Comments on: Scientologists Threw Me Out

By: graham

graham — Thu, 31 May 2007 07:30:44 +0000

Thanks for that Hartley. I have had a look at your site, very interesting. If true, find the statement, “there is no attempt to change a personâ€™s beliefs or to persuade him away…” a little dishonest. That is exactly what they were trying to do to me.

I looked at the blogging ministers you listed and loved the quote on MetaCatholic
“But as far as Iâ€™m concerned Scientology is a meretricious cult based on the deluded writing of a man who confused his own poorly written space opera with the secrets of the universe, and which ties secret knowledge to purchasing power. One doesnâ€™t need to resort to tricks or sloppy personality journalism to unmask this. Old-fashioned careful reporting is quite adequate.”

And a “Wow” at reading your quote from Hubbard.
“Don’t ever tamely submit to an investigation of us. Make it rough, rough on attackers all the way. You can get ‘reasonable about it’ and lose. Sure we break no laws. Sure we have nothing to hide. BUT attackers are simply an anti-Scientology propaganda agency so far as we are concerned. They have proven they want no facts and will only lie no matter what they discover. So BANISH all ideas that any fair hearing is intended and start our attack with their first breath. Never wait. Never talk about us – only them. Use their blood, sex, crime to get headlines. Don’t use us. I speak from 15 years of experience in this. There has never yet been an attacker who was not reeking with crime. All we had to do was look for it and murder would come out.”
— Attacks on Scientology, “Hubbard Communications Office Policy Letter,” 25 February 1966

By: hartley patterson

hartley patterson — Wed, 30 May 2007 23:32:45 +0000

It’s worse than that:

“In Scientology there is no attempt to change a person’s beliefs or
to persuade him away from any religion to which he already belongs.
“[...] Scientology is all-denominational in that it opens its membership
to people of all faiths
“[...] Membership in Scientology does not mean that there is any necessity to leave your current church, temple, synagogue or mosque.
“From `What is Scientology’, 1992, p544″

Thanks for your comments, if you check my website you’ll find you were not the only blogging minister to do so!

By: graham

graham — Wed, 30 May 2007 18:55:02 +0000

You got to play with a machine!?

So that is why people join. I know there must be a reason.

Thanks for your story, it deserves to be heard.

All the best to you and Gemma.

By: Paul D

Paul D — Wed, 30 May 2007 16:35:36 +0000

I had an amusing meeting with Scientologists once as well. Gemma and myself were walking through London, and were stopped, much in the same way as you were. We were game for a laugh, so went in, and saw all the horrible posters and heard the terrible spiel, about how ‘emotions make you feel bad, so we want to remove them!’.

They introduced us to a device, which was supposed to measure ‘negative emotions’ – thetans. There were two metal grips, and a box with a needle, with numbers behind it. Apparently, when asked about certain bad things in your history, the needle would shoot up, whilst calmer memories would make the needle go down.

After a little while, I noticed an odd reaction, and pointed it out.

“Hey, this thing doesn’t measure thetans – it measures how hard I’m squeezing on the handles!”
“No, no it measures thetans. Look, it’s going up because you’re thinking bad things.”
“No, it’s because I’m squeezing harder.”
I then squeezed and released several times, watching the needle rock back and forwards, and pointing it out and laughing.

When it became clear I wasn’t gullible, was also quite poor, and had no intention of taking them seriously, they let me go.