Here we have a couple of recent promotional pieces pushing the “religious angle” of scientology.
Though I must say, this one above looks more like a screen shot from a Ricky Gervais mockumentary.
But even at Celebrity Centre, they are promoting “Reverend” Nancy Delaney. Cross in the background, but thankfully no phony dog-collar.
But let’s take a brief look at the history of “religion” vis a vis Dianetics and Scientology. This is by no means a full recounting of the story, merely a glimpse that provides an idea of the tortured path it has followed.
In 1950, Hubbard was initially very clear about the status of Dianetics. It was a “science” and not a religion. There is considerable discussion about the “aberrative value” of religion in Dianetics.
When Hubbard lost control of the Dianetics Foundation and the copyrights to his book, he developed a new “science of certainty” he called scientology. His view of religion remained dim.
But by August, just a few months after the publication of the above, Hubbard wrote to Helen O’Brien, an early scientologist:
“We don’t want a clinic. We want one in operation but not in name. Perhaps we could call it a Spiritual Guidance Center. Think up its name, will you. And we could put in nice desks and our boys in neat blue with diplomas on the walls and 1. knock psychotherapy into history and 2. make enough money to shine up my operating scope and 3. keep the HAS solvent. It is a problem of practical business.
“I await your reaction on the religion angle. In my opinion, we couldn’t get worse public opinion than we have had or have less customers with what we’ve got to sell.”
Clearly, things were not going well. Public opinion “couldn’t get worse” so he figured they might as well try the “religion angle.”
On December 18, 1953, Hubbard incorporated the Church of Scientology, Church of American Science and Church of Spiritual Engineering. Hubbard, his wife Mary Sue and his secretary John Galusha became the trustees of all three corporations
In 1954 Hubbard then wrote a PAB entitled “WHY DOCTOR OF DIVINITY?” that contains the following:
…“a Scientologist has a better right to call himself a priest, a minister, a missionary, a doctor of divinity, a faith healer or a preacher than any other man who bears the insignia of religion of the Western world. And remember that it is precedent which masters the opinion of multitudes and nations.
“Why should Scientology ally itself with religion or use the word religion in connection with its philosophy? There are many, many reasons. Amongst them is that a society accords to men of the church an access not given to others.”
…
“In another time, in another place, those men (the Buddhas) responsible for what Western culture calls their religion, called themselves priests. I do not see, then, any inconsistency of any kind in the issuance to those well-schooled and well-skilled in Scientology the degree of Doctor of Divinity as a passport into those areas where they are needed. Only a barbaric minister is a “Man of God.” In all enlightened religions such men are called “Men of Wisdom.”
Clearly, he saw the advantage of adopting the religious mantle.
Skip forward to 1967 when Hubbard makes his “breakthrough” of OT III. Though he had mentioned it previously, he newly states that the “R6” bank contains God, the Devil, Angels and the “man on the cross”. Religion is once again brought to the forefront in the Hubbard bad books. And all advanced scientologists, who may not have been privy to some of his earlier commentary about religion, are now exposed to his new “breakthrough”. (In those days there was no internet, there were not even tech or OEC vols — so earlier writings were very difficult to come by, which may be partly why he had no problem making completely contradictory statements over time).
I suppose this caused him (or more likely Mary Sue as the head of the Guardian’s Office) concern that with the release of OT III, people would conclude that being religious was NOT a good thing. The “religion angle” never had anything to do with the actual beliefs of Scientology, its a cynical way to gain advantage.
To ensure that advantage was not lost following the broad release of OT III, in 1969 Hubbard clarified that “religious image” is “mandatory” because it is a “requisite defense.”
Despite the cynicism of believing religion is actually an implant, hiding behind the trappings of religion has been an extremely successful ploy. It has afforded protection in the courts. It has shielded scientology from outside agencies. And it has provided scientology in the US and some other countries tax exemption.
