Steph asked: How often do you attend services? Do you think that is enough or do you feel you should attend more often?
In Scientology we go to Church for specific purposes, such as to get auditing or training. So there is no set attendence schedule. For example, a few years ago I went on full-time training at my church for 5 months. Then I went off and applied it and didn't need to go back for more services for another 6 months.
Of course, if you are on course or receiving auditing then there is a schedule you follow. But when you are not, there is no requirement to go to Church.
However, when not on services, many Scientologists do go into their church (me included) to do volunteer work, for the purpose of helping others in the community.
And there are Sunday Services that anyone can attend.
Showing posts with label Scientology Services. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Scientology Services. Show all posts
Friday, February 12, 2010
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Scientology: How does one accomplish this goal?
Steph asked in the last post "What is the goal of your religion? This time the question is "How does one accomplish this goal?":
By helping individuals improve themselves spiritually - as described in earlier answers:
- Scientology Auditing
- Scientology Training
.
By helping individuals improve themselves spiritually - as described in earlier answers:
- Scientology Auditing
- Scientology Training
.
Friday, January 01, 2010
Answer to Question about the E-meter
Spellingmistakescostlives.com asked:
I've been looking into Scientology, and the E-Meter that plays a large part in the rituals. Isn't the e-meter simply a lie detector? It certainly seems to measure the same things as one.
The simple answer is "No. The e-meter is not a lie detector."
A lie detector is a very complex device that measures many different physical reactions. The e-meter measures only one thing: electrical variations caused by changes in a person's spiritual state. It does not detect lies, it detects spiritual changes. When the e-meter reacts you don't say "Oooh, you lied!", you find out what caused it to react. There is no "lie" reaction.
The specific reactions that occur on the e-meter have been carefully documented. There are 28 reactions and each indicates a specific spiritual state or change of state.
The e-meter is used as part of Scientology Auditing to help locate areas of spiritual distress or travail so they can be addressed and resolved.
From personal experience both as an auditor and as a preclear, I can tell you that the e-meter is extremely accurate and indispensable when helping another being locate the areas of their lives that need attention.
Here is more data for you: The E-Meter
I hope that answers your question.
.
I've been looking into Scientology, and the E-Meter that plays a large part in the rituals. Isn't the e-meter simply a lie detector? It certainly seems to measure the same things as one.
The simple answer is "No. The e-meter is not a lie detector."
A lie detector is a very complex device that measures many different physical reactions. The e-meter measures only one thing: electrical variations caused by changes in a person's spiritual state. It does not detect lies, it detects spiritual changes. When the e-meter reacts you don't say "Oooh, you lied!", you find out what caused it to react. There is no "lie" reaction.
The specific reactions that occur on the e-meter have been carefully documented. There are 28 reactions and each indicates a specific spiritual state or change of state.
The e-meter is used as part of Scientology Auditing to help locate areas of spiritual distress or travail so they can be addressed and resolved.
From personal experience both as an auditor and as a preclear, I can tell you that the e-meter is extremely accurate and indispensable when helping another being locate the areas of their lives that need attention.
Here is more data for you: The E-Meter
I hope that answers your question.
.
Monday, December 28, 2009
Scientology: What happens in a typical church service? (5)
Yesterday I watched a really nice Christmas movie called The Preacher's Wife. Some of the movie takes place inside a Christian church and you see church services with a preacher who is inspirational and a congregation who joins in with "praise the lord" and "hallelujah", etc. As I was watching I thought about the Scientology Sunday Service and how different it is from that.
Some Scientology haters have portrayed the Scientology Sunday Service as a sham and other Scientology Church Services as window dressing.
So I thought, after seeing that movie, that I'd put in my two cents worth.
First of all, naming ceremonies, marriages and memorials are most definitely not window dressing. They are very important events and are treated that way. The Scientology ceremonies I've attended tend to be less serious than similar ceremonies I've attended in other, more traditional, churches. For example, at my mother's funeral at a very stuffy traditional church the minister talked about God all the time and my mother hardly got a mention.
I think the Scientology ceremonies are less serious because they are very much focused on the person or persons the ceremony concerns rather than on a deity. Also memorials are lighter because we know the person is coming back and so it's not such a heavy loss.
Now let's look at the Sunday Service. If you compare a Scientology Sunday Service to the one shown in "The Preacher's Wife", then the Scientology Sunday Services I've attended are very tame indeed. My take on this is that it is because Scientology is a religion of wisdom. It's main services are training people in that wisdom and then getting them to use that wisdom in their lives. It's a more analytical than emotional religion. So it follows that our Sunday Services, not being geared toward worship, would look quieter and more reserved, and because, as I said in my earlier article, most Scientologists will have been attending services most nights or days of the prior week, so they are less likely to feel the need to attend an additional service on Sunday.
