Scientology
Alt.religion.scientology FAQ for New Readers
By rkeller@netaxs.com (Rod Keller)
12 May 1995 15:43:35 GMT
Archive-name: scientology-faq Posting-Frequency: bi-weekly (Fridays)
Version: 1.02
Frequently Asked Questions on alt.religion.scientology
Version 1.02, 05/12/95
Copyright 1995, by the respective answer writers, unless
otherwise noted. Compilation copyright 1995, Rod Keller. Permission
to copy this FAQ for non-commercial purposes is hereby granted. The
opinions expressed are those of the individual writers.
----------
Background: In January, 1995 I decided to compile a
Frequently Asked Questions list for the Usenet group alt.religion.scientology.
Several previous FAQs had been written and distributed, but none of
them seemed to answer the questions of newcomers to the group, which
is the real point of having an FAQ. I feel this document does that.
I asked the group for suggestions of frequently asked
questions by "newbies", and the results were encouraging.
Over 15 newsgroup participants responded. I edited and consolidated
the questions down to 30 questions, and handed out writing assignments
to volunteers. Participants in the group come from several different
viewpoints, and I have attempted to include multiple answers for each
question, to represent these viewpoints.
----------
What's New?
I'm still looking for the guy who provided an answer
to question 17. I lost it. Sorry.
New skeptical answer to question 4 by Jim Lippard.
----------
Updating: I plan to update this FAQ with more answers.
Several questions have no answers yet. Volunteers to answer a question
may e-mail me at rkeller@nyx.cs.du.edu. Tell me what question(s) you
wish to answer, and a little about your background in Scientology.
I'm looking for a skeptic, Free Zone and Church answer to each question,
so pick one that isn't already answered by somebody from the group
you represent.
And now, on with the opera!
----------
1 - What is the purpose of alt.religion.scientology?
Is it for or against Scientology?
Answer By: Chris Schafmeister <schaf@cgl.ucsf.edu>
Welcome to alt.religion.scientology, or what some of
us like to call "our little bit-o-heaven". The "purpose"
of alt.religion.scientology is whatever we want it to be within the
umbrella of discussions about the beliefs, organization and products
of Scientology. A.r.s often more resembles a high school lunch room
than a genteel sitting room with individuals tending to show allegiance
to one of several groups. Among our members we have active and semi-active
Scientologists, ex-scientologists who have grown to dislike everything
about Scientology, ex-scientologists who believe in the teachings
but have learned to dislike the Church of Scientology, and non-scientologists
like myself who for the most part believe that everything about the
Scientology faith is bunkum and that the Scientology organization
is not good for people. As for a.r.s being for or against Scientology,
I've been participating for three years now and I often can't tell.
But if I were backed against a wall I would say that the mood tends
to be more against the Church of Scientology than for it.
2 - What's the difference between Dianetics and Scientology?
Answer By: Jeff Jacobsen <cultxpt@PrimeNet.Com>
Dianetics came first, in 1950. Dianetics deals with
the mind. The mind has a problem area known as the Reactive mind,
where memories are incorrectly stored. The goal of Dianetics is to
clear out the memories stored in the Reactive mind and transfer them
to the Analytical, or good, mind. Once this is done you are called
a Clear, and Dianetics is basically through with you. Dianetics, the
Modern Science of Mental Health, explains the processes and theories
of Dianetics.
Scientology continues the process of fixing up a person
by turning attention to the spiritual side. Once you have your Reactive
mind taken care of, you must now undertake a house cleaning of the
soul. Your soul, called a thetan, has a problem. It has several (perhaps
millions) of unwanted house guests stuck to it. These other souls,
called Body Thetans (or Clusters if they are in a bunch), are stuck
to your soul and must be removed to enable your own thetan to function
properly. But you don't really catch this story until you have gone
Clear and have taken the first 2 upper level (OT) courses. Once on
OTIII you discover how this soul-fusing happened, and how to reverse
the process.
Dianetics, then, is psychotherapy, while Scientology
is spiritual cleansing.
Answer By: Dennis L. Erlich <dennis.l.erlich@support.com>
The idea of dianetics was part of a science/fiction
presentation in Astounding Science Fiction, a 1940s pulp magazine.
