L. Ron Hubbard is the founder of Dianetics and Scientology. There is something very important and very basic to Scientology’s core operation. It’s the principle that everything Hubbard ever wrote in his books or said in a lecture is absolute fact and is to be followed exactly.Read More »What’s Wrong with Scientology, Part 3
Do you remember that movie from the 80s called Wall Street?
Michael Douglas played the infamous Gordon Gecko, and made a speech in which he said the following:
“…greed — for lack of a better word — is good.
“Greed is right.
“Greed works.
“Greed clarifies, cuts through, and captures the essence of the evolutionary spirit.
“Greed, in all of its forms — greed for life, for money, for love, knowledge — has marked the upward surge of mankind.”
I think it’s possible that David Miscavige, the leader of Scientology, may have seen this movie. And he may have thought that Gecko had a really good point.
Read More »What’s Wrong with Scientology, Part 2
I want to talk to you about the Church of Scientology. I worked in the Church 27 years, 15 of them in the Sea Organization, which is the highest level of the Church. I have literally decades of experience with how Scientology operates, both publicly and behind closed doors.Read More »What’s Wrong with Scientology – Part I
This past week I attended a meeting of godless heathens, the main topic being the trouble with sparkleponies. Specifically, we discussed the pros and cons of a not-so-new book by former NFL punter Chris Kluwe entitled Beautifully Unique Sparkleponies: On Myths, Morons, Free Speech, Football, and Assorted Absurdities. In the midst of our discussions (mostly negative) and off-hand reviews of the book (thumbs down), the idea for this article occurred to me. This is not a book review. Instead, I’m going to use this book as an example of what NOT to do when trying to present a skeptical, rational or critical point of view.Read More »Contradictory Sparkleponies
Originally published March 9, 2014 on Mike Rinder’s blog (here).
“There are those who could be called ‘merchants of chaos.’ These are people who want an environment to look very, very disturbing. These are people who gain some sort of advantage, they feel, if the environment is made to look more threatening.” – Scientology Handbook
The Sea Org does not hire people. It recruits them. I spent a year doing Sea Org recruitment and worked with a couple of the most successful SO recruiters on the planet. During that time, I learned a few things that you should know.Read More »Sea Org Recruiters – The Ultimate Merchants of Chaos
Originally published February 23, 2014 on Mike Rinder’s blog (here).
I spent my entire adult life as a professional Scientology staff member. I started taking classes when I was 15 and joined staff at the age of 17. I joined the Sea Organization when I was 25 and stayed in until I was 43.
I trained as a Pro Course Supervisor and Word Clearer, Class 0 Auditor and Purification Rundown In-Charge. I also trained as a Data Series Evaluator and Org Manager, amongst many other things. I completed all of The Basics books and lectures after they were released in 2006, as well as the LRH Congresses and a panoply of other lectures and materials (including many issues that public may never see as they were “confidential Sea Org references” concerning management and administration). When it comes to Scientology and Sea Organization policy and tech, I can unequivocally state that I am an expert.Read More »Coming Out Publicly as an Ex-Scientologist