Scientology, the religion that doesn’t believe in religion. In fact, it prides itself in claiming there is no belief at all in scientology.
They have hoodwinked the IRS and courts and other religions into buying their bs.
I laughed my ass off when I first read that Hubbard initially called Scientology the “science of certainty”. Practically the first thing I could see about Hubbard was that he didn’t understand real science. He should have studied John Locke at age 13 like I did.
Real science is not about certainty whatsoever but is founded upon uncertainty and the willingness to always re-examine even one’s most cherished beliefs for error or better clarification. Hubbard had a layman’s misunderstanding.
I thought that since no one else seemed to be snickering when they read that, that I would be the one to bring the good news of peer review and independent research to CofS. Obviously, peer review and independent study are not big priorities within CofS to this day.
Elsewhere Hubbard also proclaimed that he and the Buddha were better scientists than any scientist ever or something like that. OMG what an arrogant prick. He claimed in KSW that no one else had come up with anything basic, but in reality he was ignorant of his own ignorance. Like he said, you can’t learn something if you think you know it all already and he was his own prime example.
Pretty much the reason I got involved was I have had a life long interest in the meeting of Western and Eastern thought. I don’t recall the Buddha talking about modularity, establishing one to many relationships, parallel vs sequential or other modern engineering concepts so I initially thought that Scientology was Hubbard’s attempts to apply such concepts to Eastern thought. I thought maybe he had come up with “fast Buddhism” as a result. Boy was I disappointed.
Gene Trujillo – I think myself and most people entering scientology had little or no background in science, religion or philosophy. I think you were the exception to the rule. Hubbard seemed like a smart guy and I went along with his claim that he had applied Western science to Eastern philosophy. In my time the upper levels were hidden and the lower levels were straightforward with little mysticism.
What is this fake priest looking up at? This is a rhetorical question. And I too thought it was a mockumentary picture. The ginormous crucifix and expression/gesture…looks like a poster for comedic play. It certainly is a mockery.
When I got into Scn in the mid 1970’s I liked the idea that Elron had applied Western science to Eastern philosophy and religion. I wasn’t interested in finding a religion but the philosophy part seemed okay. The idea of developing extrasensory or paranormal abilities sounded reasonable. Ultimately it goes into thetan immortality and a universe or at least “this sector of the galaxy” swarming with body thetans gives some credence to incorporeal life. The OT levels were real secret back then and I didn’t do the OT levels so I never got to meet any of those folks.
Link to Helen O’brien’s Dianetics in Limbo.
http://www.xenu.net/archive/books/dil/Dianetics_in_Limbo.txt
An interesting read, and the big take-away, for me, was how Ron systematically drove away his most dedicated followers when he felt their star power get close to his.
Thanks for that. I’d forgotten that even the O’Briens went their own way early on. It’s a reminder of just how rocky the beginnings were, in many ways portending the ongoing fundamental instability that characterized Hubbard’s endeavors even when they were more flush with money and followers. Helen nailed it early on:
“I’d be the first one to admit that dianetics turned
out to be a failure in every goal it professed to have.
L. Ron Hubbard once referred to the theory of evolution with
some justice as ‘a sprawling and contradictory mass of poorly
compiled data.’ Well, compared to the way his science of the
mind developed, Darwin’s theory has the simplicity and precision
of a schoolmarm’s two plus two. Dianetics fell apart as an
organized theory as time went on and Hubbard kept revising it.”
I am not surprised that Hubbard went through ‘stages’ of feeling out how to successfully package and sell his horror show of a ‘sciligon’- he was what he was- a smarmy con man who believed himself to be above everyone else. The ‘angles’ that he tried determined how he ‘packaged’ his next level. He was like the velociraptor in Jurrasic Park- looking for the weak spot so that it could be exploited and then he could gobble up the weak.
I dont believe he had any towering intellect-I think he probably had an average IQ- but he was gifted with storytelling- he could weave a story and draw people in. Thats all. nothing spectacular. Unfortunately, that ‘talent’ was inside a lazy man who took no pains with anything he did- he seemed to do every single thing half-assed.
