Another article from our old friend Terra Cognita
Scientology and Reason – or Reasonableness
Another big Scientology catchword is “reasonableness.” Loosely defined, reasonableness is the condition of being reasonable—which on the surface, seems like a good trait. To reason means to think logically; to form conclusions, judgments, or inferences from facts or premises; to conclude or infer. According to Random House, the word reasonable means, “in accord with reason or sound judgement; logical; capable of rational behavior, decision, etc.”
LRH put his own spin on the word.
From the Scientology Tech Dictionary, he defined reasonableness as:
“Faulty explanations.”
“a staff member or executive can be ‘reasonable’ and accept reasons why something cannot be done, accept incomplete cycles as complete, and fail to follow through and get completions. All of which result in further traffic.”
“an objective can always be achieved. Most usually, when it is not being achieved, the person is finding counter-intention in the environment which coincides with his own (this is reasonableness), and his attention becomes directed to his own counter-intention rather than to his objective, i.e. he has interiorized into the situation.”
“you can safely say that being reasonable is a symptom of being unable to recognize out-points for what they are and use them to discover actual situations.”
Within the church, reasonableness is BAD. The word is pejorative. Nothing good ever comes from being reasonable.
Reason has little, if any, value in Scientology. Thinking for oneself is a waste of time. Applying reason to LRH tech or policy is to walk a dangerous path.
More Ironies
A major irony is that per the above definitions, all Scientologists exhibit reasonableness all the time. They’ve been trained to be “reasonable.” They’re “unable to recognize out-points for what they are and use them to discover actual situations.” That is, they’ve been indoctrinated not to look too closely at situations within the church; not to question things that don’t seem right; not to “recognize out-points;” not “discover actual situations,” and of course, they’ve been programed to never question their leaders.
Two Advanced Org MAA’s, one Advanced Org Qual terminal, and one Class 5 CS told me that the reference for a new rundown released at the GAT 2 event was David Miscavige introducing it at the podium. When I pointed out that that was classic verbal tech, all of them told me verbatim, “you just have to trust the guy.”
(When talking about Scientology doctrine, not referencing the exact LRH bulletin or policy letter is “verbal tech.” Within the walls of the church, if LRH didn’t write it, it isn’t true. Scarcely anything is worse in the world of Scientology than verbal tech. Per policy letter, Verbal Tech: Penalties, “ANY PERSON FOUND TO BE USING VERBAL TECH SHALL BE SUBJECT TO A COURT OF EITHICS.”)
No new auditors being created in empty orgs is an example of “reasonableness” as defined by LRH. Spending millions of dollars on glamorous new buildings when Scientology public is dwindling is another. Redoing courses and auditing actions; accepting SP declares on people who clearly aren’t suppressive; not questioning the disappearance of senior management are more examples. Policy on disconnection is another that’s garnered a lot of attention lately. These are all glaring red flags, and yet, Scientologists have been indoctrinated not to “pull the string” on what’s actually going on.
Good Scientologists do what they’re told. Thinking for themselves, asking questions, or employing reason is not recognized as an advantageous attribute. Nor is it not permitted.
LRH preached self-determinism and integrity and yet wrote that anything less than strict obedience with regards to everything he wrote would result in calamity. Parishioners are warned to not look at other philosophies, religions, and practices. The Internet is taboo.
According to LRH, not only is reasonableness NOT doing exactly what he said, reasonableness is NOT thinking exactly what he thought.
Accepting the premise of Keeping Scientology Working is a classic example of reasonableness. Per LRH, there is no necessity for reason; there is no time for thinking. The planet is on the verge of collapse and unless everyone follows his instructions precisely and without question, we’re all doomed. Scientology “…is a deadly serious activity. And if we miss getting out of the trap now, we may never again have another chance.” That Scientologists don’t see the hypocrisy of this bulletin is reasonableness!
“But…but…Sir…”
Scientology staff members are taught early on to not “accept reasons why something cannot be done.” Not making targets, not achieving purposes, and not reaching goals are all considered reasonableness.
Within the church, not getting one’s stats up for any reason is reasonableness. Not carrying out any order or completing a project is reasonableness. Anything less than complete compliance is not acceptable. And is being reasonable.