At that time the line between science fiction and fact was blurred
in such periodicals.
Hubbard's premise was that Freud's subconscious mind
had additional properties never before discovered. What Hubbard dubbed
the "Reactive Mind" recorded every item of sensory input
a person received while in pain or unconscious. These memory recordings
he called "engrams". In the sensory content of these "mental
image pictures" are commands which recoil against the conscious
mind when "stimulated" by similarities in the current environment
and cause all irrational behavior and all psychosomatic ills, he said.
Since Hubbard considered most illness, including cancer, to be caused
by engrams, his new "science" could cure most anything.
In the early 50s, prior to the Food and Drug Administration
raid on scientology organizations which confiscated e-meter and books
being used in bogus "healing", Hubbard had decided he could
get more protection for his therapy by bringing the spirit (thetan,
he called it) into the picture and calling it a church. He needed
a new name: scientology - the study of knowing.
Where dianetics purportedly addresses the mind and the
engram recordings in it, scientology addresses the spirit and decisions
embedded in the engrams. The spiritual triggers, if you will.
3 - Can you be a Scientologist and a member of another
religion at the same time?
Answer By: Rogue Agent <rogue@denali.ccs.neu.edu>
Scientology introduces new doctrines for its members
as they progress up the Bridge. Some of these doctrines contradict
the doctrines of other religions - for instance reincarnation. As
these doctrines are introduced, members must choose between being
faithful to one religion or the other.
Answer By: Mark Adams <adams@psilink.com> and
Dierdre <deeny3@aol.com>
Scientology imposes no restrictions on religious beliefs.
But, members whose religious practices include meditation, yoga or
spellcasting are frequently denied Scn services.
Individuals within the free zone hold that being allowed
to choose your course in life is vital. So an incredible variety of
religious beliefs can coexist in harmony.
Further, many of those present in the Free Zone borrow
from a variety of belief systems to augment their tools. The Truth
tends to be found in a variety of places.
4 - What scientific evidence is there for Dianetics
and Scientology?
Answer by: Jim Lippard <lippard@primenet.com>
I know of only one scientific test of Dianetics or Scientology.
Fox, Davis and Lebovits, "An Experimental Investigation of Hubbard's
Engram Hypothesis (Dianetics)," Psychological Newsletter, 10(1959):131-134.
The researchers performed the test suggested by Hubbard in Dianetics,
"If you care to make the experiment, you can take a man, render
him 'unconscious,' hurt him and give him information. By Dianetic
technique, no matter what information you gave him, it can be recovered.
This experiment should bot be carelessly conducted because _you might
render him insane_."
A subject from the Dianetic Research Foundation in Los
Angeles was rendered unconscious with sodium pentathol administered
by Davis, an MD. While he was unconscious, Lebovits was left alone
with the subject and two recording devices. Lebovits read a 35-word
section of a physics book, inflicting pain during the last 18 words.
Two days later, the Dianetic Research Foundation audited
him, attempting to elicit the engram of the experiment. Several passages
were elicited, but "Comparison with the selected passage shows
that none of the above-quoted phrases, nor any other phrases quoted
in the report, bear any relationship at all to the selected passage.
Since the reception of the first interim report, in November 1950,
the experimenter tried frequently and repeatedly to obtain further
reports, but so far without success".
5 - Why do Scientologists believe in past lives?
Answer By: Rogue Agent <rogue@denali.ccs.neu.edu>
Scientologists do something called auditing, where they
think back to past events in their lives and remember the experience.
Sometimes when they do this they find the memory is of a past life.
Skeptics question whether these memories are of real or imagined events.
Answer By: Mark Adams <adams@psilink.com>
Since Scientologists conceive of themselves as spiritual
beings who 'animate' a body, their life need not be limited by the
lifetime of a body. Much literature has explored the possibility that
people may have memories of existences prior to their present life.
Outside of Scientology, cases have been documented where a persons
memories under hypnosis have been independently verified and documented.
So the concept of living as different human beings is
not unique to Scientology. And I know of no rules requiring a being
to inhabit a human body. One could be an Antelope, Zebra, Tree or
Rock if one chose so. Some, upon being liberated from their body may
just hang around.
