When Father’s Day reminds you that Scientology has ripped apart your family
[Today’s guest post is by Geoff Levin.]
While here in the US today many children will be reconnecting with their dads for Father’s Day, some of us know that it’s not going to happen this year.
Some of us are ex-Scientologists. And when you leave Scientology, you run the risk of being labeled an enemy of the church, what it calls “suppressive persons.”
When that happens, Scientology instructs everyone who wants to remain in good standing with the organization to cut that “SP” out of their lives.
I myself followed this “disconnection” policy after my own brother, Robbie Levin, left the organization in 1984. He was declared “suppressive” for leaving the church. And so I had to disconnect from him then if I wanted to remain in good standing. And the way my mind worked then, I did not want to “lose my eternity.”
By the year 2017 I had a different view of Scientology and its founder, L. Ron Hubbard. I disobeyed that disconnection order and reunited with Robbie. The result was that I was declared suppressive. And now the people who were close to me had to make that choice.
And that’s how I lost my kids.
My son Collin wanted to receive Scientology services and found out that he couldn’t because of my status. He asked me to call the ethics officer at Celebrity Centre. He wanted me to get back on the correct path. The lead ethics officer at CC demanded that I come in and see her. I said “nope, not happening.” I did suggest she could meet me anywhere else. She declined and then threatened me with an instant declare. (I told the whole story on Leah and Mike’s podcast, episode 22, if you want to hear all the details.) So after I talked on the phone with this young woman, my son Collin had to disconnect from me in July 2017.
Then my daughter Savannah followed in early 2018 with a phone call where she was being coached on what to say to me. At the time I was giving her money every month because she needed it for college. She informed me she no longer needed it. What? Then she said “Dad, do not call me, text me, or email me any more.” I asked her, “you mean nothing ever again?” She said “yes, nothing.” I questioned her on who had worked with her on how to “handle me” and disconnect. She got pretty flustered with that question. And that’s the last time I talked to her.
And that was the end of my existence as an active dad. Now I’m a dad in waiting. I’ll never give up hope. If I could get out after 46 years, anyone can leave. In 2021 I found out I had a life-threatening disease. My operation was successful. Do you think my children knew or cared? Now this Father’s Day feels like a black void. A void I have learned to live with. I feel bad for my kids. This is more harmful for them than me. I still send them birthday cards, wish them happy Hanukkah and Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year. No one is stopping me from communicating with them. However, they have been taught to be victims. To run from their alleged enemies. They are the effect of spiritual blackmail and my belief I was helping them by educating them in Hubbard’s teachings.
This is Scientology’s legacy. Fear, anger, delusion, blackmail, prejudice and lies. I am so grateful I am out. No one tells me who I can communicate with or not. I make my own decisions and chose my friends and those who will not be my friends. And I’m still willing to communicate with anyone.
I am looking to broadly expose Scientology with the full length documentary I produced which is about ready to go to festivals and be sold. And my kids are in it, although they refused to be interviewed or give a statements. And my band’s album was released the first of this year and many of the songs tell of my long arduous journey as a zealot. They are all part of the story in “Brothers Broken.”
So dads, please savor your time with your children. And you who have dads, give them a big hug on Father’s Day. Most all of them deserve it.
— Geoff Levin
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