Re: The Anti-Scientology Cult vs. Truth
You make an interesting point. Labeling someone anti-anything does place the person in a negative light.
Apart from helping them paint themselves as victims, I think you are suggesting it also implies that being a Scientologist is the norm and if you aren't that you are an Anti-Scientologist.
If the USA was lasted invaded by Africans and they brought a minority of white slaves with them, Obama would have been the first white president. Why? Because in the USA it is 'normal' to be white. If someone appears not to be white, they are called black.
Creating an artificial word which establishes Scientology as the norm and Anti-Scientologists as the 'other' is an obvious propaganda trick and one that you have highlighted.
I'm not sure how effective it is, because the brand name of Scientology is so worthless, but they are trying.
“Rules for Radicals” is a good summary of this subject but it is all very
old hat. These kinds of subversions are discussed in Sun Tsu’s “The Art of War” circa 500 BC which I believe is common knowledge to be on Davie’s reading list. I expect it would be required reading and second nature for any respectable OSA lieutenant.
The definition of "anti" is conveniently vague and encompasses a very low threshold for establishing that something is against something. Just being cautious can be construed to be anti. People who have issues with Scientology are extremely diverse and have complicated and unique experiences. They are not clearly organized and don't have a definable leadership. It must be so frustrating for Scientology to not be able to solidify the description of people and groups who challenge it. LRH made it abundantly clear that he wanted anything remotely unaligned with Scientology to be classifiable in a negative context. Just by virtue of not being Scientology it was already "wog". Not Clear = aberrated. He considered humanity to be plagued with billions of highly confused invisible disembodied dead aliens so until you were purged of those, at great effort and expense, then you were still in some kind of dysfunctional category. If not his hypothesized new human, Homo-Novis, then what? Just unadvanced and mediocre? "Scientology is the only workable spiritual technology in the universe for all eternity" - then what does that make all the others?
They're wholly proprietary terms: "Suppressive Person" and "PTS" come across as self serving and cultish and remind people of the Nazis calling Jews vermin. A Scientology Sec-Check reads like a list of things they are against or perceived to be against them - they are obsessed with "anti" and conflict.
Everyone in the world is for or against something or trying to get to somewhere or from somewhere and whatever that is there is going to be somebody who is for or against it. As soon as you use "anti" you invite people to dial down into the details of just what exactly that means. I welcome that opportunity because once the issue is clarified it becomes self evident that Scientology is either only for Scientology or Anti-Everyone Else.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Art_of_War
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rules_for_Radicals
The rules[1]
1. “Power is not only what you have, but what the enemy thinks you have.” Power is derived from 2 main sources – money and people. “Have-Nots” must build power from flesh and blood.
2. “Never go outside the expertise of your people.” It results in confusion, fear and retreat. Feeling secure adds to the backbone of anyone.
3. “Whenever possible, go outside the expertise of the enemy.” Look for ways to increase insecurity, anxiety and uncertainty.
4. “Make the enemy live up to its own book of rules.” If the rule is that every letter gets a reply, send 30,000 letters. You can kill them with this because no one can possibly obey all of their own rules.
5. “Ridicule is man’s most potent weapon.” There is no defense. It’s irrational. It’s infuriating. It also works as a key pressure point to force the enemy into concessions.
6. “A good tactic is one your people enjoy.” They’ll keep doing it without urging and come back to do more. They’re doing their thing, and will even suggest better ones.
7. “A tactic that drags on too long becomes a drag.” Don’t become old news.
8. “Keep the pressure on. Never let up.” Keep trying new things to keep the opposition off balance. As the opposition masters one approach, hit them from the flank with something new.
9. “The threat is usually more terrifying than the thing itself.” Imagination and ego can dream up many more consequences than any activist.
10. "The major premise for tactics is the development of operations that will maintain a constant pressure upon the opposition." It is this unceasing pressure that results in the reactions from the opposition that are essential for the success of the campaign.
11. “If you push a negative hard enough, it will push through and become a positive.” Violence from the other side can win the public to your side because the public sympathizes with the underdog.
12. “The price of a successful attack is a constructive alternative.” Never let the enemy score points because you’re caught without a solution to the problem.
13.
“Pick the target, freeze it, personalize it, and polarize it.” Cut off the support network and isolate the target from sympathy. Go after people and not institutions; people hurt faster than institutions.