"Could you point to me to where Scientology admits that some of its teachings are secret? I very well may have missed it, but in all the reading I've done, I haven't seen it stated quite that way."
Take a look at the scientology "grade chart" it says it right next to the level.
"If you somehow have to "condition" people to accept your teachings, there MUST be something wrong with them. You keep coming back to this "accepting" you, well, I don't care if you wrap yourselves in tinfiol and play Bee Gee's albums backwards waiting for the mother ship. Just don't expect us to pay for it by granting your "church" tax-exempt status. And when you CONTINUALLY harass your critics, don't expect them to go quietly."
There are critics for everything and there are 2 sides to every quarrel. Nothing is absolute and I'm sorry if you think otherwise.
"No. By having a significant financial stake in the outcome, people are much more likely to give a good critique"
Not if that person felt ripped off. If you bought a basket of fruit and they were all rotten inside would you would take it back or eat it?
"I'm not talking "basics", I'm talking SPECIFICS. Apparently they have something to hide, and knowing the whole story, I can see why."
Apparently you've figured it all out no there is no need to even talk to me.
Apparently you've figured it all out no there is no need to even talk to me. Actually, I'm still waiting for you to defend your "beliefs". But all I get is bromides. You say NOTHING to back up the Co$.
You can't defend L. Ron's deceitful bio.
You can't defend the unscientific story of Xenu, thetans and Teegeeack.
You can't defend the fact that the Co$ gets tax-exempt status as a "church", yet you charge people for auditing.
You can't defend the behavior of Scientology toward its critics.
You can't explain how a simple electrical device, which can be built for 20 bucks and a trip to Radio Shack, and only crudely measures skin resistance, can give an "auditor" an insights into the human mind.
You can't justify the secrecy that your organization holds over its higher levels, even to the point of telling people if they are exposed to them before they were ready, they could die.
As a matter of fact, in this whole discussion, you haven't given any reason for me to believe Scientology is anything but a cult. On the contrary, your contining mantra of "can't you just leave us alone" makes me even more convinced.