It's Time to Discuss the Elephant in the Room...

Growing Up In Scientology
4 May 2024131:09

TLDRIn a revealing discussion on SPtv, the host addresses the ongoing drama within the former Scientology community, particularly focusing on the internal conflicts and public disputes among ex-Scientologists. The narrative delves into the creation of the new SPtv Foundation as a beacon for positive action, yet highlights the persistent attacks by certain board members of the Aftermath Foundation against their peers. The host passionately calls for rationality and unity, urging a reduction in hostility to refocus on the primary mission of exposing Scientology's abuses.

Takeaways

  • 📢 The speaker addresses the 'elephant in the room', referring to ongoing drama and infighting within the former Scientology community, particularly involving the Aftermath Foundation and its board members.
  • 🚫 The speaker expresses frustration with the lack of intervention by Aftermath Foundation leaders, such as Mike Rinder and Leah Remini, regarding attacks on former Scientologists by the foundation's board members.
  • 🤔 The speaker questions why the conflict within the community doesn't stop and suggests that it's related to his criticism of Mike Rinder's past actions within Scientology.
  • 💬 The speaker discusses personal matters, including his separated status from his wife and the public fallout from his relationships, which have been used to discredit him.
  • 😡 The speaker accuses certain individuals, including Leah Remini and Claire Headley, of privately encouraging an individual to create defamatory content about him, based on his personal life.
  • 📛 The speaker calls out hypocrisy, pointing to Leah Remini's public stance against Scientology's Fair Game policy while allegedly engaging in similar tactics against him and others critical of Mike Rinder.
  • 🤝 The speaker emphasizes the importance of unity within the movement against Scientology and the detrimental effects of infighting on the community's collective goals.
  • 💔 The speaker shares his disappointment in those who were once allies but are now contributing to the conflict, including individuals who have been publicly supportive of him in the past.
  • 📈 The speaker suggests that the conflict could be easily resolved if key figures like Leah Remini and Mike Rinder would publicly denounce the actions of the Aftermath Foundation board members involved in the attacks.
  • 🚨 The speaker warns of potential legal actions for slander against an individual who has been making false claims about his personal life, highlighting the seriousness of the situation.
  • 🤔 The speaker ponders the motivations behind the actions of those involved, questioning whether personal loyalties are driving the continued conflict despite the negative impact on the community.

Q & A

  • Why has there been a lot of drama in the former Scientology community according to the script?

    -The script suggests that the drama is largely due to infighting and public disputes among former Scientologists, which has been damaging to their collective cause of exposing the issues within Scientology.

  • What effect does the host believe the infighting has on his channel?

    -The host believes that the infighting is bad for business, implying that it detracts from the channel’s mission to expose Scientology and drives away the audience.

  • Why does the host mention the creation of the new sptv Foundation?

    -The creation of the sptv Foundation is mentioned as a positive development where efforts and energies could be redirected towards constructive activities rather than continuing the cycle of conflict.

  • What role does the host perceive himself as having within the former Scientology community?

    -The host perceives himself not as a leader but as an influencer who has tried to reduce tensions behind the scenes without dictating what others should say or do on their platforms.

  • What specific accusations are made against the board members of the aftermath Foundation?

    -The script accuses the aftermath Foundation board members of attacking former Scientologists and engaging in behavior contrary to their own code of conduct.

  • Why does the host question the silence of prominent figures like Leah Remini and Mike Rinder in the face of attacks within the community?

    -The host questions their silence because, as leaders and prominent figures, their voices could potentially influence the behavior of the aftermath Foundation board members and reduce the attacks.

  • What does the host reveal about his personal life in the script?

    -The host discusses his marital status and the separation from his wife, including the dynamics of their relationship post-separation.

  • How does the host feel about the personal attacks against him and the use of his personal life in public discourse?

    -The host expresses discomfort and sees the public discussion of his personal life as irrelevant to the work of exposing Scientology and assisting its former members.

