This article is from last year, but I never got around to commenting on it. Not sure what happened to this exemption, it doesn’t really matter in the overall scheme of things. They will still require Scientologists to sign a draconian agreement before they can buy their mandatory $5000 Easy Bake Oven E-meter, and that will prevent them from doing anything with their meter that is not authorized by scientology.
What is amusing is the lengths they will go to in order to ensure they protect any revenue source. Imagine if people were allowed to open the Easy Bake religious artifact and circumvent the ability of the organization to shut down the meter from their central control center. OMG.
The second very amusing thing are the comments on this article. It’s a microcosm of the state of scientology’s reputation in the world. Despite Miscavige’s hype about the unprecedented demand and people clamoring for the “tech” the reality is that the world sees scientology as crazies… There isn’t a single positive comment.
And the final line of this article is a classic “merchant of chaos” dig.
Earlier this month, Authors Services, Inc., the organization that represents the late Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard’s literary works, sent a letter to the federal government advocating against consumer’s rights to repair devices used by people who “possess particular qualifications or [have] been specifically trained in the use of the device.” Despite the vague language, the statement seems to refer to E-Meters, the notorious device used to “audit” members of the “Church.”
As first reported by 404Media, Author Services’ letter never specifically mentions E-Meters, but the language in the letter clearly indicates that Scientologists don’t want people to mess with devices not meant for laypeople, but those who negotiate a “pre-purchase license” for using the device.
Author Services legal affairs head Ryland Hawkins claimed in the letter his organization had “no objection” to the exemption for other devices with more ‘unilateral” licenses governing software terms of use. Instead, the Church of Scientology-backed organization would rather amend the original DMCA amendment to say it would not apply to devices restricted by its supplier to people who have been specifically trained to handle the procedure.
The E-Meter, or “electropsychometer,” is described by the Church of Scientology as a “religious artifact” for the purpose of “auditing” members. From what we understand, an E-Meter sends an electrical current through a body and back into the device, which is why an E-Meter requires two grips. It measures electrical resistance in the human body, and its basic functions are believed to be present in other pieces of tech like the polygraph. But Scientologists have a much more convoluted explanation for the device’s readings that involves a person’s mental state and “thetan.”
While it’s not important to diagnose the entirety of Scientology, the important thing to note is that only properly trained “ministers” are supposed to use these devices. 404Media dug further into the actual EULA agreement for E-Meters, and there’s indeed a whole range of restrictions keeping regular users from accessing critical software, including a note that users need to have a login to register or update the device software. This also requires a membership number for the International Association of Scientologists.
One of the original software license agreements for the Hubbard Professional Mark Ultra VIII dated back to 2013 notes users would void a warranty if the software has been “used improperly or in an operating environment not approved by CSI or if the E-Meter casing has been opened.”
This exemption wouldn’t just impact Scientologist’s main auditing tool. Public Knowlege senior policy council Meredith Rose told 404Media it could also impact any device that could arguably require “qualifications” to use properly, or even if a device simply has a license agreement. U.S. PIRG senior director Nathan Proctor also told the outlet that the language could make it illegal to repair any product with an EULA.
Right-to-repair advocates are trying to move beyond what some might consider normal user-end devices. The company iFixit has appealed to the federal government to allow people to repair busted McDonald’s ice cream machines. It’s more of a test case to prove that monopolistic companies are hoarding their tech and the ability for customers to repair what they buy. If you’re so keen, you can get an E-Meter on eBay. Repair advocates may be the only thing standing in the way of being sued for digging into the E-Meters guts to find out where the real “thetan” lives.
This post reminds me of something that happened to me when I was on staff at CCNashville. It was my first time doing QM and the Security I/C Kyle put me through a grilling about how I was to watch for psychiatrists during my shift who might come up to the fence during my shift and offer to buy an e-meter for several thousand dollars as the psychs were just drooling to get their hands on one. Years later I found out that if a psychiatrist wanted an e-meter they could buy a used one on eBay for a paltry three hundred bucks! LOL!
Great comment. And I bet they are going for almost free now on ebay.
Not yet. I just checked, and there’s one for $94.99. And it’s eBay – might get auctioned down!!
If there are any Indie Scns on this blog, I’m selling two Mark VII emeters for shipping plus $20. Get them while they’re hot. Seriously.
It wouldn’t surprise me. Like those Basics books packages.
I had a good friend who was an independent and a techie. As I understand it, the meter is a ridiculously simple device. (It’s basically just a rudimentary ohm meter, the sort that electricians use, but way simpler.) My friend claimed that he built a meter from scratch and souped it up like a hot rod and made it work better. He knew a couple of independents who were doing similar stuff. And I recall reading that the Freezone had auditors who could repair their own meters. But I can’t imagine a COS student auditor would ever go outside the church to repair a meter. It would never happen. Too squirrely.
It has to be mentioned that the Emeter is used to detect “body-thetans” during OT 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7.
