Linkin Park are back together, but their reunion has already been marred by controversy. The band’s new co-vocalist Emily Armstrong was part of a group of Scientologists who showed up at the courthouse to support That ’70s Show actor Danny Masterson during his 2020 rape trial, where he was sentenced to 30 years to life in prison. The choice to have Armstrong fill in for the late Chester Bennington received quite a bit of backlash, notably from Cedric Bixler-Zavala of the Mars Volta/At The Drive-In. His wife Chrissie Carnell-Bixler was one of the four women who pursued rape charges against Masterson, and now, she has spoken out against Armstrong as well.
Removed by mod
From what I’ve read, they will do everything in their power to ruin someones life and career if they publicly leave Scientology. That’s not even denouncing it, just saying you’re not a part of it anymore.
Also people keep saying they want a “truthful apology”, but if her statement is honest then she doesn’t have much to apologize for. She said he was a friend, but then immediately stopped supporting him after hearing the evidence. I think most people would have done the same. So far though it’s all just their word vs. hers so I’m holding out on any real judgement until some kind of evidence of something comes out.
Removed by mod
Tbh it’s really hard to reverse brainwashing and conditioning and speak out which means you lose your entire family and friends (that are also in the cult), whether you were raised in it or tricked into it yourself is even of little consequence.
To expect someone to say “oh hey I got a little professional success now I should by default make my friends and family and entire community hate me and make the most litigious cult mad at me (no way they’d want a piece of the success I’m leaving them for, right?), and go against all the crazy shit I’ve spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on trying to become ‘clear’ or ‘OTVIII’ (just to learn what South Park already taught us no less).” isn’t wrong but it is unrealistic. She’ll need a whole ass deconditioning really, or at least it’s something that will take quite a long time.
Cults are fucked, way more so than you may think, and this whole “why doesn’t she just leave” thing, it’s basically the same question as “why doesn’t she just leave her abusive boyfreind.” Maybe it’s impossible to understand either until you’ve been through one, idk.
Removed by mod
Should be? No, nobody should be subjected to that abuse. But she is, and has been since she was born into it. Some things just are whether they “should be” or not. It’s life. I bet if when she was born they said “will you defend our cult against rapists? If no say no and we won’t let you in, if yes say nothing.” She probably would have picked “No” had she not been a literal baby who had yet to learn english. But they don’t, they slowly ramp up the abuse until escaping is at least psychologically neigh impossible.
You can blame her for being a victim of this cult all you want, it’s not really my fight and my guess is you’ll never understand until you’ve been in a comparable situation (which is hopefully never) so it would be a waste of time. I’ve said my piece.
Removed by mod
Cedric and his wife are also victims. There are typically more than two victims involved in a cult.
The difference is I consider all the members of the cult who have been abused and manipulated into the position they’re in by the leadership to be victims, and you only seem to consider someone a victim if they’ve already started the process of breaking free.
Removed by mod
Not being familiar with each of their religions they are certainly victims of Masterson, they may or may not be victims of scientology. But the members of scientology (specificially not management), are victims of scientology. Cults prey on the weak, you don’t have to too.
Tell me, do you also think women are only victims of their abusers once they leave too or is that criticism reserved only for people who are abused on a larger scale by their entire community?
Removed by mod