Scientology documents leaked online (spam on topic only)

[fable]

Get 'em while they're red hot! Or at least, while they're still available. Apparently, a law firm representing the secretive Scientology religion has demanded their immediate removal from Wikileaks, where they have appeared.

This is the base page. Bear in mind, this stuff is very long. A brief summary of brilliant highlights by founder Hubbard can be found here. My favorite is the comment about a head of the Galactic Federation, Xenu, sending large amounts of people to Earth sometime between 75 million and 4 quadrillion years ago. Enjoy.

[Siberys]

*Saved to notepad for exploitation.

[Caden]

This short clip pretty much sums it up as well.

YouTube - Scientology: The Truth

Scientology is a horrible cult that lies, steals, harrasses and slanders people, are extremely secretive, and allegedly kidnaps and murders people. They prey on the weak and confused, and make those people even more mentally damaged. Scientology is definitely something that needs to be gotten rid of.

[Naffnuff]

This, or some like document appeared in public here in Sweden a decade or so ago. I actually had the chance to read it, but I had to fight my way through the hordes of Scientologists put on guard at the public institution where the single copy was housed. Their strategy was to take turns at "reading" the single copy so that nobody else could get the chance. To say the least, I was amazed at its contents, pure science fiction. Just a short while later some U.S. congressman managed to put enough pressure on the Swedish government for them to withdraw it from public view. A black day indeed.

Originally Posted by Caden

This short clip pretty much sums it up as well.

YouTube - Scientology: The Truth

Scientology is a horrible cult that lies, steals, harrasses and slanders people, are extremely secretive, and allegedly kidnaps and murders people. They prey on the weak and confused, and make those people even more mentally damaged. Scientology is definitely something that needs to be gotten rid of.

True. But couldn't the same be said about most religions, including quite a few mainstream ones? While Scientology is more of a parody of a religion, everywhere they are is the same obviously unreal fantasy stories that for some reason we are all obliged to tiptoe around so as not to offend people's sensibilities. It is like insanity is the norm, and we should have to justify rejecting it. Man's stupidity is only surpassed by the viciousness with which he defends it.

[Lady Dragonfly]

Originally Posted by Naffnuff

True. But couldn't the same be said about most religions, including quite a few mainstream ones? While Scientology is more of a parody of a religion, everywhere they are is the same obviously unreal fantasy stories that for some reason we are all obliged to tiptoe around so as not to offend people's sensibilities. It is like insanity is the norm, and we should have to justify rejecting it. Man's stupidity is only surpassed by the viciousness with which he defends it.

Can I sign my name under this, Naffnuff?

Nice to have you back, btw.

Anyway, why did you want to read that copy?

[Naffnuff]

By the way, I evolved fins after reading it.

[Naffnuff]

Thanks! It's been a while, I know.

Well, this was before the internet explosion, so these pieces of information were hard to come by. To tell you the truth, I didn't know much about Scientology, just that they were after people's money, but who isn't? I had this friend who had been in the cult, but she wouldn't tell me anything, and besides, for obvious reasons I wouldn't have taken her word for anything. So, the very young man that I was, I was just very curious, not just about Scientology, but about everything. But the stuff that I came across on that day was really far beyond what I had expected, I mean it was just baroque!

Maybe it was my youth, but I really didn't think people would try to pass off this kind of stuff, let alone buy it. Honestly, if it hadn't been for those hooligans trying to stop me, I would have taken it for a slanderous forgery, Elders of Zion type of stuff. But it seems their beliefs are really things along the line of fable's paraphrase above, at least they don't deny it. Later I saw an interview with L.Ron (king of Elves) and it made sense. He seemed a mythomaniac, for example he claimed to have held prominent positions in academia, to have led wondrous expeditions, to have visited all the peoples of the earth, and so forth. And this was his conclusion, the fruit of his labours: "Everywhere man struggles for survival." This discovery is actually his, in case you have ever wondered where it came from.

Why were you asking?

[Lady Dragonfly]

Church of Scientology has its official website where you can learn the basics and buy L. Ron (Elrond?) Habbard's books for $25.
Apparently, they are protective of their mysterious "technology", whatever that might be, but all sects and cults are. Do they really kidnap and murder?

[Naffnuff]

Oh, I should perhaps point out that while those books you pointed out are available for purchase were available back then too, and I had skimmed through a few of them, that particular document I was referring to supposedly contained the highest level of knowledge you could attain in Scientology. You were supposed to go insane if you read it without the proper preparations, which incidentally would cost you a fortune and a decade of reading only Scientology crap. Needless to say, I wasn't too impressed with their version of the Absolute Truth, but of course, I had been so eager for the good stuff that I had skipped a few preparatory classes. Murder and kidnap I don't know, I've never heard that one before.

