Jeffrey Augustine is back with another delicious dive into Scientology’s own policies and documents. In this case, he’s looking at Scientology’s own statements about whether you should ever believe a word they say…
In 1996, the Church of Scientology warned everyone that it takes no responsibility for any statements or claims made by any member of its staff (the people who work with the public at Scientology “orgs) or with members of the Sea Organization, who sign billion-year contracts and dedicate themselves entirely to working day and night for the organization. This warning was contained in “Scientology Policy Directive 13 March 1996 Issue II,” under the title “Statements By Staff Members”:
Notice the bait-and-switch at work here: The claim is made that Hubbard researched and developed things that others found to be real for them. So the Church shifts the burden for Hubbard’s claims from Hubbard and the church onto individual Scientologists. To give this shift a shred of credibility, the Church makes its members write success stories in which they claim wins and benefits from using the Tech. Of course, if a Scientologist refuses to write a success story he or she is sent to Qual for an interview at their own expense. Moreover, the refusal to write a success story automatically stops all further services and thus strands a Scientologist on the Bridge. A Scientologist must write a success story if he wishes to continue on up the Bridge.
The church’s claim that Hubbard never made any promises or claims for Dianetics and Scientology is both ridiculous and completely false. L. Ron Hubbard made enormous promises and claims for Dianetics and Scientology. Hubbard claimed that Dianetics and Scientology could cure all psychosomatic illnesses, asthma, allergies, run nuclear radiation out of the body, allow people to exteriorize from their bodies at will, raise their IQ, etc. One of Hubbard’s most audacious claims (HCOB 8 April 1988) is that a Scientology “assist” can be used to order a dead person to come back into their body:
(If you’re concerned about the policy date — 1988, two years after Hubbard’s death — Hubbard also referred to this ability to bring back the dead in a 1972 lecture.)
Look at the stark contradiction: Hubbard claimed miracles for Scientology and said his findings were greater than the invention of fire, wheel, and the arch. And yet his Church of Scientology states that Hubbard claimed and promised nothing. In fact, the church makes Scientologists sign an attestation that no claims or promises were made to them and they inferred none from the works of Hubbard:
As we continue in our reading of Statements By Staff Members, we see why the Church must deny all of the claims and promises of its Founder:
In the section above the spin by the Church is typical: The Church cannot make any claims or promises for what Hubbard wrote or said because professional litigants and SP’s will use these claims to “shake down” Scientology. This is a breathtaking hypocrisy given the way the Church shakes down its own members. Flag is particularly ruthless in shaking down public members by using mandatory routing forms that force public (non-staff) members to visit at least seven regges (registrars, Scientology’s salesmen) when routing into, and out of, Flag Land Base in Clearwater, Florida. Scientology regges use flattery, threats, gang bang reg cycles (high-pressure group hard sells), false promises, and every other possible form of connivance to separate Scientologists from their money. In this context, “Statements By Staff Members” is just another part of the dishonest operating basis of the Church of Scientology:
1. Appear to offer Scientology’s miraculous planetary-saving technology while actually offering nothing and promising nothing.
2. Make all Scientologists sign away their legal rights as a precondition of participating in the Church in any way whatsoever.
3. Make as much money as possible while avoiding lawsuits and refunds to the greatest degree possible.
4. Make IAS statuses the ultimate expression of a Scientologist’s commitment to Scientology.
5. Use contracts to make donations for IAS statuses both mandatory and nonrefundable.
6. Promote the purchase of ordinary buildings as being an extraordinary and vital part of planetary salvation.
7. Zero financial transparency: Never tell donors how their money is spent, used, or otherwise hoarded.
8. Exact harsh penalties upon Sea Org and Staff members who fail to meet their financial and production quotas.
9. Attack those who expose the human rights abuses and financial predation of the Church of Scientology.
10. Tell lies as needed, this in accord with Hubbard’s notorious 152 dictum:
“THE ONLY WAY YOU CAN CONTROL PEOPLE IS TO LIE TO THEM. You can write that down in your book in great big letters. The only way you can control anybody is to lie to them.” – L. Ron Hubbard, “Off the Time Track,” lecture of June 1952, excerpted in JOURNAL OF SCIENTOLOGY issue 18-G, reprinted in TECHNICAL VOLUMES OF DIANETICS & SCIENTOLOGY, vol. 1, p. 418
— Jeffrey Augustine
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BOOK NOTES
We didn’t get a chance to include photos in our book, so we’ve posted them at a dedicated page. Reader Sookie put together a complete index and we’re hosting it here on the website. Copies of the paperback version of ‘The Unbreakable Miss Lovely’ are on sale at Amazon. The Kindle edition is also available, and shipping instantly.
Tony Ortega’s upcoming appearances (and check out the interactive map to our ongoing tour)…
August 24: Boston, Boston Skeptics in the Pub, 7 pm (with Gregg Housh)
Sept 15: Barrett the Honors College, Arizona State University, ASU in Downtown Phoenix campus
Sept 23: Cleveland, Parma Heights Library, 7pm sponsored by Center for Inquiry – Northeast Ohio
Sept 24: Minneapolis
Sept 27: Portland
Sept 28: Seattle, Razzi’s Pizzeria, 7 pm, with Seattle Skeptics and Seattle Atheists
Sept 29: Vancouver, BC, Seven Dining Lounge, 7 pm
Oct 23: Sydney, Giant Dwarf Theatre (with Sen. Nick Xenophon)
Oct 25: Melbourne
Oct 28: Adelaide (with Sen. Nick Xenophon)
Oct 30: Perth
Past dates: Santa Barbara (5/16), Hollywood (5/17), Orange County (5/17), San Diego (5/20), San Francisco (5/22), New York (6/11), Chicago (6/20), Toronto (6/22), Clearwater (6/28), Washington DC (7/12), Hartford (7/14), Denver (7/17), Dallas (7/20), Houston (7/22), San Antonio (7/24), Austin (7/25), Paris (7/29), London (8/4)
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Posted by Tony Ortega on August 9, 2015 at 07:00
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Learn about Scientology with our numerous series with experts…
BLOGGING DIANETICS: We read Scientology’s founding text cover to cover with the help of LA attorney and former church member Vance Woodward
UP THE BRIDGE: Claire Headley and Bruce Hines train us as Scientologists
GETTING OUR ETHICS IN: Jefferson Hawkins explains Scientology’s system of justice
SCIENTOLOGY MYTHBUSTING: Historian Jon Atack discusses key Scientology concepts
PZ Myers reads L. Ron Hubbard’s “A History of Man” | Scientology’s Master Spies | Scientology’s Private Dancer
The mystery of the richest Scientologist and his wayward sons | Scientology’s shocking mistreatment of the mentally ill
The Underground Bunker’s Official Theme Song | The Underground Bunker FAQ
Our Guide to Alex Gibney’s film ‘Going Clear,’ and our pages about its principal figures…
Jason Beghe | Tom DeVocht | Sara Goldberg | Paul Haggis | Mark “Marty” Rathbun | Mike Rinder | Spanky Taylor | Hana Whitfield
