A bad day for Scientology?
The Church of Scientology in the internet age
By David Allen Green Published 29 September 2010 16:43
In the heady days before the internet, an entity such as the Church of Scientology had no real difficulty in protecting its intellectual property and in seeking to uphold its reputation.
Any alleged misuse or supposed wrongful disclosure of its sacred and confidential texts could be met with a cease and desist letter to an offending publisher. Any adverse statement could perhaps be confronted with a libel threat. Any unauthorised contacts by Church members with external critics could be appropriately dealt with. The Church of Scientology were beneficiaries of the command-and-control model of media relations in a Golden Age for newly-invented religions.
Regardless of the merits of Scientology, such a model can no longer be sustained. Their sacred and confidential texts are freely available on Wikileaks. Critics of Scientology commonly exchange views and information on Twitter and elsewhere. The Church of Scientology simply does not appear as imposing as it once did.
It is in this context that we should consider the events of yesterday, a seemingly bad day for the Church of Scientology in the United Kingdom.
First, in the early afternoon, a committee met at - of all places - Cardiff City Council. They were to consider a complaint against Councillor John Dixon. He had once tweeted a hostile comment about Scientology. Some months afterwards a scientologist made a complaint to the Welsh public services ombudsman who, in a bizarre decision, upheld the basis of the complaint. Now the council were to consider whether the complaint should proceed, or whether it could just be struck out.
They struck it out emphatically. And they did so knowing that John Dixon's case was an international cause, and that around the world people were on the internet waiting for news of the outcome of their deliberations. And John Dixon himself has heartened by the extent of support on Twitter, Facebook, and elsewhere. He knew he was not alone.
Second, last night the BBC broadcasted a rather interesting edition of Panorama, where John Sweeney followed up his previous programme (where he famously "lost it"). Again, as the programme was broadcast, hundreds of people on Twitter were happily discussing and dissecting the merits of Scientology, its practices, and its odd beliefs. Some did so anonymously, but many of us did so under our own names. People were no longer scared. There appeared to be nothing for anyone to fear.
For me, as a secularist, the belief system of Scientology is not inherently any more - or less - peculiar or preposterous than say Christianity or Islam. Lord Xenu is a figure as credible as the Angel Gabriel. As a religion and a business organisation, the Church of Scientology should of course have no greater or worse position than any other religion and business organisation.
But for many years, there has been concern as to the practices of Church of Scientology. And there was a sense that such practices could not be addressed openly and without fear. Such a sense may have always been groundless. It may be that the Church of Scientology was misunderstood all along. However, it no longer really matters; for if the Church of Scientology suddenly wanted to close down criticism and anxious scrutiny, it is no longer able to do so.
So even if yesterday was not a bad day for Scientology - indeed, they may have been glad of the attention - it was without doubt a good day for free expression.
David Allen Green is a lawyer and writer. He blogs for the New Statesman on legal and policy issues.
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73 comments
Do you feel like protesting Scientology or sharing your opinions about them, then join us @
http://forums.whyweprotest.net/
I am not the Julian Bray who is a leading member of the Scientology cult in the UK but in the 70's my firm pitched for the UK/Europe Scientology PR account and then withdrew in horror, when we realised what they were up to. There was an almighty stink in the advertising and PR trade press at the time. Hubbard was a medium weightr Science Fiction writer - we should all take the clue from this....
COALITION DUCKHOUSE
UK NEWS BLOG:
http://tinyurl.com/pknlxn
REMOTE STUDIO
ISDN line for 'down the line'
lnterviews and talks/programme live contributions.
voiceovers & film looping
UK- ISDN number is 01733 555319
International - **44 1733 555 319
DUALCODEC G.722 & APT-X
Glensound C5 ISDN MIXER
-----------------------------------------
Specialist Areas:
PR, MEDIA & AVIATION EXPERT,
POLITICS UK/Europe/USA
CITY, FINANCIAL SERVICES, RETAIL INDUSTRY,
AVIATION, CRUISE & TRAVEL INDUSTRIES
GUEST LECTURER for CRUISE LINES
PR GURU & COMMENTATOR
NED for OTs Series 6
CONFIDENTIAL
BLOWING BTs AND CLUSTERS
Per the OT III materials, you can run Grades 0-IV on a BT, but it has to be addressed to that BT, and it rolls rather fast – may only take 4 – 5 minutes.
You can Date/Locate clusters and run Inc II, Inc Is.
You can Date/Locate clusters and blow them off, but the auditor who does this has got to be a shark at D/Ling. It's the moment the cluster was formed that you date, not when the cluster hits the individual. And Date/Locate is not always recommended on NED for OTs.
COPIES
You've always got to handle copies. BTs will copy. Obsessive duplication is a BT characteristic. Maybe all that engrams are is excessive copying.
The 3 – 10 days to destimulate rule; it's not the incident that was restimulated that takes 3 – 10 days to destimulate, it takes 3 – 10 days for all the copies and copying to fade out.
“Stress” is also a heavy button. You get a lot of copying of stress. So you handle the original, then copies – somebody copying what was run.
NEW TECHNIQUES
The fastest and best way of blowing BTs and clusters is by inspection.
Acknowledgement is very effective. A lot can be blown with pure acknowledgement.
Another way of blowing them is simply to sort of jolt them a bit earlier in time, and then they run on forward and blow. You use a sort of impulse to move them a bit earlier in time. It blows them off a stuck point on the track.
There were a number of other things that happened yesterday to make it a bad day for Scientology, including a legal judgment going against them on the other side of the 'pond', several newspaper articles and discussions on the radio (including BBC Radio 1,2 and 4, predictably...) If we add in the web-based impacts (like "Lord Xenu" trending on Twitter), it was a bad day indeed. Or are they all going to be bad days from now on? The silence from the Scientology camp continues.
