Scientology related Question & Answer session

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Scientology® related Question & Answer session or
Some usual misconceptions clarified [see also Krishnamurti Q&A session]

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Here you will find a collection of Questions & Answers. I simply have been asked certain questions and I thought it would be good idea to compile my responses to these questions and print these below as they may be of help to others.

Index:

Could one make a comparison of Krishnamurti and L. Ron Hubbard, which is of more importance?
Is “auditing” in Scientology similar to “looking” in Krishnamurti's work?
Scientology has many followers, but how much do they really understand, are the majority of them just like the people who come to listen to Krishnamurti's talks? If you have to spoon feed people, are they really getting anything of quality?
Is Scientology something to have?
I don't know very much about Scientology. Frankly, I have been conditioned to think that Scientology is a wacky cult! I remember years ago sometimes seeing people from Scientology on the streets trying to recruit people to take a “personality test”. Then of course I have heard that there were some scandals in Europe.
What exactly is Dianetics?
Are the E-meters necessary?
I saw a site called “Free Zone” or something like that which claims that they are trying to bring Scientology back to its roots.
Also a critical site about how expensive it is to reach the higher levels. Why would they do this? (Charge incredible amounts of money) Why wouldn't these things be available to all?
I saw the “Xenu” document, is this supposed to be taken literally, or is it a vision of some sort? Do I have to believe any of these things to be true before being accepted in Scientology?
What kinds of results does Scientology claim to get for people? Maybe I just can't imagine that an American Science fiction writer and entrepreneur founded a religion?
It's hard for me to grasp why they claim to get the results that they do, with apparently little contemplation or meditation.
I wondered if “clearing” yourself of old experiences, etc., has any lasting effect. What I mean to say is what is the result? Is some type of insight arrived at or is it just the fact of looking at something that divests it of its power?
Basically you seem to think L. Ron Hubbard's “teachings” are good, but the church is not so good?

Comparison of Krishnamurti with L. Ron Hubbard: (also in: ‘Krishnamurti related Q&A session’)

Question: Could one make a comparison of Krishnamurti and L. Ron Hubbard, which is of more importance?

Answer: One certainly could make some kind of comparison there. Krishnamurti has an interesting message which forces one to look at oneself. It's like returning your question back to yourself and make you start realizing why you had asked that question in the first place, this process may dissolve your question. L. Ron Hubbard's approach is somewhat different, he uses a more scientific approach which anyone can learn how to apply. Also you will get more exact information of how you can handle a certain situation or problem in which you may find yourself involved. Scientology is scientific in every possible way, it consists solely of processes and/or information which will give the solution/answer to your problem. It is simply a workable technology. Scientology also addresses more different area's.
Both Krishnamurti and L. Ron Hubbard are reaching out for understanding and spiritual freedom. Krishnamurti's way of getting to the bottom of things is not the same as L. Ron Hubbard does....anyhow they are both valuable. We are all different as beings, we may find ourselves easier within a certain concept of thinking than another. Even if one of these concepts/system is more far reaching and better organized than the other it may not be equally attractive to all. Krishnamurti makes that one questions oneself. If I regard some Scientologists, then I may think that it will do them well to read or listen to some Krishnamurti. On the other hand anyone will find something of interest within Scientology. The early Scientology study groups which popped up during the early 50's in USA even had Krishnamurti in their list of recommended reading material.

Question: Is “auditing” in Scientology similar to “looking” in Krishnamurti's work?

Answer: Its base is the same. The difference is that auditing is an exact tool which basically anyone can learn and use. Krishnamurti and Scientology are aiming at the same target, however with a very different way of going about it.

Scientology related:

Question: Scientology has many followers, but how much do they really understand, are the majority of them just like the people who come to listen to Krishnamurti's talks? If you have to spoon feed people, are they really getting anything of quality?

Answer: I am afraid so. The Scientology procedures only relieve mental charge, they do not make you responsible unless you yourself are willing to live up to that responsibility. It is the same for anything you do, or want to fight for. Lesser bright persons (not to say robots) you will find anywhere in society, in any group, religious or not.

Question: Is Scientology something to have?

