Scientology

2004-12-15 06:26:00

Looks like we have two powerful polarities arguing for and against Scientology.

I first came across Dianetics and Scientology around 1969. I first read the book Dianetics, The Modern Science of Mental Health and was quite impressed. His teaching on engrams and a process to remove them seemed basically correct and quite exciting at the time.

An engram is like a hypnotic suggestion planted in our brains through a painful experience, which subconsciously controls us and causes us all kinds of psychological and health problems. If they are all removed, or diffused, one then attains a state, which is called "Clear." Hubbard made it sound like a Clear would be a superman, or at least a Buddha in the making and I wanted to see if there was anything to it.

I contacted several centers and ordered more books and information and later visited a couple of them.

I was disappointed that the courses leading to the state of clear cost so much. It was much more than I could muster. I asked a couple students there who looked rather penniless how they managed to take the courses. They told me that they lived and worked there in return for the teachings. Poor fellows seemed to live on a few dollars a week. Since this life was not for me, and I was not rich, I decided to settle down with some of the books and see what I could learn.

I was disappointed that none of the other books or literature I read stimulated me like the first book. It was almost as if they were written by a different individual.

I have since concluded that his original teachings on Dianetics were inspired and involved some soul contact, but then decided he wanted to build an empire and milk the teachings for the maximum amount of wealth and power possible. This focus then diminished his soul contact and even though he still came up with some interesting ideas and teachings they did not contain the inspired principles as did his early teachings.

Even so I gained some valuable knowledge from the writings I did study and have used some of his auditing teachings to aid with regression and healing.

One thing I found is that this is a relentless organization, for after contacting several centers I have since, for about 35 years received an average of about three pieces of mail a day, some of them expensive, slick publications. This continues even though I have not responded to them since about 1971. If they just gave me the money they spent on me in postage and printing it could have paid for most of their courses.

In addition I have received many handwritten letters from students living at the organizations over the years. One thing that concerned me was that most of their handwriting revealed some mental instability and I wondered if they joined Scientology because they felt they needed help or was it that working for the organization destabilized them?

A few years ago when my nephew and I were in Salt Lake we happened by a Scientology center. Since I had not seen one for many years I thought we would pay a visit. I had read a lot about clears and levels above this but never met one so on entering the center I requested to visit with someone who was clear or above.

I believe it was the manager who eventually let us unto his office. We had a friendly conversation and he answered a lot of questions I had about the progress the organization had made since I had last looked into it. As we were talking I couldn't help but notice that he was smoking so I said to him.

"From what I have studied from Hubbard's books a clear who is free of engrams is supposed to be logical in all his decisions and thinking. Since you are beyond a clear how is it logical that you would be a smoker when smoking is harmful to you?"

He chuckled and said, "When you are clear you can smoke and all the harmful elements will just pass through you as if they do not exist so it is not harmful to me at all. Therefore, there is no reason for me to not enjoy a cigarette."

My nephew and I looked at each other and we both knew the other was thinking "OK." We shortly thereafter excused ourselves and went our way not being impressed with his illogical logic.

Around this time I discovered that true soul contact mixed with mental polarization over the emotional can produce automatically all the benefits of the clear.

Hubbard taught the opposite of turning the other cheek. He expected opposition to his ideas and programs and mapped out an aggressive strategy of either attacking first, intimidating his enemies or at the very least being totally prepared to fire back if attacked.

Some ex members have come away with horror stories about being attacked when they have said or written anything negative about the group - some even claim their lives have been threatened.

Perhaps John can tell us is there is any truth to this.

I also just read an amazing accusation on the web. It states that the original OT VIII initiation revealed that L Ron Hubbard was the ant-Christ, which was a good thing because Jesus was not a holy man.

There are a number of stars who are Scientologists, amount them are John Travolta, Tom Cruise, Kirstie Alley, Lisa Presley and others.

Like anything that is out there Scientology has its plusses and minuses. Soul contact will guide the initiate through the maze.

The 50-50-90 rule: Anytime you have a 50-50 chance of getting something right, there's a 90% probability you'll get it wrong. Andy Rooney (1919 - )