Who would get mixed up in Scientology?

lazygal

Like, how thick would you have to be? Who doesn't know its a cult designed to extract as much money as possible from you?

Also, anyone availed of a free personality test?

Biggins

lazygal wrote: »

Like, how thick would you have to be? Who doesn't know its a cult designed to extract as much money as possible from you?

Also, anyone availed of a free personality test?

The cleverest of people fall for the slickest of cons.

WatchWolf

Danny Zuko.

FairytaleGirl

Because its a secret cult for gay celebrities to turn themselves straight and save their reputations. People pay big money for that.

TBF in Travoltas case it didnt work. Fail.

Dangerous Man

I could tell you a few stories about those guys... I won't though.

Lollipops23

I met a few in the Dublin office a few years ago. They look like you'd imagine they would.

Biggins

Elizabeth Moss (actress from TV show "Madmen") for some strange reason is a member!
http://www.wetpaint.com/network/gallery/7-surprising-celebrity-scientologists-photos

The King of Moo

Biggins wrote: »

Elizabeth Moss (actress from TV show "Madmen") for some strange reason is a member!

Peggy's my favourite.

*gives up on life*

Pushtrak

lazygal wrote: »

Like, how thick would you have to be? Who doesn't know its a cult designed to extract as much money as possible from you?

I don't know how religion is so popular either.

lazygal

Dangerous Man wrote: »

I could tell you a few stories about those guys... I won't though.

Ah go on.

christmas2012

very lost people

lazygal

Pushtrak wrote: »

I don't know how religion is so popular either.

Me neither. But most people are brainwashed into it by their parents when they can't know any better. Adults who get sucked into the Scientology thing must be a bit off.

Biggins

The King of Moo wrote: »

Peggy's my favourite.

*gives up on life*

I know, I liked her too since she appeared as the presidents daughter in The West Wing.

I was shocked to hear/read she fell for the cults spiel.

flutterflye

I was on my way through town years ago - at this stage I'd never heard of Scientology.
Anyway, was walking through one of the quieter streets - can't remember which one.
And there was this lady standing in the doorway of some building holding a clipboard.
She asked if I'd be interested in filling out a stress test - who doesn't love those questionnaires?! So I said I would.
But then she started ascending the stairs just inside the door and expected me to follow.
I nearly didn't, but in the end, I did.
There was a large room with people everywhere.
There were banners and book stalls and these giant tvs playing clips for bunches of people on leather couches.
I was led to a desk with 2 guys, and they put these metal cylindrical things on my arms that had wires coming out of them.
They asked me all sorts of random questions and these things on my arms apparently measured my stress responses.
It took maybe 20 mins, then they tried to sell me a book.
I declined, and left.
It's probably not coming across in my post, but it was a completely surreal experience.
For a while afterwards I actually thought I'd dreamed it - until I came across someone else who had also been convinced to go up too.

mikemac1

lazygal wrote: »

But most people are brainwashed into it by their parents when they can't know any better.

Some of the most fanatical believers are those who convert when they are adults

Not so much scientology, I'm thinking more of drunks who become evangelical Christians. One was recently the US President

Or people who convert to Islam


Seem to be stronger believers then people who just grow up with it.
As they chose it themselves

Biggins

You know there is something VERY wrong from the start with a 'religion' when all their camps have the top of their fence spikes facing inwards - to stop people from inside climbing out!
(See the link in my signature for details.)

Fuinseog

lazygal wrote: »

Like, how thick would you have to be? Who doesn't know its a cult designed to extract as much money as possible from you?

Also, anyone availed of a free personality test?

why not pay them a visit and see if they cannot convince you. a lot of folks are interested in building their mental strength and Ron L. Hubbard can exploit this.