  • What does the host imply about the responsibility of community leaders in managing conflicts?

    -The host implies that community leaders have a responsibility to quell unnecessary conflicts and direct the community’s efforts towards more productive ends rather than fueling division.

  • What is the host's ultimate hope for the community moving forward?

    -The host hopes for an end to the internal disputes and a renewed focus on the shared goal of exposing and addressing the abuses within Scientology.

Outlines

00:00

📢 Addressing Controversies on SPtv

The speaker begins by acknowledging the increasing drama and infighting within the former Scientologist community, particularly on the SPtv channels. Despite his reluctance, he feels compelled to address the issues, referencing internal conflicts and his own efforts to moderate the disputes behind the scenes. He highlights the formation of the new SPtv Foundation as a positive focus, yet recognizes ongoing attacks from the Aftermath Foundation board members on fellow ex-Scientologists. The speaker emphasizes his non-leadership role and his commitment to not censoring others, aligning with the ethos of no longer being in a cult.

05:03

🤔 Pondering the Continuous Conflict

The speaker reflects on the persistent conflicts within the community, particularly the unethical attacks by members of the Aftermath Foundation on former Scientologists who have actively opposed Scientology. He questions why prominent figures like Leah Remy and Mike Rinder remain silent on these issues, which fuels further speculation and drama. Additionally, he narrates his personal life changes, including a separation from his wife while still living together, and how his private life has been unfairly weaponized by others within the community to discredit and attack him.

10:05

🛑 Personal Struggles and Public Misconceptions

Further discussing his personal life, the speaker clarifies his ongoing relationship status and the misconceptions spread about him. He describes a former partner’s reaction to his divorce and her subsequent vengeful actions, including public attacks and misinformation. He expresses frustration over the continuation of these attacks, facilitated by support from unexpected sources within the ex-Scientologist community. This situation has led to increased scrutiny and pressure, exacerbating the speaker's distress and public image.

15:08

🎥 Exploiting Public Platforms for Personal Attacks

The speaker criticizes the misuse of public platforms by board members of the Aftermath Foundation to attack him and others. He is shocked to find prominent community leaders endorsing such attacks, including interactions on social media that imply deeper involvement and approval from high-profile ex-Scientologists. This revelation points to a concerted effort to sustain a campaign against him, which he finds deeply concerning and indicative of broader issues within the movement’s leadership and their approach to handling criticism.

20:10

🔍 Uncovering the Network of Support for Personal Attacks

Continuing his exposition, the speaker reveals connections and support networks that have emboldened his ex-partner to escalate her public denigration campaign against him. He suspects and then confirms through various interactions and public posts that influential figures in the ex-Scientologist community are involved. This has not only sustained but legitimized the ongoing personal attacks against him, revealing a troubling undercurrent of manipulation and support for unethical behavior within the community.

25:12

📜 Exposing Influential Backing of Personal Vendettas

The speaker outlines how the involvement of high-profile community members has intensified personal attacks against him, turning private disputes into public spectacles. He is dismayed to discover that his personal struggles and details are being used by others to further personal vendettas, with the support of key figures who were previously thought to be allies in the fight against Scientology. This betrayal highlights serious ethical concerns and the misuse of influence within the community.

30:12

🌐 Social Media Manipulations and the Role of Influential Figures

In the concluding remarks, the speaker discusses the role of social media in amplifying personal attacks and the apparent endorsement of these tactics by prominent ex-Scientologists. He calls for a reevaluation of the community’s values and leadership, emphasizing the need for integrity and ethical consistency. The misuse of platforms to support personal attacks not only damages individual reputations but also undermines the collective credibility and mission of the ex-Scientologist community.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡sptv

sptv likely refers to a specific YouTube channel or media outlet related to the topic discussed in the video. In this context, sptv seems to focus on issues around Scientology, particularly hosting discussions and sharing content critical of former Scientologists' behavior within their community. It serves as a platform for the speaker to address conflicts and community dynamics, which are central to the video's theme.

