L Ron Hubbard

Scientology: Circus of the Stars

grrlscientist — Sun, 30 May 2010 03:59:05 +0000

Scientology: Circus of the Stars

tags: The Thinking Atheist, Scientology: Circus of the Stars, L Ron Hubbard, Dianetics, Thetans, Xenu, operating thetan, E-Meter, auditing, humor, funny, offbeat, streaming video

Shake off those physical chains and become the god you were meant to be! This video by The Thinking Atheist provides a look at the history and philosophy of the popular mind-control cult known as Scientology.

grrlscientist Sat, 05/29/2010 - 23:59

I couldn't stand more than a minute of this. Why hammer away at the visitor with pounding music? That junk is put into television commercials precisely to arrest critical thinking.

It sounded more like an advertise for the Scientology...

It is what was said and how it was said....

leaving one wondering ... Hhmm... I need to check this out.... All this famous and rich people are part of it... hmmm...It is good for them, it can be good for me too...

Why mention famous people at all...

A Look at Scientology's Secret Base

grrlscientist — Sun, 23 May 2010 04:59:06 +0000

A Look at Scientology's Secret Base

tags: Scientology, SeaOrg, cults, religion, mind control, offbeat, weird, L Ron Hubbard, A Look at Scientology's Secret Base, Twin Peaks, AnonOrange, Angry Gay Pope, streaming video

The Twin Peaks base houses a vault full of Scientology's precious scripture. It's also a place to hide if WWIII breaks out. And it's a place where celebrities can come and escape. But judging by all the high fences and UltraBarrier, it's also a prison camp. Protesters AnonOrange and the Angry Gay Pope pay them a visit, seeking missing cultists Shelly Miscavige and Heber Jentz. Instead, they meet cultists Sarah Bellin and Arthur Bolstad in this lonely outpost surrounded by security fences and motion detectors.

Days after this video was shot the cult tore up the fence area, bought dozens and dozens of trees, and filled the parking lot with dirt. They want to make sure nobody ever sees inside that fence again! Now, did they have a permit to do that?

I am not endorsing their money-raising campaign, but you can view more information here.

grrlscientist Sun, 05/23/2010 - 00:59

So, they have their own Area 51?

heh, so it would appear.

You go Angry Gay Pope! I've been fascinated with this cult ever since I discovered alt.religion.scientology back in the late 90s. Back then, most people still knew next to nothing about Scientology and couldn't believe it when told about their criminal underbelly. It's heartening to see that the work of three different generations of critics finally has them soaking in entheta and in full retreat around the world. I believe that the best way to dissuade the unaware is not to keep them away from Hubbard's "tech", but to expose them to it in all it's batshit glory . . .

http://vimeo.com/1227000

Here's an update video. There will probably be a third in a few days:

Scientologists Frantically Rush to Hide Secret Vault Base Twin Peaks Behind Emergency Bushes

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=almrml0zYHo

It might prove helpful to call this a "cult compound" as opposed to a secret base. Secret base sounds kind of neat and even official while the other is just scary. Anyway, it really isn't very secret now is it?

If you view a Google Earth map of the area with their "Real Time Earthquakes" overlay you might agree that it is not a good place to keep a very large LP gas storage facility nearby. There's quite recent activity thereabouts, like this month. Apparently there are a lot of faults associated with this place regardless of how you look at it. Feng shui would say a dragon lives here.

Scientology President's Daughter Slams 'Toxic' Cult

grrlscientist — Sun, 23 May 2010 03:59:58 +0000

Scientology President's Daughter Slams 'Toxic' Cult

tags: Scientology, SeaOrg, cults, religion, mind control, offbeat, weird, L Ron Hubbard, Scarlett Hanna, Australian Broadcasting Company, streaming video

Scarlett Hanna, the daughter of the president of the Church of Scientology in Australia, speaks out against the organization in this eye-opening interview with the Australian Broadcasting Company.

grrlscientist Sat, 05/22/2010 - 23:59

The Un-Funny TRUTH about Scientology

grrlscientist — Sun, 18 Apr 2010 04:59:01 +0000

The Un-Funny TRUTH about Scientology

tags: The Un-Funny TRUTH about Scientology, scientology, religion, cults, beliefs, L Ron Hubbard, television, Smoothmedia, streaming video

