Some real Scientology questions...

[Ontir]

...since the other thread got locked (I'm still not sure why), and I can't ask them there:

What exactly is that meter meant to measure?

Why is it that all the external literature goes on and on about getting "Clear;" but makes no mention of "OT," or "Golden Age of Tech," which follows becoming "Clear?"

What are those things?

Why is is so secretive?

I've relatives who live near Scientology properties in Florida, They tell me about guards with guns on the rooftop. Why? What's in there that needs to be guarded like that?

Was there ever a funeral of L. Ron Hubbard, and when did he die?

[StoneGold]

The problems with these questions, the only people here likely to know are either Scientologists or people with a grudge against Scientology. Why the fuck would anyone else bother to know? Either way, you're not exactly getting an unbiased answer.

[Jared_Humpherys]

IIRC, the meter is supposed to read the electromagnetic emissions of the Thetans in a person, thereby determining how many alien souls are infecting an individual.

What it REALLY does, I have no damned clue. Probably an etch-a-sketch or something.


As far as the latter, I believe getting "Clear" means exorcising the Thetans from all being on Earth, thus allowing humanity to reach its true potential, the Golden age of Tech. Think of it as Scientology's version of the Rapture.

(thank you, South Park & ytmnd.com!)

[Mike Smash!]

IIRC, the meter is supposed to read the electromagnetic emissions of the Thetans in a person, thereby determining how many alien souls are infecting an individual.

What it REALLY does, I have no damned clue. Probably an etch-a-sketch or something.

From what I gather, it's an unsophisticated polygraph and it just reacts to your pulse.

[The Batman]

I think that the impression of security given by having armed guards on the roofs of their compounds might be part of a show to give the high profile members of their religion a greater sense of comfort and feeling of safety.

That or they're a supervillianous orgainization like AIM or Hydra or Cobra or something.

[Jared_Humpherys]

From what I gather, it's an unsophisticated polygraph and it just reacts to your pulse.


Doesn't a polygraph also measure skin conductivity, respiration, and vibration?

(though that's what you could be meaning by the Scientology meter being unsophisticated, I guess...)

[The Batman]

So it's not an alien ghost soul meter?!?


Dammit, I've been lied to!

[Jared_Humpherys]

Y'know, this gets me thinking: what kind've people(aside from insane Hollywood types) would actually go for a belief like Scientology?

I figure it'd make a great religion for those urban-legend-truck-driver serial killers who kill hitchikers, but other than that...

[howyadoin]

Y'know, this gets me thinking: what kind've people(aside from insane Hollywood types) would actually go for a belief like Scientology?Well, that's just it - when you first join up, it's not pushed as a belief system. It's supposedly more of a self-help, networking-skills kinda thing.

They don't tell you about Xenu and the aliens till you've given the lots of money.

[Athena Bast]

Eat your vitamins and take daily saunas and you too can reach your xenith.

[Mike Smash!]

Doesn't a polygraph also measure skin conductivity, respiration, and vibration?

(though that's what you could be meaning by the Scientology meter being unsophisticated, I guess...)

Yup. That's what I meant. A polygraph is usually operated by someone with some level of training and competance, too.

[Jared_Humpherys]

Well, that's just it - when you first join up, it's not pushed as a belief system. It's supposedly more of a self-help, networking-skills kinda thing.

They don't tell you about Xenu and the aliens till you've given the lots of money.


True, and I've been told that the whole aliens angle doesn't come into play until you've already paid a boatload of cash(which matches what you said).

Still, one would think that's it's garnered enough negative press that people would know better by now.

[Mike Smash!]

So it's not an alien ghost soul meter?!?


Dammit, I've been lied to!
The only real ghost detection device is this one:

http://www.tensiondigital.com/blog/wp-content/img/pke_meter.jpg

[Jared_Humpherys]

Yup. That's what I meant. A polygraph is usually operated by someone with some level of training and competance, too.


Good point.

Personally, I find myself viewing your typical Scientologist rep as akin to Michael J Fox's character in "The Frighteners," the difference being that the latter actually saw spirits.

[The Batman]

The only real ghost detection device is this one:

http://www.tensiondigital.com/blog/wp-content/img/pke_meter.jpg

Yup. Egon Spengler is my Prophet of Prophets. Only through his teachings can one hope to reach Ecto-containment.

