Inside Scientology |
Some fifteen years ago I was approached, as have many people, on the pavement of Queen Street in Auckland, New Zealand, by a fast-talking young man who asked me my name, and almost before I had time to protest I had been taken upstairs, sat down in front of a desk and an 'IQ/Personality' test put in front of me. At least that is what he called it. I filled it in, and, to cut a long story short, I was told that I would need a long course of Dianetics to help put me right. It was a bit of a shock, because I had very few problems at the time. I was quite happy with my job and with life in general. I began to have second thoughts, especially when he started inquiring about the state of my bankbook, and decided that discretion was the better part of valour. I got out of there as fast as was polite. I had no idea of what it was, nor what they wanted, but I wanted nothing more to do with it...at that time.
Nothing more happened for a while until one day I was looking through a library and discovered a copy of "Dianetics, a Science of Mental Health" by a (to me) hitherto unknown author, L. Ron Hubbard. A golden opportunity, I thought, to find out what all the fuss was about as far as Dianetics and Scientology was concerned.
I began to read. It was fascinating. And by the time I closed the book for the final time, I was convinced - Dianetics and Scientology were for me! You would have thought that after what had gone on before, I should have been on my guard. But the horrible truth is that when the Devil dresses like an Angel, he does so very well and very thoroughly. Lafayette Ron Hubbard (or LRH as he is known by his followers) wrote so well that it was very hard NOT to believe! And I believed all right! I was ready to go right ahead and undertake all the 'auditing' required, to get to that magical goal labelled 'Clear'. I even included it on my long-range list of goals. Then, about three months later, I was strolling along Swenson Street in Melbourne Central one evening, and was approached by another young man (deja vu!) and as soon as I heard the word 'Scientology' I followed him willingly.
Upon entering the Melbourne branch of the "church" of Scientology, I was asked to pay $A40.00 ($NZ57.00 at the time) for two hours 'auditing' time, which I thought was a bit steep, but paid anyway. It was, I thought, worth it if what was described in the book actually came to pass. This was in the days when $NZ57.00 was worth $NZ57.00!
Once again the IQ test was put in front of me, and I answered it again. I was as honest as I could be. The test was then taken away to be analysed, and while that was happening, there came a session of 'auditing' as described in the book. And for the first time I began to have doubts. The 'burning off' of 'engrams', described at great length in the book, did not occur, no matter how hard I tried. (If you want to find out about it, read Hubbard's book; but be warned; it is very seductive!)
Eventually the session came to an end, and I was conducted into an office for an interview with the man in charge. The interview was conducted with an 'E-meter', which I shall describe later in this document. Suffice at this early stage to say that I sat there with two wired-up tin cans in my hands, answering questions. To be honest, I could see no reason for the questions, they didn't seem to be leading anywhere. But in retrospect I can see that the questions were for finding out if I was for real. I can see now that he was trying to find out if I was spying for I found out later that the "church", like its founder, has a siege mentality; it can see enemies in every direction! They trust nobody; not even their own people!
Finally he finished questioning me, and brought out the test I had done, together with a graph. Now I know for a fact that there was very little wrong with me. But to my surprise, the man stated in no uncertain terms that I needed much auditing!
It could cost a pretty penny! Well, thought I, if it was only a few hundred dollars I could live with it. I mean, I had spent more on less in my life.
But then something prompted me to find out exactly just how much it would cost me to get to the condition known as 'Clear'. When I asked the man, he hesitated, but finally, under sufferance, took a piece of paper and began to add up numbers.
And I saw this string of zeros getting longer and longer as he added on price after price. By the time he finished, the total showed $A30,000 ($NZ42,000)!
Then as if that weren't enough, he said that this total would be only for the first part! There would be more to pay after I gained 'Clear' and proceeded 'Up The Bridge' into the 'O.T.' sections. (O.T. means Operating Thetan, Hubbard's stylised name for a human spirit.)
