Blog: (VIDEO) Critical Q&A 69 - 2016-08-07
(VIDEO) Critical Q&A #69 August 7, 2016,
The weekly show where I answer questions from viewers from either the comments to my Q&A videos or sent to me by email at AskChrisShelton@gmail.com.
(1) Listening to Lawrence Woodcraft's account of his life as a Scientologist, I noticed that Scientology had to do a serious run around the immigration rules to get him to come to Clearwater from his native England and stay there. Elsewhere, Jason Beghe stated that on several occasions, his calls to Clearwater had been answered by people who seemed to have limited command of the English language and accents that he thought to be Eastern European. It is also widely known that Mike Rinder is from Australia and Hana Eltringham-Whitfield is from South Africa. So, if we assume that the Eastern Europeans encountered by Beghe, along with the Australians, Brits, and South Africans he didn't peg as such, had to jump through the same hoops Lawrence Woodcraft did, it would appear that there are at least a few people in the Sea Org who, due to the Sea Org's policies, are technically in violation of immigration rules, as is the Sea Org itself. Hence, a three-part question: (a) have you encountered non-U.S. Sea Org personnel during your time as a Scientologist and if so, how often?, (b) has Scientology ever butted heads with ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) over the status of Sea Org members who are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents?, and (c) how likely, in your opinion, is this kind of head-butting to happen in the near future?
(2) I have an odd question: You have said, and Scientology has said, that the RPF and/or the Hole was "voluntary." Has anyone, to the best of YOUR knowledge, ever politely declined or flat-out refused to go? If so, what was the result? Were they eventually broken down so that they recanted their decision, or did they get some sort of sanction (i.e. extra courses, having to hand out booklets, etc.) or were they booted straight to the curb? Any insight you can give will help. Thank you for your answer.