Answer: Basically Scientology is a kind of applied philosophy aiming to get people to open up their eyes and start looking. Scientology is something to have, however people within the organization still can behave like any people in any religion or organization. If you criticize you do not always make yourself loved by those whom you criticize. It's the information of its founder which should have your attention. It's all in books and tape recordings. It is important to as always follow one's own integrity. Scientology is a ‘workable’ technology, and that is ‘all’ it is!

	“Nothing in Dianetics and Scientology is true for you
	Unless you have observed it
	And it is true according to your observation.
	That is all.” LRH (from Ability, Issue 125, Feb 61 “Personal Integrity”)

Question: I don't know very much about Scientology. Frankly, I have been conditioned to think that Scientology is a wacky cult! I remember years ago sometimes seeing people from Scientology on the streets trying to recruit people to take a “personality test”. Then of course I have heard that there were some scandals in Europe.

Answer: Well, do not believe all you read in newspapers and see on television. Evaluation for another within the organization is basically a deathsin. It is absolutely forbidden when studying in the organization and as well when receiving these processes called ‘auditing’ from a person called an ‘auditor’ (listener). No drugs are ever used, on the contrary vitamines to raise your physical and mental alertness in a natural way may be used. In fact if you took a painkiller for a headache or so, you may not be sessionable (eligible for receiving audtiting) for at least 24 hours. The purpose of auditing is to make you aware of mental images (past experiences) which you may have fogotten about, but in present time are still affecting you. By making you look at them, you will become aware of them and this will make them stop affecting you in present time, the result will be that you are looking more clear at what you are looking at right now.
And it does not have to cost much money, it can be if you choose to buy professional auditing. But basically you can twin up with someone else and simply use the processes on eachother. Or you may listen to tape recordings. Many of these appear on the ebay for sale. The book Dianetics gives the basic lay out for such processes, a good help is the Dianetic picturebook. There is also a Scientology picture book.
If you would be of the opinion that some handling or other is not supported in L. Ron Hubbards writings, then you should use your personal integrity attempting to getting it resolved. And if you would get opposition simply relay it back to the original L. Ron Hubbard writings and enforce that.
L. Ron Hubbard says: “Never comprimize with you own reality”. This appears to be hard not to do for quite a many. There is some kind of hierarchy within the Church of Scientology which seems somewhat similar as we see in the Theosophical Society. Well, it doesn't make anyone smarter to believe one is something more than others.....

Question: What exactly is Dianetics?

Answer: It's all in the book Dianetics. Dianetics was first (before Scientology) and addresses the physical body ‘somatics’ (basically physical reactions). Its purpose is to dispose of physical illnesses. Scientology is basically broadening the study of self, it addresses man as a spiritual being.

Question: Are the E-meters necessary?

Answer: Not necessary, but it will locate areas of mental charge much easier. It's a help tool only.

Question: I saw a site called “Free Zone” or something like that which claims that they are trying to bring Scientology back to its roots.

Answer: Free Zone actually has no relation with the official Church of Scientology. It is basically a group of Scientologists who chose to leave the official organization or were not being welcome anymore. The general idea is that they object towards the present management which took command during the early '80's, early that year L. Ron Hubbard had disappeared from the publics view. It is thought that the changes since then incorporated are not necessarily deriving from L. Ron Hubbard. For this reason Free Zone basically only make use of the materials which were released prior to 1980. Going back to the roots would mean that only that part of Scientology is being used from the time that L. Ron Hubbard was still considered being in control.

Also Free Zone generally is regarded being those groups (as in plural) that practice Scientology outside of the scope of the official Church of Scientology. Various of these groups may have their personal approach about how to use the Scientology technology.

Question: Also a critical site about how expensive it is to reach the higher levels. Why would they do this? (Charge incredible amounts of money) Why wouldn't these things be available to all?

Answer: They are available to all, you don't have to buy those expensive things. You can get together with a friend and run processes on eachother, you only need a book. It has been argued that these expensive auditing processes are on a very high level and a lot of people and work are involved with them. But they did not always cost that much as they do now. In fact there is something to say about the current pricing. L. Ron Hubbbard left us with a basic calculation rule for this. A simple calculation will tell you if this rule has been applied.

“ONE WEEK'S PROCESS (25 HOURS) SHOULD COST AN AVERAGE MONTH'S PAY (AS IN TRAINING). But processing of a special nature at higher levels can be charged at higher rates.” LRH
(from HCO PL 23 Sept 64 “Policies: Dissemination and Programs”)

Question: I saw the “Xenu” document, is this supposed to be taken literally, or is it a vision of some sort? Do I have to believe any of these things to be true before being accepted in Scientology?

