The St. Petersburg Times is running a special report on Scientology and purported violence that goes on inside:
Physical violence permeated Scientology’s international management team. Miscavige set the tone, routinely attacking his lieutenants. Rinder says the leader attacked him some 50 times.
Rathbun, Rinder and De Vocht admit that they, too, attacked their colleagues, to demonstrate loyalty to Miscavige and prove their mettle.
Staffers are disciplined and controlled by a multi layered system of “ecclesiastical justice.” It includes publicly confessing sins and crimes to a group of peers, being ordered to jump into a pool fully clothed, facing embarrassing “security checks” or, worse, being isolated as a “suppressive person.”
At the pinnacle of the hierarchy, Miscavige commands such power that managers follow his orders, however bizarre, with lemming-like obedience.
I find it strange that anyone would be attracted to this science fiction cult, but it’s a sad testimony to human fallibility.
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19 Comments
Especially when Elron practically admitted he was making the whole thing up. He said he wanted to start a religion to make money. Then years later he starts a religion. Doesn’t require a proverbial rocket scientist to figure that one out.
You know, wikiquote has seven different sourced quotes of him saying that very thing. Some of the people quoting him said he used to say it all the time that the best way to make money is to start a religion.
It’s bad enough people follow stupid old religions. But when a guy says hey, I’m going to scam you, it’s probably best not to give him all your money.
I know. The first time I actually read what Scientology was about, I thought it was a joke and that people can’t really believe that stuff.
Man. Forget having a theological argument with a Xtian fundie, I’d love to sit down with a Scientologist for a few minutes. I mean, believing in an all-powerful god is rather understandable compared to the convoluted nonsense of Scientology; what goes on in their heads?
Not much. I know one of them. There’s not much going on in his head at all.
A Righteous Jewish Zombie sounds like sci-fi to me.
More like horror or fantasy?
What I hate is when atheists I know regard Scientology as a great joke at the expense of religion. Like “Mr. Hubbard sure showed everybody that religion is just about making money, and that people are suckers!”
yeah, real great. I think this is something that being needlessly antagononistic toward religion is going to have to answer for someday. That some dude was so pissed off at Christianity that he decided to… oh, I know, come up with something ten thousand times worse, and then just wait and watch it destroy people’s lives.
In my opinion, religion doesn’t need any help from the non-religious; it is perfectly capable of harming people when it is being practiced by people who actually believe it, tyvm. (I maintain that religion can also be beneficial, but its hard to argue that it doesn’t cause the occasional war, you know?)
*sigh @ life and the world*
In France there is a big crackdown on scientology right now.
I really don’t understand this. Someone lets someone else attack them 50 times. If it were me, maybe once would be for free – with a warning. If he tried it again, he’d show a lot more respect when he got out of hospital.
@Len – something tells me you’re not the Co$ target demographic then
You’re probably right – I have a brain (and a second degree karate black belt).
Well, when you’re brainwashed enough to believe that you deserve the punishment or else reveal your ‘weaknesses’ and ’suppressed whatever’ or something… They know they’re going to be downgraded and demoted if they don’t submit. The whole process of indoctrination begins with pinpointing or construing psychological weak spots. They drive a wedge into them until you have a real breakdown, and then they build you back up to be a drone.
I guess you’re right, but I just can’t see how someone would believe that stuff in the first place.
I sorta agree with Len. I know cult brainwashing leads you to amazing levels of self-destruction, but mein gott!
Enh, I can understand where he’s coming from. I want to hit those creeps too sometimes.
Scientology is the worst possible religion out there in my honest opinion. It’s an insidiously evil organization which makes fundamentalist radical muslims such as the Taliban look as innocent as Hermey the misfit elf.
I think they are smarter in how they sucker people in. They start with very non-controversial “educational” techniques that actually are quite helpful! It is not immediately obvious that it is a religious cult. They gain trust, then gradually let their true colors show. My ex-husband and son went to scientology classes for a couple of years, but fortunately when it got religious my ex knew to pull out. People who are needy and vulnerable will not risk losing the approval of higher-ups and their community if they have doubts – they will repress those doubts for all they are worth until they disappear. They they terrorize people into not “doubting” their faith. Just like every other religion. This is classic brainwashing – not so hard to understand really. Then they have high-profile celebrities vouching for it…I see the appeal for those who are sick of the other religions. This is what makes scientology very insidious and scary.
I’m a scientologist and after this case I have much more respect for the church. I will actually go to scientology int. one day and work with Miscavige, thats how much I love and respect the work he does. Honestly.
And you’re ok with the fact that a science fiction writer invented the religion so he could make money?