I'm throwing this in for comments because, honestly, there are people on this ng who know more about $cientology than I do.

I'd like to hear any criticism you might have, but please send it to my email add, unless you think it's a comment for the group. I wrote this with a definite audience in mind (not ars) and if anyone catches me in a lie or thinks of a way to make a better argument, please let me know.

If it pisses you off, well... keep it in usenet.

clams, don't bother asking what "experience" I've had with $cientology--I've never taken a course. I don't have to be crushed by a falling safe to know it would kill me; I don't have to take a course to know it leads nowhere. I have nothing to prove to you, so save your breath. Keep it in usenet.

======================================== BEGIN Members of the "Church" of Scientology like to claim that their "faith" is subject to religious persecution in Germany, but that isn't the case. Plainly stated, Scientology is not a religion. The official line, from the "Church" of Scientology is that Scientology is an "applied religious philosophy." Note that the "Church" of Scientology itself quite clearly declares that the "Church" is not a religion, but an "applied religious philosophy."

Despite this rather frank admission, the "Church" of Scientology has repeatedly petitioned foreign governments for the status of "religion" but has been unsuccessful, and this is probably why it maintains that it is an "applied religious philosophy." As an "applied religious philosophy," it is able to create the illusion that it is compatible with the major religious belief systems of the world and not alienate any potential members of the paying public. This illusion is maintained throughout indoctrination in the "Church" until Scientology itself becomes the victim's religious belief system, all others having been cast aside. At that point, it no longer matters if an adherent of the "Church" claims to be a Christian, Muslim, Buddhist, &c. In point of fact, the upper-level beliefs of the "Church" of Scientology are clearly hostile to the world's major religious belief systems, particularly Christianity.

As for the United States, neither the U.S. Constitution, nor any law of the land, carries a provision stating what constitutes a religion. Legally, it becomes a matter of personal opinion, since no court within the United States may decide the "Church" of Scientology is, or is not, a religion.

Aside from their own rather frank admission that the "Church"

of Scientology is not a religion, there are other reasons Scientology is not a religion, and a great many reasons Scientology, Inc. should not be allowed to maintain its status as a tax-exempt organization:

1. Scientology is, first and foremost, a completely totalitarian belief system in which members of the "Church"

must come to parrot the beliefs and opinions of its founder, L.

Ron Hubbard. There is no room within the "Church" for dissenting opinion. If you, as a Scientologist, disagree with some of the self-contradicting claims made by L. Ron Hubbard, it is made clear that you have made the mistake, and that everything will become clear when you realize that you made a mistake and take whatever action is necessary to correct it. 2.

The desire to "belong" to the group is very strong within Scientology, as it is within virtually all human groups bound by referent power, but the need for individual expression is overpowered by the group mind. In short, a Scientologist thinks whatever those Scientologists around him think, because that is what is necessary in order to continue to belong to the group. Self-identification of the victim with the group is impossible unless the victim surrenders his ability to think critically about what he is being asked to believe and accepts it without question. This has historically been demonstrated by the financial solvency of the "Church" in the face of serious allegations of misconduct and illegality. Anything the group does to further its goals is permissible because, to its adherents, outside concepts of justice and legality literally do not apply. 3. Failure on the part of any Scientologist to surrender his ability to think critically results in his expulsion from the group, and the concurrent loss of any social rewards which members of the group accrue. The rewards for such passivism are almost totally social in nature. The member is made to feel valuable, praise is heaped on him for the slightest accomplishments, and the member is encouraged to believe he is helping the group achieve its stated goal of "clearing the planet." There is almost no material reward, as Scientology "courses" are bought on a retail basis as spiritual sustenance and it is impossible to put a monetary value on spiritual peace. This works to the advantage of the "Church"

during a hard-sell because few people believe, and fewer are willing to admit, that a price can be put on the human soul, whether they are Scientologists, Christians, Muslims, Jews, Buddhists, Taoists, &c. 4. The "Church" of Scientology's common cry of "think for yourself" is ironic in that this is exactly what the "Church" of Scientology seeks to prevent, because it would only undermine the very techniques that make it so successful in its real task, which it has never been so bold as to publicly declare: "Make money, make money, make more money." To this end, the "Church" employs a variety of techniques, chief among them being repeated interrogations and de-sensitizing sessions using what is referred to as an "e-meter." The stated goal of the sessions is to reduce or eliminate "charge." Actually, the sessions serve to eliminate the feelings of guilt, anger, sadness, &c. that accompany the Scientologist as a result of his indoctrination by the normal, or extraordinary, circumstances of his life. In short, the values and beliefs that parents, teachers, friends, and other socializing institutions have given the victim are stripped away to be replaced by the values and beliefs of the "Church"

of Scientology. 5. However, the disparity apparent between the goals and aims of the mass of Scientology's adherents and Scientology's upper management is representative of a huge schism within the organization itself, which only serves to reinforce the public's distrust and skepticism. This assumes, of course, that Scientologists are free to believe whatever they want, and that they are free to pursue those beliefs as long as they do not harm others by them. Otherwise, the story commonly associated with the "Wall of Fire" would alienate Scientologists from the public further by bringing their beliefs before the court of public opinion to be ridiculed. 6.

