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I am sooooo curious

Hey all!

Obviously still new to this site - I joined a couple of months ago after lurking for a long while and think this message board is amazing. I've never been involved in Scientology but had a friend who was lured into an off-shoot of it two years ago and I've been reading about it ever since - some pretty scary stuff.

I've got a million questions I'd love to ask you guys but I really don't want to offend or have any of my curiosities dredge up old wounds for anybody. And I'm not really sure where to post my questions on this site so I thought I'd start here. I'll simply ask one for now, and if you guys think this is inappropriate or too personal, I'll gladly stop and be content just to lurk. Here goes:

With all of the negative information that's out there about Scientology (this board, both the book and movie to Going Clear, and tons of other resources), why do you think people stay? Is it out of fear of losing their families and friends? Is it fear of retaliation from the church? Or do you think people are so blissfully ignorant as to how the rest of the world operates and don't know there are so many opportunities out there to discover? Are the people who stay truly happy with their lot in life?
 

ThetanExterior

Gold Meritorious Patron
There are many reasons why people stay.

One major thing to bear in mind is that they are told that all criticism of scientology is done by suppressive people and therefore they shouldn't listen to it.

Therefore you will find that most scientologists don't know about the criticism or at best they may have heard about it briefly but ignored it.

They believe that only scientology has "the truth" therefore if the CofS says that all the critics are liars then that is all it takes for their members to be satisfied.

There are many other reasons people stay such as fear of disconnection and the belief that only scientology can save mankind etc etc.
 

Panda Termint

Cabal Of One
... and, of course, there's that very hard to grasp concept, they actually get something they value from it. It's weird, I know. :)
 

Jump

Operating teatime
Your questions are awesome, Rob :)

Please ask away, people here will be happy to answer (especially if you're not antagonistic lol)

I'd say that the many reasons include that some members shield themselves from the 'entheta' because they have swallowed the line that their eternity depends on following Hubbard. The Scientology program really does operate on gradual brainwashing and thought reform.

Good thread :thumbsup:
 
Hey all! Thanks for the quick replies already. I definitely won't be antagonistic - I'm a cool, casual laidback guy who doesn't have judgement when it comes to anything Scientology-related. Just a healthy curiosity is all. I picked "why do they stay" as my first question as I remember seeing pictures from inside the Sea Org that another user had posted and everyone seemed so...tired. I get that a lot of folks are born into Scientology and don't know any other way, and that truly breaks my heart.
 

Smurf

Gold Meritorious SP
With all of the negative information that's out there about Scientology (this board, both the book and movie to Going Clear, and tons of other resources), why do you think people stay? Is it out of fear of losing their families and friends? Is it fear of retaliation from the church? Or do you think people are so blissfully ignorant as to how the rest of the world operates and don't know there are so many opportunities out there to discover? Are the people who stay truly happy with their lot in life?

There's a saying that often floats around... Google is your friend.. but. there's alot of truth to that. Why do people join cults in general & stay in them, despite overwhelming evidence to show the cults to be manipulative & abusive?

https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/sideways-view/201402/why-do-people-join-cults

https://freedom4captives.wordpress....in-remain-in-cults-or-cult-like-churches-pt-1

http://www.apologeticsindex.org/265-who-joins-cults-and-why

http://www.businessinsider.com/this-is-why-people-join-the-church-of-scientology-2012-7

http://tonyortega.org/2013/11/02/jo...tion-how-do-smart-people-fall-for-scientology

We also live in a country where alot of people are stubbornly independent & have the need to test the waters on their own, without outside influence regardless how good intentioned it is. Despite all the information & facts that are out there on this malicious & destructive cult. there are those who will throw caution to the wind & jump in feet first.
 

Lohan2008

Gold Meritorious Patron
Remember, people are looking for something "to be part" of. Cof$ carefully closes the trap of belief, where years later ppl can see no way out.
 

Knows

Gold Meritorious Patron
The number one reason they stay is because they are in fear and totally confused but believe they are not.

They stay cuz they want Super Powers and believe $ciendollatry will give that to them.

They stay cuz they have been DUPED and BAMBOOZLED and CONNED beyond belief - they can't handle the truth...too much.

They stay because they are trapped (family in, signed contracts, money on account, have no where to go, the dream of any other career has been covertly nullified and invalidated so thoroughly by $cientology and L Con's Tech - the world and the future look too bleak), they have been reduced to feeling insignificant and nothings - they hope the "tech" will make them feel like BIG BEINGS and because $cienTrickery has priced "the $lave delivered $ervice$" beyond what normal people can afford - they join staff and think they will get $ervices (the Bridge to Total Freedom) back from $lave Labor $cienCONogy after giving decades of labor....only to find out they flunked at expanding the cult...so they never get it...just a carrot on a stick...

Many are feeling trapped by one or more of the above and can't get out or the consequences are too painful.

They stay because they "believe".

Signed Contracts that would do harm to them if they left....fucking with their eternity type of shit...

Welcome to RELIGION.

