the late70s/early 80s, and I want to say that was a before Scientology got as popular as it is today. But I'm not sure.
By the way, if anyone wants to link this or whatever, feel free.
Something 25/30 years ago, my parents were in southern California with my aunt and uncle (which makes me want to say it was arounf LA) when they passed a large cobalt-blue building about the size of a New York City block. The building said "Scientology World Headquarters."
As if they were going to pass this up?
All the people coming and going from the building were like automated robots, I kid you not, that's what my mother said. the men all wore pocket protectors and carried briefcases, the woman wore A-line two piece suits. Both parents say it was eerie, with my mother (who I got most of the story from last night, on the direction of my father) saying that if you looked in their eyes, you could almost see the little swirls used in cartoons to show someone's hypnotized.
Then they went inside, and within seconds, were surrounded by what can only be called a phalanx of people. They didn't wander much, but did get into the bookstore, which contained titles such as "How to Cure Cancer by L. Ron Hubbard and a Medical Doctor" and "How to Build a Bridge by L. Ron Hubbard and an Engineer."
The vibe inside was what mymother could only describe as "skeevy" and they left the building after not too long. My uncle (not the one they went with, but another), stopped by later and we mentioned what discussion had been. HIs comment was "Didn't you guys get kicked out of there or something?"
This whole thing happened in the late70s/early 80s, and I want to say that was a before Scientology got as popular as it is today. But I'm not sure.
By the way, if anyone wants to link this or whatever, feel free.
