Chris Shelton reviews the book Scientology by James R. Lewis

[CommunicatorIC]

Chris Shelton reviews the book Scientology by James R. Lewis.

[video=youtube;Q3-lWFr1ej8]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q3-lWFr1ej8[/video]

Deconstructing Scientology: Introduction

Chris Shelton

Published on Jul 28, 2016
In this new video series, I'm taking on Scientology academic apologists by deconstructing the book Scientology by James R. Lewis, chapter by chapter. In this first video, I look at the book's introduction.

My book, Scientology: A to Xenu, is available here:
Paperback: https://goo.gl/yYIl2t
Kindle edition: http://goo.gl/K51ySi
Audio edition: http://goo.gl/1yvlYS

Subscribe to my podcast at http://sensiblyspeaking.com or on iTunes at https://goo.gl/1QDUHS

For more information and articles from me, check out my blog at http://mncriticalthinking.com

Please consider supporting this channel and helping me to offer more and better content.
Patreon: http://patreon.com/chrisshelton
Click the blue Support button here: https://goo.gl/vHgSoE
Click the PayPal button here: https://goo.gl/A4coS4

 

[Gib]

Chris Shelton reviews the book Scientology by James R. Lewis.

[video=youtube;Q3-lWFr1ej8]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q3-lWFr1ej8[/video]

Deconstructing Scientology: Introduction

Chris Shelton

Published on Jul 28, 2016
In this new video series, I'm taking on Scientology academic apologists by deconstructing the book Scientology by James R. Lewis, chapter by chapter. In this first video, I look at the book's introduction.

My book, Scientology: A to Xenu, is available here:
Paperback: https://goo.gl/yYIl2t
Kindle edition: http://goo.gl/K51ySi
Audio edition: http://goo.gl/1yvlYS

Subscribe to my podcast at http://sensiblyspeaking.com or on iTunes at https://goo.gl/1QDUHS

For more information and articles from me, check out my blog at http://mncriticalthinking.com

Please consider supporting this channel and helping me to offer more and better content.
Patreon: http://patreon.com/chrisshelton
Click the blue Support button here: https://goo.gl/vHgSoE
Click the PayPal button here: https://goo.gl/A4coS4

good job Chris.

 

[programmer_guy]

The entire title of that book is just "Scientology". That is weird.
It should also have a subtitle on the cover.
Hmmm... what should the subtitle be?

I know there will be sarcastic jokes BUT what should the author have chosen in honesty from his perspective?

 

[HelluvaHoax!]

...

Hey Hey Chris, outstanding work! Keep it up bud!

 

[Jump]

The entire title of that book is just "Scientology". That is weird.
It should also have a subtitle on the cover.
Hmmm... what should the subtitle be?

I know there will be sarcastic jokes BUT what should the author have chosen in honesty from his perspective?

SCIENTOLOGY
The Making of More Rons.​

sorry,

 

[oneonewasaracecar]

Chris Shelton reviews the book Scientology by James R. Lewis.

[video=youtube;Q3-lWFr1ej8]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q3-lWFr1ej8[/video]

Deconstructing Scientology: Introduction

Chris Shelton

Published on Jul 28, 2016
In this new video series, I'm taking on Scientology academic apologists by deconstructing the book Scientology by James R. Lewis, chapter by chapter. In this first video, I look at the book's introduction.

My book, Scientology: A to Xenu, is available here:
Paperback: https://goo.gl/yYIl2t
Kindle edition: http://goo.gl/K51ySi
Audio edition: http://goo.gl/1yvlYS

Subscribe to my podcast at http://sensiblyspeaking.com or on iTunes at https://goo.gl/1QDUHS

For more information and articles from me, check out my blog at http://mncriticalthinking.com

Please consider supporting this channel and helping me to offer more and better content.
Patreon: http://patreon.com/chrisshelton
Click the blue Support button here: https://goo.gl/vHgSoE
Click the PayPal button here: https://goo.gl/A4coS4

I'm still watching, but so far, this is an excellent analysis, and I had a similar reaction when I read his comments on Scientology years ago.

He is either a wicked conscious fraud or an utterly mentally incompetent moron. Personally, I don't think he is a moron.

This is an excellent idea. I think academics that have copied and pasted cult propaganda like these need to be exposed.

 

[oneonewasaracecar]

Also Chris, do you have a reference to him standing by his book.

