I have written a number of articles concerning the scientology’s Fair Game doctrine and practice.
L. Ron Hubbard proclaimed those designated as “enemies” of scientology should be destroyed. It is a literal admonition to lie, trick, frame, smear, harass anyone scientology does not like. In scientology, the words of L. Ron Hubbard are the words of God — they are to be taken literally and it is deemed a “crime” in scientology to alter, deviate from or seek to interpret his words. They are not seen as parables, allegories or things to be interpreted, they are to be followed to the letter, without fail.
The list of people Hubbard did not like is a long one. First and foremost are those who speak about its abusive practices, followed by psychiatrists, psychologists, the FBI, CIA and IRS, any government intelligence organization, the media, law enforcement, judges and a whole host of others.
There are many very detailed directives issued by L. Ron Hubbard that form the “doctrine” of scientology. I summarized some of the most egregious in a blog posting:
Dealing With the Critics of Scientology — the L. Ron Hubbard Playbook.
There are a few other related postings concerning scientology’s Fair Game policy and the treatment of “critics” and “enemies”:
Framing Whistleblowers — The Scientology Playbook
More of the L. Ron Hubbard Playbook
How Scientology Views Law Enforcement
This post addresses an additional aspect focused on one specific area of scientology Fair Game practice: What Hubbard called “Black Propaganda”.
According to Wikipedia: Black propaganda is a form of propaganda which is intended to create the impression that it was created by those it is supposed to discredit.
Hubbard complained bitterly that he was the subject of repeated and vicious false campaigns to besmirch his image and his accomplishments. But like much else, his complaints about what was supposedly being done to him by the government, psychiatry and disgruntled former members was used as a justification for actually doing what he complained of to others. He claimed the government was infiltrating scientology, so he sent his agents in to infiltrate the government. He claimed people planted false stories about him so he had false stories planted about his enemies. He claimed people tried to bankrupt him so he did his best to bankrupt them. As he said in his Manual of Justice “I never forget it, always even the score.”
It may come as no surprise that much of the “attacks” he complained about were the result of his vivid imagination. Unfortunately, the converse is not true. His attacks on enemies were and are very true. The fact that scientology carries out specific, preconceived and vicious campaigns to try to destroy those it designates “enemies” is a matter of public record. A google search of “Scientology Fair Game” will provide hundreds of examples. In fact, this search shows up about 1,250,000 results. Including an extensive Wikipedia page.
This post focuses only on the subject of Black Propaganda. Hubbard wrote quite a lot about this subject that is publicly available. He also wrote directives intended for the infamous Guardian’s Office of scientology, the original dirty tricks department, now replaced by the Office of Special Affairs (I was for many years the international head of “OSA”)
At the end of this posting is the full text of a directive by Hubbard that was recently sent to me — which prompted this post.
I am excerpting some of the things Hubbard says to give them some context and make clear the “projection” that is apparent in so much of Hubbard’s writing about dealing with enemies:
It [Black Propaganda] is a specialized technology of its own.
Hubbard’s term for the techniques of scientology is “technology.” This word has great significance in scientology. Hubbard’s “technology” is considered to be the only path to salvation. Anything that is described as a “technology” by Hubbard is an exact means of achieving an end.
It relies chiefly on the technique of “classification” of another or a group or a nation as undesirable or evil.
This is something scientology applies to a “T” — they figure out the “buttons” and keep repeating them over and over again in order to “classify” their enemies. Thus, they endlessly repeat everyone who ever says anything negative about scientology is a “bigot.” I am classified as a “wife-beater” and Leah as a “money-hungry diva.” You will see this over and over. All psychiatrists are madmen in white coats torturing rats and humans. They keep repeating lines they believe will stick to their enemies even if they are not true.
Dianetics, Scientology and myself for a very long time have been subjected to a very standard black propaganda campaign instigated by trained persons — the AMA in the US, the British Psychological Association in Australia, the National Association of Mental Health in England and internationally.
Psychiatry today advises advertising and propaganda and designed of course this campaign we have experienced.
This is Hubbard at his “us-versus-the-world” best. He proclaims himself the victim of a massive conspiracy to “destroy man’s only hope”. This because he offered Dianetics to the psychiatric establishment and they rejected it. He made it his mission to paint psychiatry as the evil men out to destroy mankind by destroying scientology. In fact, other than rejecting Hubbard’s claims, psychiatry has never paid much attention to Hubbard or Scientology. But he certainly obsessed over them after their initial rejection. In scientology psychiatry literally represents the devil. Almost all enemies are considered to be agents (or at best dupes) of the evil psychs.
To cancel an enemy’s chief weapon is in itself a part of victory.
To cease to be the effect of classification and become in our turn the cause of it, the classifier, is to win the propaganda game.
Our propaganda is dirty but it is not black because it is true. Black propaganda is essentially false.
We can do this trick by survey and attack. As what is attacked is already popularly evil, we become re-classified as attackers and the enemy as bad hats as they’re for the evil if they attack us.
We won’t be running a black campaign as we deal in truth.
A classic Hubbardian sleight of hand here. We engage in black propaganda but it is not black propaganda “because it is true.” Well, that’s not true. But underneath this lie is a more fundamental truth in scientology instilled by Hubbard. The destruction of enemies, by whatever means, is wholly justified. Anyone who is not supporting scientology is an enemy of mankind. And who could be critical of destroying an “enemy of mankind”? Scientologists truly believe this. My own children, my brother and sister and every other scientologist whole-heartedly believe I should be destroyed. That the world would be a better place if I was dead. And when you truly believe that someone being dead is a better thing than them being alive, what is telling a few lies about them in order to prevent them from being able to “harm man’s only hope”? They are not “lies” if they help eradicate a source of suppression to all of mankind. Because that is a good thing for everyone, so it cannot be bad. And of course Hubbard explains that everyone who “attacks” scientology is a criminal who is hiding sordid crimes. Even if there is no evidence of those crimes they “do exist” invariably and simply operate on the basis this is true. So you can accuse someone of being a thief without evidence and it’s not a lie because LRH says it will always be true…
This IS “scientology think” and it leads to scientology practice.