Not starting one’s next course or buying one’s next level is reasonableness (the registrar would be charged with reasonableness for not getting the person to pay for everything).
Finally, any Scientologist not completely devoted to David Miscavige is not only reasonable, they’re out-ethics.
This mindset that “an objective can always be achieved,” is so deeply drilled into all Scientologists—especially staff—that they believe even the most absurd demands, directives, and mandates can be achieved no matter the circumstances. Thetans can achieve anything. Period. They created the universe. They can change it.
Not disconnecting from sons and daughters is considered “reasonableness” within Scientology. Not donating to the IAS with proceeds from a second mortgage is “reasonableness.” Not submitting to hundreds of hours of security checking is “reasonableness.” And the list of examples goes on and on.
Last Words
Just like being drunk on alcohol, being drunk on “Kool Aid” causes people to do things they normally wouldn’t do, and to not do things they normally would. Scientology not only makes people reasonable, it makes people dumb.
Still not Declared,
Terra Cognita
Restimulation is real! What makes me say this? The bad memories which came flooding back reading about reasonableness, I remember feeling like shaking some scientologists for their unthinking approach to ‘reasonableness’ Their insistence that you get the money NOW NOW NOW, even if you could clearly demonstrate that it would work in everyone’s favor if you just waited until a loan payment arrived or something like that. I always look forward to Terra’s essays, thanks as always.
Being reasonable is BAD! Well that makes all the sense in the world for LRH to not, want people to be reasonable. That would require them to listen to others- but also to make their own conclusions. We will have none of that here…. we only want “listening”, no “thinking”, that is just a waste of our money, ummm, I mean time.
Great essay today TC.
In the old days the catch phrase was “what would Ron do?”
Today it is clearly, “what would COB do?”
TC you are so right. It makes people dumb!
Hubbard’s appropriation of certain concepts like sympathy, being reasonable, open-mindedness, etc. reveal his contempt for what those words represent. The man was a sociopath who didn’t have the capacity to experience sympathy so he saw it as a detestable weakness.
Hubbard was also a narcissist, which is to say, he was unable to consider that he may be wrong about anything. Therefore any reasoned objection to one of his ideas was seen as an excuse for laziness and as a personal attack.
And of course, open-mindedness allowed for the possibility there might be a better way than his way. That was antithetical to the fanatical devotion he required. He was right and that was that. End of discussion.
Critical analysis reveals he was NOT right, in fact he was wrong about almost EVERYTHING! Independent thinking could bring down his house of cards! Therefore the necessity for Orwellian doublespeak and thought crimes. Thanks to his emeter, he was able to have his Thought Police. BIG BROTHER is watching you for your own good. To protect your case gain.
But it takes people to make this happen. What makes a person abandon their rationality and empathy that they may unquestioningly serve a tyrant? The communists, Nazis, ISIS, etc…personality cults and ideologies historically turn the followers into tyrants also. Such service is always devoid of compassion and brimming with self-righteous moral superiority. What is the bait and what is the appetite that makes possible this terrible phenomenon?
Hey Rog, you said:
“What is the bait and what is the appetite that makes possible this terrible phenomenon?”
Wrong knowledge and a desire to do good.
What causes an ISIS kid to strap on a bomb ? What he was taught; knowledge
What causes a GO/OSA goon to harm others? What he studied in course; wrong knowledge.
Ideologies, studied information assumed as true, without the individual having an education in reason, logic and independent thought, belief in self, is what makes fertile soil for mindless adherence to wrong or delusional knowledge.
Add to that that Hubbard knew he had miles of altitude over us and was able to instill in us whatever knowledge he deemed fit to protect his power and paying customers.
He was and is granted infallibility by his disciples. Assigning absolute infallibility to anyone is the death of reason and common sense.
Then minions will act against common standards of decency and consider it the right thing to do.
In the ultimate sense, lack of true self knowledge, lack of true confident self perception, makes us vulnerable to plausible but fallacious realities.
That ‘desire to do good’ has paved so many roads to hell. I believe that is because vanity and other self-aggrandizing impulses infiltrate the non-inquiring mind. A non-inquiring mind is disinterested in exploring its true motives. It is disinclined to go beyond the comfort zone of beliefs. That is a universal human tendency. That tendency prevails in some people and is surmounted by others. As Nietzsche said, “There are two different types of people in the world, those who want to know and those who want to believe”.