So truthfully, the Emeter is used to detect invisible bodiless souls, which then the Hubbard OT 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 exorcism/soul-freeing procedures is directed to alleviate the “case” of these invisible souls, and the net result then is also displayed on the Hubbard Emeter, that the invisible souls were alleviated.
Scientology’s ‘exorcism/soul-freeing” Emeter to detect and then display the alleviation these souls achieve once the Hubbard telepathic exorcism is applied to them.
“The Body-Thetan Detection Hubbard Emeter” in fact, is what it’s used as.
The E-Meter detects a change of Ohms when the Volts run through the body… the analaysis for this behaviour is certainly questionable… it is also used as a Lie Detector – too… it certainly will not respond to a death thetan… and if it would do it, than were every read on the meter because of them… and never something about your real case… the reactive Mind is then given to this death beings.. … but on the other side, why you did collect such beings to your Mind… no, it is not said – LRH has never defined it… it is miracoulous… it looks as something which you can never solve… which it is – Body Thetans are the problem on OT 3, 4, 5 ,6, 7and 8… only that there were never at any time a Body Thetan… the Xenu story is never happenend. I surely do not know about… something else, but not such an idiotic game of implants… it would anyway never work – and give as a result Body Thetans which would influence real Living… but the story is as given from LRH… he found out that that is true… and goes now in circles around the planet or Galaxie… with the wish to become real OT… but everyone is like an OT when he holds his ARC and think for himself…
In hindsight, people who were the great auditors in Scientology history, I wish they had instead chosen therapist training in other therapy subjects, using their good people skills in other reputable subjects and institutions.
The Hubbard official Scientology empire isn’t reputable, isn’t a good choice.
And the gizmo in Scientology, the “Hubbard Emeter” for sure doesn’t detect invisible souls, although the advanced Scientologists using it, would not find their troublesome body-thetans without the use of the Hubbard gizmo.
If I was being generous, I’d say that there may be some use to having a “themed” talk therapy. Perhaps as a way to decode one’s subconscious narratives, not unlike how one might decode a dream. Hub’s sci-fi matrix may be hokum but the metaphors within one’s past lives may hold some form of truth that could be worth inspecting. (Did you really blow up a planet or are you just an asshole with anger issues?) There is wisdom in the abstract. People have claimed profound insights on DMT (whilst talking to interdimensional elves) and other psychedelics. Most do not interpret their peak experiences literally. Hubbard did…and encouraged his customers to do the same. He was more interested in the placebo effect than in any sincere self-reflection.
I dread finding the Hubbard reference, but somewhere he claims his auditing is better than placebo, and that the good effects of his auditing isn’t merely placebo. (My wishful thinking as a paperpusher training dept staffer, was that all auditing would be beneficial, period, 100%, if the auditor played the tech cards right with the patient/recipient.)
I “realized” recently, that some of the great auditors were naturals at the Hubbard “2WC” (two way comm) Scientology therapy procedure. In fact that might just why some people loved certain executives, was because those executives were gifted at the Hubbard “two way comm” process regulations naturally.
Oh gosh, I hate delving deeping into the Hubbard tech procedures, to pinpoint one or another which has snippets of good listening and understanding behavior of good therapists in the outside world, but that’s been my conclusion why some auditors were sought after due to their good “two way comm” following, in life, which was beneficial on person to person level. Like for instance Yvonne Gillham Jentzsch was such a person with excellent natural two way comm skills, making her a person newbie celebrities really wished to connect and chat with all the time, like Yvonne did.
People have different levels of “presence” as a listener/therapist, which are helpful, some Scientology auditors had this, some Scientologists had this.
That type of interaction is for sure beneficial to the Scientologists seeking interaction from Scientology which was beneficial to their lives.
The TRs drilling was supposed to develop these two way comm skills in a person, to make them have the fundamentals to being a good auditor at step 1 in Scientology.
The Hubbard laborious long dragged out training and mentoring (internships) to becoming supposedly an excellent auditor, does “make sense” to some degree.
I concluded though, that the best persons with natural intuitive therapist skills, were the best auditors, needing minimal training at all in the “basics” of two way communication and all the other ways Hubbard sub divided how to make auditors into good auditors.
That simply ought to be the focus of all things Scientology does, period, if they want to reform themselves.
Change back to Auditor Day events, and make it the primary event of the year, and drop all the other crap. Hubbard would likely not even do that if he were here, Hubbard’s tech to me is bogus, and Hubbard’s dodging into paperpushing managers to run his auditing sales empire was just a sick dodge away from the flaws in the Hubbard quackery.
I wonder if all living Class 8s were surveyed, what their views on auditing vs therapy would be. (My old gold standard, were the Class 8s, or above)
In HCOB 23 August 1968, Workability of Tech, Hub claimed a 22½% placebo response.
He also claimed 33% would improve from squirrel tech, “well over 50%” from book one, and 97-100% from standard scientology 😂
If ever he pulled something out of his ass it’s this.
