Scientology

[Pethesedzao]

They usually target wealthy people who are well connected. They're great conduits for growing the membership. Star power is important. It provides a stamp of approval for other celebrities.

Much like exclusive memberships in private clubs.

Jesus went about healing all those that were oppressed of the Devil

 

[Jane_the_Bane]

You'd need to go back to Aleister Crowley to understand Hubbard's ideas. A lot of that is covered in Moonchild. His experience with Crowley was a huge influence. He penned Dianetics shortly after.

Hubbard's history with Jack Parsons and the Babalon Working is also noteworthy in this context. The CoS likes to omit this chapter from his biography altogether, or otherwise turns it into a tale along the lines of "the Master being tasked by the US Navy with infiltrating and destroying a Black Magic Cult from the inside".
What actually happened was more of a straightforward confidence trick, with Hubbard seducing Parsons's wife and stealing his money.

As for the actual doctrinal overlap between Thelema and Scientology:
I'd consider the similarities superficial at best, although his occultism certainly seems to have informed his formation of Dianetics and Scientology. Note also how he promised his fried Forrest Ackerman the power to "rape women without their knowing it, communicate suicide messages to your enemies as they sleep, [and] evolve the best way of protecting or destroying communism".

A real sunshine, that old L. Ron.

 

[Robban]

They usually target wealthy people who are well connected. They're great conduits for growing the membership. Star power is important. It provides a stamp of approval for other celebrities.

Much like exclusive memberships in private clubs.

Yeah sounds like the falseness of this world.

Reckon it can be considered a blessing not to know what goes on in the dark corridors.

 

[Robban]

That,s what you think.

It depends entirely on what you think of with world.


We are expecting the world to come.

The interigator held the gun to the Rebbes (His father in law I think) head and gave him the choice.

Either you stop teaching Torah or taste this (gun),
you choose.

The Rebbe replied,
"You have many gods and one world,
I have one God and two worlds,
now you choose."



In our eyes we see death,
A body is buried in the ground,
and we have to mourn.

But this is only a part the falseness of our world,
in the world of truth,
they are still here as before.

truth cannot die.

Those who are one with truth do not die, they pass on.

 

[bèlla]

A more objective angle than the plausibility of their world view comes with their actual practices, particularly the Office of Special Affairs. In case you aren't aware, Scientology basically has got its own secret service: a whole branch devoted to investigating, discrediting, and - if possible - destroying opponents, gaining political leverage, and furthering the organisation's goals by any means possible. Their "Operation Snow White" was the greatest infiltration of the US government prior to the Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election.

I've read about this in the past and it was really deep. The tentacles of influence are far reaching. And the chilling thing is for this and many religions is the ignorance of its members. It's a lot like being in the pool and realizing you're in the deep end and there's no lifeguard in sight. You're stuck and that's really the case for many.

I read a lot of books about things like this. It helps me navigate life well prepared. ;-)

 

[bèlla]

Hubbard's history with Jack Parsons and the Babalon Working is also noteworthy in this context.

True. I'm familiar with the story.

As for the actual doctrinal overlap between Thelema and Scientology:
I'd consider the similarities superficial at best, although his occultism certainly seems to have informed his formation of Dianetics and Scientology.

They're quite different. The experience planted a seed for all that followed. You need extensive knowledge of manipulation and mental bondage to pull this off and a diabolical nature to boot. If you have a smidgen of concern for your victims you'll fall short. Sadists usually excel in this area.

 

[mina]

A cult and a scam. Watch Leah Remini's expose series. She features life long (or who were in for a substantial time) scientologists that have left. It seems they target the rich, but if you aren't rich they still want anything you make. YOu have to pay to go clear or reach the highest level of spiritual enlightenment. If you can't pay , you are pressured to join the sea org where you basically work 24/7 for free, have free housing and food, but you have to do everything they say. Remini is trying to get their tax exempt status taken away.

 

[jayem]

Let's talk about L. Ron Hubbard's... well, what is it? A religion? A cult? A money-making scam? All of the above?
Is there anybody here with some first-hand experience of Scientology, or is your knowledge as detached and academic as mine?

One of my office assistants years ago had flirted with Scientology. But she had some financial issues and couldn't afford to become seriously involved. Which was probably fortunate, since it's hard to get out of the "church," once you're in it.

Out of curiosity, I bought a copy of Dianetics at a used book fair a while back. Honestly, it was unreadable. A muddle of pseudo-intellectual jibber jabber that made not one iota of sense to me. I was unable to make it past page 3.

 

[Jane_the_Bane]

One of my office assistants years ago had flirted with Scientology. But she had some financial issues and couldn't afford to become seriously involved. Which was probably fortunate, since it's hard to get out of the "church," once you're in it.

Out of curiosity, I bought a copy of Dianetics at a used book fair a while back. Honestly, it was unreadable. A muddle of pseudo-intellectual jibber jabber that made not one iota of sense to me. I was unable to make it past page 3.

Heh.
I did exactly the same.
There's a more sinister purpose to Hubbard's use of language, however: an important part of creating a cult is creating an "expert language" that makes it difficult for outsiders to become involved in the discourse, so believers and cult leaders can dismiss criticism by pronouncing: "These people do not know what they are talking about, lacking the proper knowledge".

 

[YeshuaFan]

Now we have a few clues,

What is Scientology?

How does one know if approached?

It is a Cult that teaches that humans are basically gods whose main problem is that we have forgotten that truth, and they are here to restore that knowledge to us again!