Answer: When L. Ron Hubbard researched auditing* processes he found common denominators for certain incidents. Apparently many people told the same or similar incidents when receiving auditing. He simply compiled this information and published them in 1952 in a limited circulation entitled: 'What to audit?'(title explains itself). This publication never was anything else then a guide for auditors*. Its purpose was to assist the auditor to identify that what could be originated by the person receiving the auditing. Later this circulation when it was reissued in England (1953) was given the title 'Scientology: History of man'. To my understanding this was done without the initial approval of L. Ron Hubbard, but he apparently did not act against it and it has had this title ever since. It is definitely a better selling title, but it may not reflect so clearly anymore what it in reality was about. Many have started to regard the information offered as being factual, things that really have happened. The whole point is that these incidents as collected in this little work may in reality have happened or they may be imaginary, this is entirely irrelevant. The sole purpose of auditing is to relieve mental charge on incidents, whatever they may be. Important in this respect is the Auditor's Code, you as an auditor are not allowed to evaluate anything for the person receiving processing. With help of this thing called the E-meter (registers bodily reactions) you can locate mental charge which lay on some ‘incidents’. In fact they will only then be registered by this E-meter if there is some mental charge connected to these incidents. Then you reduce this registered mental charge by making the person simply and solely looking at it and go through the incident, and again, and again .... Until the person can tell about this incident without being bothered by it anymore. At this point the needle reaction of the E-meter will have turned into a Floating Needle* (F/N). (Dianetics Picture Book explains/shows in detail how this works). This is basically all what it is. There are no tricks attached to this.
These ‘Xenu’ documents have been quite exaggerated on the Internet. It has been said that this is confidential material and they are believed to be part of those higher level processes. But in fact similar things are also described in ‘Scientology: History of man’ and in ‘Rons Journal 67’ (a public lecture from 20 Sept 67 disseminated on a very broad scale).

A rather significant misunderstanding is in fact as if Scientology would be some kind of beliefsystem. It simply is not. It never has been. Scientology could be circumscribed as something that let you find out about yourself, who you actually are, and offers knowledge and tools. It is a reality that you don't have to believe any of these things either prior to being accepted in Scientology. Scientology is simply not about believing. It is no more and no less than an applied Philosophy. It should work even if you may not believe the theory behind it, that's the whole idea. I have spoken to various people about exactly these things. All what did matter to them was that they were not bothered anymore about certain problems they wanted to get handled. And after accomplishing that they still didn't believe that any of these things they may have originated in their sessions were actually real. Various persons I asked thought them to be ideas, and nothing more. But of course you will also find people within this Scientology thing that have adopted their paradigms, their dogma's, they may have created their personal beliefsystem. But this is what they did, it does not represent Scientology per sé. In reality these persons will have created a stumbleblock, as Scientology is about finding out, and you will not find out anything anymore when your frame of mind is already set. Definitely this is an usual problem. I have only met few that not have been subjected to this. Within Scientology and outside of Scientology.

Another significant misconception is that if this Xeny thing would be a core belief of Scientology. You see, in the media they may tell you that first you will gently be lured into Scientology, you do some courses, get some brainwashing of some sort, courses will be more and more costly, and then finally after paying extravagants amounts of money truth will be revealed to you in form of this Xeny story. Well, the reality is that only a limited amount of persons with Scientology actually have ever heared of Xenu. Per this, then how can this be core belief? It is not core and it is not a belief. Unless you yourself will turn it into that, but then you will not be doing Scientology.

There have been however various Public Relation announcements about this book ‘Scientology: The history of Man’ that appear to have put fuel on the fire of a sort of misrepresentation of this very book. We see them appear since so about 1976 in the various Scientology periodicals. In 1979 phrases are used such as: “FAR BEYOND DARWIN Get the real story of Man's past!”. The accompanying text then was elaborating on that concept (source: ‘Advance 59’, Jul/Aug 79). And then we see the cover presented of the book that shows some sort of caveman. This cover is specifically copyrighted 1975, nonetheless we see this caveman cover already appear on the 1968 edition. I remember that in 1988-89 at Flag (Clearwater, Fl) another new release of the book was presented. Then I saw these various staff persons around me right outside of the auditorium of the Fort Harrison hotel discussing this book and accepting the book as factual history. Indeed they were not realizing the actual significance of this book unfortunately. There was this common agreement that had departed from the original concept of the publication and had turned this it into a dogma.

