The weekly show where I answer viewer questions left for me in the comment section of my Q&A videos or sent to me at AskChrisShelton@gmail.com. This week, the questions I answer are:
(1) As exploration of past lives is central to the Scientology belief, do people usually report having inhabited bodies that share a gender with the body they inhabit in their current life? I know from Critical Q&A 116 that thetans do not have a gender, so past lives should average at a 50/50 male-to-female ratio. Is the reality of past life reports even close to that assumption? What happens to people who report past lives as the “wrong” gender considering Scientology isn’t really supportive of LGBT and this might read as a related phenomenon? Is being closely in touch with your past lives/recalling them vividly a good thing to happen to you as a thetan? How would an auditor react if you, a man, described your loving relationship to a man in a past life you lived as a woman? Would that raise any red flags? Or what would happen if you are a woman and after careful reflection on past lives lived as a man, you tell your auditor how being in a relationship with a woman always seemed like the most appealing thing to your thetan self and you would consider trying it with your current female body?
(2) We know that high intelligence is not inversely related to participation in cults. In fact, you mentioned in at least one video that high intelligence could make someone more prone to joining for several reasons, which makes a lot of sense. What about levels and types of post-secondary education? One would think that having advanced education would make someone less prone to joining a cult, but the number of people I know with post-secondary education who also participate in MLM (multi-level marketing) schemes like Young Living, DoTerra, Younique, Arbonne, etc. and demonstrate some cult-like behaviors is kind of alarming. Especially those who are in fields similar to mine where we have graduate-level training in research methods. For reference, I have a master’s degree in speech-language pathology. In your podcast with Clint Heacock, you cited a study which found that fundamentalist evangelical Christians tended to have a lower level of post-secondary education than the general population. Did you find this to be the case in Scientology? What about other cults that you’ve researched?
(3) I have watched several episodes of your podcast and I find it informative and thought-provoking. I would like your thoughts in regards to Soviet Communism, specifically Stalinism in terms of destructive cults. As I have understood that system, it had the rigid doctrine, thought control, surveillance, infallible leader etc, just as many destructive religious cults (and Scientology) you have talked about. I think Stalin was a true believer who tried to advance the cause of Soviet communism, but he was crippled by his issues and personality, as opposed to David Miscavige, who to me at least seems to be totally cynical about the cause, only in it for what he can get out of it.
(4) I understand the E-meter is a primitive lie detector, but I’m wondering what happens psychologically when a Scientologist lies on a meter and gets away with it. The idea of ‘cheating and getting away with it’ seems to be replicated in other places. For example, when curious Scientologists read the OT levels ‘before they’re ready’ and don’t get sick. How common is this sort of thing in Scientology? Do people get the feeling that they’ve passed a course when they shouldn’t have, or somehow fluked some sort of win? Does it help them feel special or better than other Scientologists? Is it a kind of wiggle room in the coercive cult that actually serves to make the cult more effective? Perhaps it helps them think that they’re ‘pulling one over’ on Scientology even as they pay more money to the church? Did you ever beat the E-meter, e.g. lie and get away with it?
(5) After watching your recent excellent video about mind control, I have to ask: How did you become a Rush Limbaugh ditto-head and what finally cured you of this condition?
(6) Why doesn’t Miscavige just “go exterior” and “psychically/astrally” connect with LRH, wherever he is supposed to be now in his current form and find out from him what the final OT levels are? Is it because further OT levels, fake or truly from LRH, would go against Miscavige’s aims for the CoS?
(7) Was wondering out of the mass exodus of sea org hierarchy, & fall out from the Truth Rundown who was the one person to leave the church that was a surprise to you? Thanks & keep up the good work.
(8) If David Miscavige were to leave Scientology today, how many ex-members would go back?
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After listening to your comments and change in thinking about Rush Limbaugh, I’d be interested to hear your thoughts on Donald Trump. The more I learn about Scientology, Miscavige, Hubbard, et al, the more I see similarities with their mindset and way of thinking with Trump. Trump does fair gaming just like Miscavige does. He will viciously attack/tweet about anyone or anything that doesn’t agree 100% with him or calls him out on lies. He did this most recently with Paul Ryan. Trump admires people like Kim Jung Un and Putin who have complete mind control over their citizens. Trump calls anything and everything “fake news” if it isn’t what he wants people to believe just as Scientology does every time someone speaks out against the organization. Trump supporters don’t seem to read anything that is factual and disproves what Trump says or does just as Scientologists do within their organization. To me there are too many cult like similarities between Trump, his supporters, Miscavige and Scientologists. Just wondering what your insights are on this topic since you were in Scientology for so long and now are out and have access to data and information and are a critical thinker.
Thank you.
Hey Dee, thanks for this comment. Check out my Sensibly Speaking Podcast episodes about Trump – there have been a few of them now. I think I make my position on him pretty clear in those.