This is very much different from the strict definitions
of reincarnation, which to my understanding, leave little control
in the individuals hands as to what he returns as.
6 - What's an E-meter?
Answer By: Chris Schafmeister <schaf@cgl.ucsf.edu>
An E-meter is a simple device which measures electrical
resistance across the range of 3000 ohms to 7000 ohms at its least
sensitive setting to 4500 ohms to 5000 ohms at its most sensitive
setting. Scientologists believe that the E-meter reacts whenever they
think about spiritually important topics. Scientologists use E-meters
by holding onto two electrodes while they sit in a room with another
person who repeatedly asks them questions about traumas from their
life or putative past lives until the E-meter reacts in a way described
by L. Ron Hubbard. Scientologists believe that once the E-meter acts
in a predetermined way when they are asked a question, that the subject
of that question no longer influences their personality. I have played
with an E-meter and observed that my body electrical resistance changes
rapidly over the course of tens of seconds in a random way. The E-meter
needle motions did not appear to be correlated to my thoughts. My
training as a scientist has lead me to conclude that the physiological
reason why the body electrical resistance changes over the course
of seconds is due to ion channels in cell walls opening and closing
under semi-automatic control and that Scientologists train themselves
to control their body resistance through a process of biofeedback.
Scientologists then fall deeper into the cult when they see what appears
to be conformation of Hubbard's writings but is actually their own
self-delusion.
7 - What is auditing?
Answer By: Dennis L. Erlich <dennis.l.erlich@support.com>
It is the scientology form of therapy; a process by
which questions and directions are given to a subject. These force
him to see his mind and how it functions in a new way and to accept
a new model of his existence. since the model introduced is one of
Hubbard's own creation auditing changes a person drastically and irreversibly
into the type of person Hubbard was (or wanted to think he was).
The basic principles of scientology that are purportedly
at work during auditing are those of communication and as-isness [sic].
These terms have very specific new meanings in the newby scientologist's
model of his mind. According to Hubbard, unwanted conditions exist
in the mind because they are not properly viewed to see the lies contained
within them. In auditing, the lies are "dug out" using questions
and the e-meter, until the mental "energy" contained in
the recording vanishes. This is called viewing something "as-is".
Supposedly anything can be made to as-is (vanish) if
you see all the lies contained in it that are making it persist. Even
solid objects are solid only to the degree that they contain lies.
However they contain a LOT more lies than "mental mass".
Hence it is easier to make stuff that's all in your mind anyway, vanish.
That's how auditing works.
Answer By: Deirdre <Deeny3@aol.com>
Auditing involves a practitioner who asks questions
of a person. The questions are determined by a case supervisor, who
reviews each session and determines the overall course of a person's
progress toward Clear and OT. The questions asked are related to the
ability the person is to attain, though the relationship may not be
immediately obvious to the person being asked.
8 - What is a Thetan and an Operating Thetan?
Answer By: Rod Keller <rkeller@nyx.cs.du.edu>
Hubbard defines the Thetan as a creator of things, which
cannot be measured. (paraphrased from Scientology: The Fundamentals
of Thought, p.69) It is usually described as the Scientology equivalent
of the soul. The name was probably intended to make Scientology sound
scientific. Scientologists believe that the Thetan usually resides
in the skull, but can "exteriorize" and see places and objects
that would normally be hidden from view. Descriptions of exteriorization
are anecdotal. No double blind experiments have been reported on alt.religion.scientology.
Operating Thetan refers to people who have taken courses
to reawaken abilities they possess as Thetans, but that have been
forgotten. These abilities are supposedly to control any part of matter,
energy, space or time (MEST). Examples that have been reported are
stopping the rain, rolling marbles on a table, preventing traffic
accidents, quelling riots, and killing Communism. Again, no double
blind experiments have been reported on alt.religion.scientology.
Answer By: Mark Adams <adams@psilink.com>
Thetan is a coined term used within the CoS and the
Free Zone.
It represents the portion of you that is not Matter,
Energy, Space or Time. The term spirit and soul were not used, as
they're commonly seem used in a manner that could be confusing.
Specifically, you may remember hearing that children's
pray, 'Now I lay me down to sleep'. Note that in this prayer, one
line is "I pray to God, my soul to take". Note the possession.