Brian, what actually causes the guy to strap on a bomb or tell a person to yell at an ashtray to communicate better or a legislator to pass a law requiring people to personally DO something which violates his liberty is the belief that one knows what is good for another BETTER than that person themselves. It is arrogance to the point of criminal insanity.
A show of hands for you, Mike.
I agree, there is criminal insanity in Hubbard. He did not mind destroying people. Just ask Paulette Cooper.
This falls along with Helluvahoax’s “Hubbard’s Laws of Commotion” found on Ex Scientology Message Board.
Read them – they are TRUE and will blow some serious charge
Thank you Terra.
This is my personal favorite re-definition in the Scientology lexicon of control mechanisms.
Scientology is harmful, insidious and can take years to untwist one’s mind from.
Nah I wouldn’t have lasted 5 mins without being confused as f***! Pedants would be irritated to the extreme no doubt – he’s trying (& succeeding) to baffle them with bullshit! lol ?
I feel really sad for those inside, particularly those born into it, or grown up in it & with few choices (to change their view) or have many opportunities to know otherwise .. how weird their environment must be. I support them in following their own beliefs but can’t help but feel that the only (or one of the few) actual positive behaviour that comes out of being involved in scientology is that of being driven &/or have an extreme work ethic – the true believers who work/slave diligently in the SO etc do so for little pay and for mine, such an ethic embodies the value of sacrifice & selflessness that isn’t so common anymore. It’s a shame that for all that effort, it makes little difference (to the world outside), even though it should and very well could!! Because those values are universal .. & combined with empathy, compassion and solidarity you could create a movement of real truth, that a great number of people could relate to & want to be a part of.
A simple formula? Not content. Language & definitions are revised even though the English language, as far as my experience has shown, is already very specific & unambiguous … however since reading that excellent book ‘Barefaced Messiah: The True Story of L. Ron Hubbard’ by Russell Miller, I’ve learned to accept (& expect) the weird stuff. And on that note I would like to say thanks for the many references posters have made about the different publications & sites/blogs to check out for information on the CoS – even glossaries are excellent reading to just figure out what it all means. I’ve been curious about scientology for many years & have seen quite a few docos & tv specials but Aftermath has been by far the most intriguing & informative of them all. I liked Going Clear & Louis Theroux’s work (which mostly focused on an incident/s regarding DM violently assaulting a dude in a meeting & the musical chairs charade (& I’m not sure if the victims of the assaults were already in the RPF or not) … but none have been as insightful or as significant as Aftermath with Leah & Mike. I can’t stop thinking about some of the people who’ve appeared or their experiences. I believe the difference is that we’re being given a true insiders perspective from those who know more than most, and they complement the experience of the others who appear.
For the ‘never-ins’ like me, Leah is relatable, not only because she’s a successful & recogniseable actor around the world but also because as a person & individual, she comes across like Carrie, the character she used to play on tv (TKOQ) – honest, sincere, hard working & compassionate. She’s real hey, and so is Mike. I’d like to see & learn more about MR on the 2nd season as well – these real, honest, earnest & decent people need to be applauded & supported for trying to help themselves by helping others. The greatest tragedy has been that good, caring people have been used up & spat out by an organisation deliberately targetting those with so much to give ?
Scientology doctrine, “not referencing the exact LRH bulletin or policy letter is “verbal tech.” Within the walls of the church, if LRH didn’t write it, it isn’t true.”
That sick mind, hiding behind his smug grin, came up with all this nonsense. To all you 4chan lurkers and others, let’s comb through L. Ron Hubbard’s words to find more “truths” for his followers, that they must, according to the church rules, abide by.
For example, this sickening gem, from the mind of L. Ron Hubbard… If a seven year old girl is repulsed by being “passionately” kissed by a grown man, she is somehow in the wrong!?!
Yeah, let’s bring this bullshit Scientology kingdom down, my friends.
