Posted on 01/12/2005 5:10:10 PM PST by Murray Luther
The Forbidden Side of Scientology By the Reverend Murray Luther, Jan 13, 2005
An Ex-Fanatic Speaks Out
This is the first entry in a series of reports and commentary on the ever controversial Church of Scientology. I've been a member for roughly thirty years, and as of this writing I still remain in good standing. I've received hundreds of hours of Scientology counseling, and have attained some of the highest spiritual levels that it offers. I've also done significant amounts of training in the delivery of Scientology counseling, as well as courses in the administration of Church management policies. I've been a Church staff member, and have done many hours of volunteer work as a Scientology activist. On top of all that, I'm also an ordained minister. I speak from a wealth of experience.
Murray Luther isn't my real name. For the time being, I've chosen to publish my reports anonymously because Scientologists are forbidden to make public statements regarding Scientology without prior approval from the Church's PR and Legal departments. And saying anything critical about Scientology, the Church, or its founder L. Ron Hubbard only compounds the crime. Because I've chosen to speak candidly about my Church experiences and opinions, I'm committing an offense of the most heinous sort.
In the event that the Church discovers who Murray Luther really is, I'll be expelled from the group and Scientologists will be forbidden to communicate with me in any way. The Church's quaint policy of shunning its dissidents is an outdated and backwards practice that has no place in modern society. Although my excommunication is perhaps inevitable, I'd prefer to initiate my own "coming out" at a time of my own choosing.
For the most part, Scientologists are decent and well meaning people with a sincere desire to help others. But too many times I've seen over-zealous Church staff and management take undue advantage of their own good people. I've come across too many instances of abuse and incompetence that now compel me to speak out. I can no longer sit silently, uninvolved and watch innocent people get hurt.
Although I'm well acquainted with the militant approach of eager Scientologists trying to forward their religion, I believed that in the end, goodness was ultimately served. Not too long ago, I started to have some second thoughts about this. I began to wonder about the human cost, if the ends were actually justifying the means. Even the most noble of causes loses its virtue if you find that your sense of right and wrong has been compromised.
There was a time when I believed Scientology was a benevolent religion dedicated to the good of mankind. While this may in part still be true, in recent years I've had to adjust my view. What I once considered enthusiastic dedication to a worthy spiritual purpose, has taken on the specter of religious extremism. I started to wonder if perhaps the Church of Scientology had stepped over the line.
Dedicated Scientologists are intensely motivated to make extraordinary sacrifices of their time and money-often at the expense of other aspects of their lives. While that alone is hardly a crime, I think it's worth noting that extreme self-sacrifice is a common trait found among many fanatical groups. When Scientologists become zealots, they end up compromising their personal values in favor of what they believe is a greater good: devoting their lives according to the dictates of the Church of Scientology. Consequently, dedicated Scientologists come to view their religion as senior to everything including life itself.
The Scientology zealot serves as an illustrative example of the basic mindset of the religious fanatic, a true believer who's prone towards unusual and excessive behavior. And let's not forget that Scientologists are hardly alone in this single minded zeal towards their religion. Religious extremism is a worldwide phenomenon that both history and current events have shown to be troublesome and at times even destructive.
I avoid calling myself a Scientologist these days. Although there are certain Scientology principles that I still embrace, the thought of being a Church member has become distasteful to me. Frankly, it's gotten embarrassing. Scientologists seem unaware of their own fanaticism and how it adversely affects the public at large. In recent years I've grown weary of discussing Scientology with the general public because it so often involved having to explain and downplay all the anecdotal stories of mistreated people.
I found myself less and less willing to use PR spin to clean up other people's messes. I won't do it anymore. The ends no longer justify the means. Rather than continue to explain away these messes, I've decided to evaluate and discuss them instead. In subsequent reports I'll provide candid analysis of the Scientology movement, past and present, as well as my opinions regarding the Scientology movement.
It's not unusual for the Church of Scientology to attack their critics with accusations of slander, fraud, and various other ungodly deeds. Scientologists like to use words like "religious discrimination," when speaking about their critics. The Church is quick to label their opponents as "anti-religious extremists," and members of "hate groups." Because I now publicly oppose their rigid orthodoxy, I suspect that I might get similar treatment. Such is the price of dissent in Scientology. Such is the arrogance of its Church.
Murray Luther is the pen name of a Scientologist who's been in good standing with the Church for over twenty-five years. © Copyright Murray Luther 2005. All rights reserved.
Are you aware that L. Ron Hubbard is still alive?
Murray Luther. Sorry. That was not an intentional slight.
He lives in you and me.
They were very friendly and helpful while I was there the short time. They offer "audits" to help you get started on the right path. Each audit of course has a good price tag attached to it. One pays dearly to conform with the COS.
As I recall from collected news articles over the years...
L Ron Hubbard long ago was a writer of fiction, now a founder of religion.
Arafat was a heartless terrorist, died a leader of some sort married to a not pretty gold digger.
