The same, tired old band of cult apologist “academics” are holding their annual conference next week in Quebec, Canada.
They are familiar names, led by Massimo Introvigne, one of the main beneficiaries of much scientology funding over the years. We did a Fair Game podcast about these cult apologists with Chris Shelton
The reason for putting “academics” in quotation marks is that they do no real research or study. They accept information provided to them by scientology, reject anything that comes from “former” members (apostates) on the basis that one of the founding apologists, Bryan Wilson of Oxford University, stated such testimony could not be relied upon.
They ignore facts and evidence if it is inconvenient to the conclusions they need to make to remain in favor with the “NRM’s,” as this is their niche in the world. They are like holocaust deniers — if you derive your living and “status” by attending conferences and gatherings of those who want to hear the holocaust is a hoax, you don’t want to examine the facts too carefully, but spend a great deal of time working out how to explain away the obvious.
Of course, scientology is a feature of this conference — the first session on Day 1:
I would love to be a fly on the wall to hear what Donald Westbrook comes up with in “reassessing” L. Ron Hubbard’s life. You know he is going to ignore a lot of very inconvenient facts about Hubbard — his family, abusive policies, vengeance, lies about his life, military career and even the circumstances of his death (especially the testimony of the person who was with him, Sarge who was never an “apostate”). But with everyone in attendance being like-minded, he isn’t likely to get any push-back on whatever conclusions he arrives at.
The apologist academics who do get let into the doors of Scientology facilities, at least can be called later by the FBI and interviewed (Melton privately told me he saw some strange things, even when Heber chaperoned Melton. And I wrote and asked Melton to check up on Heber when in the mid 2000s Heber was in the Hole, and Melton did, and was told Scientology’s club footed PR bad excuses about Heber being on sabbatical.)
It’s maybe 95 percent to say the apologist academics were all bad. I chose to contact them, I did, I learned they were extremely smart, to get through college which they all did, and reading their papers and what they do, one side job they do do, is they get into the presence of groups that critics cannot get into those doors of those groups.
That is one upside to them.
They can report to FBI when asked by the FBI.
Scientology has hoodwinked a lot of followers sufficiently money wise to keep up Scientology’s appearances of survival, for now.
The less bureaucratic , lesser totalitarian, more nuttier new religions are way down the success chart compared to Scientology, even as dismal horrible controversial abusive that Scientology factually is.
I think some apologist academics need to be let in Scientology’s doors, at least to report back to the FBI on Scientology.
I thought OSA fell for the apologist academics and were letting them in, and really it was slightly a security risk to let the academics into any Scientology facilities, no matter how orchestrated the touring was.
Mike,
Have you read James Lewis’ paper here:
It ties body-thetans to Xenu to OT 3, to Revolt In The Stars. (And that is the ultimate tieing Hubbard’s serious Scientology to Hubbard’s fiction, with XENU the crossover word.)
That’s a huge connecting of the dots, done by one of the most hated apologist academics.
https://www.academia.edu/20413215/Technological_Exorcism_Body_Thetans_and_Scientology_s_Secret_Mythology
That’s kind of what I’d hoped the apologist academics would rise up to doing, at least looking deeper into things directly by Hubbard, Hubbard’s writings on key things like Xenu and body-thetans.
Just another conference that is about as legitimate as fake news. Lol this crap would only work on teenagers being recruited who are gullible enough to think that stuff is legit. But thankfully the internet has lots of exes and Mikes podcast and the Aftermath to hopefully combat that effect.
Are they doing this for the attention?
It’s a three day conference June 16-18 so they’ll have plenty of time to discuss previous and additional New Religious Movements. I wonder what’s on the list. I’m done with scientology and looking for something new. Maybe you can show up with your Pope Hat on and get a schedule for us.
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joke
The Angry Gay Pope marching around in front of the event wearing his Pope hat and robe might get some media attention.
Attach a $100.00 note to each page of the packages $camology sends to them and they will sycophantically fall over themselves to accommodate pushing the bullshit. “Never say no to cash,” is their motto I expect.
“Religious Pluralism in an Era of Globalization”
Talk about a statement that doesn’t want to fit in the mouth. These “academics” gather to pat each other on the back and quietly brag about how much money they are making from these ‘New’ religious movements. These guys fit into that academic category my dad used to call ‘underwater basket weaving’. They also survive by juicy grants from various universities where I’m sure several of them are tenured. What a waste of thought.
I cannot stop myself to check the details on their website.
It’s just an desperate attempt to gain publicity.
First this conference is not like any grand event where they cover different Cults mostly it cover Korean and US.
Second, you may see same people presenting papers for one Cult then in other sessions advocating others , seems like they are employed for the event.
Third , when I checked a presenter , mentioned as scholar from a Canadian University, I only found the name on a website , Researchgate.net ,with no credentials like research work, faculty info or qulification.
Fourth, most of the presenters like two Canadian professor shall discuss article written almost 5 to 10 years back. Nothing specific for the conference.
Fifth , except two session ,the First and one in French , all the other sessions are in group settings.
Participants shall scatter in different groups after picking the topic of their choice.
So, many Cults might not have any audience , though their name shall appears on conference brochures as actively participated
Inshort , rather then choosing any metropolitan city or prominent universtiy , they prefer a small city and unknown university for a well structured publicity stunt .
Hah! You located the event schedule. Thanks for the info.
Just Google CESNUR and its there.
Google is on top of the hit list of Cult industry followed by YouTube, Facebook , WordPress and Amazon.
When the smoke clears, Massimo Introvigne is not at all what he pretends to be. As an academic, he is a complete fake. He hasn’t earned even one of the multiple credentials required of an academic “sociologist of religion.” (Others in his stable of “journal” contributors fare equally poorly on close inspection.)
This does nothing to diminish conference Chairman Maso’s utility to the cult. In real life, the only thing “intellectual” about him is that he’s an intellectual property attorney, a skill set the cult has consistently used to harass, intimidate and silence many a critic. This conference is a legitimate academic effort about as much as Freedom mag is actual journalism. And the disproportionate coverage the cult is granted in the proceedings makes me wish I could take a quick gander at recent deposits to “professor” Massimo’s bank book!
Massimo has as much credibility of being an academic as Diminutive Monstrosity does at being a genius.
How much money do you think Mr Introvigne is getting every year from Scientology to ignore all the abuses disconnections and crimes?
I remember you said you were the one signing his checks when you were still in….
Somehow my scientology “Minister Of The Church” certificate survived in the bottom of a trunk. I wonder if they’ll let me in if I show it. It still has the raised gold seal on the bottom, very official looking. I might need to buy a collar.
Just today Tony Ortega posted a video of Chris Shelton interviewing a woman who recently exited the Sea Org after 27 years of being in. I watched a few parts and by chance on one part she mentioned that even in the Sea Org they don’t call scn their religion or Church in conversation amongst themselves and just refer to the “Org” where they participate. Obviously statements made for public consumption would include church and religion.
I’ve questioned just how churchy current public scnists are. They often mention church and religion but maybe that’s the same as the Sea Org when making public statements. When I was in in the 1970’s you would be looked at as rather odd if you called scn your religion. “What’s up with that??” Haha
The 70s was the peak of the wave of NRMs and the anti-cult movement. Most of the “NRMs” from that time have largely adapted and evolved, but Scientology hasn’t.
Same thing with Miscavige, Mike. All people see is that he is a world religious leader with what appears to be an impeccable resume. And of course you, being one of his victims, are nothing more than a bitter defrocked apostate whose word can’t be trusted.
That’s the modus operandi these people go on.