It’s a catchphrase in scientology. “We are clearing the planet.” “We are making planetary clearing a reality.” There are a dozen different variations.
It’s a time-honored hot button that is used to get people to hand over money and “progress up the Bridge.” One of our readers sent this new promo piece to me recently, with some comments that made me think we should address this topic again.
She is not just making random comments here.
When you reach the state of Clear you are informed at once that you are in “danger” unless you get to OT III. Here is one Hubbard reference that states this explicitly.
So, in fact, clearing puts you at risk?
A “Cleared Planet” is therefore a planet at risk? WTF?
And here is the Hubbard reference concerning the added responsibility and demands placed on a clear:
But the icing on this cake is the CONFIDENTIAL information about what Clear consists of.
Hubbard sold the world on the idea that he had discovered the “hidden source of psychosomatic ills, unhappiness and irrational behavior” — the “Reactive Mind.” According to Dianetics, his book about the reactive mind, it was created unknowingly in moments of pain and unconsciousness in life and in the womb (NOT in “earlier lives” — that would come later and is a convoluted story in itself).
Hubbard promised the world that he had the “technology” that he had carefully researched and tested which would eradicate the “Reactive Mind” and make “Clears.” He promised that Clears would have remarkable abilities: eidetic memories, perfect health — literally make the blind see and the lame walk (like he claimed he had done for himself with the techniques of Dianetics).
Hubbard’s “auditing” techniques that would erase the reactive mind was pitched relentlessly — always a new “breakthrough” technique that would finally make it possible to achieve this vaunted state. There are hundreds of lectures and bulletins where he claimed he had “finally” found the certain route to clearing. From 1950 until 1966 it was one thing after another. And then he came out with the “Clearing Course” which was now a whole new thing — “Solo” auditing. And it conquered a new beast, the “R6 bank.” Everything that had gone before, all his earlier promises were forgotten. This was now IT! (Until it wasn’t again in 1978 when he “rediscovered” that you could actually go Clear with Dianetics — it was full circle).
But the ultimate joke was this.
What Hubbard finally said made a “Clear” was when the person realizes he is “mocking up” the Reactive Mind (‘bank”). Before contacting Dianetics and Scientology, he was completely unaware such a thing existed. After paying huge amounts of money and devoting a great deal of time to it, the mark will come to realize he was “mocking it up” (meaning creating it in his mind). What Hubbard had told him he had, he now understood he had created himself… Bizarre — but it isn’t seen this way by those mesmerized by Hubbard, any more than the end of the world coming and going without incident deters the followers of doomsday preachers.
Perhaps this explains one of the huge, glaring contradictions of scientology. How is it that people who are NOT Clear are capable of doing anything at all? Let alone being geniuses or massively successful or talented? Perhaps BECAUSE they don’t know they have a reactive mind they are not “effect” of it and don’t have to “mock it up” in order to have something to erase?
But don’t just take my word for it. Here is Hubbard’s explanation in his own words — in a confidential issue (it is a massive crime in scientology to tell anyone the “Clear Cognition”). You can certainly understand why from a sales perspective. Who would want to pay to get rid of something you are told you have — but the way you “get rid of it” is to stop imagining it exists…
This is a later, also confidential issue, that makes it even “clearer.”
It dawned on me again on my weekly scanning of this site a sentence in their promo that made me remember being quite conned, pity it took so long to wake up to the scam. ie “What happens if I don’t go clear on NED?” What a load of sneaky bs that is. Even if it didn’t directly apply to you, it still sows the seed of self generated compliance that there is a remedy to any doubts that you may have and is generally covered with, “well, it must be something to do with me not understanding something or I’m just not quite there yet – all be handled by the next CS, Bridge step, tech estimate, MU finding etc. What about the 100% work-ability of the tech? When does that kick in? Coupled with the incredibly expensive alternatives of not following the path & attesting… Geezers, what a cunning slippery slope to making you fit your mind and life into their agenda and definitions. Clear the planet? What a con!
Really… fuck Scientology!
I love how you stick your thumb in the eye of Miscaviege by publishing the “confidential” Clear bulletins. The funny thing is that the same “Clear Cognition” while appearing in confidential bulletins, also appear in Lafayette’s open publication, such as Dianetics 55. The same way that the OT3 materials appear in his book “Revolt in the Sky”.
I have found the “Clear Cognition” a few months after being in Scientology. I believe that Lafayette, the “big the thetan” had the memory of a fish. He would realize something, write it up, and then realize it again for the first time.
True. Hubbard once said in some 50s lecture. “We have all the tech, I just keep shuffling the deck.”
I wasn’t in scn very long before I realized Clearing The Planet was just a slogan. It took too long and cost too much to clear everyone. Somewhere along the line it was clarified that that it would merely take 10,000 clears or OTs to get the job done. Something like that. That sounded better but I still didn’t believe it.