It is apparent that the mass of Scientologists are unaware of the core beliefs of Scientology, and that this is intentionally done so as to reduce the victims' resistance to these beliefs until they will willingly accept them. Lower-level Scientology courses most closely resemble any other expensive self-help courses. Aside from the loss of the mental defenses an individual acquires over many years and the high price tag, these courses could probably be labeled therapy. This is the bait. 7. The switch comes when the victim has progressed enough on the "Bridge to Total Freedom," and has the monetary wherewithal to be afford the upper-level courses. These courses detail how all modern problems stem from two incidents that took place in the distant past. The first incident has to do with the creation of the universe as a "playground" for immortal, omnipotent souls, or "thetans," by those same immortal, omnipotent souls. The second incident details how Scientologists came to be in their present predicament: large numbers of these beings were killed, collected, packaged, placed in volcanoes, and then blown up with hydrogen bombs.

Their souls were then collected in an "electronic ribbon" and shown a long film which effectively convinced them that they were not immortal, omnipotent souls but rather powerless, mortal, physical beings. The goal of Scientology, Inc. is to return the powerless, mortal, physical beings to their god-like grandeur. 8. Key to this transformation are two facts: 1. Such beliefs, when confronted without the preconditioning necessary to produce a "true believer," are an object of ridicule; and 2. The "Church" of Scientology has declared that these core beliefs are "trade secrets" and as such, are not to be made public without the necessary permission of Scientology, Inc.

because that would eliminate the profitable exercise of selling these "secrets" to adherents at ridiculously high prices. 9.

These two facts demonstrate, more than any other, the disparity that exists between the paying members of the "Church" of Scientology and the "Church's" upper management. The "tech"

invented by L. Ron Hubbard is used to strip an individual of his mental defenses, and this vulnerability is then taken advantage of by Scientology's chief benefactors, who sell what could only be described as a science fiction story composed of increasingly more expensive levels of detail. 10. Why? The "Church" of Scientology's stated goal is to "clear the planet."

Of course, this assumes that the "Church" is well on its way and has produced a few "clears" already. This is not the case;

Scientology, Inc. has produced zero "clears." 11. If the "technology" developed by L. Ron Hubbard will undoubtedly produce a "clear," and it is being applied correctly, then the planet should be entirely populated by "clears." Who wouldn't want the advantages of perfect recall, freedom from sickness and disease, perfect eyesight, &c. that L. Ron Hubbard claimed "clears" were capable of? If Scientology had produced even one "clear," masses of people would be flocking to its door in the hope that they, too, could attain this magical state. 12.

There's more to it, though. The "Church" of Scientology is not only in the business of producing "clears" but also Operating Thetans (OTs). OTs are god-like in the powers at their disposal, and are "at cause" over "MEST," meaning they control matter-energy-space-time and can do virtually whatever they want. They have merely to "postulate" (that is, think of a thing), and it is done. To date, the "Church" of Scientology has produced zero OTs. If Scientology, Inc. had produced even one OT, masses of people would be flocking to its door in the hope that they too could attain this magical state. Who among us wouldn't want such god-like powers? Or, to put it another way, who among us would want to be the lone exception in a universe entirely populated by god-like beings? 13. The failure of the "Church" of Scientology to produce either "clears" or OTs cannot be a failure of L. Ron Hubbard's "technology,"

because it is taken as a given that the "tech" is perfect and immutable. It works because L. Ron Hubbard said it did. This is the point of view of adherents of the "Church" of Scientology. 14. However, it is apparent from the most casual observation of the facts that the "tech" does not work. It does not produce "clears." It does not produce OTs. This failure is concealed from Scientologists at large and rarely mentioned in "Church" documents. 15. Why is this? Because the real goal of Scientology, Inc. is not to produce "clears" or OTs, but rather fat piles of cash. The most simple analysis reveals that most Scientologists never see any of this money.

Members of the "Sea Org," Scientology, Inc.'s elite, are paid ridiculously low wages, usually a few dollars a week. Money, once paid to the "Church" is rarely returned to an individual, despite the fact that the contracted services were never provided or accepted. 16. Where, then, does it go? Obviously, it goes somewhere. Who profits? Someone does, and the logical first choice would be the person or persons holding the bag.

In this case, it would be David Miscavige, head of the "Religious Technology Center" which licenses all Scientology Inc.'s trademarks, patents, and "trade secrets." This man controls virtually all the activities of every Scientology, Inc. organization and front company in the world. 17.

Conclusions: a. L. Ron Hubbard's "tech" does not work. It produces neither "clears" nor OTs. b. The real goal of Scientology, Inc. is profit. c. Scientology, Inc. is not now, nor ever was, eligible for 501(3)(c) status. d. Scientology, Inc. should be sued immediately for the taxes it owes the United States Government and State Governments, separately, and for any and all costs associated with prosecuting the case before the Internal Revenue Service. All property should be seized and assets frozen until such time as Scientology, Inc.

can make good on its tax debt. e. Scientology, Inc. should be prosecuted for bait-and-switch fraud pursuant to the laws and regulations of the United States and the separate States. f.

Every single member of the "Church" should receive a full refund, plus accruable interest, for all training received, if desired. g. A class action lawsuit should be filed on behalf of all victims of Scientology, Inc. to compensate them for emotional harm and suffering inflicted at the hands of the "Church."

Sincerely, ============================================ END Sorry for the formatting errors. Thanks for the comments.

Don't believe the hype*
*and it's all hype To reply, remove the obvious.

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