Terra is back with another thought-provoking essay…
How to Talk to Friends and Family about Scientology
A friend passed along a promo piece about an event entitled “How to Talk to Friends and Family about Scientology.” Back in the day, I would have attended without thinking twice. Communicating with family and friends about Scientology was valuable, both as a way of explaining what I was doing without them flipping-out, and as a way to bring new people into the fold. I’m a lot smarter now.
Now, I look at what lies beneath the seemingly innocuous promotion.
Notwithstanding that awkward phase during early adolescence, I’ve never needed help talking with friends and family. I’ve never needed a seminar to teach me how to talk about what happened at school, at practice, or how the waves were at the beach. I’ve never needed a tutorial on how to communicate about what’s going on in my life.
I’ve never needed a high-powered salesmen teaching me how to chat with the family and friends at Thanksgiving. I’ve never needed lessons from Les Dane on how to communicate with girlfriends (except for that aforementioned awkward phase). For the most part, I feel quite comfortable talking with people.
Yeah, but what about Religion?
Let’s be honest; religion has been a “charged” subject since the beginning of recorded history. Nations have been fighting one another, trying to force their faith upon their neighbors since the first man received a message from God to go forth and spread His word. Subject yourself to My laws—those written by Me in My book—or die. Or go to hell. Or wherever the unfaithful are supposed to end up.
Yeah, I know. Scientology is a scam. Dreamed up by one L. Ron Hubbard, another in a historical line of con-artists bent on ruling the kingdom, filling their treasuries with mounds of gold, and having their ways with all the young maidens. And yeah, I know; having to convince family and friends that these guys have our best interests at heart is not any easy sell.
Wouldn’t you think, though, that holy words from God would be readily accepted by the masses? I mean, He, She, or They is a god, right? Omniscient, all powerful, able to leap tall buildings in a single bound—the biggest Thetan on the planet! Having to attend a seminar on how to talk to family and friends about His, Her, or Their words makes little sense. Any blessed being worth his wings, would simply snap his fingers—or in the case of LRH, “postulate”—instantly convincing all Earth of his divine dominion.
Events, Schments
So what’s with this “event?” If having to attend an “event” is what it takes to talk about a religious entity, there’s a good chance there’s something fishy going on. There’s a good chance things are happening within this organization the leaders don’t want revealed. There’s a good chance, this organization should be avoided.
For the most part, people should be suspicious about having to attend a seminar on how to talk to friends and family about something. I prefer muddling along on my own, having evolved beyond the point where I need “an expert” lecturing me on how to talk about religion, God, or Farsec. Give me the facts, thank you, and allow me come to my own conclusions.
I learned how to talk as a kid. I know how to communicate. I even took a comparative religions course in college where I learned about the Socratic Method. I don’t need a course on how to talk to friends and family.
Sinking Ship
Having to attend this seminar suggests Scientologists have been failing at talking to their friends and family about this new thing they’re involved in—which, along with plunging stats and a rabid, “psych-controlled media,” suggests members have given up talking to others about the subject altogether. Which suggests church members are well aware of all of Hubbard’s tech and policy that can’t be rationally explained. Which suggests they’re afraid of friends and family asking probing questions that can’t be answered truthfully—especially questions asked by those friends and family living in the twenty-first century who know how to operate computers and remote control devices. Not only is there much Scientologists can’t talk about, there is much they aren’t allowed to talk about. Members of the Church of Scientology have lots to fear.
Last Words
So yeah… I’ll pass on this seminar, thank you very much.
Still not Declared,
Terra Cognita
60+ are closer to the death than to the birth. Will they arrive to implant statons at Venus and Mars or will they start all over again on Earth in CofS?
When all the critics are finally gone they return to the soup and keeps the blood bleeding.
Isn’t it ironic that the possessors and practitoners of the technology that is allegedly senior to and cause over life itself cannot apply some of its basic tenets and concepts to conversing with non-scientologists, ex-scientologists, and so-called ” sp’s”?
I don’t believe that scientology has ANY redeeming value, yet I can still power up the loaded language, clear my throat( whilst suppressing the urge to vomit ), and wonder out loud:
Regarding the lawsuits and other controversies the church faces, can any scientologists actually CONFRONT the time,place,form,and event elements of the data being presented? Can they be pan-determined enough to realize that a group(them!) that insists IT IS ALWAYS RIGHT AND IS ALWAYS BEING UNFAIRLY ATTACKED AND IS ALSO NEVER,EVER WRONG is running service facsimiles and has numerous overts and withholds? Can they NOT ONLY demonstrate a knows-best, hostile and/or sarcastic, ad hominem stance(“low-toned”) when presented with extensively documented, empirical evidence of their group’s abuses? Are they not free to observe and adhere to the code of a scientologist, which asserts the right of ALL PEOPLE to freely discuss, comment on, and debate any ideas, issues, events, etc. that they choose to? Can’t they bring their highly-touted and much-bragged-about “theta and postulates” to bear on interactions with critics, instead of harassing them and engaging in criminal acts to “utterly ruin” them? Why can’t the operating thetans in scientology, who are supposedly “at willing and knowing cause over life,matter, energy,space, and time- subjective and objective” bring into a being a golden age of scientological renaissance, free of criminality, insanity, and a war on the human rights of its members and critics?