I’m sure many people had Utopian goals but most of the scientologists I knew where in it for their own benefit.
Some years after I left scn I practiced Transcendental Meditation for a few months. They had an event which they might have called World Meditation Day or something like that. They wanted all meditators around the world to meditate at the same Greenwich Mean Time which would supposedly or hopefully result in a lifting or shift of world consciousness. I don’t know if there was a measurable result. . . . . (joke)
This article on this blog ought to be in one of the academic journals. This short article today is extremely important in the overall picture of what Scientology does to its most dedicated participating members on their journal through all of Hubbard’s major “levels” of the Scientology practices.
Truly, the important points in this article deserve to be shared with the academic world who fail to understand Scientology to this degree, and who are unqualified to even discuss the points as deeply as those who have written in the comments.
This is truly one article that deserves to be studied by the academics who study Scientology “seriously.”
Chuck Beatty
ex administrative branch training of staff of Scientology itnernaly, “course supervisor”
I’ve given a lot of thought of why academic fails to even begin to seriously study Scientology properly.
Not sure if Scientology has an IRB of sorts – but I highly doubt Scientology would even give permission for a study to commence – unless it guaranteed a favorable outcome for them.
“I’ve given a lot of thought of why academic fails to even begin to seriously study Scientology properly.”
What would be the point of studying one unstable man’s delusions? The “technology” itself is a proven failure. I briefly wondered if Hubtard actually believed in his tech.
Then I remembered that he knew from the beginning that once he hooked a member, he had to isolate them so they wouldn’t learn the truth. The whole thing is a con and Hubtard knew it.
When Dianetics came out The New Republic called it a “bold and immodest mixture of complete nonsense and perfectly reasonable common sense, taken from long acknowledged findings and disguised and distorted by a crazy, newly invented terminology”. Some of Hubbard’s fellow science fiction writers also criticized it; Isaac Asimov considered it “gibberish” while Jack Williamson called it “a lunatic revision of Freudian psychology”.
Hubtard, figured out how to disguise pure BS in a way that made people want it. That was his only real achievement.
There are people that believe crystals can do wondrous things. Science knows otherwise. No one is going to study the false claims of the believers or the sellers. There isn’t much to learn by studying a provably false belief or claim.
I seemed to recall a warning about the risk of addiction or perversion while floating in the non interference zone but no one has backed me up on that. Maybe I just heard it on the rumour line.
I just finished watching the Aftermath on Netflix last night. I started a week ago with season 3 first. Glad I did it that way. I cried a lot and felt so bad for the ex- scientologists who lost the chance to live a normal life. It’s the control that still haunts them today. It’s ok to feel sad, cry, say your sorry, expect forgiveness and move on with the choices you make in the future. They won’t all be good ones, but they will be yours to laugh about when your old.
I also loved, loved, loved those who came on that were not scientologist and shared what they have learned about Scientology, and what had been done to them. They stood their ground for what they believed. They exposed it and those who lived it shared how it worked. It helped me take the fear out of an organization that acted like they had Mafia Kingpin Power over people. Shame on the business who fired any employee because he was ex-Scientology and they did not want the trouble. SHAME ON THEM!
I loved listening to the guy with the largest collection of Scientology material. I loved the lawyers who have gone up against the church. It gave insight to how hard it is to deal with dishonesty at it finest.
If you ever do a round table 8 Scientology Solve issue please have them all on again. Mark Bunker could use some of their insight for City of Clearwater and Scientology.
You guys did great show.
As the late George Carlin once said,”The planet is fine.It will clean itself.The people,on the other hand,are fucked.”
Going clear,you say?Yes,when I read LRH’s dissertations,it was clear to me.As clear as mud.I swear on the head of my Late Mother,I have not a single clue as to what this man is talking about.I had a better understanding of my four years of high school Latin than this.
I remember at the ribbon cutting of the Pasadena Ideal Org., I sat with a couple during break time before the event. I introduced myself and found out that both of them were OT 8s. To be honest, the gentleman had the biggest phony smile that I have ever seen. I didn’t speak to him and she didn’t seem happy after a couple of sentences. So sad. They soon stood up and went to the “special tent” for those who have given for the event. I really felt bad for them. I found out that they don’t have anything that I wanted.
The higher you climb in the scientology “BRIDGE” the more you are distrusted.
When you finally get to be “on the level” OT 7 you are trusted so little, that you are ordered to return for sec checks every six months.
When you are a mere Grade IV you are trusted more to be free of 6 month sec checks but having done it all to OT 7 you are now questionable.
You are not at risk when you complete Purif or even POWER processing.
But when you have achieved the elevated state of Clear, you are now”at risk .”