The full text of this issue is below.
OFFICE OF SPECIAL AFFAIRS NETWORK ORDER
OSA NW ORDER 15
18 February 1988
OSA NW
Confidential
BLACK PROPAGANDA
(Originally written by LRH on 12 January 1972. Issued as an OSA NW Order on 18 February 1988.)
Black propaganda is a covert communication of false data intended to injure, impede or destroy the activity or life of another person, group or nation, usually issued from a false or removed source from the actual instigator.
It is used heavily in “psychological warfare.”
It is a specialized technology of its own.
It relies chiefly on the technique of “classification” of another or a group or a nation as undesirable or evil.
It has many counter weapons and is itself essentially fragile because it is false.
Dianetics, Scientology and myself for a very long time have been subjected to a very standard black propaganda campaign instigated by trained persons — the AMA in the US, the British Psychological Association in Australia, the National Association of Mental Health in England and internationally.
What is being attempted by black propagandists is to classify us firmly in the public mind by constant repetition of certain words like “cult.” The more we let such propagandists do this, the more chance we give them, the more opportunity they have.
A black artist has to be carefully trained to do this and I am suddenly quite interested in such fellows. It isn’t just “the way things are written.” Such are well trained intelligence pros in the field of psychological warfare.
Psychiatry today advises advertising and propaganda and designed of course this campaign we have experienced.
The subject is even touched on by Dr. Thomas Szasz as a psychiatric technique in his book Ideology and Insanity, page 49, chapter 4, page 53 section IV, page 67 section IX and his whole article “Psychiatric Classification as Personal Restraint”, page 190 of the same book. Of these, page 53 section IV is the most interesting in application to this subject of classification.
“Classification is a social act. The classification of individuals or groups entails the ‘participation of at least three different types of persons: Classifier, Classified, and a public called upon to accept or reject a particular classification.”
While Szasz is not using it as it applies to psychological warfare (black propaganda) or advertising, it is nevertheless a key point in psychiatric planning of any campaign.
The AMA counts on this utterly.
So this is their one trick.
To cancel an enemy’s chief weapon is in itself a part of victory.
To cease to be the effect of classification and become in our turn the cause of it, the classifier, is to win the propaganda game.
Our propaganda is dirty but it is not black because it is true. Black propaganda is essentially false.
We can do this trick by survey and attack. As what is attacked is already popularly evil, we become re-classified as attackers and the enemy as bad hats as they’re for the evil if they attack us.
We won’t be running a black campaign as we deal in truth.
Black campaigns ARC break people since they depend on false reports and are thus out-R. Hence your dead agent actions work.
We just run propaganda campaigns.
The objective is to be identified as attackers of popularly considered evils. This de-classifies us from former labels. It re-classifies our attackers as evil people. Which they are.
In the book Black Boomerang by Sefton Delmer (1962) published by Secker and Warburg, London, Delmar gives various formulas of black propaganda used in WW II. They used intelligence to get enough facts to run a convincing but fake “German radio station” from England.
Since WW II psychiatry has moved its techniques into advertising and propaganda and the think of these is in the Szasz references above.
So we:
(1) Seek to avoid opportunities for the enemy to classify us.
(2) Contest or expose any previous classification as false (dead agentry, etc.)
(3) Engage in a series of campaigns which confuse past classification.
(4) Achieve for ourselves a dominance in classifying ourselves and others.
Out of this strategic planning can come operating policies and campaigns
L. RON HUBBARD
Founder
Am I wrong, but weren’t the homophobic passages in Dianetics and Science of Survival excised from the editions printed after 2007? If this is correct, then, isn’t that tantamount to heresy? I thought ALL of Hubbard’s writings are supposed to be “sacred”! If those passages have been removed, then isn’t that just more example Scientology hypocrisy?
Pavlov was a hero and Hubbard was a thief. Hubbard kept his theft alive until he died. His successor has made it nearly as long. Amazing.
Hubbard’s Policy letter says to confine people. Yet Scientology denies it confines people. How is that possible?
It’s called lying. Lying is a Scientology practice. They are really good at it. They got that characteristic from Hubbard himself. Deception and lying is a byproduct of Scientology. It’s how they communicate.
OSD,
Does their phone # start with the 666- prefix?
I’d like to read a tell all autobiography by Mike Rinder detailing all the black hat ops he engaged in as head of the OSA. ? What was done to whom and the degree of criminality involved along with an idea of how much money was spent and what would have happened to him had he been caught by LEO.
Mike has more than made up for the things he did while in $cientology. He’s made amends and sincerely apologized to tons of people who he wronged. He did three seasons of Aftermath with Leah to expose every vile thing $cientology has done to people.
Perhaps I’m misunderstanding your post, and if so, I apologize. Just seemed as if you were trying to say that Mike hasn’t made up for what he did while in the cult. Again, if I’m wrong, I apologize.
Hubbard’s desire to audit the “Genetic Entity” also makes sense in this context. It was a selfish point of view. Hubbard was convinced he was an eternal “thetan” which he could perfect with his e-meter. He planned to take control of the GE. This ties in with his early “Moonchild” experiments with Crowley. He uses the OT VIII’s on the Freewinds to set up a platform for perfect bodies which create better beings and heighten the orgiastic experience. Hubbard was really a “pervert”.