Fuinseog

Dangerous Man wrote: »

I could tell you a few stories about those guys... I won't though.

ah do, go on

crosstownk

flutterflye wrote: »

I was on my way through town years ago - at this stage I'd never heard of Scientology.
Anyway, was walking through one of the quieter streets - can't remember which one.
And there was this lady standing in the doorway of some building holding a clipboard.
She asked if I'd be interested in filling out a stress test - who doesn't love those questionnaires?! So I said I would.
But then she started ascending the stairs just inside the door and expected me to follow.
I nearly didn't, but in the end, I did.
There was a large room with people everywhere.
There were banners and book stalls and these giant tvs playing clips for bunches of people on leather couches.
I was led to a desk with 2 guys, and they put these metal cylindrical things on my arms that had wires coming out of them.
They asked me all sorts of random questions and these things on my arms apparently measured my stress responses.
It took maybe 20 mins, then they tried to sell me a book.
I declined, and left.
It's probably not coming across in my post, but it was a completely surreal experience.
For a while afterwards I actually thought I'd dreamed it - until I came across someone else who had also been convinced to go up too.

Same happened to me about 20 years ago. I was at a loose end and some dude came up to me in Abbey St. Same story, stress test, yada yada. I went upstairs and the dude asked me questions (without the metal cylindrical wired jobbies). Then they came to some conclusions about my life and lifestyle and I politely told them to fcuk off.

After that they sent me mail for years till I eventually had to ring them and accuse them of harassment. The mail stopped after that.

Weirdos.

EDIT: They also gave me a free copy of the Dianetics book by that Hubbard bloke. I attempted to read it but after a few pages it was very much WTF? It burnt well though.

Fuinseog

lazygal wrote: »

Me neither. But most people are brainwashed into it by their parents when they can't know any better. Adults who get sucked into the Scientology thing must be a bit off.

its just like the hare krishnas drugging ice cream and kidnapping honest god fearing irish folk in the eighties

Sappa

flutterflye wrote: »

I was on my way through town years ago - at this stage I'd never heard of Scientology.
Anyway, was walking through one of the quieter streets - can't remember which one.
And there was this lady standing in the doorway of some building holding a clipboard.
She asked if I'd be interested in filling out a stress test - who doesn't love those questionnaires?! So I said I would.
But then she started ascending the stairs just inside the door and expected me to follow.
I nearly didn't, but in the end, I did.
There was a large room with people everywhere.
There were banners and book stalls and these giant tvs playing clips for bunches of people on leather couches.
I was led to a desk with 2 guys, and they put these metal cylindrical things on my arms that had wires coming out of them.
They asked me all sorts of random questions and these things on my arms apparently measured my stress responses.
It took maybe 20 mins, then they tried to sell me a book.
I declined, and left.
It's probably not coming across in my post, but it was a completely surreal experience.
For a while afterwards I actually thought I'd dreamed it - until I came across someone else who had also been convinced to go up too.

Very similar thing happened to myself and a friend in Sydney.
We knew they were scientologists but they never said they were,so we decided to pisstake a bit and ask them direct questions what organisation they belong to etc.
My were they so evasive in their answers,dodging questions and they just told us we got to go and it was not for us.
They seem harmless enough but any cult is dangerous and should be avoided.

Daveysil15

It's a matter of faith. You could also ask who'd be stupid enough to believe that there will be 72 virgins waiting for you in heaven after you blow yourself up.

flutterflye

flutterflye wrote: »

I was on my way through town years ago - at this stage I'd never heard of Scientology.
Anyway, was walking through one of the quieter streets - can't remember which one.
And there was this lady standing in the doorway of some building holding a clipboard.
She asked if I'd be interested in filling out a stress test - who doesn't love those questionnaires?! So I said I would.
But then she started ascending the stairs just inside the door and expected me to follow.
I nearly didn't, but in the end, I did.
There was a large room with people everywhere.
There were banners and book stalls and these giant tvs playing clips for bunches of people on leather couches.
I was led to a desk with 2 guys, and they put these metal cylindrical things on my arms that had wires coming out of them.
They asked me all sorts of random questions and these things on my arms apparently measured my stress responses.
It took maybe 20 mins, then they tried to sell me a book.
I declined, and left.
It's probably not coming across in my post, but it was a completely surreal experience.
For a while afterwards I actually thought I'd dreamed it - until I came across someone else who had also been convinced to go up too.

