Thanks Veda.
I realize it was a fair bit of time ago but could you comment on the reasons for the bigger numbers in the first 60/70 period and the decline into each of the later times. Things like personalities, hopes aspirations, age of 'the group' and of course the ' layers of the onion 'which might have been known or glimpsed in each.
Of course the FBI raids and the ' finance police ' and ' underlying coup ' probably were ( as we look in the rear mirror with hugely greater available recent reports of those times ) influences.
Both, or all snapshots of each ' present time or ' duration of incidents ' would be wonderful.
A big request I realize so please respond to the degree you want or not want.
Well, let's see. Around 1965, with the release of the Clearing Course. It was stated that one only needed to do the Clearing Course, and then do
Route One in the book
Creation of Human Ability, and one would be an "Operating Thetan." Lots of people were excited by this.
Then came OT 2 and, inexplicably, it seemed that there was "more bank" after one had "gone Clear." (And this was the extremely hyped "first real Clear" of the "Clearing Course.") Still, it was only one additional level to OT! or so people thought.
But then came OT 3, which was hyped to the hilt, and sure it was yet another level of "bank," but people were still excited, and the new Bridge Grade Chart was there for all to see with its eight OT levels, and each level after OT 3 seemed not only exciting but fun. At the top was (old) OT 8, which was something like, "Knowing and willing cause over matter, energy, space, time, form, and life, subjective and objective."
A couple of years of auditing and one would be exterior with full perception, zooming through the universe, communicating with all sorts of life forms, having great fun and adventure, and even zapping "SPs" (as needed) with lightning bolts - well, you get the idea.
Then, some time in 1973 - although I don't recall it appearing on the Grade Chart until 1975 - it was stated that there are 15 levels above OT 7. Old OT 8, nevertheless, continued to be sold (even though it didn't exist) until, at least, 1978.
When word was out that Scientology was no longer a quick and easy route to super-duperman, that would, likely, have taken the wind out of some people's sails.
And all of this is a description of events before 1978, and before the announcement of "Dianetic Clear" and "NOTs."
1978 and 1979 brought another rise in hysterical "VVVGIs" over what was, circa 1978, an even longer and more expensive Bridge, and it went on from there.
People, who should have known better, were lining up, checkbooks in hand, to do "their NOTs."
Then, a few years later, Hubbard ordered the Missions (franchises) looted.
______________
Here are the stats on numbers of Clears from 1965 to 1978. The reference, which appears to be accurate in this case, is the first (1978) edition of
What is Scientology?. To ascertain the number of Clears for a given year, subtract the above number from the below number.
1966: 172
1967: 725
1968: 1661
1969: 2879
1970: 3248
1971: 3665
1972: 4028
1973: 4574
1974: 5167
1975: 5716
1976: 6312
1977: 6601
1978: 6879
So, in 1968, 726 Clears were certified. In 1969, 1,218 Clears were verified. And in 1973, 546 Clears were certified. And in 1978, 278 Clears were certified, although this number may be incomplete as the book was published during 1978.
The line on the graph had been slowly leveling out since the late 1960s/early 1970s. Apparently Hubbard noticed this and was not pleased. After all, it "invalidated" his greatness and his genius, and was bad for business. 1977 was a particularly bad year.
So Hubbard made a convenient "discovery" ("Dianetic Clear") and sent the Clear graph line zooming UP. Suddenly there were oodles and oodles of "Dianetic Clears"
and the number of Clears began to rapidly mean nothing.
Wait a minute! This isn't a bridge. It's a pier leading into a dense fog!