💡elephant in the room

The phrase 'elephant in the room' is a metaphorical idiom in English that refers to an obvious problem or difficult situation that people do not want to talk about. In the video, it is used to introduce the primary subject of discussion - the ongoing conflicts and issues within the former Scientology community that are apparent yet largely unaddressed or ignored by key figures.

💡former Scientologists

Former Scientologists are individuals who were once members of the Church of Scientology but have since left. The video discusses the interactions and conflicts among this group, specifically highlighting negative behaviors such as public criticisms and attacks within their community, which impacts their collective efforts to expose and criticize the Church's practices.

💡aftermath Foundation

The Aftermath Foundation is mentioned as a significant organization within the ex-Scientologist community. It was established to help individuals leaving Scientology. The video delves into controversies and accusations of misconduct by some of the Foundation’s board members, which is a crucial aspect of the ongoing community strife discussed.

💡fair game

Fair game is a policy purportedly used by the Church of Scientology, which suggests that those considered enemies of the Church can be subjected to harassment without any moral repercussions. The speaker uses this term to accuse key figures in the ex-Scientologist community of employing similar tactics against their own members, which ties into broader themes of betrayal and moral hypocrisy.

💡code of conduct

A code of conduct refers to a set of rules outlining the norms, rules, and responsibilities of, or proper practices for, an individual, party or organization. In the video, the speaker critiques certain members of the Aftermath Foundation for behavior that allegedly violates its code of conduct, emphasizing the discord between stated ethical guidelines and actual behaviors.

💡YouTube channel

The YouTube channel referenced multiple times in the video serves as the medium through which the speaker and other former Scientologists communicate with the public and each other. It is significant as both a platform for sharing personal narratives and as a battleground for the infighting described, illustrating the complexities of community and personal branding post-Scientology.

💡open marriage

Open marriage is discussed in the context of the speaker's personal life, which becomes public fodder in the broader community disputes. This term typically refers to a marriage in which both spouses agree upon a form of non-monogamy, and is used in the video to discuss the misinterpretations and misuse of personal information to fuel community conflicts and personal attacks.

💡ethical conduct

Ethical conduct in the video refers to the expected moral behavior of individuals, especially those in positions of influence or authority within the former Scientologist community. The speaker challenges the discrepancy between expected ethical behavior and the alleged actions of some community leaders, which is central to the video’s critique of leadership and governance within the group.

💡community dynamics

Community dynamics in the video refer to the interactions and relationships among members of the former Scientologist community. These dynamics are strained by public disputes, accusations, and the spread of personal grievances into public discourse, which the speaker highlights as damaging to both individual relationships and collective goals of advocacy against Scientology.

Highlights

Welcome to SPTV, where every day is a great day not to be an ult, no matter what's happening.

Over the last six months, there's been a lot of drama and infighting within the former Scientologist community.

The creation of the new SPTV Foundation provided a positive outlet for those upset with the Aftermath Foundation.

There's been a consistent issue with Aftermath Foundation board members attacking other former Scientologists.

Leah Remini and Mike Rinder have been silent on these attacks, raising questions about their leadership.

Aaron shares details about his personal life, including his separation from his wife since November 2019.

He reveals ongoing harassment and blackmail attempts regarding his private relationships.

A specific person Aaron had a relationship with has been making public accusations against him.

Aaron is shocked to see Aftermath Foundation members supporting his accuser's attacks.

He points out the hypocrisy of the Aftermath Foundation's ethical code being violated.

Aaron discusses receiving a threatening email from Aftermath board member Matt Pesh.

Aaron criticizes a fake Anonymous Twitter account used to threaten him and his foundation.

Leah Remini and other Aftermath members' public support of this fake account is troubling.

The Aftermath Foundation's involvement in spreading rumors about Aaron's health is highlighted.

Aaron concludes by calling for accountability and transparency within the former Scientologist community.