Scientology, in their zeal to sling mud and smear anyone they don’t agree with, have created a new whinesmear site about Pastor Willy Rice of the Clearwater Calvary Baptist church.
It is a typical scientology effort — long on adjectives and pejoratives, short on facts and dripping with hypocrisy.
Let’s address the most obvious point first. Pastor Rice’s stance on gays.
I do not agree with his position. I FULLY support the rights of everyone in the LBGTQA community to be treated as equals in all things.
But, to be honest, there are plenty of things I disagree with about teachings from the Bible. I can say with some certainty at this point that there are things I disagree with in every religion.
But that being said, it does not mean I cannot recognize the positive aspects of Pastor Rice and his ministry and laud and support them. His church does an enormous amount of charitable good work in this community — far outshadowing scientology. I admire Pastor Rice’s conviction and integrity – he stands by his beliefs and opinions and is willing to engage in conversation about them. He is a man of his word and truly a leader in the community.
I am proud to call Pastor Willy a friend. And how strange, unlike scientologists, I can be friends with people with whom I disagree, even on very fundamental issues. Because there are plenty of things I agree with him about. Having to be in “thought lockstep” is a sign of extremism.
Of course, this attack on Pastor Rice is simply another distraction — a way to deflect attention from the scientology abuses that are being exposed that they never address.
So, let’s take a look at the people in the glass buildings that dominate downtown Clearwater who are throwing stones.
Scientology claims to be pro-gay, but that is just a smokescreen because they are afraid to publicly announce or defend their true beliefs. Not just about their homophobia, but also their intolerance of other religions, their practices of disconnection and so much more.
Scientology is in fact homophobic (see my earlier post here). They think gayness is an indicator of “aberration” and can be “audited out.” They hide their true beliefs behind a PR facade (how ironic that by scientology definition that is 1.1 “covertly hostile”behavior). And now they are trying to make a big deal about how someone from another religion is homophobic.
Let’s not forget how scientology claims to be so “tolerant” of other religions. Another PR facade. One wonders how long the idea that you can be a scientologist and a member of any other religion would last if that “other religion” happened to be the Calvary Baptist church? We sure know the level of tolerance they have for anyone who is an “ex-scientologist” — zero. They are not merely intolerant, they are outright hostile.
Scientology doesn’t look too “tolerant” and “accepting” when they are attempting to smear Pastor Rice because he thinks and says what they don’t want to hear.
And, while Pastor Rice stands up and speaks for himself, scientology hides behind anonymously written websites. Why is scientology afraid to have an actual PERSON (let alone Miscavige) speak for it and engage in any debate? Why are they always hiding? Taking potshots from the shadows?
Now, here is some of what they say on their whine/website with my comments:
Just as A&E CEO Nancy Dubuc tried to distance herself from secret payments made to a KKK white supremacist group starring in her ill-fated reality show, she and her network are sweeping another hate-filled embarrassment under the rug. This one involves sitcom actress Leah Remini, excommunicated-Scientologist Mike Rinder and their reality show spreading incendiary hate and violence.
Funny — this show has hardly been “swept under the rug.” This billboard currently displayed on the Sunset Strip is funded by A&E…
And if by exposing the abuses of scientology you mean “spreading incendiary hate and violence” — guilty as charged.
Public records reveal that A&E’s Slauson Productions aggressively sought to recruit for a hateful KKK-like “town hall,” the notoriously bigoted pastor Willy Rice of the Calvary Baptist Church in Florida.
“Public records”? “Aggressively sought”? “Notoriously bigoted”?
All just invented.
And for accuracy’s sake, Slauson Productions is an independent production company that is not owned by A&E.
Here is the truth about the “aggressive recruiting.” I met Willy Rice after he sent me a message on Facebook. He suggested at some point I might want to do a briefing to his congregation. I subsequently asked him what he thought about doing something as part of the show. He agreed. No “aggressive” seeking was involved. By anyone. At any time.
All of it was to have been filmed for an episode of Remini’s A&E reality TV show and would have come in the wake of a number of recent violent and bigoted hate rallies, most recently the tragedy in Charlottesville, Virginia.
And had it actually occurred it would have been… How absurd is this? They had a hit piece written and ready to go. When plans changed they apparently didn’t want to let an opportunity to whinesmear a critic go by so they modified their statement into “OMG just imagine IF this had gone forward…”
This is like saying “Had she murdered someone, it would have been terrible, just like Jack The Ripper.” But she didn’t, so it wasn’t.
And as for bigoted hate rallies — the ONLY people with a history of parading as Nazis in Clearwater are…
Remini and Rinder’s guy Rice has written that Islam is a “messed up religion.” He’s tweeted that “the answer to Islam” is Jesus Christ.
Once again, the hypocrisy literally drips off the page.
Scientology believes all other religions are “implants” embedded in people’s “reactive minds” as a way to control them. Scientologists also believe that the ONLY hope for mankind is scientology “technology.”
Yet again, scientology is two-faced. They pretend to the world they are tolerant of other religions. They are not. They say you can be *anything* and ALSO be a scientologist. A lie that was exposed in their submission to the IRS seeking exempt status:
“Although there is no policy or Scriptural mandate expressly requiring Scientologists to renounce other religious beliefs or membership in other churches, as a practical matter Scientologists are expected to and do become fully devoted to Scientology to the exclusion of other faiths. As Scientologists, they are required to look only to Scientology Scriptures for the answers to the fundamental questions of their existence and to seek enlightenment only from Scientology.”
Ask any scientologist what the path to spiritual freedom is and they will proudly tell you it is the works of L. Ron Hubbard as laid out in the scientology “Bridge.” Ask them if this is the only path to true enlightenment and they will assert that as absolute truth. Ask them if you can attain full spiritual freedom by reading the Koran and they will laugh at you. Just as they would laugh at the idea that the Bible would be any better guide.
Scientologists believe the ONLY path for everyone is scientology. They would have no problem saying the “answer to Islam” is scientology. Because as Hubbard said, scientology is the “answer to all of life.”
In fact, L. Ron Hubbard has some rather less than complimentary things to say about Jesus Christ. These are not writings that scientology publishes on their websites or makes easily available to non-scientologists. But they are unalterable scripture of scientology:
For a long while, some people have been cross with me for my lack of co-operation in believing in a Christian Heaven, God and Christ. I have never said I didn’t disbelieve in a Big Thetan but there was certainly something very corny about Heaven et al. Now I have to apologize. There was a Heaven. Not too unlike, in cruel betrayal, the heaven of the Assassins in the 12th Century who, like everyone else, dramatized the whole track implants – if a bit more so. The symbol of the crucified Christ is very apt indeed. It’s the symbol of a thetan betrayed.
With rapidity and a Meter it can be shown that Heaven is a false dream and that the old religion was based on very painful lie, cynical betrayal.
Religion… being basically a control mechanism used by those who have sent the preclear into a body. You will find the cross as a symbol all over the universe, and the Christ legend as implant in preclears a million years ago.”
…we differ enormously from the Christian statements on the subject. They say, ‘you, son, must save your soul.’ The fellow says, ‘I don’t have one!’ So therefore, the christian religion cannot possibly be true…
Attackers against Scientology located and removed from their positions… These persons can always lose their jobs. This is A POINT OF VULNERABILITY.
If the person’s job is also not valuable to him or if he cannot be made to cost his job, something can be found which he is seeking to protect and it can be threatened.
When identified or even suspected as the instigator, draw up a project which includes at least three channels to cost him his job.
Draw up a second project at once to survey and discover what the person really is defending and threaten it effectively.
Essentially a covert operation is intended to embarrass, discredit or overthrow or remove an actual or possible opponent.
It is a small war carried on without its true source being disclosed.
It follows all the rules of war but uses propaganda, psychological effect, surprise, shock, etc., to achieve its ends.
We must ourselves fight on the basis of total attrition of the enemy. Just go all the way in and obliterate him.
When we need somebody haunted we investigate.