This astonishingly disturbing video is by Smooth media and is about cult of Scientology.

grrlscientist Sun, 04/18/2010 - 00:59

What Is Scientology?

grrlscientist — Sun, 18 Apr 2010 03:59:25 +0000

What Is Scientology?

tags: What Is Scientology?, scientology, religion, cults, mind control, Thetan, silly, offbeat, beliefs, Xenu, L Ron Hubbard, television, Boston Legal, streaming video

James Spader explains Scientology in an episode of of the television program, Boston Legal.

grrlscientist Sat, 04/17/2010 - 23:59

That show is amazingly biting (and good) with its humour.

I was smiling throughout, but the "getting closer as I speak" was what sent me rolling on the floor! :D :D

Also "Christians... are they nuts?" - "Most."

I love it when television goes to the trouble to take on Scientology. Reciting OT3 in the courtroom is a grand dig at the organization which spent decades suing over its copyright and confidentiality.* I would love to know if there was any backstory from OSA hassling the producers or the network - they usually don't miss a single media event without bawwwwing about it.

Law and Order did a very nice job with the more veiled Systemotics in the episode "Bogeyman."

*Further reading: Wikipedia: Scientology and the Legal System

Life after Scientology

grrlscientist — Sun, 21 Mar 2010 05:59:23 +0000

Life after Scientology

tags: Tommy Davis, scientology, religion, cults, mind control, Thetan, silly, offbeat, beliefs, Xenu, L Ron Hubbard, television, Life after Scientology, ABC1, streaming video

ABC Australia's "Four Corners" investigate the realities and impact on members and ex members, of Scientology's overtly retributive doctrine. Includes rationale from Tommy Davis.

As more ex members reveal the inside workings of a cult once banned [1960's] in three Australian states, authorities again prepare to re-examine Scientology's tax exempt religious status, granted in 1983.

This is a fascinating investigative series that includes footage of L Ron Hubbard as well as other influential people who were near him.

Trailer:

Part 1 (the first two minutes are a repeat of the above trailer/overview):

Part 2:

Part 3:

Part 4:

Part 5:

Still want to belong to or defend this cult?

grrlscientist Sun, 03/21/2010 - 01:59

Anyone dissatisfied with the wonky sound quality of the Youtubes can watch the piece on demand on the ABC/Four Corners website, here.

ABC has trully departed from being worthy of calling itself a news reporting agency. This article is worthy of the national enquire. This is the sort of material I grade poorly coming from my highschool students. ABC really needs to go back to the basics of good jornalism.

I was a Scientologist, both as a public person and as a staff member for a period of some 14 years and I can say, hand on heart, that these witnesses are highly credible. I did not witness each and every aspect of what they say about Scientology but what they say about the organisations of Scientology reflect exactly the mentality I found within it. To some degree committed Scientologists, including the Scientology spokesperson you see in the film, Tommy Davis, are victims themselves. While locked within the organisation they feel duty bound to only ever say what the documents of L. Ron Hubbard have instructed them to say and those documents do not allow what we would ordinarily recognise as honest discourse. Furthermore, the documents command those in Scientology who have been given positions of power to do all they can by almost any means possible to harass anyone who criticizes Scientology. Such people are hand-picked to obey to the letter of these documents and drilled and coached to the nth degree never, ever to stray.

The semi-military arm of Scientology, the Sea Organisation is run under the same black and white rules of you being either with them or against them with no place for thought in between. Total obedience is demanded. It is ironical that the main stated goal of Scientology is to bring people Total Freedom. A less free-thinking group of people (other than arguably Hitlerâs Nazi Party) is hard to imagine.

$cientology is as bad as Islam, though thankfully much smaller.

Its all true....I was guilty of the acts described against Sea Org members in the name of saving the world. I was one of the highest ranking Sea Org executive in the US for a time in the 70's...I apologize to those I mistreated in the name of Scientology...Tommy Davis is one day going to apologize as well...for being a dupe...but I would have done the same as a 'true believer'...its a form of brainwashing using the best of people to forward a group agenda that only cares about the group...individuals be damned...eventually you figure out the group is individuals and you escape...John Warnes

Definately a must see!

