Writing a research paper

[lashonda]

Hi, everyone! I'm new here and I am writing a paper on Scientology. I read a lot of stuff about the cult, but I am most interested in the step-by-step process of a new inductee. For instance, during one of your first sessions with an e-meter what type of questions do the auditors ask? What are some typical responses? Also, do they still use the security checks sheet? I found a lot of conflicting information about that on the web. Thanks in advance for the answers to my questions.

 

[lashonda]

If one is receiving a free stress test, does anyone know what types of questions they ask? What is the allure that brings people to Scientology in the very beginning? How does one get sucked in? I thought the key might be in the questions.

 

[Tiger Lily]

Lashonda check your PM's.

I don't know if you've seen this or not. . . . this is the OCA test with "correct answers" and a link to an analysis of it. . . .

http://www.xenu.net/archive/oca/

The link to the analysis of the personality test can be found on the page above, but I'll link it separately too. This will tell you exactly the kind of questions that the staff member is taught to ask and exactly how they use it to "hook" people -- it's pretty thorough and the guy who wrote it is a respected critic.

http://www.xenu.net/archive/oca/oca.html

Good luck!
-TL

 

[degraded being]

If one is receiving a free stress test, does anyone know what types of questions they ask? What is the allure that brings people to Scientology in the very beginning? How does one get sucked in? I thought the key might be in the questions.

The questions will provide the cult with some info which will show up an area of life where a person is not as strong relative to other areas. Then the victim will be coaxed into focusing on that area while the cultie
emphasises the negative impact of it. The culties call it the person's "ruin". They will be offered a "workable" way to improve this area. Along the way they will be offered other carrots, depending on their interests, desires for improvement, etc.

 

[Freeminds]

Couple of points:

OP asked about the stress test, not the Oxford Capacity Analysis. (lashonda, the "free personality test" is the other recruitment scam; it's not the same as the stress test, although its purpose is the same.) Have a look at 'Oxford Capacity Analysis' on Wikipedia and see if you want to change to writing about that for your research paper, or not.

The questions will provide the cult with some info which will show up an area of life where a person is not as strong relative to other areas.<snip>

Actually, it's generally reported that the OCA test has no scientific merit whatsoever... so just how much can it give the cult in the way of useful info?

I've seen the written instructions for delivering the test... somewhere. That might be insightful. CofS wouldn't want you to have it, which is reason enough to look it up I reckon.

In terms of the gradual but inexorable "pull" into the cult, your might also want to look up "love bombing". Have a look here... http://www.cultwatch.com/hcwindex.html

 

[scino]

hi lashonda,

Google or Bing on "Scientology, Oxford, Test". There is a similar test on one of the freezone sites. You can fill in the questions online and get immediate feedback of results. I suggest you read Science of Survival by Hubbard if you want to understand the results of the test.

"Suck-in"? Shouldn't you be unbiased as a researcher? There are many, happy Scientologists too. Anyway, with the result of the test, the test-evaluator is able to spot the area of your personality that would benefit most from applying Scientology. In Scientologese this is called ' finding your ruin ' : that what stands between you and achieving your true goals. - The step after the test is usually buying an introductory course on communication and a book like The Problems of Work. Sec checking is NOT done in this stage!

Scientology is a difficult topic to research. Those IN don't talk and the ex-es are severely traumatized ( for many different reasons ).

What are you researching?

( Did you know the Mormons have upper-levels too? UFO stories? Secret rituals? Disconnection, shunning? And worse? My guess is that the Mormons 'donate' more than the Scientologists. A well initiated Mormon laughs at OT8. Why did you choose Scientology as a subject for your paper and not for example the Mormons which is much bigger in every aspect? )

scino

 

[Tiger Lily]

Couple of points:

OP asked about the stress test, not the Oxford Capacity Analysis. (lashonda, the "free personality test" is the other recruitment scam; it's not the same as the stress test, although its purpose is the same.)

Freeminds you've got me curious. It was more than 20 years ago when I got in . . .but I never heard of a "stress test" . . . I always thought that was a "buzzword" for the OCA. Do you have any info on what the "Stress test" is?

 

[Type4_PTS]

"Suck-in"? Shouldn't you be unbiased as a researcher? There are many, happy Scientologists too.

How exactly did you determine that the OP was biased?

Many unbiased people have come to the same conclusion that Scientology IS a cult. If there happens to be many "happy" scientologists as you say this is completely irrelevant as to whether or not Scn is a cult.

And since the CoS is bent on world domination and is capable of anything including infiltration of national governments (such as in Operation Snow White) I would think it makes a fantastic subject of a research paper. I don't get why you'd try to discourage the OP's attention from doing a paper on Scientology and shifting her attention onto the Mormons.

 

[Zinjifar]

How exactly did you determine that the OP was biased?

