Of course, they cite nothing to support their bold claims — but then again any scientologist would NEVER even think to question the IAS. After all, this is the international association of the most ethical group on earth.
There is nothing to substantiate the figures of distribution at all, they pluck these numbers out of the sky usually. Someone paid for a printing of the booklets. They may or may not have actually printed that many. No doubt, however many they printed, they did NOT get distributed. Often they end up being dumped. And the “network of 1400 businesses” probably includes dropping a copy in a Starbucks and then counting the 600 Starbucks in the 65 square mile grid — or things of equally absurd “stat push” mentality.
But you can find some information about the crime rates.
Once again, they have some slim correlation but absolutely no evidence of causation.
A google search showed up this article:
Note — this is over 10 YEARS — if they distributed this number of booklets over 10 years it is so miniscule it’s irrelevant. If they did it all in a month, then it had nothing to do with a 10 year trend…
And apparently, the reason bicycle thefts have increased by 3 times is that they are not mentioned in WTH.
But what are a few facts in the face of hype for fundraising?
Remember the ridiculous claims they made about solving the drug problem in Colombia!
To be in touch is something. To be out of touch is nothing.
Commentators make comments. Commentators working go ten years back in time when they where active and made things happening.
The way to hell can be happy but the arrival is not so funny.
Delusion is rampant in all cults, but nowhere else is this delusion trumpeted as loudly as from the scientology propaganda machine.
It is embarrassing, really.
Nowhere else? Cynical moi disagrees. When it comes to the indefatigable dissemination of non-facts the White House is no slouch either. I’d say it runs a close 2nd to CO$ when it comes to pumping out false facts. In fact, I’m so cynical that I believe this administration is being ADVISED by Co$. Not too far-fetched a belief that someone in CO$ could be Trump Whisperer given that DC Org is only a few blocks from the White House. “Always attack, never defend”. Now, don’t go crazy on this, some of you. Breathe, and take a look. Observe. “Always attack, never defend.” Do you see any similarities? And here’s another question for you: If one is innocent, isn’t one’s innocence also one’ defense, which in turn, serves as an attack on those who would falsely accuse one of wrongdoing?
On the other hand, if one is guilty, if one has no defense, if one is NOT innocent, then all that one can do by way of fighting back is attack the accuser, discredit the accuser with personal attacks and ad homs thereby invalidating the accusations that way. Stay away from the actual issues because they are indefensible. Hubbard’s policy is that if Scientology is attacked on some vulnerable point then stay away from that point and instead find or manufacture bad things to say about the attackers…”Always attack, never defend.” Marked similarities between how L’Orange and the Dwarf handle accusations of wrongdoing? I’d say so. Could be just coincidence but, given how Co$ is always over ANY US President like white on rice, I don’t know…
It seems to me that the fact that they keep making the same sort of dubious claims about drops in crime and violence over the years for various different locations, shows that the remaining members are willing to accept almost anything uncritically.
And my reading of their weasel-wording is that they probably outsourced distribution of booklets to some service that has a “network” of locations where they drop off stacks of advertising materials – and they probably then make their way into recycling sooner if someone recognizes them as from Scientology, or later as such unattractive pablum sits un-taken and is finally cleared out to make room for something else.
It seems rather pointless for even the IAS to fund, so perhaps some “whale” paid for it as an amends project, and the IAS is just trying to implicitly take credit.
What a bunch of utter nonsense.
One would have to be mentally deficient to believe this garbage.
It seems to me that Scientologists should be insulted that their leaders would assume that their followers are so dense that they would swallow this garbage hook, line, and sinker.
@ Brett
“One would have to be mentally deficient to believe this garbage.”
I don’t disagree but I’ll just point out that many high IQ, highly educated people all over the world believe that Moses parted the Red Sea, that God turned a man called Lot into a pillar of salt, that Jonah survived for 3 days in a whale’s stomach and came out whole, that Jesus Christ fed 5 thousand people with 5 fishes and five loaves of bread, walked on water, died on a cross and came back to life, and was conceived without benefit of sexual intercourse. Throw in a talking snake, and fitting a male and a female of every animal species in the world into a small ark for 40 days…Many, many people who are otherwise sane and well functioning people believe these things unquestioningly, because..they’re written in the Bible. Not only do they believe but they can get furious with you for appearing to doubt or ridicule any instances of biblical magic. Just saying.