When we investigate we do so noisily always. And usually mere investigation damps out the trouble even when we discover no really pertinent facts.
Investigation to us in Scientology is a fine art.
Overt investigation of someone or something attacking us by an outside detective agency should be done more often and hang the expense. It’s very effective. Often investigation by a private detective has alone closed up an entheta source or a squirrel organisation. In fact at this writing I can’t remember a time when it hasn’t!
Hire a private detective of a national-type firm to investigate the writer, not the magazine, and get any criminal or Communist background the man has.
…he’ll sure shudder into silence.
The only way to defend anything is to ATTACK…
The law can be used very easily to harass, and enough harassment on somebody who is simply on the thin edge anyway… will generally be sufficient to cause his professional decease. If possible, of course, ruin him utterly.
Only attacks resolve threats.
If attacked on some vulnerable point by anyone or anything or any organization, always find or manufacture enough threat against them to cause them to sue for peace.
Don’t ever defend. Always attack. Don’t ever do nothing. Unexpected attacks in the rear of the enemy’s front ranks work best.
…bring the government and hostile philosophies or societies into a state of complete compliance with the goals of Scientology. This is done by high-level ability to control and in its absence by low-level ability to overwhelm. Introvert such agencies. Control such agencies.
For a full description, see this earlier article on my blog: Dealing with Critics of Scientology – The L. Ron Hubbard Playbook
So, just who are scientologists to be squealing about “threats”?
One would be hard pressed to find more explicit statements about eradicating the “lesser” people in society in the Daily Stormer today or Der Sturmer in the 1930’s.
As for the “500 threats” of course there are no specifics. When they first uttered this doozie, Jezebel took them to task as they cited two rather vague incidents:
It should be noted that both of the cited crimes occurred before Aftermath began airing—Andre Barkanov started making his threats in July 2015, and Erin McMurtry drove her car into the lobby of the Scientology building in December of 2015. However, Remini announced she left the church in 2013, and her memoir Troublemaker, in which she details her life in and after Scientology, was released November 2015. The only sources I could find positing Remini’s potential influence on Barkanov are on Scientologist-run sites, while McMurtry did indeed write about Remini a few times on her Facebook page. Still, if the church wants to argue that Remini’s show is doing damage to its members, they should probably update their examples. They apparently have 500 to choose from.
I was enjoying Clearwater Jazz Holiday about 20 years ago and an acquaintance I hadn’t seen in awhile sat down, started chatting with me and mentioned that he’d lived many, many lives before. I thought, “Uh oh, Scientologist.” So I said, “I’m happy for you but I’m a devote Catholic and that works for me.” Then he said, “But that’s okay. You can still be Catholic and be a Scientologist. We have Catholics, Jews, people from all religions. It doesn’t matter.” I innocently asked, “Well, then how is it a religion?” Crickets.
As Mike pointed out, each religion has its own beliefs and yes, probably 99% believe that other religions are in error. That’s why its a belief system…because you believe it to be true. The difference here is that Pastor Willy is straight upfront about what he believes and one easily sees the courage his faith provides him in speaking his truth. And the comparison to a white supremacist is rich, given Pastor Rice has committed his life to spread the good news of a mid-eastern dark-skinned Jew.
One last thing – what is up with the modified cross? That has always bugged the heck out of me. The first time I saw that over Flag, I thought well, well, are we trying to lend some mainstream legitimacy for the masses? Silly me thought only Christian churches put a cross on top of their building. Hey DM, Jesus Christ called and he wants his cross back.
Hi Mike – enjoyed your masterfully-expressed refutation of Scn’s smear-page tactics. Not sure what end-result you are trying to bring about: reform or destruction. It is said the truth will set you free. By pointing out what is wrong with the church, are you trying to as-is Scientology’s case? If that is even possible (I think LRH would say no). On the other hand, do you want to bring them down, ruin them utterly, deter new public from buying into their message? Don’t you think such clear-thinking and superb communication ability will make you a poster-boy for the tech? People will wonder how someone who grew up in Scientology and left with no marketable skills could write so eloquently.
Bill de Carle (spbill)
“No marketable skills”??? For Christ’s sakes he was the head of OSA, and the spoke person for Scn for decades; What are you talking about!
Sorry thetaclear, I should have put that phrase in quotes. I greatly respect and admire Mike and was not meaning to “dis” him.
Bill
“Sorry thetaclear, I should have put that phrase in quotes. I greatly respect and admire Mike and was not meaning to ‘dis’ him.”
My mistake then, Bill, 🙂
You know, when one reads such a great piece of a summary of Scn’s destructive practices, I can’t help it but to wonder if this organization really has any real possibilities at reformation. They have gotten themselves so deep into the mud, and there is soooooooo much wrong in Scn AS WRITTEN by LRH, that thinking in viable strategies for reformation is even overwhelming to say the least, as much as I would like that to happen, knowing quite well that – even with all these effective PR campaigns against Scn’s abuses – the still-ins might STILL remain naively denialists about it all.
I wonder if the real reason why Scn still exist as an institution, has to do with the cult aspect of it (the fact that the members are not aware of such destructive practices), or if it really has to do with fundamentalism itself from the members themselves. And if the answer is the latter, then we can only reach that many, but the rest are a lost cause due to their OWN twisted thinking, regardless of Scn’s Undue Influence on them. Because they would probably act in the same exact way if they were involved in other religious beliefs.
I think that we will arrive at a point in time (which is very close), in which, trying to convince the remaining members of anything, would really be a waste of time. And going beyond that point is, IMHO, not very effective, and could actually become a very depressing endeavor.
It is my opinion, that besides continuing to report the abuses, “The Aftermath” should also focus (at least in one episode) in educating others about how Scn is a cult, and how a cult works in general, so that others can better understand the mechanisms of this. In other words, the sequence “report-educate” should be kept in mind. A small part of this was done in season one, but not enough.
I respectfully wish to offer another view to counter your thoughts:
1). Some individuals still in the bubble may very well remain regardless of abuse/cult exposure; however, these individuals are worth us fighting for and never giving up on. Human beings have free will hence, world views can alter when given the opportunity to explore free thinking. Also, we don’t ever want to give up hope that continuing exposure of the cult of Scn will untimately provide opportunities to reunite families. They are far from a “lost cause”.
If, once radical Islamists, can convert to Christianity (as there are hundreds of thousands of testimonials to this fact) and if long-term affirming agnostics can be enlightened to other possibilities enough that they explore alternate belief systems, than surely, there is hope that an ex-Scn can see the bigger picture and be enlightened.
2). Regarding your quote: “The Aftermath should also focus on (at least in one episode) in educating others about how Scn is a cult”.
In Every episode, the viewing audience has been given countless testimonies, LRH writings, Scn philosophies, organizational inner workings, gear of leadership, brainwashing indoctrination procedures, money cultivation processes, etc. that clearly illustrate cultism. Viewers can only come to one understanding based on these facts. Scn is a cult!!! Season 1 did more than a “small part” of this exposure. That hit the ball out of the ballpark!!!
“I have never said I didn’t disbelieve in a Big Thetan”.
Note Ron’s use of a TRIPLE negative. I think it means he doesn’t believe in a Big Thetan.
Ron had no 8th dynamic. Anyone who could create a black ops military to destroy critics has no idea or direct experience of the true nature of God.
If God is the totality of all, then we are all part of that. People who love God and seek God, strive to love human beings, even the bad ones.
That is because human beings are made in the image of the Infinite Being. We are individuals and universal at the same time.
Anyone who preaches violence against critics is more on the demonic side of life.
The wise love life. The ignorant, through egocentric selfish motives are destructive to life.
L Ron Hubbard has no idea what the 8th dynamic is.
God to Hubbard was the all powerful individuated ego that could be at cause over others and things.
He was an ignorant man with a keen imagination and intellect.
I jut hope pastor Willis know he is starting the antichrist in the eye and acts accordingly. This is it, the Christians have faced the Antichrist.