Hopefully we will finally see the flimsy house of cards he built fall to the ground soon.
Kat
OMG! #Terrific insighting! What sagacity! What insights! What revelations! Kat has left me dumbfounded by her opinions! I am sure the whole world will make pause, sit back and gasp at what she “believes” and “thinks”. OMG! Hash Tag this and that! In fact I have just swooned at her refutation of all the data on the mind and life contained in the Technical Volumes! How avant garde of Kat is this? How cutting edge are her thoughts eh? And the cheek as well – she thoroughly denies that just 1 page of Dianetics contains more knowledge about the human mind than all of her years of psychology training! OMG! And she ignores and denies that a simple flying of rudiments does more in a few minutes than 10 years of psychotherapy! #How brave!
Interesting this is your only comment on this piece? Nothing about the substance or the statements from Hubbard?
Foolproof,
toilet paper has more knowledge of the human mind than a page of dianetics. Dr. Seuss was more profound than Hubbard.
Kat
This is a terrific timeline of Hubbard’s crazed mind, Mike! I am going to hang onto this page for future use! Wonderful!
As far as I can tell, Hubbard didn’t need the “religion angle” except to try to get away with things. He could have set up a regular non-profit and gotten most or all of the same legitimate advantages.
This article lays out very clearly the cynical, manipulative evolution of it.
No, the article is simply defining religion to suit its cloth and its agenda and ignoring Scientology’s spiritual aspects. It is juxtaposing religion with playing with rosary beads and saying 3 hail Mary’s. It is all adequately defined as below from the Technical Dictionary. Mike has taken the first 4 words of definition 1 and defined that as “religion”:
RELIGION, 1. the ritual of worship or regard about spiritual
matters. (4 LACC-18,5510C13) 2. a study of wisdom. (HCO PL 6
Mar 69) 3. the word religion itself can embrace sacred lore,
wisdom, knowingness of gods and’ souls and spirits, and could be
called, with very broad use of the word, a philosophy. We could
say there is religious philosophy and there is religious practice.
(PXL, p. 13)
THIS: “I await your reaction on the religion angle. In my opinion, we couldn’t get worse public opinion than we have had or have less customers with what we’ve got to sell.”
says it ALL about Hubtard’s Pull it out of his ass Technology.
That’s all anyone needs to know. The Religion Angle!
And it’s returned full circle to that point – the worst public opinion, and fewer customers than ever. I bet that recruiting is down to about the August, 1953 levels that left Hubbard so desperate, though in its heyday Scientology managed to build up enough of a membership base that they do still have old customers left to continue to squeeze.
I snickered when I saw that Hubbard had originally called Scientology the “science of certainty”.
Practically the first thing I could see about Hubbard was that I was better at science than he was. I had learned the scientific method in the elementary school gifted class in 4th grade, had studied John Locke by age 13.
Hubbard had a common layman’s misunderstanding of actual science. For those who don’t know, real science is not about certainty whatsoever, but uncertainty. The constant willingness to re-examine even one’s most cherished beliefs for error or further clarification.
Having learned at the feet of the great John Locke as a kid, I never assign a 100% probability value to any proposition, I am always willing to re-examine my ideas and have never expected anyone to believe a single thing but have expected every last bit of my work to be subjected to peer review and independent study.
When I was in CofS, I thought that it would end up being my job interfacing with real scientists to get the ball rolling on getting Hubbard’s stuff peer reviewed and subjected to independent studies because none of the other CofSers seemed to be snickering at Hubbard’s lack of scientific knowledge. That is the sort of feat of great science I was training myself for while the other kiddies worked on their dioramas.
Hubbard didn’t want to subject his stuff to peer review because he knew that the peer level is not hypnotic and he was a mind control hypnotist rather than a real scientist.
Great comment Gene!
