Ex-Scientologist Pete Griffiths talked to me today from Dublin, Ireland, about his experience in the cult and his determination to keep fighting.
Pete stated: “Quite simply really, I will not be giving up….there’s no amount of money would I accept to give up and walk away. No, I want to see the job done; I want to see it done in my lifetime; I want to see injustices righted, abuses stopped, fraud corrected - - I just want to see the right thing done.”
Griffiths was instrumental in organizing an international conference in Dublin the end of June 2012, with Scientology critics attending from several countries. The second day of the event was more like a party and dance, with protesters lining the street in front of the tiny Scientology Mission.
The well-organized event included a press package that attracted the attention of Europe news media.
Dublin Offlines Press Pack: http://tinyurl.com/ac4g2rx
Pete Griffiths has been active for several years now as an outspoken Scientology critic and just completed a global survey on the declining activity of what he and many others call a dangerous and abusive cult.
When I asked Pete about his time as a member of Scientology and if he suffered from trauma and nightmares, his reply was: “Oh’ David, David, to this day I have nightmares." We talked about how many people who “get out” have these traumatic dreams and how tragic it is to see and hear about young Scientology children suffering from years of abuse - - many separated from their parents in the Sea ORG.
In Ireland and other countries around the globe, new Scientology Ideal ORG buildings sit near empty; only staff is seen lingering about. However, the leader, David Miscavige vows to keep building and opening more of the same.
Scientology continues to inflate statistics with a 2007 a Church claim they had 3.5 million members in the United States, but a 2001 survey conducted by the City University of New York found only 55,000 people in the United States who claimed to be Scientologists.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientology
Today, Scientology membership is estimated between 25-50 thousand and only 25,000 in the United States - - a bleak decline since 2007.
David Edgar Love
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