2 Thessalonians 2:9
The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with how Satan works. He will use all sorts of displays of power through signs and wonders that serve the lie,
Well done Mike. Wonderful post.
“Well done Mike. Wonderful post”
I second that! An extremely great work at Dead agenting the lies of the CofS.
Dave,
Slinging Update:
You are taking the concept of a paper tiger to a whole new level.
A fabulous rebuttal. There is simply no come-back from this for Scientology.
“…stooped so low as to allow hate-filled Remini and Rinder to aggressively court a relationship with someone like Rice…”
“ALLOW”….The use of this one little word speaks volumes. In the “real world” people make friends and associate with whoever they want. Scientology controls who you can or cannot be connected to. Whoever wrote this is clearly someone who knows only scientology and has no idea that normal people CHOOSE who they associate with. It just shows how controlling scientology really is, that this person assumes everyone is TOLD who they can have a relationship with.
Very insightful tie-in to the fundamental constraints of Scn.
Mike, how great and well-written this is. It belongs in your tp ten. Perfect !!
It’s already been said but Mike – great, fantastic article!
I think we are on the precipice of a major shift in the world. More people are rejecting the intolerance of Trumpism and rejecting the lies and propaganda of crooked institutions like the Cult of Scientology. An awakening is taking place and the ” cherch ” is wildly clinging to the same old tired tactics. JUSTICE will prevail!
This sounds like scientology at work. Intolerance of “Trumpism”??? Weird.
I’m sure Pastor Willy Rice already has a PI or two digging up dirt, not to mention an OSA ‘volunteer’ infiltrating Calvary Baptist. Standard OSA/Guardian’s Office playbook.
Perfect. If “that which you resist you must become” applies, next black PR piece will be how the good Pastor Willie turned the infiltrator into a Christian. Ha!
LOL?.. Just rewards! Non-believers are brought to the cross via ministry in church every day. I say, “infiltrate!!!”
Mike, I don’t read the Scientology hate websites. Hearing what they have said, in the most hurtful language imaginable, would be absolutely unbearable were it not for your commentary. I had to read your whole essay several times until I could think straight. It was dizzying, to say the least. To see all the quotes from LRH in one place was very shocking to me. I know it shouldn’t be, because I read you and Tony every day. It’s just that your words today have totally floored me with their intensity and passion.
Thank you for exposing the lies. Thank you for defending Pastor Willy. Thank you for your honesty and for your anger. Most of all, thank you for your personal integrity. You inspire me.
“Grr…bark…growl…woof…(clatter, rattle)…oh thit, there goeth thome more fangth!”
Thank you Mike for this overview of the cults attitude about other religions. In reality, co$ is NOT a religion … it is a criminal corporation masked as a cult! I want to point out a LRH quote used in the latest “Aftermath” regarding children as it seems to be overlooked. According to CS-7 (whatever the hell that is):
“In the American society exists a degraded contempt for children. Adults regard them as ‘dear little cute things God damn them.’
This attitude is not allowed in the Sea Org.”
These quotes by themselves warrent a deeper legal investigation, as his words are consisered unalterable scripture. This stuff needs to be more widely exposed! Great job Mike, Leah and even A&E!
If scientology ever decides to vanquish its critics, or at least to land a few decisive blows, all it has to do is address the issues these critics actually raise. Pastor Rice has been disarmingly frank and integruous about his views regarding the “church” of scientology. Strangely, Rice NEVER mentioned the morality of homosexuality nor anything about the KKK in his remarks. Let alone did he raise these as topics of concern about scientology. So what gives?
Unlike Pastor Rice, scientology has tremendous financial and media resources to make their viewpoint known. But it appears that the “tech” fails them every time when it comes to addressing issues that are NOT totally contrived and fictitious!
If the church has tremendous financial and media resources to make their viewpoints known and to tell their story to the world, why aren’t they doing it? One reason why may be because they are withholding their transgressions (overts) so hard and hiding their skeletons in the closet so hard, and hiding their own bigotry with things like anti-gay and disconnection and not reporting but condoning and protecting pedophiles and rape within its ranks…. all this adds up to withholding. And if you’re busy pulling in and withholding so that no one sees your evil acts, it makes it hard to outflow and be broadcasting your views over your recently acquired KCET studios. People who are hiding and don’t want their acts to be seen, cannot do something publicly that will make them be seen. This might be why the church doesn’t speak up with its money and its state of the art studios.
“Stupid is as stupid does.” Forrest Gump
This quote sums up DM…..he’s got to be the stupidest person alive. He spews hate, lies and defamation, only to find it backfire in addition to actually causing him more damage. Only an egotistical, maniacal, idiot is capable of this. He’s actually making Milke & Leah’s end goal easier. If there is one thing I can thank him for, it’s being stupid enough to still use LRH’s playbook. Keep going DM, dig your own grave.
This post is amazing, Mr. Rinder, and this comment is my favorite! Dig that hole, DM. Dig that hole.
Oh dear…Davey is actually drinking his own Kool Aid. Poor Davey. We’ll miss you…well, no we won’t. But I’m sure someone will. Maybe.
“Don’t ever defend. Always attack. Don’t ever do nothing. Unexpected attacks in the rear of the enemy’s front ranks work best.”
Yeah, that worked for Nazi Germany.
Oh right we believe it’s the Network. typical Scientology attack. I support Leah and A&E 100%.
Excellent compilation of Hubbard scorning and spitting on Christianity as an “implant” (Brainwashing installed by electronics, hypnosis, etc.)
Hear Hubbard in his own voice say “There was no Christ”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_WfNHHn410M
Ooh his growly voice at the start of that clip!!
He rightly assumes the title Anti-Christ that he gave himself on the original OT8.
Or jokingly says he is the Prince of Darkness on the Philadelphia Doctorate Course .
Ron identified his ego personality with evil. What kind of man would hate Christ, a person whose essential teaching is love?
Indeed Mike……”what the hell were we part of?”
Wow! Karen you are a treasure trove of evidence documenting the REAL $cinetology! Thank you.
“You will find the cross as a symbol all over the universe, and the Christ legend as implant in preclears a million years ago.”
A million? Really? Christ lived a million years ago? Or somebody made up the story of a messiah a million years ago? And he was called Christ? Amazing. Hubbard was just so wise and knowledgeable about so many things. X(
Lol… The guy was nuts…
A well written thoughtful piece. Thank you for informing us with the addition of passages. At what point could Scientology be regarded a hate group? According to the dictates, it sounds like vengeful anger is required of members.
I attended a business meeting in Clearwater a decade ago and had time at lunch to walk the beach. As I walked, a group of young people in uniforms were gathered. My first thought was to say good day, at which time they started chanting, “Wog Wog Wog” and turned their backs to me. It was a startling display that I didn’t understand at the time. Now I do. I thank you and Leah for your compelling history you share, albeit a rough history…and the future you will change.
Hubbard had a crashing misunderstood on the word “religion.”
He’s tried to push his ideas into the religion tent. Taking advantage of the “religion” angle.
Lawyers for Scientology must mentally be stretched to the limits of humanity, trying to defend Scientology’s rights to enact Hubbard’s mind.
Hunmanistic Lawyer is an oxymoron at Scn.
Brilliant article.
This today’s article goes into my “Mike Rinder’s BEST” articles saving category.
Your links to your other major article, already in my “Mike Rinder’s BEST” you linked to above.
This is excellent all time important appreciated quoting of L. Ron Hubbard’s work.
I agree with that. Outstanding.
What a well-written and timely essay! No one can take the cult’s bogus and hypocritical public statements apart more skillfully or concisely — using the cult’s own sacred texts and the founder’s exact words — than Mike Rinder! This current blog essay effectively nails the cult’s criminal carcass to its own fake cross and exposes it for the hypocritical, intolerant and vindictive ‘faith’ that it so completely is.
