Scientology and Falun Gong
When I was 22, around 1990, I was ensnared into scientology and "worked" for them 40 hours a week for about 3 weeks, at their San Jose, CA, USA campus. It started with their free personality test. And, I had to sign a paper which I didn't understand. It turns out, that the paper I signed was something about all my work being voluntary contribution to the "Church". I stuffed envelopes for them for their mass mailing while I was there. At the time I know nothing about scientology and don't know much of anything else then. My knowledge of the world was roughly equivalent to a average highschooler at the time. Although at the time i'm rather totally ignorant, but I was not dumb, and was very keen whenever money is involved. I was semi-curious and needed a job. Basically, after I did the free personality test, and in a few days I ended up going to their center. The first thing they do is to take you into a nicely decorated room with big screen TV and comfortable sofas, where they play a certain "educational style" video tape that talks about the greatness of dianetics or scientology, and how it can help you personally. Then, a "counsel" talks to you and basically getting very personal and get you to talk about yourself. I had problem with my abusive mom, and this relationship is what they really wanted to to know, as a way to help me. Soon I signed a paper and I got to work for them. I thought the paper-signing is typical for employment. Inside scientology, I get to see these very scary group-think and practices. While I was stuffing envelopes for them, I was eager to get paid. (i was not told how much per hour I get). I asked about my paycheck a couple of times and got non-clear answers, until after about 3 weeks when I finally got my check, it turns out to be so meager, which is the decisive factor that I "quit" and got out. If I remember correctly, the pay may be half of the minimal wage. (i think around 1990 in CA the minimum wage was $6 and I got anywhere from $2.5/h or $4/h.) And it is this that got me out of it. The day I told them i'm quitting, they had this counselor who talked to me for like a hour or two. (my friend is waiting for me in his car outside the building, during a night around 8 pm) It is at this time, I was told by the counsel (as some sort of legal showoff I think) , that the paper I signed was some type of agreement that i'm volunteering free work for the organization. I remember, the way the paycheck is delivered is actually quite something. Before Scientology, I had 2 years of experience working for bagel shops in Montreal, Canada. So, i'm at least familiar with how paychecks are given out. Basically, usually every two weeks, your boss or supervisor just hands you the check in a envelope. However, at Scientology, the people there actually makes a line to a window, as if you were going to buy a ticket. I'm not sure they always do this since I only got paid once there. This is a very weird experience. (i don't have any details how they made this so, but this waiting-in-line to get paycheck is a basic brain-washing technique, similar to prayer-before-meal. Note, they don't actually use terms like pay-check or pay-day. They have their own vocabulary and literally have their very own dictionary. (if I recall correctly, they have English dictionary and Encyclopedia written and published by the organization itself.) I've always been interested in psychology, brainwashing, and occultism. This Scientology insider experience actually opened my eyes, and grew my budding interest in cults and their practices.