I suspect that Hubbard may originally have thought he had discovered something that would pass scientific muster, but indeed quickly figured out that it would fail peer review. I’ve seen claims that the original Hubbard Dianetics Research Foundation attempted to do an actual study early on, that was quietly buried when it failed to produce positive results.
One way or another, Hubbard realized that he couldn’t produce results that could be validated in any way by research. If he had been able to, it would have been his best sales tool, and he had to have known that he ought to do it but couldn’t.
Scientology definitely tried something similar with FASE in the early 1980s, doing research that flopped and got buried, except for one study about the purif which, reading between the lines, shows that Hubbard’s theories about fat storage of drugs and sweating were all wrong – it was published because it seemed to show that some flushing of toxins (though not drugs) was stimulated, and that only by normal channels of elimination. Miscavige apparently learned the same lesson, and promotions of the era had to rely on exploding volcanoes, not the sort of “new study shows” advertising that was then becoming popular.
I sometimes think of Scientology as being something like the art of being certain about the improbable. No wonder it seems to be full of Dunning-Kruger types these days.
In the 1970’s I had the goal of hanging out a sign and making a living as a field auditor. I was totally unaware of the space opera at that time. The monthly price increases around 1982 blew me away and whatever magical mystery tour they were offering on the OT levels, they could have it. I never read a word about scn after that until I watched “Going Clear” which got me interested in taking another look. Look what I missed!
In the past, the OCA testers would sell you your ‘ruin’. It was a straight up sales job. So Lron tried to cloth it as a ‘religion’. The IRS didn’t buy it and only Lron’s death and legal blackmail got the COR its tax exemption.
I went to the Second Assembly of God Sunday. They built it out of parts left over from the First Assembly of God. There is more ‘religion’ in those 2 sentences than in all of $cientology.
Seriously, this group is headed nowhere fast. I know it’s been said before, but, the Internet sees all and knows all.
When I was on staff at the Honolulu ‘Mission,’ all I knew was what they told me. And, of course, they were feeding my their propaganda. And I ate it up with a huge spoon.
Scientology is yesterday’s news. They are failing in every single Org. And as a kid, I really thought we were making the planet better. Thank you, internet!
Terrific summation my friend. Usually I LOL at your comments.
This one I nodded and thought “exactly”…
Every so often I’ll get a tad serious. BUT DON’T COUNT ON IT!!!
When a religion REQUIRES OR DEMANDS that you look or read NOTHING ELSE outside the realm of that bubble of belief, that’s a good indication that it’s time to abandon ship, take a hike, go over the wall, leave or escape any way you can.
You will never achieve CRITICAL THINKING because you are forbidden to read anything else to COMPARE to what you are being spoon fed. There are two sides to every coin….the one you SEE & are being taught to believe…then t he OTHER side….something you are forbidden to view or learn about.
WHEN is Lron Hubbard making his return appearance in a NEW “Meat Body”…….I’d put money on that to say….NEVER!
Well… I probably shouldn’t say this, but, Fatso is still on Venus. As I’ve said before, he loves the fact that they have 3 breasts! He can fondle two of them and suckle the third. I don’t think he’ll make it back to earth anytime soon.
A “Mother’s Day Celebration at the CULT of Scientology”???? Well, WTF?
What an oxymoronic idea that is so far from the truth of this organization – it hurts to see it.
These lies are fed from the Scientological propaganda machine of $cientology.
It is intended for WOGS, public and other people $cientology needs to fool and trick.
The Church of Scientology is one of the only “churches” who actually destroys families and manipulates and deceives (brain washes) members into thinking and believing that their children are thetans who have lived millions of years. They “know” how to take care of themselves so it is okay to abandon them to SLAVECARE Sea Org and other horrible places this organization puts children.
Here is how L Ron Hubbard tricked members into “covertly nullifying and invalidating” the need for family so that members will disconnect from them.
