Any suggestions on getting started?

[Infinite]

Although I understand there is some doubt as to the veracity of the leaked OT8 material, go through all the upper level OT stuff as well. It really helps to understand that the so-called engrams are actually, according to L Ron Hubbard, the aberrated spiritual debris of aliens blown up in volcanoes by an evil inter-galactic overlord trying to solve a population problem. Kinda puts the whole shebang into perspective when you realise its fiction from start to finish - but no one tells you that until you've forked over half a milliion bucks. Its also good to remind yourself from time to time that the goal of auditing is to get your mind into such a state that you would believe all the nonsense.

 

[Rmack]

Hi everyone....
I hope that someone can take me by the reins and introduce some basic scientology reading that may help me. In short, I am a history major and am extremely interested in cult studies, especially this dangerous one. I have not read the personal experiences yet, (but plan too) and also plan on purchasing some of the books such as Dianetics.. In case things do start to make sense I will make sure to have a pot of boiling water to insert my head in. (in case you are wondering the other cult that I am studying is the FLDS cult). I am interested in how it is organized and functions with the psycological (brainwashing) effect. I do know a bit about the whole Xenu background already. Looking forward I guess to being a Suppressive Person and have made myself fair game. It is amazing at how much information there is I just want to make sure the sources I get are official. Thanks, so far what I have been reading is just awesome, and really think that you guys telling your stories is not only brave but inspiring.

(no, I am not at the moment writing a paper, and just to let you know that if this ever does come up, I will never use any stories without contacting the writer. Right now just getting started in Cult studies and am doing this research on my own time...and no money.

If nobody has mentioned Bent Corydon's book, it should be at the top of your reading list. I can't stress this enough;

http://www.amazon.com/L-Ron-Hubbard-Messiah-Madman/dp/0942637577

 

[Lohan2008]

Messiah or Madman

If nobody has mentioned Bent Corydon's book, it should be at the top of your reading list. I can't stress this enough;

http://www.amazon.com/L-Ron-Hubbard-Messiah-Madman/dp/0942637577

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messiah_or_madman

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bare_Faced_Messiah
http://www.apologeticsindex.org/Bare Faced Messiah.pdf

 

[Dulloldfart]

I wonder what percentage of actual Scientologists *really* managed to wade through DMSMH? Make sure to find an *old* version

Zinj

Why? How is it different to the "new improved" 2007 version? Has anyone ever published a comparison regarding the main text (ignoring changes in the index, glossary, paper brightness etc.)?

Paul

 

[Zinjifar]

Why? How is it different to the "new improved" 2007 version? Has anyone ever published a comparison regarding the main text (ignoring changes in the index, glossary, paper brightness etc.)?

Paul

No, I don't know of any rigorous comparison, and, considering how few people actually *read* DMSMH, I'm not expecting one

But, the devil is in the details... (and, it's not as if there's any shortage of 'old' DMSMHs)

Zinj

 

[ghost]

Thanks all, checking out everything and also found some stuff on here very valuable. I wish I could have an open view on both sides, but as I have also studied other religions and cults based on religion my views on scientology are well..negative. Really though it was the Cost and of the materials that first clued me in. What religion who makes millions still charges so much money if everyone should know the truth...
and then the whole Tom Cruise (clearly brainwashed) clued me in
oh ya...I have a genetic disorder that I have no problems metioning because severe anxiety runs in my family and I have a panic disorder where drugs in the past from the "evil" psychiatry, which helped me massively.
I read a thesis that Scientology only demeans psychiatry because they consider it competition...Are then sociopaths capable of being cured only by vitamins as I am a true crime nut...like the famous clown killer...oh dear Tom Cruise.

and the fact that he was a scifi writer who discovered these "truths". And the whole Xenu story...

and watching the idiot Tommy Davis never give a yes and no answer and get so defensive...like in this video..he always sidesteps the questions about Xenu and just responds does this sound silly to you? Knowing a little about behavior psychology this is a method to change the subject. Tommy Davis really nailed my opinions on scientology as a massive cult.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sUiUyVqOuJI&feature=related

or

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YaFmWT4ibX8&feature=related

 

[Dulloldfart]

No, I don't know of any rigorous comparison, and, considering how few people actually *read* DMSMH, I'm not expecting one

But, the devil is in the details... (and, it's not as if there's any shortage of 'old' DMSMHs)

Zinj

Well, being that kind of guy, I just ran a comparison of the first real chapter of the book, Chapter 1, The Scope of Dianetics. I say ran as if it was automated in some way: I tried that and it didn't work, so I ended up eyeballing it, which I'm pretty good at.

There was only one change in word, although there were maybe 6-10 corrections in terms of deleted commas; substituting an em dash for a comma, or parentheses for commas; capitalizing or italicising words. The comma deletions changed the meaning slightly, I would say in the direction of better interpretation. The capitalizations etc. were mainly in the direction of greater grammatical correctness. For example, "zombyism" in the 2007 edition and "zombie-ism" in the 1978 one (although Google gives 10,600 hits on "zombieism" or "zombie-ism" and only 642 on "zombyism" so maybe David Miscavige should be RPF'd over that one).

So the one significant change:

1978 edition:
4. Dianetics gives a complete insight into the full potentialities of the mind, discovering them to be well in excess of past suppression.

2007 edition:
4. Dianetics gives a complete insight into the full potentialities of the mind, discovering them to be well in excess of past supposition.

-----

I really don't feel like going through the whole damn book. Based on my thorough look at the first few chapters of Scn 8-8008, though, as I wrote up before, I would assume the 2007 edition is nearer the mark in terms of matching what Hubbard intended when he dictated the book than the older versions of DMSMH.

Paul