I happened to pick up a copy of the new edition of Freedom magazine in downtown Clearwater (there are a number of stores that have an over-abundance of scientology promotional items on display -- not sure if they are hoping to curry favor with the few scientologists that might stop in or if they are intimidated into thinking they will be put on a "blacklist" if they don't accept them). This "special edition" is not the usual "Posse of Lunatics" or Anderson Cooper is a poopy-head or Lawrence Wright’s mother wears army boots. This one crows about the accomplishments of scientology and e … [Read more...]
The Safest City
This is more of the scientology bubble crazy on display. They have been convinced that handing out copies of the Way to Happiness "reduces crime" and "brings calm" to neighborhoods. Why do they believe this? First is because L. Ron Hubbard proclaimed this to be the case. He determined that problems in society all stemmed from the lack of a moral code, and that by distributing HIS it spread calm and peace and bring about miraculous changes. And of course, if L. Ron Hubbard says not enough smoking is the true cause of cancer, that LSD is stored in the fatty tissues of the body or that … [Read more...]
WTH
The crazy disaster capitalism in the scientology world is a constant presence that never seems to take a break. As long as there are natural or man-made disasters in the world there is an opportunity for scientology to make some money. As I have pointed out many times before, they are not asking for money to send these out at COST, they are selling these with a large profit margin built into the price. And as I have also commented on: why isn't the IAS springing the $50,000 it would COST to do this mailing? They certainly have the money. Finally, how do they think this is going to … [Read more...]
Disaster Capitalism Revisited
It is as predictable as night following day. A disaster, man-made or natural, hits the media and scientology hits the "give us your money now" button. I have pointed it out many times in the past -- this is EXACTLY what the IAS says they use people's donations for. The IAS proudly proclaims it is they who see that Volunteer Ministers ("the largest private relief force on earth") are on the scene "of every major disaster no matter where it occurs on earth" to bring the help that ONLY scientologists can (as Tom Cruise famously said -- ONLY a scientologist can help people injured in a car … [Read more...]
More Disaster Capitalism
Well, even ignoring the typical spelling error in the headline, this is sick. There is an "extremely bright side" to this tragedy? And that is this: We have yet another opportunity to collect money from you for you to buy more copies of WTH. Of course, everyone knows the WTH will stop terrorism -- especially when you give it to the VICTIMS of terrorism. … [Read more...]
London Is Calling (for your money)
The disaster capitalists are at it again... They are helping the victims of terror by giving them (not the terrorists) copies of the WTH. I am sure they will find the precept about not murdering someone really helpful. Once again, the insanity of this is that THIS IS WHAT THE IAS CLAIMS IT IS FOR. You give us your money and we use it to help at every disaster all over the world. Yet, here they are, asking for money to get WTH booklets -- that they are charging .66p (85 cents US) for EACH! They COST them no more than 20 cents. Not only is this NOT a serious enough disaster for the … [Read more...]
The IAS Is Lying, Again
This is a recent promo piece put out by the IAS. It would lead one to believe that it is the IAS that "reached" 117 million people with the WTH over the last 12 months. That the hundreds of millions of dollars they receive annually is what finances the "4th Dynamic campaigns." Remember all the promotion you see from the IAS about how their job is to carry out the "4th Dynamic" campaigns to salvage earth? And how THEY are the ones who are doing this to "guarantee the future of scientology"? This one appeared in the Thursday Funnies edition a couple of weeks ago. Well, if the … [Read more...]
The Colombian Miracle
Scientology has produced a miracle in Colombia! The nation has been overcome by the golden glow and concentric circles of the S and Double Triangle and it's now spreading throughout the world. So much for the hype. Truly one of the most insidious things about scientology is the outrageously false claims they make about their accomplishments in far off lands. Funny how the miracles never seem to happen in Los Angeles or New York or Clearwater... When the peace treaty was recently announced with FARC a few people emailed me wondering how long it would be before scientology claimed … [Read more...]
The Way To Happiness — Really?
Next in the ongoing series of essays by Terra Cognita. See earlier posts here: A Story, Auditing: a PC's Quest for the Holy Grail, The Knowledge Report, Integrity, The Almighty Stat, The Reg, The Horrors of Wordclearing, Why Scientologists Don't FSM, Respect, The Survival Rundown - The Latest Scam, Communication in Scientology... Or Not, Am I Still A Thetan?, To Be Or Not To Be, An Evaluation of Scientology, Fear: That Which Drives Scientology and Justification and Rationalization. The Way to Happiness – Really? Ron Hubbard compiled twenty-one precepts into a book called The Way to Happ … [Read more...]
The Real Way To Happiness
My good friend Ray Jeffrey sent this to me, explaining that on his his daily walk with his dogs he listens to podcasts by Dennis Prager, author of a book entitled “Happiness Is A Serious Problem.” Ray synthesized the thoughts about happiness into a 13 point summary. I have not listened to Prager's podcast or read the book. And this is not a commentary on Dennis Prager's political views. But I do wish to share Ray's compilation as this really speaks a lot of truth to me. 1. Believe me -- you want to be happy in your life. 2. Only you control whether or not you are happy – not your fa … [Read more...]