"My Soul."
You are a thetan. Not "you have a thetan".
The thetan is that portion of individuality which makes you you, which
does not require a body to be.
Operating Thetan describes a state of being where one
no longer requires a body to operate. Since originally defined, various
gradations of OT have been defined and redefined to describe attributes
and skills of a Spiritual Being who can function with or without a
body. By operate, I mean able to be at cause.
This includes communicating, creating, changing, destroying.
9 - Wasn't L. Ron Hubbard a science fiction writer?
Answer By: Rod Keller <rkeller@nyx.cs.du.edu>
Hubbard wrote some science fiction. The church claims
he was one of the early great writers in the field. I haven't seen
any non-church sources that support this status. He did write for
several magazines in the early, formative years of the genre.
Two of his works are the novel Battlefield Earth and
the Mission Earth dekology, a 10 volume series. Both were maneuvered
into bestsellers lists by the church to lend Hubbard prestige. One
tactic was for members to purchase dozens of books, wait for the bookstore
to reorder, then return the books. The trade newsletter "Hot
News" reported that Bridge Publications, a church operation,
offered over 230,000 hardback remainders from the Mission Earth series
in 1989. These volumes falsely counted towards the total sold.
Both titles are heavily allegorical. The conclusion
to Battlefield Earth has the hero, who resembles Hubbard, conquering
the aliens and taking over the galaxy by outmaneuvering the galactic
lawyers, who resemble sharks. In Mission Earth, the hero also conquers
the galactic empire, this time defeating a main villain who is a saboteur,
assassin and psychologist. Both titles draw heavily on the OT3 science
fantasy story. Mission Earth is particularly interesting in that both
the hero and the villain use dirty tricks tactics similar to those
of the Church of Scientology today, such as extortion, blackmail and
kidnapping.
10 - What does Scientology teach about drugs? Are tobacco
and alcohol drugs?
Answer By: Rogue Agent <rogue@denali.ccs.neu.edu>
Scientologists believe drugs affect the mind negatively,
and have a process called the Purif to get rid of drugs lingering
in the body. Skeptics question whether the Purif works.
Answer By: Deirdre <Deeny3@aol.com>
Scientology teaches that drugs are a major source of
troubles in spiritual advancement. For this reason, most new Scientologists
do the Purification Rundown as their first major service, and eventually
do a Scientology Drug Rundown. They may also do a New Era Dianetics
Drug Rundown if the case supervisor thinks it's appropriate. All cases
will do the NOTs (New Era Dianetics for OTs) Drug Rundown when they
reach OT IV.
While tobacco and alcohol are drugs, Scientology doesn't
seem particularly concerned about these two. Many Scientologists smoke.
While alcohol is not encouraged, one is simply asked "Have you
had any drugs, alcohol, or medicine in the last 24 hours?" If
not, auditing can proceed.
11 - Who's in charge of the church, now that Hubbard
is dead?
Answer By: Rogue Agent <rogue@denali.ccs.neu.edu>
Heber Jentch is the President of the Church, but David
Miscavige is the de-facto head.
12 - What is the Sea Org?
Answer By: Rogue Agent <rogue@denali.ccs.neu.edu>
The Sea Org was originally an Org (parish or local church)
that sailed with Hubbard all over the world in 3 large ships. Since
then they have become an elite, devoted corps who work for slave wages.
They wear pseudo-naval uniforms.
Answer By: Deirdre <Deeny3@aol.com
The Sea Org was originally those people committed to
Scientology who were at sea. Nowadays, the name is largely historic,
though most do wear quasi-naval uniforms and have military-style rank.
It is the closest equivalent Scientology has to a monastery. While
one is not required to be celibate inside of marriage (outside of
marriage, it is a Committee of Evidence offense that can result in
losing one's job), in practice one has little time for sexual encounters.
Furthermore, having children has been strongly discouraged for Sea
Org members.
13 - What is the OSA?
Answer By: Dennis L. Erlich <dennis.l.erlich@support.com
Scientology Office of Special Affairs. It is the KGB-like
arm of the cult which uses any means to silence critics and to infiltrate
legitimate groups to gain acceptance for or crush criticism of scientology.