When Werner Erhard was squirreling Scientology tech for EST, which would become The Landmark Forum, one of the elements he stole became what they now call “The Distinction Unreasonable.” It’s the same thing Hubbard used to get people to stop thinking and do what he said by a slightly different name. They wanted us to be “unreasonable” in achieving our goals, to not be stopped by our “rackets” and “stories” and most especially, to not be stopped when it came time to use The Distinction Enrollment to snag unsuspecting friends and family into Landmark’s grasp. Being unreasonable means giving your money to Landmark when you can’t afford it. But you’ll make so much more money once you “get it.” P.T. Barnum would have been so proud.
Artoo, I think we should hesitate before assuming that everything that happened in California after 1950 traces back to Hubbard. That’s Scientology’s public relations trap, to position Hubbard as “source” and everyone else who did anything in the areas of mind and spirit as “squirrels.”
It also needs to be kept in mind that Hubbard has all his unacknowledged, sources, like Buddhism, and plenty of people in the avante garde and the so-called human potential movement had their own direct experience with those things, too – in many cases, more extensively and deeply than Hubbard did. There is a similar concept of reasonableness in Zen Buddhism in particular (with some reference in D. T. Suzuki’s books introducing Zen to the West, and possibly in Herrigel’s Zen in the Art of Archery), and I’ve read that Erhard was a fairly serious student of Zen, so it’s possible that he just got the idea from the same actual source that Hubbard did (unacknowledged, in Hubbard’s case) – and I think that similar things happened with a lot of the people and movements that Scientology would like to label “squirrel.” I’ve also seen some hints that Hubbard and those around him looked at other movements that were starting to gain success, and stole ideas and techniques from them, too.
Plus, there was a time in the 1960s before the major critical exposees started to come out, when Scientology was the “it religion” and lots of people were checking it out, including most anybody interested in self-awareness and consciousness expansion and probably most of the people who went on to do something of their own. I got the impression that Erhard looked at Scientology, and was trying to figure out how to provide the benefits that it did, without all the downsides and traps. Aren’t his courses pretty limited in scope and cost, or has that changed?
Elcon signed his name to everything for copyright protection. In the old days the threat of a lawsuit for copyright infringement from a large vindictive corporation, the Co$, would cause most people (squirrels) to close shop. It didn’t matter if the material was plagiarized in the first place. “Service facsimiles”, rackets or stories as Artoo mentions, is just a gobbledegook term coined to what is certainly not an original idea.
I did EST a year or two after splitting scn and didn’t “get it” – laughter
I don’t recall anything specific since it was so long ago, but I believe the main thing he lifted from scn was “What do you use to make yourself right and others wrong?” which might be transformational for some people. Erhard later made a ton of money selling “Relationship” seminars. It was later reported that when his wife disagreed with him he’d lock her in a guarded room until she capitulated or “got it”. Talk about needing to be right – lol
She eventually divorced him and made big bucks from a non-disclosure agreement, but the information leaked out anyhow.
Terra, thanks once more for a thought-provoking piece.
There is some usefulness and relevance to the scientological notion of “reasonableness” – people will sometimes be too “reasonable” and talk themselves out of doing things that are actually within their ability, and in their self-interest (there may be some good psychological term for that, but I don’t know of any). But like most everything in Scientology, the concept is taken to extremes, re-defined so it can be used for purposes of control – and, like “responsibility,” only flows down from Hubbard as a sort of way to lay blame on those lower down on the ladder, and for those higher up to avoid accountability.
It’s akin to the cognitive behavioral “fear of success ” which helps an individual understand how they are putting up roadblocks to achieving their goals, that are not actual impediments, but rather self sabotaging thoughts and behaviors that hold them back, because they fear the future consequences of actualizing their dreams, more than they fear never achieving them.
But, and this is a big BUT, the goal is for the person to recognize and overcome the faulty roadblocks and rationalizations for their own advancement, NOT for the desires of a group or even worse, a dictator that wants to eek out every ounce of their potential abilities for nefarious gain.
Exemplaryangel, thanks for that. Something like “fear of success” would be at one end of what I’m talking about, as an active mechanism; but I’m also thinking of something more passive, closer to “learned helplessness,” though in some cases even more subtle than that, more like just hesitance to get out of one’s comfort zone.
Great essay Terra. I always appreciate your views.
