The Stop Scientology Disconnection Project

CLEARWATER DONE DEAL — Couple seeks big crowd for Scientology ‘disconnection’ billboard

By Tony Ortega, June 22, 2016

Quote:

After the readers of this website once again came through for former Scientologists Phil and Willie Jones, contributing several thousand dollars for another “Call Me” billboard to raise awareness of Scientology’s “disconnection” policy, the Las Vegas couple are announcing that they have signed a contract for a billboard in Clearwater, Florida.

On July 21, the new billboard will be dedicated, and Phil wanted us to announce the news so he can get the biggest crowd possible.

“Willie and I are putting up one of our ‘Call Me’ billboards in Clearwater and will be heading out there for a few days for the official launch. We definitely would love to see any and all Clearwater people there. The billboard launch is on July 21 at 11am. I’ll announce the exact location shortly. This is the next major step in our campaign to bring awareness to Scientology’s toxic practice of enforced disconnection. This message represents all those who have suffered the abuse of Scientology disconnection. Let’s work to end this horrible practice,” he says.

We pointed out to Phil that on two separate occasions when he announced news of contracts being signed for his first billboard, in Los Angeles, Scientology managed to pressure those companies, who each rescinded their agreements.

Phil signed a third contract with Lamar Media, and didn’t ask us to announce the news until the billboard was actually posted in Echo Park.

Despite that experience in L.A., Phil says he wanted the public to know that he’s signed a contract in Clearwater so people can plan to be at the dedication ceremony.

“It’s very likely Scientology already knows when and where the billboard is happening,” Phil tells us. “It is a risk but at this point I think it’s one we should take. We want as big a crowd as we can get.”

Source and comments:
http://tonyortega.org/2016/06/22/cl...rowd-for-scientology-disconnection-billboard/

Saturday, July 23, 2016: Dedication of Stop Scientology Disconnection billboard in Clearwater, FL.

Tony Ortega: NEW DATE FOR CLEARWATER BILLBOARD CELEBRATION

http://tonyortega.org/2016/07/01/sc...-this-point-as-it-eyes-a-city-without-an-org/

* * * * * BEGIN EXCERPT * * * * *

Phil Jones tells us that he’s moving the date for the dedication ceremony of his newest “Call Me” billboard, in Clearwater, Florida. To get the biggest crowd that he can, he says he needs to move the date to Saturday, July 23.

We’ll reveal the location of the billboard once it’s up. But Phil asks that you do your best to find a way to Clearwater on July 23 for a party.

* * * * * END EXCERPT * * * * *

Billboard seeking to reunite broken Scientology families coming to Clearwater.

Tampa Bay Times: Billboard seeking to reunite broken Scientology families coming to Clearwater
http://www.tampabay.com/news/scient...broken-scientology-families-coming-to/2285112

* * * * * BEGIN EXCERPT * * * * *

Billboard seeking to reunite broken Scientology families coming to Clearwater

Tracey McManus, Times Staff Writer

Tuesday, July 12, 2016 4:45pm

CLEARWATER —The same, desperate plea Phil and Willie Jones plastered across a billboard in Los Angeles is scheduled to go up on E Bay Drive next week.

"To my loved one in Scientology … Call me," it will read.

The couple crowdsourced funds to put up the West Coast billboard in April as an attempt to inspire their two adult children, who are members of Scientology in Los Angeles, to reconnect with their parents. Phil Jones said since he and his wife left the religion around 2012, the church forced their children, Mike, 42, and Emily, 38, to cut off contact with their nonbelieving parents, a practice called disconnection.

Shortly after the billboard went up, Jones, 63, said he got requests from Floridians for a similar appeal in Clearwater — home of the Church of Scientology's worldwide spiritual headquarters — on behalf of other families who say they have also lost touch with loved ones.

Jones, an insurance adjuster now living in Las Vegas, didn't hesitate.