It is the (CMO) replacement for the disgraced and overrun Guardians
Office which, in the 70s, infiltrated and broke into government offices
and stole documents critical of the cult.
These operations landed Hubbard's wife in Federal Prison.
Hubbard was a wanted man until he died in the early 80s.
All legal and covert operations of the cult are directed
through OSA by Miss Garbage.
14 - What is the CCHR?
Answer By: Rogue Agent <rogue@denali.ccs.neu.edu>
The Citizens' Commission on Human Rights. This is a
Scientology front group that Scientologists say works to reform Psychiatry.
Skeptics say the CCHR is used by the Church to eliminate the competition;
some Free Zoners agree.
15 - Does Scientology use "front groups?"
What are they?
Answer By: Maggie Council <council@luna.cas.usf.edu>
Scientology has roughly 260 front groups. These are
organizations that may or may not profess a direct link to Scientology.
Most are aimed at destroying or erasing opposition to Scientology,
directly or indirectly. Scientology is not just in the business of
religion; Hubbard created a variety of 'technologies' such as 'study
tech' for students and 'administrative tech' for businesses.
ABLE (Association for Better Living and Education) offers
training in Hubbard's study tech and attempts to get Scientology programs
in PTAs and school systems through Applied Scholastics. ABLE manages
Narconon, and Criminon, and many programs under the Way to Happiness
Foundation, such as CCHR, Concerned Businessmen of America, Foundation
for the Advancement of Science and Education, Religious Freedom Crusade,
Citizens for an Alternative Tax System, Nat'l Coalition of IRS Whistleblowers,
National Toxics Campaign, and the Nat'l Commission of Law Enforcement,
which attacks Interpol.
WISE (World Institute of Scientology Enterprises) pressures
Scientologists to license their businesses, which then tithe a percentage
of their income. WISE licenses the Purification Rundown for use in
Narconon. WISE also licenses business management firms that teach
Hubbard's methods to health care and other professionals. A few of
these firms: Sterling Management, Hollander Consultants, Uptrends,
Stellar Management Exec Tech Mgt., Horizons Mgt., Cause Co. Seminars,
and The Advisory.
16 - What do the confidential levels of Scientology
consist of and why are they secret?
Answer By: Deirdre <Deeny3@aol.com>
Power and Power Plus (Grade V and VA) deal with the
reasons one is holding back one's power. Sample questions: tell me
a source/tell me a not source.
R6EW (Grade VI) stands for "Routine 6 End Words"
where one runs the "end words" off the reactive mind. There's
50 of them.
The Clearing Course is where one runs the basic implants
that comprise the bank. These consist of five types of implant: The
7's, which consist of dichotomy pairs based on the verbs be, do, have
and stay (example: to be nobody/to be everybody); the Basic End Words,
a list of 21 words to run (The Now, The Past, etc.); the Confusion
GPM, which is a dichotomous pair for each of the Basic End Words (Creating
to Destroy the Now/Destroying to Create the Now); the Hollow Objects,
where a series of shapes of objects moves toward and away from you;
the Solid Objects, same as hollow except the objects are solid.
More usually delivered: Clear Certainty Rundown - where
one gets the state of Clear validated and rehabilitated. It is generally
a short action of only a few hours. Sunshine Rundown - a locational
the person does on their own.
Before the OT levels, one will also do the Solo Course,
part 1 and 2 which will teach one to solo audit. New OT IV and OT
V are not run solo.
Now onto the OT Levels:
OT I - a locational which a person does on their own,
but more involved than the Sunshine Rundown.
OT II - "The Wall of Dichotomies" the stated
purpose of which is to free one up from binary thinking. GPM means
"goals problems mass" and indicates the mass that occurs
when a goal and its exact opposite collide. For brevity, Electrical
GPM, Tocky GPM, Big Being GPM, House GPM, Psycho GPM, Banky GPM, Basic-Basic
GPM, Basic GPM, the Command GPM, Lower LP GPM, LP GPM, Body GPM and
Lower Bank are all based on dichotomies. The Forerunner GPM (aka O/W
GPM), the Arrow, Double Rod, Woman, White Black Sphere, Hot Cold,
Laughter-Calm and Dance Mob are all individual incidents.