About a year ago when auditing the GE was mentioned I decided to do a bit of an experiment. I stepped back so to speak and let the GE have “its” own identity or “beingness” while I “myself” observed. After four or five minutes it was becoming a weird trip and I bailed out – lol
Mind over matter I guess. I once watched a television show where monks in the high Himalayas were comfortably bathing in ice cold water. I bet they weren’t too comfortable the first time they jumped in.
The GE is Hubbard’s delusional garbage. It’s also a doctrine that undermines the loyalty to families. Undermining loyalties to families is the legacy of Hubbard. Want proof? Hubbard states in The GE is a Family Man that families are bad groups and that the urge for families comes from a psychotic Genetic Entity that cant be reasoned with. This is an evil redefining of family. Hubbard was expert at psycho propaganda techniques. There is no GE.
George,
How many of the members of Scientology are aware of the Parsons-Crowley years? I’ve always wondered how people in the cult felt about that time in Hubbard’s life.
Kat
Before the internet very few scientologists knew anything about Hubbard’s past. He was presented as pure as the driven snow. Founder and Source! One time before the internet someone asked me if scientology was Satanic which of course I denied. I don’t know where he got the idea.
Do the people in Scientology know about it now or are they forbidden to look into the history of Hubbard? I’m not sure it would change anyone’s mind, but I’m interested to know if they understand some of the fundamental facts of Hubbard’s earlier life, including his bigamous relationship with Sara Northrup, his abuses and the kidnapping of their daughter.
I just read about that in this link. First story is about L. Con Hubbard.
https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ranker.com%2Flist%2Foccult-history-of-la%2Fchristine-aprile&h=AT21Dm2x-WRTYTWZ_EdTlcHL7eiRGUe01iWRwD-JAwWlS6BjIVtgOrRsBSHw8PXahFr123IrrgQUE4U2BQnXV7uYb8ApVj7uTi8NcA8BYcW00avE-tgR0UACiGbMvVYfuNodsMxTc1oAn7yfaWg&s=1
George,
My take was that Hubbard dismissed the GE as only body oriented and a ‘family man’. Well, that was a big mistake IMO. Scientologist’s ill health and crapola physical appearances are a result of them abusing the body and the GE, who really runs the body and all of it’s systems.
I audited the GE somewhat per the LKin book, had the GE blow off 5 implants, and she felt weird and wonderful at the same time. We became a team. I have now moved on to the Chakras. The GE that Ron envisioned is in fact the third Chakra. I am now much more in tune with the body and am keeping up with it’s changing needs as it ages.
The chakra is not the GE. That is wrong knowledge.
The chakras have a physical counter part in the material body plexuses. Plexuses are the nerve bundles on the spinal column which feeds life force to the organs and 5 senses.
Check out a medical book.
The GE is Hubbard’s delusion. There is no GE.
Agreed Brian,
The “GE” was another example of Hubbard mislabeling and trying to ‘own’ things that were better described earlier.
Hubbard gave a low and psychotic meaning to something very beautiful.
In eastern thought, the intelligent energy that regulates nature is called Prana. There are other names as it’s quite a subject with many functions and names.
But suffice it to say that the energy in the body that digests, assimilates, crystallizes, absborbs etc. and knows what the hell its doing is omnipresent in all matter. It’s everywhere undifferentiated.
From the upward flow of tree sap to the gravity that holds together floating island universes, Prana, or intelligent all pervading life force, works through everything.
Hubbard was delusional and had no idea what he was talking about.
The human body and the intelligent life force in it, that knows what it’s doing, is not a singular stupid psychotic entity.
Eat shell fish and chemicals go to cartilage. Have a sun bath and the body makes vitamin D. Bractice breathing exercises and the brain, body and mind becomes calm.
The omnipresent life force is a supremely intelligently guided energy. It is not a stupid singular ghost. The only stupid ghost is Ron himself. He had no idea what he was talking about.
The individualized Prana in the human body is part of a universal force.
Hubbard’s model was Analytical Mind – Reactive (subconscious) Mind – Somatic (body) Mind. Addressing the Somatic Mind as a conscious or semiconscious entity would take some figuring out for sure.
Maybe George and some of the other Original Freewinds OTVIIIs spent some time supercharging their genetic entities. The female Original OTVIIIs would be out of eggs by now but the male Original OTVIIIs should find a reputable sperm bank for preservation. Some of it could be transferred to the titanium underground bunkers where Hubbard’s works are compiled and saved for future use.
After the next mass extinction it will take a few million years to get things back to normal but future scientists or alien visitors might be able to decode the DNA in the long dead sperms. Like they say, better safe than sorry.
(haha)
Lol- almost had me for a second!!
Jim,
I think you are trying to equate Hubbard’s nonsense with other theories- there isn’t a correlation because Hubbard made up most of the crap he wrote ( I think he started writing science fiction and couching it in ‘religion’ and got caught up in his very overactive imagination). It would be like trying to equate/compare a space ship in Star Wars to a 1950 thunderbird. There is no commonality as one is purely fiction. If you stop trying to contextualize and compare Scientology to everything/anything, you may gain a better understanding. I don’t think you can compare chakra to anything in Scientology -although I don’t know what his GE is supposed to be, if Hubbard came up with it, I would immediately question its veracity and value.
Kat,
Yes and yes and yes.
FOR DM’s “dead-ggenting”, he has to mischaracterize everybody’s testimony of their experiences as lies, damn lies, and successfully paint the whistle-blowers as deluded or lying. In a court of law, lawyers do the same all the time; it’s called impugning their testimony. Trouble is, scientology comes off sounding false, the whistleblowers as sincere. Thus their ‘defense’ can’t get any traction where it counts.
Hi Mike, Great article.
As a point of contrast:
from wikipedia the free encyclopedia
Joel Scott Osteen (born March 5, 1963)[2] is an American pastor, televangelist, and author, based in Houston, Texas. Osteen’s televised sermons are seen by over 7 million viewers weekly and over 20 million monthly in over 100 countries.