I think Ron ruined a few words in English
1) reasonable
2) open minded
3) grief
4) sympathy
He redefined these words. He booby trapped with wrong definition these natural and essential human traits.
Ron was a genius at manipulating human values so he could control. He knew what he was doing.
His redefinition of sympathy puts it below hate on the tone scale.
This one fact encapsulates the essence of Hubbard.
He sure muddied up “Clear” too!
So right, Brian.
You’re right, Brian. Pulling these points out of the bazillions of words that flew out of his mouth, makes that very very clear.
Interesting, in my copy of the Tech Dictionary, there is no definition of reasonableness.
Can you direct me to where the quotes came from?
Thanks,
C.C.
Hey Christopher! No I cannot. Scientology is now a long forgotten memory. I just remember how it was used in our jargon with each other like being griefy, being open minded and being reasonable.
I just remember these were terms, weaponized language, that de-legitimized a person in some way. Invalidated them, to use the old terminology, like being an SP – anyone who question church doctrine and head implanter.
He was master of redefining words. Read my essays on how he redefined the word ethics, grief, accountable, sympathy. If you type in my name Brian Lambert in search field you’ll be able to read many concepts Hubbard dehumanized and definitionally raped.
Thanks for your question.
It always blows my mind that intelligent people who are successful in life so they can donate more can’t see an outpoint in the church of it smacked them upside the head.
Scientologists don’t put a lot of stock in reason and rational thought. They have something better: What Ron says.
To use reason & logic when working for Hubbard or his cult was the fasted way get into trouble and then, kicked out of the place.
Those with the least ability to apply reason & logic stay in the cult the longest.
Absolutely right, Mike.
I hope you get compensated some day from the then court dismantled CoS Bill. Your crime of course was effectively getting people into session as ordered by Hubbard. Crazy f’ing cult!
“Good Scientologists do what they’re told.” That was true for Lron and doubly so with Miscavage. Everything is subsumed by the will of those ‘above’ you who give you impossible orders and expect you to carry them out. That way the ‘superior’ has an out and someone to blame when it all turns to ka-ka. Blame storming is an important part of any modern executive committee.
Lron and his successor have redefined ‘reasonableness’ to suit their wishes. Like so many other clam words that end in ‘-ness’, all are meant to re groove your brain into something more complacent. North Korea has done this too, and look how they turned out! DM wishes he could starve a county to afford atomic bombs and ICBMs.
Well said Terra. Wasn’t your real name outed a few weeks ago? If so, are you on the extra secret ‘incredibly naughty list’? Or did you just get “double secret probation’?
I think Terra’s been on Double-Secret Probation for some time now. But COB Mr. David Miscavige is far more incompetent than Dean Vernon Wormer ever was.
Methinks it’s time for a toga party.
Toga! Toga!! TOGA!!!
PS: And KUBA Ka is invited! Shit, let’s make him the Emcee.
Toga & beer. What a great combination!
I think about Shelly every day 10 times a day. Every day. I fear for this woman. Being eliminated, imprisoned by an abusive, mentally compromised husband is horrible at best. Dangerous and life threatening at worst. Is it even possible to attain actual real reason when you have been brainwashed your entire life? I would have said no until I started watching Aftermath. I have never had any Scientology contact except for the Dianetics book which came in one of those book club deals (choose 10, buy I ) back in the early 1960’s…I couldn’t read the book it was so incredibly boring and unappealing to me. What gets to me is cruelty, controlling everyone else’s thoughts and actions. AND total selfishness & greed. It’s something I do not understand. The need for this power…The mind f*ck folly that makes others not human, not empathetic, not care about anything but making David Miscavige & the long dead Hubbard happy. It is incredibly sad and disturbing.
If Shelly was to be ‘rescued’ against her will (can I say that? when her ‘will’ isn’t hers, but dead Hubbard’s & Miscavige’s), would it be possible to help her? Mentally? Deprogram her after a lifetime of this? Is it possible to remove her from the scientology prison without the Feds? There must be a way. I send her love and more love every day. She must have had moments of clarity when he made her disappeared, When the reality that the horrible things he had done to others was now her fate. When she realized she was doomed. She must have been so betrayed. The living dead. I have visions of all of the prisoners of this cult being set free and helped.
