Friday, August 10, 2012

Characteristics of a cult - turning cheese into diamond

After 4 years of studying in the "university of cults", I realized that some cult characteristics aren't listed in some checklists.

One characteristics is the systematic, selective peeling off of one's rational reasoning.  (The other is polarization.)

As far as checklists go, the symptoms (absolute obedience) rather than the cause (destroy reasoning) are more suitable.

The destruction of reasoning has been well discussed.  Some refers to it as thought stopping.  However, thought stopping is defined in some controversial therapy as "tell yourself to stop thinking about that" whenever "that" thought occurs.  I prefer to use reasoning to describe a more complex process than "thinking about something".

I rather not use the word logic as it had become a dirty for cult members.  They are criticized as being illogical so often that they might think that their "reasoning" is another branch alternative to "logic".

So, for outsiders who have read a few of Scientology's criticisms, they may think that, "How do you believer that when there are so many holes in it?".  But for believers, Scientology is a bullet proof, perfect diamond. 

How does LRH turn cheese into diamonds?  Brain wash, mind control come to mind.  But how?

Peeling off your reasoning seems to be a good description.  It can be in huge chunks as in a Dianetics intensive course.  Or more likely, it's gradual.

People who accept Dianetics isn't picky about the difference of science and pseudo-science in the first place.  Dianetics say 2% of the population are anti-society suppressive persons, who can be get rid of silently without sorrow.  Either you accept it without thinking about it, or you think it's reasonable.  But if you accept this, you are accepting to be much more extreme than the Nazis.  When you progress up the bridge, this fact will be reinforced.

For example in the free Volunteer Minister course, the third-party rule is introduced.  Whenever there is an argument, there must be a third-party behind it who benefits from the conflict.  It may or may not be true but it's 100% in Scientology.  You may think it's reasonable to say that, may be 30% of the time is true.  But once you accepted it, sooner or later it will be 100%.  Whenever people criticize Scientology, your will call them SP's (that they can be destroyed with sorrow) and the psychs must have sent them.

Each piece of programming isn't just sugar coated, but comes with a huge pot of honey.  You accept auditing and the e-meter because the make you feel better.  But the fact is, the beginner’s auditing is similar to some common therapy techniques.  You can get it elsewhere, it's not original, and the more effective the better.  It's a huge carrier to bring some destructive payloads into your reasoning process, no matter how tiny the destructive forces are.

So when discussing whether LRH's tech is effective, effectiveness is irrelevant.  Firstly, LRH is seldom the source who invented the effective part.  And if it's not at all effective, nobody will be a Scientologist.  You have to figure out the tiny piece of destructive programming in each area of tech.  It's a cheese to diamond tech, but only if you fall for it.

The peeling off is systematic - overwhelming and relentless.  It's is also selective so a lawyer can still be a lawyer, an engineer can still be an engineer.