I'd like to comment on one thing. To counter the ideas of the OSA / scientologist posters here - it was not the words of the so-called critics here that made me, as a 30+ year scientologist, decide on what is true or not about the organization/church. It was not critics’ words that made me realize the many falsehoods, the lack of products and the abuses within the church. Reading this newsgroup and the critics is not tantamount to automatic "3rd party" and mind-bending away from the church.

My decisions on the church are based on my own observation over the years, my viewing of documented facts readily available, and the words and actions of the OSA/scientologist posters themselves and their "handling" of the so-called critics here and elsewhere. So, you see it's not the critics’ words that necessarily brings into doubt the integrity and veracity of the church. It is in good part the words of OSA/scientologists in the newsgroup and outside of the newsgroup.

Imagine stumbling upon an essentially critical of Shinto newsgroup.

It's rather harmless and perhaps unobtrusive. After all, it is just a group of individuals in discussion about views on a subject amongst themselves. No big deal. I doubt leaders of the Shinto religion even knows and, more importantly, even cares. But, what if some Shinto followers came into the group and attacked, trolled, spammed, etc. the newsgroup? What if the Shinto used tactics and words similar to what I see by OSA here on the newsgroup? My personal attitude would be "hey, lighten up!" Who cares about these critical guys and aren’t those tactics doing more to exasperate and highlight the perceived problem!

Just do your religion and get on with life. But, wait, I forgot that Shinto and other religions don’t have an OSA and the policies that dictate that one make a fool out of himself by labeling, attacking and accusing every imagined enemy to the church.

Much like Tory, I was in the same boat doing the same stuff as y’all in OSA and the church. Not anymore. It looks ridiculous and in itself is doing the church in. Remember the quote that "stats are internally created." Heck, the truth be known, I never decided to enter in and to read one single post within this newsgroup until well after having formed my own opinions about what was true or not. I also never would have known about a.r.s. if not for other scientologists doing their imagined duty of handling critics and them telling me about it.

I just wanted to clarify this to some of the scientologist posters and lurkers here. Not, that most of them would care or would acknowledge or believe such a thing. It’s much easier to label someone - PTS, SP, criminal, 3rd partied and the like.

But, ask yourself this … for a scientologist with absolutely clean hands, no ethics trouble, lots of money, no history of PTSness or SP characteristics, has been active on services, is successful in many endeavors, who has studied and applied the subject extensively with a broad grasp of the subject, who arguably has contributed and disseminated in greater volume than probably 80% of other scientologists - is it possible for that person to instantly become insane, criminal, PTS, SP and what have you simply by questioning, uttering upon or even changing his or her mind on all or part of the subject and the church? This describes precisely who and what I am.

Anyone else out there similar to this?

But, for you critics of the critics - if it’s easier for you to categorize someone, no matter the truth and only based upon what you are told via the tech of this action or speech equals this label for that person - then make it easy on yourself and don’t force yourself to think. Even as a devout scientologist, it was often observed that there were many within our ranks that would consistently take the easiest route which was to mimic exactly what someone, lrh and the tech, told them to do with no aforethought on their own. How many times myself or another more experienced and observant scientologist would try to point out and instruct a fellow member to think through a situation for themselves in addition to what they know, are told or should know about dealing with something! (I guess I also in this process am making a case for the fact that not all scientologists fit into a category of absolute "rondroid" just as all critics don’t fit into a single category as "bigot" either.)

Have a great holiday and see you after the new year!

Alfred E. Noumenon
Former Staff
Former OSA Worker
Former WISE Staff
Former Applied Scholastics Staff
Former CCHR Volunteer
Former FSM
Former Class V Auditor
Former OEC Interned Graduate
Former OT 5
Former Life
"What, me worry?"

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