It really is time to write that book, Mike. You’re a great writer who has a unique perspective on the cult and a depth of knowledge concerning it that few can equal! Up until now, your very valid reasons for NOT writing it has been that you don’t have time and you need to make a living.
True enough, I’m sure, but the reality here is that the book is already more than half written, when you factor in all of the blog articles which have appeared here. Get yourself a talented co-author (such as Jon Atack) and get’er done! It’s the very last thing that lil davey is hoping to see in the long Winter of his discontent, which is one of the very best reasons for writing it!
My bet is that it could very well become a classic in its genre and continue to earn you a return on your investment of time for many years to come. Give it some serious thought, Mike; I’m sure I’m hardly alone here in recognizing the quality of the writing, the importance of the subject and the timeliness of the moment for doing so.
Yes, Mike could tell a fascinating tale. Mike? How about it? A book. Oh yeah.
One of…if not THE best piece you’ve written, Mike. Much applause here.
I’ll buy one!!
Mike this is an excellent article and needs to be more publicly broadcast! The cofs are shooting themselves in the foot massively with their “hate” which is so ironic since they accuse us of doing the same thing. They are the true haters. We do not have hate but are trying to expose the truth. The current scientologists need to wake up and see what is happening……..to you scientologists who possibly may be reading, please, please wake up, you are being lied to, you need to explore and find the truth.
Remember that you are not dealing with reasonable people. Truth means nothing to them. They can say whatever they want without any sense of conscience. And, to a great extent, they are speaking to their own Scientology audience. The public understands they are frauds, so be careful not to give their complaints too much air time. Focus on their abuses, not their whining, although the latter probably is more satisfying. It just gives them more attention. If you were my client, I’d say “Ignore them and stay in message.”
To quote a little Scientology, “you become what you resist.” Scientologists have truly become themselves, nice article Mike, well written. Conversely, the more truth you expose Scientologists to, the less they are Scientologists. There are more ex-Scientologists than practicing ones imo, hence what sort of lesson is to be leant from engaging in Scientology? Well.. if one wishes to be pragmatic about it, hate first and fast track your way up their Bridge to nowhere. In Scientology, ‘to hate…’ becomes an operational methodology/ideology, endorsed and insisted upon by Church policy and management. The R6 bank has come home to materialistically roost in all of Scientology.
Nothing good comes from being an organised Scientologist.
In other words, Scientology is in a constant state of war with everything and everyone, even if only with themselves, re exampled by disconnection from family and friends being rife within their own ranks. There is no such thing as a Scientologist who doesn’t enforce & dramatize Scientology! To attempt to understand Church/Hubbard policy is a lesson and a big step in the direction of who or what to blame/hate/lie about/coerce or damage, a rule book of hate.
“To attempt to understand Church/Hubbard policy is a lesson and a big step in the direction of who or what to blame/hate/lie about/coerce or damage, a rule book of hate.”
Exactly so! But if rank-and-file cherch members who’ve all learned this “rule book of hate’ by heart are not themselves evil people, then how does one reconcile the extreme seeming paradox of engaging in and supporting some truly evil practices, such as forced familial disconnection and thought police interrogation, if the perpetrators are essentially good people?
The insidious evil of $cn as a belief system lies in the fact that it dupes its followers into believing, for example, that only by disconnecting from family members who’ve been declared suppressives can they be saved and regain access to the One True Path to their Eternity…they’re not evil because their intent in disconnecting from whomever they’re required to is to help, not hurt them, however misguided the grounds for that delusional hope might be.
Here’s the rub on that one, though: You only remain non-evil as a $cilon who’s engaged in and supported cherch-ordered acts of evil, such as treating small children as if they were adults IF you’ve done so in the sincere belief that you were doing good, if you acted with benign intent, rather than malevolently, with forethought of the fact of exactly how morally wrong such acts are, but engaged in them even after realizing that they were indeed wrong.
$cilons work very hard NOT to come to the realization that the results of applying the cult’s policy of coerced disconnection are almost uniformly horrible, with virtually everyone affected by it harmed in serious and lasting ways. They have to put on the blinders, stuff their ears with wool and hide indoors for weeks at a time in order to NOT have to think about how completely evil it is to deprive a child of their mother and father’s love and caring attention during their most formative years.
The reason that the cherch does not want its parishioners to watch Leah and Mike’s series is not out of concern that they will be “enturbulated” by the experience, but because the cult does not want its well-intended members to see for themselves that the results of the cherch’s policies concerning families and children has been the exact opposite than what they’d been indoctrinated to believe, that regardless of their good intent, they’d supported evil.
Facing the truth is hard, but for a short time; but denying it just makes life progressively more difficult over time until, sooner or later, it becomes impossible to deny any longer.
Very well stated, Harp. I would think that one would have to work very hard and be in a high state of denial to achieve any personal stasis. I can recall, so many years ago, when it was suggested that I disconnect from my mother. But that was for a particular and short length of time. It had to do with my auditing and the long term effect my relationship with my Mom was having on that. As it happened, the length of time was quite short, two or three weeks. Interestingly, she understood. Once the auditing thing was completed, I called her back and she was pleased and, as far as I know, harboured no animosity.
The thing that stands out to me about Scientology’s current playbook for dealing with their critics and those they have victimized that dare the speak up is Miscavige and Scientology’s craven cowardice. Miscavige is the most cowardly of cowards: anonymous smear websites do all the dirty work, he never says a word (except behind the scenes micromanaging his anonymous minions’ propaganda work), and leaning on the Scientologist friends and family of his targets to put up videos denouncing their former friend/family member, Soviet style. David Miscavige = Coward.
They are grasping at straws to keep their cult viable. It is not working. D.M. you are going to wish you never followed that lunatic Hubbard or maybe not if you are so deluded then by all means try to avoid the coming storm of legal actions. All criminals get caught and get convicted it just a matter of time. Hey David that ticking sound in your head is your life being dismantled. Those who are by David’s side you better looking for lawyers you going to need a bunch of them. Being a Christian I pray for all in this awful situation and that you can break free.
Yes, this is the same group that claims the abrahamic religions are but the effects of an ancient hypnotic suggestion implanted into us 75 million years ago by space fascists. That Muhammad was “a small-town booster” from “Kansas, Middle-East,” that Jesus had anger issues and was “a lover of young boys,” and that God is just some dude who “lives in a trunk with a leopard skin.”
They are so tolerant of other beliefs that reading The Alchemist and practicing yoga will earn you a trip to “Ethics” (aka the thought police) to ensure you toe the party line and aren’t “mixing practices.”
They are especially tolerant of scientologists who practice independently. That will earn you an SP Declare (and all that comes with it). You’ll also be labelled a “squirrel” and subjected to a “Fair Game” harassment campaign. The Co$ has actively attempted to shut down anyone delivering Scientology services outside of its control. One of its more bizarre campaigns of bigotry against independent believers was in 2011, when the Co$ sent a group of “squirrel busters” to the home of an ex-member in Texas. Arriving in a golf cart, armed with an array of video cameras and wearing t-shirts emblazoned with a crossed-out squirrel, the church group spied upon, stalked and openly harassed their target (and his wife) every single day for four months. The campaign arguably proved successful. Six years later, said target has long since ceased scientology delivery, has pulled out of a harassment lawsuit filed against the Co$, and is now publically defending them in a series of videos the Co$ uses to smear its critics on its website.
As for the gays, Scientology is the most rainbow-coloured religion of them all. Yes, church founder L. Ron Hubbard (whose gay son Quentin killed himself at the age of 22) claimed gays were “quite ill physically” and “extremely dangerous.” He called them “sexual pervert[s]” who “should be taken from the society as rapidly as possible and uniformly institutionalized.” They are “the slime of society, the sex criminals”, “whose apparently rational activities are yet but the devious writhings of secret hate.” Yes, this is the same out and proud religious group who punished Derek Bloch, Sunny Pereira and Nora Crest for same-sex smooching. The same group that required Keith Relkin to be “bonded and waivered” twice before he could receive Scientology services as a gay man and then punished him for attempting to promote Scientology to the LGBT community. Yes, this is the same group whose loving leader David Miscavige is known for his homophobic potty mouth (“Get Guilluame’s cum out of your mouth and you might be able to talk better!”), who abuses his staff with violence, degradation and horrifically cruel, humiliating punishments.