I had to find out where all that money was going. He gave me a sort of condescending smile when I asked, and listed several items, among them publishing fees, auditing fees, rent, rates, power and water. But the one item that sticks in my mind, and which was the one that put the cap on everything, was, of all things, the rental for an advertising billboard for Scientology on the outskirts of Melbourne! So much for that! I smiled politely and, in spite of his efforts to retain me (which were very convincing), I walked out.
Shortly thereafter, having returned home to Auckland, I was treated to a British Panorama television documentary; 'Scientology, the Way to Total Freedom?', which showed up the cult of Scientology for what it was. The man in charge at that time, David Miscavige, had taken over from Hubbard, who died in 1986 (although the Scientologist story is that he purposefully and deliberately moved from this dimension into another, higher one, so that he could continue the work that he now must do outside it's confines)! They were shown up as money-hungry con-men, who used fear, threats, extortion and fraud to get money out of unsuspecting dupes.
And then, two years later I came across a book about Hubbard, not by the "church", but by an independent journalist, Russell Miller. The title was 'Barefaced Messiah', and it was from this book's revelation of the truth behind the "church"s' story of Hubbard that I learned the true facts. (The University Bookshop should hold copies. If not, ask for it!)
So all right; what about this pseudo-science that he called Dianetics, and it's pseudo-religious offshoot, Scientology? How do they come into the picture?
Well, lets get one or two things clear before we start. Scientology was the name given to the so-called 'church' by LRH for the simple reason that if it was a church, it would not have to pay any taxes! It was a quick way of getting more money! Scientology is the 'respectable' front for Dianetics. It uses Christian ministers' robes and ranks, but nothing could be further from the beliefs of Christianity!
Dianetics itself is the basis of everything. It made a very inauspicious debut in a pulp SF/Fantasy magazine in the '50s; "Astounding". But with Hubbard's sheer magnetism, it took off with a vengeance. As a pulp S/F writer, he was already used to writing in vast quantities, and now turned all his talent to the promotion of Dianetics, and when it finally came along, to Scientology.
Dianetics itself is a crude but perfectly legitimate form of psycho-analysis, which promises power and peace of mind. It uses the 'reverie' of the mind; the part that is not-quite thinking. And it works!...for a while! The human mind, says Hubbard, is separated into two distinct parts. There is the conscious mind, or the part that you are using now, as you listen to this. Then there is the unconscious mind, or as he called it, the Reactive mind. This, says Hubbard, is the cause of all the trouble. The reactive mind has aberrations which pile up from before you were born, and sometimes, just after you were conceived! They stop you from realising your true potential. The only way that these aberrations can be dealt with is by running them out, or 'burning them off' by undergoing the form of psychoanalysis known as 'Auditing'. As I said, it works, but only for a while. Then you need more and more to gain the same result of happiness and peacefulness that you gained to begin with. And you must fork out more and more money...! Auditing is overseen by a Scientology minister, or 'Auditor' as they are known. Anyone can be an auditor. All you need is the will, and someone else to practice on!
And the E-meter.
And the knowledge.
And the money!
You see, the only way to become an auditor is by paying through the proverbial nose to the local 'church of Scientology'.
Hang on; just a mo', I thought there was a catch! How much do these things cost?
Correct; there is a catch; a wopper!
Well now; let's start off with the 'E-meter' that I mentioned earlier. Invented by a Dianeticist called Volney Mathison, it is simply a glorified galvanometer or ammeter, which measures the amount of resistance through the body between two wired-up tin-cans held in the hands, under moments of stress or excitement. It has been proven by independent scientific tests that the E-meter can not indicate anything to the auditor, over and above the possibility of it being a lie detector, because it works in the same way. Otherwise it is useless. This is why I said earlier that the interviewer put me on it. Probably he was checking to see if I was for real. The 'E-meter', with all that in mind, costs, in its cheapest form, $2700. Yes, you read right; no misprint; two-seven-zero-zero! But of course, the "church" is bringing out (and wait for the old cliche!) 'new', 'improved' versions of the 'E-meter', which naturally enough, one must pay much more for! Indeed, the latest version, the so-called 'Mark Super VII' is touted as "the most precise and accurate E-meter ever built...the most perfect meter for the Class VIII Auditor!" (the ad's words, not mine! Note the tautology!)
