/lit/ - Literature

>>21264661
Yes. There's some amusingly weird stuff in it. Also, the cover is shiny.

>>21264661
kino occultism lol

Yes, and it made a hell of a lot more sense than the psychology classes I took in college.
I ended up getting involved with Scientology for about 7 years.
The tech is great...the organization has gone totally paranoid.
"KSW 1" means either you're 100% with the church, and anything they say, or you're instantly their worst enemy.
I got tired of dealing with it, and ended up in the independent clearing-technology field.
It was much cheaper, much more efficient, and not at all messianic.

You need to understand where the opposition to Scientology really comes from.
Sure, the organization, and the people in it, have screwed up, But you don't fault a dog for biting you if you've been beating it senseless.
Initially, the opposition came from two places.
Ron presented Dianetics to organized psychology, and they rejected it because he didn't have the proper credentials, and they were perfectly content to continue selling their snake oil, rather than do something that actually worked.
But the big catastrophe happened after he released "Science Of Survival" in 1951.
Allow me to quote part of page 464:
>There is another form of hypnotism which falls between the surgical operation and straight hypnotism without physical pain. This form of hypnotism has been a carefully guarded secret of certain military and intelligence organizations. It is a vicious war weapon and may be of considerable more use in conquering a society than the atom bomb. This is no exaggeration. The extensiveness of this use of this form of hypnotism in espionage work is so wide today that is is long past the time when people should have become alarmed about it. It required Dianetic processing to uncover 'pain-drug hypnosis'. Otherwise pain-drug-hypnosis was out of sight, unsuspected and unknown.
The discussion continues for a few more pages.
This, of course, is better known as MK Ultra, and Ron had not only uncovered it, but figured out how to reverse it.
Needless to say, the American intelligence community lost its shit.
So when you hear bad stuff about Dianetics and Scientology, consider the source.
t. not with the organization anymore

>>21266249
>>21266270
It’s absolutely not literally impossible, that even the most seemingly implausible and kooky person or source, might be revealing something valid or have discovered something worthy of interest; even if they are flawed and imperfect sources in many other ways.

It’s even possible that the most well-known, most successful “cult-leaders” of the 20th century and potentially of even earlier times, were precisely doing this, particularly in terms of creating or discovering psychological techniques and systems of self-change and self-observation. However, this might come hand in hand with heavy flaws (i.e. the person is a megalomaniac and deluded in some aspects, just as scientists or artists can be flawed people). Also, if nothing else, it can be read as a mind-expanding entertainment/sci-fi/fantasy.

>>21264661
no, it sounded retarded from south park

>>21266381
>takes south park literally
incredible retard

>>21266249
I had a colleague whose aunt was deep into Scientology. He told me it was like a big MMO/ARG whose devoted players must pay money and pass tests in order to gain levels and unlock new content.

Yes now read Dianetics 55!

>>21266482
It's actually more like Buddhism with technological enhancement.
It's not exactly that, of course, but it gets you part of the way to understanding it.
The insane cost was one of the reasons I ended up in the independent clearing-technology field.
MUCH less expensive.

>>21266367
"All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self-evident." -Arthur Schopenhauer

>>21266270
> Dianetics is real
Please.
Look. I used to think Scientology had a silly belief system, but that it wasn't any worse than any other organized religion. As a card-carying atheist, I kind of viewed all religions as equal, and Scientology as no different than the rest.
Then I saw that "Going Clear" documentary by Alex Gibney. Here's how that changed my thinking:
All religions have comitted attrocities in order to get started. Christianity was famously intolerant and lead to the Dark Ages, Islam was spread by the sword, Mormonism kidnapped children and stuff... the list goes on and on. But we don't usually hold those religions so responsible for the attrocities committed in their past, because said attrocities happened so long ago. Even Mormonism, as absolutely batshit as its founding was, isn't so terrible now (if you don't think polygamy is inherently evil).
That's the difference between Scientology and everything else. All religions have done terrible things to solidify their power as they got started. But Scientology is doing those things NOW. They're hounding people NOW. They were doing awful shit as recently as the 1950s, on that boat and stuff. And with the wounds that fresh, and still being inflicted, we have a duty to hold them accountable for it.
Furthermore, another thing that separates Scientology from other religions is how unbelievably greedy it is. No religion demands more money from its followers than Scientology. It isn't just passing around a collection basket: you have to pay to get in the door, and pay to rank up.
And it'd be one thing if they were doing something good with their money. But to my knowledge, there aren't any great Scientologist charities. They don't do any real community outreach, like other religions. They exist soley to enrich themselves.
Scientology isn't a religion. It doesn't even deserve to be called a cult. It's a scam. A scam designed to make money.