Welcome to the Church of Scientology.
DM has a heart of stone…as far as gay people being ” quite ill physically and extremely dangerous “..etc. I have to mention Sir Elton John. Who since the mid 90s has been instrumental in raising millions for AIDS research. ..as a gay man.quite the opposite of “extremely dangerous. ..and Slime.”
Any time I see/hear homophobia comes up, I think of all the great art, music and scientific advancement we would NOT have in this world without the contributions of many thousands of men and women who loved in ways deemed evil by others.
Mike, I usually don’t respond to your posts but I do read them as well as watch Aftermath. But this time I had to say something. My only hope is that people stop, listen very carefully to the message that Leah and yourself are putting out and stand up for victims and get this so called religion shut down. Now having said this I probably have opened myself up for attack by the Church of Scientology and you know what I DON’T care.
LRH writes that the cross is the symbol you can find all over the universe and that the Christ legend as implant in preclears happened a million years ago. Homo erectus and Homo sapiens did appear on the Earth until about 1.3 mya and although their brains were the same size as ours are today, I find it very hard to believe that they had any notion of what the Christ legend was or would become. They were hunter-gathers that made hunting tools from wood and stone. It was only about 200,000 years ago that humans who originated in Africa began to spread out to the rest of the world. Still nothing is mentioned about the Christ legend in history. The oldest known fossils of humans only date back 115,000 years ago. Again, no mention of the Christ Legend in history. Thirty-six thousand years ago humans were painting in caves in Europe and I haven’t seen any evidence of crosses maybe aliens but, not crosses. And finally, about 11,500 years ago all other ancient populations had died out leaving only modern humans, us. Most scholars believe Christ was born between 6 BC and 4 BC. Christ didn’t start preaching until about thirty years of age and his death occurred between the years 30 and 33 AD. In the first century, the Apostle Paul in my opinion can be credited with creating the Christ legend. That would only be 1,967 years ago given that Paul started spreading the word Christ through his letters in about the year 50.
As for LRH’s Christian heaven statement, “the product of two implants dating back more than 43 trillion years. The Big Bang theory states that the universe began about 13.7 billion years ago so before that there was nothing but ‘normal matter’, ‘dark matter’ and ‘dark energy’. So how can the product of two implants date back to more that 43 trillion years? LRH also states Christianity is part of the “R6 (Galactic Confederacy’s tyrannical leader, Xenu who lived 75 mya) bank” ideas implanted into all humans by psychiatrists millions of years ago. There were no psychiatrists millions of years ago.
LRH wrote is book Science of Survival, that “They (white supremacist groups) believe they are a “superior race” that will oppose and destroy others by any means necessary. Well, he just describes himself and what Scientology stands for and what it continues to do. LRH was a psychopath. He and the current POPE of Scientology have a total disregard for laws and social mores, the rights of others, a failure to feel remorse or guilt, a tendency to display violent behavior. They may or may not have dirtied their hands but their minions have. Further, LRH used his charming personality to disarm and charm his followers into following him. He was no better than Jim Jones who was a manipulative narcissistic that made his people commit suicide by drinking the cool-aid. In a sense, Scientology has exceeded in the same behavior that Hitler used to gain the trust of his people in WWII before massacring the Jews since he considered the Germans as the superior race. Despicable behavior.
Well now you’re juxtaposing the issue with logic…or science…or both!
Edit… just clouding the issue with logic. (Nice autocorrect)
The Fatman also decreed that it was warm in space, and that there were trains on Mars. Or was it Venus? What’s the difference, it’s asinine.
Well stated.
Sorry if this is too long. But it fits perfectly in this blog.
Looks like dangerous psycho loons think alike. The similarities are startling and scary. I think he studied Hitler.
For me one of the most powerful statements of Aftermath is when Mike and Leah are in the car and Mike says with complete emotional astonishment and outrage,” What the hell were we part of!!??”
We were part of a group started by a Malignant Narcissist. A dangerously conceited psychopath who conceived of sympathy below hate on the tone scale. We were part of a group started by a demented sick man. Who viewed power more favorably then decency.
L RON HUBBARD MEET ADOLPH:
“But the most brilliant propagandist technique will yield no success unless one fundamental principle is borne in mind constantly and with unflagging attention. It must confine itself to a few points and repeat them over and over. Here, as so often in this world, persistence is the first and most important requirement for success.” Adolph Hitler
“A consistent, repeated effort is the key to any success with this technique of propaganda.” L Ron Hubbard
“The leader of genius must have the ability to make different opponents appear as if they belonged to one category.” Adolf Hitler
“The art of leadership… consists in consolidating the attention of the people against a single adversary and taking care that nothing will split up that attention. Adolf Hitler
“Now, get this as a technical fact, not a hopeful idea. Every time we have investigated the background of a critic of Scientology, we have found crimes for which that person or group could be imprisoned under existing law. We do not find critics of Scientology who do not have criminal pasts.”
L Ron Hubbard
“Strength lies not in defence but in attack.”Adolf Hitler
“Don’t ever defend. Always attack.” L Ron Hubbard
“I do not see why man should not be just as cruel as nature” Adolph Hitler
“It is a frightening level of bravery to use men you know can be cruel, vicious and incompetent.” L Ron Hubbard
“Great liars are also great magicians.”Adolf Hitler
‘If you tell a big enough lie and tell it frequently enough, it will be believed.” Adolf Hitler
“THE ONLY WAY YOU CAN CONTROL PEOPLE IS TO LIE TO THEM. You can write that down in your book in great big letters. The only way you can control anybody is to lie to them.” L Ron Hubbard
Behind the facade of Ron’s PR benevolence is a dangerous, violent madman who resonates with other madmen.
I would love apologists to justify these similarities. Apologists have to go through the mine fields of cognitive dissonance to come up with twisted logic to justify Hubbard.
I think one of my favorite twisted logic justifications is when apologists try to justify Ron’s wish for suicide by electro shock.
One apologist simply said that Ron was sooooo above the body that he did not need it anymore and he was being compassionate to his BTs by freeing them.
Please justify Ron’s similarities with these quotes from Adolph!
Brian, as usual I love your comments. “For me one of the most powerful statements of Aftermath is when Mike and Leah are in the car and Mike says with complete emotional astonishment and outrage,” What the hell were we part of!!??”. I agree, (but I think he said WTF!).
I find it incredible that many people who signed the anti-A&E petition stated that Leah and company were Hitler like and bigots.
Normally I would never look (but someone posted the link here yesterday) I was curious to see if there were names I knew and yes I saw some. WOW is all I can say about them. They are invalidating these women, these women coming forward with their horror stories and saying that it’s all for money, lies, etc.
I bring this up because so many comments were about Leah, Mike and “these” bigots being like Hitler. Unbelievable, all I can say is unbelievable. Cognitive dissonance at its best. These people are truly lost and I think at this point there is no hope for them. Think about that for a minute, to accuse a women who goes on national TV and goes into detail about her sexual assault, and then state on a friggin blog it’s all for money, bigotry, etc. (without having seen the show, as I’m sure they haven’t cause they’re forbidden to) is despicable.
And even MORE disgusting is that there are WOMAN on this signature blog protesting against these woman “allegedly” stating their sexual assault. And even more interesting is seeing Catherine Bells name up there. Isn’t she reportedly gay? Hmmmm, isn’t her religion anti her sexual choices???? Isn’t that bigotry?
My anger puts me in a tizzy sometimes so hope you got what I said and apologize for grammar mistakes, ie Woman correction women.
Hi Ms P!
What you just mentioned is par for the course when people study these doctrines/ links I posted below.