So many questions. So much culty cognitive dissonance,delusion,stupidity,and suffering…
Amen Mark!!!
Preach! 🙌🏼
Seriously – that’s spot on! Hopefully some lurkers/UTR’s will read and ponder.
Hugs to you, Mark (baby says hi, too LOL)
STLSuzy and Furry Jen,
Thank you and hugs to both of you.😁
From what I remember of such things, it’s about focusing on subjective “wins” and deflecting any questions about even the details of practices and teachings, much less everything troubling from the high costs to the truly disturbing abuses.
I can only guess that there’s a bit of updated spin about trying to get people to watch the Scientology channel – but that would still only be a variation of the old “read a book and see for yourself,” and like trying to actually plow through one of Hubbard’s increasingly dated messes most people are just going to find it off-putting if not strange.
Nowadays I wouldn’t be surprised that such an event took advantage of an opportunity for an indoctrination booster and some loyalty-checking, along with fundraising supposedly for efforts like pamphlets or books – it’s easier to imagine supporting some effort somewhere else, than confronting friends and acquaintances.
Thanks as always for your thoughts, Terra.
Growing up, I could never talk to anybody about Scientology because it was “too weird” to explain (the exact words I used to describe the problem, not “too hard”). It was for this reason that I didn’t spend time with my school friends outside of school.
I didn’t make the connection that Scientology being “too weird” to explain is because it was too weird to be involved in.
Yea, you better learn how to talk to friends and family about Scientology, or you may never be allowed to speak to them again.
They just couldn’t put the real title out where non-believers might see it.
How to Lie to Friends and Family About Scientology
Akin to the “Dissemination Drill”, Contact, Ruin and Bring to Understanding, there is a very serious taboo in Scientology against telling the truth. Called Verbal Data or VD, the coincidence in acronyms is not coincidental.
You are never supposed to explain it in your own words. If pressed, you are supposed to suggest reading books by L. Ron Hubbard or going to the propaganda web site.
So the strategy is to immediately go on the attack. “Ruin” means find out what is ruining the person’s life. “Bring to Understanding” means to suggest that Scientology has the answer to that ruin, without providing any specifics at all.
So you see, you are supposed to have entire conversations “about Scientology” that contain no information at all. Just an attack on someone’s integrity.
Scientology, putting the pseudo- in pseudo-science since 1953.
There is no good word of mouth.
Public scientologists aren’t FSMing outsiders.
They’re either not happy or they’re not a good enough advert.
I’d argue most public scientologists are dabblers.
They are not on board with the rest of them.
The CoS is too expensive, too culty and overhyped.
On my way out of London org, after one of the last visits I’d ever make, I shared a lift with a fellow public who asked if I was going to “the event” (I forget which). After a brief pause, I shook my head and said it wasn’t really my scene. I was done.
He nodded his agreement and grinned.
I have missed your insightful postings for a time now. I was worried you were not writing anymore. You always give my something to think about and to talk with my friend about and what can be done to stop the horrors of this cult.
I saw the last show you did with Leah and pray you are continuing the fight. You and Leah have done such a great job of bringing this travesty to light. Please don’t stop now for Gods sakes
Many blessings 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏 you are a true warrior💕
Well, let’s face it, Learning “how to talk to your family and friends about scientology” is code for, “learning how to navigate around all the allegations of abuse and negative news about scientology in order to deflect the conversation, change the subject to scientology TV channel or just outright lie.”
I talked to a scientologist recently who said “it’s about LRH” and “the big picture” to try and nullify what I said and what he KNOWS is the truth about david miscavige’s physical assaults on staff.
Besides, family and friends that are not scientologists know to stay away from the subject unless they’re trying to do some kind of intervention.
When one leaves the church, he/she will start to notice how much better their relationships are with their non scientologists friends and family. Everyone breaths a lot easier and no one has to withhold anything.
Scientology: where Farsec meets Piltdown Man.
Talking to friends and family about Scientology is bit like telling a disgruntled customer that his recently purchased parrot isn’t really dead. In either case the results are absurdly hilarious. To paraphrase John Cleese, “Look, matey, I know a deranged cult when I see it.”
THIS CULT HAS CEASED TO BE!!! (We wish!)
Nice paraphrasing Chris.
After my wife and I were declared, we had a discussion about telling new people we met that we were former Scientologists. It became very obvious that these new people would ignore us and come up with an excuse to discontinue the relationship.
Since I spoke good English, I was point person at a Buddhist Temple for almost seven years. I would discuss Buddhism with English speaking people asking questions. It became very obvious that almost 50% of the new people were only seeking arguments against Buddhism. It was very strange as I noticed that Fundamentalists were especially active and would come in groups of three to five.
The subject of religious discussion is very complex. The mere mention of one word can turn people off or on. My former friend and OT VIII spent years making a fool out of himself trying to spread Scientology with videos. Hubbard made Scientology a religion for tax exemption and Constitutional protection. My Fundamentalist friend believes that Heaven is 5,000 miles wide and will someday come down from the sky. Discussing Scientology or any other religion is a waste of time.
I absolutely agree. “There are none so blind as those who will not see.”