COMBATING BIGOTRY & HATE | JUNE 27, 2017

A Wolf in Wolf’s Clothing

I don’t know Leah. I didn’t know Leah. I have no interest in ever knowing Leah.

But we share many connections, and friends, or rather I know many of her former friends.

I say former because they have—as you may have suspected—cut ties with her.

Now, let’s talk about friendship. I probably could have cultivated a friendship with Leah. I had certainly run into her a few times, sat at the “big kids” table with her and her entourage more than once. I’ve watched quietly in the background as Leah commanded her monkeys in the circus that is her life.

But make no mistake about this: Leah was expelled because she was not a nice person. She didn’t lead an ethical life. Even as an audience member to her freak show I could see that in how she treated people.

From what I could see from my wallflower position, it was always loud, always abrasive, always rude.

And most of all it was always gossipy and there always seemed to be an edge of mean-spiritedness that was passed off as “humor” or “New York.”

There is one lesson I learned the hardest way possible and that is if a “friend” is willing to gossip TO you, she will be willing to gossip ABOUT you.

I was 17 when I had my deepest secrets shared with complete strangers by a gossipy girl. It’s something I’ve guarded against ever since. It’s that lesson that kept me on the fringes of Leah’s crazy circus.

Nothing good can come from a circle or culture of gossip.

I work hard to be nice to people. I try to put smiles on the faces of strangers because I think it’s important to spread kindness and be mindful of the challenges that we face on any given day.

It’s how I was raised.

The mean-spirited jabs I saw at the circus—where Leah poked and prodded and whipped up a frenzy with her snide comments—were insulting. I was offended on behalf of the people she treated so disrespectfully. Sometimes they were family, sometimes friends. Her behavior flies in the face of everything I stand for.

How could we two people, raised with the same philosophy, be so different in our application of it?

Simple. I live by its tenets. She doesn’t. And hasn’t.

It’s no light matter to be expelled from our church. One actually has to do a freakin’ LOT to be expelled.

It’s not in our nature to want to expel people. It goes against the very mission we are trying to accomplish: to help people—everyone—live better lives. Live ethical lives. No matter where they come from or where they’ve been.

Her friends—many parted ways with her. Why? Because she’s mean and degrading and why have that kind of negativity in their lives if they don’t have to?

But make no mistake about this: Leah was expelled because she was not a nice person. She didn’t lead an ethical life. Even as an audience member to her freak show I could see that in how she treated people.

Those are not the values of a Scientologist, nor are they the way we live.

We live to help others.

It’s really that simple.

KEYWORDS

AUTHOR

Jenny Good

Jenny Good is a Scientologist and professional writer. She was born in California, raised in Utah and now lives in Los Angeles with her husband and three children.

╳