CLEARED THETAN, just so you know, you are going to be creamed here. The atheists are going to have a field day with you. They've tried to w/ me. The only reason I've held my own is because I've got at LEAST the same Philosophy degrees they have got, or better. I've gone up against as many as five or six of them, but I also thrive on the jousting. They will tear you apart. And with your strange ideas of Xenu the Galactic Emperor, and your other strange beliefs, I can't say as I blame them. My advice? Run, while you still can. They will eat you for afternoon dinner.
They will do no such thing. I am capable of debate. I have a masters in Philosophy as well. It was actually my main area of study. See, I was born into Scientology, but that does not mean that I did not get schooling. And, Scientology is very much so about philosophy. I'm sure we'll be able to have a decent discussion as long as the other forum goers behave. Even then, which seems to be the case, I will still be here to answer any questions regarding Scientology.
Just an observation, but it seems many of you are being controlled by your reactive minds. Your anger and sarcasm is a clear indicator, especially since none of you were provoked. Scientology can remedy this with a few audits and courses. There are no variables in the technology of auditing, no random results of haphazard applications. Auditing is not a period of vague free association. Each process is exact in its design and in its application and attains a definite result when correctly ministered. It is truly a wondrous process, and I think many of you would benefit from it.
First, to be controlled by the Reactive Mind, you'd have to believe in it. Yes, I've read Dianetics. To be honest, it is pop psycho-babble for the untrained masses. After I read that, I actually tried to read one of Hubbard's more standard works, ie, his science-fiction work. I thought it might be interesting, since I have enjoyed sci-fi since I was a boy. It turned out to be the only book in my life I could never read all of. It was the most miserably written book I have ever had the misfortune of reading. ABSOLUTELY TERRIBLE!!!!!!!!!!!! I ended up throwing it against the wall, and then in the rubbish bin.
One doesn't have to be angry to be sarcastic. Although I often find myself in pitched battles with the atheists here, for once I am with them when I say that sarcasm is sometimes the best way to deal with straight up illogic. And I, no more or less than they, find Scientology to be exactly the opposite of what it claims. It completely enslaves the mind. By filling it with the tripe of L. Wrong Hubbard, it empties the mind of all independent thought, like any other cult.
Now, my friends the atheists would say that any religion does that to a greater or lesser degree, and I would disagree with them on that, but I would agree with them that cults do it, and Scientology is a perfect example. Given the fact that in order to go "Clear", you yourself have probably spent a shit-ton of money, as has anyone you know, and your entire life from rising to to going to bed at night is governed by the "Church", what freedom have you really got, in the end-all and be-all of existence?
Let's play a little game, you and I, just for fun, shall we? I'm an Orthodox Jew, as you may have guessed by reading through the site, if in fact you have done so, and if not, then you may also have guessed it by my name here, which in fact is my Hebrew name in real life, although it is not my name on my birth certificate (this is common among Jews that are not Israeli citizens, to have a secular name that matches the naming conventions of the people among whom they live that appears on government documents, and which they may use for secular purposes, and then to have a Hebrew name as well).
So, let's play a game, you and I. Let's compare Orthodox Judaism, the strictest form of that Faith, to Scientology, the strictest form of that belief system (I say that because for the moment I am excluding Freezone, which takes Hubbard's beliefs and rejects the organised "Church" as tyrannical and obnoxious).
Orthodox Judaism is very strict in terms of things you do. There are 613 Commandments of the Torah. Orthodoxy encourages you to follow as many of those as you can, although I've never met someone who follows any like all of them perfectly, least of all me. But let's look at belief. Orthodoxy requires one basic belief, namely, "Hear O Israel! The L-rd Our G-d, the L-rd is One!" That's it. What you believe about the Afterlife, what you believe about birth, death, etc, is pretty much up to you. As long as you believe in the Oneness of G-d, the rest is up to you. "Hear O Israel! The L-rd our G-d, the L-rd is One! The rest is commentary. Now go study." is what our Rabbis like to tell us. I know people who believe in the Messiah (most of us), I know people that don't, I know people who believe in an Afterlife of Paradise but not Hell (most of us), I know people who believe in reincarnation (a few of us), I know a few who do believe in Hell (a small number), I know a few who believe that we turn into worm food and that's it.
I know Jews who support Israel (most of us), I know some who don't, I know Jews who actively engage the Gentile world, and I know some who actively avoid it, and I know some who uncomfortably straddle the line between the two (me). If I could, I would disappear into the Jewish world and never come out again. But I happen to be married to a Lutheran, so that isn't going to happen.
I know Jews that actively embrace Judaism and love it, and I know Jews that could be defined as self-hating Jews. I know deeply religious Jews (me, for example, and most of my Jewish friends), and I know atheist Jews.
But just within Orthodoxy, one is allowed an immense amount of room for freedom of thought. There are some limitations, clearly, but not too many compared to most religions. Certainly not as many as most Christian Churches (Roman Catholics coming to mind immediately, of course).
Now lets look at Scientology, shall we? In Scientology, from what I have read, you do what you are told. In fact, during the days of Sea Org, when it was literally a sea-going organisation, if you didn't do what you were told, one of the punishments was being literally tossed off the ship into the water, even that meant the North Atlantic in winter. It also meant being put on punishment detail (EFS, I think it was called), where you did the shit work, and got half rations, what was left after everyone else finished). And there was even a punishment detail within EFS that was worse than that!
When you join Sea Org, then and now, you sign a billion year contract, that essentially keeps you a slave to the organisation for life. If you try to leave, they cancel the contract and demand you pay for all the "services rendered" (namely, the auditing and "counseling" that you have received).
Even if you do leave, Scientology will have you declared a "squirrel", and will go after you legally, and try to destroy you financially and through character assassination. It has happened to more than one person.
Scientology has a VERY slick propaganda machine. In fact, that machine has just gone into VERY high gear with the recent release of the blockbuster film "Going Clear". In fact, I suspect that is why you are here. You have probably been commanded to run interference and make the "Church" look good in case anyone comes in here with commentary after having seen the film. I doubt very seriously that you were "given permission" to do anything. Why would you need permission to teach your beliefs? Any religion would allow that without the asking.
I haven't seen the film and really don't need to. I might go with my wife just for entertainment, but that would be the only reason. I won't learn much that I don't already know, as you can see.