It’s what happens when your guru is a Malignant Narcissist.
Malignant=dangerous and seeks destruction of critics
Narcissist= we are the cream of the cream. The only way out of the trap. I, Ron, rose above the bank and no one else did. I went through OT 3 and survived. No other human in history did this. Just special ole me; L Ron Hubbard.
Once Ron is granted fallibility and all of his words are gospel truth; say bye bye to logic, reason, common sense and common decency.
Anyone who Method 9s that Bolivar wasn’t ruthless enough and that is why he lost power — that person becomes ruthless and heartless. It’s an applied philosophy. They read it do it.
Heartlessness, ruthlessness and indecency becomes a personality trait when ones conscience is numbed by these demonic doctrines of hate and violence in the name of good leadership skills.
This below link is to an article about this Hubbard writing on power. It will blow your mind. Hubbard was a dangerous person.
https://www.mikerindersblog.org/the-responsibility-of-leaders/
And this below link gives an explanation, to some degree, of why Scientology can just discard family like garbage.
All from the writings of L Ron Hubbard.
https://www.mikerindersblog.org/the-ge-is-a-family-man/
Sorry to new people. Method 9 is a way to study and look up words to truly duplicate (understand) what is written.
The first link above destroys our innate sense of conscience.
The second link destroys the absolute sacredness of family and family relations.
“One apologist simply said that Ron was sooooo above the body that he did not need it anymore and he was being compassionate to his BTs by freeing them.”
Get out of here, Brian, did someone actually say that??? My God, it never ceases to amaze me the way Indies think!
Yes that was a view. A few of the others, actually one in particular simply stated that it was a only a rumor, even though she had a back and forth dialog with Mike who heard Sarge’s account as well as Marty’s account in his Warrior book.
What happens is a sort of mental paralysis wherby they can’t complute, because a looney mentality deranged Ron, is blasphemous to their self created image in their heads.
It’s my opinion that these Scientologists are auditing BTs on a daily basis.
It’s my opinion that to continue to audit the imagination of OT3, the apologist must see critics in a negative way.
I’d say that the apologists over at Marty’s are running BTs. Being Scientologists why won’t they? They now can do it for free. The OT levels are the penultimate on the bridge.
A true believer in Ron, runs his imaginations. I think that is why they are so hard on critics. They need to see critics as bad so they can justify running BTs. To give any credibility to critics would invalidate the running of BTs.
That’s my opinion.
“Yes that was a view. A few of the others, actually one in particular simply stated that it was a only a rumor, even though she had a back and forth dialog with Mike who heard Sarge’s account as well as Marty’s account in his Warrior book.”
Wow, incredible indeed!!
“What happens is a sort of mental paralysis whereby they can’t compute, because a looney mentality deranged Ron, is blasphemous to their self created image in their heads.”
Yeah, a very sad case indeed!
“It’s my opinion that these Scientologists are auditing BTs on a daily basis.”
I have some friends who do, in a daily basis. I wouldn’t mind this at all, if it weren’t for the fact that their life is not going well due to their own failure to recognize their outpoints in their thinking when trying to determine the causes of their problems in life. Most of them misguidedly assign wrong authorship to things, and so become stuck at many financial and marital problems about which they search for the “BTs” or “Clusters” who are allegedly “causing” those difficulties. They use all kind of logical fallacies to explain life phenomena.
“A true believer in Ron, runs his imaginations. I think that is why they are so hard on critics. They need to see critics as bad so they can justify running BTs. To give any credibility to critics would invalidate the running of BTs. That’s my opinion.”
Yeah, and if they were to give the critics any credibility, their cognitive dissonances would crumble, and the whole system of belief would collapse leaving them at a heavy lose without any stable data to hold on to. Waking up one day and realizing that decades of one’s life were totally wasted, is a very hard blow to cope with for most people. Some, just prefer to continue living in the dream of it all; what can I say.
“Most of them misguidedly assign wrong authorship to things, and so become stuck at many financial and marital problems about which they search for the “BTs” or “Clusters” who are allegedly “causing” those difficulties. They use all kind of logical fallacies to explain life phenomena.”
Therein lies the danger. The incorrect assignment of cause for everyday life challenges and experiences.
On the OT levels you pay big bucks to blame your condition on imaginary made up beings.
That is the opposite of cause. That is the philosophy of being the effect of make believe thoughts.
The OT levels is where the Scientologist surrenders their sovereign powers of intellectual independence.
When we blame exterior causes for our condition, we surrender our power to change.
The OT levels corrupt the mind with make believe masquerading as the cause of our suffering.
The OT levels distort our capacity to resolve issues because resolved issues require finding the correct root cause.
Hey you guys on the fence; your were conned by an ignorant immoral man. Sorry, but that is the truth.
“Therein lies the danger. The incorrect assignment of cause for everyday life challenges and experiences.”
Exactly!!!
“On the OT levels you pay big bucks to blame your condition on imaginary made up beings.”
Yeah, you got that right, Brian!
“When we blame exterior causes for our condition, we surrender our power to change.”
The funny thing is, Brian, that LRH himself had that viewpoint, as described in “Advance Procedures and Axioms” (one of my favorite books from Scn) and in “Handbook for Preclears”. And that original viewpoint of his was intuitively truthful. In fact, every Bridge step up to NED seems reasonable even if they don’t deliver the promised results. But the gradient scale of abilities gained, follows, IMHO, a logical path towards greater spiritual insights. But, from R6EW on, it gets weirder and weirder, and farther and farther from the original “You are Cause” principles. That’s why I never did any “upper” level stuff; because they just weren’t logical, and were actually contradictory to the “old” stuff that I had learned before. I thought that LRH must has gone crazy or something.
“The OT levels distort our capacity to resolve issues because resolved issues require finding the correct root cause.”
The very sad thing is, Brian, that I have seen just THAT happening to quite a few Scientologists friends of mine. But trying to convince them, is extremely difficult most of the times. “Agreeing to disagree”, has mostly been my “solution”, 🙁
I treat true believers like the young 4 year old boy dressed up like a fireman. The little boy really believes he’s a fireman. He is certain of it.
So as an adult I don’t say to the little boy,” you are not a real fireman, you are just playing!”
That would make the little boy cry. So I simply allow true believers to stay asleep in the slumbering make believe of false knowledge and imagination.
Some people are not ready for their imaginary bubble to burst.
When mine wasn’t ready to burst I just saw critics as SPs. This doctrine acts like anesthesia and I would simply go back to sleep:
Clinging to my ignorance as holy and true.
Wow. Incredible comparison.
You have a great writing gift, Mike.
The topic of this article would make a powerful future episode on Scientology and the Aftermath.
Wow! One of your best articles, Mike! And yes, you do have a great gift of writing. This article needs to be in blue on the side of your blog as a link so that it is never lost amongst the others. It is that important.
In reading the playbook the church has of find what the person defends and protects and threaten that, this was done textbook style on the Louis Theroux movie, “My Scientology Movie” where Marty played a big part. During a break, Marty and Louis were outside and surprise! The Squirrel Busters show up to harrass Marty. How they found out where they were filming is probably by illegally tapping into emails or planting bugs, listening devices or other covert means. Anyway, the Squirrel Busters immediately start in on his son, on the adoption of his son, hinting that there was something amiss in how the adoption was done or in what was put on the application, hinting that they may expose things Marty has done which would maybe get his son taken away from him. Marty practically comes unglued from all this threatening of what he protects and holds dear. So their ploy, right out of the Scn playbook on how to handle critics, worked! It wouldn’t surprise me if Marty was threatened with his son, or threatened with going to jail for things he did under DM’s orders when he was in the church, and that Marty then buckled to those threats to save his son and family. That may be why we are now seeing these POW style video missives defending DM and the church and attacking the very people he used to ally himself with.
In reality NO religion is “bullet proof”. Someone will always find an issue with the belief system of someone else. That is one of the reasons why there are so many different religious denominations in the world today to give people a chance to find a religion they can more or less agree with & following their teaching & belief system, with some religions being super strict & others being more flexible.