OT III - The first Body Thetan (BT) level, where one
is auditing other beings in one's space. Prior to NOTs, also the last
BT level. In this, one runs body thetans through two incidents. Incident
2 involved being captured 75 million years ago, frozen, shipped to
Earth, taken to a volcano where one was nuked, then captured in a
field, implanted with all sorts of horrid goals for 36 days and packaged
up as body thetans and clusters (groups of body thetans). These were
then given to folks like you and me in gobs. Incident 1 involves a
multi-media show with chariots, angels, waves of light and then blackness.
OT IV - (pre-NOTs) Among other things, one created and
uncreated each part of the Clearing Course implants until one could
do it freely.
New OT IV - (NOTs) Is the last drug rundown, where one
runs the drugs out of one's body thetans and clusters.
OT V - (pre-NOTs) A series of drills involving matter,
energy and space, including drawing power from other objects.
New OT V - (NOTs) Audited NOTs, where one performs the
beginning steps of the NOTS rundowns, including handling where any
BTs went Clear, any that went exterior, any prior auditing that was
messed up, any BTs that were PTS and so on.
OT VI - (pre-NOTs) While this is not quite the same
as the "Grand Tour" in Creation of Human Ability (R1-9),
it has similarities. Essentially, one is learning to be exterior in
specific places.
New OT VI - (NOTs) The Solo NOTs Auditor's Course
OT VII - (pre-NOTs) A collection of drills designed
to help one project intention.
New OT VII - (NOTs) Solo NOTs, where one audits BTs.
This is a very long level and generally takes over 700 hours to complete.
The End Phenomena are "Cause over life" and "A body
transparent to theta vision"
New OT VIII - Auditing on things which prevent one from
seeing the Truth.
Also confidential: L 10, L 11, L 12
Now, why are they secret? 1) LRH has said he believed
this material was too restimulative to be widespread (I disagree);
2) The mystery entices people to pay for it who otherwise might not.
Imho, NOT handling an entity sitting in a person's face because they're
not case-prepared for OT 3 is no excuse for not running what they
need handled.
Answer By: Dennis L. Erlich <dennis.l.erlich@support.com
The levels of scientology consist of a step by step
progression toward the states of clear and OT. A "clear"
has erased the mental mechanism which continually creates his Reactive
Mind. An Operating Thetan has had his (God-like) abilities fully restored.
He can create life. He can create universes. He is cause over matter,
energy, space and time and free of the bonds of the physical - totally
functioning in the spiritual.
Of course, the secrets of mastering this feat are worth
a lot of money to people who think they can buy their way to heaven.
Levels above clear deal with an incident which Hubbard
claimed happened 75 million years ago, called Incident Two. Implanted
thoughts and ideas were pumped into the each human's unconscious mind.
We (immortal thetans) were then packaged together, and sent reeling
into a scripted dramatization of the implanted event which calls for
behavior that leads to the destruction of one another and extinction
of mankind.
Hubbard's OT Levels supposedly erase the incidents and
get rid of the numerous other entities thinking the thoughts in our
heads. Exorcism is what the OT Levels are mostly all about.
Scientology wants to keep this a secret so people won't
laugh them out of existence.
17 - What is the personality test the Scientologists
offer for free? What does it measure?
18 - How much does Scientology cost?
19 - Is Scientology a religion or a cult?
Answer By: Jeff Jacobsen <cultxpt@PrimeNet.Com>
"Religion is the human enterprise by which a sacred
cosmos is established" (The Sacred Canopy, Peter L. Berger, p.25).
In other words, religion defines for us what the world is all about
and what our place in that world is. In this respect Scientology is
definitely a religion. Scientology tells us who we are (a thetan,
or soul), what the universe is all about (a game we thetans created
and then got stuck in), and what our place is (to learn our true nature
and get back to it's glorious freedom). Scientology admits that it
is gnostic, which is a religious tradition 2,000 years old (Advance!
iss. 93).
In general usage today a cult is a dictatorial group
that overly controls its members and teaches ideas far from the mainstream.