[Jared_Humpherys]

Yup. Egon Spengler is my Prophet of Prophets. Only through his teachings can one hope to reach Ecto-containment.


the Ghostbusters religion can be summed up as follows:

"If someone asks you if you're a God, say yes!"

[Stellar]

So it's not an alien ghost soul meter?!?


Dammit, I've been lied to!

Don't listen to them, you fool. Scientology is a perfectly legitimate religion. We're trying to save your soul, your SOUL, goddammit.

The reason we have guards is because zealous unbelievers could attack at a moment's notice because our presence might trigger hostile behavior in the alien parasites that inhibit their bodies.

And the reason we don't tell you anything, if the Dalai Lama told every buddhist what it feels like to reach Nirvana, what would be the point of trying to reach it?

Heathens.

[Chris Nowlin]

"If you want to make money, start a religion"- L. Ron Hubbard

[Ontir]

I just realized that Stellar's new avatar is L. Ron, himself, and not the announcer from the Late Show, with David Letterman!

[TheTen-EyedMan]

Scientology may have Xenu but we Catholics have Mary's sister going up to heaven after having a baby that she swears blind she didn't have sex to get.

Question.

Was Mary's sister a Westlake Teenager?

That joke only works if you live in Chicago.

[Iangould]

Y'know, this gets me thinking: what kind've people(aside from insane Hollywood types) would actually go for a belief like Scientology?

I figure it'd make a great religion for those urban-legend-truck-driver serial killers who kill hitchikers, but other than that...

Pretty much anybody can be suckered into scientology.

It was consciously designed to exploit people's fundamental weaknesses - the basic pitch is they give you a "personality test" and regardless of how you answer the results are pretty much the same.

"You have enormous potential but you're a screwed-up mess because of your lousy upbringing. If you don't sign up for our treatments you'll probably go insane. Whatever you don't like about your life, we can fix it."

Most people are vulnerable to cult-style manipulation under the right circumstances - take a look at Germany under Hitler or Stalin's Russia for examples.

[TheTen-EyedMan]

Ian, you can convince a malleable person to do anything for you. Even Kill.

If you know the story of the French Village Oradour-sur-Glane (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oradour-sur-Glane) then you'll understand that people can be made to do anything if you convince them.

[Michael P]

Was there ever a funeral of L. Ron Hubbard, and when did he die?
From Wikipedia:

"Hubbard died at his ranch on 24 January 1986, aged 74, reportedly from a stroke. He had not been seen in public for the previous five years. Scientology attorneys arrived to claim his body, which they sought to have cremated immediately. They were blocked by the San Luis Obispo County medical examiner, whose examination revealed high levels of a drug called hydroxyzine (brand name Vistaril), which is sometimes used for its antihistamine or anti-emetic properties, but is also psychoactive (which would make it disapproved of, if not forbidden, under Scientology doctrines). The Church of Scientology announced Hubbard had deliberately "discarded the body" to do "higher level spiritual research," unencumbered by mortal confines."

[TheTen-EyedMan]

An Anti-Emetic. So he was full of shit after all.

[Nikita]

...since the other thread got locked (I'm still not sure why), and I can't ask them there:

What exactly is that meter meant to measure?

Why is it that all the external literature goes on and on about getting "Clear;" but makes no mention of "OT," or "Golden Age of Tech," which follows becoming "Clear?"

What are those things?

Why is is so secretive?

I've relatives who live near Scientology properties in Florida, They tell me about guards with guns on the rooftop. Why? What's in there that needs to be guarded like that?

Was there ever a funeral of L. Ron Hubbard, and when did he die?



Scientology is for "crazy" people and that's all you need to know.


And that, is my expert opinion. :D

[Tobias March]

I was at a trade exhibition yesterday for 'Toys 4 Big Boys' (that was the name of it) mostly gadgets, cars, they had a tank out back and a few Wii consoles....

Why the scientologists had a stand there I simply cannot figure out.

[Iangould]

I was at a trade exhibition yesterday for 'Toys 4 Big Boys' (that was the name of it) mostly gadgets, cars, they had a tank out back and a few Wii consoles....