Welcome to Scientology - the Science of entrapment, slavery and extortion.
 

WildKat

Gold Meritorious Patron
The cult makes a lot of fantastic promises, and the followers WANT to believe. Also, it's a group that accepts people (anyone with money, especially) with open arms and it feels good to belong to something that SEEMS so positive. The traps come in slowly, insidiously, over time.
 

Rmack

Van Allen Belt Sunbather
You got that right! :)


I don't know if that's true all the time, Panda.

I bet some of them have ceased to believe, but feel trapped for the various reasons mentioned. Maybe many of them. Especially public. They just do the minimum to get by.

It might not be that many, though. I think some people tend to have sort of an intellectual cowardice that prevents them from really acknowledging in their own heads what lots of evidence is pointing out. It would make them have to confront the fact that rather than being a super being, they were actually a foolish dupe.
 
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Rmack

Van Allen Belt Sunbather
For what these guys are lacking, consider Tory Magoo.

Being in for that long at that high of a level and working with the insiders, she still had the courage to take the huge step of leaving when she was confronted with evidence that proved things where not as they should be.

That takes serious inner courage.

When I think of what I went through, after only having been in for a couple, three years, depending how you count it, and never really going up the bridge much but joining the Sea Org, it makes me have a lot of respect for someone to do it after all those years and reinforcements.

Unfortunately, people of Tory's moral fiber are rare. They'd rather believe a lie than confront the truth, I fear.
 

Panda Termint

Cabal Of One
I don't know if that's true all the time, Panda.

I bet some of them have ceased to believe, but feel trapped for the various reasons mentioned. Maybe many of them. Especially public. They just do the minimum to get by.

It might not be that many, though. I think some people tend to have sort of an intellectual cowardice that prevents them from really acknowledging in their own heads what lots of evidence is pointing out. It would make them have to confront the fact that rather than being a super being, they were actually a foolish dupe.
The essence of it is true. There may be as many individual "reasons why" as there are scientologists but, ultimately, they come down to what the scientologist believes.

One of the most difficult-to-overcome aspects of that mindset is the firm belief that their eternity, and that of everyone they love, is at stake.
 

Rmack

Van Allen Belt Sunbather
The essence of it is true. There may be as many individual "reasons why" as there are scientologists but, ultimately, they come down to what the scientologist believes.

One of the most difficult-to-overcome aspects of that mindset is the firm belief that their eternity, and that of everyone they love, is at stake.

Yeah, that's the biggie. Sort of a Sword of Damocles for the everyday person.

The question is; is there any immortality, and if so, where does it lie?
 

ThetanExterior

Gold Meritorious Patron
You get nice certificates to show how far you've progressed spiritually.

Then if you leave they cancel the certificates.

That's the Scientology "religion" for you.:moon:
 

HelluvaHoax!

Platinum Meritorious Sponsor with bells on
...

WHY DO SCIENTOLOGISTS STAY?

Lots of reasons:

Why do people "stay" in a Casino when it is painfully obvious that they are losing all their money and going into debt?

Why do alcoholics "stay" on booze when their health, careers and family are disintegrating before their very eyes?

Why did people in Jonestown stay in the remote compound when they desperately wanted to leave?

Why did Japanese pilots fervently hope they were one of the elite chosen to fly a Kamikaze mission?

Why do crack, heroin and meth addicts dutifully search for, find and buy those drugs every single day which they can't afford and which they know are killing them?

Why do unemployed welfare recipients, who are desperately poor, trade their food stamps for lottery tickets when they have four crying, hungry children at home?

Why do Islamic mothers celebrate when their sons are chosen to blow up and murder a bus loaded with innocent women/children in a suicide bombing mission?

Why do people who have worked hard their entire life to save a modest retirement fund end up blowing their entire nest in get-rich-quick and Ponzi schemes?

Why do Sea Org senior executives let themselves be imprisoned, humiliated, terrorized & physically beaten?

Why did Scientologists on the Apollo hear the wailing, hysterical cries of a 4 year old child that the "Commodore" had thrown into a nightmarish chain locker--and when they greeted "mankind's greatest friend" that same afternoon at his daily lecture, give him a standing, jubilantly cheering ovation?

Are Scientologists stupid? Yes, often.

Are Scientologists naive? Yes, often.

Are Scientologists gullible? Yes, often.

Are Scientologists delusional? Yes, often.

Are Scientologists unable to study and learn what is really going on? Yes, often.

Are Scientologists fanatically blind? Yes, often.

Are Scientologists scared to disobey "Source" and his holy "scripture"? Yes, often.

Are Scientologists able to get "wins" from a civilization with war, insanity and criminality? Yes, often.

Are Scientologists elated to write "success stories" about their "eternal gratitude" and "blinkless dedication" to a recklessly self-destructive, sociopathic cult? Yes, often.

Are Scientologists able to celebrate a mental illness known as OT? Yes, often.


Scientology: If you want to know anything about it, don't talk to a Scientologist.






 
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