I hear you! It was Beyond Belief that drew me in and then Bare Faced Messiah that got me hooked

Their buildings are mainly business buildings, trying to spruce up business buildings.

An analysis of the character of Scientology, could be done, by the images of all the buildings they’ve chosen to inhabit and deliver their religious services:

a) motels, hotels,
b) small business buildings, small mini mall shops
c) offices in office buildings
d) large homes of richer people
c) larger business buildings

The Scientology religious movement choice of delivery location is business buildings!

Not a religious looking building choice (exception is for instance the Cinncy/Florence KY org which is in a church building compound)

It reflects back and most Scientologists have not a clue of this major irreligious architectural choice, especially their choice of going for the business building look!

Yes, not only is it a fund raising scam but it also serves the purpose of stroking Miscavage’s interior-decorator ego, who has to “approve” everything. I agree that the buildings are hideously mismatched to any supposed valid purpose but perfectly aligned with Miscavage’s megalomaniacal ego and horrible sense of taste.

I grew up without TV and missed the televangelists, although I believe they are still in business. Until a few years ago I thought ‘Jesus He Know’s Me’ by Genesis was a fantasy, some kind of exercise in sarcasm. Didn’t realise I was living in the midst of it all.

Interesting… While Windex is not allowed on windows (because LRH wrote a policy on how to clean windows), maybe it’ll be allowed on a sign?

(ref: Peter Bonyai’s very good book 🙂 )

Chuck, as far as I know, the situation is mostly stayed the same in the last 10-15 years. There are a few orgs which are doing relatively well (Milano in Italy, Budapest in Hungary, St. Petersburg in Russia and probably Munich in Germany), the rest is pretty meh. The Ideal Orgs (Berlin, Madrid, Malmo) usually follow the same cycle: they get a big boost before they are opened, and then slowly decline, gradually losing most of the hastily added personnel.

Scientology’s presence in Orlando is nil. The church got more attention a few years ago during the Anonymous protests than in perhaps its entire time in Orlando.

yes,

in my altruistic view, I had the same thoughts.

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/altruistic

unfortunately the group betrayed those thoughts.

Now, it’s just another TV Evangelist group. Money is king.

You ever see of those guys on TV late at night? LOL