Late to the game and I don’t know if you check back at all, but I would have liked to know what errors in his understanding of Scientology you picked up on.

I picked on quite a few, from the trivial to the surprisingly substantial (his idea that Burrough’s had no respect for Hubbard because he referred to him as ‘Ron’ in letters and to friends, whereas every Scilon did so as well, for example)…
Overall, I found it educational and quite well-written and researched (if a bit thinly researched at times). His scholarship is not in question. It simply showed me yet again how huge the subject is, and how daunting it is for any newcomer….

Fascinating… A case study of how one can be cultivated, talented (even visionary), intelligent and still be a sucker for this hoo-hah.

http://www.webcomicsnation.com/rscarbonneau/parsons/series.php?view=single&ID=112658

Seeking.

Posted in wrong place.

Honestly, I think you’re right, and many more religions are guilty of this. People are human, and human beings always have a “ruin,” no matter how mentally sound one thinks he/she may be. We are all vulnerable…even so-called skeptics and atheists. And Burroughs lived in Scientology’s early years, where not as much was known publicly about its harsh inner workings and bizarre beliefs, the hypocrisy and psychopathy of its founder, etc. Scientology had a much better ability to shield itself from public inquiry, and keep its image somewhat squeaky clean. Unless of course you lived in Clearwater or some such place where the surreal constant pacing of sea org members around town hinted at something creepier. And mind you, the previous mention of religion doesn’t apply to Scientology…they are a religion for show. More of a for profit self-help corporation in my opinion…a set of beliefs. It has transformed itself over the last 60 odd years from self-help, to psychotherapy, to quack medicine, to religion, and now a bizarre mix of all of those things…a bent up simulation. A simulation that has been in a slow process of unraveling for a long time.

Burroughs was gay. He had no use for women. So what?

There are zero intellectuals in Scientology. If one happens to join, they don’t stay very long because an intellectual will see the bullshit early on and walk away. I’m not shinning a light up my ass but I’ve been told by some that I am intellec. I guess that’s the reason why I didn’t stay involved with the cult for very long.

What kept many people in the cult were attachments. I made no attachments except for a good friend and the rest on my family and friends were never involved. Alas, on a good note that one good friend in the cult left it shortly after I did and he was in it for 13 years. I can give myself credit for helping him see what what really going on. He knew things weren’t what they seemed but he needed validation from someone he could trust. Being in Scientology was equivalent to living in a communist country. There was always someone watching and listening for any dissent and report them. My parents originated from a communist country and the stories they told me of the ‘chivatos’ on every block spying on you was eerily similar to the knowledge reports and ethics officers of Scientology.