He is the author of seven books which have been on The New York Times Best Seller list.
20 million monthly viewers? That’s more than all the people who have ever walked into a Scientology organization in the entire history of Scientology.
Now I don’t know for sure, but I have certainly never heard of Osteen spending millions of dollars a month for PIs, lawyers and his own version of the KGB (Co$ office of special affairs). There is no evidence or even speculation that he’s running propaganda campaigns against all his enemies. No real evidence that he’s even got many enemies.
Nor have I heard of anyone disconnecting from their family because they didn’t want to watch his show or plop money in the collection plate.
You OSA guys reading these blogs. You might want to look at what you’re doing to pull in all your problems.
Just to cap it off, from the same article:
On August 15, 2018, less than a year after Harvey struck, the City of Houston and Mayor Sylvester Turner proclaimed a day in honor of Lakewood and Osteen’s assistance in rebuild efforts across the Houston area. It stated Lakewood and its pastors have provided “assistance to more than 1,150 Houston-area families whose homes were damaged or destroyed by floodwaters” and bought “1.1 million dollars in building materials, furniture, appliances, and paid labor, as well as through the contribution of more than 2,500 volunteers”.
Apparently their home city actually likes them.
I went to my local Episcopal Church on Sunday. At the end of the service there were “announcements,” mostly having to do with the homeless shelter, the weekly soup kitchen, visiting shut-ins, etc. etc. This one small church, with limited resources, does a lot to help the less fortunate, which is likely true of most small churches. Scientology, with all its millions or billions, does absolutely nothing whatsoever to help people – and gets a religious tax exemption. How disgusting is that?
Osteen is known for his “boyish good looks, his glowing smile & soft spoken demeanor” He NEVER uses the “threat of Hellfire & Damnation” for the sins of others. Instead he continually speaks in his soft, gentle soothing voice about the “Good Grace of a Loving Forgiving God”…..THAT is his sales pitch.
He sells many books, CD’s, DVD, etc…and also promotes a Toll Free number for SEED MONEY as well as doing mail outs for the collection of $$$
Osteen has attended college, when his father, the church’s THEN Pastor died….Joel was APPOINTED by the church Committee as the new Pastor. Unless things have changed….Joel Osteen has NO THEOLOGY or DEVINITY DEGREE….neither does his wife Victoria who is “Co Pastor”
Last I read they live comfortably in a 10,000 Square Foot Home…..& are dressed to the nine’s. When the latest Hurricane hit their local area…OSTEEN DID NOT OPEN HIS CHURCH OR HIS HOME TO THOSE IN NEED….that alone says it all.
I’ve always referred to Osteen as “Christianity-Lite”
People who profess to be Christians can go to his church or watch him on tv and pretend they are devout Christians. He is nothing more than a fancy motivational speaker who throws in the odd reference to something in the Bible.
It’s true that he and his wife live lavishly and that they didn’t open their immense building for those in need during the storm. In my eyes – he is just one more televangelist whose time will come – he’ll go the same way as so many others who fall from the good graces of the poor suckers who think he is the be all and end all.
It’s sad to see his true “believers” being sucker punched & they don’t realize it. Their salvation & go to Heaven because they have been forgiven.
The wolf in sheep’s clothing is FLEEING HIS FLOCK out of hundreds, thousands, millions of dollars based upon Osteen’s continued chatter about a “loving forgiving God, as COS is doing all based upon the promise of “going up the bridge” to have many lives & be able to do some “remarkable feats” with super powers…what is REQUIRED from the “religion”…or Pastor..or COB is much the same…MONEY.
The immense Osteen Church…an old sports stadium….was purchased on the SWEAT & BLOOD of “his congregation” as is ALL the useless buildings that COS buys & converts. The ONLY difference is that Osteen’s “church” is often FILLED to capacity EVERY WEEK…unless those “other buildings” COS fronts.
Fuck L Ron Hubbard and fuck that malevolent little midget David Miscavige.
A earlier black operation by Ron was his 1955 pamphlet: BRAIN-WASHING. Ron attributed it to Beria of Russia and in it Ron defined Psychopolitics as; “The art and science of asserting and maintaining dominance over the thoughts and loyalties of individuals, officers, bureaus, and masses, and the effecting of the conquest of enemy nations through ‘mental healing’. ”
I was told that Ron published it, circulated it to power groups in DC, and then tried to come in and say that Dianetics and Scientology were the therapies needed to undo the brain-washing. I doubt if this booklet is included in Ron’s library, or for sale in their bookstore.
Yes that is what has been said about this book. I’ve thought that the description of mind control in this book describes the RPF.
“The art and science of asserting and maintaining dominance over the thoughts and LOYALTIES”
I interpret his mentioning of loyalties as family, friends etc. There it is….. Hubbard knew that to control people you have to undermine loyalties.
I believe he accomplished this undermining of loyalties, by the feeling level of our nature, being so put low on the tone scale. Sympathy and love are almost the same energy. Where is love in Scientology? Who was this guy?
This man knew how to undermine families:The GE is a Family Man.
Hubbard knew exactly what he was doing.
“Dominance over thoughts and loyalties”
What kind of human being can make these thoughts behavioral?
scientology is flat scary. When they tracked me down after all those 30+ years, my first reaction was abject terror. I didn’t want them to find me because I knew they would continue to Hunt. Me. Down. for the rest of my life.
They are worse than the worst jilted lover because no court in the land can be persuaded to get them to stop stalking and harrassing you.
Do not believe that fair game has gone away. It hasn’t and won’t as long as scientology exists.
Seven or 8 years ago, I finally answered after their 20 or so calls in a week. I shouted loudly that I was going to call the County DA to put a restraining order on every known phone number of every Scino org. And hung up.
