The weekly show where I answer viewer’s questions based on what they’ve left for me in the comments section of my Q&A videos or sent to me by email at AskChrisShelton@gmail.com. This week, the questions I answer are:
(1) I’m no lawyer so can you explain how the Church of Scientology can hide behind the US First Amendment for all of its abuses? I would think that in the “free exercise of religion” you would still have to abide by the law regardless of whether the person is/was a member or not.
(2) I heard an amusing story on the Surviving Scientology podcast about Sea Org member Jeff Walker who escaped the Int Base and got Riverside County Sheriff’s deputies to escort him back in to retrieve his belongings. Since they obviously can’t try to detain him in front of law enforcement, the Sea Org had to just stand and watch. A police escort strikes me as a brilliant and seemingly foolproof way to make an easy break, yet this is the only example I’ve ever heard of this strategy being used. There is the drawback of it being guaranteed to get you declared, but anyone who blows instead of routing out gets declared anyway, right? Am I missing something here? It seems to me this should be a common practice.
(3) To what extent is the Universe Corps used to motivate staff and Sea Organization members? During your time on post, did you ever see them deployed to help crew move up the Bridge?
(4) In recordings of Hubbard’s talks, it often seems that he is presenting his theories and space opera in a tongue-in-cheek fashion. He’s laughing and so is the audience. I wonder whether in early days he and his audience ACTUALLY believed it or whether it was more understood as entertainment, as fiction and only some time later the lines blurred and people started believing.
(5) You came out and said you were an atheist. I have always thought atheists believe 100% there is no God. I always felt it takes as much faith to claim there is no higher power than to say there definitely is one. As a critical thinker, I would have thought you would have landed as an agnostic, which I think believes you cannot answer the question with proof one way or the other, so they accept that we just don’t know if there is a higher power. I could be totally wrong about what atheists and agnostics believe, so could you explain the difference between them and why you felt more comfortable as an atheist rather an agnostic?
(6) I have a friend who is a big advocate of the “health” brand Juice Plus. She appears to be a believer in what they sell and promote, going as far as buying their product bulk and re-selling/throwing parties promoting her “business” within the brand. I’ve done some research myself and see it mostly as a scam, but the amount of involvement my friend has gotten into feels it’s reached cult territory. Do you believe health cults exist?
(7) Chris, when you were Course Supervisor, were there many new members taking classes? If not, how did you personally square that with the alleged millions of Scientologists and incredible growth/expansion?
(8) The Sea Org has ruined your relationship with eggs. Has that relationship improved at all since you’ve been out or are you still an egg-gnostic? 🙂
I was in valley ideal org last week with friend from jr high that’s in sea org very nice holds 1000 in church part with piano staff played total mt was 6p Sunday nite close to universals studios tours Burbank got to be expensive after miscarriage maybe the organization will come to it senses but I don’t think it’s going to disappear