As Scientology continues to expand, Sunday Service may morph into something bigger and more boisterous, or the fact that Scientology is open to people of all religions may mean that people who like a more lively service may simply continue to go to their traditional churches.
Personally I think having both the analytical side (as in Scientology) and the emotional side (as in, for example, a Baptist church) is a great combination: that way you get the best of both worlds.
.
Some Scientology haters have portrayed the Scientology Sunday Service as a sham and other Scientology Church Services as window dressing.
So I thought, after seeing that movie, that I'd put in my two cents worth.
First of all, naming ceremonies, marriages and memorials are most definitely not window dressing. They are very important events and are treated that way. The Scientology ceremonies I've attended tend to be less serious than similar ceremonies I've attended in other, more traditional, churches. For example, at my mother's funeral at a very stuffy traditional church the minister talked about God all the time and my mother hardly got a mention.
I think the Scientology ceremonies are less serious because they are very much focused on the person or persons the ceremony concerns rather than on a deity. Also memorials are lighter because we know the person is coming back and so it's not such a heavy loss.
Now let's look at the Sunday Service. If you compare a Scientology Sunday Service to the one shown in "The Preacher's Wife", then the Scientology Sunday Services I've attended are very tame indeed. My take on this is that it is because Scientology is a religion of wisdom. It's main services are training people in that wisdom and then getting them to use that wisdom in their lives. It's a more analytical than emotional religion. So it follows that our Sunday Services, not being geared toward worship, would look quieter and more reserved, and because, as I said in my earlier article, most Scientologists will have been attending services most nights or days of the prior week, so they are less likely to feel the need to attend an additional service on Sunday.
As Scientology continues to expand, Sunday Service may morph into something bigger and more boisterous, or the fact that Scientology is open to people of all religions may mean that people who like a more lively service may simply continue to go to their traditional churches.
Personally I think having both the analytical side (as in Scientology) and the emotional side (as in, for example, a Baptist church) is a great combination: that way you get the best of both worlds.
.
Sunday, December 27, 2009
Scientology: What happens in a typical church service? (4)
We also have what you might think of as a "traditional" service on a Sunday where there is a reading from the writings of L. Ron Hubbard that is usually something applicable to the lives of those attending. There can be other things at the service, such as group auditing (auditing delivered to more than one person at a time also called "Group Processing") and live music. Other than the reading there are no set rules.
Sunday Service is not as big a deal in Scientology as in other western religions, but that is because we go to our church much more often than just on Sunday. As you read in my earlier articles on Scientology Training and Scientology Auditing, these are the "big two" and a person might be on course five evenings a week, so they might not attend the Sunday Service. But if you are not on course or getting auditing, then Sunday Service can be a nice thing to attend for the sense of community it gives.
There are also Scientology ceremonies that mark major points in life such as naming ceremonies (what you'd call christenings), marriages and memorials (funerals). Also other events are celebrated such as minister ordination.
One can also go to the Chaplain for help on personal matters or if one has a dispute with another Scientologist, marriage problems, etc.
Sunday Service is not as big a deal in Scientology as in other western religions, but that is because we go to our church much more often than just on Sunday. As you read in my earlier articles on Scientology Training and Scientology Auditing, these are the "big two" and a person might be on course five evenings a week, so they might not attend the Sunday Service. But if you are not on course or getting auditing, then Sunday Service can be a nice thing to attend for the sense of community it gives.
There are also Scientology ceremonies that mark major points in life such as naming ceremonies (what you'd call christenings), marriages and memorials (funerals). Also other events are celebrated such as minister ordination.
One can also go to the Chaplain for help on personal matters or if one has a dispute with another Scientologist, marriage problems, etc.
Saturday, December 26, 2009
Scientology: What happens in a typical church service? (3)
Scientology Training consists of courses that train you in how to help others, primarily by leaning how to audit. There are training courses in other areas of life too.
The way the training is delivered is different to what you are used to based on how you are taught in school or college. For 3,000 or more years teaching has basically consisted of a teacher or instructor standing up in front of a group of students telling them about a subject. When printing came along books were added in and now the teacher had you read a book as well as watch him lecture.
Scientology training does not follow this old method. When you start a course you get the written materials and you get a thing called a checksheet, which is a list of things to study and do which will end up with you understanding and being able to apply what you studied.
So, for example, you study an article on personal relationships then you write an essay on what you learned and how you could use it, then you will do a practical exercise to gain skill with using what you learned.
There is a course supervisor who is there to help you understand and apply the materials, but he or she isn't an instructor or a teacher. Instead he is an expert in study and the barriers you hit when you study.
By the end of the course, you not only know the data you studied, but you can use it too. (Which is what Scientology is all about - application.)