IN the beginning – Hubbard talks about the 2nd dynamic. Creating one. New Scientologists believe he values family. This is a trick. The Organization despises children because they get in the way of SLAVE LABOR CAMPS for the adults and making Hubbard and Miscavige money.
Abortions are SOP in the Sea MOrgUE.
Divorce stats are straight up and verticle.
Scientologists divorce their spouses and marry other Scientologists – it is game of $cientological chairs because the $cientologist is paranoid as to what tone level everyone REALLY is – their thetan tone level.
As all cults use “loaded language” – Hubbard was clever on he uses “study tech” to TRAIN the member to decide Scientology matters more than family.
The loaded language desensitizes the member from believing family, spouse and children were valuable and necessary for survival.
The died in the wool Scientologist will argue this point stating that Hubbard valued family per the tech. Just look at all of the shattered families he created. Look what he did to Alexsis and the mother of his daughter.
“2-D” replaces the word for family, husband, wife, boyfriend, girlfriend. Tell me – How warm and fuzzy does 2-D sound verses family etc? It is cold and uncaring so when the $cientologist disconnects, no emotions to feel. The more Scientology can get the person alone and vulnerable – the better Sea MorgUE slave member they are.
The more he can rip apart marriages, the easier it is to financially ruin them so Scientology will get all of their money.
“Terminal” – is Hubbards word for person. Terminal is perfect for the desensitization of people and you will find the trained Scientologist calling other people “terminals”. WEIRD, eh?
Deprogramming In Twin Cities… Great summary! “2D,” especially since there’s NO actual creation allowed! “Terminal.” That’s a cold one too.
“On Purpose” was among the terms that always got me. Translated means, “Sacrifice to the Cult.”
Thanks titlewaves. I love to translate the $cientological con game and tech so I can help others deprogram. “On Purpose” – that one is rich. It really means you need to work for free and give up all of your MEST, MONEY and TIME to the cult. That is all it means.
I saw young people coming into the cult with dreams and goals of being something in life. They had no idea that their minds would get poisoned with L Ron Hubbard’s tech and they would give up COLLEGE, becoming an actor or actress and other normal goals to put on the ugly uniform, sign that billion year extortion contract and work as a slave for absolutely nothing. What is really sad – the young person gives up on having anything, becoming anything of value to society and the kicker – they actually help destroy people and families.
Yes, very quickly they morph into enablers and criminals themselves, aiding, abetting and actively perpetrating the same crimes on others that were done to them. They lie to others as they themselves were lied to; they do whatever they can to trick other youngsters into signing the billion year contract or staff contract as they themselves were deceived and tricked. Misery does love company and these people ARE miserable. Its sad for the family members on the outside who love and miss them so much, who remember and love them as they once were, before the human-ness went out of them, leaving bloodless, calculating creatures who care about nothing except their Thursday 2PM post stats, and no one who is not “useful”.
DTC, I still think an oxymoron is a stupid steer.
OSD – LOL! I love your posts and have for a while. You are awesome!
If I am, it’s just a reflection of you.
We MISSED you when you were lost in the dark side of URL…….glad you found your way back to the sunshine & lollipop world…….
Thanks, Balletlady. But, seriously, WTF is a URL??? That’s what has been blocking me! Thanks for helping me out of the darkness!
That fail includes independent Scientology and the freezone. No one is buying it anymore, literally or figuratively, and there’s no way ever been found to (re)package it that really “works.”
The appeal to save the planet, along with the lure of personal transcendence, was really the only thing that worked well for Scientology recruiting, back when there was a flood of idealistic young baby boomer “seekers,” and people didn’t yet know so much about the pitfalls of gurus and their groups. They managed to get a bit of traction again by appealing to some of the boomers who were turning into yuppies and looking for business management “tech” along with personal improvement, but then it’s been downhill ever since.
Nicely put, your old idealism and good nature come though in what you write.
