I just finished reading a 26 page article in the NEW YORKER magazine about the Canadian Director Paul Haggis leaving SCIENTOLOGY after 35 years of practice. Fascinating and disturbing.
Here is the article if you are interested.
http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2011/02/14/110214fa_fact_wright
I was never a Scientologist but I do know a little about the organization and how it works. It's all about 'wins'.
About 8 years ago, I heard through the grapevine that the son of one of my mothers friends was involved in Scientology. He was a successful musician travelling the world and had a great relationship with this lovely girl, and he always seemed to be in an up mood. He had a certain exuberance. I wasn't sure how he did it, but I wanted some of it, despite some of the negative rumors I had heard.
Couldn't I just buy it and ingest it?
Apparently I could make some expensive purchases immediately.
He met me at a coffee shop right away and before I knew it I was in the Toronto 'org' filling out forms. Whether you are the most emotionally leveled person, cleverly verbose with a lot of ambition or you are a procrastinating, misogynistic oaf, they are going to tell you the same thing. You could use a couple of communication courses at the bare minimum to start.
The first thing he talked to me about was PURIFICATION RUNDOWN. The was a process that he sweared upon. I was trying to stop Drinking and doing Cocaine at the time and nothing seemed to be working longterm. If you haven't heard of one of their most famous techniques, it goes something like this....
You sit in a hot SAUNA for 6 hours a day, exercises intermittently and taking vitamins, actually a special concoction called CALMAG. A calcium and magnesium cocktail. Combined with NIACIN, this helps cleanse the body of all TOXINS,(getting itchy) and purportedly coloured gunk from the shit in our environment, will start oozing out your pours. (possibly black gunk) When it is over after nearly a month of treatment, you will feel euphoric and reborn, if not severely dehydrated.
The process cost about $2500. This was necessary for sure if I was going to give it a good shot at being clean. (Due to a heart issue that I had just developed at the time, my doctor under no circumstance would clear me for this process)
Because my friend was about to open up his own offshoot of the main scientology church, called a MISSION. It was communicated to me that maybe I should take a course in 'auditing' and that way I could help these two people out by eventually being their 'phychotherapist' (never use that word) on staff.
Before I could learn how to run other people through there most intimate stories.... to relieve them of their 'engrams' or bad memories, that were subconsciously ruining their lives; I had to come clean about my entire past and put it on paper. After signing it, the church put it away in a desk somewhere and said that it would never be used against me. Ok. sounds reasonable if I can get these other personal results on the road.
Scientologists say that there mandate is to create a world that is free of crime, drugs, violence, lies etc, the list goes on. They are big on 'ethics'. It all sounds wonderful in theory.
Here is a link that I find freaky:
http://www.scientology.org/videos.html#/videos/category/beliefs-and-practices/the-creed-of-the-church-of-scientology
There is a big emphasis on the soul and reincarnation which is always a big seller. Maybe I am here to correct some of my past mistakes. Maybe with this technology, it is doable and then I will live again at a higher level. Are you with me?
I understand why we want to find some sort of meaning to this absolutely bizarre and difficult existence. I am down with that part.
You know, environmentalists have their marches, pot and vegetarianism. AA has its meetings and coffee. Christianity has their tradition, resurrection and guilt. Scientology seemed to have alot of friendly people that wanted to put a perma smile on my face. Although they often seemed a tad forced. It all didn't seem that abhorrent.
One of the things that turns me off of these so called spiritual technologies is that it cost thousands of dollars to take these courses. In the case of scientology, as much as 200,000 dollars or more by the end, and then what?
You are not told this, but once you become dialed into their programs, you are encouraged to spend most of your free time at the church volunteering in return for free courses.
I get that they need money to stay open and to turn the heat on, but why is that the leader of Scientology David Miscavige is living in a palace with cooks and servants and private planes.
Apparently he is still a real downer. No fun at all. Mr Dour. Tough life David.
Back to my experience. I was auditing people. The idea was that if I ran through an incident with them that they picked out from their past, enough times, over and over, the pain would eventually subside for them.
The truth is that actually, many times the person did seem truly elated after the session. They definitely felt happier and lighter and were often smiling and thanking me.
When I thought about it later it made sense, isn't that what we really look for in a therapist as well or a good friend? Isn't it really part of human nature to feel the need to vent our problems to somebody that will listen to them unconditionally.(Difficult)
With the auditing, we wrote everything down and I am not sure what was done with that information, where it was stored. (Don't fck with the church obviously is the message)
One day i was auditing this bright and friendly young boy of about 10.
Here is why: Check this.
http://www.scientology.org/videos.html#/videos/category/dianetics/dianetics-an-introduction
He seemed to know the process better than I did. He was going easy on me. Afterwards I questioned if maybe I might be doing some damage to him by going through these memories with him. I didn't know his parents, was this ethical?
I don't know. No harm appeared to be done. Then it was time for more courses and more money and more time and commitment.
Bottom line is I walked away after a few weeks, never to return, and felt a definite sense of relief.
I never did sign the BILLION YEAR CONTRACT that I had heard so much about. It was at this point as well that I first heard about XENU and the Clustered Thetans Insanity.
Is it really a cult with all those good intentions?
Here is the definition of a cult:
UNIVERSAL DEFINITION
CULT - Any group which has a pyramid type authoritarian leadership structure with all teaching and guidance coming from the person/persons at the top. The group will claim to be the only way to God; Nirvana; Paradise; Ultimate Reality; Full Potential, Way to Happiness etc, and will use thought reform or mind control techniques to gain control and keep their members. This definition covers cults within all majopr world religions, along with those cults which have no OBVIOUS religious base such as commercial, educational and psychological cults. Others may define these a little differently, but this is the simplest to work from. THE 'ORTHODOX BIBLE-BASED CULT'
A group is called a cult because of their behaviour - not their doctrines. Doctrine is an issue in the area of Apologetics and Heresy. Most religious cults do teach what the Christian church would declare to be heresy but some do not. Some cults teach the basics of the Christian faith but have behavioural patterns that are abusive, controlling and cultic.
The key is that they will be using mind control or undue influence on their members.
An excellent book on this subject is "Churches that Abuse" by Dr Ronald Enroth.
OTHER IDENTIFICATION MARKS
(a) The group will have an ELITIST view of itself in relation to others, and a UNIQUE CAUSE. e.i. THEY ARE THE ONLY ONES RIGHT - everyone else is wrong. THEY ARE THE ONLY ONES DOING GOD'S WILL - everyone else is in apostasy.
(b) They will promote their cause actively, and in doing so, abuse God-given personal rights and freedoms. This abuse can be THEOLOGICAL, SPIRITUAL, SOCIAL & PSYCHOLOGICAL.
I want to say that my two friends or former friends, (i may have been deemed a subversive person or SP by now)these two people still seem very happy and have technology that they use for business and relationship issues and money issues and much more. They swear that this is the answer. Try it for yourself they would say, don't believe what you here.
Since then I have looked into another alternative spiritual technology that touches more on ridding yourself of the negative aspects of the ego and the desire to receive things for yourself alone. It all seemed very helpful until I asked myself again..............why is it so bloody expensive?
Maybe I can get some people together and we can start are own technology and make it FREE. CMON DOWN, ENLIGHTENMENT IS FREE...The only issue is to come up with a suitable philosophy that will take the pressure off for the time being. I don't know.
What about selling them on no reincarnation? That ain't going to be easy. Oh lord.
Rick
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