In the tech areas I worked in, we always knew it was a marketing ploy to purchase the package to OT 3 IMMEDIATELY ! Danger if you did not. LOLOL
Karen, This article today, and your comments of just staggering importance, are why I am so disheartened that no academic has even gotten to the level of understanding and seeing the importance of your comments. Scientology as a subject is just still so un-studied academically that no one is leaping at the opportunity to interview you deeply on your history. Class 12s simply don’t grow on trees, and Class 12s, legitimate ones trained in the old vintage ways Hubbard on the Apollo trained them, as the whole bureaucracy and “tech” evolved into the final forms of them today in official Scientology, my gosh my gosh, I just go crazy thinking no durned academics aren’t falling over themselves interviewing you way way way way more. Chuck
Everything you say Karen, is just such excellent research material for later experts of scientology.
Dear Chuck,
I do have a wealth of inside knowledge on the tech HGCs and how it all played out prior to those “Golden Ages of Tech.”
I was stunned to learn Key to Life (KTL) and Life Orientation course (LOC) were removed and no longer available.
Miscavige pronounced them as SQUIRREL !
LRH makes perfect sense to me.
Everyone knows that Money is the Root of all Evil so if you clear everyone’s Bank accounts, you will have Cleared the Planet.
The ‘Non-Interference Zone’ is one of the biggest parts of the entire con Hubbard pulled out of his ass. The reason is simple. Someone who goes ‘clear’ is supposed to be rid of their ‘reactive mind’. The fact is, there is no ‘reactive mind’ to get rid of in the first place but that is another story. When someone receives lower level auditing they generally feel better at the end of the session. Sometimes they feel absolutely fantastic and ecstatic. This is all very temporary, lasting from a few minutes (just long enough to get to the examiner) to maybe a few weeks. Then the euphoria (placebo) wears off. At that time one begins to wonder about the efficacy of the ‘tech’. This is especially true of dianetics and the state of ‘clear’.
Now there can’t be a bunch of disgruntled ‘clears’ running around with not so great indicators and all of the unwanted attitudes, emotions, sensations and pains that were supposed to be erased in dianetic auditing. Solution: reg the shit out of them by scaring the shit out of them by telling them how much danger they are in until they get thru ‘ot III’. At that point ‘body thetans’ are introduced and it will take years, sometimes decades to get rid of those troublesome little bastards. All that time spent exorcising these nasty little disembodied beings means lots of money flowing into the cult coffers to do so. LOTS OF MONEY. And when you get to the end of the bridge to nowhere you can start all over again by doing the ‘student hat’, ‘objectives’, ‘purif’, and on and on and on and on and on… Why: There was nothing to handle in the first place.
Well said, Ms. B. Haven.
For those who have never been through this particular meat grinder, the initial feeling of euphoria is a key part of the scam. You have the feeling that something special has happened. You expect your life to change dramatically. It feels like the first time. You may have seeming insights into the higher reaches of philosophical discourse.
I read of someone who said he wrote many of these insights down. Looking at them years later, none made any sense. Like the writings of the stoners when they are high, it all made sense during the rush. Completely incoherent to the sober.
Realize that you must at least pretend to go through this every single time you do anything in Scientology. They won’t let you out unless you are raving about it. Even being fleeced for donations or admitting you are a serious criminal are actions that require a “Success Story” afterwards.
The reason for it is that the procedures are hypnotic. Either endless repetition or serious introversion or both are always involved. Some involve repetitive physical motions of the body, others repetitive questions, others require the user to spin endless fantasies about an imagined past.
It is perfectly normal for someone to introvert heavily in these circumstances, fall into a trance-like state, and then suddenly brighten up and pull out of it. The euphoria and seemingly brilliant insights come on and you are done with that one.
There is no evidence that this kind of “therapy” has any lasting value. It was abandoned by psychiatry in the 20s. But it is an extremely effective technique for coercive high-control groups. The followers who experience these transcendent “insights” will cling to them long after they have lost faith in everything else about the group. It feels so real!
“. . . it will take years, sometimes decades to get rid of those troublesome little bastards.”
That’s one way to describe “them” – laughter!
I was a barely employed teenager when I got into Scientology. Unfortunately the hooks went deep and I bootstrapped myself into being a more affluent person. I did this so that I could go clear and go ot. I did this like bits at a time and any time there was a sale on anything, which yes, just like underwear, there were sales if you would buy three 12 and a 1/2 hour intensives of whatever auditing you were needing to purchase, you could get a deal. Sometimes because of L. Ron Hubbard’s birthday, or the release of some new book, that you were required to buy. Of course that book would cost 6 times as much as a better researched and more cleanly written spiritual book in the bookstore. But back to my story, I said I made myself a more affluent person. What I really meant was I made myself into a person who could make money better and faster. But that didn’t help me that much, because Scientology registrars had coaxed me to get multiple credit cards. So even though I was making more money, I was simultaneously going further into debt and using my increased income to keep my chin above the minimum payments. I had never thought math was my strong suit. But when I finally confronted my horrific credit card debt in my mid twenties, I realized how close I was to having to go bankrupt. But since I had nothing of value, all my stuff was from yard sales and my car was used, I wasn’t that scared of bankruptcy. It wouldn’t have made much of a difference in my lifestyle. So the years went on and then I not only had to be making more money, working more hours, and constantly being on course, but I had to do it all with a smile on my face to show what a winner I was.