One big advantage with this method over the traditional method of teaching is that each student gets to go along at their own pace, so faster students are not held up by slower students, and the slower students don't feel they are holding others back.
So that's training.
The way the training is delivered is different to what you are used to based on how you are taught in school or college. For 3,000 or more years teaching has basically consisted of a teacher or instructor standing up in front of a group of students telling them about a subject. When printing came along books were added in and now the teacher had you read a book as well as watch him lecture.
Scientology training does not follow this old method. When you start a course you get the written materials and you get a thing called a checksheet, which is a list of things to study and do which will end up with you understanding and being able to apply what you studied.
So, for example, you study an article on personal relationships then you write an essay on what you learned and how you could use it, then you will do a practical exercise to gain skill with using what you learned.
There is a course supervisor who is there to help you understand and apply the materials, but he or she isn't an instructor or a teacher. Instead he is an expert in study and the barriers you hit when you study.
By the end of the course, you not only know the data you studied, but you can use it too. (Which is what Scientology is all about - application.)
One big advantage with this method over the traditional method of teaching is that each student gets to go along at their own pace, so faster students are not held up by slower students, and the slower students don't feel they are holding others back.
So that's training.
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Scientology: What happens in a typical church service? (2)
The next part of my answer is this:
The major services of a Scientology Church are called "Auditing" and "Training".
Scientology Auditing is one-on-one spiritual counselling. It consists of very specific and exact procedures aimed at helping an individual attain higher spiritual levels. The goal of auditing is to restore individuality and ability. This is accomplished by (1) helping the individual rid himself of any disabilities and (2) increasing individual abilities. Obviously, both are necessary for an individual to achieve full potential.
It is difficult to compare it to practices in other religions, because it is not like anything I've ever come across anywhere else. There are hundreds of different procedures (called "processes") arranged in a very specific order. For example, one set of processes is aimed at achieving "The ability to communicate freely with anyone on any subject" another set achieve "Freedom from the hostilities and sufferings of life." One of the major goals is called the "State of Clear" which is a person who is self-determined and no longer the effect of his past and the traumas of his past.
Here is a video that gives a basic introduction to Scientology Auditing:
The major services of a Scientology Church are called "Auditing" and "Training".
Scientology Auditing is one-on-one spiritual counselling. It consists of very specific and exact procedures aimed at helping an individual attain higher spiritual levels. The goal of auditing is to restore individuality and ability. This is accomplished by (1) helping the individual rid himself of any disabilities and (2) increasing individual abilities. Obviously, both are necessary for an individual to achieve full potential.
It is difficult to compare it to practices in other religions, because it is not like anything I've ever come across anywhere else. There are hundreds of different procedures (called "processes") arranged in a very specific order. For example, one set of processes is aimed at achieving "The ability to communicate freely with anyone on any subject" another set achieve "Freedom from the hostilities and sufferings of life." One of the major goals is called the "State of Clear" which is a person who is self-determined and no longer the effect of his past and the traumas of his past.
Here is a video that gives a basic introduction to Scientology Auditing:
Monday, December 21, 2009
Scientology: What happens in a typical church service? (1)
The first part of my answer is this video:
Friday, October 23, 2009
Scientology Wedding Details
Well, I had thought of writing a sort of blow-by-blow, running commentary so you could see the exact steps of the wedding of my friends, but after a few paragraphs I realized it was kinda boring.
You see other than the actual words of the ceremony a Scientology wedding is pretty much the same as any other wedding. If the bride and groom want it to be formal and have a lot of pomp and circumstance then it will be formal with a lot of pomp and circumstance. If they want it to be informal and casual then that's how it will be.
The atmosphere of my friends' wedding was informal. There was a bride, a groom, a matron of honor, a best man, a minister, family, friends, a photographer, a sister with a video camera, a little boy as the ring bearer, a little girl as the ... not sure of the name, but she scattered flower petals before the bride as she walked down the aisle.
At the end of the ceremony the bride and groom kissed. The bride threw the bouquet for the unmarried girls to catch, the groom threw the garter for the unmarried guys to catch. There was a reception with food and music afterwards.
It was pretty much like a million other weddings that take place in the US every year.
Sorry I couldn't be more controversial.
You see other than the actual words of the ceremony a Scientology wedding is pretty much the same as any other wedding. If the bride and groom want it to be formal and have a lot of pomp and circumstance then it will be formal with a lot of pomp and circumstance. If they want it to be informal and casual then that's how it will be.
The atmosphere of my friends' wedding was informal. There was a bride, a groom, a matron of honor, a best man, a minister, family, friends, a photographer, a sister with a video camera, a little boy as the ring bearer, a little girl as the ... not sure of the name, but she scattered flower petals before the bride as she walked down the aisle.