An hour later a lady in tears begged me to come on the phone as her superior was ready to talk and patch things up… please pick up the phone… please. No more calls.
Nothing since. Good riddance I say.
They’re absolute scumbags. But, I’m pretty sure their numbers headed south. You know…towards Hell.
It may be no solace to someone currently being stalked and harassed but at least the CoS is being judged and found guilty in the court of public opinion.
Great write up.
Ironic that he’s using methods dubbed “psychological warfare”. Especially since he thought everyone involved in psychology was evil. I also note that his “enemies” were only the people who told him no or attempted to stop him from continuing to commit crimes. This goes right back to that pesky accountability thing- he hated groups that held him accountable for his actions (don’t agree to pay taxes as required by law- oops that’s an enemy… AMA and APA disagreed with his “findings”… enemy). Like I mentioned in an earlier post- he obviously thought they were legitimate and authorities on the subjects before he sought them out (why else would he present his “research” to them?) they only became enemies when they called his “breakthroughs” rubbish. This man was a sick, sick twisted man. It’s almost inevitable that someone just as sick -or possibly sicker – took over and continued the abuse.
I also find it ironic that this same man asked Veteran Affairs for psychiatric help.
But what I find unbelievable is that ALL this info is available – military records are available – but no one IN the CoS wants to believe it even when it’s right be fore their eyes. Even people like the celebrities who actually have access to the internet.
It really is a smfh organization.
No one can claim that they “didn’t know about it” anymore- ilike after WWII when the common defense in Germany was “I was just following orders”. That taint followed the entire country for so long afterwards that I’m surprised anyone wishes to follow the willful blindness scenario. When the information is available with the click of a mouse, a lot of people are going to have to be answerable when Scientology falls apart. I hate that some decent people who are involved because they truly believe they are doing good will be caught in the aftermath, but at this point they may be running out of “outs”
Yes, I remember those horrendous policies well. They were and are in effect and NEVER have been cancelled for use by OSA & Dept. 3. Contrary to the rantings of the criminally insane from time to time.
Knowing WE still have a friend, a side kick, someone to give us a good laugh, someone to enlighten us, someone to share his love & caring heart with us…..someone who really is a very NICE guy & a lot of fun as well….is back!
Too many years have gone by without “hanging ten & shooting the curl1…woo hoo….bring me back to my glory days OSD! Hope you & the family have been well.
Yup…I am also having occasional difficulty “loading up” to Mike’s blog….repeat repeat repeat…name*, Email*.Website….I WAS LOGGED ON TO BE “REMEMBERED”…THAT WAS MY FIRST MISTAKE MAYBE…
Hi all. First let me state I have no intention of joining scientology whatsoever. I was just watching a 60 Minutes Australia segment about the group which covered where Shelly is (or is not). Afterwards, I was doing a little research and came across a book “Self Analysis” and another book “Clear Body Clear Mind”. Both sound interesting. So a couple of questions…
#1 – if scientology was not connected to these books could you recommend them? If not, could you recommend similar non scientology books of similar topic?
#2 – There seems to be plenty of cooky things about scientology. Different groups like sea org, disciplinary actions against its members, donations to be members or fees required for different levels, and on and on. If none of these negative things were in any way associated with scientology then wouldnt scientology fare better? It seems like there are two sides the scientology coin… the dark side with all of its shrouded stories of aliens and even violence which the group wants hidden and then theres this side which appears to actually want to help people with various tools like books and analysis. So to recap… If none of these negative things were in any way associated with scientology would you want to be part of it?
Thanks for any response. Looking to make myself better and be a better me.
Not Tom,
This group has no redeeming qualities that I can find. Almost ANY self help book would probably work better than something endorsed by this cult. The majority of “self help” books follow many of the same paths but do NOT get you sucked into a cult or take your money to this degree. Depending on which area of your life that you are seeking to improve there are probably multiple books available. I would suggest that you visit a local library or go by a book store and search for something that isn’t involved in a money making scheme.
There is no way to separate the parts of Scientology and pretend that one aspect is ok as long as the other aspects are ignored. If you follow the string, it always leads back to money and the cult- there is no separating them. This is one of the ways they get people to join- it’s insidious and not overt. I’ve looked at many aspects and cannot find any good in any of it.
Thanks much for the reply. I get the no redeeming qualities part! Zero plans to sign up or be part of a cult. Am just curious if there was anything helpful or interesting in their books that I could not find elsewhere.
kat,
I second the recommendation to visit the library or a bookstore for self-help volumes, most of which would have more VALID offerings. a SECOND-HAND store would afford more bang for the buck.
In addition, I found “Self Analysis” to be nothing more than self-hypnotic claptrap that could cause problems to those who follow its directions too thoroughly.
And “Clear Body Clear Mind” sounds like an old ad or other propaganda piece I vaguely remember for his quackery called the Purification Rundown, which I did at Flag. I found it to be completely lacking in any scientific basis though Ron CLAIMED it to be scientifically researched. And the materials (theory) included some pronouncements that anyone with a high school chemistry education should laugh uproariously over hearing. I’d done HS chemistry AND College-level biochemistry for engineers only a few years previously so some of the assertions were particularly funny to me. unlike Ron, I PASSED my math and science courses. His “science” was AWFUL, perhaps criminally mis-stated at key points, and shouldn’t be accepted by anyone as even partially potentially valid. The guy had no scientific background and had no idea about research. Most of his ‘science’ was pulled out of his ample posterior, not any valid science texts or research, AFAICT. But I’m only an Engineer, so what do *I* know?
Not Tom: If you value your life or sanity, please STAY AWAY, very far away from those publications. If you accept them as possibly valid, you risk getting sucked further into the cult. Self Analysis, IIRC, is a text used on the upper reaches of the cult’s brainwashing known as the OT levels. It isn’t any more freeing than those levels. In fact, it’s a form of hypnosis and brainwashing that Hubbard offered to supplement his trap of a “bridge”. it’s proper name IMO should be “Self-hypnosis”, not “Self Analysis”.