Because I had Scientology Tech under my belt.
I could delude myself that Scientology was good for me and that I was OK having massive credit card debt that was frightening. But the pretending that I was winning that lie was hard for me. And the duty button got pushed so hard it was like I had a dent in the side of my head. The demand to, set a good example, and show what Scientology can do for a young person was twisted.
I was asked to speak and give my wins and I did it once. After I had gone clear. After that I was asked to do various tasks and act happy and be a good example. I know I’m repeating myself, but many points or plateaus of my progress I would have multiple people breathing down my neck to do things for the church. I hated this so much. And I had to hide how uncomfortable I was with these demands being put on me. And I find it funny that I was barely hanging on financially and I was stressed out and ultimately at about 30 years old I kind of had a health crash where I couldn’t work for a while, and yet I still considered myself a staunch scientologist.
When I look at the picture of that nice looking young man who is on the promo piece I feel my stomach clench.
Thank you for sharing the Scientology materials that spell out the demands. It’s one of those things that people don’t talk about that much, but for me it was the worst.
Lying for lyentology was awful.
Clearly not Clear,
Thank you very much for sharing your story. By doing so, you are helping to defeat this misery – perhaps more so than you realize. As people continue to learn about the horrors of this cult from first hand evidence like yours, the word spreads and it becomes ever more difficult for these filthy criminals to get new member or new money.
So, thank you very much.
My family member at Int Base once told me that Lyman Spurlock (who has since died of cancer) could quite smoking if he wanted to, because he was clear. I always thought that to be a very weak thread to hang one’s hat on. Maybe similarly, Nancy Cartwright could stop wearing glasses if she chose to, because she is clear.
Ha! He could quit if he wanted to? Riiiiight. Then why didn’t he? Oh, because Clears think its a great idea to have tobacco rolled in paper that’s soaked in hundreds of toxic chemicals filling up your lungs all day? Right! I believe that, oh yeah! Reminds me of an OT who told me the same thing. Oh, he could quit anytime he wanted. He just “liked to” smoke. Yeah.
The reason – the only reason ANYONE – Clear, OT, or Wog smokes cigarettes is because he or she is addicted to nicotine! Take it from me; I smoked for 20 years before quitting. Addiction. And btw; nicotine is not a drug. Its classification is: a poison. Poison, that’s right. That’s its scientific classification. Its a poison that has “narcotic properties”. These Scientologists who puff away – wow, no wonder so many of them get cancer. And its not even from the nicotine. Its the PAPER that the nicotine is rolled in. That paper is soaked in a bath of chemicals, some of them carcinogenic, to ensure that the cigarette burns properly – not to slow, not too fast.
Scientologists are too embarrassed and/or delusional to admit that they can be addicted to any substance.
Lron sold you a pig in a poke and you tried to make bacon with it. Except that the pig was a guinea pig and not fit for bacon.
There you are back at the mOrg trying to get your bacon. You will never get your bacon. But you will get poorer and roped into spending more time and money trying to get other bacon seekers into the scam.
Hubbard was always trying to explain his theories about the thetan. He never was able to prove the existence of the thetan or do anything effective with the theories. Scientology thus just goes in circles especially at the OT levels. OT VIII on the Freewinds in 1988 was a complete disaster and was the beginning of the end of Scientology. Hubbard predicted that he would be a great Fascist politician while working part-time as the anti-Christ. Looking back at Scientology, the whole world can easily dismiss it as a con game. Unfortunately I was one of the test subjects in 1988 and wasted a lot of time and money. The clear cognition is on the 1952 Universes tapes with Mary Sue. Hubbard developed his cognition theories which in the end did not lead to OT powers. Hubbard never even reached the first step in understanding human existence.
George, Hubbard didn’t TRY to prove any of his assertions.They were TRUE because he said they were. The one attempt to “prove” his “past lives” (Mission into Time) was an unmitigated FAILURE. I felt sorry for the guy and his crew when I read that report.
As one who attested “clear”, I found that it was a “nothing burger”, not even a decent bun.
“Unfortunately I was one of the test subjects in 1988 . . . ” laughter!
I blew around 1980 before doing any OT levels so I escaped being a guinea pig – lol
The true EP of Scientology is not that you mocked it up, but that Hubbard mocked all of it up with some inspiration from Crowley and Parsons. I certainly had VGIs that day I learnt.
I’ve read a lot of Crowley on my own journey. He was crazy and played the “Beast” for the press in his day. But I don’t see anything in Scientology that’s similar to Crowley’s teachings or work. Crowley was against fundamentalist-type religions. And the way Scientology strictly follows every word written down by Hubbard, it fits the definition of fundamentalist on steroids in my opinion.
