They’ve Ideal Org’ed places that didn’t get new buildings, but I don’t know if they’ve made that list. Hmm, I’ll review previous versions and see.

I actually find this hypothesis fascinating and intriguing.

I believe it was summed up well here:

The main thing that I learned about conspiracy theory is that conspiracy theorists actually believe in a conspiracy because that is more comforting. The truth of the world is that it is chaotic. The truth is, that it is not the Jewish banking conspiracy or the grey aliens or the 12 foot reptiloids from another dimension that are in control. The truth is more frightening, nobody is in control. The world is rudderless.
“The Mindscape of Alan Moore” (2003)

I think there is some authenticity to the idea that many avid conspiracy theorists have similar underlying emotional and psychological issues. Now it’s perhaps obvious that cults encourage all members to become clones in personality of the leader or founder. So even if a person pre cult lacked the personality traits most conducive to gravitating towards conspiracy theories if the cult identity has belief in conspiracy theories as a quality that gets acquired as part of the cloning process.

So, between those two crucial ideas you get a lot of food for thought on the subject. And to further complicate matters some people upon rejecting the cult try to completely reject conspiracy theories and deeply embrace skepticism towards unproven conspiracy in general while others dive even deeper into conspiracy theories.

Some exes watch Alex Jones avidly and embrace literally dozens of conspiracy theories from 911 truthers to pizzagate to illuminati and holocaust denial and Jewish banker conspiracy theories and Satanic overlords and on and on.

I obviously have tried to untangle as much as possible from Hubbard’s ideas and influence and reject unproven conspiracy theories and the vast majority of ideas that defy historical and scientific consensus.

Consensus isn’t perfect or unchanging but for history and science there are strong reasons the consensus or near consensus exists. Climate change and evolution are well enough proven for me.

But I am interested in understanding the psychology of the ex cult members that embrace conspiracy theories deeply and hold on tight.

“I personally feel that putting putting much attention on one’s one little personal bubble is of limited value, and that it is through one’s contributions to others that you express your value.” Exactly. I wasn’t sure how you concluded that this means no joy or honor or value.

I do not follow his show and only see articles on him now because of his links to Trump and people that call for Trump to stop supporting him and giving legitimacy to his lies.

Hi Tracy

I wrote a long response to you and twice now Discus has removed it. It is very frustrating.
I will try to post it again.

Ok.

Let me start by saying that I don’t have much more than a beginners guide to Buddhism.

What I was trying to express was that I agree that “ego obession” does not seem like a good thing. I interpreted your statement that you were saying that Buddhism was seeking a goal of total selflessness.

If it is true, and it is a possible, that life is but a transitory illusion, then putting much value on it seems ultimately meaningless.

I personally feel that putting putting much attention on one’s one little personal bubble is of limited value, and that it is through one’s contributions to others that you express your value.

That irrational belief is typically explained by psychologists as a contemporary adaptation by people who can’t uncertainty or the contingent nature of real life.

They want simple explanations that give meaning and structure to apparently random events. In the UK, we had the theory that Diana (Princess of Wales) was killed by ‘the establishment’ for a variety of not very convincing reasons.

This was believed by people who had fallen for her skilful self-promotion, and canonised her. They refused to believe that her death could be due to the banal reasons that it actually was – her bodyguard was drunk, and she didn’t wear a seat belt.

All of the nonsensical conspiracy theories were designed to restore meaning and structure to event which could not be accommodated by the popular narrative – something so ordinary could not have happened to someone whom they thought was so exceptional.

Still – how did he justify the victim’s supposed responsibility?

alrighty then… first off my last comment is true, so i don’t know how you can be offended or upset at that.. now, does this make ALL scientologist immoral and bad and self absorbed materalistic like those that attend these galas and st.hill event? no, but those that do are all of these things… while perhaps most scientologists get involved for good reasons and most think? they are doing good work, although besides passing out pamphlets, their unwarranted approach of personality tests, touch assists and being in a front group and smiling for photos and their tedious manual work hard to believe they actually think they are “saving the planet” and helping mankind with this work…
and of course, wouldn’t and don’t ALL scientologists attack and never defend, any and all who approach them with the truth and confront them as they try to confront and shatter?….

don’t all scientologists unless one is a TOTAL newbie know of the doctrine and policies? including disconnection?..

sorry, but while perhaps MOST as i said got in for a good reason and perhaps most are more or less “good” people the WHOLE MAKE-UP and entirety of them is easily questionable…

no, i was never in, thank goodness, although based on the “reasons” alot of people get in, i should have been in them and about 5 cults… i have NO agenda, and haven’t been duped by anyone, unless finding out the truth in the MOUNTAIN of information from around the world including this site is duping, then yes, i’m guilty of that!..sorry, but aren’t YOU the one who was duped since it was YOU who got in scientology?… just being honest, not meant to be snarky.. i’m glad you are out!..EVERYTHING i know about scientology have been from this website, the books, articles, documentaries, youtube channels of former members and so on and so on….. DO THEY have it all wrong too? or just the majority of it all wrong?…

interesting in that you post vague comments and platitudes about what I post…. please post how i have it wrong about ALL scientologists and in detail if you like…

Hi Tracy

Thank you for hanging in there with me while I presented my viewpoint.
At this point however, I am going to bow out.

Unfortunately you seem to have fallen for, or created for yourself, a very unrealistic view about Scientologists generally.
I cannot imagine anyone who was ever a Scientologist, however betrayed they feel, holding such a hard-line, totally untrue viewpoint. They would be deliberately lying and deliberately trying to create a totally false impression.
So that leads me to believe that you were never a Scientologist. If you were never a Scientologist, I find it odd, and somewhat troubling, that you continue to cling to, and actively promote, ideas that many xScientologists have tried to get you to understand are simply not true.
I can only assume that you have either been seriously duped by someone with some vicious agenda, or you have such an agenda of your own.

You do not appear to be the least bit interested in the actual truth,… I have tried…

You may well think the same things about me. It seems you do.

I am going to just leave it at that, and bow out.

It’s the rationale of someone that says a global conspiracy of demons runs the world. I don’t think it’s supposed to make sense.