Who's Shelling Out?

> Rick Sherwood (noodle@netcom.com) wrote:
>
> And so it goes, the summary judgement now very much in doubt, ARS
> persecutors will have to keep shelling out.
>
> Come on shell out. Send all your money. Woody
I've been trying not to respond to Woody's inanity lately, but the subject line of this one caught my eye. Shall we discuss "shelling out" for a few moments?

Woody implies that Co$ critics are throwing their money away in supporting Dennis Erlich's defense. But what does a cult member throw away, what does one have to sacrifice to be a good $cientologist? Let's take a look.

Your Money. The huge costs of the advancement programs are well documented by critics. There are documented cases where people have been coerced into mortgaging homes and going deeply into debt to pay for "religious" advancement.

Your Time. As a large percentage of your wages can be spent on the cult, the time you spend earning those wages now can be considered "working" for the cult. Several cases have been documented where people are virtual slaves to the cult, in order to fulfill their "religious" path and the financial obligations that that implies.

Your Dignity. I have never met a $cientologist that is proud of their choice in religions. They all seem to be embarassed to discuss the true basis of their spiritual beliefs with non-$cientologists, touchy and defensive. The late leader and current management of this cult espouse highly unethical policies, which lead to decidely base and vulgar activities (overboarding, RFP, Linda Woolard, kicking out the non-productive eldery, fair game, lying, dead agenting, et.al.) that conflict with normal ethical sensibilities which are built and solidified in true religions.

Your Family. Read some of the affidavits of disconnect. These speak volumes about how individuals are isolated from powerful, but caring forces in their lives. No opportunity must be allowed for a member to see a reasonable alternative to the cult's "bond" with the member. When was the last time you $cientologists talked about religion with your non-$cientologist family members? When was the last time you told them something deep and intimate about yourself? When was the last time you visited them?

Your Friends. As with family, $cientologists are separated and isolated from their non-$cientologist friends. This is because those friend might provide a powerful jolt to the brainwashed cult member, allowing them to consider alternatives. Internal friendships among cult members are subservient to cult policy. Quitting the cult will immediately terminate any friendship with anyone still inside the cult.

Your Self Respect. The cult, all cults, want to control your mind. They want to tell you what to think, and how to behave. To do this, they must isolate you from the people that you care about, and that care about you. The deeper into the cult you get, the more indoctrinated you become, and the more difficult it becomes to see your way out, and to admit that you may have made a mistake. You are forced into more and more irrational defenses of your faith.

Your Life. Cults wants your productivity, they want your money, they want your labor, they want your body, they want you obedience. But they don't want *you*. That is, they don't want the things that make you unique and valuable as an individual, like your mind, and your spirit. The leaders of this cult are leeching and bloodsucking off the aggregate efforts of its members. The group must be maintained, only to continue providing money and power to those leaders. If you spend your life in $cientology, you will preempt yourself from ever again thinking for yourself. You will be giving up any chance for living your life as an independant human being and any chance to be happy with yourself as an independant human being.

Who is shelling out, indeed?

-- Michael Reuss Honorary Kid