By: AJ Niles
Mimi Faust had an explosive revelation while in therapy with her baby’s father Stevie J. on the hit show Love and Hip Hop Atlanta. Mimi Faust’s mother, Gloria Eva (Simmons) James , with the help of her religion Scientology, abandoned Mimi at the age of 13.
During a frank and candid interview with The Village Voice, Mimi speaks out about being abandoned and how she was treated by the religion as a child.
“When my mom joined Scientology, I was still living here in Atlanta. I think I was six or seven when she was introduced to Scientology. By the time I was 8 or 9 she just went balls to the wall and sold everything we owned. Our house, our car, everything.
That’s what she wanted to do. She didn’t care what we thought about it. We moved to Big Blue.
[Our] life was completely turned upside down. We lived in a room with bunk beds. We went to the cafeteria for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. And my mom was working all the time. I only got to see her during what they called ‘Family Time,’ from five to seven pm. Just two hours a day.
Mimi was abandoned by her mother after Mimi decided that she was not going to sign a pledge dedicating her life to the Scientology religion.
“At 13, they told me that I was a freeloader. I was eating their food and staying in their facility. They told me I either needed to sign a billion-year contract or I had to leave.
My mother never outright said she wanted me to join the Sea Org,” Mimi says. “She knew how I felt. I just knew that it was not what I wanted to do.
“I packed up my little bag and left. I had no idea where to go.
…I figured my mom would try to stop me. But there was nothing. She didn’t ask me where I was going, she didn’t ask if I had bus fare. I think that’s what hurt the most. That she just watched me walk away.”
Mimi says that 4 years after her mother left her, she got a phone call from her at age 17. She then decided to pay her Mother a visit, and catch up with her despite their troubled past. Unfortunately for Mimi, an innocent visit turned into just another attempt to force her into Scientology. Mimi recalls the moment she realized that the invitation was no longer friendly:
“When I was 17, my mother called and said she wanted to see me. We hadn’t seen each other in four years. I caught the bus back down to the building. It was great to see her. I got a hug. I looked up, and there were four Sea Org officers (officers in the religion) standing there while my mom and I were trying to catch up. I thought it was really odd.
I looked up, and there were four Sea Org officers standing there while my mom and I were trying to catch up. I thought it was really odd.
They said over and over, ‘Sign the paper. Sign the paper. Sign the paper.’ They were chanting it. I thought I was in the Twilight Zone. I look at my mom, and she’s looking out the window. I felt like I was there on my own again. I didn’t sign it. I told them sorry, I’m not going to sign the thing.”
Mimi says it was at this moment that they taped the contract to the door and told her she could not leave until she signed it.
“I just acted like a complete fool. I cursed and screamed. I just lost it. They finally let me out, and I just hauled ass. I was so mad at my mom. It was years before I saw her again. And we never spoke about that moment until I was 27. She had the nerve to tell me that she didn’t know I felt that way, and she didn’t know why I was so upset.”
Mimi says Scientology owned every part of her mother, and says that the religion is the reason Mimi and her brother could no longer have a real relationship with her. Oddly enough, Mimi says she can’t escape an invitation to join since they seem to track her down everywhere she goes:
“They always find my new number. It’s so insane. No matter where I move or what I do, they call me and say they want to send some new literature.”
This is sad. Scientology is nothing but a cult to me. People really need to understand that religion in itself is dangerous. A real relationship with God is all he ever asked for us, in addition to belief in his Son. All this other stuff is man made!
Cosign.
This really explains her dysfunctional relationship with Stevie. She’s looking for love and never really had that, not even from her own parents it seems. I hope she continues with the counseling and doesn’t just let it be a TV thing. It’s probably what she needs to heal.
I agree, this explains her emotional attachment to Stevie J. And then both of them don’t have their mothers in their lives. As much as she wants to leave him alone, she probably feels more connected to him than any other person she’s been with. Sad. I know.
I hate that she had to go through this with her momma, but it’s no excuse for her to put up with Stevie J’s trifling ways. At some point, she has to suck it up and do what’s right for their daughter. Her daughter should not see Mommy take Daddy back when Daddy cheats on Mommy. She’ll grow up and think that’s normal and acceptable behavior from a man.
This is why you could not make me join this crap. Mimi said her Mom was always trying to find herself, and it’s clear that’s the reason she got into Scientology. That’s why it’s so important people find themselves IN THEMSELVES and not in other people, groups, or things. Just sayin!
How were they able to track her down every time she moved? now that’s scary.
Mimi better watch out talking about those crazy folks. They are a cult and they ruin people’s lives for talking bad about them. We know what happened to her if she turns up missing. lol
Scientology is nothing but a cult. They ruin everyone’s lives that joins. Demonic bastards. And I bet you Will and Jada are dabbling in that crap now. SMH!!!!
mimi is a beautiful woman she has to have faith in herself to be strong for herself and her daughter.shes standing on her on to feet makes her own money she needs to get stevie j out of her life for good he dont mean her no good.i understand she wants her child to have a relationship with him thats good let him be in the child\’s life but there is a man out there thats for her and her only dont let stevie keep draggin her down long as he thinks hems got control he gone keep doin it.his thing is he feels like a man when she lets him control her keep draggin her down when she makes up her mind to stand up to him he says something to breakin her in again.he dont like it when she stand on her own stand up to him that takes away all control from him he\’s less of a man then mimi needs to once and for all get him out of her life and keep him out cause honey she is gods child she dont have nonthin to worry about he gone take care of her theres a man of god waitin for her all she has to leave it at his feet let him take over.the bad is bein removed for a reason.