In this video former Sea Org member and Scientology expert Aaron Smith-Levin offers us an excellent analysis of an interview in which Joel Beaton, Address Management Director for the Church of Scientology International, stated that the Church of Scientology’s active mailing list contains “about 3.5 million active names.”
Mr. Beaton gave this number in an interview with Richard Ramano of the In-Plant Printing and Mailing Association (IPMA). This video was released in June 2019. The Church of Scientology’s Bridge Publications has been very active in IPMA for many years.
Aaron analyzes past claims made by the Church of Scientology in which numbers of eight million, nine million, and ten million members were publicly stated by various Scientology officials. For Joel Beaton to now publicly topple these fake numbers by offering a real number is extraordinary.
Aaron states that Joel Beaton, a Sea Org member, is in huge trouble for publicly disclosing the 3.5 million number.
Categories: The Scientology Money Project
“For Joel Beaton to now publicly topple these fake numbers by offering a real number is extraordinary.”
Wow. Just wow.
I hadn’t realized the significance of Joel Beaton’s statement. Thanks for pointing it out.
It speaks volumes to the amount of cognitive dissonance Joel Beaton must have been under while doing his job. Wouldn’t want to be in the guy’s head.
“Aaron states that Joel Beaton, a Sea Org member, is in huge trouble for publicly disclosing the 3.5 million number.”
Well, I can’t say I’m happy about that either…
is there a way or directory to look up if people are Scientologists? or if they have passed certain levels?
@EL: “is there a way or directory to look up if people are Scientologists?”
Would you be happy if there were a directory to look up if people are jews, muslims, christians of whatever denomination, mormon, or free mason?
I wouldn’t…
(A directory of people who publicly identify as scientologists would, however, in my opinion, be “fair game”.)
@F68.10 The Church of Scientology has itself published and widely distributed the names and completions of its members since the early 1950’s. It has done this in its many magazines that it mails to 3.5 million members, this number according to CSI Address List Manager Joel Beaton. Scientology itself has done for seven decades what you imply is somehow sinister.
Worse, it is virtually impossible to get one’s name removed from Scientology’s mailing list once you’re on it. Even with repeated requests sent to the Church to remove one’s name the Church ignores these requests. It seems to be that unless a legal demand is made one’s name never gets removed.
At her terrific website The Truth About Scientology, the outstanding critic Kristi Wachter has methodically compiled these names from Scientology’s own widely distributed lists of Scientologists over the years.
The way to check is to Google a person’s name with the words “Scientology Completions.” So for example, “Matt Feshbach Scientology Completions” will take you here on Kirstie’s site: https://www.truthaboutscientology.com/stats/by-name/m/matt-feshbach.html
“It has done this in its many magazines that it mails to 3.5 million members”
It’s a bit less sinister if they only distribute the names of its members to members. At bit too sinister to my taste, still.
“Even with repeated requests sent to the Church to remove one’s name the Church ignores these requests. It seems to be that unless a legal demand is made one’s name never gets removed.”
I’m inclined to believe that. And I do find it sinister. I’d still be curious on what evidence such a statement can be made.
“At her terrific website The Truth About Scientology, the outstanding critic Kristi Wachter has methodically compiled these names from Scientology’s own widely distributed lists of Scientologists over the years.”
I feel queasy. Great job, but I do feel queasy.
That is very helplful Jeff A. Thank you!