The words of the Bible were written by MAN based upon the “teaching of Jesus” & words written down on “stone tablets” & then scrolls & then translated into different languages for centuries. The New Testament is about “turning the other cheek” and the Old Testament talks about “an eye for an eye”, quite a difference in views of how to “treat people they way they treated you”….one being “get even” the other being “forgive what’s been done to you”.
Imagine tying to put someone else’s words written decades or even a century ago into a paragraph that someone else can understand. The words Thou, Ye, aren’t used today in languages from other countries, possible in some USA countries that have strict Biblical Standards, yet they are transcribed into English & many other languages…..with the transcriber possibly trying to figure out exactly WHAT the person who originally wrote the text actually means….as in “Well, maybe he meant this or that, so I’ll just transcribe his word into MY words”….
The odd thing about this “organization” is that it seems to shoot itself in it’s own foot with the statement”:
Scientology believes all other religions are “implants” embedded in people’s “reactive minds” as a way to control them……..isn’t that the SAME thing THEY are doing????
Mike, I hope that you are also getting this post out as some sort of press release to counter than comm from the CoS because your points should be as widely disseminated as possible.
Agreed, 100%. The evil ways to destroy critics, as ordered by the founder, really needs to hit some major publications.
Excellent article Mike.
Joe, thank you! YES! this post should go out as a press release to all the papers to counter what Cof$ is saying.
I am just amazed how this person LRH came into popularity. After reading excerpts from several of his writings it’s clear that he’s quite the looney tune so did he write all of the stuff first and then peddle it as a religion? Did he have followers before he wrote all of this or was he some sort of psychologist? I just can’t imagine anybody looking at this auditing stuff and the meter thing and all of these levels and thinking this guy was actually sane. All of this money, all of these buildings ,all of these people I don’t know were they duped by the good works philosophy? I wonder how many were and are disillusioned and think they have no way out. Is there a suicide rate among Scientologists? With all of the things that people have to go through it has to take a toll on your mental well being.
Dear Gail,
Google is your friend. Just type in ‘Scientology’ and whatever it is you want info on, such as ‘suicide’ , and open the articles. I know Smearlogy must hate hate hate the web and Google. Oh, and I guess that our very own SP Mike Rinder is also high on their hate list . Especially with his wonderful responses such as today’s retort to their screed.
A check on A&E Aftermath ratings puts the number watching Episode 1, Season 2, at 1.4 million. That means Leah and Mike have at least 1.3 million more followers than Hubbard and Mis-whats-his-name combined. Think on that, Davey boy; your slave stepped out from under your tiny shadow and is easily 10X more popular than you think you are. Or, If all Davey can muster is 5,000 to sign a petition to shut down A&E and Aftermath, then Leah and Mike are 280 times more popular than Smearology. Those are real world numbers Davey boy, you remember the real world don’t you Davie boy?
Mike, good article today and very detailed. After reading the comments and who made them on the Change.org site regarding cancelling your show, it is abundantly clear that few remaining Scientologists are on a path to isolation, insanity and self-destruction.
They are delusional and hypnotized to a point that they no long can see what is going on around them. No excuses. You made that abundantly clear in the beginning of your article. Insanity reigns supreme in the cult.
You are doing God’s work here Mike. You’re a good man.
BRILLIANT ! THANK YOU FOR EXPOSING ALL OF THIS.
Like any other crooked organizations, if you want to expose them, follow the money…
It is really awesome how all this has unfolded. David M certainly made one of his biggest mistakes pushing you out and away from the church as he did, without thinking he was. With your deep detailed knowledge of scientology there is nothing they can say you can’t 1. Counteract 2. Explain 3. Eloquently compare so us normies completely understand. Brilliant blog Mike! Keep up the good fight!
Wow! Mike’s on a damn roll with his takedowns of scientology’s lame whining. Bravo yet again.
PS. And for the record, as someone who practices Christianity, not all of us Christians agree on our interpretations of the scriptures in the Holy Bible. And that’s ok. With the exception of just a few small sects, we don’t have to worry about losing our families, jobs, friends, etc. and don’t have to worry about being harassed, humiliated, “ruined utterly”, etc. Scientology, THIS is how “religion” is done in the Age of the Internet in the 21st century. Either become flexible (which we know you can’t and/or won’t), or be relegated to a (very minor) footnote in history.
“We sure know the level of tolerance they have for anyone who is an “ex-scientologist” — zero.”
We don’t even need to go that far. How much does the CoS tolerates other Scientologists? A member of the CoS can’t be friends (or associate in any other way) with an independent Scientologist. That’s the equivalent of the Catholic Church deciding that it’s members can’t be friends with Protestants (or for that matter with any other non-Catholic Christian).
Thanks Mike! Way to stand up for your friend and great community leader. Your a true example to people who leave the Scientology cult that they can be kind, compassionate loving people who spread kindness and love to others. Regardless of what Religion or faith people follow, love, kindness and compassion are ALWAYS the way to be as human beings! ??
Yes, liers and thus cowards, as per the scriptures.
The phrase of “only attacks destroy threats” is false – LRH and Miscavige have attacked left, right and center the assumed enemy (in fact just an excuse to commit unlawful acts and even crimes of abuse, scam and others) and they still feel threatened? Why?
LRH had instructions to attack the IRS, but was evading taxes all along.
Miscavige is the one threatening people to obey his mandates or else; he is the one that created the Hole, abused many staff and keeps amassing millions from money ‘donated’ by parishioners.
And again, as per the scriptures, you need to minimize another to make him/her look less and that justifies the overts you commit.
The smear campaigns are nothing else than an attempt to make less of the others so his crimes and overts are all justified. An excuse = a coward and a lier
Silvia, this is spot on….”attempt to make less of the others so his crimes and overts are all justified.”
You’re on fire today Mike.
At one time the LRH playbook was quite effective. But in today’s information savvy society people easily see through the smokescreen of hypocrisy.
The only people I ever see defending Scientology ‘s policies are those who see some form of personal gain. Mostly monetary.
Scientologists don’t believe in God. They believe we all were gods at one time and are trying to attain the godhood we’ve all lost.
Once you become a god you’ll have the ability to fix all society’s problems. To make this a world without war or insanity. This is such a noble goal that it would seem trivial to sacrifice your own self respect, your family, your friends, and every waking hour of your day to attain it.
So by dangling the ability to save the planet, or at least create personal wealth and happiness, Scientology convinces it’s adherents to become selfish and self destructive.
I can just imagine some of the mental justifications.
“Yes I miss my family/kids/loved ones, but once I get to OT8/clear-the-planet I’ll be able to make them all happy and spend tons of time with them.”
If the end phenomena were real, I still don’t think it would be worth the price paid in losing your own self. The fact that no one has ever demonstrated any of LRH’s wild claims just adds insult to injury when you finally realize it was all a scam so LRH and other like minded con artists could take your money or make you work supporting them as they take others money.
I grew up in the Baptist environment. It’s just another religion that fools people, promising them love and peace, but at the heart of the religion is the threat of eternal punishment. It’s just another way to control people and take their money, then spend a very small percentage on “good works” so you can point to all the good you are doing in the world. You can’t do this, you can’t do that, you must believe this or be tortured forever by a demon. I haven’t been a Scientologist, but I have been a Baptist. It’s destructive, but in a different way and to a lesser degree.
But, have you ever been to Tent Revival in August? Whew.
So what do you believe happens at death?
In other words, evil cults act like evil cults. 🙂
This needs to be viral. You have a gift for writing and speaking clearly and effectively. You speak and write truth and people recognize that and respond to that and respect that.
Mike, you are on a roll. I feel like writing, “Bam!” “Pow!” “Crunch” like they did in the old Batman TV show. Please post this article on FB and Twitter so that it goes viral.
Excellent post, Mike. Thank you.