In the USA this is taking place? RIGHT NOW, RIGHT HERE. And all around the planet. We need to clear the planet of scientology and the monster who controls it. Hopefully, when the poo hits the Miscavige fan, he won’t bring out the Kool Ade and kill every one. I could see this happening. Only Miscavige wouldn’t die himself, he would ‘disappear’ with the billions and hide, just like dead Hubbard.
Sending LOVE to Shelly…Love conquers all. Even scientology…We are here Shelly. We care about you. We send you love.
SusanSusan, your concern and empathy are remarkable.
There is every indication that Shelly has been restricted to Crestline/Twin Peaks, kept in comfortable quarters and given meaningless busy work. Miscavige wanted her gone so he could live as a bachelor with his assistant (plus he surely lives in fear of Shelly ever escaping and publicly speaking out), but I honestly don’t believe she’s being actively mistreated. Unfortunately, her moments of clarify are very likely only to blame herself.
SusanSusan,
Your concern and worry are shared by me too.
This lovely person, born and raised, nurtured and loved by good people who meant well and wanted their daughter to have a happy life.
Shelley.
It is heart-breaking to think that her mind is so far gone that she might somehow think that she is in the wrong and all her sufferings are her own fault. That is just terrible. Somewhere right now, she think SHE is the problem. And meanwhile her disgusting imp of a semi-human pretends to be this bigshot with powers.. what a fucking child he is. Grow up Miscavige, you thumb-sucking infant.
As we sit here behind our keyboards or devices, typing away, there is real suffering behind this bullshit “church” called scientology. And while I can’t say the united states is comparable to North Korea, I can confidently say that AMerica is getting close.
That government and law enforcement has turned a blind eye towards addressing the outrageous actions of this calamity called scientology is embarrassing and appalling.
History will one day turn its jaundiced eye on all of you who had a chance to do the right thing, and make its eternal judgement. Where do you want to stand when the verdict is made?
This little challenge from an unknown and unimportant person goes out to all the people in this “church” from the lowly staffers and SeaOrg’s to the mighty executives and celebrities. Please do the right thing!
(“You had me at hello”… 😉 I know I am not a Jerry Maguire, and nobody will read this, but whatever.
I read it.
I always love Terra Cognita’s signoff, “Still not declared”!
I’m in the same boat! No declare! What am I, chopped liver? What does a guy have to do to get declared?
You’re being too reasonable about it!
Damn! I always fall into that trap!
Old Surfer Dude,
Still not Declared!
OSD….It seems to me that CO$ is in no great hurry to “declare” all that many people who has “blown” or voluntarily LEFT CO$. To do so would mean that the number of members that DM continually expounds during his fanciful, loud, colorful films, posters, and mail literature stating that “our membership is growing around the globe to clear the planet” are nothing more than untruths or wishful thinking. .
Just imagine for a moment if CO$ “officially” sent out dozens and dozens of letters, notices, or made known to the CO$ public on their websites, literature or forms the names or families or people/parents/children who had BLOWN and are now “DECLARED”…….it has got to be in the hundreds or thousands of former members who are no longer ACTIVE CO$ members still drinking the Kool Aide.
How would THAT look when it came to “stats”, publishing in their own website, literature or forums the TRUE number of people that are still “in” and are in fact active members of CO$. Yet, financially speaking, the money is flowing in to build these “churches” where the supposed “huge number of current members” and those claimed to bejoining CO$ can continue to pay mega bucks for “auditing” to keep the Cash Cow of CO$ well fed. In reality, as many have noted, including Mike Rinder, very few “live” people attended these new “churches” or CO$ forums.
Once “declaring” any of you as “SP”….the TURE membership count in the “organization” would drop dramatically…..maybe THEN that would open some eyes that are tightly sealed.
“Still not declared” simply means that the spineless cowards haven’t published an issue yet I haven’t seen my declare yet, either. One way to tell if one has been declared is whether persons known to be in good standing have disconnected from you.
A lot of what I knew in Scientology has been totally reversed. Now if it is in writing, it is probably false. That is why declares are not in writing; because they would have to be full of lies and could possibly get the writer sued for libel. One is supposed to do what one is told, even if it is contrary to LRH PLs. If one had the balls to query the order and attached the LRH issue to the query, that would be viewed as proof that one has overts and should be shot. I know this because I have done this. I have found that the amount of backlash one gets for doing this is greater than for the staff member who does not know policy. Meanwhile, a search would be done to find out what LRH “really” meant and a clarification will be gotten out and that “false” LRH Tech cancelled.
