A content creator says she almost fell for a scheme on the University of Texas’ Austin campus. The trap in question? A free matcha supposedly being offered by the Church of Scientology.
Addison Koll (@addisonkoll), a UT student, says she passed by a building on The Drag that supposedly offered students free matcha. Only, she quickly realized that she was walking directly toward the Scientology building right next to campus.
“I was walking down Guadalupe after class, and I saw the sign from afar. Being a huge matcha fan, I instantly got excited when I saw the sign, but then quickly realized that it was from the Scientology building,” Koll says in a comment to Subplot News. “Obviously, it is a huge building, so it is not difficult to miss. If I am being honest, I did slightly think about going in just to get free matcha.”
Is The Church Even Open To The Public?
It may seem surprising to hear “free matcha” and “the Church of Scientology” in the same sentence. But it’s not actually out of character.
Since its opening, the Guadalupe Church of Scientology has tried to attract new members with personality tests and introductory services. The church has made an overwhelmingly negative impression on some students for its aggressive recruitment tactics.
Koll herself commented on the church’s controversial background.
“The church’s outreach on campus has always been a frequent discussion among students, as it is placed in an odd spot near the campus,” she says. “Personally, I have never felt a connection or outreach from the Scientology building until they displayed something I am very interested in, which is matcha. However, I do know they have had surveys and offer food inside, which could possibly steer others in.”
The famous Guadalupe church does have a cafe and bookstore inside of it. As a result, the church has seemingly relied on its “third space” to bring in students for initial assessments.
As the Church of Scientology states, “the [Heart of Texas] café welcomes visitors touring the Church and provides a gathering place for those attending the many scheduled events.”
A Church of Scientology member wrote to the Daily Texan and added, “If you want to know what Scientology is all about, you are always free to come inside to see.”
Does The Church Offer Free Matcha?
Based on Subplot News’ reporting, it’s unclear whether the church legitimately offers free, no-strings-attached matcha. Many viewers guessed that the offer was a “trap” to take an initial assessment or a tour of the building.
One viewer said, “No, because this is a trap designed for me … I wouldn’t even realize I was in Scientology until I saw Tom Cruise crawling out of the vents.”
“Like candy in a white van … they would’ve gotten me for sure,” one commenter said.
A commenter, who said they walked into the Scientology building for free snacks, added, “Dude they GOT ME. No matcha. Just free chips or snack bars. I walked around to not look like I was just mooching for free snacks, and they kept following me and TALKING.”
Koll herself states that “It is a little concerning that other people would genuinely go in there for those free benefits,” while saying she made her post for mostly humorous reasons.
So far, not many students have seemingly taken the building’s staff members up on the free matcha offer, despite how tempting it seems.
For matcha lovers, however, there are plenty of spots to get a fix on campus. While they all require some form of payment, there’s at least the promise that there are no questions, surveys, or tours attached.
@addisonkoll
Subplot News reached out to the Church of Scientology via contact form for more information.