The lone Mk Super VII E-meter retails at $5,934!! And of course all the accessories and books on 'how to', as well as a plush velvet case (!) add to the price, to give you a very expensive piece of junk, for the grand price of $7,346!
This for a galvanometer or ammeter that one can purchase in Dick Smiths. Estimated price for full combination of internal components: about $100 - maybe more, but not much!
Now, what about the pamphlets and books.
The books are mostly written by Hubbard. He was extremely prolific right up until he died, and anything written by him is treated with more reverence than the Holy Bible itself, and sold at a phenomenal profit. Ordinary books nowadays cost between $10 and $30 in the shops. Not these. They cost upwards from $50 for a small book. Except for one. The cheapest book is "Dianetics" - the book that hooked me! It retails at $20 for obvious reasons, for it is the most effective "hook" to gain new victims! But there are sets of books going at a phenomenal price! For example, the so-called "Lifetime" editions of Hubbard's writings are bound in leather. The various sets retail for between $A1300 and $A2700.
Tapes of all his many lectures are also available at many times cost.
All the pamphlets and tracts have very optimistic, bright, colourful covers, more often than not, a fanciful picture of a man or woman or family advancing into a lovely mythical happiness, big beaming smiles on their faces, and on the far horizon, some symbol of Scientology, or even the puffy, fleshy, ugly face of Hubbard himself, all lit up with the light supposedly gained from the studies of his works. But inside, one will find that not only is it very hard to understand (Hubbard seems to have re-written the English language, using totally new meanings for old words, or making up new words to try to describe his teachings; indeed, he includes a glossary at the end of every publication for reference purposes) but it requires much studying, and very little in the way of result. To gain more, one must part out with more...money that is! But the only result that you will finally find, is a slavery to the doctrine and teaching of the "church" of Scientology; the inability to think beyond the mental straight-jacket into which Scientology puts you.
An innocent mind can be caught up in the web which the "church" has woven so well. Much of the literature that Hubbard wrote is quite fanciful, and totally impractical. Several parts of the "church"'s teaching have come to light, and they show all the signs of Hubbard's warped mind.
The "OT" sections of the 'Bridge', beyond Clear for example. Here's how it all works in.
You start off with several 'cleanups', then eventually you reach 'Clear'. After this you get to work on the 'OT' sections, OT I, OT II, OT III, OT IV, etc. So far they have
reached OT XVIII, and certainly don't look like stopping!
These OT levels are supposedly so powerful that you will contract pneumonia if you are exposed to them unprepared. The Scientology officials have tried to keep this literature from the general public, but some documents have leaked out.
OT III is now widely known. To take the full course costs $NZ15,000 (much more now!) It contains Hubbard's Cosmology, which shows all the signs of being written by a Science-Fiction writer with a wild imagination. What follows is part of a lecture given by Hubbard, connected with OT III:
"75,000,000 years ago, (Hubbard loved the idea of millions or billions of years!) the Earth was known as 'Tegeeach'. There were ninety planets in this sector, called the Galactic Confederation...
...They had elected a fellow by the name of Xenu (pronounced Zee-Nyoo) to be Supreme Ruler. And they were about to 'unelect' him! And he took the last moments he had in office to really 'goof the floof' (sic). Xenu decided to take radical measures to overcome the population problem. Beings were captured on other planets and flown to locations near ten volcanoes or more on Earth. 'H' bombs were dropped on the volcanoes destroying the bodies of the beings who, as Thetans, attached themselves to each other, as clusters. A revolt followed of the loyal officers against Xenu, who was captured and locked up in an electronic mountain fortress, and remains there still. (Sounds good, eh? Wait for it, there's more!!)
Since that time, beings born on this planet have had clusters of thetans attached to their bodies. OT III can run out these clusters, and cause them to leave us and reincarnate as individuals." ('Struth! They actually think that this is for real!?)