Ted Hayes was a ratty looking homeless man interviewed on the news complaining about what he and his fellow homeless people felt entitled to for free. Now he is a recognized and respected advocate of the homeless.
They accomplished these with the help of non thinking average people, although I think COS goes for the wealthy more than the average Joe on the street.
Go figure.
For anybody who is about to get into any other high-control religion, you have to watch out for these signs.
# Absolute authoritarianism without meaningful accountability.
# No tolerance for questions or critical inquiry.
# No meaningful financial disclosure regarding budget, expenses such as an independently audited financial statement.
# Unreasonable fear about the outside world, such as impending catastrophe, evil conspiracies and persecutions.
# There is no legitimate reason to leave, former followers are always wrong in leaving, negative or even evil.
# Former members often relate the same stories of abuse and reflect a similar pattern of grievances.
# There tend to be many records, books, news articles, or television programs that document the abuses of the group/leader
# Followers feel they can never be "good enough".
# The group/leader(s) is always right. Either through outright admission or through unwritten rules, AKA (Our leader may be misdirected at times, but he's imperfect, however, if you speak against Their/His/her direction, you're turning your back on the group and you're evil.
# The group/leader is the exclusive means of knowing "truth" or receiving validation, no other process of discovery is really acceptable or credible.
Authoritarian: There is almost always a central, charismatic, living human leader who commands total loyalty and allegiance.
Oppositional: Their beliefs, practices and values are counter to those of the dominant culture.
Exclusivistic: They are the only group that possesses the "truth."
Legalistic: Rules and regulations abound governing spiritual matters and the details of everyday living.
Subjective: They emphasize the experiential, the feelings and the emotions. This is usually accompanied by an anti- intellectualism.
Persecution-conscious: The groups feel they are being singled out by mainstream Christians, the press, parents, and the government.
Sanction-oriented: They require conformity in practice and belief, and exercise sanctions against the wayward.
Esoteric: They promote a religion of secrecy and concealment. Truth is taught on two levels, inner truth and outer truth.
Also watch out for family members and friends that seem to shy away from you due to their new religion.
Egad, I feel like I'm rubbernecking a bloody train wreck :- |
"...attained some of the highest spiritual levels that it offers."
That phrase alone tells you more than any other part of the story.
Scientology "offers" (as in sells) spiritual levels. The more you make as a hollywierd actor or lawyer/judge .... the more "spiritual you may become .... your only limit is how much CASH you have to give.
I went in with my stubborn streak turned on just to be in the clear and safe from them if they closed in on me too much.
Read up here: http://www.clambake.org
Do tell. Have you ever met Tom Cruise and Nichole Kidman?
bump for later read
I'm a socioanthropologist. Scientology, like some other cults, is a pseudo religion. For the emotionally and therefore spiritually bereft of the feel good culture being shoved down our throats for 35 years, it used the classic elements necessary for any new religion: heavy emphasis on what amounts to simple understanding of the human ohyche, what makes us pack/herd animals get along and what makes us confrontational.
Hubbard did this as a weird experiment in Jungian psychology. As far as I was ever able to tell, he never meant it to be a real religion, he just wanted to compel readers and sell books. When he died, his wife preyed upon the gullible for profit. If you're creative enough and a good student of human psychology - you don't need a degree, just a good brain - you too and invent a cult of your own.
If you're really that openly critical and questioning of Scientology, study the methodology Hubbard used in mapping his books.
There are no secrets to it, only elements of the ritual methodology of established religions combined with the most popular buts and pieces of pop culture
A previous poster has it right: Muhammad successfully used Judaeism and Christianity and combined it with the STRICTEST, most secret aspects of ancient Semitic tribal culture to create Islam and did a giid job, even though half the time he was wasted on opium laced wine to ease the pain of wounds he'd received while killing off while tribes of his own people
Just as Hubbard did while combining the most fascinating aspects of all the major religions and combining them with the most Californian of pop cults. You're not a member of a real religion, you're a member of his widow's complexes.
One thing is for sure...people on welfare...will never be members of Scientology...they can't afford it and they aren't the type to be accepted in the exclusive club.
Hmm, I thought some have been homocidal.
BTW, L. Ron Hubbard's mentor was Alastair Crowley, the reknowned black witch homosexual pedophile Satanist.
bump for later
You could easily be describing the Communist Party. Is the COS any different? Not in my mind.
For the most part, Scientologists are oblivious to how they're perceived outside of their own little bubble world. Sort of like blue state liberals.
I have a very good friend whose parents were "into" Scientology for many years. They spent untold thousands of dollars, and finally kicked her out of the house when she was 16 because she would not follow the Scientology program, on the instruction of their Scientology superiors. She went through incredible hardship trying to support herself at that age.
The philosophy of Scientology, as understood and expressed by her parents to her (and still to this day) is the epitome of selfish hard heartedness. Any trouble she may have (such as a disabled child, and severe asthma) are her own fault, she "created" them. Her very wealthy parents offer her no financial, emotional or personal support whatsoever, and in fact still use her at every opportunity.
Scientology...that's like AmWay, right?
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