"Scientology means peace": mixed WELT-blog

Scientology heißt Frieden - Böss in Berlin - Weblogs - WELT DEBATTE

It's from three days ago and it's a mixed (with regards to content) blog entry in the blog section of one of the big newspapers in germany.

Scientology means peace

by Gideon Böss, blogger

The german central of Scientology appears like a mixture of a medical office and the scenery of a science-fiction movie. I had hardly entered the building when a friendly, elderly woman approached me: "You want to take a look around? Best we show you a movie first." It was about the reactive mind which is destroying us. Because of it, fathers go crazy, youths beat each other, Verfassungsschutz is observing Scientology and because of it we leave the right path.

Luckily Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard has developed a technology, which can protect us from the negative consequences. And because his technology is so revolutionary after the two minute teaser the very next stop was a small movie theatre looking like a chapel. The long version - 30 minutes - was shown. The film was breathing an air of posh advertisment. A diagram presented all Scientology centers across the globe. Among others there are supposedly some in Saudi Arabia. I'm doubtful about that...

After the movie a friendly, young man (maybe the son of the friendly, elderly woman) offered to answer my questions. We sat down and within the next minutes I asked just about everything, whatever came to my mind. Whether there is a creator (yes, but he isn't that important), whether man and woman are equal (yes), whether homsexuality is something normal (no), whether there might be Scientology states as there are islamic states (no), whether there's a life after death (reincarnation), whether the person who answered my questions had lived before (yes, he had memories about several earlier lives), whether I may come back as an animal (yes, if I choose to do so) and if it isn't, considering this, morally questionable to kill animals, because any pig and any chicken may be grandfather who simply wanted to enjoy a life in this form once (no answer).

At this point during my visit (it was [visitors day]) I already had a pretty clear picture of what the intellectual foundation of this church is consisting of: The half-knowledge of an aborted course in psychology at evening school, a little bit of buddhism for beginners and of course lots and lots of rubbish. Along came the legendary personality test! I had heard of it as a pupil in basic school already. Brainwashing and force were the two words coming to my mind immediately. Because those were the two words used over and over again by all teachers, educators and parents when they intended to warn us about Scientology (was it brainwashing back then?) In the end it turned out to be rather a work of diligence. 200 questions were to be read and answered. Among other things I objected against racial segregation (question 129). Afterwards the analysis followed. The friendly, elderly Scientologist looked worrisome at the sheet of paper on which there were several scales. And her analysis began to pelt down on me:

"Your values are in many regions in an unacceptable state."

"You don't feel well, because you're lacking a set target."

"You are nervous, does this cause a lot of problems in your everyday life?"

Time and again I objected to her opinion and when I finally told her that I'm quite happy and also rather positive -and not fearful as the test result suggested- with regards to my future, she capitulated: "Nice, then I hope for you it will remain that way!"

I didn't want to leave the building, however, before having tested the E-Meter. Light staffs were laid in my hands, from which cables went into a bizarre instrument, which had a needle on the outside, which went -depending on the reaction- to the right or the left side. It looked like a Geiger counter out of service. "Think of a person with whom you had an argument." I thought about it and the needle strongly went to one side. Excited, she wanted to know: "Who were you thinking of, this is extraordinary." I'd like to have given her names, but I couldn't. "I didn't think of anyone, noone came to my mind." Shortly afterwards this presentation ended and I'm not fully convinced by the E-Meter. "The E-Meter can visualize thoughts" whispered the friendly, elderly woman dramatically. O well.

Afterwards I went home. Noone tried to force any info material on me, noone wanted to sell any books to me or invite me to sessions. What made a very negative impression on me, however, was the scientological rejection of [classical medicine] and psychology. Pills may only be taken when it's absolutely necessary, anti-depressants may never. I wanted to know, why they are being met with such distrust in germany. "Because the pharmacy lobby is afraid of us."

What a weak argument. The question is interesting after all. Why is this association, which according to its own statements has ten million members right now, but according to serious estimates had hardly over 100.000 worldwide, being fought that much. Why is it being observed by Verfassungsschutz and gets such a bad press? Because it (allegedly) persecutes former members? And even if so, when you search for a new faith in Islam, you're being threatened with death. Among the long list of supporters for a bannishment of Scientology, I couldn't name a single one that is demanding a bannishment of Islam as well. And Christianity, Hinduism etc. would deliver enough reasons for a ban. And there are a lot of rituals and customs unknown to Tom Cruise's cult: girl circumcision, destruction of skyscrapers, stoning of gay people, suppression of women. If the Palestinians were Scientologists, they wouldn't blow themselves up.