As always, remember that opinions offered for free on the Web might not be worth the cost, so take this all with a grain of salt.
IMO, you’d be safer renting a small boat, finding a hidden cove, and just studying what’s around you to get the highest level of self-discovery that book can give you. Just find and enjoy nature to the fullest. Lying on your back and staring up at the firmament on a clear night might be a good alternative that might give you a better, safer “high” than either of those cultic practices could, an if you DO fall into a light hypnotic trance, it’s unlikely to harm you or anyone. I found that doing it in a particularly dark place, (like on the foredeck of a small boat anchored off a deserted island in the Caribbean or on the island’s beach) is most effective. IF you have a sweetie with you during the ‘process’, so much the better. [It’s tough to get a more romantic setting.] You might want a blanket to keep warm and pillows to avoid stiff necks. Don’t forget bug spray for mosquitoes as they’re a distraction. Don’t focus on one area; just look generally, waiting for “shooting stars” to flash past. The EP is likely to include exteriorization, generally a safe time to stop any scientology process, or maybe some romance, always a good thing in my experience. Around here tonight wouldn’t be a good idea; it’s cloudy and cold outside tonight, nearly freezing,windy, AND we’re only 10 miles from a very brightly lit city.
Jere-
Couldn’t agree more about nature being the ultimate therapy!! I love camping and hiking on the blue ridge, and make sure I get beach time as well- I always-always!- come back centered and at peace. Yoga and meditation is also great!! Grabbing a great book to take along doesn’t hurt either, but I wouldn’t touch a Scientology self-help approved book with a ten foot pole!!!
Some of those so called “Self Help” books are no more than the pitch Lron is giving…..
Man can “fix his OWN problems”……
I thought Self Analysis was light and fun and mildly therapeutic. The other book I think is based on inaccuracies and frankly don’t think the Purification Rdn was therapeutic or detoxifying at all, but then I never did many drugs.
I did hit a wall with scientology auditing and can’t stand the idea of any more intropective “counseling.”
It seems obvious that scientology would have “fared better” if not for the negative aspects but its church wouldn’t have billions of dollars and it wouldn’t have a shit ton of expensive real estate. It did that through deceit and lies and that was the only way to get there.
Scientology doesn’t fare any better without the totalitarian aspects – that’s what “indie” Scientology practitioners and groups have tried, and failed at, for over half a century. The techniques are essentially marginally helpful talk therapy, which may significantly help a few people but also run significant risks of inducing disability and even psychosis in others – essentially the same marginal results and risks of bad outcomes as the long-abandoned abreaction therapy that Hubbard saw in the Navy, and possibly during a commitment to a mental hospital (Savannah, GA, 1949), and incorporated in Dianetics and then Scientology. Scientology includes past life regression that was debunked in the infamous Bridey Murphy case of the mid-1950s, and then in research starting in the 1970s demonstrating how it is just a phenomenon of imagination and suggestion – and it can also be dangerous to mental health.
Ironically, I think it is actually the totalitarian or cult-like aspects that have allowed the CofS to survive and accumulate assets in the face of their failure to fulfill promises and produce results, particularly, again, compared to the struggling and failing independent Scientology movement, which itself is as longstanding as the failures and dissensions of the first year of Hubbard’s introduction of Dianetics. Scientology definitely gone from making claims of science, to acting like the worst of abusive purely dogma-based religion, having tried, failed at, and hidden at least two attempts to find any scientific proof of actual results (the HDRF in the 1950s and FASE in the 1980s).
I’m not Tom. ALL of the material is crap. There is not a SINGLE item that was actually tested and researched. ALL quackery.
Not Tom, Are you from Milestone Two?
In my time the Self Analysis questions and “commands” were used to improve memory recall and looking at memories as “mental image pictures” as they were called. I was auditing a middle aged man in an auditing session and the command was “Recall a time when someone had just given you something.” He started waving his hands in the air saying, “No! No! No!” He was reliving when he had been dropped off at an orphanage as a child and someone was trying to give him an ice cream to calm him down. He came out of the session okay. Unusual things sometimes occurred in a session.
How about reading some books from former Scientologists before you read any book published by Scientology? Bare Faced Messiah is about LRH, the founder. There are 2 books out there by relatives of the current head of Scientology. There are several by people who have escaped or left. Library will get you most of these for zero cost and then you can choose if this is the way you want to better yourself.
It is my humble opinion that if you want to be better, do better. Do good for the people you have direct relations with. Do good for people who will never tell anyone that you did. Volunteer for a cause you believe in that appeals to you. If you don’t exercise regularly, do that to feel better in most every way. Keep a gratitude journal or do a month of gratitude with a friend. That one thing will net rewards & put you in a frame of mind to better choose your next right step to being a better you. Remember that you are the expert on you. You know where you came from & most likely you already know how you want to be better.
As for buying anything Scientology… this whole site is filled with reasons not to go there. Really freaking good reasons. Like losing family members. Since you are the expert on you, do YOU want to support this? After reading this post, do YOU want to give this group a cent?
Wishing you the best
“Our propaganda is dirty but it is not black because it is true.”
Yeah, sure. There are times when LRH sounds like a playground bully, making up the rules as it suits his purposes.
Scientology is masterful at justification, and many people have been harmed under the banner of ‘the greatest good for the greatest number of dynamics’.
As long as they can continue to get away with the “in house” abuse of others, it will continue. There is NO ONE, it seems, not ONE AGENCY who will step up to the plate & bring them to justice.