Crowley’s focus was “Do as thou wilt shall be the whole of the law.” And, “Love is the law, love under will.” Which is misinterpreted as doing whatever the heck you want with wild abandon.
In one of his books he explained it in simple terms (paraphrasing): “If your true will is to be a banker, you won’t fulfill your purpose if you cling to the idea you’re an artist.” Hubbard didn’t want people to find their true will — people are punished for expressing their true will like, “I want to leave Sea Org.”
Crowley’s income was mainly from a large inheritance and proceeds from his published books. Yeah — he had patrons here and there but he didn’t solicit money. He died penniless. I read somewhere that Crowley warned Parsons to keep away from Hubbard. He seemed to think Hubbard was dangerous. Which is quite a lot coming from the man who called himself “The Beast.”
Mary Snow – I just looked back at the Nov. 16 topic and saw your reply to me. About three years ago I did some study of non-dualism and many of the teachers have a background in Zen and focus on separating self from ego. I resonated with much of it. I’ll leave it at that.
A couple times I’ve suggested having fewer topics which would allow more back and forth conversation but it is what it is.
I’m the past I did a little bit of research on Aleister. He gets a bad rap imo. Wikipedia says in a 2002 British survey he was rated 73rd on a list of the 100 most influential Brits.
It also said he rejected Satan as being part of the Christian world view which he rejected. Later in life he sent out Anti-Christian Christmas cards to his friends which is rather creative imo.😇
I think Crowley got a bad rap because he cultivated it by purposely outraging the British press in his era. He wanted to repel them. He wanted to repel small thinkers.
Things he did and said to the press that drove them batty wouldn’t get a raised eyebrow these days.
He was openly bisexual. He wore skirts and other wacky outfits. And there’s a reason he called himself the Beast and 666. In the Tarot, including the deck he designed, the Devil is actually a protector of the secrets to the universe.
Logically, if you wanted to protect those secrets from people who would exploit the knowledge for negative purposes, would you put a fluffy miniature poodle to guard the gate? Or would you put the scariest, meanest junkyard dog on guard duty?
The Devil in the Tarot is an illusion meant to scare away the faint of heart and the undesirables attempting the path to enlightenment. It’s a failsafe system. It’s not the Christian devil.
Love, according to Crowley, is the “assimilation of phenomena” and the union of self with the universe. ‘Love under Will’, as no doubt you’re aware, means simply to experience anything, without prejudice, in accordance with one’s ultimate purpose. This is, in part, reflected in the first of Hubbard’s “Two Rules For Happy Living.”
Scientology is supposed to remove the barriers and influences preventing the individual from being/knowing himself. And in some respects, it does.
But even if scientology does help some confront and experience life more easily, the church exploits this with hefty price tags, incessant crush regging and its arsenal of cruel and unusual punishments.
Even if scientology does help some find their true purpose, the church will instill new purposes and assume much greater influence and control.
Even if scientology does help some become more empowered and “enlightened”, it is within the construct of expectation and Hubbard’s preconditioned sci-fi narrative.
OT9 should have only one command: wordclear “placebo effect.” Once completed, the OT is handed a small piece of paper… “The gains were real but the path you walked was illusory. I’m sorry. Here’s a full refund. Enjoy your life. Love, DM.”
Is it supposed to be confidential that you are in danger after going Clear if you don’t go OT right away? I ask because my auditor, who never got anywhere close to clear told me this several times when I was first getting involved. If it is confidential someone apparently let the cat out of the bag to him.
No, it’s not confidential that you are in danger if you are Clear and not OT III… I just took that one reference — there are MANY others that are NOT confidential.
That’s interesting. I’m surprised they wouldn’t try to hide that “fact”, I would think it would discourage people from trying to go clear if they knew they would immediately be in danger. I guess the flip side of that equation is that it’s already preparing people to hand over even more cash.
It’s not confidential because it’s a lure to get one once Clear to go onto and thru OT III, The Wall of Fire; that’s the answer. A Clear is usually told/reminded by some registrar that they NEED TO get through OT III because they are in the “danger” zone.
Then, of course, once one finishes OT III, which gets them out of that “danger” zone, then life will kick them because they need to get onto OT IV or NOTs (OT V) and then the almighty OT VII where they can become Cause over Matter, Energy, Space, Time and Life and be on that for ten years or longer at a huge cost every year ($30,000/yr minimum).
Then there’s always, PTS to someone, Overts/Withholds or some other “tech” bullshit that one needs to handle some life event within scientology technology ONLY.
Right Mary: He spent a LOT of time/effort explaining why the “tech” didn’t work. Some of the explanations were hilarious (to we who are no longer affected by such.)( To clams, each explanation invariably means PAY MORE!)
A merry go round that never slows down enough to let you off
Thanks, Mike. That explains a lot that is otherwise really hard to figure out.