I'd think it was obvious

Anyone who wants to 'research' Scientology *must* be 'biased', since Scientology doesn't *want* to be 'researched'. Only joined. Anyone asking about scientology without wanting to join is the enemy; to be lied to, tricked and made to go away.

As to the 'research paper'; I don't know what kind of research you're trying to do, but, if this is for some class paper you'd do well to use the available information on Scientology (there's more than enough for 1 or two lives and a million papers) out there and easily searchable. Start there and do your homework. Once you're actually familiar with the subject and its history you'll be able to ask *meaningful* questions.

Zinj

 

[lashonda]

Lashonda check your PM's.

I don't know if you've seen this or not. . . . this is the OCA test with "correct answers" and a link to an analysis of it. . . .

http://www.xenu.net/archive/oca/

The link to the analysis of the personality test can be found on the page above, but I'll link it separately too. This will tell you exactly the kind of questions that the staff member is taught to ask and exactly how they use it to "hook" people -- it's pretty thorough and the guy who wrote it is a respected critic.

http://www.xenu.net/archive/oca/oca.html

Good luck!
-TL

OMG. No, I came across that link but never got to the bottom of the page. Wow. Thanks, again. Does anyone know how much the intro courses cost?

 

[Panda Termint]

Lashonda, You possibly need to review your Research methodology.
If you're looking for a passing grade, this is no way to go about 'Writing a Research Paper".
If you're looking for a shortcut, put that particular phrase into the ESMB Search engine and see how the many earlier-similar "Researchers" fared.
Just sayin'.

 

[scino]

How exactly did you determine that the OP was biased?

I determined this by the word 'suck-in'. In my language ( I am sure you noticed that English is not my native language ) this word is only used in an extremely negative context. I am sensitive to bias because I have been researching the topic myself for three years now. I have been for, against, for, against, depending on what I read but I am trying to become as unbiased as possible.

If it was only possible to spend a few months at Golden Era Productions. Are they slave laborers, is it at all possible to enslave creativity or highly dedicated individuals working to achieve a better planet for =all= of us? The fact that The Mormons have a very similar setup as Scientology ( Bridge type of route to upper levels, Space Opera stuff ) was something I discovered by accident but just as fascinating as Scientology. Scientology seems very amateurish compared to what has been achieved in similar setups ( fill in cult / religion / filosophy whatever ).

 

[Zinjifar]

Why would someone who's been 'researching' the subject for 3 years, claims non-bias and claims to be both in favor of and opposed call himself 'scino' and spout the usual eyewash about 'take a course'?

As to the negative context; you betcha.
Scientology *is* a negative context.

Zinj

 

[lashonda]

Lashonda, You possibly need to review your Research methodology.
If you're looking for a passing grade, this is no way to go about 'Writing a Research Paper".
If you're looking for a shortcut, put that particular phrase into the ESMB Search engine and see how the many earlier-similar "Researchers" fared.
Just sayin'.

Well I did that and I get like a 100 matches that don't answer the same questions I have so I thought I would start fresh. Now I am trying to find out how much introductory courses normally cost.

 

[lashonda]

I determined this by the word 'suck-in'. In my language ( I am sure you noticed that English is not my native language ) this word is only used in an extremely negative context. I am sensitive to bias because I have been researching the topic myself for three years now. I have been for, against, for, against, depending on what I read but I am trying to become as unbiased as possible.

If it was only possible to spend a few months at Golden Era Productions. Are they slave laborers, is it at all possible to enslave creativity or highly dedicated individuals working to achieve a better planet for =all= of us? The fact that The Mormons have a very similar setup as Scientology ( Bridge type of route to upper levels, Space Opera stuff ) was something I discovered by accident but just as fascinating as Scientology. Scientology seems very amateurish compared to what has been achieved in similar setups ( fill in cult / religion / filosophy whatever ).

Scino, how much does a course cost?

 

[Zinjifar]

Well I did that and I get like a 100 matches that don't answer the same questions I have so I thought I would start fresh. Now I am trying to find out how much introductory courses normally cost.

Why don't you ask the 'Church' of Scientology? That might lead to a whole different subject for your 'research'; i.e. 'How hard is it to get a straight answer from a Scientologist about Scientology?'

Zinj

 

[Panda Termint]

Tag team, anyone?

 

[lashonda]

Why don't you ask the 'Church' of Scientology? That might lead to a whole different subject for your 'research'; i.e. 'How hard is it to get a straight answer from a Scientologist about Scientology?'

Zinj

They might actually have a straight answer for that.

 

[Zinjifar]

Tag team, anyone?

I'd just like to know where this school is that seems to produce an unending stream of people whose concept of 'research' is to anonymously ask relatively irrelevant questions about a subject on an internet forum.

Zinj

 

[Panda Termint]

I'd just like to know where this school is that seems to produce an unending stream of people whose concept of 'research' is to anonymously ask relatively irrelevant questions about a subject on an internet forum.

Zinj

Applied Scholastics?