"In the end, this is not just about my wife and I and our kids anymore," he said. "There's literally thousands of people out there who have suffered from Scientology disconnection."

* * * * * END EXCERPT * * * * *

To Scientology’s Emily Jones: We have a message from your mother

By Tony Ortega, July 14, 2016

Earlier this year, Phil and Willie Jones came to us when they wanted to raise money for a billboard in Los Angeles that would urge Scientologists disconnected from their families to pick up the phone and call their loved ones. Our readers came through in a big way, helping to raise enough money for that “Call Me” billboard to appear in the Echo Park neighborhood, garnering a huge amount of media attention.

Phil and Willie are separated from their two grown children, Mike and Emily, who work for Scientology’s “Sea Organization” in L.A., and who have cut off all ties from their parents since Phil’s sister, another longtime Scientologist, turned the couple in for expressing doubts about the organization.

More recently, this website once again helped Phil and Willie raise money for a similar billboard in Clearwater, Florida, which is where Scientology has its spiritual headquarters. Phil explained that their campaign was about more than their own children, and they had heard from many ex-Scientologists in Florida whose families have also been ripped apart by disconnection. This week, the Tampa Bay Times wrote about Phil and Willie, and the newspaper received a letter from Emily Jones, accusing her parents of exploiting their children for monetary gain. Emily’s letter can be seen in full at the end of the Tampa Bay Times article.

One of the unusual things about this situation is that Emily has been so visible. For most former church members who have been cut off from their loved ones, it can be near to impossible to get any information about their family members still in the church, especially if they are in the Sea Org. But Emily works for Galaxy Press, Scientology’s publisher of L. Ron Hubbard’s science fiction, and she’s been active promoting the republication of Hubbard’s 1982 novel Battlefield Earth, appearing at science fiction conventions and in other ways that put her in the public eye.

“We truly believe they are exploiting our family in this way motivated solely by money,” Emily writes in her letter to the newspaper. “It is a scam, as is their fundraising efforts to finance their ‘billboard.’ And now they have decided that the course of saying and doing harmful things to us, and our reputations is their chosen course for money!”

Actually, although Phil and Willie have been successful in raising enough money to keep a billboard up in Los Angeles for several months, and to put up another one for at least a month in Florida, the money they have received just barely covered those costs — and that’s not counting the money the Las Vegas couple has spent traveling to California and Florida as part of their campaign.

If this is a money grab, as Emily charges, it’s not a very lucrative one. Emily also accuses her parents of being motivated by the money they’ll make from a television series that is filming their story. Phil assures us that the production company that has filmed them has paid them nothing for their appearance.

Phil contacted us, refuting everything in his daughter’s letter, and he sent over something else — a response from Willie.

<snipped>

Phil and Willie are holding an event to dedicate their Clearwater billboard on July 23. As soon as the billboard is up, we’ll reveal its location.

http://tonyortega.org/2016/07/14/to-scientologys-emily-jones-we-have-a-message-from-your-mother/

‘Call Me’ says their billboard — and their daughter in Scientology did just that

By Tony Ortega, July 19, 2016

“She said that if we wanted to have a relationship with her and Michael again I’d need to do three things. One was to stop the billboard in Clearwater from going up. The second was to back out of the television series that we’re going to appear in. And three was to never criticize Scientology or them ever again.”

http://tonyortega.org/2016/07/19/ca...-their-daughter-in-scientology-did-just-that/

Emily (the cult drilled her) and she said she would have a relationship with them if...

“She said that if we wanted to have a relationship with her and Michael again I’d need to do three things.
One was to stop the billboard in Clearwater from going up.
The second was to back out of the television series that we’re going to appear in.
And three was to never criticize Scientology or them ever again.”

Yeah mkay sure.
Of course in WRITING. LOL!