Peacemaker,
I noticed that gaining “status” now seems to be the ultimate goal to most of the scientologists who are still in- it is no longer about saving the planet, clearing people or even tech. Its straight up about gaining ‘status’. I think this will ultimately be the final death toll of the cult. Who wants to join an organization that is vilified to gain a fictional “status” that isnt recognized outside of the cult? They seem to still pay lip service to the ‘clearing the planet’ and ‘salvaging the ‘sector” or whatever, but it seems like its much more geared toward buying the stairway to heaven. The ability to recruit people is pretty much gone. The internet has destroyed any goodwill the cult may have had at one time. Tom Cruise made scientology a laughingstock, and others are just adding to the censure out there. I think it is in its final wash cycle. If pressure can be kept up for a sustained time, I doubt that even their dwindling fortune will be able to pull it out of the inevitable tailspin.
The religion angle, science of mind angle, self-help best seller in 1950 angle, applied religious phloaophy angle… whatever. Bottom line is that dianetics and scientology are nothing more than a world class con. That’s it. In scientology it’s all about the money and only about the money. Regardless of the ‘wins’ we all had at one time or another when involved with the cult, it’s still just a con. These ‘wins & gains’ are more or less temporary. scientology does not deliver what it claims it can. It never has and never will no matter if it’s the earliest ‘book 1’ auditing or the latest and greatest GAT ??? with all semi-colons handled once and for all.
Ms. B Haven,
Thank you. For any newly-freed slaves of the cult of Flubbardism:
It’s a difficult point to accept that you have been thoroughly fucked over and swindled by Hubbard and Miss Savage, but it’s absolutely true. There are no ” good parts “. There is no scientific content. It’s not ” reformable “.It’s complete, utter garbage. All of it. Skip the ” independent scientology ” folly and read all of the shit you were forbidden to read while in the cult. Jettison the need for” certainty ” and black-and-white thinking and be curious and learn and stretch and de-program yourselves.Fuck the Tone Scale and all of the other cult
labels and categories that interfere with you knowing yourself as you are and others as they are.Embrace your freedom and all of the excitement, confusion, and intense experiences that will come with it.
Carpe diem!
And…remember to laugh!
Well Mark I mostly agree with your suggestions. The very best thing to do when extracting oneself from this mind fucking cult is to go cold turkey and just get the hell out fully and completely as soon as possible. BUT, occasionally some folks need to go the indie route. It’s kinda like those who don’t want to just rip a band-aid off as quickly as possible because they think it will hurt. It actually hurts a lot more to tug at it slowly. That said, getting out and going indie is better than some fools do and just stay in. In this case, baby steps are what are needed. Baby steps are better than no steps…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ncFCdCjBqcE
Because you’re right. Don’t forget to laugh.
Amen to that Mark. Love your posts!
Typical of a cult to manipulate others by using words and ideas.
Typical of a criminal to use the law in a way that the crimes can be committed, but have impunity in the name of religion, charity, or similar titles.
Typical of narcissist sociopath characters to not care about any one or anything as long as they are admired, have lots of money and ‘feel powerful’.
But sooner or later these lies hit the perpetrator back…very hard and for a very, very long time.
Great point Silvia. Sooner or later karma is going to hit David Miscavige and Scientology and it will be justice, finally, for all of us. I think the karma started when the Truth Rundown came out. That is when people were leaving Scientology for eternity and did not care about getting SP Declared.
By the way, the SP definition has totally changed.
SP in PT is a person who knows the truth about Scientology and is willing to tell others.
SP in 1950 is a person who investigates L Ron Hubbard and his cult. Any other analogy to anyone else was thrown in there to confuse the poor person who is studying PTS / SP tech so that it made Scientology look like it had the secret to everything and Scientology was the new scientific religion that would change the world.
It’s a religion. No. It’s a science. Nope. It’s whatever I feel like it is whenever you ask me. Ask me how I feel today, why don’t you?
You want to know if it’s a religion? In order to explain that you will need to take the Level 2 Factum Deviosis Lecture Series. Level 1 will only cost you $20.
