Disconnection

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Introduction
Scientology does break up families and friendships. In Scientology "disconnection" means permanently repudiating family or friends, who may be antagonistic to the church. Disconnection is a longstanding practice in Scientology and was made official doctrine in 1983 by the founder, L. Ron Hubbard, under a policy titled PTSness AND DISCONNECTION. Would a Methodist church or Jewish synagogue mandate that grandchildren shun grandparents who didn't share their religious beliefs? That is what happens in Scientology.

In the course of Scientology's history, disconnection has subverted virtually every possible human relationship.

Marriages are broken when spouses disconnect from each other under church pressure. Mother's and Father's lose children at the church's behest. Brothers and sister's disconnect from parents and from each other. Scientology has imposed permanent disconnection on aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins, in-laws, friends, and grand-parents, in every conceivable combination.

When Allen Stanfield left Scientology (after almost 20 years) the 'church' tried to force his wife, sister and brother-in-law to disconnect from him.

According to Allen:

Disconnection as Scientology doctrine
How could this be? It occurs through a tricky bit of Scientology legerdemain that blames a member's "stalled spiritual progress" on family and friends, who may be skeptical of the church. If a church member is not getting "wins" in their training, it must be the result of negative influence. What negative influence? The influence of anyone critical of Scientology. Cut-off from that person and spiritual progress is regained. Using this circular argument, Scientology keeps members in the church and forces them to shun the people most likely to have their best interests at heart.

Scientology hides this contol of its' members behind the church doctrines of "PTS/SP". "PTS" is an abbreviation for "potential trouble source" and "SP" for "suppressive person". For Scientologists, any personal problem, stress, disease, difficulty or just ill-luck is the result of an association with a suppressive person who is creating "negative energy." A Scientologist experiencing a personal problem is, themselves, a potential trouble source. And the situation, in toto, "a potential trouble source condition". The solution to a PTS condition is straightforward - get the supressive person to stop creating the damaging negativity or 'cut-loose' from the SP so their negative energy has no effect.

Hubbard describes this simple doctrine in the Scientology Handbook:

In earlier documentation, Hubbard describes the PTS/SP condition in these terms:

Scientology teaches that all problems (auto accidents, illness, even cancer) are the result of association with a suppressive person. Isolating oneself from SPs is the only defense against a haphazard existence. Handling suppression and disconnecting from SPs is imperative to self preservation and also to acheiving immortality.

Scientologists believe the soul (called thetan) can become god-like through church auditing and training. Attaining the church's highest levels on the "Bridge to Happiness" guarantees power over eternity. A family member or friend who is a suppressive stands between the Scientologist and immortality.

The effect of disconnection
Personal testimonies to the devastation wreaked by Hubbard's "PTSness and Disconnection" policy are so numerous that the breadth of the problem is best discovered by counting the "hits" resulting from internet searches.

Nonetheless, here are some examples:

Here's an recent example of disconnection between good friends:

Disconnection: Enforcing and coercing
The Church of Scientology claims that disconnection is strictly a voluntary. A decision Scientologists make of their own free will. At times, this may be the case. Unfortunately, there is considerable evidence that Scientology disconnection is often coerced.

As "Nemesis of Carrie Elkins" describes, the cult coerces members to divorce:

Fighting to reconnect
Susan Lentsch is one of many parents who have fought to contact children who disappeared in Scientology. She eventually managed to see her daughter, once, but only with the bizarre chaperoning of Scientology security. Susan's letter - written to a Church of Scientology spokesperson after 15 years of barely any contact with her daughter, deserves study, as does her story more generally. It was re-posted to Scientology Disconnection at Susan's request.

Scientology, as official policy, does break up families and friendships!

Hubbard's disconnection policy is cleverly woven into Scientology's promises of immortality. Under the pretext of guiding accolytes to eternal life, Scientology keeps members away from outside information and potential interference that might diminish the church's power.

Scientology does break up families and friendships. Scientology disconnection often tears family ties across several generations. The suffering disconnection causes is evident in numerous personal accounts. Would a Jewish synagogue or Lutheran church, mandate that grandchildren shun grandparents that don't share their religious beliefs? It seems impossible to imagine. In that sense, Scientology's disconnection policy appears antithetical to concept of family maintained in most religions.