And we all know they wouldn't ever have have a realaitionship with her AT ALL.
The cult would say "Oh she's busy on a special project" or ship her over seas, never to be seen again. Or in the fat chance she was able to see them, she would be so drilled and prolly have a handler with her at all times.
Hope those poor kids don't end up on the RPF, which must be in the back of her parents minds.
So glad that they didn't make any deals with the cult as tough as it may have been for them. But they know it's utter cult BS.


HEY US GOVERNMENT!
DO YOU EVER READ ANYTHING AT ALL? EVER?
THIS IS REAL! THIS HAPPENS EVERY FUCKING DAY IN THE COS!

CAN SOMETHING BE DONE ABOUT IT PLEASE?

AND FUCK YOU SCIENTOLOGY!

BILLBOARD UP IN FLORIDA: Scientology ‘disconnection’ on view near Clearwater ‘mecca’

By Tony Ortega, July 20, 2016

We just got word from Phil and Willie Jones. Their second “Call Me” billboard just went up in Largo, Florida, bringing attention to Scientology’s “disconnection” policy just a few miles from where the church has its international spiritual “mecca” in the town of Clearwater.

They had previously posted a similar billboard in the Echo Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, and it garnered a huge amount of press interest. The billboard is at the southwest corner of East Bay and 20th St. SE, and faces west.

Phil and Willie will be holding a dedication ceremony at this location on Saturday, and we want to hear from you if you go.

Continued here:
http://tonyortega.org/2016/07/20/bi...gy-disconnection-questioned-in-florida-mecca/

VIDEO: Clearwater, FL Stop Scientology Disconnection "Call Me" Billboard in Action.

In case anyone wants to say hello, the Church of Scientology has Phil &amp; Willie's daughter Emily working Battlefield Earth booth at Comic-Con.

From Intergalactic Walrus on Tony Ortega's blog.

http://tonyortega.org/2016/07/21/sc...-video-from-chris-shelton/#comment-2796408521

A billboard sprouts in Florida, and other Scientology chaos in our social media review

By Rod Keller, July 24, 2016

Yesterday, Phil and Willie Jones dedicated their new billboard in Largo, Florida, just a few miles from Scientology’s spiritual mecca in Clearwater. Phil sent us this report about how the day went.

http://tonyortega.org/2016/07/24/a-...scientology-chaos-in-our-social-media-review/

Stop Scientology Disconnection T-Shirts.

http://stopscientologydisconnection.com/t-shirts/

^^^
I like how a girls tank top is more expensive than a guys t-shirt!
And the mens t-shirts have a better color selection? Strange.

I might have considred buying one, but when I look at this t -shirt quickly as any person would, it just comes off as confusing. The first thing you see is Scientology and "CALL ME".
It looks like an ad for Scientology to me. Like the person wearing it is a recruiter. Looks like Call Me about Scientology.
And I wouldn't want anyone to think I am supporting the COS in any way.

I think for t shirts, "STOP SCIENTOLOGY DISONNECTION" (not the website address) has to be at the top.
or STOP SCIENTOLOGY at the top and DISCONNECTION on the bottom.
The website address can be put on the back.
Or just put STOP SCIENTOLOGY DISCONECTION in the middle and and get rid of the "call me".'
Just my opinion.

Scientology wastes no time taking over Florida sign after ‘disconnection’ billboard expires

By Tony Ortega, August 27, 2016

Excerpt:

United for Human Rights, a Scientology front, has taken over the billboard off E Bay Drive with a message that advertises its website, humanrights.com.

<snipped>

“I spoke to the billboard company last week and they were getting a lot of pressure from Scientology,” Phil tells us. “I asked them whether it was financial, legal, or other and they said, ‘pretty much all of what you said.’ They said that if we want to continue with our billboard that we’d have to go through the whole approval process again, which I took to mean that they probably wouldn’t approve us. I’m not sure if Scientology bought up other billboard properties in the area.”

Phil tells us that he’s paid up for the Los Angeles billboard through September 11.