How much is Level 2? In order to explain that you will need to take the Level 4 Factum Economscis Rubloscis Lecture Series. Level 1 will only cost you $25.
How much is Level 2? In order to explain that you will need to come into our Welcoming Center and meet up with one of our beautiful Welcome Hostesses. There is one located right near your home in Lost Angelses Land. Just give us a call and make an appointment. You will be amazed at just how wonderful your life will become just as soon as you do that. Yes Indeed! Really and For True!
For as long as I was in the cult, which was 32 years, org staff appeared to be very comfortable considering Scientology a religion when it was expedient to do so, and a business when they needed and wanted it to be a business.
All of them that I knew, at least, appeared to be quite comfortable shuttling between “Its a business”, and “We’re a religion”, depending upon the situation.
In the beginning this puzzled me, but after a while I fell into the same mindset, knowing, as they did, when we were being a business, and why, and when we were being a religion, and why.
In brief, from my observations, whether the Church of Scientology is a business or a religion depended entirely upon the issue, the situation, or the conversation
I never bought the religious angle of Scientology. In all my time I just saw it as a set of tools to help my life. I was encouraged in this direction to keep me in.
If I had been hit hard, like Scientology is now, on the religious angle, I would have never stepped in an org.
They are turning off so many people in so many ways.
Hi Me,
I’m with you 🙂
I never wanted or needed a religion.
As full of grief and despair as I was back then, religion wasn’t what I wanted.
Far from it!
I’ve never been a fan of organized religion – for myself.
For others, fine. No worries. Its a free country. Whatever works for someone as long as no humans or animals are harmed and so long as its not pushed on me.
Religious philosophy alone is fine and as a matter of fact I enjoy learning about different religions, their practices and spiritual philosophies, and I enjoy comparing them.
But back in the day I needed a new religion like I needed a hole in the head.
Like you, Me, I considered Scientology a set of tools to learn and apply to my life for its betterment. That’s how it was sold to me and that’s what I considered it.
And, also like you, Me, if it had pushed it as a religion I would have NEVER joined up in Scientology. I would have run for the hills.
Possibly that Scientology is known as a religion is no small factor in why people are not joining up.
Its a double whammy.
Not only is it known as a religion, its widely known as a WHACKED OUT religion.
Tom Cruise’s whacky space opera “church”.
Really, Scientology would have been better off keeping itself a “self help” business and never adopting the “religious angle”.
Obviously becoming a religion solved some problems for LRH but the solution created more problems than it solved.
Everyone wants to live happier, more productive and fulfilled lives but I don’t know anyone looking for a new religion.
But, but, what about, The Church of What’s Happening Now?
Are you the Pastor, OSD?
Where do I sign?
Yep! I’m the surfing pastor. And you dear, are welcome.
I’ll send out the proper papers.
Which reminds me……..the church needs a piccolo player for this Sunday’s service……..hehe
I still have my Scientology “Minister of the Church” certificate which miraculously survived in the bottom of a trunk so I’m a “real” minister and at your service.
Yours truly,
Reverend Richard
In the 1970’s you needed to read a book about comparative religions and read over some of the scn “services” and then go attest and get your cert. Maybe they’ve upgraded things since then.
Me said: “They are turning off so many people in so many ways.”
They are turning off ALL the people in EVERY way.
I surely do wish I could edit my posts to contain BOLD text. I sure would like to make the above words “ALL” and “EVERY” appear in bold.
It’s a very minor squawk – especially considering that I’ve enjoyed this edition of Mike’s blog more than any other in a long time. (Yesterday was an exception. Yesterday was terrific!)
It’s must be a very difficult and bitter pill to swallow to think about the decades of Mr. Rinder’s life thrown away in Scientology — not to mention the fact that Hubbard has been dead for all this time and in spite of that all the energy that he is still sucking out of everyone … the lives destroyed and still being destroyed … the money stolen … and the millions and millions of words still being written about him.
