The weekly show where I answer questions from viewers left in the comments section of my Q&A videos or sent by email at AskChrisShelton@gmail.com.
My new book, Scientology: A to Xenu, is available here:
Paperback: https://goo.gl/yYIl2t
Kindle edition: http://goo.gl/K51ySi
This week, the questions I answer are:
(1) My question is one you have probably answered before, but I would be interested in your response: If someone who was aware of controversial aspects of the Church (contents of the OT materials, Sea Org/RPF stories, historical evidence of Hubbard’s true life story, etc) decided they wanted to become a Scientologist, how far would they get? Would the Church deem them to be irredeemable or PTS once they read ‘entheta’ and block any advancement? Or if the individual believed in the T ech and agreed with the Church’s version of events, would the Church overlook the person’s ‘transgressions’ in having read this information? Like many issues in Scientology I suspect it comes down to money with my guess being their dollars are as good as anybody’s, and the church believing it is protected through the contracts new Scientologists must sign. But your knowledge would be appreciated.
(2) Could you explain in more detail what the Scientology training really consists of? I know about auditing, but is that all that there is about it? I’ve read about word clearing and other things that didn’t make any sense to me. I am very curious to understand what do people actually do and what do they feel they achieve by doing so.
(3) What are your greatest and happiest moments in Scientology if you were to ignore that it was a Cult and all the bad experience you had inside Scientology?
(4) I’ve had the misfortune of interacting with some online Scientologists. I have found them to be at the level of teenage trolls. They hurl petty insults, accuse us of crimes, act offended by anti-Scientology comments and attempt to divert any conversation away from the wrong-doing of Scientology and onto me or other critics. Who are these people in general? Are they OSA? Are they official or public? Aren’t they in danger of losing their eternity by reading all the entheta written by critics? Are they genuinely angry or is it just an act like Tommy Davis’ mechanical “I’m angry.” speech during the Panorama special with John Sweeney. They are hardly higher spiritual beings, working towards a non-reactive mind.
(5) In the 1990’s the Exclusive Brethren made large financial contributions to the Liberal Party here in Australia (who by the way are actually conservative) to help John Howard become Prime Minister. This was in spite of the Exclusive Brethren’s teachings of not voting or having anything to do with politics. I am also well aware of the trouble the CoS had with the IRS. Is it common for destructive cults to make political donations and/or try to lobby politicians to get the laws or policies that they want or just to get the authorities off their back??
(6) Another question for you about David Miscavige. You say he’s a sociopath, and I agree – mostly. However, I’ve heard that children raised in cults will often develop a cult “shell” which is a reflection of the leader or the leader’s “ideal” cult member. Could the sociopathic, swaggering psycho we see be merely a shell, a warped version of some part of Hubbard’s ego (without the grifting savvy or the charm)? Could there, in fact, be a very tiny, very scared child inside who knows it’s all gone bad, and, like the sorcerer’s apprentice, doesn’t know how to stop the ride?
(7) Hey Chris, I am sure that there is a bit of PTSD from the exposure to such hubristic people. I think that you are doing great in your recovery. Do you have triggers in your recovery that bring flashback memories?
(8) If Tom Cruise actually blows do you think Scientology will fair game him? Or do you think they will put as much dirt as they possibly can about him.
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Hi Chris, again great title to your book. I really enjoyed today’s video. I also recently had the cognition that I did do a lot of good in Scientolopgy. In did help a lot of people in spite of all the counter intention to do so. I am coming to terms with all the nonsense I experienced and finally able to just move on. Thanks for all the great data.
Albert Andrade
PS Can’t wait to read your book!
That is awesome. I’m glad you came to that realization and that I could help a little in making it happen.
Happy Days!
Indeed, Chris,
Double happy to get this book-
First, getting the story out. This freaking church only gets under the wire because they are so good at hiding and keeping the lid on their nasty secrets. Then brutally attacking the critics, as a survival skill, I’m so sick of it.
Second, all that money and property accumulated – and they rob us again by paying NO TAXES?
What, after moral humiliation, harassment and deceit?
Any book that addresses the truth of that is worth it’s weight in gold.
Thirdly, well, i am curious about the old upper level bull-manure. I mean, that is the stuff all us eager early-on scientologists were after… all this supposedly great stuff that they would tell us NOTHING about. Secret.
How did we ever let them slide with all those secrets, on everything? But, next reason I want to go get your book, is…
well, I gotta see what you have to share about the old man who crafted it all. That is such a huge question, what was going on in his mind. Was he really trying to save the world, was he mainly trying to make the world think he had something to sell worth buying- because he himself BELIEVED in his own pseudo-philosophy? He seems a little smart for that. It seems a little like believing playing with yourself involves another person. My take, despite the fact that it makes ME a big, fat fool, is that he was out to make it rich, period, and I cringe when I run into ex-members who still love their eMeters and still consider LRH to be the bona-fide orchestrator of man’s salvation. What a trick. You would say impossible except for the fact it happened. How can you argue that he BELIEVED his recipe for spiritual freedom worked when so much of it was so obviously designed to keep you trapped inside the bubble?
Yet, there are the believers.
What else.
Oh, yeah. Because you’re just cool. You talk straight. You are not trying to get rich or have any purpose I can see other getting the story out. You are like a journalist but you are a real guy. You feel like a friend. Of course I am going to buy your book, if I can do something to change the world for the better, why, I am going to do that, too.
Congratulations on the release of your book, Chris, and continued thanks for your excellent series of videos. More questions for your consideration:
It seems clear that scientologists accept that L Ron Hubbard was a great genius and a near-god. My question is about David Miscavige; are scientologists or Sea Org members taught that DM also has great personal attributes or even supernatural powers? If so, how are these messages about Miscavige transmitted? Did the mythology surrounding Miscavige change over the time you were “in”?
A related question: is there anyone else—beside Hubbard and Miscavige—whom scientologists are taught to admire?
Hey, Chris – In an earlier Q&A you discussed the possibility of the feds raiding Scientology and you pointed out that in order for that to happen, the feds had to have evidence of criminal activity. While this is certainly correct, I thought you slid past the rather important issue of just what criminal activity the church is involved in. I’m curious what you think the crimes of Scientology might be, not just unethical, immoral or tortious activity. Seems to me that the church is fairly careful not to cross legal lines and as long as it enjoys protected status as a church, it can engage in all kinds of activitites that aren’t necessarily illegal.
By the way, just ordered your book. Can’t wait to read it.