More here:
http://tonyortega.org/2016/08/27/sc...a-sign-after-disconnection-billboard-expires/

Goddamit, the clams with their unlimited funds strike again … grrr ... They always end up one-uping

I wouldn't call it one upping.
Their motto should have been:
Scientology... The Childish Church

Scientology’s ‘disconnection’ policy gets sacrificed on the Burning Man altar

By Tony Ortega, September 9, 2016

Quote:

We heard from a special correspondent who sent us photos from this year’s Burning Man event at Black Rock City, Nevada.

This isn’t the first time an Underground Bunker reader has reported back to us after visiting the annual arts event in the desert. Somewhere around here we have a photo of The Unbreakable Miss Lovely at last year’s shindig. And now, this year we have another dispatch, but it’s a very special one.

<snipped>

Our tipster not only brought the book along, but also a special poster, made up of a copy of the “Call Me” sign we associate with Phil and Willie Jones and their efforts to publicize the effects of Scientology’s toxic policy of ‘disconnection,’ which rips families apart.

The poster contained the names of numerous families that have suffered from disconnection, when Scientologists are ordered to cut off all ties from their loved ones who have left the organization.

Our correspondent took the poster to a site called The Temple, where other Burners were encouraged to write testimonials to people who were missing from their lives.

More here:
http://tonyortega.org/2016/09/09/sc...icy-gets-sacrificed-on-the-burning-man-altar/

Phil and Willie Jones launch a new effort for billboard about Scientology disconnection

By Tony Ortega, January 7, 2017

Quote:

Phil and Willie are back! After putting up billboards that call attention to Scientology’s ‘disconnection’ policy in Los Angeles and Largo, Florida last year, Phil and Willie Jones say they’re launching a new effort to get their billboard put up again in L.A. And that’s where you come in.

This morning, Phil has launched a new gofundme page to raise money for a new run of the “Call Me” billboard. His goal is $10,000, which will keep the billboard up for about three months. And given the media interest for Scientology right now, we have a feeling that another billboard launch will get some attention.

Last year, our readers helped raise the money for Phil’s first billboard, in the L.A. neighborhood of Los Feliz. Two billboard companies offered him contracts, but then rescinded their offers when they came under heavy attack from Scientology. But Phil found a third company that was willing to stand up to Scientology’s pressure.

The billboard has a simple message, asking Scientologists to call their loved ones in defiance of the church’s disconnection policy. Nothing negative is said about Scientology itself. But just asking Scientologists to call home was apparently enough of a threat that the church expended a lot of energy in trying keep Phil from putting it up. We have a feeling they’ll try to stop this effort as well, and if so, we’ll report on it.

Continued at http://tonyortega.org/2017/01/07/ph...or-billboard-about-scientology-disconnection/

Bump. They've raised about $3550 so far. I will be donating. I consider this money well spent, since the Jones will absolutely deliver what they promise.

I donated yesterday. Also, a generous anonymous donor gave $500 in the last few minutes. They're nearing the halfway point in the fundraising, having nearly reached $4800

$5892 raised out of $9950

Update 1
Posted by Phil Jones
3 hours ago
We are more than halfway to our goal in just 3 1/2 days. This is fantastic! With your help I really hope that we can help bring Scientology's disconnection practice to an end this year and see all families affected by this abuse reunited. Thank you to all who have donated so far. You are the warriors and heroes in this battle.

I expect that a semi-organized push for donations will take place on social media during the airing of the next new episode of Leah's show, tonight, and during the remaining future shows, until the crowdfund is complete. I wouldn't be surprised if they reach or approach their goal by tomorrow morning.

Done Deal: Billboard contract signed for site near Scientology’s Los Angeles ‘Big Blue’ HQ

By Tony Ortega, January 13, 2017

Quote:

Phil and Willie Jones have done it again. In part through the generosity of the readers of this website, they’ve raised enough toward their overall goal that they have signed a contract for a new “Call Me” billboard, and they wanted us to announce it.