I went up too, out of curiosity really. In my mad days. I'd never do it now! Totally surreal indeed.

Ellis Dee

ALL religion is for the birds. It makes no difference whether it is a pseudo-religion cooked up by a fourth-rate science fiction writer a few decades ago or a collection of tales and myths plagiarised from even older myths and legends by Bronze Age religious nutters in the Middle East, it is all bullshit.:)

You take your pick as to how you want to be shafted by vendors of those myths. You can accept the truly bullshit tale about the evil Xenu, who brought gazillions of beings to Earth trillions of years ago, stacked them up around volcanoes and nuked the lot of them with hydrogen bombs, but their essences (souls, sort of) still live on as Thetans and that's why scientology is needed to straighten our fcuked up minds out ---:rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

Or you can believe in the talking snake, the ghost who shags a Palestinian virgin and puts her up the spout without as much as a "bye your leave", and a zombie Jewish carpenter who has the answer to world hunger (he could feed Tallaght with a dozen bags of Tayto and have Limerick on its ear with a six-pack of Guinness), and so on ---

I'd sooner shove my mickey into a meat mincer than have anything to do with scientology, but the other religions are, in their various ways, just as reprehensible.

Dangerous Man

lazygal wrote: »

Ah go on.

Joking aside there is a seriously sinister aspect to Scientology. I think in fairness to the media they do as good a job as they can in reporting it - but it's not always easy.

A few months ago I spoke to a colleague of mine, a journalist, about his experiences with Scientologists. He was trying to run a story on some b-list celeb who'd defected. Now, this person did not want ANYTHING to do with Scientology anymore but by the same token did not want to speak to the press about his defection. From what I could understand, he essentially went into hiding. He was genuinely frightened and worried for his safety.

When my colleague got wind of this he tried to get in contact but failed. He just couldn't reach the guy for love nor money but decided nonetheless to the thing as a 3rd person news story.

That's when the phone calls started. Despite him having never called anybody at the church of Scientology they'd got in contact with him and began warning him away from the story. The fact that they called, seemingly out of the blue was concerning enough; somehow, somewhere along the line, they were informed of what he was doing. What was even more concerning, was the fact that they began mentioning his mother and his relatives. He received a late-night phone call and was told that his sister living at ___________ ____________ _________ with phone number xxx xxxx xxxx probably wouldn't approve of his actions. What was scary was that he knew his sister's phone was unlisted. She didn't have any social networking prescence and was pretty much completely off the grid. Yet, despite this, they were able to tell him where she lived, and what her phone number was. They didn't make any explicit threats but made it clear enough that they could locate members of his family with relative ease.

The story wasn't going to pay an awful lot so he pulled it; I'll never forget the look on his face when he told me that. It wasn't an important story by any means - it was essentially showbiz gossip and its only use was as a paycheque. But when he told me, a noticeable wave of disappointment washed briefly across his countenance; I could tell that it still bothered him.

Johnny Bitte

flutterflye wrote: »

I was on my way through town years ago - at this stage I'd never heard of Scientology.
Anyway, was walking through one of the quieter streets - can't remember which one.
And there was this lady standing in the doorway of some building holding a clipboard.
She asked if I'd be interested in filling out a stress test - who doesn't love those questionnaires?! So I said I would.
But then she started ascending the stairs just inside the door and expected me to follow.
I nearly didn't, but in the end, I did.
There was a large room with people everywhere.
There were banners and book stalls and these giant tvs playing clips for bunches of people on leather couches.
I was led to a desk with 2 guys, and they put these metal cylindrical things on my arms that had wires coming out of them.
They asked me all sorts of random questions and these things on my arms apparently measured my stress responses.
It took maybe 20 mins, then they tried to sell me a book.
I declined, and left.
It's probably not coming across in my post, but it was a completely surreal experience.
For a while afterwards I actually thought I'd dreamed it - until I came across someone else who had also been convinced to go up too.

