The weekly show where I answer viewer questions left in the comments sections of my Q&A videos or sent to me by email at AskChrisShelton@gmail.com. This week the questions I answer are:
(1) Are body thetans (BTs) mentioned anywhere outside the upper OT levels in Scientology? In other words, would a non-OT Scientologist (including Sea Org since they don’t seem to be privy to any secret upper level doctrine unless they have worked their way up the Bridge the same as public) be aware of BTs? I assume the answer to both questions is no, and thus you yourself were not aware of the concept of BTs until after leaving the church and reading the OT materials online? What did you think when you read about BTs? To me that’s almost as big of a revelation as the Xenu story to learn that there are supposedly other thetans clustered on various areas of the body causing all sorts of impairment. I would liken it to the discovery of bacteria and viruses and how revolutionary it was to see these previously unseen entities which have the ability to profoundly affect our health.
(2) Are you, or were you ever a smoker? If you were, how did you quit? In their podcast on Scientology, Ross and Carrie mentioned the large number of Scientologists that were smoking outside the building, and I’ve seen videos of Sea Org members and/or staff taking a smoke break. I know Hubbard smoked like a fiend (well, he was one) and dismissed it with the comment “nobody’s perfect.” Doesn’t it seem a little “disconnected” that Scientology is so anti-drug but permits its members to smoke, unlike, say, the Mormons or Jehovah’s Witnesses, which don’t allow smoking? I welcome your comments on this.
(3) I know some people have said working for a Scientology-run company is like being in Scientology/the Sea Org. Do you agree?
(4) I have heard you and others explain the role of Case Supervisors and how they oversee the auditors’ sessions to make sure there are no errors made and everything is done “On Source”, using standard tech, etc. I have also heard there are what are called “Field Auditors,” who offer services on their own, separate from the church (though except for some special cases, are supposed to charge the same rates so as not to undercut them). If they audit parishioners, is there no Case Supervisor who checks in after each session, or is everything completely in the hands of the Field Auditor? Is this a common practice and how does the church feel about it in general? I appreciate any thoughts you have on this.
(5) What’s your feeling on the phenomenon that is The Walking Dead?
(6) At what point did Hubbard stop supervising David Miscavige? Did Hubbard know and approve of the IAS charging thousands and even millions for statuses?
(7) Why couldn’t Hubbard have been arrested on the high seas for tax evasion?
(8) What became of some of the major mission holders after the mission holder meeting (1980s I think) where many of them were declared?
(9) Great work you are doing. You are for sure saving many life’s. Have you ever considered the fact of placebo playing a major part of the feeling that it works? My experience talking to a Scientologist is that it in average works in about 30% of the cases – VERY CLOSE TO THE PLACEBO
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: RSS
Hi Chris,
I’m Ron, an X-Scientologist for about 10 years. I was in for 30 years. Worked on staff for a short while in Boston and was a non-SO staff at Bridge, working in the e-meter department.
I enjoy your site and usually check in daily to see what’s new. I agree with your move to put your movie reviews on a different channel. I don’t come to your site for movie reviews but occasionally listen to what you have to say about some movie I was considering going to. You may want to do a quick feedback on your reviews by asking people to vote, like Based on Your Review I will: (1) See the movie, (2) Will not see the movie, (3) Not sure. You could even ask if they liked or did not like the review. I will click a Vote Button on a site but almost never send feedback.
I have not found my ideal anti-Scientology site which would have a variety of “new stuff” like (in order of preference):
1. Best short quotes (140 characters or less) of the day (members could vote on these) answering questions like:
What is Scientology to you? example: “A Legal Dangerous Scam”
If you could send every active Scientologist a short message what would it be? example: “Why is it that no Scientologist can read a book with their eyes closed while exterior?”
Best X-SO staff quote of the day/week: example: “Current active member count – 14, 658, highest ever member count – 186,830, when Hubbard was alive.
Other short messages?
2. Satire cartoons on Scientology
3. How dangerous cults/religions have been stopped in the past without violence. What was done?
4. Top ten best ways to stop Scientology (could change weekly).
5. What you can do to stop Scientology.
As you can see I don’t have to told or shown how nasty or dangerous Scientology is. I know that!
Also would love to know how many people who go to your site are: X-Scientologist, X-SO, Current non-staff Scientologist, thinking of joining Scientology, thought of joining Scientology but decided not to after viewing your site.
Newspapers would not sell so good if they only had a sports section.
Have been wanting to send you this for some time. Ideas for thought.
Best,
Ron