This week, it’s answers about how belief works, why Scientology tries to appear “normal” on its public face, the public image of the Church these days and a lot more. Enjoy!
(1) I learned from one of your previous programs that there was without doubt a hostile takeover when Hubbard died and his supporters Mark Jaeger, Ron Mittoff, Mark Ingber, Heber Jentz, Norm Starkey and Guillaume Leseve were all eventually dumped into The Hole and constantly abused and mistreated by Miscavage. Assuming that is the case, I would like to know what on earth do those people do every single day and at what point do they stop and think, well we’re saving the planet. But assuming they do think that, does it ever cross their mind that they aren’t saving the planet at all but seem to be living on a prison planet, the very same thing they were in charge of saving mankind from? Surely it must cross their minds that something’s not right here or are they so far gone and as good Scientologists they fully believe they brought all of this upon themselves. Because as we all know and you have told us, Scientology can never be in the wrong. I would be fascinated to hear your take on this Chris
(2) I am a critic of Scientology and I have followed your show and others for some time now. I decided that I would sign up for their free pamphlet “A Description of Scientology” so that I could see firsthand just what they were trying to peddle to those curious in their cult.
I notice that in the section “About L. Ron Hubbard” it says that he was injured but it does not claim that he healed himself using Dianetics. It does say that he used Dianetics on other injured people, but at no point does it clearly state that he healed himself using Dianetics.
This is interesting. I know that Hubbard and the Church have historically alleged that Hubbard claimed to have healed himself with Dianetics. Representatives of the Church have gone on record stating that if this is not true, then Dianetics is not true and therefore Scientology itself is less credible. Or something to that effect.
Yet this book does not make the claim that Hubbard healed himself with Dianetics, even though Hubbard himself made a big deal about this and I believe the Church used to push this lie quite a lot.
Is this something that they have never pushed hard to new recruits? Is there a time where such a pamphlet would have made the claim that Hubbard healed himself. If not, do you think the fact that they are not doing so now is a result of the fact that the Church knows that they cannot get away with making this claim? After all, anyone can check his war records these days.
The Church seems as though it is far too out of touch with reality in general to realize that they should stop making such claims. Yet, in this pamphlet they do not. What do you make of this?
(3) I’ve got the news today that Leah’s documentary series is now available on Netflix. This is great news. Do you think this reflects the media/hollywood/entertainment industry moving even further away from Scientology? The disenchantment isn’t quite gone from Tom Cruise yet. However, on top of Danny Masterson’s recent prosecution, do you think the general view of the Co$ is going in the right direction (exposing their true intentions and negativity)?
(4) When you discuss Scientology and other groups, the phrase “Cult playbook” often comes up. This suggests that the founders have carefully and deliberately selected mechanisms in order to create an effective high control group. I wonder how often it is actually more random. Let’s say, we look at a hundred religious groups, martial arts dojos, knitting circles, etc. One has a lot of terminology, practically their own language. Others develop a strong shunning mechanism. Yet other groups will have traits of us-vs-them thinking, trance inducing and thought stopping practices, magical thinking, etc. Every now and then, there will be a group that is the perfect storm of lure and abuse. Eventually this group will make it into the headlines and then we will count how many the cult-playbook checkboxes it ticks. I think by now we have a rather complete set of traits of high control groups, so we know what to expect. But was it deliberate *design* on the part of the founders, or is it an effect of *selection*, because we tend to look at the most effective abusers.
(5) I was wondering what you think of Tony Ortega’s unease at the US government saying that Scientologists being prosecuted in Russia are prisoners of conscience. I know that hasn’t gone down well with everyone; “Alonzo” for instance has tried to accuse him of hypocrisy and even “becoming what he sought to destroy”! Personally I think that view is pretty ridiculous, and I agree with Tony on this. I think you can be consistent in opposing authoritarian governments like Russia’s while not wanting to speak out effectively in favour of Scientology just as I think you can oppose the death penalty while also not wanting to attend protests against the executions of people like John Wayne Gacy. I’m interested to hear your opinion on this.
(6) Hubbard went into hiding in his later years and relied on messengers to control the CoS. Did the fact that he was unable to exert day-to-day control over the Church result in a less authoritarian and more ‘spiritual’ environment?
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: RSS