The 78 Nots Series 3 issue is signed LRH:dm:kjh. The lower case letters are initials of “typists” or “compilers”. Not sure who kjh was but dm almost certainly was David Mayo. They say he was largely responsible for codifying the Solo NOTs insanity (not inventing it, that was apparently Hubbard giving random orders and directions that David Mayo put together in more-or-less rational form).
As I understand it, in the early Sea Org days Hubbard was having trouble getting auditors in training to do it right. Holding daily “overboard” ceremonies where the errant students were thrown off the ship. It never seems to have crossed his mind that the subject itself might be flawed, hard to understand and apply.
So Hubbard or someone had the “bright idea” of putting trainees on the “simpler” action of using old fashioned Dianetics instead. Just for training. But old time Dianetics was found to have flaws as this went forward, leading to the development of “Hubbard Standard Dianetics”.
Around this time Hubbard also reversed course 180 degrees on drugs, suddenly deciding they were bad after earlier recommending their use. There is no evidence that he personally stopped using mind-altering substances, from cigarettes through “pinks and greys” to Vistaril. But the invasion of hippies into the Sea Org convinced him that something about drugs made them crazier than him.
Put Dianetics and drugs together and what do you get? The Dianetics Drug Rundown! This is where I started on the Bridge in 1974 or so. In those days they trained you up to do the Dianetics Drug Rundown and let you loose, not like today where Dianetics is after the early Scientology steps.
With all those hundreds of hours of Dianetics going on, naturally some of the rubes would suddenly “realize that they were making it all up”. Of course they were, There aren’t enough real drug engrams (times when you were on drugs and got hurt or knocked unconscious etc.) in even the most dedicated stoner’s present life to go on for hundreds of hours. At some point you are forced to start pulling stuff out of your nether regions. A few more hundreds of hours later, you pop up and say something about how you are making it all up.
The Case Supervisor, reviewing all these sessions and bored to tears by all the exploding spaceships and mysterious poisonings, was very alert to these statements. They knew the 1967 issue quoted above. The Dianetics Auditors did not, but it was easy to figure out after a few of your PCs get sent to attest to “MEST Clear” after having a “big win”.
The joke was, back then, that we would get them to attest to “Clear” but take them right back in for more Dianetics! The symptoms described in the 78 issue are very familiar to me. Some PCs would literally go unconscious soon after you ask them for more engrams. Others got wildly frantic about it, throwing out ever more extreme fantasies to try to get out of the system.
The poor Dianetics auditors just went on pursuing “Drug Engrams” mercilessly. You are supposed to go on until you can read out the entire list of drugs the person has taken, from novocaine to “whatever lumps were in that fatty, maybe magic mushrooms?” and get a floating needle on the whole list. Meaning that you have no reaction to any of the words, smiling through it all.
I’m guessing that somebody finally figured all this out, resulting in the ’78 issue banning more Dianetics after Clear. What a pile of steaming garbage they put us all through.
“But the invasion of hippies into the Sea Org convinced him that something about drugs made them crazier than him.” laughter! I was never in the sea org but I sort of fit that category with lots of drugs, sex and rock and roll before I joined scientology to study “the mind”.
My recollection is that Dianetics Case Completion came first which I guess was no negative or impinging and unwanted attitudes, emotions, sensations or pains. I had attested to that and myself and another guy were training and co-auditing on the grades when the Dianetic Drug Rundown came out. It was deemed a priority and he and myself and were transferred to it. At some point on the rundown in session he said, “Locate an incident of . . . (whatever it was)” I looked and looked and then just burst out laughing and said, “Joe, it’s just a joke! There’s nothing there!” I guess that was close enough to the Clear Cog because they gave me a “Dianetic Clear” Certificate.
Soon after that Hubbard started jacking up the prices again and I split. Good timing, good luck or good karma I guess – haha
+1
‘Hippies crazier than him..’ That got a laugh from me. Those were some wild days. A lot were knowing and willing flying squirrels. They drove the more conservative members up the wall. No tech barriers or restraint to go looking into anything and everything.
Doing TRs and acknowledgements a hippie might say: ‘cool’ or ‘far out’ or ‘groovy’. When a supervisor would come down on them they were likely to say: Hey man. chill a little. i saw the coach was happy with it, Why can’t you be happy with it?
Laughter – To be expected – It was the Dawning of The Age of Aquarius and a lot of people were still fried on psychedelics.
The scam runs deep in Scientology
Very, very, very deep.
GrumpyCat said:
“The scam runs deep in Scientology”
All the way to the marrow.
A never-in question – what exactly is a “bank”? It’s mentioned several times above – is that the conscious mind/memories/thoughts or something completely different?
Also, what kind of “special performance” is the OT preps completed guy supposed to do? Clearly it’s not a speech or he’d be a “special speaker” – is he going to levitate an ashtray or something?