[Caden]

Originally Posted by Naffnuff

True. But couldn't the same be said about most religions, including quite a few mainstream ones? While Scientology is more of a parody of a religion, everywhere they are is the same obviously unreal fantasy stories that for some reason we are all obliged to tiptoe around so as not to offend people's sensibilities. It is like insanity is the norm, and we should have to justify rejecting it. Man's stupidity is only surpassed by the viciousness with which he defends it.

Sciengologists are welcomed to believe whatever they want. It's their behavior, their immoral and illegal actions, that I am more concerned with. The court doesn't even give Scientology the "religion" status. They specifically refer to it as a "sinister cult".

[SupaCat]

I thought that in America Scientology was a religion, while here in Europe it is a cult.
I trully fear Scientology, not because of the "true meaning" behind the "religion", but because of the people who lead it. Everybody who joins it and breaks their connections with their family. I saw a documentary about it, by the BBC. The cult followed the reporters, and when they interviewed someone who left the cult, they came to the reporters and told all the deepest secrets of the one who left, because every member of the cult tells their secrets so they could achieve a form of serenity or something like that. They force everybody to call them a religion and not a cult, even though they have all the aspects of a cult. They say you don't have the right to call them a cult, but then again what right do they have to call themselfs a religion? They sue everybody who is against them and even the reporters were in trouble becoming sued.
It is a cult to be feared, that's for sure, and the worst thing is that they do almost everything legally. They can destroy your life and no one could do anything about it.

[fable]

Originally Posted by SupaCat

I thought that in America Scientology was a religion, while here in Europe it is a cult.

Most USians who know what Scientology is regard it as a cult. The two words aren't identical.

[C Elegans]

Originally Posted by Naffnuff

This, or some like document appeared in public here in Sweden a decade or so ago. I actually had the chance to read it, but I had to fight my way through the hordes of Scientologists put on guard at the public institution where the single copy was housed. Their strategy was to take turns at "reading" the single copy so that nobody else could get the chance. To say the least, I was amazed at its contents, pure science fiction. Just a short while later some U.S. congressman managed to put enough pressure on the Swedish government for them to withdraw it from public view. A black day indeed.

I remember this very well. Scientology has never been well known or popular in the secularised Sweden, so many people didn't actually pay attention to the events until the Scientologists actually managed to lobby on the US government to put pressure on the Swedish government and forced Swedish authorities to seal the Scientology documents. That made a lot of people realise that Scientology is an organisation with real influence in the US, not only a handful of loonies that people laugh at, as it is here in Sweden.

Originally Posted by SupaCat

I thought that in America Scientology was a religion, while here in Europe it is a cult.

Originally Posted by Fable

Most USians who know what Scientology is what regard it as a cult. The two words aren't identical.

Scientology is classified as a destructive cult, not only in Sweden or Europe, but by the international criteria (among them, authoritarian power structure, exclusive and esotheric system, demands for payment in order to "develop" within the cult, use of mind control techniques, harassment of ex members etc).

In Sweden, Scientology is a very small cult, but it is ranked as the most destructive of the destructive cults that exist at all in Sweden. In the late 1980s when Scientology was on its peak in Sweden, it was estimated to have a few thousand members. Now, the number of members are thought to be only about 200-300. Some of those make a lot of noise, however, Their main activity in Sweden is to spread negative information about psychiatry, especially treatment against depression, psychosis and ADHD, and research about neuropsychiatric disorders. They usually target one or two well known professors in the field, and start personal campaignes against those. They will write letters (usually the same person will write under 20 different names) to schools, hospitals, the County and various authorities and accuse that specific professor of mistreatment of patients etc.

Unfortunetly, Scientology is allowed in Sweden under the act of religious freedom, whereas in Germany and France, it is recognised that Scientology is in fact a destructive cult. In France, it is banned under the legislation against destructive cults. In Germany, it is not banned but scientologist are banned from holding official positions and positions within German authorities. Recently, German officials stated that Scientology was unconstitutional, so it is very possible that also Germany prepares for a ban. Contrary to Sweden, France and Germany had the guts to reject the complaints from the US government regarding the "unfriendly allegations" of Scientology.

Originally Posted by Naffnuff

True. But couldn't the same be said about most religions, including quite a few mainstream ones? While Scientology is more of a parody of a religion, everywhere they are is the same obviously unreal fantasy stories that for some reason we are all obliged to tiptoe around so as not to offend people's sensibilities. It is like insanity is the norm, and we should have to justify rejecting it. Man's stupidity is only surpassed by the viciousness with which he defends it.

Whereas I am personally an atheist, I do think it is important to distinguish between religion, cults and destructive cults. The important difference is not what stories each organisation believe in, the important and principal difference is the destructive part, that a destructive cult will contain elements that are inherently harmful to some or all of its own members. Core elements of this harm is mind control, totalitarian leadership, using members to recruit new members and to raise funds, and harassment such as threats or abuse when members leave or try to leave the cult.