A-ha! I see you’ve run into another favorite cult mind-f*#k mechanism – “Using Policy to Stop”.
This catch-all policy became a convenient way quell any uprisings from the minions.
Don’t try to use LRHs own words against the forwarding of Command Intention!
The concept of “reasonableness” has always struck me as one of L. Ron Hubbard’s more blatantly suspect re-definitions. I considered it suspect the moment I was first introduced to it in a fat book of crude cartoons called “The Ethics Book”. As much as I hated my education and the place where I received it, the Delphian School, I have to admit that it was the school and its kid glove treatment of Hubbard’s excesses which gave me the foundation to recognize problems with Scientology later on.
In 1985 when I was sixteen, the Delphian School introduced The Ethics Book as a required course of study. The Ethics Book was the school’s third project which sought to introduce the practical philosophy of “American Author and Humanitarian” L. Ron Hubbard to a wider and especially younger audience. The earlier efforts, The Learning Book and The Drug Book, had successfully taught Hubbard’s study technology and his theories on drugs to children as young as six, and now it was time to teach these impressionable minds how to appreciate the big picture and their place within it, according to Hubbard’s worldview.
The Ethics Book was by far the thickest of the three and covered an enormous amount of territory: the eight dynamics, upper and lower conditions, the Data Series including inpoints and outpoints, and tons of exercises to drive everything home and make it become second nature. There was a bit of grumbling that, with the release of each subsequent “Book” of Hubbardian philosophical technology, it was becoming more and more difficult to justify Delphian’s supposed and complete disassociation from the Church of Scientology. But the grumbling was ignored. There were also older students like myself who were not much taken with cheesy cartoons relaying Hubbard’s society-changing breakthroughs in the fields of ethics, justice and social responsibility. I found it especially annoying that I had to pile this additional book with its silly pictures on top of my academic load while I tried (and failed) to graduate that year—a year earlier than if I had remained in public school.
In those early days of the Delphian School, it was still finding its way. Hubbard was still alive and Scientologists were not so afraid of the world. The school had an advanced seminar where we discussed topics of the day and tried to figure out how to make the world a saner place. One week we discussed American justice, or the lack of it, and we were given study assignments on a variety of aspects of jurisprudence. I studied the language of the courtroom and how knowledge of it was key to a successful outcome.
One concept in law is the “reasonable man” which is often given to juries as a model of how a person could be expected to act or react according to community standards when a harmful action occurs. Shortly after my exhausting research into legal language, I was forced to do The Ethics Book course. (At least I was allowed to twin with another older student at an accelerated pace.) The Ethics Book very quickly re-defined “reasonable” as making excuses for an unacceptable situation. But the only thing I could think of was how this would be a disaster for a jury trying to decide if an accused was innocent. It was the very first time I wondered if the things I was learning would really have good outcomes in the real world.
Imagine Scientologists on your jury with their twisted understanding of reasonableness. Could there be anything worse for a person who might be innocent?
The Delphian School was a lousy place to get an education. Yet it was moments such as these which made me stop and think—and eventually be able to decide that Scientology was not for me.
Hey IFT
Good to see you here. Gee, sorry I left Delphi before the big fat book of ethics came out. I coulda written a chapter myself (but not in French). I remember being asked when I joined staff if I was “open-minded”. Oh yes, I replied. Then I was told being open minded was a bad thing. Just like being reasonable is bad.
The scilons reverse the language just to screw with your mind.
I agree with you about the Delphian School. Total insanity disguised as a school.
So glad we both escaped. Hope all is well with you.
I had to look up the Delphian School and was shocked to find it is still operating and even more shocked to find it in Oregon.
This is what I found… how very, very sad that there are over 200 kids currently enrolled…
“The Delphian School is operated by Delphi Schools using L. Ron Hubbard’s study techniques, known as Study Tech. The Study Tech teaching methodology is licensed through the Scientology-related group Applied Scholastics.[5] The school is also the location of Heron Books, which published textbooks and materials using Hubbard’s educational philosophy (the Delphi Curriculum).”
