Though there has been an "official L. Ron Hubbard biographer" since I first hired him in 1991, there is still no L. Ron Hubbard biography. "LRH biographer" or more often now "The Biographer", Dan Sherman spends his days penning prolix fluffery for David Miscavige to read from a teleprompter at his "international events" and Ideal Org ribbon yankings. Over the span of 25 years, the silver mullet and his team of biographical "researchers", headed by Andy Lenarcic, have gathered an enormous amount of information, photographs and artifacts about the life of L. Ron Hubbard. They have … [Read more...]
Big News about OT VIII
Sorry, circumstances have conspired against the Thursday Funnies today, I shall try to prepare them for Saturday, but even that is not a certainty. Meanwhile, some fascinating news from inside the bubble... The big news is or the little stats variety. I am sure scientology would hype this like they hyped Dave's "medal" that has now been disowned by the Colombian Govt. It will fool some bubble dwellers, but for the rest of the world, this is pretty startling. Remember, they have been promising the release of OT IX and X now for more than 20 YEARS. They have been pushing, HARD, to … [Read more...]
The “Reactive Mind”
L. Ron Hubbard came up with a theory that he explained at great length in his book Dianetics The Modern Science of Mental Health. He presented is as scientifically proven fact, which it was not. Scientology to this day STILL claims that scientology is where science meets religion -- and the most fundamental "science" is the so called "discovery" of the Reactive Mind. Hubbard describes the Reactive Mind this way (this is taken from the "Technical Dictionary" and is the first definition): REACTIVE MIND, 1. a portion of a person's mind which works on a totally stimulus-response basis, … [Read more...]
Scientology Coming (Further) Unhinged
A recent article by Joe Nolfi for Entertainment Weekly elicited a pretty unhinged response from scientology. The article springboarded off Leah's appearance on Ron Miscavige's podcast Life After Scientology where she and Ron discussed the upcoming Season 3. Scientology's crazy response is a study in "never defend, always attack" mentality (see my earlier blog post for a lengthier discussion of this topic Dealing With Critics of Scientology): When reached for comment on Remini’s Life After Scientology comments, a representative for the church told EW: “Even a cursory review of this … [Read more...]
Ron’s Ramblings
It is an endless source of amazement how scientologists buy the idea that every word Hubbard spoke or wrote is some sort of brilliant revelation. Much of it is gibberish, particularly his "research track." Many of the things he stated as absolute fact he later repudiated -- though he typically characterized it as "further research revealed..." But that implies the former assertion of fact was based on research, and not just meanderings he tossed off which then proved not to be fact when he sold a newer technique. And I do mean "sold"... Yet today, the foolishness he wrote about in the … [Read more...]
Brainwashing
My old friend Janis Grady sent this to me and I found it quite amazing. These are some quotes taken from the booklet entitled Brainwashing. L. Ron Hubbard had this distributed by scientology in the 50's. He wrote it, but published it under the name of Lavrentiy Beria, Stalin's infamous head of the secret police. Hubbard never officially acknowledged he had written it, though it was reported by early scientologist John Sanborn that he witnessed Hubbard doing so. But what is undisputed is that Hubbard pushed the booklet (commonly called the Brainwashing Manual) through the HASI. Also undisputed … [Read more...]
Hiding
Terra is back with another thought-provoking essay. Hiding I am wary of leaders who don’t show their faces in public. Since they didn’t assume their lofty positions by being shy, I assume they’re hiding something. The higher their standing, the more dirty little secrets they need to keep buried—and the more suspicious I become of their motives. Down the Rabbit Hole Ron Hubbard started down this road to reclusive behavior not long after Dianetics was disparaged by the mainstream health industries in the middle of last century. He lectured to dedicated followers via courses … [Read more...]
Listen to Ron
Through the manufacture of fear, scarcity and even hysteria -- individuals in society can be brought under control and conformity. This is a quote from Hubbard that is perfectly clear and one he apparently took to heart (They don't actually give his quote about the true danger of the atomic bomb which I bet is a beauty based on his "research" on the danger of radiation...) Fear and scarcity? Like what scientologists are taught about scientology being the ONLY HOPE of mankind in endless trillions of years and the last chance before black nothingness descends on the universe? Or that … [Read more...]
Do What Ron Says, Again, Always
Sure makes me wonder how this particular quote "helped me so much." It’s pretty convoluted — sort of sums up to not being careful I guess... Because in primitive societies if "he got too messed up, he didn't have any tremendous strings on him..." Apparently a high mortality rate was a good thing? The more distance I have from Hubbard-think, the more crazy I think it is. And things that I probably would have just accepted as great wisdom a decade or more ago now seem merely silly. It’s always a reminder how deeply ingrained the “think” is. Gibberish as inspiration. And when shared … [Read more...]
Groups, Collaboration, and the Bank
I know there are some withdrawal symptoms accompanying the end of the Sunday Serial. To help, here is another of Terra's signature essays. Groups, Collaboration, and the Bank In Keeping Scientology Working, L. Ron Hubbard wrote, “The common denominator of a group is the reactive mind. Thetans without banks have different responses. They only have their banks in common. They only agree on bank principles. Person to person the bank is identical.” I don’t think so. The common denominator of a group is not the reactive mind. Such a notion is not only a gross … [Read more...]