One of the most revealing interviews, which can be seen on the right of the page at the 4 Corners you provided a link to, is that of former scientologist Hana Eltringham Whitman.

Hana was a long time Scientology 'Sea Org member' beginning as a young woman, when L Ron Hubbard was there and she was rewarded early on for her youth and dedication when Hubbard chose her to be Captain of 2 of his ships. Some of her very credible testimony here, about her life there and about the madman Hubbard, was on the internet when I first searched the cult after having left 10 years before. I have alot to thank Hana for because even though I'd left, I never spoke to anyone about my experiences and after reading Hana's affidavits and such I finally came to know what it means to be free from Scientology.

I wish the Aussie gov't understood why there should be an inquiry. Of the many that don't for fear of retribution, these people who spoke up are credible and their stories ring true to many ex members, myself included.

Their bravery and this excellent expose are opening up the door to understanding what others are protesting.

GrrlScientist, in fairness to ABC Australia who did all of this good work, you should include a link to the original website in your actual post. Though there is one in the above comments, as the author of this post, it is only fair to cite and link to the original source you borrow so much content from.

I was a Commadores Messenger on Hubbards ship the Apollo, a long with Hana Eltringham back in the late 60s. Hana is a very credible wittness. If it hadn't been for her I probably wouldn't have gotten off the ship.

As a child I never understood why the adults got so hooked into Hubbards madness. It has taken me most of my life to come to terms with what went on. The most appalling thing to me, today, is that it is still going on, and has been for all these years. It has taken years for many people to come out and tell their stories of life inside scientology and especially the Sea Org.It took me nearly 40 years to talk about it, and I probably never would have, had it not been for a chance encounter with an e-meter.

I believed as a young child that the e-meter was like a god, just like most thought of Hubbard, and I believed that the e-meter could read you're thoughts.

My hope is that more people get to see these videos on ABC and that an enquiry his held into the abuses that are rife in the world of Scientology.

For myself and I'm sure many other people, it's a shame the ban on scientology both in Australia and England in the late 60s wasn't kept in place.

Sharone, I feel very sorry for you, not because of what you say happened to you when you were a child, rather because you are making a huge mistake, attacking people who are helping people. Scientologists are getting kids off drugs. They are saving lives in disaster zones. They volunteer hundreds of thousands of hours in their communities and do whatever it takes to improve things in their area. These are good people you are talking about. You have been gone for 40 years? I've been in Scientology as long as you've been gone. I can tell you one thing. You are NOT describing Scientology. Whatever you experienced was probably caused by a couple of odd balls who blew off years ago. Like Hannah (who my the way was one of the strangest people I met in 40 years as a Scientologist).

@Jeanne-
Nice direct link to Scientology.org (a honeypot, btw) in your sig. If you so prominently represent Scientology, then you wouldn't be shy about coming back here and leaving your full name?

Hana (you spelled her name wrong, Jeanne) will be appearing at a major conference in Hamburg Germany on March 26, along with Jesse Prince, Bruce Hines, Marc Headley, Wilfried Handl, Markus Stuckenbrock, Lino Bombonato, and experts Graham Berry and Ursula Caberta.

It seems the war of words will go on forever but one thing I do know from over a decade in Scientology is that from within the Scientology organisation your only "truth" is what your 'supposed' to say. Once you leave Scientology the relief is enormous. Why? Because you experience again what it feels like to be free to truly speak your mind, to choose for yourself what seems to make sense to you and not to be always thinking of "what if I say or think this, will it come up in a Scientology session and get me into trouble or cost me money to have it processed?" That's not life. That's not living. And that's CERTAINLY not freedom.

Many Scientologists are telling their truth when they say they have had great times in Scientology. I did myself. Some of the people I met in their were some of the best people I ever met. But, there is a fear at the back of each Scientologist's mind, that they'll think some "wrong" thought, say some "wrong" thing and make the powers-that-be in Scientology down on them like a ton of bricks, either harassing them, setting a detective on them or attempting to smear them and destroy them.