Violent crime has plummeted everywhere since the 90s because lead levels children are exposed to has plummeted. If LRH really had had the secrets to everything, he would have known about the connection between lead exposure as children and violence as adults. But no, it’s platitudes and body thetans all the way.
Yes Lliira, homicide rates in the 1st world have plummeted since the 80’s. USA included. Interesting as this trend is the opposite of the stat of number of scamologists active in orgs. The LESS people in scamology the lower the crime rate on the planet.
Belgian law does not categorize criminal offences as ‘felonies’ or ‘misdemeanors,’ which means this claim makes no sense.
I’m guessing this astounding information about the IAS success was released far far away from Brussels. That way the clams can read it, pat themselves on the back for all they’re doing to help the world and then go back to trying to pick each others pockets.
“…pat themselves on the back for all they’re doing to help the world and then go back to trying to pick each others pockets.”
I LOL’d, Phillip. Nailed succinctly and humorously too. We have to laugh, you know, or we’d all be crying here!
Given the claim that the “church” has been experiencing “more than ever” levels of expansion why is violent crime rising to an alarming degree in LA?
We are to believe that scientology performs miracles in OTHER places while being entirely ineffective in its own backyard? “Sure Pinocchio” I say to the little man with the long nose!
Pfft! 😜. If you believe the hype about reaching the level of cause over matter, energy, space and time through Scientology, then believing this crap is a no brainier….😷
Mike,
Over at Tony’s blog, some nutcase mentions you in the ‘Overheard In The Freezone’ section.
It’s totally bizarre — some of the dumbest, most illogical nonsense I’ve ever read. Something about UFO’s, reptiles, and telepathic DNA. Oh dear. This person is clearly out to lunch… permanently. LOL.
Yes, I saw it.
When people like that question your judgment and integrity it makes you feel like you are on the right track…
Indeed.
You are truly making a difference, while the Freezoners are busy making ridiculous assertions; desperately clinging to Hubbard’s lunacy and engaging in conspiracy theories to boot. Yikes.
Even if they applied their OWN “tech” known as the Data Series, anyone could note the outpoints in the IAS promotions. All I see is a manipulation of words, carefully omitted “facts” and attributing “source” where it doesn’t belong. Of course it’s all in the name of bilking more money from those who aren’t allowed to apply the Data Series to the Church or it’s “fake news” propaganda or publications.
Michael, I’m a Data Series graduate and I have to tell you, this and all cult promo is riddled with outpoints. If data were cheese Scientology would be swiss cheese. That said, I know Still Ins who don’t see any of the outpoints, proving the old adage that “Some people believe what they see, and others see what they believe”. Sad, really. People who operate this way in life always suffer eventually.
WTH: the very first thing i saw, when i came out of this awful cult: four posters hanging on door of a wog (which tavelled through south India). On the first two posters were 20 rules for schoolkids as a Cartoon – exactly the same, which Hubbard explored for the wellfare of humanity. As these posters were older than this WTH kids lecture, i assume Hubbard had his high spiritual contacts from india? The other posters showed spiritual leaders from the world Hubbard was not part of it. I guess, WTH was his best lecture he ever made.
OT except having to do with Cult insane claims. Steven Creek Ideal Morgue on a weekend (busiest time of week for the cult) in 3rd largest scamology populated place on Earth.
13 cars. Two public seen and two staff taking pictures of the people videoing the morgue.
Scamology is DEAD at the Class V org level.
Good intel, Wynski!
Thanks Aqua. Love that saying you posted about seeing and believing.
If you want to find The Way To Happiness in Brussels, simply look into trash cans! Simple, right?
The Sprouts of Brussels must be ecstatic that $camology has lowered crime by 23%.
Well, basically the cult isn’t accountable to anyone for this free publication. They can say whatever they want, make all the claims they want. Publications like this have no auditing or, I assume, advertisers, who can say they didn’t get any response to their ad. They are just preaching to the choir, or maybe better said just preaching for the choir because the choir doesn’t care about facts. The cult says it so it has to be true. So, dig into your pockets deeper!