In this definition Scientology fits very well. Every doctrine and
practice of the church comes from L. Ron Hubbard and no one else,
and this is strictly enforced with no deviation or criticism allowed.
The church is tightly structured with rules and punishments for every
part of life, including how to wash your car. The church has its own
judicial and prison systems. As for the church's doctrines, the higher
you go in the teachings the farther from the norms of our society
you get.
In conclusion; yes, the church of Scientology is a religion
because it answers our deep questions about the meaning of life; and
yes, it is also a cult because it fits the general usage of that term
today.
20 - What is the Free Zone?
Answer By: Mark Adams <adams@psilink.com>
The Free Zone is the area outside of organized control,
including that of the Church of Scientology. Over the years, a number
of people have acquired knowledge and skills contained within the
documentation of Scientology. Having found value in that information,
these individuals continue to use it to improve the lives of those
around them, and thence their own lives.
More than anything, the Free Zone represents individuals
who are willing to do what they can, in their own way, to better life
for us all. Just as a single source of chaos can make life difficult
for many people, a single source of order can stabilize and improve
things for many people.
21 - What is a Squirrel?
22 - What is the RPF?
Answer By: Mark Adams <adams@psilink.com>
RPF is an acronym for Rehabilitation Project Force.
The closest approximation I can identify is the process of "Community
Service" ordered on occasion by traditional courts.
Typically, a hearing (CommEv or Committee of Evidence)
held by one's peers determines if the groups morales-rules were violated.
If so, an assignment to the RPF may occur.
While on the RPF, a person continues study, but under
much closer supervision. In addition, a great deal of physical labor
takes place. Instead of picking up litter along the highway or creating
new forest trails, the RPF engages in reconstruction of older buildings,
cleaning the common areas etc.
However, activity takes place at a high activity level.
No loitering allowed. RPF members don't use the elevators, they use
the stairways, and at a trot. They don't originate conversations with
non RPF members, and they use all of their available time in some
constructive manner.
There is no RPF in the Free Zone. Each person uses their
understanding improve life within their sphere of influence. We are
responsible for our own actions. We must act within the limits of
our own ethics.
22 - What is the RPF?
Answer By: Dennis L. Erlich <dennis.l.erlich@support.com>
The Rehabilitation Project Force. Formerly the Deck
Project Force. Bad Sea Org members are banished to "rehabilitation"
for being insufficiently under control. In the RPF:
- those sentenced are not allowed to speak to anyone
but fellow RPFers.
- physical work is performed from sun up til late into
the night doing building renovations, cleaning toilets, dumping garbage,
studying and auditing scientology.
- those sentenced have to run anywhere they go.
- they are not allowed to use the telephone.
- their mail is read and approved (or destroyed).
- they are treated much as military prisoners during
a war.
Once sentenced to the RPF one must do an exact program
of discipline and thought reform in order to graduate back into the
mainstream of Sea Org staff.
23 - Who are the skeptics? Why do they spend so much
time here if they don't even believe in Scientology?
Answer by: Rachel Meredith Kadel <rkadel@husc.harvard.edu>
The skeptics are a very varied group. Some are on alt.religion.scientology
because they are concerned about the threats to freedom of speech
posed by the Church of Scientology's recent actions. Some are on alt.religion.scientology
because they are simply curious about just what Scientology is, and
why there's such a fuss about it. Some are on a.r.s. for laughs --
certain posters can get quite ridiculous at times. Some skeptics came
to alt.religion.scientology in concern because someone they know has
joined. Some skeptics have had bad experiences with scientology, and
want to share information about them so that others don't have the
same bad experiences. Some people came to alt.religion.scientology
for one or another of the above reasons, and stick around because
they've become friends with, and concerned about, some of the other
posters. In short, the skeptics are as mixed a group of people as
you're likely to come across.
24 - How Does Scientology Deal with critics of the church?
Answer By: Deirdre <Deeny3@aol.com>
Severely. First off, critics are usually declared suppressive
persons, which means they may not receive Scn services. If they are
outspoken, they may be harassed in person. If their knowledge is dangerous
to Scn, they might have a brake line cut or a cat shot. All these
things have happened to folks right here.
25 - What lawsuits has Scientology been involved in?
26 - What is an SP?
