From http://www.flickr.com/photos/hbomb/15283066/

The brainwashing of America, Vol. 2
May 23, 2005

At the Dianetics table in the Times Square subway station, a hapless passerby has been lured in by the cult of Scientology with the promise of a "free stress test", (see above URL for pic) and he is holding onto the electrodes of the fake machine. At the upper left, another person who has already taken the bogus "free stress test" is well on his way to being indoctrinated into the cult; he is being shown a copy of "Dianetics," by noted science fiction author L. Ron Hubbard.

Like a good journalist, I took the stress test myself. Of course, it was too dangerous to give my real name; so I was "Arthur." I was actually going to be Arthur Vandalet, but then I wussed out at the last minute and gave my name as "Arthur Goldstein."

Oh, and the results of my "free stress test?" Well, let's just say that there was nothing wrong that couldn't be fixed with a voluntary donation to the "Church" of Scientology in exchange for one of the helpful books that this man had to offer. (he candidly offered that the transaction had to be structured as a "donation," because if he and his goons were actually selling merchandise for profit in the subway station, the city would shut down their table).

Yet at the same time, he backed off the "religion" claims when I asked about the connection between Dianetics and Scientology. I explained that I was happily Jewish, and wasn't looking for a new religion. This guy asserted that Scientology was more of a philosophy than a religion, and he added that numerous rabbis were Scientologists. :)

One other thing that bears mentioning: after my angry confrontation with the Scientology thugs at this table a few weeks earlier (who blocked most of my attempts at photographing their shameful activities), I decided to try a different approach.

Fortunately, the personnel at the table were different this time around.

So I pretended to actually be interested in their activities -- and after I was already undergoing the "free stress test," I asked Steve (the guy on the right here) if he minded if I took some photographs. He asked me if I was a professional photographer, and I said I wasn't. He then asked me why I wanted to take the pictures and I said simply that I liked documenting everything that happened in my life. No mention was made of flickr. :)

Then he said, "Why are you asking my permission?"

And I lied, "I just want to make sure that I don't upset you guys."

So then, when the passerby on the left here started taking the stress test, he began freaking out when he saw my flash go off. But Steve said to him, "It's okay, he's just taking some pictures." :)

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