The bank is scientology jargon for the “reactive bank” (so called because it is a bank of recorded painful memories — “engrams” in Hubbardspeak), also called the “reactive mind”. “Bank” in scientology (also termed “case”) is scientology shorthand for all things bad about a person.
As for the special performance — your guess is as good as anyone’s. Bending a spoon with his mind maybe? Levitating an ashtray with intention?
On the “what is a bank?” question,
I think that is the no. 2 definition in the $cientology Dictionary. The numero uno definition is “that entity which requires the largest amount of attention, especially and immediately after any and every encounter with a registrar.”
Would like to be able to understand what all the acronyms meaning. Is there anything that could help me with this?
Thank you for your efforts. Without you and Leah, I never would have been introduced to the horrors of this cult. I’m writing letters!
I put together a short glossary of scientology terms that is at the Fair Game Podcast website. This may help: https://fairgamepodcast.com/glossary-of-scientology-terms/
Thanks. I’m automatically wary of any group or organization that invents new terms and/or uses waaayyyy too many acronyms. Of course, this also includes the government. 🙂
Elizabeth – Here’s a dictionary which defines a lot of the scn jargon.
https://www.bible.ca/scientology-dictonary-terms.htm
“Summary: Enturbulated by all the suppressive terminology on ars? Feeling nattery, want to blow? Suffering from severe MU phenomenon? Or are your Body Thetans just acting up? Then RTFM, by Xenu!”
Bank, the reactive mind; supposedly packed with “overts,” or undisclosed acts, and engrams or moments or pain and unconsciousness. Also, anything negative seen as coming from the reactive mind. “All you’ll find on alt.religion.scientology is just bank talking.”
Wow! What an interesting topic. It seems to me the mind of a con man is active at every twist and turn – always looking for a way to profit – no matter how events may unfold.
It also seems evident the current leader really is not anywhere near as devious or as clever as the previous leader. I would love to see him take a big fall.
Given what is going on now with Harvey Weinstein, I hope the lesson here is that the laws of Karma are never absent. I just hope and pray that after Weinstein gets what he deserves, the squirt will then get what he deserves as well.
Go, Karma, Go!
Skyler:
Right! A con’s gotta con.
Who knows what he might have achieved had he gone into an honest profession.
JereL Lull said:
Who knows what he might have achieved had he gone into an honest profession.
I can’t be sure. But somehow, I get the feeling he would have somehow managed to wind up in prison at the end and he just may have wound up with a little squirt for a cell mate.
Quick question for the people in the comments today: I’ve been watching the Aftermath since it debuted on Netflix earlier this month, and I’m curious to know how I can help. What can people like me, who were never scientologists and don’t personally know anybody who is, do to help?
Go to The Aftermath Foundation website (http://theaftermathfoundation.org/), click on “Volunteer” on the red ribbon at the top of the home page and then on “How Can I Help”
I’m another celebrating the existence of the Aftermath Foundation.
Boy, do I wish it had existed when Flag kicked me to the curb. It’s the most important way anyone can help the existing scientologists get AWAY when something breaks the bubble they’re caught up in and they start trying to get their lives back on track.
It was once mentioned that Amazon has a feature where a percentage of one’s purchases could be directed to a charity or foundation of one’s choice. I don’t know if that’s still current.
YEs it is. You can tag the AFtermath Foundation and we receive a percentage of all purchases
Also, as regards the “Clear Cognition,” don’t have it while getting “Scientology” auditing. It’s only valid if you have it while getting “Dianetic” auditing. If you have it with Scientology auditing, you might find yourself on the ship to do OT VIII getting Dianetic (NED) auditing, having already reached not only the EP of OT VII but every OT level and action done above Clear.
Yes, this happened to me and while Clear was “checked and validated” on me three times before arriving on the ship to do OT VIII, it was only discovered then; I hadn’t had THE COG WHILE ON DIANETICS.
(PS I know of several people that got so pissed off that they had to do or go Clear again after having it validated and finding that they weren’t REALLY Clear.)
Yeah, Mary, and don’t go Clear last lifetime. First of all DM doesn’t believe in it and the orgs don’t want to hear it as how can they sell you Dianetics if you are already Clear.
I was in the S. O. so it was no problem for them. I could just be worked to death with little sleep and we rarely got audited anyway.
So good to see you here Bill I have been thinking of you – I don’t read all the posts so maybe I just missed you but I hope you are doing well.
Just sat down long enough to play catch up here and have to say I find myself overwhelmed so many times with the whole incredible saga of how one man could create this hideously cruel cult.
When I listened to Mike and Ron Miscavige’s interviews with John Atack I did learn a lot, and a lot of the questions I had were answered. For one, what drove LRH and what drives DM to continue with this entire scam. Obviously they both had and have enough money to take the money and run, so it seemed to boil down to the power they never had before to walk away from the power they had now over people. I had wondered if they were both driven to get even with the kid that stole their lunch money and anyone who didn’t believe they were the smartest. They had to prove it to themselves because they just knew it had to be true. If they could make someone run around a pole until they drop then they must have felt/feel, like king of the world!