These latter are part of the dirty little "secrets" of Scientology. The organisation is part wonderful, I loved much of my experience of it. But it is also part rotten, sinister and coldly fascistic. Until Scientologists are TRULY free to speak their minds without fear of their own people everyone should be very careful not to take their words at face value. They will basically say ANYTHING to avoid the truth if it is perceived as harmful to the reputation of L. Ron Hubbard or of Scientology in general.

In reply to Jeanne- March 23/2010.

No, you have that all wrong. You see I feel sorry for YOU. You have been a scientologist for 40 years, that's some serious brainwashing.If you would just listen to Tommy Davis, you would know brainwashing is a crime.

What you have got right is the odd balls,there were a couple of extremely odd balls and their names were Lafeyette Ronald Hubbard and MarySue Hubbard. Lafeyette went into hiding and died, sorry to dissapoint you, but he won't be coming back and MarySue Hubbard went to prison with several other scientologists from the Guardians Office for infiltrating the US government offices. Unlike what you have probably been told, they did not steal copy paper. You think "the church of scientology" cannot afford its own copy paper?

When you finally find the courage to look at all the lies you have been told, get back to me and maybe we can discuss why we feel so sorry for one another.

As for Hana Eltringham, if it wasn't for her, I would most likely still be in the same place you are, then I would have something to be very sorry about

Scientology Beliefs On Soul

grrlscientist — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 05:59:27 +0000

Scientology Beliefs On Soul

tags: Tommy Davis, scientology, religion, cults, mind control, Thetan, silly, offbeat, beliefs, Xenu, L Ron Hubbard, television, BBC, CBS, streaming video

This is an interview with Tommy Davis, international Scientology spokesman, regarding the tragic death of Jett Travolta due to the medical neglect that their cult demands from its adherents, including Jett's parents. Davis is very scummy because he never gives a straight answer to any question asked. I also have embedded some other videos of Davis, where he reveals his less than angelic side.

Incidentally, Tommy Davis (the guy being interviewed in the above video) was captured on video harassing a BBC reporter (Part 1):

Part 2:

Part 3:

Part 4:

I wish there was a really good comedian who would tangle with these wingnuts on secret camera to bring them down in the eyes of the public.

grrlscientist Sun, 03/14/2010 - 00:59

I suspect Bill Maher tried, but was unable to get close, so had to settle for http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2rSYaMlOm30.

Tommy Davis is hillarious.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OM-wGKbTsHM

This was in reply to the SP times article about Scientology.
http://www.tampabay.com/specials/2009/reports/project/

Good post, and nice selection of clips.

I would like to point out that Shawn Lonsdale, featured in the BBC clips, committed suicide in Feb 2008.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shawn_Lonsdale
Thank you for your bravery, Shawn.

I found it a little odd that the reporter seemed to make out that Scientology's belief about the soul and eternal life was some how odd, when essentially it's no more crazy (or rather, just as crazy) than what Christians believe.

Scientology Escapee Breaks her Silence

grrlscientist — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 04:59:26 +0000

Scientology Escapee Breaks her Silence

tags: Sea Organization, Sea Org, Tommy Davis, scientology, religion, cults, mind control, Thetan, offbeat, beliefs, Xenu, L Ron Hubbard, television, Life after Scientology, ABC1, streaming video

Raised as Scientologists, Christie King Collbran and her husband, Chris, were recruited as teenagers to work for the elite corps of staff members who keep the Church of Scientology running, known as the Sea Organization, or Sea Org.

They signed a contract for a billion years -- in keeping with the church's belief that Scientologists are immortal. They worked seven days a week, often on little sleep, for sporadic paychecks of $50 a week, at most.

But after 13 years and growing disillusionment, the Collbrans decided to leave the Sea Org, setting off on a Kafkaesque journey that they said required them to sign false confessions about their personal lives and their work, pay the church thousands of dollars it said they owed for courses and counseling, and accept the consequences as their parents, siblings and friends who are church members cut off all communication with them.