Wouldn’t it be great if the name of L Ron Hubbard was never uttered again by anyone, anywhere on the planet ? Hip hip hooray for that, eh.
I’m just happy for Mike. Happy to see that he fought a good fight and turned his life around.
At this stage in his life, he has found more happiness and satisfaction that most people find with or without any type of cult experience. I would think that most Americans would be happy to trade their lives with Mike. He has a beautiful wife and a beautiful family and he is alive and watching this monstrosity of a monstrosity (I really did try very hard to find another word besides “monstrosity” to use in my previous sentence. But I just could not find a better word to use in the 2nd occurence.
I can go on and on about all the happiness Mike has achieved in his life. He has something valuable to do every day that must give him tons of satisfaction. He gets to see the inevitable decline of The Monster who used to abuse him and beat him. That Monsters is doomed to fall down Dantes various levels of Hell. I don’t know if Mike will ever choose to forgive that Monster. I know that I couldn’t and wouldn’t because I would be getting too much joy watching his inevitable fall and the end of his journey in a penitentiary or in poverty or in suicide or alcohol additiction or any one of another horror shows that he deserves.
One of the best things about Mike’s life is that he got to work with side by side with Leah for 3 seasons of their TV show now and hopefully there will be more seasons to follow. How many Americans would give their eye teeth to be able to work at a job that excites them and that clearly does much goodness in this world and has the added bonus of working with Leah? I could go on and on for much longer. But I will just close with asking how many Americans have their own Bobble Head dolls?
What a great life Mike Rinder has made for himself and his family and so many of the former victims of scamatology. I suspect that a great many people would just love to trade their lives for Mike’s life if they only could.
My point is to question whether Mike truly feels he got a raw deal out of life and had to swallow a bitter pill. Or whether because of his own determination to fight and his refusal to lay down and accept some “victim state” he has achieved great things in his life – most of which involve helping other people who have been victimized to throw off the shackles of victimhood.
Well done, Mike. You have achieved a great life for yourself and it is very well deserved too!
In reading the above comment, I just wanted to say that I do not think any decade of Mike’s life has been “thrown away.”
If Mike had not lived each day as he did, he would not be the person he is or in the position he is in: one who has helped and is helping SO MANY people today.
Regret has it’s place, and then you use those experiences to create a better world, which strikes me as exactly what Mike has done and is doing.
SMIBIASGATR – I’m sure you did not mean that comment in a negative way, but I did want to clarify at least my thoughts on it. There are too many commenters on this blog that are embarrassed or have such regret for being in scientology – the important thing is to see that they are out now and can create a much better life with whatever they experienced and learned – good and bad – while in scientology.
Sensible, calm, comforting comment. Thanks WWAW.
Mike, you’ve tracked a valuable timeline here that the cult cannot refute. What a meaty episode this would be on Aftermath, especially if you brought in some old timers who were part of these transitions, from “not a religion” to becoming one. One person is Nancy Many (who was once CS 6, I believe). She received telexes directly from Hubbard with orders regarding this church image thing. I’m sure there’s many other folks who can support this as witnesses to the process.
OMG – when I was in the cult of scientology – I was told that the members wanted to call Scientology a religion. I believe Hubbard even said it on a tape – one of the Congresses or ACC’s. I don’t recall. He said he did not want to make it a religion – the members wanted to call it a religion because of all the help Scientology provided to the public – like all good churches should. I believed it because of that lying propaganda they fed constantly.
I am so embarrassed I ever believed it without actually going out into the world and looking to see if Scientology was, in fact, helping people.
Thanks to the internet, I peeked and then looked at everything. I watched the show Mike and Leah did and that solidified my decision to get out of doubt and get out of Scientology for good. I am UTR now.
HELP in Scientology turned into nothing but HURT and BETRAYAL beyond belief.
Scientology hurts everyone. I hope it gets shut down.