It’s not unlike the escaping polygamy TV series. Only about power and money and it makes you want to scream.
Had a list of all the books I had purchased about Scientology (of course I can’t find it and most were on my Kindle that quit working). All were interesting because they were the personal experiences, the journey, and the final straw. I think Marc Headley’s book Blown For Good was the first one and it was sad and funny, a page turner and a love story.
Another thing in common with all who got out, at least to me, was that all were willing to play the hand they were dealt until they reached the point where they just decided to fold and walk away from this rigged poker game. The house was always going to win.
Thank you, Peggy.
Yes, I am doing relatively OK. As an update, I had a cardiac ablation last month to handle (basically kill) some errant heart cells that were generating electricity and interefering with my heart beat. They run wires and a device which burns a spot in the heart up the arteries in your thighs into your heart. They use 3 EKG machines at once. Highly technical. It took over 8 hours. Some of the arythmias came back but the doctor said that they can be generated from the inside or the outside of the heart. Mine were probably from both. They do the inside first as it is a much less risky procedure than having to go in from the outside. So my problem, though not cured, is apparently better than it was and the doctor is happy to leave it at that for now.
re-doing clear cycles
re-checking sec check questions with buttons
re-FNing beaten to death sec check questions
some of these things were quite mentally damaging at the time.
Torture and humiliation for spiritual enlightenment? … going up the bridge was like a real life game of Orwell’s Animal Farm.
Definitely mental torture.
I went Clear (of the cult) the moment I realized Hubbard was mocking it all up. Ah what a relief.
The very best kind of “clear” there is. Good for you, Glenn!
Thanks Skyler. Totally agree!
While reading the contributors comment above, I was reminded of the many experiences I had as an OT VII or OT VIII. First of all, as someone ON OT VII, you HAVE to be a good representative as an OT. So don’t let anyone see you behaving below “Cheerfulness.” It could create a bad impression as an OT and may even lead to some Ethics Handling.
While on the ship, IAS reps wanted to use me to stand up and pledge thousands of dollars at the mandatory Friday night graduation and money grab so others would be prompted to donate.
After OT VIII, I thought I could drift away quietly and be left alone. THAT IS FAR FROM THE TRUTH. Various scientologists are like mad dogs that jawed onto my ankles and wouldn’t let go until I became part of the OT Committee or joined staff and then of course, attend MORE briefings. it was my DUTY!
There is no getting away from this church unless you have no money and there is a pandemic.
I’ve always wondered when they force someone to “shill” so to speak (to fake pledge big money to encourage other people to pledge as well), do they then expect the shills to actually follow through on their pledges? If so, wouldn’t that be a nasty surprise!
Mary Kahn, Your remarks here take me back to a time on the Freewinds as a nobody attending a convention. You are right, Graduation mandatory, and evolved into a fundraiser as well, after the Success Story speakers.
Once the fundraising portion began, I saw a graduating New OT VIII seated in audience being vigorously fundraised by two Freewinds crew members. The moment stands out because, here the man just spoke about his success completing New OT VIII, yet in this aggressive and targeted fundraising activity, he looked sad and annoyed, as though he wanted to be anywhere else.
I always thought there was something very wrong with me because I, too, would go “bad indicators” when getting aggressively demanded to hand over money. I considered this “bad part of me” would go away once I progressed far enough up The Bridge to Total Freedom. That is how much “You have got to give over lots of money repeatedly and routinely” is drilled in as a group member. Of course, over the years, I was sometimes admonished if I “ridged,” told my viewpoint and attitude were “Not okay.”
There was another set of factors that made this moment on the Freewinds stand out: this man was from Germany, a father of four, and a Class V Org staff member. He was a trained auditor and the Senior Case Supervisor at his org.
These facts were all part of introducing him as a Graduation speaker a short while ago. Hearing these things, I considered: “That is amazing he is dad of four children,” and “This guy is a hero for being a dedicated Scientologist in the country of Germany,” and “What a self-less soul to be on staff for 34 years,” and “What a sizable investment he has ‘made go right’ to, not just be on staff and go up the Bridge through the available OT levels, but do this with the added burden of several international flights over the years, back and forth to Flag, and now to the Freewinds.”
So, here he was, this accomplished and “upstat” gentleman, probably heading back to Germany the next day. Was he granted a true well-deserved celebration, fully honored, given a chance to bask in his achievement and breathe? No, he was accosted with unexpected donation demands and he was visibly miserable about it.
Watching this provoked heartbreak for me. Seemed like a penalty not a reward.
Yes! Exactly!
That’s a horrible story and one I am very familiar with personally.
So many finish these levels and do manage to drift away. And the staff that continue to pummel members for money don’t care either because they are under such pressure themselves to bring in more money.
In the land of sticks and carrots, $cientology is definitly a stick.