They also wanted us to reveal where the new billboard is going to be — right on Sunset Boulevard, and only blocks from Scientology’s “Big Blue” headquarters on Fountain Avenue.

We reminded Phil that in the past, when he first announced the location for his original Los Angeles billboard, two companies then caved under pressure from the Church of Scientology and tore up his contracts before he found a third company that was willing to stand by him. But he tells us he’s confident that Scientology will not be able to scuttle this deal. We’ll just have to see about that!

The billboard location is on Sunset just after it passes through Fountain Avenue. It’s on the left side of the street facing west, for drivers heading toward downtown LA.

Continued at http://tonyortega.org/2017/01/13/do...te-near-scientologys-big-blue-los-angeles-hq/

Update 2
Posted by Phil Jones
4 hours ago
Some great news! We've secured our billboard location and signed the contract.

Although we still have a bit of a ways to go on our fundraising we were able to get the contract signed for the location where we are putting up the billboard. And it is an amazing location. We are just blocks away from Scientology's Big Blue in Los Angeles, as well as very close to the Scientology Media Productions property. This is the best location for a billboard we've had so far.

We still haven't announced the launch date but will do so soon.

Thank you for all your donations so far. Please continue to pass the link around and let people know that every little bit helps.
Help spread the word!

$7652 raised out of $9950

More than 3/4 of the way there! Keep it up!

$9150 raised out of $9950!!

https://www.gofundme.com/stopscientologydisconnection/

Goal reached! $9951 raised out of $9950

awesome!

Tony made a handy map.




Based on the location, I pulled some shots off of GoogleMaps. If the location has been accurately reported, it is an interesting one, to say the least.

Aerial view -



Yes, the billboard is on top of the (in)famous Bates Motel - an odd coincidence, because there's been a long-running A&amp;E series of the same name, a prequel to Psycho. Advertisements for this other A&amp;E show's final season appeared during the run of Leah's Aftermath. See - https://twitter.com/XENUTV/status/819034064846028800


Street level view, facing east/southeast on Sunset -



(I had some fun embellishing this one in MSPaint.)

I'm not sure if the building still looks this way, but it was recently whitewashed as part of an art installation.



http://www.laweekly.com/news/see-the-creepy-bates-motel-turn-white-as-a-ghost-photos-5508150

Update 3
Posted by Phil Jones
22 hours ago
Great news! We are fully funded on our CallMe Campaign billboard. Contracts are signed and we have a start date (which we will announce shortly).

I can't express how much gratitude I have for all of your help on this. This project is for all those who have suffered and are suffering from Scientology's toxic disconnection practice that breaks up families. But since we also have a personal stake in this with our own kids being in the Scientology Sea Org and disconnected from us I get emotional with each and every bit of love and support we get. You are my heroes. You are my friends. You are my family.
Help spread the word!

The new ‘disconnection’ billboard on Sunset Blvd is going to be a Valentine to Scientology

By Tony Ortega, January 26, 2017

Quote:

Previously, Phil Jones revealed the location of his newest “Call Me” anti-disconnection billboard in Los Angeles that will call attention to the Church of Scientology’s practice of splitting up families.

Phil and his wife Willie can’t see their own two grown children, Mike and Emily Jones, because they are Sea Org workers and their parents were “declared suppressive persons,” which is Scientology’s way of saying that they’ve been named enemies of the church and must be avoided by other Scientologists, even their own kids, who have “disconnected” from them. Last year, Phil and Willie raised money to put up billboards asking Scientologists to defy disconnection and call their loved ones — one in Los Angeles, the other in Largo, Florida near Scientology compounds.

Phil and Willie once again have crowdfunded enough money that they’re going to post their billboard just blocks from two key Scientology facilities in Los Angeles. And now we have a date — Phil says the contract he’s signed is for February 13, but it usually takes a day or two for the sign to go up.