BLOWING BY INSPECTION
There's a trick in this – don't look at the picture – look at and find the shape and mass of the BT. If you see the picture, shift your attention to the shape and mass of the BT. You don't have to see their pictures. They use pictures as a sort of misdirection. So you concentrate on masses, not pictures. The technique is, you see a picture, trace it back to the BT, i.e. “Whose picture?” and find the BT this way and it blows.
A Pre-OT may have a somatic in one body part, being put there by a BT in another body part. Say he has a somatic in his leg and you find the BT putting it there is in the head and when you find the BT doing this, it blows. A BT can also be being a somatic – he is “pain in the arm”.
BT PATTERN
BTs do a “crush in, pull back” – it's almost an attitude. It's a sort of tense heavy physi-cal pull back. The basis is fear – they've been hit hard by something – causes their timidity – they pull back into solidity. It's a “hide” phenomena and a “pull back in” pattern. This causes pressure, the pressure is caused by them pulling back in on themselves, sort of like a thetan trying to duck. And when a BT is awakened it immediately mocks up mass. Mass is produced by “out-of-valenceness”. He's out of valence into the valence of an object or other things.
MECHANISM
There is a mechanism of somebody being a body, who has valences of past bodies superimposed on the body. BTs and clusters go into valences of pictures and things too. These guys have been parked in time and gone into a total reviv, you can look down the track and wake them up.
They do a lot of “on-ness” – stuck on things, as different from in things. They went on and couldn't get off.
The NED time track (i.e. time track of Dianetic auditing on a Clear or above) is com-posed of BTs parked on the time track – not in PT – you look down the time track and wake them up. They are stuck on the track and they also have pictures of themselves stuck on the track.
I have known l. Ron Hubbard for about 30 years prior to his death in 1986. There are a few things that should be stated about why Scientology was developed in the first place.
Dianetics and Scientology were developed in order to end man's inhumanity to man, once and for all. I worked with L. Ron Hubbard to accomplish this. People become more humanitarian as they ascend up the levels of Scientology. We can improve the willingness and ability of beings to help other beings. Scientology works but it must be done properly and must be done in the correct sequence.
Scientology is not a perfect system but it is a workable system. There is a catch in that the majority of beings on Earth must take a stand and decide to work for the betterment of others.
The foundation of Scientology is based on the following:
1. We are spiritual beings, not merely bodies containing bones, tissues, and fluids made up of a variety of chemicals.
2. The quality of life for spiritual beings can be improved. This is done by rehabilitation of the spirit of man itself.
3. The quality of life for other beings also improves when the quality of life for a spiritual being improves.
Scientology does not replace other religions, such as Christianity or the Jewish or Islamic Faiths, and it was not designed to. We have always encouraged scientologists to worship God in their established religion. Scientology must be open to all beings of Earth, not just those who belong to a certain religious faith. Scientology should be studied in addition to, not in place of, a person's established religion. There is no competition with other religions.
Scientology has begun to make its materials readily available, free of charge to libraries and on the internet. Most people who visit the official Scientology websites will search for some helpful information and use it to improve their lives; however, only a few will ever step foot into a Scientology organization or become Scientologists. This is unfortunate because we really need the help of a great many people to create a better world for our children. We have the tools to uplift mankind to a new civilization, based on kindness, knowledge, and reason instead of greed, fear, and violence.
The avoidance of an apocalyptic future requires attainment of a solvent planet (The material needs of the entire population of mankind must be furnished by fully renewable resources to avoid armed conflict over oil, land, and non-renewable materials), abiding by the Universal declaration of Human rights, and enabling all beings of Earth to be aware of and understand their true spiritual nature (You are your “soul” and not just a body). The last item is the most important because it allows the other two critical elements to be achieved.
"Hubbard was a medium weight Science Fiction writer" - only in terms of book sales. In terms of literary quality he was an appallingly bad sc-fi hack. The Xenu/Thetans backstory sounds like it was written in 5 minutes on the back of an envelope. Based on the utter dreck that LRH put out I wouldn't credit him with anything other than cold cynicism in his quest to invent a "religion" for tax avoidance purposes. It certainly wasn't to further the human race.
If Scientology is so great for humanity, and it access to the finest lawyers and PR representation money can buy, why is it most people think they're a bunch of truly awful human beings?
I have known l. Ron Hubbard for about 30 years prior to his death in 1986. There are a few things that should be stated about why Scientology was developed in the first place.
Dianetics and Scientology were developed in order to end man's inhumanity to man, once and for all. I worked with L. Ron Hubbard to accomplish this. People become more humanitarian as they ascend up the levels of Scientology. We can improve the willingness and ability of beings to help other beings. Scientology works but it must be done properly and must be done in the correct sequence.
Scientology is not a perfect system but it is a workable system. There is a catch in that the majority of beings on Earth must take a stand and decide to work for the betterment of others.
The foundation of Scientology is based on the following:
1. We are spiritual beings, not merely bodies containing bones, tissues, and fluids made up of a variety of chemicals.
2. The quality of life for spiritual beings can be improved. This is done by rehabilitation of the spirit of man itself.
3. The quality of life for other beings also improves when the quality of life for a spiritual being improves.
Scientology does not replace other religions, such as Christianity or the Jewish or Islamic Faiths, and it was not designed to. We have always encouraged scientologists to worship God in their established religion. Scientology must be open to all beings of Earth, not just those who belong to a certain religious faith. Scientology should be studied in addition to, not in place of, a person's established religion. There is no competition with other religions.