You just totally nailed it, Peggy.
Why hasn’t the entire world jumped on the WTH bandwagon and saved mankind from all crime? Oh, it’s all bullshit and none of the things bragged about ever happened. But you knew that, didn’t you?
Because the SP’s and psyches are preventing the IAS from collecting enough money in this country to distribute these booklets on a massive scale in the US . Once this problem is handled you will see a major decline in crime throughout the entire United States.
I can’t tell if you’re being sarcastic or not.
@ Imaberrated,
Doug is being sarcastic.
But on a serious note, I got a call from someone in Scientology a few years ago trying to get me back. He started about the way to happiness reducing crime and Columbia. I was amazed to realize that he actually believed that completely.
hahahaha!!!!
O/T. I’m cross-posting this here because my understanding is the author is from Australia. I believe it is possible Mike and others may know the author and/or his family.
New Book – Scientology & Philosophy: An Experiential Overview, by second-generation Scientologist Jason Horvatic.
https://www.amazon.com/Scientology-Philosophy-Experiential-Jason-Horvatic-ebook/dp/B0829BDTTG/
/
Never heard of him
Panopea Abrupta on Tony Ortega’s blog said his mother, “Jann Horvatic is/was Director of Processing in the Sydney Org.” “John Horvatic, OT VII, drowned in a fishing accident 6 years ago.” In case that rings any bells for anyone.
That name does ring a bell. I think I worked with a family member. I remember thinking it was a very unusual surname.
I’ve never heard of him too. Who are talking about cuz I’m really confused.
You crack me up OSD 🙂 In a good way.
Hey, Aquamarine! It’s good to see you here! I think you’re great!
Right back at you with that, OSD 🙂
The Amazon author biography has this –
“Jason Horvatic was raised a second-generation Scientologist. Educated in both Scientology and secular schools, he has worked for the Church of Scientology on multiple occasions, whilst also pursuing an eclectic secular life. His passions are philosophy (both religious and secular) and music, which he finds hard to keep away from.”
There’s a Jann Horvatic who’s at least OT V: http://www.truthaboutscientology.com/stats/by-name/j/jann-horvatic.html
I can’t immediately tell from the description of the book whether it’s an attempt to get someone appearing as a layman to put out the sort of apologetics as some of the “new religious movement” scholars and Scientology hirelings like Massimo Introvigne, or the work of an independent scientologist trying to find “the good” or whatever. But Hubbard’s philosophy is such a muddle that it’s hard to take seriously, except to recognize it as the sort of inconsistent patchwork typical of belief-based ideologies – and any honest examination of it would have to acknowledge its bizarre idealism and strange notions such as that even universes are created by Thetans, not to mention its ends-justifies-the means extreme utilitarianism and Luciferianism.
This is the kind of thing where I don’t quite understand how the cognitive dissonance works. Surely some Scientologists are familiar with logic and scientific reasoning enough to be skeptical of such outlandish claims, right? Do they just put all Scientology’s claims in a separate category where they somehow aren’t able to notice that that’s not even a correlation, and nowhere near causation? For people who talk so much about being “At Cause” and spend a lot of time with dictionaries, it’s kind of amazing that they don’t know what’s entailed in asserting a causal relationship.
“An Expert Explains Cognitive Dissonance (with Professor Jonas Kaplan)”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YkM8dsptmtg
Mike, they are “creationists” to the max and encouraged to be so. Anything “GOOD” HAS to be the results of scio. And anything ‘NOT GOOD” was caused or created by those nasty old SPs! In this way any scientologist in good standing has no need to THINK. S/He simply has to “believe” whatever has been taught by the Hubbard/Miscavige duo and slavishly follow their pattern.
Follow the pattern…Follow the pattern…Follow the pattern…Follow the pattern…Follow the pattern…
I wouldn’t exactly bind Hubbard and Miscavige together. The IAS are evil and have taken lots of money off people that is well documented running into millions and they will never get money back.
Be aware that Miscavige – Is the miscarriage and abortion of his mother. He/It was pulled from the bucket and genetically modified into what you see today.