Does this smell like chloroform to you?

hatrickpatrick

A friend of mine was almost sucked in, and in fairness they're very clever and deceptive about it. The word "Scientology" isn't mentioned until you're very deep in, it's always disguised as something else, almost like a dummy corporation.

He was approached in public and asked if he'd be interested in taking a "personality test", and when he did they told him he was subconsciously very unhappy and miserable, and would he like the opportunity to try and improve his outlook on life and become a happier person. I'd imagine a lot of the people who end up getting involved probably do have some of those very common insecurities, and would love the chance to genuinely be more positive, so the idea of it sounds great. The cracks appear very slowly and it's very difficult to talk your way out once you get to that stage, apparently.

mikom

christmas2012 wrote: »

very lost people

Was just about to post it......... lost souls.

Muir

My friend persuaded me to go for a stress test for the laugh. I didn't know what Scientology was at the time (I was 15 I think). They don't tell you all the crazy crap when you go first though. They tell you about their version of counselling (auditing I think it's called) which actually sounds fairly believable & interesting. I think when you get deeper into it they tell you more as they get you more & more hooked.

It was a pretty creepy place though. The guy behind the desk looked like a zombie, the video they had playing looked like it was meant to hypnotise you & the guy doing the stress test would remind you of a salesperson. We eventually told them we were students & they basically told us to come back when we were earning money!

Dartz

We do need a Final Solution to the Scientology question.

Individual Scientologists might potentially be sound if a little gullible, but the leadership, they're genuinely ****ing dangerous.

I mean seriously, who could trust a secretive hierarchical 'religion' which covers up it's abuses with a stone wall of silence, and hounds those it sees as enemies into an early grave....and expects people to pay for the privilege?

Wait a minute....

Sappa

How long before they jump into this thread,usually they have an army of trolls waiting to defend their cyberbridge around the world.

flutterflye

Muir wrote: »

It was a pretty creepy place though. The guy behind the desk looked like a zombie, the video they had playing looked like it was meant to hypnotise you & the guy doing the stress test would remind you of a salesperson. We eventually told them we were students & they basically told us to come back when we were earning money!

Yeah!
Whenever I watch Zoolander and that scene comes on where what's his name is being hypnotised, I think of that Scientology place!

Daith

I was always surprised that Beck was a member. He always seemed to be the opposite of it to me for some reason.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beck#Scientology

4zn76tysfajdxp

They prey on the vulnerable and, apparently, repressed homosexuals.

flutterflye wrote: »

I was on my way through town years ago

*bites tongue*

Peetrik

Thats the thing about traps... you don't realise you're in one until its too late...

http://9gag.com/gag/276588

flutterflye

Baylor Ambitious Pita wrote: »

*bites tongue*

It was DUBLIN town Baylor Ambitious Pita - does that make you happier?!

mattjack

crosstownk wrote: »

Same happened to me about 20 years ago. I was at a loose end and some dude came up to me in Abbey St. Same story, stress test, yada yada. I went upstairs and the dude asked me questions (without the metal cylindrical wired jobbies). Then they came to some conclusions about my life and lifestyle and I politely told them to fcuk off.

After that they sent me mail for years till I eventually had to ring them and accuse them of harassment. The mail stopped after that.

Weirdos.

Same thing happened to me in Abbey street 'bout 20 years ago too.There was me strolling along eating an ice cream when this dude stops me and asks did I want my life assessed ?

Anyway , to cut a long story short as it happened ,I did want my life assessed ,but I want to fill out the form myself.