Scientology has begun to make its materials readily available, free of charge to libraries and on the internet. Most people who visit the official Scientology websites will search for some helpful information and use it to improve their lives; however, only a few will ever step foot into a Scientology organization or become Scientologists. This is unfortunate because we really need the help of a great many people to create a better world for our children. We have the tools to uplift mankind to a new civilization, based on kindness, knowledge, and reason instead of greed, fear, and violence.
The avoidance of an apocalyptic future requires attainment of a solvent planet (The material needs of the entire population of mankind must be furnished by fully renewable resources to avoid armed conflict over oil, land, and non-renewable materials), abiding by the Universal declaration of Human rights, and enabling all beings of Earth to be aware of and understand their true spiritual nature (You are your “soul” and not just a body). The last item is the most important because it allows the other two critical elements to be achieved.
It is actually possible for a BT or cluster to be totally out of PT, by which is meant, it is physically parked in past time. A BT or cluster can also be in PT while thinking it is in the past and mock up a picture of the past and consider that that is PT. A BT or cluster can be parked in the past so thoroughly that its only concept of a future is a future from that past which is al-ready long gone by – this is the phenomenon of future pictures; it is also the cause of worry about the future, terror stomachs & fortune telling (visions and dreams). Another mechanism that frees some is the realization that some other BT is holding them in – and it's the truth, BTs and clusters stick to other BTs and clusters.
BLACK BTs
Sometimes a BT will put other BTs in front of him as a sort of protection. You get a black area covered by a white area in front of it. A BT in the black area is holding some other BTs in place in front of it as a sort of protection or shield. The way to handle this is to blow the black BT who is holding the others in place, then the others come off easily. Otherwise if you try to blow the front ones first, nothing happens. If you encounter BTs not blowing, suspect and check for a BT or cluster holding the others, and handle it first, then the others blow easily.
You can get partial blows where the BT or cluster comes off the Pre-OT's body but stays in the room, plastered on a wall or outside the room. These can push TA up until blown fully. When they hang up it is because they still have a connecting string to the body or because they conceive some barrier they have hit is impenetrable. The handling is to cut the beam or push them through the barrier or simply repeat the process. What has actually happened is that the mass of BTs contain amongst them one or more BTs, to which they are stuck, which have not been handled.
A BT or cluster can go into the valence of a person – a cluster can go into the valence of a single beingness e.g. a person known to the Pre-OT in PT and there could be a “stuck picture” of this person. It actually isn't a picture as such, it is a complete mocked up identity plus a mock up of the identity's surroundings. This is very puzzling to the Pre-OT as it doesn't blow as a picture. He is really looking at the copied beingness and characteristics of the person who isn't there, but which is some BTs and clusters thinking they are the person and being the person. (This is discussed under the heading of “Ghosts” in the 1st American ACC in Camden.)
The Pre-OT feels haunted, seeing his ex-girlfriend in front of him or even hearing his mother talking to him with brand new dialogue. (Nearly everybody has a ghost if he looks.) It blows like any other BT or cluster but the Pre-OT will be puzzled when looking around for who's mocking it up when nobody is, except the ghost itself. The way to handle is to move the cluster down the time track to a moment before it knew the person and it blows.
The ideal method of blowing BTs and clusters is by inspection, you get into difficulty blowing BTs and clusters when the session has gone too long, pc getting tired, or over-restimulation.
Usually the further through the RD you get, the faster and easier they blow. However, you can hit what appears to be a bog point particularly if the Pre-OT is tired or you overrun for several sessions; at such a point just keep on giving sessions and soon you'll get a session of massive blows and after that they will blow faster and easier than ever. At such a bog point you may have to resort to the “Thetan Hand” technique until it's handled, after which you can re-turn to blowing by inspection or “What are you?”, “Who are you?”.
/job done/
lol.
Also, anyone notice the distinct and sudden lack of the cult's google adsense advertising banners for "BBC Panorama Desperate Lies" which were appearing on related(and unrelated) blogs, websites and youtube videos everywhere? Or is it just me?
There are Terms and Conditions in using Google ads that you don't use it for "hate" or to bring down the reputation of google ads so, if it's true that they've gone, then maybe a few complaints ended them. Or maybe someone in the "Office of Special Affairs" finally paid attention to the gigantic clue bat repeatedly hitting them upside the head.
The OT3 xenu story maybe no more "peculiar or preposterous than say Christianity or Islam", as you put it, from a secular point of view but that's completely missing the point. It is the fact that you are supposed to be covered with all these dead alien's spirits, called BTs (Body Thetans) which then cost hundreds of thousands of dollars to exorcise from yourself using scientology "auditing". No real religion will charge you money for salvation. By OT8 and after about $400,000 (not including donations to "causes") you are supposed have power over matter, engery, space & time - a godlike entity if you like. Funny how their superpowers totally failed to make John Sweeney disappear.
Freedom of speech is coupled with freedom of religion. That includes bigotry and hate speech. A balance needs to be maintained. And facts not opinion need to looked to. As a Scientologist I am upset by opinion and claims by people online or not when only based on other people's opinions or comments not on documentary evidence. Many of these claims are proven false and absurd when our side of the story, but this is far too often ignored right now. Example is www.scientologynews.org that has FAQs on a lot of the "controversial"topics.
I have just learned a new label: "One Lifer".
I may proudly adopt it for myself. I like how it sounds. As far as I can observe, I *am* just a bag of chemicals, with a brain walking around on two legs.
That seems like a modest and entirely safe way to view my existence. Unfortunately, I seem to to lack the skills of self-deception required to accept any of these supernatural belief frameworks which would have me be something more magical.
