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Critical Q&A #175

The weekly show where I answer viewer questions left for me in the comment sections of my Q&A videos or sent to me by email at AskChrisShelton@gmail.com. This week, the questions I answer are:

(1) Living in Hawaii, I was aware of Scientology in the late to early eighties. My older sister worked in a Waikiki hotel and had a lot of high school friends also working in hotels. If I wanted any information from surf heights to what scams people were talking about I asked my sister. When I asked about Scientology, she told me “they are no different than the Hare Krishnas.” I heard you mention Hawaii briefly one time as one of the underperforming centers. Any more information about the Hawaii-Scientology connection?

(2) I have some questions about bull-baiting. I hope I’m using the right term; I’m referring to the practise where you sit still for hours while someone tries to distract you by yelling, joking etc.

I’m currently reading Jenna Miscavige Hill’s book in which she describes how her 15 year old friend had to endure what were basically hours of verbal sexual harassment when a fellow student kept commenting on the shape of her breasts. That made me wonder: Is there a script or any guidelines or limits as to what may or may not be said to a person during these exercises?

Hypothetically, if someone decided that the best way to get a reaction, was to ridicule and insult Hubbard or question his teachings, would he or she still get in trouble afterwards?

Will personal information be used to get the ‘trainee’ to react? If they’re black or gay, might racist or homophobic slurs be used?

And as far as you know, have any of these sessions ever resulted in broken up friendships or even physical altercations?
Going back to Jenna Miscavige’s example: I’d imagine that things between her friend and the other student got pretty awkward later, no matter the context. But maybe I’m putting too much of an outsider’s perspective on it.

What exactly is the point of this exercise? Is it to train autitors not to react emotionally to even the most absurd or upsetting things an “auditee” might say? Or is it supposed to “toughen you up” like some kind of military drill? Is this used on public or staff/Sea Org only?

(3) What are Scientologists taught about Siberia USA and is this a factual thing?

(4) What kind of mic is it you are using? You sometimes use a pop filter, sometimes not? Do you only use the one mic?

(5) Was it fair of Louis Thoreaux to criticize Marty Rathbun for cutting and running when the system turned against him, or is Marty no different from any other Scientologist in this regard? Was this one of your issues with Louis’ Scientology documentary? I’ve watched your review of his documentary by the way.

(6) In the past you and others have spoken about the poor medical care sea org members receive, do Sea Org members living in countries that have universal health care (U.K, France, Australia, Canada etc.) receive better medical care?

(7) What was your most misunderstood word while listening to lectures?

(8) Did you ever (I suppose more in a sec-check) just tell the auditor what they want to hear? Just to get it over?

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