MEDIA WATCH | APPLEBEE’S SERVICES INC.

Applebee’s—No More Support for Religious Bigotry

Show your products, spend your dollars on shows which enhance the human experience through the building of character, not the destruction of it.

June 13, 2018

Chief Executive Officer
Applebee’s Restaurants

Dear Mr. Joyce,

My name is Joel Anderson and I have been a Scientologist since 1985.

I write to you because you advertise on A&E networks and they are currently devoting considerable programming to religious hate. This is un-American and attacks the very heart of what we as Americans stand for. It is my duty to alert you to this.

My introduction to Scientology came from reading the book Dianetics—The Evolution of a Science. As a young man I was trying to find the answers that no one could furnish to the questions I had about what life is supposed to be. I searched through 19 different religions over a 20-year period to find those answers, and for me, no others could provide them. I tried to get my answers through the physical sciences, again, to no avail. When I read Dianetics—Evolution of a Science, I knew there were answers and my search had ended and my journey had begun.

Being a Scientologist has served me well, truthfully providing the answers to which I sought and allowed me to give back to my church and community as well as truly help others. My Dad is a long time born-again Christian with a doctorate in theology. In his words, “I have studied the teachings, tenets and scriptures of Scientology on my own, because it was not a part of my studies toward my doctorate and I wanted to cover all the bases, not leaving any religion out. There is much truth that aligns with my other curriculum material contained within the Scientology religion. But son, the greatest truth for me is the fact that I know Scientology saved your life.”

I write this letter to the advertisers who spend their dollars promoting A&E’s Leah Remini show Scientology and the Aftermath, to tell you that in 33 years as a parishioner of the Church of Scientology and active volunteer for the Church-supported humanitarian programs, I have NEVER ONCE experienced the false claims being purported by Leah Remini and her loser cast. This is a smear campaign by her which is being backed by those who choose to bring destruction against an organization which does more good for the world than most others.

Have you done your own investigation of these “facts”? Have you visited a Church of Scientology? Have you watched the Scientology TV Network? The only ones ever convicted were Leah’s own cronies for committing felonies, similarly embodying this entire campaign of hate. This is evidence enough that her actions are causing her own followers and certain spectators to commit acts of violence to people and property, as well as to develop hatred against people of ANY religion.

Leah Remini’s show has already caused hundreds, maybe even thousands, of threats of violence to Scientologists and Churches of Scientology. The A&E show caused kids to be bullied at school and families to be harassed. This is just one of Remini’s “aftermaths” of which she appears oh so proud.

Just look at the facts emerging in this industry. Roseanne on ABC was pulled and canceled for a racist and anti-religious statement and The Rise on NBC, for anti-Catholic inferences, canceled.

And now, Disney-owned A&E is doing a third season of bigot Leah Remini, not just attacking Scientology, but as the big media rumors have it, also planning on bashing other religions. The only real question is, why would A&E pursue this as the Remini series viewership stats crashed from 2.1 million in the first episode down to 800,000.

Supporting this series is paying her to spread hatred and to inflame others to commit acts of violence. How would you like your child to be bullied in school for his beliefs? By the end of season 2, in November of 2017, dozens of advertisers pulled their support of this show and stopped their ads. Some reported they did so because they refused to support religious bigotry.

Show your products, spend your dollars on shows which enhance the human experience through the building of character, not the destruction of it.

I call upon your heart, humanity and all that is decent regarding this matter.

Please remove your advertising dollars from this very bad excuse for a TV series.

Sincerely,

Joel Anderson
Clearwater, Fla.