That Scientology offers completely erroneous healing practices is certainly true, but this accusations appears grotesque in a country, in which every library has a department for esoteric writing with books such as "Optimal usage of energy fields" or "yellow lifestones against cancer" which hardly have to wait for buyers. So it's not entirely clear, why [people keep continuously getting at] this association, which practically doesn't exist (5000-7000 members). But it's of course a sign for the liberal climate in germany to call for a ban on anything you can't stand. Anne Will [political talk show host] talked nonsense? Ban Anne Will!

The Scientologists' history of creation may be admired at this place and here's a translated Tom Cruise interview

The E-Meter link describes it as a simple skin resistance measurement, the interview link is quite a good ideological translation imho, with lots of near-verbatim quotes, only instead of Scientologist the author is calling himself a "Gehirnolik" = Brainologist. Harpoons were sent and the comments educated the author about exactly why Scientology has such a bad press and why this organization is being observed by Verfassungsschutz. Half of the pro-Scientology commentators denounced the article and demanded the author buy a Hubbard book and read it, while the other half praised him with "finally an objective opinion against this hysteria" style postings. Hardly anyone reacted to any anti-Scientology arguments, other than denouncing it as hysteria and as "copied from anonymous" and "professional anti-Scientologists who get paid for twisting the truth". One pro-CoS-poster gave this advice: "Don't get lost in Hyperspace."

female circumcisions? I've never heard of that before.

Interesting. They're attempting to soften up to avoid the 'cult criticism' but it's built into the very fabric of their 'religion'.

wow, their beliefs are full of holes
i laughed when i read about the part on being reincarnated as an animal and about the animal killing part.

Originally Posted by Snake

female circumcisions? I've never heard of that before.

I've been on-board against this barbaric practice for many years, now. Basically, the clitoris is excised, usually in girls around the age of 10-12, primarily in northern Africa, and it's done without anesthetic, and without sterile procedure, usually performed by the village "medicine man," or some other equivalent faggot. Absolutely abhorrent.

Originally Posted by Ten Tigers

I've been on-board against this barbaric practice for many years, now. Basically, the clitoris is excised, usually in girls around the age of 10-12, primarily in northern Africa, and it's done without anesthetic, and without sterile procedure, usually performed by the village "medicine man," or some other equivalent faggot. Absolutely abhorrent.

Yup.... is foul and disgusting and evil, and also (not entirely coincidentally) illegal. In the UK, at least. Even if you head over to the back of beyond to have it done to yourself or your poor unsuspecting rugrats.(Corresponding legal wotsit).

So yeah. Totally worth campaigning against, and indeed this has been done. As are many other things, which other groups (including many of the people on here, I imagine) already campaign against. And FGM - female genital mutilation, according to the WHO, which decided that 'circumcision' carried a totally unwarranted air of respectability and went on an effective language engineering kick - gets its own share of media hysteria, and rightly so.

These other issues get their time in the glare of publicity, get debated and on occasion, stuff gets outlawed... But now, it's Scientology's turn... so of course some sod says 'but why have you lost focus on $unrelated_issue?' Bah. Some of us can multi-task...

Edit to add: It may be stretching things a bit to refer to 'destruction of skyscrapers' as a ritual or custom. And what does Scientology recommend as regards gay people? According to Wikipedia, LRH suggested they be removed from society and institutionalised?

This is now most commonly referred to as FGM or FGC (female genital mutilation and female genital cutting.) The World Health Organization has a group solely devoted to eradicate this practice. Women's Global Education Project is also on board. (womensglobal.org)

WHO | Female genital mutilation

Unfortunately, it is no longer mainly confined to Africa, but due to population migration it is taking place worldwide. More than 100 MILLION girls/women are living with the result of this practice.

I believe that David Bowie's present wife, Iman, was a victim of this barbarity. Turned into a "eunuch", so-to-speak. Absolutely deplorable. D:<

In Africa there is also a major problem with women giving birth so young and the lack of proper obstetric care. They develop fistulas, and are shunned by the community and family.