I was born in Englehart, Ontario Canada, but raised in Owen Sound, a small city on Georgian Bay, about 250 miles south.
In my mid-teens, I was forced into the Church of Jesus Christ (Restored) by my manipulative and domineering mother. My mother, an unstable religious fanatic, drugged and manipulated me into “marrying” a charismatic preacher more than twice my age. His name was Stan King.
In the early seventies Stan broke from The Reorganised Church of Latter Day Saints, which broke away from mainstream Mormonism in the mid 1960's – he then established his own fundamentalist Mormon sect. His followers called him The Prophet.
One of the basic doctrines which the new group re-embraced was the belief in polygamy.
One of his entitlements as “Prophet” was the privilege of having plural wives:
When I moved in with King at his farmhouse I joined his legal wife, and two other “church wives”, one of whom was only 14 years old. Stan had a fondness for group sex, and as time passed he bedded three more “wives” ranging in age from 10 to 17.
I spent over forty years in the Cult and endured physical, mental and emotional abuse throughout those years. I provided two sons to the original Prophet and was eventually “transferred” against my will to the second Prophet and because of my resistance I was placed under house arrest and confinement for nearly eight years.
Fearing for my life after yet another savage beating, I finally and quickly escaped the Cult in March, 2008 and managed to convince my oldest son to escape with me. I stepped out into a new and foreign world, one which I had been brainwashed into believing was a dark and evil place which would destroy me. I have found the opposite, and many times the kindness of strangers has amazed me.
Having secured two jobs and settling into a happier life, I met John Christie six months after my escape. We have been married since October 2009, we live in Owen Sound, Ontario Canada. and now spend our time trying to make a difference on the issue of polygamy in society.
Our book, “Property, The True Story of a Polygamous Church Wife” is intended to bring increased awareness of polygamy as the global seeping scourge they believe it to be.
- Carol Christie
Since 2013, Families Against Cult Teachings (F.A.C.T.) has been helping victims and families of cults, undue influence, group exploitation and abuse to heal and recover while exposing the guilty parties. Our mission is to support a more informed public where prevention is achieved through education and to see justice brought to light in cases of cultic abuse and trafficking.
Sunday, March 23, 2014
Friday, March 14, 2014
Handle or Disconnect - A personal story about Scientology's take on shunning
I became interested in Scientology in 1987. I moved to a new city and was employed by a Scientologist who insisted I take Scientology courses, which I did and continued to do so for many years. After over 20 years as a dedicated Scientologist, a volunteer and major fundraising for the Church of Scientology I was expelled.
The reason? I dared to read the 2009 St.Petersburg Times Special Reports where former top members had left the church and spoke out about the abuses happening within the upper echelons of management. I also met with several of these former top members in person.
During this time my daughter Kara and step daughter Cara, both Scientologists, were told they could no longer speak to me ever again because of my actions or they too would be expelled. Both my daughters, out of fear of losing their "spiritual eternity" decided to disconnect from me.
The Church of Scientology has a policy called "Handle or Disconnect" – which means if you can't "handle" the person who is in disagreement with the church or it's policies to a point where they are happy with things again or at least are no longer antagonistic towards the church, then the only other solution is to disconnect from that person. Cut them out of your life for good.
I can never explain in words how painful this has been, as I love my daughters very much. But they both have their “eternity” at stake and that is more important to them than anything else. They both believe that they are in the only church that can save the planet and mankind. In their hearts they believe they are doing the most valuable thing to help this world, which I too believed for 20 years.
I have tried to contact both my daughters on many occasions and have only been met with silence.
Disconnection is an insidious and painful practice that must be stopped. Scientology holds this fear over the heads of any member that asks questions or wants to leave. There are tens of thousands of people in the world that have been affected by disconnection.
As an activist I try to tell my story so that others can understand the manipulation that takes place inside Scientology. I was interviewed by the St.Petersburg Times where I explain how in depth my fundraising efforts were for the Church of Scientology. I raised millions of dollars for them.
My dear friend Claire and I have put together a website called Stop Disconnection.
I hope this site helps with any questions you may have about some of Scientology's destructive policies that literally destroy families.
- Cindy Plahuta
The reason? I dared to read the 2009 St.Petersburg Times Special Reports where former top members had left the church and spoke out about the abuses happening within the upper echelons of management. I also met with several of these former top members in person.
During this time my daughter Kara and step daughter Cara, both Scientologists, were told they could no longer speak to me ever again because of my actions or they too would be expelled. Both my daughters, out of fear of losing their "spiritual eternity" decided to disconnect from me.
The Church of Scientology has a policy called "Handle or Disconnect" – which means if you can't "handle" the person who is in disagreement with the church or it's policies to a point where they are happy with things again or at least are no longer antagonistic towards the church, then the only other solution is to disconnect from that person. Cut them out of your life for good.
I can never explain in words how painful this has been, as I love my daughters very much. But they both have their “eternity” at stake and that is more important to them than anything else. They both believe that they are in the only church that can save the planet and mankind. In their hearts they believe they are doing the most valuable thing to help this world, which I too believed for 20 years.
I have tried to contact both my daughters on many occasions and have only been met with silence.
Disconnection is an insidious and painful practice that must be stopped. Scientology holds this fear over the heads of any member that asks questions or wants to leave. There are tens of thousands of people in the world that have been affected by disconnection.
As an activist I try to tell my story so that others can understand the manipulation that takes place inside Scientology. I was interviewed by the St.Petersburg Times where I explain how in depth my fundraising efforts were for the Church of Scientology. I raised millions of dollars for them.
My dear friend Claire and I have put together a website called Stop Disconnection.
I hope this site helps with any questions you may have about some of Scientology's destructive policies that literally destroy families.
- Cindy Plahuta
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