Too bad.
I will have to forego all that odious conduct that accompanies those beliefs. It is so much harder to do harm, when one lacks the strength derived from supernaturally inspired self-importance.
C.
It is simply amazing that you guys keep printing the same thing over and over. It seems that there is a narrow view of religion here: (1) It has to be thousands of years old; (2) It cannot be allowed to agressively defend itself; and (3) It cannot have adequate income to sustain itself.
Scientology is a religion. It is NOT like any other religion on the planet. Just because you guys get your data from "ihatescientology.com" it does not mean that that data is true or is being taken into the correct context.
If you don't like how Scientology operates then don't join.
Someone showed a poll that people think negatively of Scientology. That was my original point to begin with, as a Scientologist we do not expect to get welcomed anywhere with open arms. That is the way it is for all new philosophies on this planet. That poll also goes on that the results for Scientology were virtually unchanged from the last poll done in 2006. So really nothing has changed, and as I mentioned before a negative reaction is expected.
You can write all you want concerning that dribble about Snow White and all of that foolishness. But Scientology handled that mess internally and the IRS accepted the changes.
No organization is perfect and Scientology does not profess to be perfect, just effective. So if we step on a few toes -- that is bound to happen to any organization expanding and trying to impinge on the general populace.
It is funny (or ironic) that you have an email where someone in Scientology is trying to organize an email campaign, as if that is a crime. Go to "whyweprotest" and you find critics trying to organize protests and "raids" all the time against the church. Of course, you will see that most of the time they fail miserably, and in some cases, they manage to find themselves on the wrong side of the law. So YOU guys can organize but the Church cannot?
Also, by reading a number of forums and posts there are not one of you that can be classified as a religous expert! How often do you hear "what kind of church does....?" Well depending upon what you say probably all of them do! They all defend themselves, they all ask for money, they all have to recruit! Just because you do not agree with Scientology's tactics does not make it less a religion.
Just because LRH wrote sciene fiction does not mean he cannot also develop a religous philosophy.
The Cult of $cientolgy has taken over Kyalami Castle in Johannesburg and turned it into one of their orgs. What a waste. I wonder how Cyrus would defend LRH's claim that "I'm tired of writing for a penny a word. If one wants to make real money, one needs to start a religion!"(sic). I have no problem with religions in general. Everyone is free to do as they please, but when it involves extorting as much money as possible from individuals, ruining families (disconnecting), ruining minds, I say no. Thank the Maker for the internet. This is the start of the demise of this sick cult.
Guys, read a book called "The Scandal of Scientology" by Paulette Cooper, or "Bare-Faced Messiah" by Russel Miller, or "The Road to Xenu" by Margery Wakefield. All free on the internet as PDF's. Tell all your friends to read it too. You will be shocked at what this "Church" is all about. Louanne, and your ilk, you can spin all you "truth" want. You guys are on the way down, and there's nothing you can do about it.
Viva Xenu!!!
Scientology are yank pricks, aren't they?
http://blackcherrytv5.free.fr/twistpromovideo.mpg
@RainJ said "As a Scientologist I am upset by opinion and claims by people online or not when only based on other people's opinions or comments not on documentary evidence"
Well, you can be upset, but don't mislabel valid criticisms as "bigotry and hate speech." Google "Councillor John Dixon" a politician from Wales who just yesterday was unanimously cleared of just such an accusation when he criticized scientology.
Just yesterday, John Sweeny did an hour-long BBC expose on scientology and it was clear how your religion uses the term "bigotry" to attempt to silence its critics.
And don't falsely claim critics of scientology don't know the facts, don't know your side of the story. It's been reliably retold and verified by thousands of ex-scientologists.
When vulnerable people stop being bankrupt by your church, I'm sure the critics will go away.
I have been on the receiving end of a 2-minute Tone 40 rant from a Scientologist, and it's a disconcerting experience. How Sweeney put up with it day in, day out, for as long as he did was a superhuman effort.
My favourite Scientology policy letters:
--
"An enemy... may be injured by any means or tricked, sued or lied to or destroyed."
- L. Ron Hubbard, Penalties for Lower Conditions, HCO PL 18 Oct 67
"This is the correct procedure:
1. Spot who is attacking us.
2. Start investigating them promptly for FELONIES or worse using our own professionals, not outside agencies.
3. Double curve our reply by saying we welcome an investigation of them.
4. Start feeding lurid, blood sex crime actual evidence on the attackers to the press.
DON'T EVER tamely submit to an investigation of us. Make it rough, rough on attackers all the way."
- L. Ron Hubbard, Attacks on Scientology, HCO PL 25 Feb 1966
--
R2-45: AN ENORMOUSLY EFFECTIVE PROCESS FOR EXTERIORIZATION BUT ITS USE IS FROWNED UPON BY THIS SOCIETY AT THIS TIME.
(R2-45 is the administration of two shots from a Colt .45 calibre
pistol.)
--
And, of course, the immortal:
"MAKE MONEY. MAKE MORE MONEY. MAKE OTHER PEOPLE PRODUCE SO AS TO MAKE MORE MONEY." - L. Ron Hubbard, Hubbard Communications Office Policy Letter, 9 March 1972, MS OEC 384
RainJ: Many people have considerable experience with the cult, and their opinions are a lot sharper than those forwarded by Sweeny. The abuses of the cult are well documented, even admitted to by their spokesman, including disconnection, forced abortions, the "Rehabilitation Project Force" (scientology labour camps), fair gaming and abuse of the courts for suppressing critics. No need to base a negative opinion on scientology on others opinions, the facts are there for anyone to see.