After everything that's happened to her, this poor woman still considers herself to be a scientologist??? GAH!!

grrlscientist Sat, 03/13/2010 - 23:59

People have to realize that Scientologists are totally conditioned and brainwashed. This is the way their courses (especially their TR courses)and auditing(all personal info kept to blackmail member later) are set up.
Some members have a little bit of critical thinking left and they leave, but still stay Scientologists. They become independent Scientologists. At least they are no longer contributing money to the cult. Although mentally they are still adhearing to the teachings of founder L. Ron Hubbard who was a huge con man and created their slave labor force the Sea Org and the RPF, the policies on family disconnection and also taught his memebers that whatever is wrong with a person(mentally or physcially) it is THEIR fault. They continue to follow because they are brainwashed.

Very sad situation, and our government should have nipped this in the bud many years ago.

@ Mary T
More people agree with you all the time

I've been a Scientologist for many many years and I am the exact opposite of "brainwashed" and "conditioned." It really bothers me to see all this false data about my religion being spread around by people who have no clue what they are talking about. There is no, repeat NO, slave labor, incarceration or other nonsense going on in Scientology. Enough with the lies, already!

@ Chris S

The Scientologists' party line doesn't become truer with repetition. In fact, this comment shows how blind you are to all the pain being caused by your "religion." It also shows that you are incapable of a simple Google search, which is strange, since you found this article just fine.

Please take some time to stop in to the Ex Scientologist Message Board and catch up with the people you have been forced to disconnect from. They feel liberated, and they are happier every day, finding out how to get refunds and finally free from the demands for money that are constantly thrown at them.

And of course, take some time to look at this ABC Four Corners documentary. Not only is Scientology abusive, but the abusive ideas originated with L Ron Hubbard himself. Good luck.

Another new OSA handler nick? At least Scientology is trying to "appear" not to be "handling" the Internet.

Scientology: Inside the Cult

grrlscientist — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 05:59:56 +0000

Scientology: Inside the Cult

tags: scientology, religion, cults, mind control, Thetan, silly, offbeat, beliefs, Xenu, L Ron Hubbard, television, BBC, streaming video

Speaking of Mormonism and other cults .. erm, religions .. I thought I'd give you a peek at Scientology. In this television report, hidden cameras go inside the London Scientology Organization to expose their inner workings. It seems that even the Mormons could learn a few mind-control techniques from the Scientologists.

I find it really depressing to think that one Scientology survivor exchanged one form of mind control for another: after he escaped Scientology, he then became a Christian.

grrlscientist Sun, 03/07/2010 - 00:59

Dear GrrlScientist,

I would like to send you an excellent treatise that illustrates how science and religion can coexist in peace, and even with synergy, within the same great mind. Please send me your mailing address, and I'll have Amazon.com ship it to you directly: "Faith of a Scientist," by the late eminent chemist â and faithful Latter-day Saint -- Henry Eyring.
Hthalljr'gmail'com

Tracy, let's take it as a given that "science and religion can coexist in peace, and even with synergy, within the same great mind." What do you think that then shows?

The need to belong is strong in many people. So strong that it makes jumping from one cult to another almost inevitable.

It seems that even the Mormons could learn a few mind-control techniques from the Scientologists.

Hard to beat the Scientologists at that. I think the main difference between Scientology and other cults is that Scientology, by all appearances, was conceived as a cult from the very beginning - the 'typical' cult grows out of a religious scam working better than anticipated, and that growth is thus often rather erratic. Plus, Scientology is a relatively new cult, so they don't yet suffer from a church leadership actually believing in their teachings.

Still, they seem to have a pretty high attrition rate by now, as high or even higher than the Mormon Church. It's the Internet - cults work best when they can effectively control communications and information flow for their followers, and the Net makes that more and more difficult.

"I find it really depressing to think that one Scientology survivor exchanged one form of mind control for another: after he escaped Scientology, he then because a Christian."

It's been a while since I've seen someone go, in one sentence, from somewhat intelligent and reasonable (other than the references to Mormonism as a 'cult') to immature and trolling.

For someone that prays no to God, all I have to say is "stupid is as stupid does" Starting your own religion is nice work if you can get it!

Pretty great video, too bad that they didn't touch on the celebrity recruitment that goes on in the US

Moral relativism goes only so far before it becomes foolishness. There is no comparison between an ancient religion such as Christianity that has been reformed over 2000 years and a 50 year old cult created by a science fiction writer who said "the way to make a million is to create a religion."