Mr Scientologist had to hold my ice cream for me and me being diligent I wrote chapter,verse and tome on my life.

By the I had finished my ice cream had melted all over his sleeve and the floor ,obviously Croostownk , you met him before me and made a better impression because I never got any post,nothing, not a thing.

The leader is great,the leade..... 'hold on , doorbell '

COYW

Was offered the stress test one day on Abbey street but I opted out as I was genuinely in a rush. One lad I grew up with got caught up in a cult. One day, I met him on our road and he was wearing a sandwich board with a biblical message on it. He was also dropping a small piece of bread every 5 metres or so. The trail of bread went right back to the bus stop for town at which I presume he got off at.

lazygal

Sappa wrote: »

How long before they jump into this thread,usually they have an army of trolls waiting to defend their cyberbridge around the world.

I half thought that before I posted the thread. I'm expecting my PM inbox to overflow shortly....

NegativeCreep

I'd love to try it. I find the whole thing fascinating and scary :L I'd be terrified that they wouldnt let me leave. Saw a documentary about them and they we're following people and they were defensive and really stand-offish. I would like to do the stress test tho :L

crosstownk

mattjack wrote: »

you met him before me and made a better impression because I never got any post,nothing, not a thing.

All that post I got - it was my first introduction to spam

Mattjack - you were obviously beyond redemption

JustAddWater

flutterflye wrote: »

I was on my way through town years ago - at this stage I'd never heard of Scientology.
Anyway, was walking through one of the quieter streets - can't remember which one.
And there was this lady standing in the doorway of some building holding a clipboard.
She asked if I'd be interested in filling out a stress test - who doesn't love those questionnaires?! So I said I would.
But then she started ascending the stairs just inside the door and expected me to follow.
I nearly didn't, but in the end, I did.
There was a large room with people everywhere.
There were banners and book stalls and these giant tvs playing clips for bunches of people on leather couches.
I was led to a desk with 2 guys, and they put these metal cylindrical things on my arms that had wires coming out of them.
They asked me all sorts of random questions and these things on my arms apparently measured my stress responses.
It took maybe 20 mins, then they tried to sell me a book.
I declined, and left.
It's probably not coming across in my post, but it was a completely surreal experience.
For a while afterwards I actually thought I'd dreamed it - until I came across someone else who had also been convinced to go up too.

Man... Sounds like you and that other guy got arrested!

B.A._Baracus

flutterflye wrote: »

I was on my way through town years ago - at this stage I'd never heard of Scientology.
Anyway, was walking through one of the quieter streets - can't remember which one.
And there was this lady standing in the doorway of some building holding a clipboard.
She asked if I'd be interested in filling out a stress test - who doesn't love those questionnaires?! So I said I would.
But then she started ascending the stairs just inside the door and expected me to follow.
I nearly didn't, but in the end, I did.
There was a large room with people everywhere.
There were banners and book stalls and these giant tvs playing clips for bunches of people on leather couches.
I was led to a desk with 2 guys, and they put these metal cylindrical things on my arms that had wires coming out of them.
They asked me all sorts of random questions and these things on my arms apparently measured my stress responses.
It took maybe 20 mins, then they tried to sell me a book.
I declined, and left.
It's probably not coming across in my post, but it was a completely surreal experience.
For a while afterwards I actually thought I'd dreamed it - until I came across someone else who had also been convinced to go up too.

Similar thing happened to me a few years ago!

Some guy was standing outside Supermacs on o'connell street. Me and my then girlfriend were walking in his direction. Cue the "would you like a free personality test?" I didnt want too. She did. We end up doing it :rolleyes:

Was a paper and pen 'test' but some of the questions were just weird.... "would it take a definite act to kill yourself?" Yes or No.

Then I noticed some dvds on the wall. With big writing that said "L. ron hubbard" ... Have to thank south park cause I then quietly said to the gf we're getting the f**k outta here.