People should obviously be free to make fools of themselves, and we should all be free to point out that the Emperor ( or Thetan) has no clothes...
you have to be dead in the head or joking to believe in that scientology
crap , Im sgainst it 100% even a kid would realise that something dangerously dodgy is goin on with this cult, it reminds me of the tv show the prisoner , people deserve to be different and free to do whatever they want , not followed, its just power mad thats all it is , if you really want to change the earth , become an enviromentalist, at least then you cant brainwash the plants!
I actually quite like some of the concepts of Scientology ( the Hardeep Singh C4 doc' a few years ago looked at the free Scientologists). The importance of understanding the specific meaning of words/language and the guided talking in audit are fairly reasonable.
The main 'church' suffers from being run by people acting like a bizarre cross between Walmart and the CIA.
RainJ, why don't you tell us exactly which opinion and claims you disagree with and why, then we'll deal with it one by one, rather than just implying that the whole internet is wrong except one website with the word "scientologynews" in it.
Court records are available on the internet, and they include scientology's own policies/doctrine/dogma, claimed and copyright by your own organisation. Are those publically available records all suddenly a load of rubbish too because they are reposted from e-court services on the internet? Are all these ex-scientologists who are speaking out against your organisation, and who bring scientology materials with them, telling lies? Funny how everyone is a liar except the official bona fide "church-approved" scientologist.
So, when you come here talking about freedom of speech then remember that it is universal and doesn't just apply to you and your organisation. I know you guys would love to have a monopoly on the "truth" and it has a history of using crippling litigation from its huge war chest to get it. But it is because of the internet and the determination of ex-members, critics and activists exposing the misbehaviour of the scientology organisation that mainstream media are no longer as afraid as they once where to tackle it. When it is your turn to leave then you will be glad of that huge resource and support network and it is not for you to deny it of anyone else who has valid doubts.
There are no limits to what you can believe and in this country you are free to enjoy that. But there are limits on how you can behave. It's called the law and nobody is above it.
Looks like Anonymous was here... lotsa trashy comments not related to the issue at all.
In terms of a "bad day", no, Scientology did not have a bad day yesterday, I am sure. The "documentary" on BBC was a blunt whitewash attempt for John Sweeney to excuse his unprofessional behavior (So, he was provoked after dumping bad words and insults on Scientologists for over a week? No kidding?!? What a poor man...!). No information value at all. Instead I heard scientologists on the radio talking about their religion for the first time in months. BBC 5 Live, a good interview!
And as for this big mouth from Cardiff, I think he is entitled to his personal opinion. Personally, I also think that he is quite dumb to continue with the issue. Who would want a politician whose only claim to fame is that he got attacked for using curse words? I think it's about time for him to get on with life.
Mike M. gets it right on one point, Scientology is definitely out to impinge on the general populace. Let’s start with how Scientology actually views the general populace; as wogs, or “raw meat” (in the words of its founder, L. Ron Hubbard) to be recruited and exploited for either their money or their potential for being slave labor. Also, Scientology wants to eradicate psychiatry and infiltrate our society through attempting to gain public funding for its “study tech” in our schools or through its Narconon drug rehab program. While Scientologists expound on the great benefits of these programs, the truth is that they are no more effective than other similar, already existing programs (and most likely substantially less effective, in reality).
Scientology claims to be able to solve humanity’s problems through its courses on communication and an emphasis on creating affinity with others. Why then the intense criticism from the countries Mike names, France, Belgium, Australia and Russia? The organization has been found to be in violation of those country’s laws and engaging in systematic fraud there. Rather than address that outpoint, Mike M. simply dismisses those countries as being intolerant.
Mike claims that Scientology “will always be a religion in the US.” This statement overlooks some crucial facts; first of all, it was not always so. When Hubbard introduced Scientology, he stated emphatically that it was in fact, “not a religion.” Only later did Scientology attempt to change its stripes, in part to achieve tax exempt status. Even so, it took the US government years before it granted the organization tax exempt status (which does not automatically confer it legitimacy as a religious organization). Today, Scientology has largely abandoned its religious façade, no longer having members dress up in religious garb, holding no regular services of any sort and having no statement of belief that its member’s adhere to.
Mike questions whether the 4.8 million people that saw the Panorama piece agreed with Sweeney’s viewpoint. First of all, I doubt that Mike himself saw it, since as a Scientologist, he’s told by his Church not to watch programs that may be critical of it. Second, I didn’t see a “Sweeney viewpoint” to the story. I saw a documentary in which Sweeney went to the Church for answers but was harshly rebuffed. I saw him talk to individuals with many different points of view, including many who believe in the Church’s teachings. I also saw the Church in action, attempting to harass Sweeney and its former members. One question I’d like to put to Mike; if Scientologists are so unconcerned about the impact of a program like this, why did the Church go to such extraordinary lengths to stop Sweeney?
Is Scientology a cult? Mike points to Scientology orgs being located in populous areas as evidence it is not. Cult or not, Scientology is first and foremost a business. The proximity of its orgs to densely populated areas is key to its business model of bringing in fresh recruits. Much more relevant to the question of whether or not it’s a cult is how it treats its members. Former members of the Sea Org tell of harsh treatment, long work hours, forced abortions and disconnection from their families. In those respects, Scientology fits the definition of a cult like a tailored glove.
There are plenty of individuals who have suggestions on how Scientology can make better use of its resources to provide its counseling services that do not include a constant barrage of requests to its members for donations for new buildings. One of them is L. Ron Hubbard himself, who said that an org should only move to a larger facility when its current location is no longer sufficient to handle the public coming in for services. This bit of wisdom has long since been abandoned by the Church’s current leader, David Miscavige, who seems hell bent on wringing every penny he can from members to purchase new buildings that simply sit empty.
