Inside Scientology (Rolling Stone expose of $cientology a must read!)

Rolling Stone ^ | 2-23-06 | JANET REITMAN

[Central Scrutiniser]

Inside Scientology

Unlocking the complex code of America's most mysterious religion

The faded little downtown area of Clearwater, Florida, has a beauty salon, a pizza parlor and one or two run-down bars, as well as a bunch of withered bungalows and some old storefronts that look as if they haven't seen customers in years. There are few cars and almost no pedestrians. There are, however, buses -- a fleet of gleaming white and blue ones that slowly crawl through town, stopping at regular intervals to discharge a small army of tightly organized, young, almost exclusively white men and women, all clad in uniform preppy attire: khaki, black or navy-blue trousers and crisp white, blue or yellow dress shirts. Some wear pagers on their belts; others carry briefcases. The men have short hair, and the women keep theirs pulled back or tucked under headbands that match their outfits. No one crosses against the light, and everybody calls everybody else "sir" -- even when the "sir" is a woman. They move throughout the center of Clearwater in tight clusters, from corner to corner, building to building.

This regimented mass represents the "Sea Organization," the most dedicated and elite members of the Church of Scientology. For the past thirty years, Scientology has made the city of Clearwater its worldwide spiritual headquarters -- its Mecca, or its Temple Square. There are 8,300 or so Scientologists living and working in Clearwater -- more than in any other city in the world outside of Los Angeles. Scientologists own more than 200 businesses in Clearwater. Members of the church run schools and private tutoring programs, day-care centers and a drug-rehab clinic. They sit on the boards of the Rotary Club, the Chamber of Commerce and the Boy Scouts.

[Central Scrutiniser]

No you can't.

This thread is not going to be another bash Islam thread.

You have 7,000 other threads to do that on.

[zeeba neighba]

Yes, but he was a practicing satanist, who taught Hubbard everything he knew.

[augggh]

Yes, but he was a practicing satanist, who taught Hubbard everything he knew.

Again, you're wrong about this.

Read a biography of the man, if you're going to make statements about him, you should at least have your facts right.

Parsons was never, in his short life, a "practicing satanist". He wasn't even a non-practicing Satanist, by definition.

[TheClintons-STILLAnti-American]

"They assert that 75 million years ago, an evil galactic warlord named Xenu controlled seventy-six planets in this corner of the galaxy, each of which was severely overpopulated. To solve this problem, Xenu rounded up 13.5 trillion beings and then flew them to Earth, where they were dumped into volcanoes around the globe and vaporized with bombs. This scattered their radioactive souls, or thetans, until they were caught in electronic traps set up around the atmosphere and "implanted" with a number of false ideas -- including the concepts of God, Christ and organized religion. Scientologists later learn that many of these entities attached themselves to human beings, where they remain to this day, creating not just the root of all of our emotional and physical problems but the root of all problems of the modern world."

This sounds just like something from a science fiction writer.

L. Ron Hubbard, before he dreamed up Scientology, was quoted as saying "If you really want to make a lot of money, start your own religion.

He, and P.T. Barnum, were both right.

[Tribune7]

(a trait that may explain why the creators of South Park jokingly attributed every credit on its November 2005 sendup of Scientology to the fictional John and Jane Smith; Paramount, reportedly under pressure, has agreed not to rerun the episode here or to air it in England)???????

[Central Scrutiniser]

Well, they have the power to make your family never talk to you again, that's pretty scary and tough.

Takes brains to leave, but also takes balls. I feel for these people trapped.

[TommyDale]

Actually, they have used blackmail (Senator Tom Eagleton) and have broken into peoples' homes and computers. No bodily violence that I know of, but plenty of illegal activities.

[zeeba neighba]

I'm afraid that the internet is full of articles that contradict you. I did the research, sorry.

[augggh]

I'm afraid that the internet is full of articles that contradict you.

Feel free to post a link to such a source.

The books currently available in bookstores and libraries contradict your assertion.

[zeeba neighba]

Type in Jack Parsons in Google and settle down for a weeks read.

[augggh]

Type in Jack Parsons in Google and settle down for a weeks read.

You admit you don't have a reliable link to back up your assertion? If you type "George W Bush" into google, you'll also get a weeks read worth of unreliable information.

At least two biographies that I have read make it clear that you don't know what you're talking about.

The one that I reccommended earlier on the thread is called "Sex and Rockets", and is written by John Carter. It's fascinating, if you've got the time, it's worth the read.

[TheClintons-STILLAnti-American]

"No you can't.

This thread is not going to be another bash Islam thread.

You have 7,000 other threads to do that on.

Ahhh, shaddup.

I can draw very reasonable parallels on any thread I like.

I'm not about to give in to the censorship efforts of Islam--or you-- as to what and where I can say what I like.

Just like other defenders of Islam, you have got to learn that freedom of speech is not what you define it to be according to what you like and don't like.

[Larry Lucido]

Yep!

[jpl]

"99% of what my father ever wrote or said about himself is totally untrue."

-L. Ron Hubbard, Jr.

[Recovering_Democrat]

Scientology will soon sue Rolling Stone. It'll be the battle of the liars, er, I mean lawyers.

[KarlInOhio]

Her grandmother is what's called an "Operating Thetan," or "OT." So is Tom Cruise, who is near the top of Scientology's Bridge, at a level known as OT VII. OTs are Scientology's elite -- enlightened beings who are said to have total "control" over themselves and their environment.

Tom Cruise is in total control over himself? Huh?

[D-fendr]

Thetan (say it with a lisp)

[ExcursionGuy84]

Tom Cruise, who is near the top of Scientology's Bridge, at a level known as OT VII. OTs are Scientology's elite -- enlightened beings who are said to have total "control" over themselves and their environment.

Tom Cruise? Control over himself?????

*falls down laughing hysterically*

[Tribune7]

Tax-exempt since 1993 (status granted by the IRS after a long legal battle),

A strange and interesting coincidence.

[SuziQ]

You know, it sounds as though LRH decided to write a book to see just how many people would fall for his ideas. I'm sure he could see that many people were floundering out there because they had decided to reject other organized religions, so maybe he figured he'd see how easy it was to hook them in.