The Church of Scientology (david miscavige) is INSANE. Stark Raving Mad! The church’s attacks on Pastor Rice, Leah and Mike, A&E,etc., are a sign of a diseased group (man), flailing around, grasping at straws in its (his) final days of just trying to survive by any means possible.
Aftermath’s latest billboard with Leah Round 2?…this fight should have been called after Round 1 but it appears there’s no ref. Mike and Leah are exposing and pounding away at this vile excuse for a religion and until a ref steps in and calls this fight, the church will continue to get pummeled and its name will become more and more toxic (if that’s possible).
This church has hurt, damaged and destroyed so many lives, including many that are still in, that all I gotta say is, “Pummel away!”
Mary, well said and I sure agree with you … It’s a PR world and Scientology is getting pummeled by their own nasty, ugly, vengeful acts. The only “fix” for them is to stop being so nasty, ugly and vengeful… something this criminal cult can’t do without costing them their very non religious $ profits….this tiger can’t change its stripes. Miscavige destroys people and families in order to get more and money to attack those who do not like his tactics. This is the complete opposite of a charitable organization. Yes, “Pummel away!” and call the IRS to at least tax their ill gotten gains.
Yes!
The fight analogy is so apt sweet Mary. Can you believe their hypocrisy in almost every attack response they have made? It amazes me that they can’t see how LRH’s policies say almost exactly what the “church” is accusing Leah, Mike, A&E, Paster Willy, et al of doing. It’s mind boggling and head cratering at the same time. KAW – Keep Aftermath Working
While this organization has used harassment, intimidation and litigious threats to keep people at bay, it may ultimately be just as vulnerable to such tactics.
Several KKK chapters were sued out of existence and bankrupted by legal action. The most effective way to go after Islamist terror is to freeze the money flow. Some FLDS churches have had assets seized. Rules do exist, not as much for religious or other tax exempt organizations sometimes, but certainly for the people who run them, regarding personal profit.
There have been so many egregious crimes done by this organization, that I hope the people involved here will form their own non-profit dedicated to fighting their crimes and bringing legal justice to their victims. CoS might have a lot of money and lawyers and an army of low-paid legal assistants to file motions, but if the stakes are high enough and the class action suit is large enough, I don’t think they will pass muster hiding behind a “religion” forever. What kind of religion gets to aggressively defame and libel its detractors the way this one does? That alone could be the subject of suits and countersuits. Not to mention all the other purposeful or negligent things it has done that are either criminal or look like they could be a good civil case.
After this show, I think a charity dedicated to supporting those hurt by this organization could be very successful in raising money. This is not an organization that suffers in silence when its detractors complain or people investigate its practices. It operates more like an organized crime ring, with threats, intimidation, enforcers, shell companies to hide assets in real estate, and lavish lifestyles for the person at the top. This looks to the outside like a RICO suit waiting to happen. A wolf in the sheep’s clothing of “religion”. I am sure juries would see it the same way. And be willing to award damages for pain and suffering as well.
Given all this, what then is the relationship between Scientology and Nation of Islam. Will they at some point force them to choose? Or because they are a potential income source they will just let it slide.
Mike you are a brave man. God knows how many slings and harrows Miscavige and his cult of greed have thrown at you. It takes a lot of courage to recognise that one has been wrong and take a new stand on life. You did not only that, but you took the risk of exposing the malfeasance of a very rich and powerful organisation. Your family will be proud of you they will inherit integrity and the sense of honour.
Great article, Mike!
What do you think would happen if David Miscavage just one day made a press conference apologing and admitting to everything?
I know that would never happened ~
But what would be one of the first things to happen after that press release?
Lawyers. BOATLOADS OF THEM.
LOL That’s a great visual.
.”..an incendiary bigot who uses his pulpit to disparage other religions and groups he doesn’t like.”
Pot calling the kettle black alert!!
But it brings up some questions. Scientology’s embrace of the very Anti-Semitic Nation of Islam, and NOI’s seeming acceptance of Hubbard’s Cherch policies. Are both orgs cool with each other? Like, Nation of accepts the pedophilia, and rape cover-up, while Scientology promotes Farrakhans books of Antisemitic spew?
I read your previous post on Scientology and homophobia. It’s interesting that Miscavige is so viciously homophobic and his words are quite graphic when describing homosexual acts as a way to insult. I would be very very very not-shocked if he was gay or has tendencies that he hates in himself. I mean, it’s kind of a dead giveaway when someone is THAT homophobic and THAT graphic in their language. Suggests quite the preoccupation. Why would someone who isn’t attracted to the same-sex be preoccupied with homosexuality? It’s the age old question that we all know the answer to.
I bet Shelly knows.
Exactly. Me thinks thou protesteth too much Dave.
Pastor Rice nailed it when he said, “Being called a bigot by the Church of Scientology is like being called ugly by a one-eyed bullfrog.” Yes, the cult’s hypocrisy is that obvious!
I’m sorry your friend is being attacked. Ideological differences are fine and I have met more good people willing to change ideas based on loving reason. We all evolve. We need to be kind to each other and it will happen faster.
Boy, the people that write this florid bilge above sound like they came straight from an Alex Jones conspiracy theory blog in lurid living color, or used to work for the troll factory that cranks out articles about our evil imperialist government for Russia to publish on RT and designed to influence our own political views.
The section from LRH contradicts itself from sentence to sentence so fast, I got vertigo just reading it. Especially the part about religion is a control mechanism. Oh really? Inspired much? I mean the “logic” he uses to prove his points sounds like he is on serious drugs. It’s almost word salad. I imagine people have to be pretty psychologically primed to take that in without having alarm bells go off in their heads. It’s almost like a Cartesian version of “I Write, Therefore I’m Right!”.
I also did not know the stance on homophobia had softened a bit. Wonder if that was a reaction to an influential member? Frankly, many people on the outside, especially in the entertainment industry, look at the whole situation like It Takes Two Too Closeted To Tango. Not that anybody cares. I just think people are happy when they are honest. And avoid hypocrisy when possible. But CoS is magnetically attracted to it, it would seem.
I’m glad you have your friend’s back. That is what good people are for. Not for discovering weaknesses and, exploiting them to to extort money. EVERYTHING that CoS accuses everyone of doing, it does itself.
Goebbels is often credited with the strategy of “accuse the other side of that which you are guilty” (also effectively adopted by Karl Rove as his Strategy #3). Purposeful projection is often used not only to win political campaigns but to keep people in line. It’s obvious LRH was familiar with the tactic. It’s woven in to half the stuff he says and DM certainly uses it too as evidenced by all that garbage above. The thing is, I think people are just getting sick of it. The public is overexposed to that kind of libelous fake news – the kind of headlines with way too many superlatives and exclamation points – and are getting bored of stuff that sounds like Mean Girl Tweets trying to sound grown-up and official. The overly dramatic hyperbole is just a bit thick for adults.
OK I realize this “trillions of years” history of Hubbad’s has been around since he put pen to paper, but to call your ideas a “science” of any sort, then to obstinately ignore actual science that proves unequivocally that humans haven’t lived even billions of years, much less trillions, is itself the height of hypocrisy. (Please note that I can’t call anything Hubbard proposed a “philosophy”, as that term relates to a study or system of knowledge, reality, existence or experience–none of which apply to Hubbard’s fantastical explanation for his own psychosis.) However, the greatest hypocrisy of this group has to be their insistence that their critics are somehow immoral, when their own god, in his own words, advocated pedophilia!!!
“Having to be in “thought lockstep” is a sign of extremism.”
… and a sign that you MIGHT be a member of a destructive cult.
That Nazi march on the newspaper is highly offensive and stupid. The paper rounded them up and subjected them to years of torture and labor before killing them all in gas chambers? I think that would have made the news.
As someone who had family fight for the Allies and had family die in concentration camps, that image frames them in an even lower state than I already perceived them.
They aren’t clearing shit. They’re making the world a worse place to live.