 

[durangodawood]

I cant believe anyone even patronizes Tom Cruise movies, knowing how hes a prime enabler of this vampiric cult.

 

[MehGuy]

Jealous.. somewhat.. while not moral, sometimes I dream about creating my own religion and the benefits and power that can come behind that.. lol.

 

[durangodawood]

Jealous.. somewhat.. while not moral, sometimes I dream about creating my own religion and the benefits and power that can come behind that.. lol.

If I get onboard early, can I be a bishop, please?

 

[tampasteve]

MOD HAT ON

PLEASE NOTE: This thread has had a cleaning of off topic posts. Keep posts on topic. This thread is about Scientology - not President Trump or anyone else that is not affiliated with Scientology.

MOD HAT OFF​

 

[RickardoHolmes]

Now we have a few clues,

What is Scientology?

How does one know if approached?

The most common approach is still through a "personality test" once completed, the scientologist will tell the person that the test pinpointed some things that are keeping the person from success andbhappiness and that these things can be fixed through "auditing" which is basically a bogus onebon one counseling session, ranging in price from $40 to $500 each. Sadly, the auditing never ends and since it does nothing hut restructure the persons thinking to believe that scientology is great and is in fact fixing their problems, some people report becoming in debt to the tune of hundreds of thousands of dollars.

It is a very dangerous and very aggresive cult. And it started not as a religion, but as dianetics, a model of mental health and counseling rejected by the APA and AMA as having no value or scientific merit.
But, as a religion in America, Hubbard was able to circumvent laws and sell this high priced quackery which always does more harm than good.

Example? I have never met an "enlightened" scientologist, and for that matter, never met a mentally healthy one either.

 

[Robban]

The most common approach is still through a "personality test" once completed, the scientologist will tell the person that the test pinpointed some things that are keeping the person from success andbhappiness and that these things can be fixed through "auditing" which is basically a bogus onebon one counseling session, ranging in price from $40 to $500 each. Sadly, the auditing never ends and since it does nothing hut restructure the persons thinking to believe that scientology is great and is in fact fixing their problems, some people report becoming in debt to the tune of hundreds of thousands of dollars.

It is a very dangerous and very aggresive cult. And it started not as a religion, but as dianetics, a model of mental health and counseling rejected by the APA and AMA as having no value or scientific merit.
But, as a religion in America, Hubbard was able to circumvent laws and sell this high priced quackery which always does more harm than good.

Example? I have never met an "enlightened" scientologist, and for that matter, never met a mentally healthy one either.

Thanks for the reply.

Have not given any thought to personality tests.

Though for many years ago I was working in a factory,
they sent me on a test, a forman test,
they then informed me I had passed the test.

So I quit, so much for their test, haha.

 

[RickardoHolmes]

Here is a website on the Scientology test
Operation Clambake presents: Oxford Capacity Analysis

Also are the hacked answers for how a "clear" person should answer the test. As the author suggests, they would still try to sell you courses. Scientology exists to make money.

I would never give them any personal info, phone numbers, address, as they have a reputation for midnight phone calls, showing up uninvited, and aggressive harassment when someone says NO

 

[Robban]

Here is a website on the Scientology test
Operation Clambake presents: Oxford Capacity Analysis

Also are the hacked answers for how a "clear" person should answer the test. As the author suggests, they would still try to sell you courses. Scientology exists to make money.

I would never give them any personal info, phone numbers, address, as they have a reputation for midnight phone calls, showing up uninvited, and aggressive harassment when someone says NO

Aswering 200 questions, one would have to be pretty desperate would reckon.

I think filling in a taxform is enough.

One year I made it easy, after being pestered by a taxoffice I wrote a note,
"Take what you want and give me what is left."

So that,s what they do.
They do it anyhow.

In Sweden will say.

 

[RickardoHolmes]

Aswering 200 questions, one would have to be pretty desperate would reckon.

I think filling in a taxform is enough.

One year I made it easy, after being pestered by a taxoffice I wrote a note,
"Take what you want and give me what is left."

LMAO That is GREAT! I should try that next time the Tax Bill arrives

On a serious note, Scientology preys on the desperate. yes, someone would have to be desperate to fill out a survey, and sadly, thousands do. But If we at least alert people up front to this scam, maybe we can help a few of those desperate people find healthier and effective treatment and fulfilling pathways in life, instead of the lies and abuse that scientology will give them.

 

[YeshuaFan]

The most common approach is still through a "personality test" once completed, the scientologist will tell the person that the test pinpointed some things that are keeping the person from success andbhappiness and that these things can be fixed through "auditing" which is basically a bogus onebon one counseling session, ranging in price from $40 to $500 each. Sadly, the auditing never ends and since it does nothing hut restructure the persons thinking to believe that scientology is great and is in fact fixing their problems, some people report becoming in debt to the tune of hundreds of thousands of dollars.

It is a very dangerous and very aggresive cult. And it started not as a religion, but as dianetics, a model of mental health and counseling rejected by the APA and AMA as having no value or scientific merit.
But, as a religion in America, Hubbard was able to circumvent laws and sell this high priced quackery which always does more harm than good.

Example? I have never met an "enlightened" scientologist, and for that matter, never met a mentally healthy one either.

It claims that the main problem of Mankind is not that we are sinners, but that we are really gods, or have forgotten that truth, and their program gets one "clear" and able to accept our godhood, all for only around 250,000!