You may wonder how anyone can swallow all this rubbish. The truth is that a recruit is fed it in very small doses, along with much other clap-trap, and finally finds himself believing it totally! And then after receiving this very expensive treatment, which supposedly "runs out" the Thetans attached to your body, you are supposed to be able to have out-of-body experiences and be able to use telekinesis (moving things by the power of your mind only) amongst other supernatural acts. If you can't, then you must take the course again - for another $15,000 of course!
And what about auditing itself, without the use of the 'E-meter'? (this is how Hubbard originally thought of auditing. The 'E-meter' didn't come until much later.) Well, the $40 I payed initially in Melbourne paid for 5 hours auditing, was a special offer. Auditing, at the time of writing, goes at the currant working rate of $200 per hour! Work it out! It was estimated for me that I would need at least 80 (that's eighty!) hours of intensive auditing to gain "Clear"! $16,000 worth of auditing for an opener, as well as extra for the books and knowledge required, and of course, the most up-to-date 'E-meter' so that I could begin being an auditor immediately. It sure adds up!
Why this emphasis on money, and why such high prices?
Hubbard listed the requirements for a Scientology Organisation or 'Org'.
The first requirement item was: Make Money
Down the page, item J also reads,. "Make Money."
Item K reads, "Make More Money!"
And Item L reads, "Motivate other people so as to Make Money!"
The man was besotted with money, and went all out to make as much as he could, even turning to unlawful and extortionate methods; and to hell with anyone who stood in his way!
Let's find out a little more about this man who has lead so many to physical, mental, financial and spiritual ruin!
Lafayette Ron Hubbard was a prolific Science Fiction and Fantasy writer in the 1950s, who is known to have quoted George Orwell, 'If you want to make a million, you should start your own religion.' Orwell was only being sarcastic, but Hubbard took it to heart, so much so that he wrote all sorts of lies about his life prior to Dianetics, and believing all that he wrote! But this was nothing unusual; Hubbard had been telling lies about himself for longer than even he could remember. It was an overshoot from his imagination, for, right from the first time he picked up a pen, he always saw himself as the hero of all his stories.
According to the "church", - Hubbard spent his younger days journeying through the Far East, 'having the financial support of his wealthy grandfather...(on his return to the USA) he was enrolled in the very first nuclear physics course ever taught by an American University...He became the director of the Carribean Motion Picture Expedition of 1931, and...made the first complete mineralogical survey of Puerto Rico...He headed three expeditions into Central America to study savage peoples and cultures, and wrote seven million words of published fact and fiction between 1933 and 1941...
None of this is true. In fact, Hubbard led a very ordinary life, quite inauspicious. But he refused to accept that fact.
There are many tales that he made up and the "church" has kept alive, but here is a quick sample. The "church" has stated, and is very proud that Hubbard is a multi-decorated War Hero who fought in all five theatres of the Second World War, rose to the rank of Commodore of the Corvette Squadrons, and was eventually taken, badly wounded, blinded and crippled to a Naval hospital, and only succeeded in regaining his sight and full bodily health through the power of his mind.
Sounds incredible, doesn't it?
It would have been even more incredible had it been true!
But, the truth is somewhat different. He was indeed in the war, in the Navy, serving as a Naval Officer. But that is where fact and fiction separate. How he actually got into the Navy in the first place is a story in itself! He used subterfuge, backed up by his overactive, incomparable imagination. Shunted from desk job to desk job, he did his utmost to get onboard, and finally, by pushing hard, he gained a position as Commanding Officer (still a Lieutenant) of a US Naval gunboat, converted from a trawler. On the day of her sailing however, Lieutenant L.R.Hubbard, USNR, was nowhere to be found! That was the end of that posting. As luck would have had it, he was ordered to report to be trained as a Sub Chaser Commander, and arrived there with grand tales of having been on destroyers, specifically the USS Edsel which conveniently had been sunk. Eventually he was placed in charge of a Sub Chaser, and the first time at sea off the coast of Oregon, Hubbard was certain to the point of obsession that there was at least one enemy submarine lurking somewhere below them. He wasted tons of depth charges, having to reammunition several times.
