[Rolling Stone] Inside Scientology

your post is misleading. Katie Holmes' grandmother isn't an OT but rather the grandmother of the person the article centers around

 

Scientology is endlessly fascinating to me because of the goofball science fiction beliefs and the history of the founder. Of all the cult religions scientology seems to be the most obvious scam.
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There are specific stages, or "grades," of the Bridge, and the key to progressing "upward" is auditing: hundreds, if not thousands, of sessions that Scientologists believe can not only help them resolve their problems but also fix their ethical breaches, much as Catholics might do in confessing their sins.

So far, Natalie has gotten much of her auditing for free, through her parents, who have both worked for the church. But many Scientologists pay dearly for the service. Unique among religious faiths, Scientology charges for virtually all of its religious services. Auditing is purchased in 12.5-hour blocks, known as "intensives." Each intensive can cost anywhere from $750 for introductory sessions to between $8,000 and $9,000 for advanced sessions.

 

Man, I just read that entire damn thing. You missed one important part. It goes something like "Scientologists... are crazy."

Hey, Mr. Cruise! Despite hating drugs, pharmacists, and pharmaceutical companies, your religion's founder, Mr. Hubbard, was on medications!!! If he can take drugs, why can't your wife when she's in labor?

The story about the kid with asthma is nuts. Instead of helping him, they tell him it's his fault. Over the course of a year he goes from being healthy to barely being able to get out of bed, and they still won't take him to a legitimate doctor.

I feel so sorry for multiple reasons for anyone born into that "religion" that decides they don't buy into it.

 

I'd take a phaser and stick it up somebody's ***.

I can't believe they bugged the Justice Department in the '70s. And as if that isn't enough, the article leads you to believe that they got away with it for several years until their offices were raided by the FBI. Those people are nuts.

 

My experience with Scientology. About 25 years ago. Walking down the drag prior to returning to grad school up North. Four weeks to kill. Didn't know anyone in Austin. Out of work. Nothing to do.

Approached to take a "personality test" Went into HQ and took a bs little test. Nothing special as far as results. Guy was a bit strange and when I asked him what he meant by a wierd vocabulary word he said" Well, let's look it up in the dictionary. Did this about two times during a discussion of my test results.

There were a lot of fairly good looking girls around, who I was introduced to, so I decided to sign up for this course called intro to human communication or somesuch. I thought they would be there and it might be like group discussion and we could get to know each other. Something to do.

Saturday, first day. We were given some gobbledlgook to read and were told repeatedlythat we needed to ask immediately if we did not understand anything. It helped with understanding to always comprehend each step. 20 people. People raising their hands left and right for help. I'm plodding along through the crap. You have have a communicator and communicatee and perhaps a messagee and a messenger etc. Out of boredom I decided to ask a question about their wierd use of some large vocabulary word.

The leader comes over and says: "You are on page 3. Did you understand everything? How about this and points to some numbers and letters in small print on the bottom of the front page. Turned out to be a cite to "Collected Works of L.Ron Hubbard vol 3, page 51, para 4, line 2, word 1 or something. Repeated warning to always ask questions. I'm getting sort of annoyed. Then back to my original question.

He said, "Well, let's look it up in the dictionary" (They have their own dictionary as well as a cult devotion to ordinary dictionaries.) Same exact phrase. Exact same inflection as dictionary freak from the first day. I thought: "Oh Oh. I'm out of here." "I said sorry I'm not interested. I want my $20 back as you promised." He said: "
You're as smart guy; you can get if you keep trying".


"I want my money back." Had to talk to a series of folks in offices, who kept accusing me of being a journalist or asked me what I was there for. Kept getting further upstairs and to the back of the building. Finally I'm talking to this guy who looks completley crazed. His eyes are just burning. He says I can get my money back if I agree to be tested with the E-meter. It could be the L-meter. I was supposed to hold what looked like two tin cans without the wrapper hooked up to some wires while nutso read some montiors-- a primitive lie detector test. I refused. "But it is required". No
"But it is required" You don't understand I'm not in your group and I'm not going to do it. "But it is required" "But it is required""But it is required" Like a broken loop. He kept looking crazier. I actually think he could not understand how someone would not do it since "it is required". I got up and fled the building expecting to be attacked by the nutters.

Amazingly several months later a refund arrived to my address Up North.

Don't fool with these folks unless you want total mind control.

 

That is a great story. Those folks approached me in Austin, NY, and in LA. I talked briefly with the recruiter in NY who was an attractive woman, but once she asked me to take a test, I said I didn't have time for that, and left.

 

Two things that raise red flags to me about any organization are secret rituals and paying money

 

And showing you good looking girls on the front end.

 

When I was in LA, we drove by the Scientology "Building", it looked very nice on the outside, but little did I know the "bad" things that were going on inside...

Seriously, I need to read up more on the subject...

 

what a joke

Are there any scientologists on the bbs?

 

how about good looking girls on the rear end?

 

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Too easy.