Notably, the COS offers to make you a god in your lifetime, at great financial expense. In contrast, Christianity and Islam, for example, ask for you to live a virtuous life to receive rewards in the after-life.

Among many other things, it's the promise of super powers in this lifetime in exchange for money that helps to separate a cult from a religion. This is simply permutations of old frauds. "You are possessed by demons, give me your money and you will be cured. You can also have super powers if you give me even more money."

Also indicative of the cult aspect is the secreting of the allegedly sacred texts until payment for them on progressively higher levels.

Assuming you wanted to play a bait and switch from self help group to whacked out outer-space cult, that's exactly how you would do it. How many churches charge $400,000 for the bible? This is not a tithe. This is demanded for the actual scripture and to obtain alleged enlightenment of the higher levels (and greater super powers of course).

There is no comparison between an ancient religion such as Christianity that has been reformed over 2000 years and a 50 year old cult

Just wait 1950 years and you won't be able to tell any difference.

I think that you should stick with the birds, unless you like offending a large number of your readers.

@ DDolan
Lolwut?

The majority of people have this accepted fact in common.

That #cientology is dying and won't take over the world.

And won't fulfill their desires to kill family values.

But we ex-scientologists won't give up, until each RONBOT IS saved or dead.

SCIENTOLOGY KILLS EVEN ITS OWN PEOPLE.

"Look, look, they charge beforehand, rather than teaching their followers to tithe! What more proof could you want that their teaching is false?" When the religious go to argue how their own religion is so much better than that other fellow's, it becomes impossible to parody them. And also useless to point out how silly their arguments are.

Sigh.

Great video but your opinions on the other unrelated religions was really was tacky.

Becoming a christian is not like becoming a scientologist or a mormon. A christian by esssential definition is just someone who believes in Jesus Christ as the messiah expressed in the old testament. There are Catholic Christians and then there are Protestant Christians, the latter being the composite name for anyone who is not a Catholic christian. In that category you have hundreds of different denominations, named and unnamed, and each is a choice. A christian is not required to go to church or following any particular rules of a church unless they decide to and they have the freedom to come and go as they personally see fit. A Mormon is a specialized group who believe in much of the bible but also idolize and follow the teachings of the creator of the group, Smith.

A scientologist by defination at this time, is one who is a member of that organization and must follow the cult rules and teachings. There are many people quiting Scientology recently but some are still calling themselves scientologists or independents. These people still practicing but without the church sanctioning. Many wil do this as they learn the truth on the internet while they are trying to learn to think for themselves uninfluenced by years of indoctrination.

The defectors leaving Scientology who still embrace it's tenents may well grow into another group but at this time, there is a garden variety of ex members and there is no agreement on what an independent scientologist really is. In my book, one is or isn't a scientologist, preferably the latter. lol. But recovery takes time.

To bad you didn't just post this excellent expose video with minimal opinion instead of diverting the topic onto subjects that have noting to do with this dangerous cult. I think the commenter who said 'maybe you should just stick with the birds' may have a point because of this. Yes, anyone in a cult like organization can learn from this video. Not just the Mormons you mentioned.

Scientology=modern whack cult. Mormonism=older whack cult, major world religions=ancient whack cults. All based on unverified faith and someone else promise of telling the truth, "for sure and for twue".

Telling the blogger to not comment their opinions on topics as their right as blog owner....Doth protest too much. Make your own blog.

So what evidence of Mind Control do you have for Mormons?

I'd like to know. I am one. Please tell me since you're clearly an expert and scientifically minded, and presumably a rigorous and analytical thinker.

I don't know whether to laugh or to cry.

Yeah, what are you talking about GrrlScientist Scientology is crazy, Mormonism is slightly less so, and worshipping the zombie son of carpenter born 2000 years ago is perfectly rational.

When judging how crazy or rational a belief is the primary factors to be considered are 1) how many other people believe it 2) how long people have believed it. Those are the only two factors.

Note, however, that you need both factors. The "how many other people believe" factor doesn't work on it's own. Hence, global warming isn't real even though some surveys say most people believe it, because they're only believed it since Al Gore's movie.

That's enough waxing epistemological... I'm sure you get the point...