 

[Chris Shelton]

Also Chris, do you have a reference to him standing by his book.

It's an open letter he had published in 2011 on Steve Hall's blog.

 

[scooter]

SCIENTOLOGY
The Making of More Rons.​

sorry,

Pure gold, my friend. Pure gold.

 

[scooter]

Great work, Chris.

Looking forward to your journey through this tome.

Keep up the good work.

 

[CommunicatorIC]

Review of Chapter 1, by J. Gordon Melton, of the book Scientology edited by James R. Lewis.

[video=youtube;JNWZRa_k9J8]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JNWZRa_k9J8[/video]


* * * * * BEGIN INTRODUCTION * * * * *

Deconstructing Scientology: Chapter 1

Chris Shelton

Published on Aug 4, 2016
In this video series, I'm taking on Scientology academic apologists by deconstructing the book Scientology by James R. Lewis, chapter by chapter. In this video, I look at Chapter 1, written by J. Gordon Melton and titled "The Birth of a Religion."

* * * * * END INTRODUCTION * * * * *

 

[scooter]

Love your work, Chris.

I think your task here that you've set yourself is truly a public service.

Too often and for far too long the cult has trotted out its tame apologists to wring their hands on cue about the "mal-treatment" of said cult by media/governments/police/mysterious cabals of wealthy psychopaths bent on world domination. As a cultie, I found solace in these statements by "independent sources" and I'm sure many "still-in" still do.

This truly is a disinfectant of the virus of "academic" carelessness with the truth.

 

[Churchill]

Review of Chapter 1, by J. Gordon Melton, of the book Scientology edited by James R. Lewis.

[video=youtube;JNWZRa_k9J8]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JNWZRa_k9J8[/video]


* * * * * BEGIN INTRODUCTION * * * * *

Deconstructing Scientology: Chapter 1

Chris Shelton

Published on Aug 4, 2016
In this video series, I'm taking on Scientology academic apologists by deconstructing the book Scientology by James R. Lewis, chapter by chapter. In this video, I look at Chapter 1, written by J. Gordon Melton and titled "The Birth of a Religion."

* * * * * END INTRODUCTION * * * * *

Exceptionally well done, Chris!

 

[oneonewasaracecar]

Excellent video Chris. Very thorough and very accurate.

I got through a few pages of this before I realized that he was incredibly dishonest.

It is great to see his academic dishonesty given light. He will be remembered as a fraud.

 

[Gib]

Can't wait for the rest of the chapters.

Keep going Chris.

 

[Mimsey Borogrove]

Ok Chris - I listened to your first two videos. I must admit, I wondered why in hell you would review such an old book. However, I now understand and am glad you are doing so. You are casting the light of day on their morally bankrupt and shoddy research and biases in the hope that future researchers don't fall into the same morass as these scholars are mired in.

That is good. However, I hope these future scholars don't dismiss you as a disgruntled apostate as this first author has.

To gain creditability in their eyes, perhaps you can get a certificate from a diploma mill, or go to the local community college and get some credits and taking such courses as Cults 101 or Alternative Religions in the Antediluvian World or the TED Talk seminar on Is doing your research on WIKI valid? by Daniel Webster's great great great grandson. I am sure the course on Mind Control for Fun and Profit would be an eye opener. I'd pass on auditing the fully booked lecture series on How to Grow Hybrid Pot.

Just think how it would sound: Chris Shelton, Critical Thinker at Large, Dr. of Divinity

You see, this was a big bitch by Hubbard in his Mission Earth series and no doubt stuck in his craw in his own life - He railed against the need for a diploma to have the respect of his peers. His hero Jettro Heller, if recall serves, hired people to take classes for him so he could have a degree. Hubbard was such an egotist, he felt above needing real education, or research to back up his discoveries. Thus he resorted to the use of a diploma mill and awarding himself statuses and degrees. Such was his contempt of the system, in which as a student - he failed miserably.

It would be interesting to see the college transcripts of these apologists to see if they were any better students than Hubbard, our resident Nuclear Physicist.

Which brings me to my original question, that I had in mind when I first started typing, but forgot and subsequently created this wandering mess, while trying to remember why I was writing it in the first place: Have any of the authors of the book responded to your criticisms of their missives? It would be interesting if and how they would defend their positions.