So think of it as a sweet Valentine to Scientology leader David Miscavige. Here’s what Phil told us about it:

We’ve been in LA for a few days and paid a visit to the new billboard site. It’s going to be great. Our contract starts on Feb. 13 but it sometimes takes a day or so for the installation to get done. Once we’ve got a firm date we’ll arrange to get down there with some people for an official launch.

While we were in LA we did an on-camera interview that should come out in the next few weeks. Once I get an air date I’ll get out the details on it.

You can literally see the Scientology Media Productions (SMP) complex from the billboard, and we’re just a stone’s throw from the Scientology Big Blue complex. We did a little driving around there and Celebrity Center — with magnetic Call Me signs on the car, of course.

I hope this billboard plays into the interest and momentum in Scientology watching that is going on right now. The more we can expose their abuses then maybe the closer it will bring them to an end.

​

Here’s a short clip filmed by Phil that shows just how close the billboard is from the SMP, Scientology’s brand new renovation of the old KCET studios on Sunset Blvd.

Continued at http://tonyortega.org/2017/01/26/th...vd-is-going-to-be-a-valentine-to-scientology/

Confirmed. And yes, the building still looks that way.

Today these were uploaded to a new YouTube channel:

Scientology Los Angeles | Stop Scientology Disconnection



When driving around Scientology's Big Blue complex in LA with our "To my loved one in Scientology, Call Me" sign we noticed a Sea Org girl staff member who just couldn't confront the terribleness of it all.

Scientologists and disconnection | Stop Scientology Disconnection



When driving around Scientology's Big Blue complex with our "To my loved one in Scientology, Call Me" sign on our car these Scientologists got pretty rude, arrogant and dismissive of families broken up by Scientology.

Fed up with Scientology disconnection? Be there to dedicate the new ‘Call Me’ billboard Feb. 18

By Tony Ortega, February 2, 2017

Quote:

It’s one of the things we’ve heard from people who watched Leah Remini’s A&E series Scientology and the Aftermath — what can I do about the abuses that Leah exposed on her show?

Well, here’s one thing you can do. Join Phil and Willie Jones as they dedicate their newest “Call Me” billboard bringing attention to Scientology’s toxic “disconnection” policy on Sunset Blvd just a few blocks from Scientology’s own Los Angeles facilities.

Phil and Willie left Scientology several years ago, but their grown children Mike and Emily remain in Scientology’s “Sea Org” and have followed church orders to cut themselves off from their parents. Phil and Willie have been fighting back in numerous ways, including raising money for billboards that they’ve had put up in Los Angeles and Florida. The billboard has a positive message, asking Scientologists to call their loved ones and reconnect.

Phil and Willie expect the new billboard to appear on February 14 or 15. And now, they’ve set a date for their dedication event.

“We’re going to do our official billboard launch ‘gathering’ on Feb. 18. It’s a Saturday so that should make it easier for people to attend if they work during the week,,” Phil tells us. “There’s a coffee shop across the street and we can meet there at 10:30am. They have some outside seating there as well.”

Here’s another look at the map to help you find the billboard.

Continued at http://tonyortega.org/2017/02/02/fe...on-dedicate-the-new-call-me-billboard-feb-18/

Update 4
Posted by Phil Jones
The billboard is going up! We have a contract start date of Feb. 13th but it sometimes takes a day or so for the install to take place. We are going to do a little dedication get-together on Saturday Feb. 18th at 10:30am. I hope that anyone local can come out and support the cause. We're going to meet at a coffee shop across the street from the billboard, which is located at 4301 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles. I look forward to meeting all who come out to join us.

-Phil

Billboard up on Sunset Blvd! Calls attention to Scientology ‘disconnection’ only blocks from HQ

By Tony Ortega, February 14, 2017

Quote:

Happy Valentine’s Day, David Miscavige!

Phil and Willie Jones have done it again, putting up a billboard calling attention to Scientology’s cruel “disconnection” policy after raising money on a crowdfunding website. (And thanks to Brett Chance for the photo of how it looks.)