4zn76tysfajdxp

It's scary how they sink their claws into people. I saw a doc about them on the BBC years ago. They harassed the journalist during its filming to the point of him losing his temper and screaming at a guy. Obviously, the journalist looked mental then. Masterful manipulation.

flutterflye wrote: »

It was DUBLIN town Frada - does that make you happier?!

I'm delira.

mattjack

B.A._Baracus wrote: »

Similar thing happened to me a few years ago!

Some guy was standing outside Supermacs on o'connell street. Me and my then girlfriend were walking in his direction. Cue the "would you like a free personality test?" I didnt want too. She did. We end up doing it :rolleyes:

Was a paper and pen 'test' but some of the questions were just weird.... "would it take a definite act to kill yourself?" Yes or No.

Then I noticed some dvds on the wall. With big writing that said "L. ron hubbard" ... Have to thank south park cause I then quietly said to the gf we're getting the f**k outta here.

What happened then ? Did ya all escape ?

mickgotsick

hatrickpatrick wrote: »

A friend of mine was almost sucked in, and in fairness they're very clever and deceptive about it. The word "Scientology" isn't mentioned until you're very deep in, it's always disguised as something else, almost like a dummy corporation.

He was approached in public and asked if he'd be interested in taking a "personality test", and when he did they told him he was subconsciously very unhappy and miserable, and would he like the opportunity to try and improve his outlook on life and become a happier person. I'd imagine a lot of the people who end up getting involved probably do have some of those very common insecurities, and would love the chance to genuinely be more positive, so the idea of it sounds great. The cracks appear very slowly and it's very difficult to talk your way out once you get to that stage, apparently.

Same thing happened to me but I think I told them I was happy enough anyway and left.

I'll never forget the sign they had when they were building the LUAS on Abbey street: "The church of Scientology is open for person testing as usual".

Biggins

Dangerous Man wrote: »

Joking aside there is a seriously sinister aspect to Scientology. I think in fairness to the media they do as good a job as they can in reporting it - but it's not always easy...

* This is an org that kidnapped a woman in Italy when she tried to leave - and kept her prisoner.
(Three org members eventually got prison).
* This is a 'religion' that has its own official navy (Sea Org).
* This an org that many deaths have been contributed to it.
* This is an org that has taken over a whole town (Clearwater) in America in which "The Office of Special Affairs" takes up an entire building block. It's the world HQ for its dirty tactics units as well as it huge investigation sections.
* This is an org that infiltrated American and French government agencies!

...And thats only the tip of the iceberg, as they say

Nice 'religion' eh?

Why anyone gets mixed up with this lot is beyond stupidity!

B.A._Baracus

mattjack wrote: »

What happened then ? Did ya all escape ?

:pac:
They wanted a telephone number and email address. So they would 'contact' you later to discuss the 'results'.

Upon seeing L. ron hubbard i just put down any old crap :pac: Something like "jack jackson" and jackjackson@jacksonjacks.com" lol. My stupid ex-girlfriend put down her real name & phone number tho :rolleyes:

Riddle101

Lol, Scientology reminds me of that cult from the Simpsons that tries to brainwash people and take their money.

I also read on wiki that Kirstie Alley is an Operating Thetan level 7. Sounds like something you'd see in World of Warcraft. What a weird religon. But apparently they helped Alley get over her cocaine addiction.

4zn76tysfajdxp

Riddle101 wrote: »

I also read on wiki that Kirstie Alley is an Operating Thetan level 7. Sounds like something you'd see in World of Warcraft. What a weird religon. But apparently they helped Alley get over her cocaine addiction.

She probably just replaced it with a food addiction tbh.

B.A._Baracus

Riddle101 wrote: »

Lol, Scientology reminds me of that cult from the Simpsons that tries to brainwash people and take their money.

The Simpsons have openly admitted that episode was based on scientolgy :P