Ghost of Elvis: Perhaps you can enlighten us. Maybe you can point out a specific case of the "insanity" in a Freedom Magazine article? Instead of casting generalizations, why don't you site a specific example?
I first came across this crowd when I was 10 years old. My father was on their mailing list. As he never seemed interested in signing up they used to write, 'What is preventing you from communicating with us?' If I could see through it then I wonder why it's taking so many people so long?
Yes, I did see the BBC show and I did see the Church of Scientology's statement to it (posted on http://www.freedommag.org).
Both Sweeney and the BBC were exposted for disregard of journalistic ethics in the extreme.
For those who prefer basing an evaluation upon both sides, visit:
http://www.freedommag.org/special-reports/bbc/john-sweeney-panorama-of-l...
And for those who want to see and hear what religious, social, medical practitioners and politicians have to say about Scientology's effective solution to various world-wide problems (drugs, failed education, criminality) see the videos posted at:
http://www.scientology.org/activity/activity.html
All new religions have been called "cults" -- including Christianity and the Mormon faith -- all new religions have been attacked by those who support the status quo. That's what happens. To be expected.
A popular term that is starting to be used is "one-lifer" -- a person who believes he/she is just a brain attached to a sack of chemicals walking about on two legs.
What an incredibly near sighted view of existence, but it is a viewpoint worthy of expression by those who so believe.
I am a Scientologist. And I am NOT amazed at all of the criticism Scientology is subjected to. It is out there trying to impinge on the general populace -- this type of reaction is to be expected. A new philosphy is never welcomed with open arms. But fortunately we live in a society that allows divergent viewpoints to co-exist. Scientology makes in roads every day. The critics will accentuate the negative and point to the negative publicity in France, Belgium, Germany, Australia and Russia. But if one takes time to really look into those issues, one will find these countries also have issues with other "non-mainstream" religions. Here is a link to a State Department web site on Religous Freedom: http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/
Also, the critics of Scientology want to attack Scientology as a bone fide religion. Why?
You can have your opinion, certainly, but it will always be a religion in the US. To attack a religion or to question the validity of a religion is like hitting your head against a wall. Even if your aurguments are salient, the true validity of any religion (not just Scientology)is based upon its adherents, not its critics. You can crow all you want about Scientology not being a religion, but you will be wrong -- as long as one person believes Scientology is a religion, it will be a religion and there is nothing you can do about it.
The constitution protects our freedom against the "mob mentality". A case in point is the
recent Headley cases. The Headleys accused the Church of many henious crimes and labor law violations, the case was summilarily dismissed for lack of evidence and freedom of religion circumstances. But the bottom line was, the Headleys didn't have a case. All they had was allegations and that may work in an internet forum, but it doesn't work in the real world. But the bottom line is that the case was dismissed. No trial just dismissed.
4.8 million people saw the Panarama piece. What makes you think all 4.8 million people agree with the Sweeney viewpoint? People do not trust the media and that trend is growing. Here is a link to a recent Gallup poll: http://www.gallup.com/poll/143267/Distrust-Media-Edges-Record-High.aspx?...
A good portion of Americans just do not trust mass media (the Gallup Poll suggest a trend of 50%). And I am sure the numbers in Britain are quite similar. So that type of exposure can and will only benefit Scientology.
I did find quite amusing that one critic accused all Scientologist sympathizers as being "employed" by the church and flooding these forums, while the next comment came from another critic leading people to another anti-scientology forum. I suggest that people go to this forum and make up your own minds. You will see the sophmoric behaviour, the crass personal comments levied against individual Scientologists, even those that have died. Are these people going to be your abriter of religous philosophy?
Scientology has been accused of being a cult. Well cults tend to hide and withdraw from society, Scientology does no such thing. Scientology Centers are placed in the center of towns were access is readily available -- do cults do that?
They talk about money and Scientology being expensive. So what? Who cares? Believe me when you go into an auditing session you have to feel safe and secure. Everything has to be perfect. The building, clean and spotless. The auditor and staff well rested and fed and ready to go. The building has to be there today and many tomorrows. And, in our society, that takes money. There is no other way to do it.
But of course, if the critics of Scientology have any other suggestions on how to maintain staff and buildings without money, I would be happy to hear them.
Hey, Louanne. I gather you're not at OTIII yet? Lemme save you hundreds of thousands of dollars. You can thank me later....
"The head of the Galactic
Confederation (76 planets around
larger stars visible from here)
(founded 95,000,000 yrs ago, very space opera)
solved overpopulation (250 billion
or so per planet -- 178 billion on
average) by mass implanting.
He caused people to be brought to
Teegeeack (Earth) and put an H Bomb
on the principal volcanoes (Incident 2)
and then the Pacific area ones
were taken in boxes to Hawaii
and the Atlantic Area ones to
Las Palmas and there "packaged."
His name was Xenu. He used
renegades. Various misleading
data by means of circuits etc.
was placed in the implants.
When through with his crime Loyal Officers
(to the people) captured him
after 6 years of battle
and put him in an electronic
mountain trap where he still
is. "They" are gone. The place (Confed.)
has since been a desert."
Oh, dear. Maybe I shouldn't have posted the "Wall Of Fire". I fear I may have given all our $cientology followers Pneumonia. Damn!
the Freedom Magazine articles aren't written for the general public...the average person would see the insanity spewed out after reading a few paragraph.
its only purpose is to manipulate those trapped inside the cult. from peering out into the outside world.
its a big mind game. written as a scare tactic,pushing accepted propaganda. that would make the 3rd Reich proud.