Thanks again, Terra. Great post.
Hypocrisy is baked into Scientology doctrine but it’s still quite maddening to those outside. “You just have to trust the guy,” even when his words and actions are clearly, expressly contradictory. Sigh.
Personal anecdote ahead: I was raised Catholic. In 8th grade, I had my first boyfriend. We kissed. I had to confess that. This was in the 60s and at the time, the priests told me that kissing with “lust” was a mortal sin. During confession, one has to promise to try to sin no more, or at least avoid the occasion of sin. I had no intention of stopping the kisses and couldn’t in good conscience lie about it or pretend I was sorry in the confessional every week. I’d rather be a heretic than a hypocrite and left the church.
My heartfelt wish is that more and more Scientologists and other cults are able to experience their own moments of clarity and walk away.
Hubbard put a spin on words to suit his superior view of it all.
When people finally get out of Scientology, there ought to be an expanded “Leaving Scientology Routing Form” which lists out all of the recent critical books (Janet Reitman’s, Hugh Urban’s and Lawrence Wright’s) and as the final CLAY DEMO, the leaving Scientologists ought CLAY DEMO LRH’s final dismal despairing admissions to Sarge, about for real failing at everything.
In Scientology, Scientologists know they have ALL the solutions to life’s problems, except of course for their Church’s demise, their rotten PR which gets worse by the day, their empty buildings and how to control communication lines & the internet. There is no one as blind as a Scientologist being right! Extrapolated – it’s hard to find anyone more stupid than a Scientologist!
Being reasonable is kryptonite to a Scio and unfortunately they are proud of it – trying to understand a Scientologist gives one a headache!
They are Homo Novis’. Scientologists are superior to Wogs. They KNOW they have all the answers. And they look down their collective noses at the rest of us. I sure hope they can live on $15 a week. But, I’m sure they’re happy knowing they are saving Teegeeack so Hubbard can come back…
Reasonable…Able to Reason…..when one sees only ONE side of the coin…the CO$ side….there are limitations to their “reasoning ability”….
God, Hubbard never fails to turn my stomach!
Yeah…that happens to many of us. Just keep barf bags close by…
I reached similar conclusions in 1980/81. When I was the Tech. Sec. at ASHO Day. I left in 81. Nobody would believe me. I’m glad that people are looking and actually seeing what’s right in front of them.
Many of your essays I do say are spot on. They quit making auditors years ago, years. But I think the most reasonableness came simply from out KSW. From my prospective simply not follow it has lead 3rd dynamically to its very possibe demise. But I also think that the subject has great merit and I think most readers here have benefitted from it. I am Not saying that alot of the bullshit that has been passed off as”Scientology” has been good but quite detrimental hust follow this blog. An excellent job, Mr. Rinder you have shown great courage, perseverence as well as some very tactful intellegence. Lrh was right when he said ” the world travels on the back of a few desperate men. As for Mr. Miscaviage he’s blown his load he is yesterdays sport page, like bin laden, hussein and kadafy. He is a guy that had the day from hell at rhe end. You can count on cob to run he has no balls. He thinks he is Frank Sinatra though, whada dick.
Scientology gives you all the responsibility of a God, with none of the power. You cannot succeed, so you must rationalize your failure i.e. be reasonable.
No wonder LRH himself admitted defeat.
Great summary.. well expressed.
I went in to find out about operating thetan, He took a ton of money and said a few
words. He had me do a few drills. Nothing worked. Then he said I was an OT before I met him, and I must work a billion years for him. No wonder I never joined Staff.
That’s it!!! I’ll never be reasonable again!
That’s reasonable enough.
oh Mike my heart just breaks for everyone ? i just don’t understand why the government can’t/won’t get involved due to the outrageous claims that are backed up with facts!!! Like, where is Davids wife!!??? Has he killed her ?; did she go into hiding!? Why is this not important to anybody but you and Leah and those who are now seeing reason? My thoughts and prayers are with you daily, keep up the great work ???
Pamela ?
Your last sentence “Scientology not only makes people reasonable, it makes people dumb” reminds me of some people who speak on politics, imo.