It’s been stated many times that there ARE people held in a double wide trailer known to insiders as “the hole”. People who are being held against their WILL…OR people who have been so brain washed into OBEDIENCE that they actually THINK they “deserve to be punished for their crimes”, which are at the WHIM of the COB David Miscavige.
So many people have been interviewed, have sent letters etc…yet those in power are AFRAID, TERRIFIED to do ANYTHING about what’s been reported. Something can be done…YEAH< BUT WHAT, WHEN & BY WHOM????
Shelley Miscavige is most likely running around the world running her acting career in black ops MK Ultra projects. Not “missing” per se. But you very likely know this.
“Was not missing” seems to be like a code for the people in the know.
Which intelligence agencies do Scientologists work for? Last I checked there were Scientologists working for all of them probably in every agency around the world. To say the FBI and CIA are the enemies of Scientology is a huge JOKE Mike.
So is it a British / US / Vatican / Israeli / Ukraine alliance? Because that is what it appears to be from here.
Pave the way man.
This seems to be a weird topic from new posters. You are the second person to equate Scientology with CIA in the last few days Amy. Mmmmmm? Makes me perceive something off a bit.
What would be the effect of starting this type of communication, from my opinion:
It puts all critics of Hubbard, DM and Scientology in the category of crazy paranoid people. There must be a better way to discount and invalidate critics don’t you think?
In truth, the person who saw FBI, CIA, Marcabs, psyches, implanters everywhere was Hubbard himself.
The fact, Amy, that you did not actually comment on Mike’s ideas put forward, but have forwarded a narrative from a new poster about Scientology being taken over by CIA sounds like a……………..strategy.
Indeed.
Hey Ann!!
I’m not sure if you got my previous post because of all the problems- can’t find the site you mentioned! Not sure what I’m doing wrong….
Kat
Forget the FBI, CIA, and Mossad, ignore the Cub Scout and Salvation Army infiltrations, ignore the school janitors eying up little girls with bad intent, snot running down his nose, watching as the frilly panties run… No, it’s even worse than all that.
They have infiltrated a world-wide cult-like conspiracy, the most judgmental operation ever created, in which people and animals are cruelly mistreated year in and year out, in a massive operation responsible for creating unhappy parents and cruelly disappointed children.
The thing denudes entire young forests for pulp and paper, for decorations that are not much more than dangerous tinder, cutting short the life of millions of saplings before they have a chance to reach maturity, setting spontaneous fires hither and yon.
It forces the same now aging small group of animals to be bound together, forced to pull a cruelly heavy delivery vehicle, year after year, with no relief or retirement in sight. The hoax is that the animals like it, but we all know the meaning of the red nose sported by their lead animal, an obvious sign of a raging alcoholic.
Again this year, Scientologists in every land will pretend to believe in one super-powerful man, a grossly obese thief who alone passes judgment on the children of the world who he has never even met. Yes, he’s gonna find out who’s naughty or nice. Yes, I am speaking of the unspeakable horror of Santa Claus, old St Nick, the fat creature in a devilishly red suit who practices yearly home invasions for something as simple as a plate of milk and cookies.
He leaves behind over-priced packages of cheap Chinese trinkets, which will soon be cast aside, unloved and unwanted, batteries dead, parts broken. It wasn’t always this way – back in my day we got fine American BB rifles, which, when not putting eyes out, allowed the great fun of shooting your little brother in the foot right through his best Sunday broughams, watching him squeal and hop… umm, I digress.
For his greedy portions of junk food, the fat red devil leaves behind a huge bill, which will still be collecting credit card interest when he comes to invade again the following year. All he can say for himself is an inscrutable ho, ho, and ho, and something about getting blitzed.
Wow.
Amy,
WTH?? Did you even read the post? I’m guessing that you didn’t. Are you claiming to know individual Scientologists who work for the CIA, FBI and every other intelligence agency in the world? Really? It’s a joke- right?
“It’s a joke- right?”
I believe she (if the poster is a she) is lying. It’s, as Brian said, “a strategy.” I wonder if someone knows how to check that user photo.
The link in her name takes you to unite for life website- but creepy and over the top- about pharmaceutical abuse and child trafficking and pedophilia- I wouldn’t suggest following it!
It’s a gravatar image
It’s easy to look up Amy’s various posts on other forums, where she writes about being a victim of Scientology harassment.
She sounded believable on those posts….. then she starts talking here about the CIA and MK Ultra, and Shelly Miscavige, (without offering even a tiny shred of evidence).
Something seems pretty fishy here.
The suffering imposed by Scientology far outweigh any possible benefits from them….. Scientologists do not assimilate and become members of our society. Instead, they are trained to carefully set up camouflaged traps (bait and switch tactics) intended to capture new member’s innate goodwill and then divert their goodwill, money and labor to ruin people’s lives. It is the most upside down organization in the world. Truly psychotic, not just neurotic.
This is for Mike & Leah: Hey guys! That offer to take you down Coast Hwy and back still stands! There’s even a great Mexican restaurant with a killer view of the pier and the Pacific! And, I’ll pay for lunch! Did I actually say that right now? Whoa!
You guys will have a great time! And it would be a great honor for me.
Hey buddy — next time I am in California I promise to give you a call. Missed you…
PS: Gotta say, a free lunch from a scotsman is a rare and distinguished honor
I had to think long and hard about it!
Someone asked me for some spare change. I replied, “I’m a Scot! I don’t understand the concept!”
He’s so tight that…
…his hearing aid has a solar battery
…he’s still waiting for the Bible to come out in paperback
…he won’t even tip his hat
…he counts his fingers after he shakes your hand
My God!!! You know me so well!
He’s so tight
he’ll hold on to a nickel until the eagle grins
He is so tight
he still has his first communion money
Lol
We love you OSD & are happy you are back here posting!
Thanks so much, Stat!