For the third time, and the second time in Los Angeles, the couple has raised a billboard to help bring attention to the Scientology practice, which is what keeps them away from their own two grown children, Emily and Mike Jones, who work in Scientology’s “Sea Organization.”

And once again, Phil and Willie announced the location of this billboard well ahead of time, but Scientology was unable to stop it. The new billboard was put up today, and its location has to be particularly galling to Scientology leader David Miscavige — it’s just a few blocks down Sunset Boulevard from his new “Scientology Media Productions” studio complex which he opened last May.

It’s also very close to “Big Blue,” the Los Angeles headquarters complex that Scientologists refer to as PAC Base for “Pacific Area Command,” which is on Fountain Ave and “L. Ron Hubbard Way.”

Earlier today, Phil told our readers about how the new billboard appeared to have Scientology in a panic.

<snipped>

Phil and Willie have called for a dedication ceremony to take place this Saturday across the street from the billboard at 10:30 am. If you’re in town, stop by!

More at http://tonyortega.org/2017/02/14/bi...cientology-disconnection-only-blocks-from-hq/

Forecast calls for rain. Lame.
DM is at cause over weather now?

Phil and Willie Jones versus Scientology: The real story of how the billboard came to be

By Tony Ortega, July 31, 2017

Quote:

On Thursday, we published an account by Derek Bloch describing part of his experience in 2015 filming a television series about Scientology ‘disconnection’ that has yet to receive an airdate. When he saw what Derek had written, Phil Jones contacted us, asking to post his own experience with the unaired ‘Disconnection’ series and how it eventually led to the famous billboards that Phil and Willie crowdfunded in Los Angeles and Florida. As we said last time, for a short period we too became involved in that television production, serving as a consultant for Sirens Media for about a month as the series lineup was being finalized. We hope that the series does get an airdate at some point, but in the meantime we believe Phil’s account deserves to be heard.

Continued at http://tonyortega.org/2017/07/31/ph...-real-story-for-how-the-billboard-came-to-be/

Ontario Father Says Scientology Destroyed His Family; “We Didn’t Know What Was Going On”

Former members are speaking out in desperate pleas to reunite families.

By Courtney Greenberg, Torontoist

Part one of two examining the roots and lingering grip of Scientology in Toronto

Quote:

Phil Jones hasn’t spoken to his son or daughter in four years. The Ajax native now lives in Nevada to be closer to his children, who live in California — even though they refuse to have a relationship with him. That’s because Jones — once a devoted parishioner at the Church of Scientology in Toronto — decided to leave the Church and speak out against its policies and abuses.

“The thing is, if they were to get in contact with us — because we are what’s called ‘declared suppressive persons’ because we left and criticized — then they would be declared and lose friends, family, spouses. They would lose everything that they have. So that’s the threat that Scientology holds over their head,” said Jones.

<snipped>

The Church denies its groups (like Narconon, Criminon, and Applied Scholastics) are used to recruit new members.

In the meantime, Jones is awaiting the release of an eight-part docu-series he filmed with A&E. Although there is no release date yet, he said, it will feature hard-hitting, “on the ground” footage, rather than a talk-show format.

“One of the things that finally triggered that last thing in my head for us to get out was reading the Tampa Bay Times truth rundown. That stuff is needed. People get out because they do read the truth. In Scientology, you don’t get the truth. You’re either lied to or protected from information entirely,” said Jones.

“That’s why we speak out and we do it in our own name.”

In Part Two, Torontoist speaks to an Ontario woman who worked for the Toronto chapter in the 1970s, and is still searching for a document that she says should be made public.

The full article, with open comments is here:
http://torontoist.com/2017/08/ontario-father-says-scientology-destroyed-family-didnt-know-going/

Phil Jones: How Scientology sucked me in — even as National Lampoon warned me

By Phil Jones, The Underground Bunker, October 24, 2018

https://tonyortega.org/2018/10/24/p...ked-me-in-even-as-national-lampoon-warned-me/