Scientology: The Cigarettes of The People
Sueddeutsche Zeitung is running an eerie piece (in German) on how Scientologists in Germany are converting ordinary folks into believers. A blogger spent 10 days with Scientology recruiters in Munich to write his first hand experience.
Day one - Free stress tests: E-meter, an electronic device was administered, allowing the recruiter to peek into his unconsciousness. Then he watched 45 minutes of interviews of the founder of Scientology, in which L. Ron Hubbard claims that Scientology makes people more efficient and happier; Scientologists will never be sick, and that they are all hard-working, helping, and stress-free. Day two - Auditing, a practice to “clear” himself, in which he was asked by the auditor to repeat over and over again, one significant event in his past (his driving test). When the session ended after two hours and he opened his eyes, everything looked louder: the white walls were whiter, the blue eyes of his interrogator were bluer. At the end of the session he was given a questionnaire with 200 questions – an “Oxford personality test” - to fill out at home. Day three - Result of his personality test was anything but satisfactory: he was “unoriented”, “insecure”, “wasting [his] energy” and “not living efficiently”. The recruiter came quickly to the rescue: all it takes is an 8-hour training in interpersonal communication. “And you know what the best part is?” she radiated, “it only costs 37,90 Euro!”
* * * *
Day ten - his last paragraph goes like this: “My roommate told me today that I looked happier, that I had some kind of glow in my eyes. I looked deep into his eyes and then at his thumbs. We’ve known each other for a long time. Our thetans were both carpenters in 1683.”
Whether the author is just being theatrical and writing a Rosemary’s-Baby-esque ending, or ten days of brainwash is really taking a hold of him, I don’t know. The first time I heard about Scientology I thought it was some sort of anti-religion satire, a parody religion, like the brilliant Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster which came only much later. I couldn’t be more wrong. Scientology is embracing every form of an organized religion and establishing itself quickly all over the world. In his award-winning article The Thriving Cult of Greed and Power, Richard Behar states,”Scientology poses as a religion but really is a ruthless global scam – and aiming for the mainstream.” As if religions and ruthless global scams are categorically mutually exclusive. Scientology IS a ruthless global scam as much as it IS a manipulating, brainwashing, man-organized religion. Stories of cruel galaxic aliens are ridiculous? What about a superman who dropped out of a virginal vagina, got nailed to a cross, died and came back to life again? Selling self-help seminars to make money is commercialism? What about selling sin-redeeming vouchers to ignoramuses so they wouldn’t have to go to hell? L. Ron Hubbard is an authoritarian cult leader? What about the Pope in Rome? Silent birth without anesthetics is evil? So is looking at a new born baby and believing he or she is a sinner. Disconnection policy is conspiratorial? So are doctrines against marrying non-believers. Mysterious deaths are scary? So is killing each other in the name of God.
Promises of a happier life, promises of a better world..Religion is the sigh of the oppressed creature, the heart of a heartless world, and the soul of soulless conditions. It is the opium of the people.
Popularity: 22%