All talk therapies reportedly produce similar results, despite differences in procedure (ref Dodo Bird Verdict). This is ultimately why many psychologists argue expectation and the placebo effect are all any talk therapy can provide – with the client/patient relationship being the most significant variable.
I think Hubbard knew this – hence his emphasis on auditor training and also why he used such lofty claims – spending years attempting to justify them when he knew he couldn’t deliver.
Utilising the trappings of both science and religion (and a hefty price tag), he could amplify expectation to the extreme. His space opera narrative purposely preconditions the patient to buy in to the belief. This influences patient recall during therapy, validating basic premises. All these elements can facilitate an extremely potent placebo effect.
It’s actually pretty clever, in some ways. The therapeutic value of the placebo effect is well established. Those who claim auditing doesn’t help people are denying this fact – and, by extension, the power of belief.
Excellent info. Well, all I can say is “Hail Placebo!”
Placebo is the guaranteed ticket for quack gurus.
When I first became a kultie, there was a father and son team (Cyril and William Holman) in Sydney org who did e-meter repairs and certification. When we moved into Castlereagh St., they ended up eventually with their own room at the back of the academy as their workshop. Iirc, neither were certified electrical engineers but e-meters from Oz and NZ were sent to them for repair etc.. Then they were summararily sacked as now all e-meters had to be sent to either Gold (CA.) or New Era (Denmark) to take an age to get the same job done. Yet another unpopular demand that caused mutters about “Upper Management” Cyril died not too long after that and William was recruited into the SO and ended up at FSO as a Course Sup.
There was never anything complex about the machines, despite the hype that we were regularly bombarded with and most old-timers knew that. Obviously, Herr Dwarfenfuhrer has been anxious that this one of His moneyspinners will be taken away from Him by Wog Law. Oh dear.
Last I heard of William, he and his wife had been shipped from FSO to Washington, presumably because they became parents.
The E-meter always is something intriguing to think about to me for some reason. It doesn’t seem to do much yet costs THOUSANDS ON DOLLARS.
– Suzie
One thing I’ve always wondered is how hubbard managed to do almost all the research and discoveries he claimed to have done with just a simple Mark V and previous versions that obviously would provide less clear reads, certainly not like the later ones.
Once I even asked someone from Gold. If I remember correctly, along with New Era, they were explaining that from then on, Gold meter sales would count towards New Era’s stats, or something like that. At the time, I was already quite disillusioned, and soon after, I would even end up in the RPF.
The guy replied somewhat annoyed, “well, he was LRH!” Instead of keeping quiet, I asked again, “Ah, is there an lrh writing that talks about it?” Right after the meeting, ethics and security came to kindly ask me to go to HCO.
Anyway, the question remains: did he have incredibly heightened perceptions regardless of the technology of the time, or was he just a certified boaster?
I think the latter.
What IS inside these bogus contraptions anyway? I suggest something to the tech equivalent of a squirrel running along on a conveyor belt. A box of “gumballs and pinball machine parts” as Doc Brown would say. I remember seeing piles of them laying around when I was hired as a civilian technician on one of their film shoots many many years ago. A super creepy experience.
Each time i read anything about the E- Meters I get a good laugh and a it’s just an absurd concept, as well as the cost for them and the easy bake oven look.
One of my blog offerings regarding the “science” of scientology and their E-Meter was about a year ago. I had some “professional” assistance … ChatGPT, and boy howdy, it did not disappoint:
The E-Meter … Scientology’s answer to the “Magic 8-Ball.”
“I asked ChatGPT to help me with this blog post, offering the following prompt: Imagine a fictional scenario whereby we could merge the electronic technology of the Scientology E-Meter with the decision-making ability of the Magic 8 Ball into a single apparatus. Describe the new gadget as a modern fortune-telling device.
ChatGPT: The new gadget would be a modern fortune-telling device that combines the electronic technology of the Scientology E-Meter with the decision-making ability of the Magic 8 Ball. It would be called the “E-Meter 8 Ball” and would revolutionize the world of divination … The E-Meter 8 Ball would be marketed as a modern, high-tech fortune-telling device that combines the best of science and mysticism. It would appeal to people who are interested in both new technology and ancient divination practices, and it would be a popular item among spiritual seekers, New Age enthusiasts, and tech enthusiasts alike.”
I closed out the post with my own rather profound observation … “The core sentiment of the practitioners of Scientology is a phrase taken right from an iconic item from The X-Files. When it became a hit in the mid-90s, this poster was found on the bedroom wall of all the self-respecting X-Philes. And just like Mulder’s tortured conviction that the truth was out there, the Scientology faithful cling to the ever-unreachable “joy of knowing” that is out there, waiting to be uncovered because they … “Want to believe.”
I do hope the post is as instructive as it is enjoyable. Mike Rinder even makes a cameo appearance😉
https://bit.ly/Emeter8Ball