Here is how they manufacture "success" stories in scientology... They actually send people a template on what to say! And believe me, it is a well-learned lesson in scientology that inflating your accomplishments NEVER gets you in trouble. In fact, it often results in much adulation. Understating your "accomplishments" however can be a fatal mistake. UPDATE: A Special Correspondent just sent me this which is appropriate to this post. How is it that everything is going SOOOO great and yet he is sending out emails soliciting "successes" -- why isn't this guy so busy … [Read more...]
The Almighty Stat
Another in the ever-growing series of essays by Terra Cognita. See earlier posts here: The Reg, The Horrors of Wordclearing, Why Scientologists Don't FSM, Respect, The Survival Rundown - The Latest Scam, Communication in Scientology... Or Not, Am I Still A Thetan?, To Be Or Not To Be, An Evaluation of Scientology, Fear: That Which Drives Scientology and Justification and Rationalization. The Almighty Stat To a Scientologist, nothing is more important than statistics—or “stats” for short. LRH was all about measuring production, and all production can be measured with one stat or … [Read more...]
Sea Org Schedule
A Special Correspondent recently sent this to me. I thought it worth publishing as documentation of a published Sea Org schedule. As almost any SO member will confirm, a schedule like this is merely an ideal scenario. In practice three items are rarely adhered to: "study," "exercise time" and "securing time." Note also this issue is from 1987. Things degenerated significantly after this time. In many places (most notably the Int base) meal breaks were reduced to 15 minutes much of the time. Exercise time was canceled. And it was VERY rare after the 90's to even theoretically get 7 hours … [Read more...]
No True Scotsman
Commenter Mike Wynski linked to this article in a recent comment. I was unfamiliar with this term and found the article fascinating in light of my scientology experience. Especially in how scientology "defines" anyone who has escaped the bubble. This is an abbreviated version of the article with all links and citations removed and focused on what is relevant to the scientology experience: The No True Scotsman (NTS) fallacy is a logical fallacy that occurs when: during argument, after their favored group has been criticized, someone re-defines the group in order to deflect un … [Read more...]
Thursday Funnies
What exactly IS a "timeless moment in whole track history"? Shermanspeak is even on their posters now... 10X more BS Flag OT Committee Harlem tourist brochure Nice comments... BTW - "gaff" is slang for house. Love the penises on the wall. Seasonal fruit display... A reference to Austin Nickels and Dimes? First scientology city... When? Never. 1 of those select 30 isn't going to be there for sure... You've heard it from me before... ...this is pretty pathetic. Even the … [Read more...]
Some Truth About The Size of Scientology
You have all heard scientology spout repeatedly that Valley is the biggest and most important Class 5 org in the world. Of course, this is idiocy, they cannot gather together 50 people for an event and have less than a handful on services at any given time (though this DOES put them ahead of most orgs in the world). What is probably true is that this org has the largest number of scientologists in its field - and the largest empty white elephant building in terms of square feet (and of course in scientology, square feet of empty space is the ultimate measure of accomplishment). There are … [Read more...]
8 Ways to Tell You Grew Up in Scientology
Sent by a Special Correspondent. Rings true to me. … [Read more...]
Maiden Voyage Overview
The 2016 edition of the International Scientology News Maiden Voyage edition has hit the mailboxes of thousands of disinterested recipients. I will do a series of posts covering the events of each night, starting with this overview of the ISN and the Maiden Voyage itself. In a word, the whole thing was underwhelming. Monumental, epic underwhelm. The MV (and thus the magazine) was mostly rehash. As always, the ISN is printed on oversize high-gloss (expensive) paper with what has become the norm, a DVD attached to the back page. This is EXPENSIVE "promo" that is really just hype to try … [Read more...]
More Thoughts on FSMing
Our friend Andy Porter submitted this as a comment in response to Terra Cognita's recent posting: Why Scientologists Don't FSM. I felt it deserved to be a posting to supplement the thoughts expressed in that post. I worked at the Bellevue Mission and was in the Mission Network for many years. One thing I would constantly hear was that it was MUCH easier to bring new people into a Mission, rather than a Class 5 Org because the new people were handled “better” in the Mission, meaning that they were not harassed as much as they were in an Org. Another thing that I observed over and over was … [Read more...]
Thursday Funnies
I burst out laughing, then crying, then laughing... This sounds vaguely insane. Rolling down the sidewalk in a wheelchair laughing and crying - like this is good? Learn how to indoctrinate your kids What a win! You too can have gains like this. Late breaking news... The biggest win since the IRS victory isn't enough? There's a "special announcement" AND a release too... Chairman of the Board's strategy for clearing the planet Buy empty buildings with other people's money. It's going real good... Wow - more GAGging Wonder … [Read more...]