Question: What kinds of results does Scientology claim to get for people? Maybe I just can't imagine that an American Science fiction writer and entrepreneur founded a religion?

Answer: 80% of all his fiction is actually not Science Fiction, in the 30's and 40's he made a living being a writer, but primarily he used his income to finance his research. He wrote everything from love stories, detectives, westerns, adventures and also filmscripts. His Science Fiction is simply being accociated with Scientology, so this is being stressed. True however is that the last novels he wrote were Science Ficion, i.e. ‘Battlefield Earth’ (also released on film) and ‘Mission Earth’.

Question: Its hard for me to grasp why they claim to get the results that they do, with apparently little contemplation or meditation.

Answer: In general I do not like all the Public Relation about and what people or organizations claim and such, in my opinion it's not so very important. It is more interesting if it can be of some help to you! It is also not entirely correct to assume that it involves “little contemplation or meditation” as you state. It does involve that you have to look at yourself, at your past, it also involves taking responsibility and correct things. This is not equally easy for all. There exist roughly 2 parts, one of them is ethics the other is auditing. To get through the auditing part one needs to be fairly clean on regarding this ethics, as this will work as a stumbleblock. The idea behind this is that if you have done wrong (or withhold something you are ashamed of) that you as a person are likely to justify it, to make it look right. It creates then a fixed condition, and makes you unable to look at what is actually right in front of you. When this is present you will not be able to as-is* things in that auditing either.

Question: I wondered if “clearing” yourself of old experiences, etc., has any lasting effect. What I mean to say is what is the result? Is some type of insight arrived at or is it just the fact of looking at something that divests it of its power?

Answer: Clearing means that you get rid of wrong associations, associations you are not aware of that you do make them. It makes you coming into present time. For example you get a big smile on your face for no apparent reason as soon you look at this a guy who has this cutshort moustache, then all of a sudden you see a picture of Charly Chaplin and he has this exact same moustache. Another person may start to feel depressed and sad seeing this same moustache, and this person may have associated it with Adolf Hitler. The moment you realize this you clear yourself from this association, and from that moment on you will simply look at this individual for what he is. These wrong associations get created in moments of unconsciousness or partly unconsciousness. Clearing is permanently, the Dianetics Picture book shows and explains this process in detail.

Question: Basically you seem to think L. Ron Hubbard's “teachings” are good, but the church is not so good?

Answer: I would rather refer to it as knowledge which has something to offer. Everywhere there people are involved, you can expect some kind of fixation. Any organization or group will risk that its members will be creating silent agreements. The less intelligent or the fearful one may oppose to those that do not submit immediately or blindly to such agreements. (I describe this behaviour in more detail on my essay: “Witch hunt and sect behaviour”, consult here (link will open in a separate window).
I may have been faced one time or another with opposition within Scientology organizations, but I never allowed this to stop me from acquiring knowledge. L. Ron Hubbard has described precisely how organizations should run and what they are supposed to do and should not do, but may be not all abide to that all the time. So, if something happens which I do not like, I'll simply ask where is it written that you can do like that. I have done several services at Scientology organizations, but I also have a collection of many lectures on tape and most of his books (almost none of his fiction actually).
L. Ron Hubbard says: “That mind which understands itself is the mind of a free man.”, if his research is something for you to have is for you to find out. Unfortunately many are scared away before they got a chance to find out what it actually is about.

Vocabulary:

     audit, auditing, auditor:
The application of Scientology processes and procedures to someone by a trained auditor (listener). The goal of the auditor is to make the receiver of the auditing look at incidents and reduce the mental charge which may lay upon them. The auditor may not evaluate and has to adhere to the Auditor's code.
     as-is:
To view anything exactly as it is without any distortions or lies, at which moment it will vanish and cease to exist.
     ‘floating needle’ (F/N):
A rhythmic sweep of the dial a a slow, even pace of the needle. That's what an F/N is. Not other definition is correct. (HCOB 21 July 78).