Mimsey

 

[CommunicatorIC]

Review of Chapter 2, by William Sims Bainbridge, of the book Scientology edited by James R. Lewis.

[video=youtube;5MITCy5d_6c]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5MITCy5d_6c[/video]

Published on Aug 11, 2016


In this video series, I'm taking on Scientology academic apologists by deconstructing the book Scientology by James R. Lewis, chapter by chapter. In this video, I look at Chapter 2, written by William Sims Bainbridge and titled "The Cultural Context of Scientology."

The introduction to this series is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q3-lW...

My book, Scientology: A to Xenu, is available here:
Paperback: https://goo.gl/yYIl2t
Kindle edition: http://goo.gl/K51ySi
Audio edition: http://goo.gl/1yvlYS

Subscribe to my podcast at http://sensiblyspeaking.com or on iTunes at https://goo.gl/1QDUHS

For more information and articles from me, check out my blog at http://mncriticalthinking.com

Please consider supporting this channel and helping me to offer more and better content.
Patreon: http://patreon.com/chrisshelton
Click the blue Support button here: https://goo.gl/vHgSoE
Click the PayPal button here: https://goo.gl/A4coS4

 

[Gib]

Review of Chapter 2, by William Sims Bainbridge, of the book Scientology edited by James R. Lewis.

[video=youtube;5MITCy5d_6c]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5MITCy5d_6c[/video]

Published on Aug 11, 2016


In this video series, I'm taking on Scientology academic apologists by deconstructing the book Scientology by James R. Lewis, chapter by chapter. In this video, I look at Chapter 2, written by William Sims Bainbridge and titled "The Cultural Context of Scientology."

The introduction to this series is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q3-lW...

My book, Scientology: A to Xenu, is available here:
Paperback: https://goo.gl/yYIl2t
Kindle edition: http://goo.gl/K51ySi
Audio edition: http://goo.gl/1yvlYS

Subscribe to my podcast at http://sensiblyspeaking.com or on iTunes at https://goo.gl/1QDUHS

For more information and articles from me, check out my blog at http://mncriticalthinking.com

Please consider supporting this channel and helping me to offer more and better content.
Patreon: http://patreon.com/chrisshelton
Click the blue Support button here: https://goo.gl/vHgSoE
Click the PayPal button here: https://goo.gl/A4coS4

Interestingly, I clicked on the actual youtube channel to see the vid and comments.

Chuck Beatty makes some great posts. In one of his posts he provided a link to a 1980 article written by Bainbridge. Here it is:

http://anonymous.gigfa.com/Bainbridge & Stark - Scientology - To Be Perfectly Clear.pdf

In reading that article, Bainbridge does get it. At least from the view that there are no clears or OT's. Bainbridge calls what exmembers have realized is the carrot on a stick, Bainbridge calls it "compensators", LOL


Bainbridge has also figured out that dianetics and later scientology are all about status's in the scientology world of training, auditing and even a post in a scientology organization.

Also, he touches on isolation of the preclear but doesn't know this is actually called "entheta" in scientology terms which is PTS/SP bullshit.

Bainbridge also analyzes why hubbard/scientology cannot offer proof of clear and OT and explains it well I believe. And, is part of the trap of this crazy organization.

The article is a good read.

 

[CommunicatorIC]

Review of Chapter 1, by J. Gordon Melton, of the book Scientology edited by James R. Lewis.

[video=youtube;JNWZRa_k9J8]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JNWZRa_k9J8[/video]


* * * * * BEGIN INTRODUCTION * * * * *

Deconstructing Scientology: Chapter 1

Chris Shelton

Published on Aug 4, 2016
In this video series, I'm taking on Scientology academic apologists by deconstructing the book Scientology by James R. Lewis, chapter by chapter. In this video, I look at Chapter 1, written by J. Gordon Melton and titled "The Birth of a Religion."

* * * * * END INTRODUCTION * * * * *

Alanzo has responded to Chris Shelton's review and defended J. Gordon Melton:

In Defense of J Gordon Melton

http://www.alanzosblog.com/defense-j-gordon-melton/

.

 

[programmer_guy]

Alanzo has responded to Chris Shelton's review and defended J. Gordon Melton:

In Defense of J Gordon Melton

http://www.alanzosblog.com/defense-j-gordon-melton/

.

IMO, Alanzo needs to provide some specific examples of ex-SCNs who have changed their story.
And the details of those alleged changes are important.