When an independent report was made, it became known that there were no subs at all, enemy or otherwise in the area. Hubbard was greeted with scepticism by his superiors. As it finally turned out, there was a small magnetic deposit on the seabed below his position, clearly marked on the charts of that time. Hubbard had declared war on a magnetic deposit!
During all this, Ron's imagination painted him as the hero of the day, as well as the adventurous sub-sinker. Unfortunately nobody else thought the same.
He did a four-month course on 'Military Government' at the Naval Training School in Princeton, New Jersey, which prompted him to claim forever after that he had completed his education at the Ivy Leagued Princeton University!
Eventually he was admitted to the Naval Hospital, neither wounded nor blinded, but with a gastric ulcer!
And the only decorations he was awarded were four very ordinary ones; the American Defence Service Medal, awarded to everyone serving at the time of Pearl Harbour, the American Campaign Medal, the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, and the World War Two Victory Medal, received by everyone serving on V.J. Day.
L. Ron Hubbard firmly believed that he could do no wrong. His writer's imagination went totally wild, and he was such a compelling personality that he took everyone along with him! The late great SF writer Isaac Asimov told of an evening when he and several other famous writers and their wives gathered for a small farewell dinner party for Hubbard, prior to Hubbard joining the Navy. Hubbard was the star of the show. Asimov recalled: "(I and my friends) liked to hog the conversation - ordinarily. On this occasion, however, we all sat as quietly as pussycats and listened to Hubbard. He told tales with perfect aplomb and in complete paragraphs."
Hubbard made up a whole new history and life about himself. Times which were unremarkable he would festoon with happenings culled from his fertile imagination, making himself the indisputed hero! He even thought of himself as a reincarnation of Cecil Rhodes, founder of Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) and liked to sport the type of wide-brimmed hat that Rhodes wore. He was obviously unaware that Rhodes was a homosexual!
All right, so far we have seen that the messiah of Scientology is a paper messiah, and the religion is based on fantasy and fiction, not fact.
What have others gained from it?
There are many people who have got out of the "church" of Scientology, who look back now and wonder how on earth they ever got involved with it.
And where does the money go to?
"Yeah! Where does it go, eh??"
The fees are not, as Hubbard and the "church" swear, used for the good of mankind. The money is never seen again. The top brass; David Miscavige, Heber Jensch, Norman Starkey, Annie and Pat Broker and others, are getting richer and richer. Jensch himself stated blatantly on the Panorama program that the "church" was in the category of one of the largest corporations in the world.
And still the money rolls in, from the poor dupes at the bottom of the pile, who have been promised power, happiness and peace, and given nothing in return.
The Panorama programme showed how ex-scientologists were threatened with all manner of horrors if they opened their mouths. There is now even a document that all ex-members are expected to sign, the document of secrecy. This gives the "church" power over them outside it's boundaries; for if they talk, then it can immediately sue for breakage of contract as well as libel.
And sue it does! The "church" has made much use of the courts, more often than not winning it's claims, and pulling the life out from under another poor ex-member!
The famous singer John Travolta has been a Scientologist for almost fifteen years, and spoke nothing but good about it all that time. But recently I heard that he was making moves to remove himself from the "church"'s confines. Whether he succeeds is open for debate! A particular English girl, unnamed for her own safety, has admitted that it took the "church" no more than three days to get two thousand pounds sterling ($NZ6000) from her; all she owned. And these are not isolated incidents. Many people have been dragged to financial ruin thanks to their loyalty to the con-cult.
And still it marches on - to 'Clear the Planet' in it's own terminology, lying, cheating and stealing, and ruining life after life after life!
If you are in it - think hard, and get out.
And if you are not in, but are considering joining, DON'T!
Scientology and Dianetics are evil, and they will ultimately destroy themselves. But they will take quite a long time to do so, and in that time, they will destroy many thousands of people. And one of them could be YOU.
You have read this document.
Please, take it to heart and be careful.
And don't get mixed up with Scientology. If
you do, whatever you are, Christian, Atheist, Buddhist or Hindu;
believe me, you will regret it!