Topic: 'Going Clear' Scientology Documentary

[Libertas]

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/scientology-takes-aim-going-clear-documentary-n325256

Hard to tell how much of the allegations are true or not, the very secretive nature of these clowns and the near Mafia-like control they exert on members is obvious.

I think at the very least if people do not view this group as a cult then they are really missing the checklist that makes a cult a cult.

You be the judge.

"Cult" - a religion or sect considered to be false, unorthodox, or extremist, with members often living outside of conventional society under the direction of a charismatic leader.

Information control?  Check.

Devotion to venration of charismatic leader?  Check/

Dependencies?  Check.

Coecerion?  They start with that biofeedback crap and learning all your dirty secrets...all to a benign purpose, eh?  Check.

Mystification?  Secret society?  Check.

Promises of enlightment, improved self identity and such?  Check.

Isolated?  Oh yeah, anybody from the outside ever given a inner-workings tour?  Check.

Cognitive restructuring and elevation of the group and group ideals over self?  Check.

CULT!

[richb]

They are notorious for suing critics for libel.   They win enough that they have  shut down almost all criticism of them.   

[IronDioPriest]

I watched about the last 45 minutes of this a couple nights ago on HBO. It certainly paints a dismal portrait of this cult. Most damning of what I saw is the testimony of a Hollywood screenwriter named Paul Haggis (Million Dollar Baby, Crash, Casino Royale, and many other well-known film and TV credits). They intimidated and harassed he and his family, staying barely on the legal side of the line. He had them on video intimidating him on his own property. They do surveillance on the family home; harass other extended family members such as parents; rent or buy property across the street from your home and surveil at all hours; get up in your face at your doorstep until the police arrive, and then act all polite and compliant, doing everything the police tell them to.

It's a wonder no one has taken the obvious step of deadly self protection.

[Libertas]

I haven't caught it yet, just read about it as well as other info gathered over the years...

Typically, people in a bona fide religion are quite open about talking about their religion, up to and including criticism of their leadership and disputes over doctrine...it is the ones that clam up any and all dissent that people should be worried about...two come to mind right away...Islam (who likes to murder those who question it) and Scientology (who merely employ every tactic short of physical assault)...it may not be long before a real confrontation occurs...

[ToddF]

Frank Zappa-A token of my extreme

Still the greatest take down of a "religion" invented by a science fiction writer.

[Libertas]

Watched the whole documentary this weekend, it is absolutely insane what these clowns get away with, and the single worst thing that happened was bullying the IRS into forking over tax exempt status and removing the $1B tax liability...ironic that one of the most detestable and unaccountable Federal bureacracies folded in the face of all the BS lawsuits brought against them by these cult members, once that happened it gave them more rights (that we get to have abused every day) to hide behind...proving yet again if you have enough money and balls you can get what you want...everybody else gets porked.  These smiling drones know they are full of sh*t and that their whole enterprise is a shakedown racket, but they condition these fools into buying everything...it is so reminiscient of Hitler Youth it is spooky.  This Miscavige reminds me what Germany would have been like if the Reich and triumphed and a new leader emerged from Hitler Youth.  And they keep trotting that mindless grinning monkey Tom Cruise out at every opportunity.  The insiders who spoke on camera, many high ranking members, give a chilling description of what went on here, from its founding by nut-case Hubbard to now, and actor Jason Beghe really lights them up and talks about how insane the whole experience was.  This thing just reenforced my opinion that this outfit is a cult filled with crazy-assed lunatics and theives.  And how they get away in the SEA Org with basically slave labor practices is simply stunning, not to mention "the hole" they send people to for reprogramming.