Scientologists Are P*SSED Over Billboard Reaching Out To ‘Disconnected’ Children

Two former Scientologists recently put up a billboard in Los Angeles that has the controversial church fuming. The 50-foot-wide ad reads:

“To my loved one in Scientology … call me.”

Phil and Willie Jones, both in their 60s, recently quit the religion started by author L. Ron Hubbard after 40 years. They left due to “demands for money” and “the way people were handled and screamed at.” Their adult children, ages 38 and 42, remain Scientologists and have not spoken to their parents since they left.

According to the website Curbed, the couple had  planned on putting the sign on Hollywood Boulevard, but, “had their earliest agreements with billboard companies” fall through. The website also speculates that it “isn’t totally clear” if that was because of Scientology officials buying every bit of available ad space along the high-traffic boulevard.

Whether or not the church attempted to block the billboard, though, they have already voiced their displeasure. Church leaders said:

“It is … despicable that these individuals would use a private family matter to promote anti-religious hate and bigotry” in a statement given to ABC News this week.

The couple has also since expanded their effort into a crowdfunding campaign to “Stop Scientology Disconnection.” They have already raised over $16,000 with the goal to raise $24,000 to keep the billboard up through August.

While Scientologist officials claim they’re being unjustly attacked, the Joneses have painted a different picture.

The couple’s mission statement online reads,

“The practice of disconnection is so widely used by Scientology it has literally torn apart hundreds, if not thousands of families, friends, and colleagues. This site aims to educate people about it, and to expose this cruel and abusive practice. We want to do what we can to reconnect those who were estranged by Scientology so that broken families and friendships can be made whole again.” 

They also link to news of a lawsuit filed by Laura DeCrescenzo, who claims the church tortured her.

“Over the three years she’s been suing Scientology for the way she was treated as a young Sea Org employee — including, she alleges, being forced to have an abortion at 17 so she could keep working extreme hours without interruption,” it says.

Finally, it appears as though the ad is getting quite a bit of traction. By the time the ad is taken down, it is estimated that more than a million people will have seen it.

Here’s a video.

Featured Image via Getty Images