For those who want to now more about definition of and effects of, destructive cults, I recommend the work by Dr Robert J Lifton and Dr Margaret Singer.

[Lady Dragonfly]

Scientology has never been well known or popular in the secularised Sweden, so many people didn't actually pay attention to the events until the Scientologists actually managed to lobby on the US government to put pressure on the Swedish government and forced Swedish authorities to seal the Scientology documents. That made a lot of people realise that Scientology is an organisation with real influence in the US, not only a handful of loonies that people laugh at, as it is here in Sweden.

One of those "lobbyists" who pressured the Swedish government was Rep. Sonny Bono (yeah, that one, post-Cher). Sonny took some scientology courses and claimed that L. Ron changed his life. Well, he was dumb anyway.

Both Bill and Hillary Clinton were friendly with Scientology groups at the time. Chicago Mayor Richard Daley even accepted a kind of "L. Ron Humanitarian award" from Scientologists.

The real "lobby" is Hollywood celebrities though: Tom Cruise, Katie Holmes, John Travolta, Priscilla and Lisa Marie Presley etc.

For those who want to now more about definition of and effects of, destructive cults, I recommend the work by Dr Robert J Lifton and Dr Margaret Singer.

Yes, and here is one set of criteria:

Common Properties of Potentially Destructive and Dangerous Cults

The cult is authoritarian in its power structure. The leader is regarded as the supreme authority. He or she may delegate certain power to a few subordinates for the purpose of seeing that members adhere to the leader's wishes and roles. There is no appeal outside of his or her system to greater systems of justice. For example, if a school teacher
feels unjustly treated by a principal, appeals can be made. In a cult, the leader claims to have the only and final ruling on all matters.

The cult's leaders tend to be charismatic, determined, and
domineering. They persuade followers to drop their families, jobs, careers, and friends to follow them. They (not the individual) then take over control of their followers' possessions, money, lives.

The cult's leaders are self-appointed, messianic persons who claim to have a special mission in life. For example, the flying saucer cult leaders claim that people from outer space have commissioned them to lead people to special places to await a space ship.

The cult's leaders center the veneration of members upon themselves. Priests, rabbis, ministers, democratic leaders, and leaders of genuinely altruistic movements keep the veneration of adherents focused on God, abstract principles, and group purposes. Cult leaders, in contrast, keep the focus of love, devotion, and allegiance on themselves.

The cult tends to be totalitarian in its control of the behavior of its members. Cults are likely to dictate in great detail what members wear, eat, when and where they work, sleep, and bathe-as well as what to believe, think, and say.

The cult tends to have a double set of ethics. Members are urged to be open and honest within the group, and confess all to the leaders. On the other hand, they are encouraged to deceive and manipulate outsiders or nonmembers. Established religions teach members to be honest and truthful to all, and to abide by one set of ethics.

The cult has basically only two purposes, recruiting new members and fund-raising. Established religions and altruistic movements may also recruit and raise funds. However, their sole purpose is not to grow larger; such groups have the goals to better the lives of their members
and mankind in general. The cults may claim to make social
contributions, but in actuality these remain mere claims, or gestures. Their focus is always dominated by recruiting new members and fund-raising.

The cult appears to be innovative and exclusive. The leader claims to be breaking with tradition, offering something novel, and instituting the only viable system for change that will solve life's problems or the world's ills. While claiming this, the cult then surreptitiously uses systems of psychological coercion on its members to inhibit their
ability to examine the actual validity of the claims of the leader and the cult.

[Naffnuff]

Originally Posted by C Elegans

Whereas I am personally an atheist, I do think it is important to distinguish between religion, cults and destructive cults. The important difference is not what stories each organisation believe in, the important and principal difference is the destructive part, that a destructive cult will contain elements that are inherently harmful to some or all of its own members. Core elements of this harm is mind control, totalitarian leadership, using members to recruit new members and to raise funds, and harassment such as threats or abuse when members leave or try to leave the cult.

A colleague of mine won't hardly talk to me because I asked him a question or two about Salman Rushdie. That's what I mean by having to tiptoe. Most "ordinary", "mainstream" religious people are more offended by my sense than I am by their insanity, which is ironic, annoying and frightening. It's actually much more OK by me if they sit around in a cave waiting for a spaceship, so long as they keep it to themselves.

Originally Posted by Lady Dragonfly

Both Bill and Hillary Clinton were friendly with Scientology groups at the time. Chicago Mayor Richard Daley even accepted a kind of "L. Ron Humanitarian award" from Scientologists.

The real "lobby" is Hollywood celebrities though: Tom Cruise, Katie Holmes, John Travolta, Priscilla and Lisa Marie Presley etc.

Does it matter? It's still retarded crap "science", no matter who endorses it.