OSD, let me get this straight:
You are buying… LUNCH?
Pure barry!
He’s so tight, when someone rings his doorbell the missus has to yell “Ding Dong”.
He’s so tight he doesn’t even spend the time of day.
He’s so tight when he takes a dollar bill out of his pocket George Washington squints from the light.
and finally……
Money means nothing to him. When you ask him for money you get nothing.
Welcome back you old fart !
Damn right it is!
OSD, I had heard you were ill or something, but now I am quite concerned. You just offered someone a free lunch. ;–0 OMG!!! This is scary!!! We’ve all missed you. Glad you’re back with us. Next time I’m in the area I’ll come see you and don’t be surprised if I ask for free lunch too.
Okay, okay, I will pay for my own, just because I love you and your wife so much.
Nope! I’m in very good shape. What happened was ‘URL.’ I had no idea what that was. And it wouldn’t let me pass. I was about to quit, but, I thought I’d try one more time. The URL was gone, so I gave it a shot.
Maybe the “URL” is the https:// in front of the https://www.mikerindersblog.org
I’ve been including it in my posts and not having any problems
Welcome back OSD!
Actually URL is an acronym for “Uniform Resource Locator” , better known as a web address.
the example in this case would be https://www.mikerindersblog.org
(but the www’s aren’t even needed any more)
I knew that computer degree would come in handy some day…..lol
Of course, the other problem with LRH handling of “Black Propaganda” is the assumption that all negative information on Scientology is composed of “lies” that are susceptible to “dead agenting.” But the vast amount of negative information on Scientology is far from all lies. Most information they cannot disprove because it is not false, so they are reduced to lying by stating that the critical information is a lie when it is not, then reduced to lying again to “dead agent” the source of the information. So the equation for them is 1T = 2L. And it does not seem to be working very well these days.
Well put together and explained Mike. Thanks for posting this
Hey everybody! I couldn’t get past this one block. It kept asking me to put in a URL…I mean, what the fuck is that! I mean, I’m not the sharpest nife… I mean knife in the chandelier. All I could do is read everyone else’s posts.
It’s tough being an Old Surfer Dude. But I gotta tell ya, I really missed all you guys!
Yay! You’re back! How’s the surf, dude?
The surf is up!
Glad to see you back in action OSD!
Thanks, newcomer! I’m very glad I’m back!
Nice to hear from you Surfer Dude?
Thanks Brian! I’m back!
I have been having issues with this site as well….it was FINE, not fine, FINE, NOT FINE, fine, NOT FINE….Now EVERY TIME I want to post I have to
“Put in NAME*
Email*
Website.
What the HELL Is going on. A few times I could not get in at all. ERROR, or “not available”..
I MISSED YOU OSD!! SO GLAD YOU’RE BACK FRIEND!
Right back at you, Balletlady! I didn’t think I’d ever post again. But, I’M BACK!
I’m still not getting notifications of articles published or comment notifications. Is anyone else having this problem??
Hi Ann,
You might try signing up again. Since the Aftermath update post the other day (where the system overloaded due to high traffic) I have had some trouble as well.
Hope that helps.
I’m having trouble getting my posts to post. I type it in and it is in lighter color type and then I never see it again. I don’t know if this one will post either.
Welcome back OSD.
Thanks Mary! All I could do was read everyone else’s posts. I’m glad I’m back in the mix.
I’m glad, too, OSD.?
Thanks, Gs!
Missed you OSD. Glad you’re back.
It was a ghost in the machine. But, Gary, I’m glad I’m back. I did enjoy reading all the posts. But, there’s nothing like posting!
OSD is back, time for Hussong’s!!
Wynski, I have a few stories from Hussong’s Catina. Mostly when we were surfing down there.
This is pure evil, and the origin of it is an insane mind.
May be hard to face, or it may be just a new view of what LRH and his deranged mind truly were.
Arrogant when seeing himself as the only one that is right. Evil, with a tendency to destroy to keep his name, ego and delusions accepted and, of course admired.
Also a lier, double-standard: survival and ethics on 2nd Dynamic call for you to be good to your partner, do not lie, support them, etc…while he had broken marriages, abandoned children and was abusive.
Cruel: you can destroy, damage, etc…plus his own abuses on young people as a ‘Commodore’, amongst other actions.
How does one deal with an insane, criminal person? How does one persist against notorious criminals like Hitler, Alcapone, Miscavige and others?
By being honest with yourself and others and by knowing that you can not just sit down and do, or say nothing, while crime and abuses occur in front, or close to you.
I have been reading Mark Twain’s “The Mysterious Stranger”. In the first five chapters, Twain and his friends meet Satan. Satan creates a tiny castle with a population of tiny people. He then destroys the community by letting them fall to their death. Twain screams “This is Murder”. Satan takes no notice. Twain concludes that, because Satan considers himself an eternal spirit, the deaths are of no concern over the long run of time. Hubbard was under the delusion of power on the spiritual level. Nothing could be more remote from the truth. Hubbard’s misconception of Buddhist “Samsara” contributed to the construction of his massive self affirmation of “cause over life”. Hubbard ended any chance of logical truth in his OT VIII document. The document is full of lies, misunderstandings and contradictions.
George,
Great Twain reference and spot on in the analysis of Hubbard’s lifeview. His view of himself as an “all- knowing” eternal being allowed him to view himself as Satan did in Twain’s story. None of this matters (in his view) as he was eternal so the mere mortals had no worth to him- it allowed him his callous view of others suffering.
Great post
George:
“Hubbard ended any chance of logical truth in his OT VIII document. The document is full of lies, misunderstandings and contradictions.”
IMO, all of scientology was riddled with those things. Intentionally. To enslave people who gave his bunkum the benefit of the doubt and so got sucked in.
He had me in for seventeen years. Thirty years out this year.