>>21266476
They actually believe that shit about xenu, silly cultist.

>>21266742
There are plenty of real Scientology charities.
Many of them are organized to expose psychology and all its horrors.
And I don't recommend joining the church itself; I recommend looking into independent clearing-technology practitioners.
And "hounding" and "awful shit on that boat" are nothing compared to the Crusades etc.

>>21264661
One of the worst books I have ever read. Do not let /lit/ meme you into reading this.

>>21266777
So? It's impossible to use radioactive dating to tell the difference between an asteroid 65 million years ago and a nuclear attack 75 million years ago.
The Hindus mention such a thing, too.
https://www.ancient-origins.net/unexplained-phenomena/desert-glass-formed-ancient-atomic-bombs-002205

This brainlet, slave shit is not the way forward and not for intellectuals. Sorry but you’re going to have better luck recruiting other plebians off the street.

>>21266780
Funny how you won't say why.
Still sore about MK Ultra getting exposed, glowie? >>21266270

>>21266270
Oh fuck off you moronic cunt.

>>21266813
Great counterargument.
I can almost see the heat of your brainwaves from here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXI4CBvtS2E

>>21264661
Did you go clear?

>>21266834
>be me
>decide to go to Church of Scientology with a friend as a joke
>"let me do the talking so they take us seriously"
>tell a friendly guy in a suit that I'm interested in Scientology and saw the Dianetics on tv and wanted more info
>he takes us into this back room to watch a movie
>it's a wide room with a crazy high ceiling with about 8 rows of seats; one of the walls is just a giant screen
>but the room is narrow so the screen fills your entire field of vision when you turn towards it
>the room is totally empty (just us)
>he sits us down and leaves
>cut the lights
>the room was incredibly dark, like pitch black, and I noticed the total soundproofing (we were downtown in a major city but heard nothing from outside)
>then the movie started and it was clips from that video mixed in with random narration about modern society over stock footage
>about halfway through the guy I spoke with and two other men in suits come in and sit directly behind us (but don't say anything)
>it was weird and uncomfortable (three guys sitting behind me and my friend in a pitch black soundproof room; the guy who took us into the room had this really stern intense look on his face which was the complete opposite of when he greeted us and took us in the back to watch the movie, I made eye contact with him and politely smiled and he just stared at me until I looked away)
>I have to mention that the volume of the movie was so fucking loud and the movie was being rear projected so the room stayed really fucking dark even with the light from the screen--it was just enough to see his face and the other men who came in with him (aside, when the scenes cut it went pitch black and silent)
>it was also really weird how they zoomed in on L. Ron really fucking slowly--you wouldn't even notice it but all of the sudden you're not seeing the wide shot (as in the video) but just his face filling the giant screen talking about how great Scientology is
>the three men got up and left the room again and the movie ended about 5 mins later
>when we came out he was nice again but I told him I didn't think it was for me but I'm going to read Dianetics (i.e. I don't want to have a conversation about the movie)
>he tried to sell me a copy but I told him I'd get it from my school's library
>that weird look passed onto his face again and he asked us to be on our way
>as I was leaving I said loudly to my friend "Holy shit, it's actually a real fucking cult" and looked back at the guy (pure rage staredown again--kept walking and smiled again)
This was before Going Clear and all the hoopla about Scientology. It was a very weird experience.

>>21266270
If the American intelligence community really lost its shit Scientiology would be an official terrorist organization and probably taken down from within within a few years.

what do you think would happen if a guy made a level in garrys mod where he recreates the scientology HQ and he assaults the building, armed to the teeth with body armour, automatic weapons, grenades and more ammo than the LAPD? how far do you think he would get and what do you think he would discover in that level of garrys mod?

>>21267161
Sound like you were the asshole here.
>>21267176
They tried.
LRH and Scientology were even on Nixon's "enemies" list.
Survival was not easy, but it happened.
>>21267184
About as much would happen as when someone posts "Something should be done about this! Like this post if you agree!"

>>21267842
>Sound like you were the asshole here.
Coming from a retard who joined a cult that's a compliment.