Answer By: Mark Adams <adams@psilink.com>
One potential view of the world is two poles, labeled
"Good" and "Evil". A continuum may exist between
these two poles. More difficult to conceive, both "Good"
and "Evil" depend on one's viewpoint.
Individuals may commit suppressive acts during the course
of their existence. Such an act would, in my mind, be defined as "inhibiting
the determinism, actualization, or survival of another entity".
As a concrete example, I offer the act of removing an
insect's legs.
Most of the free zone bristle at the idea of "declaring"
an individual suppressive. (Oddly, some jostle to be first in line
to be declared!) This probably stems from an inner knowledge that
choosing "Black Hats" is the first step on the path of reduced
rights then persecution for those so labeled.
As two concrete examples, I offer Hitler & the Jews,
and the witches of Salem MA, USA. LRH did indicate this risk in (HCOB
27 Sep 1966)
"All one has to do is designate 'people wearing
black caps' as the villains and one can start a slaughter..."
"... therefore it is even more important to identify the social
personality than the antisocial..."
Answer By: Chris Schafmeister <schaf@cgl.ucsf.edu>
I really don't know how Scientology defines a SP or
"Suppressive Person". I have a few working definitions though
that I have developed after talking to Scientologists for three years.
The first definition is "pretty much anybody who doesn't like
Scientology and says so publicly". Scientologists appear to believe
that if you don't like something you should ignore it and leave it
alone. Non-scientologists who take the time to point out shortcomings
within the beliefs and organization of Scientology are quickly labeled
as SP's by Scientologists. I have been labeled as such by several
members of Scientology. The second definition is "whoever is
on the official Scientology Suppressive Person list". Scientology
maintains a LONG list of people and organizations that it officially
considers to be "Suppressive". These are people and organizations
that have been "declared", meaning that paperwork has been
generated that officially labels them as "Suppressive".
I believe the list can be downloaded from FACTNET. Scientologists
are instructed to cease interactions with "Suppressive Persons"
lest the Scientologist become infected or something. Also within Scientology
is the rather enlightened principle that SP's may be lied to, cheated,
harassed, and "destroyed"; it is what used to be called
the "fair game" policy.
27 - What is PTS?
28 - What is a Wog?
Answer By: Deirdre <Deeny3@aol.com>
Used to mean a non-Scientologist, the term "wog"
is often used with derision. Sometimes, it is used to mean someone
in Scn who isn't acting like one might expect a Scn to act; I have
heard a new clear called "a cleared wog." Furthermore, prior
to Scn, the term had racist overtones.
29 - Did Hubbard say that the way to make a million
dollars is to start a religion?
Answer By: Chris Schafmeister <schaf@cgl.ucsf.edu>
The following is shamelessly summarized from Don Lindsay's
excellent FAQ on the subject.
Several people have been quoted as saying that they
heard Hubbard talk of starting a religion to make money and avoid
taxes some time around 1945 to 1950. Among them are Jay Kay Klein,
reporter Neison Himmel who shared a room with Hubbard in 1945, then
editor of the "Thrilling" group of magazines Sam Merwin,
writer Sam Moskowitz, science fiction writer Theodore Sturgeon, and
writer Lloyd Arthur Eshbach. On the other hand, the church of Scientology
has obtained affidavits from a David A. Kyle and Jay Kay Klein who
claim they were at the same talk that Hubbard gave when Moskowitz
claims Hubbard made the statement and that Hubbard never made the
"start his own religion" statement. The Kyle and Klein affidavits
have clashed with an affidavit from Moskowitz in a German court of
law and the case was dismissed when the Moskowitz affidavit was produced.
Don concludes in his FAQ that he can't see how the witnesses
to Hubbard's statement could be wrong and I would have to agree with
him.
30 - I have a family member involved in Scientology.
How do I help them get out?
Answer By: Deirdre <Deeny3@aol.com>
First off, recognize that joining any group is a solution
to a perceived problem. Finding out what that problem is will help
give you insight about why they remain there. Usually, this is something
the person still wants resolved and will not be resolved within Scn.
Secondly, respect the person's wishes and support them. Go at it gently.
It is best if you find ex-members who can be friendly and supportive
of the person.