Becoming a Scientologist you are giving away your free will to that of a group..and the control of that group. its a trap they are willing to fall into,when you do enough of their Training Routines you allow yourself to be controlled.
Scientologists never read columns like these,they may skim a few words,
to but to actually read it is verboten.
there is No Freedom in Freedom Magazine.
@Louanne....have you read one word to the responses to RainJ? I know you are't allowed to read bad news but they are well written. And please give up on advertising Freedom Mag.Org in your responses. No one will go there and everyone knows it's trash.
Al Somerville,
If you go through the thousands of taped lectures, books, courses etc (and the resulting huge financial drain) you are bound to come across a few sensical statements. In Hubbard's case (the founder of scientology), they are usually derivative from other better and more sincere sources of wisdom.
It's just like Hubbard's book "All About Radiation." He claimed to be a nuclear physicist (he wasn't) and wrote a book about radiation safety which is basically filled with nonsense. Real physicists have established that he didn't know what he was talking about. So within the book there may be a few accurate statements (grade school level understanding), but these are the exception rather than the rule.
So when you think of scientology, remember it was invented by a man who was comfortable writing mistruths. A good trait for a science fiction writer.
Lol, wow you can tell the scilons just by their posts, not only do they defend their cult, but at the same time insult, a well documented scientology tactic. DavidDEM must not look at ratings, cause for someone that supposely disregards journalistic ethics, his show about this had 4.3 million viewers and was ranked number one in the time slot, someone must be trusting him =). No one in their right minds would defend this cult. If you notice all the links these people are trying to send you too are scientology links, freedommagazine is a scientology magazine. Thats the same magazine that tried to smear anderson cooper after he reported about their crimes as well.
A bad day for Scientology = A good day for humanity.
The following email was originally sent by Zabrina Collins, an ethics officer in the UK. It shows how Scientology handles criticism.
---- Quote ------
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: zabrina collins
Date: Sat, 25 September 2010
Subject: Please read this asap - important!
To:
Hi Guys,
I am working with OSA to get some good PR onto online versions of the
Irish newspapers. You may or may not know that Panorama is doing a 2nd
take of their documentary on the Church a couple of years ago. This
new documentary will be aired on Tuesday night on BBC.
There will be media coverage both before and after the airing. The
majority of the coverage is expected to be on line. So therefore OSA
UK have organised a counter create on this whereby certain
Scientologist are selected to post comments/readers opinions/ratings
etc where possible next to the articles on line.
The purpose of this is so that when public google SCN or read these
articles the majority of comments/posts etc will be theta, rather then
untruths.
Here is what I need you to do:
1. I will contact you with data on where a negative article is - I
will probably text you as that will be quickest.
2. You log on to the site of the newspaper and go to the article.
Please do this as soon as possible after getting the text from me.
3. You do not necessarily have to read all the article.
4. There will be an opinions section or forum close to the article.
5. I need you to write a good roads, good weather comment here stating
some tru data about SCN - using a personal experience is good! DO NOT
take up any entheta - grant to no beingness. It is important not to
engage the opposition and get into a debate or react to provocations.
You can also if you wish deviate off the subject onto a new topic. The
concentration of your post is to fill the vacuum per PR Series 18 and
continue to talk about expansion!!!
6. When you have done - copy and paste your post and email it back to me.
If you have any questions, call me on . I know this is
total pain in the ass guys - and postulate that the Irish newspapers
don't put anything on line so we don't even have to bother!
THANKS GUYS!!
ML,
Zabrina
------ end quote ----
Explanation of the terms used, as they may be unfamiliar with those not versed in Scientology terminology..........
OSA = Office of Special Affairs, the legal and public arm of the Church of Scientology.
Counter create = To create something in response to another creation, usually with the intent of destroying the first creation.
Theta = Strictly speaking this means life force, or thetan energy, which has the effect of animating or changing physical matter. The term as used in the email means good or positive.
Thetan = The consciousness that gives you your identity, the portion of you that is not physical matter.
Good roads, good weather = A technique where criticisms are avoided by talking about other more pleasant things, usually things that everyone is in agreement with (eg: drugs are bad). Quoting from Introduction to Scientology Ethics 2007 page 425 – “"good roads, good weather": communication about things activities or subjects of which everyone is in favor.”
Entheta = Enturbulated Theta. Enturbulated means to have experienced turbulence. Enturbulated theta means life force that has experienced turbulence, and is the opposite of theta. In the context of the email entheta means negative information.
Grant no beingness = To grant beingness to someone means to let them be who they are, usually done by acknowledging them or understanding them. By refusing to grant beingness the intention is to deprive the person of their beingness, and thus also rob their criticisms of any beingness too. It is an attempt to refuse to acknowledge another person and the content of their speech.
PR Series 18 = This is a reference to a Hubbard management policy titled ‘How To Handle Black Propaganda’.
Continue to talk about expansion = Quoting from part 20 of ‘Handling the Press’ by David Gaiman and Jane Kember: “20. The press never does its homework. It looks up old bad press, and rehashes it. So, when you get an attack, and reporters arrive to assess your reaction, tell them how much good this publicity is doing for Scientology – and state how much they are helping our expansion and new membership – quote figures which are uncheckable.”
Copy and paste your post and email it back to me = Reporting compliance is necessary when compiling the stats.
Postulate = A decision made by the individual himself to resolve a problem or to set a pattern for the future or to nullify a pattern of the past. The intention here is to manifest a postulate into reality by willing it.