Why the scientologists had a stand there I simply cannot figure out.

They're looking for people who are a. insecure and b. have money to burn.

Why do you think they were there?

Come to think of it that also explains why they target celebrities.

[BYC]

I can't remember where I read this or maybe heard of it from somewhere, but scientology promotes the belief of a caste system. Since Hollywood types have the money and the influence and are given special treatment, they often believe they are better than other people.

Other than people with money are targetted for obvious reasons, the caste system belief gives people with money a measurable level of belief within scientology.

[Spike-X]

I saw a friend of mine reading a Dianetics pamphlet a few weeks ago. I advised her to disregard it. I hope she took my advice.

She didn't even know it was Scientology-related until I told her.

[Ontir]

I can't remember where I read this or maybe heard of it from somewhere, but scientology promotes the belief of a caste system. Since Hollywood types have the money and the influence and are given special treatment, they often believe they are better than other people.

Other than people with money are targetted for obvious reasons, the caste system belief gives people with money a measurable level of belief within scientology.

This would explain the Celebrity Centre in Hollywood. That was one of the first things that made me question the organization as a whole, even before moving to LA. Pretty much every other religion eschews worldly things, to focus on the spiritual - even the most greed centred fundamentalist Christian groups talk the talk, even if they never walk it! Anyway, I was hoping that Stellar was the real deal, and was willing to share some of his perspective; but based upon his responses, I'm thinking that's not the case. I'm interested in anyone's sincere input; but I'm looking for a bit more than, "They're all crazy!"

[Magneto_X]

Ontir:

Wiki "Scientology", "L.Ron Hubbard" and other Scientology based terms/names.

L.Ron's son interview:

www.rickross.com/reference/scientology/scien269.html

Facts about Scientology

www.holysmoke.org/theta.htm

Scientology Critics Info Center

www.xs4all.nl/~kspaink/cos/mpoulter/scum.html

Xenu.Net

http://xenu.net

[Ontir]

Cool! Thanx!

The interview with his son is amazing!

[Paradox]

Ontir gets serious about it:

Why is is so secretive?

Well, to start, there's not much that intrigues humans more than the unknown. And once you get in, there's the "I know something you don't" superiority feeling. It's a typical brainwashing scam.

Plus if it was exposed to the light, more people would realize what a total crock it is.

[Paul McEnery]

Scientology is for "crazy" people and that's all you need to know.


And that, is my expert opinion. :D
So you're saying you signed up then, yeah? :evilsmile

[Paradox]

Great. I see Paul's name and anticipate a florid in-depth analysis.

What do I get? A wisecrack!

JONAH! I want my money back! :p

[Elegance Liberty]

Well, to start, there's not much that intrigues humans more than the unknown. And once you get in, there's the "I know something you don't" superiority feeling. It's a typical brainwashing scam.

Plus if it was exposed to the light, more people would realize what a total crock it is.

The thing is, every single attempt to expose Scientology for the scam it is has been squashed by their lawyers. Seriously.

YTMND.com is lucky they even managed to get out 'alive' after the whole debacle earlier this year. If that ain't a crude version of 'David and Goliath', then I don't know what is.

[Paradox]

Elegance Liberty sees more coverup:

The thing is, every single attempt to expose Scientology for the scam it is has been squashed by their lawyers. Seriously.

Well of course. They have lots of money for lawyers.

What? You didn't think the law was about right and wrong did you? :)

[Kid Omega]

The thing is, every single attempt to expose Scientology for the scam it is has been squashed by their lawyers. Seriously.

YTMND.com is lucky they even managed to get out 'alive' after the whole debacle earlier this year. If that ain't a crude version of 'David and Goliath', then I don't know what is.

What about Operation: Clambake?

Isn't that guy still fightin' the fight?

edit: yup... http://www.xenu.net/

[Boldido]

What about Operation: Clambake?

Isn't that guy still fightin' the fight?

edit: yup... http://www.xenu.net/

I think some of their overzealous litigiousness bit them in the ass once or twice.

One story that comes to mind is when they went hard and fast after a guy and he made many of the church's writings as an appendix to his motion thereby making them public record. All of a sudden, these writings that one had to pay thousands and thousands of dollars for after years of auditing were available to anyone who wanted to make a public records request.