Well, Scientology is one of those groups that knows just where to hit.

That’s it, exactly! And, oh, the irony!

Just another version of that age old religious scam “With your wealth and generosity your place in heaven is assured!”

Echos of that Led Zeppelin song, “Buying A Stairway To Heaven”.

The wealthy Scientology whales are buying their “eternity”.

I would pity them if they weren’t so rich and so stupid.

Agreed. Appealing to the Thetan isn’t working so let’s go after bodily appetites. Let’s offer the finest delicacies money can buy. Then when they’re satisfied we’ll appeal to their vanity by telling them that they can achieve status and prestige by donating to the IAS. The more you give, the more status you acquire.

What lovely things to say to me, Loosing. You are very kind. Thank you 🙂

So much projection from Ron, and so little evidence for his claims.

Aqua, I understand. I think being rebellious is more of a quality than a constant state. It can emerge when needed, when you realize … ‘That’s it!’.

From what little I think I know about you over these years, you’re quite a firecracker when you set your mind to something, so yes, you wouldn’t have lasted long in SO. LOL!

Being able to be cooperative is a natural ability that one either has or doesn’t have; it is one of the characteristics of being capable of great empathy.

Amen to that, Loosing! “Rebellious”. I was for the most part an obedient kid, but I would at times(probably too often) want to know WHY I had to do something or not do something. Fortunately, for me, for the short times that I had them, I had understanding parents who were willing to explain WHY, and answer my other related questions! They knew my nature; they knew that I was easily controlled when I understood yet rebellious if I sometimes did not. I didn’t have them very long but their honesty and patience with me made a strong impression. PS: Can you imagine me as a Sea Org Member? LOL! I’d have lasted a week, optimistically 🙂 And yet, when I do understand and agree I am the soul of cooperation, no kidding!

Yes Aqua, it’s good that we are both out of that distorted world. Looking back now, it is sometimes unbelievable where we ended up. Just like in the last podcast with Karen Pressley, it means we are rebellious enough to stand up. Take care.

Back then there was DMSMH being prominently displayed and sold in all the major bookstore chains inexpensively, $3-$4 in paperback. It was everywhere. Commercials on TV too as I recall. And the brains behind all that effective marketing was Jeff Hawkins? Well, he was damned good. A master marketer no doubt. And a Sea Org member so the price was certainly right. What a set up! What a perfect set up for actual expansion of Scientology! And so of course it must follow that the Dwarf had to get rid of him. Figures. When I left 12 years ago we were setting up little tables on the streets, or in malls doing “Stress Test” and waxing ecstatic if, after 4 hours of sitting there and “finding peoples’ ruins” one or two books (hardcover, $25) got sold.
Pathetic. Mostly we didn’t sell any at all. How I hated it. People walking by and slitting their eyes at us, recoiling slightly and turning their heads and walking quickly away. I didn’t know why then; now I do.