To see and hear elected officials and social leaders praise FreedomMag, check out http://www.Scientology.org and watch the videos.
4.3 milion viewed the BBC show. So? Since when does a viewing public equate to truth? It does not. It simply indicates interest in a subject.
Reading the "logic" bwehind some of these postings is amusing. And with that,I'm outta here.
So much for
Hey Louanne,
Did you get one of these emails? I like the part where is says you don't even have to read the articles!
About the Authors of the internal scientology publication "Handling the Press"....
Jane Kember ......
On December 5, 1975 Jane Kember issued Guardian Program Order 158, which intended to give L. Ron Hubbard early warning of impending legal action. The plan called for the infiltration of the government agencies that had either the power to issue, or the knowledge of, impending subpoenas.[31] Specific agencies include the US Attorney’s Office in DC and LA, the IRS Office of International Operations, the DEA, and the Coast Guard and Immigration and Naturalization. After reviewing the letter, Meisner concluded it would be a better idea to infiltrate the Department of Justice than the US Attorney's Office.
In the trial over what was known as "Operation Snow White", Kember was convicted on nine counts of aiding and abetting burglary in connection with break-ins at US government offices, and was sentenced to two to six years.
The late David Gaiman (yes, Neil Gaiman's father) ..........
He joined the Guardian's Office (GO), the Church's public relations bureau / intelligence agency. In 1969, Gaiman was involved in an attempt by the Church to take over the British mental health charity, the National Association for Mental Health (now Mind). Some 300 Scientologists joined the group and nominated Gaiman, among others, for high office. Gaiman was nominated for the Chairmanship. Eventually, the Scientologists were asked to resign but contested that request in court (and lost).
In the 1970s he became Deputy Guardian for Public Relations World Wide and Minister of Public Affairs for the Churches of Scientology Worldwide, as well as serving as public spokesman.
According to documents in the US vs Kember and Budlong case, Gaiman issued an order in 1975 for an operation to put false information in U.S. security agency computers using planted agents. It was known as 'Operation Cat'. Kember also credited Gaiman with the strategy to claim that CoS plants inside the American Medical Association were reporters for Freedom Magazine.
He rose to become the head of GO Public Relations and was a member of the powerful Watchdog Committee. In 1981 he was promoted to the position of Guardian (i.e. head of the Guardian's Office), replacing Jane Kember following her criminal conviction for conspiracy against the US Government (she had been part of Scientology's Operation Snow White).
---------------------------
Way to go Scientology! Great "church"! Not.
The Headley case was dismissed all right, but this was done on the basis that coerced abortions, slave wages, forced labor camps, and a host of other abuses are officially part of your "religious scripture" and practice. Your abuses are a matter of public record, promulgated by your own attorneys in your "defense," not merely somebody's opinion on the internet.
Scientology is a brainwashing cult that wants your money. And they harass their critics - this is what I experienced.
The problem is that if people are so gullible as to be taken in by this claptrap there is very little point in presenting logical arguments against it. One can only hope these loons finally realise they are being hoodwinked.
In other (related) news today, the Druids were recognised as a relgion for chairitable purposes and recieved their registered charitable status by the Charities Commission for England and Wales.
In 1999, despite appeals, scientology failed to gain registered charitable status.
In 1971 it lost a test case which prevents it from claiming any of its buildings to be registered places of worship.
Ouch!
Scientology will never acheive charitable status in the UK because it is required to pass a public benefit test. It cannot do this unless it changed its core practice and if it did that then it wouldn't be scientology.
In a recent report from a senate committee in Australia, plans are being drawn up rehash their outdated charity/tax-exemption system which includes having both a charities commission very much like the UK along with a public benefit test and a specific body to tackle abusive pseudo-religious groups such as the cult of scientology.
Ouch Ouch!
It's not going well for scientology on planet earth. Maybe it's time to make peace with xenu, disconnect his eternal battery, let him out of that volcano and ask if he'll prep the mothership and give y'all a ride back with him.
Mudkips the Have been operating off that script for a few years
Great seeing it posted!..let others in on their little secret! Bravo
Louanne and DaviDem are OSA agents who patrol internet, they'd be happier if there was a "report abuse" button to abuse and delete the posts they don't like and then post glowing testimonies about Scientology under multiple nicknames.
Scientology seems to produce a love of dishonesty and dirty tricks, the people near the top of the pyramid are really a nasty lot.
Mike M wrote:
"4.8 million people saw the Panarama piece. What makes you think all 4.8 million people agree with the Sweeney viewpoint? People do not trust the media and that trend is growing. Here is a link to a recent Gallup poll: http://www.gallup.com/poll/143267/Distrust-Media-Edges-Recor..."
yeah, people distrust the media, but they distrust Scientology even more and i can even prove this with a gallup poll too, LOL
http://www.gallup.com/poll/106516/Americans-NetPositive-View-US-Catholic...
Oh my, that e-mail is quite interesting.
Don't forget to talk about expansion! Don't read the article and don't forget to attempt and change the subject!
Scientologists are the biggest bunch of liars and con artists I have ever seen.
Scientologists are for the most part forbidden to take part in any public discussion of the abuses in their so-called church. Among themselves they are trained to lie and practice thought-stopping. Among the workers, "bad thoughts about Hubbard" can land a Sea Ogre the internal prison camp.
Scientology is basically one big ad agency with an intelligence and espionage wing attached, devoted to promoting itself, squashing criticism and making enormous sums of money, enough to buy and renovate new empty "orgs," and as we saw on the Sweeney program, hire lots of PIs to follow ex-members and the press around.
Also what other Church has special facilities for "celebrities." Come on, it's so obviously a scam!