At the end of the ceremony the bride and groom kissed. The bride threw the bouquet for the unmarried girls to catch, the groom threw the garter for the unmarried guys to catch. There was a reception with food and music afterwards.
It was pretty much like a million other weddings that take place in the US every year.
Sorry I couldn't be more controversial.
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Scientology Wedding
Today two of my good friends are getting married and it was me that introduced them. I don't usually go in for matchmaking but these two just seemed really suited for each other so I thought I'd give it a try. Looks like I got it right :)
There was a lot of hoopla a couple years back when Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes got married and a lot of mis-information about how we Scientologists go about getting married. The ceremony is simple and (I think) intimate. The words are aimed at creating a shared agreement about the future together and the realities of married life. My favorite of the alternative wordings also has quite a bit of gentle humor in it and is very poetic. Others prefer the more traditional sort of wording, but that's just me.
My two friends are not celebrities, but they will be having a similar ceremony (although not in a location as fancy) as the Cruise's wedding. I wish them every happiness.
For more info you can check out these links:
- Scientology Wedding Service
- Marriage Solutions
- FAQ: What is a Scientology Wedding Ceremony?
- Scientology Wedding
There was a lot of hoopla a couple years back when Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes got married and a lot of mis-information about how we Scientologists go about getting married. The ceremony is simple and (I think) intimate. The words are aimed at creating a shared agreement about the future together and the realities of married life. My favorite of the alternative wordings also has quite a bit of gentle humor in it and is very poetic. Others prefer the more traditional sort of wording, but that's just me.
My two friends are not celebrities, but they will be having a similar ceremony (although not in a location as fancy) as the Cruise's wedding. I wish them every happiness.
For more info you can check out these links:
- Scientology Wedding Service
- Marriage Solutions
- FAQ: What is a Scientology Wedding Ceremony?
- Scientology Wedding
Thursday, March 05, 2009
Question about the Purification Rundown
"C" said: Grahame, I would love to get more actively involved with Scientology but I don't wish to do the Purification Rundown. (I have never taken drugs in my life) Is this a deal-breaker? Is the Purif mandatory?
Hey "C",
Whether you have to do the Purification Rundown or not is between you and the technical expert who determines what spiritual enhancement you need.
However, I think if you fully understood what the Purif is all about you would actually jump at the chance to do it.
I've done it twice now. Once back in the early 1980s and again in the early 2000s. I had no illegal drug history at all and a minimal medical drug history but I personally got huge gains from the Purif both times.
Unfortunately we live in a world filled with toxins. The fumes from cars, the leaded paint on the walls of an old house, the crap they put into drinking water to kill off bugs, the additives in foods, etc., etc. These all take a toll on you and after they are gone you feel so much better.
Clearer headed, more energy, fabulous skin and much more are just a few of the gains I got from the Purif.
So, my advice would be to go to your local Church or Mission of Scientology and talk to someone about it, or buy the book Clear Body, Clear Mind and read for yourself what the Purif is all about.
Hey "C",
Whether you have to do the Purification Rundown or not is between you and the technical expert who determines what spiritual enhancement you need.
However, I think if you fully understood what the Purif is all about you would actually jump at the chance to do it.
I've done it twice now. Once back in the early 1980s and again in the early 2000s. I had no illegal drug history at all and a minimal medical drug history but I personally got huge gains from the Purif both times.
Unfortunately we live in a world filled with toxins. The fumes from cars, the leaded paint on the walls of an old house, the crap they put into drinking water to kill off bugs, the additives in foods, etc., etc. These all take a toll on you and after they are gone you feel so much better.
Clearer headed, more energy, fabulous skin and much more are just a few of the gains I got from the Purif.
So, my advice would be to go to your local Church or Mission of Scientology and talk to someone about it, or buy the book Clear Body, Clear Mind and read for yourself what the Purif is all about.
Friday, August 22, 2008
Scientology Assist helps get rid of brain tumor
Two weeks before going in for surgery to have a brain tumor removed, the woman with the tumor and her husband attended a lecture on Scientology Assists. After the lecture they applied what they had learned and when it came time for the operation, the pre-op X-ray showed that the tumor had gone. An amazing success story!
Assists are not a substitute for medical treatment. The fact is, after any necessary medical treatment, the individual himself has an enormous capacity to influence the body and its well-being or lack of it. Assists help the individual to influence the body to recover.
Here is the full story of this remarkable success: Scientology Assists Get Rid Of Brain Tumor!!
Thursday, July 17, 2008
So what do we do in Scientology?
I was trying to think of a simple way to answer this question and then I saw that Desi did it for me in her blog post today.
She said a lot, but one particular item I thought deserved emphasis:
I've found that myself. There is something in your life that has affected you for years and years and in a couple of hours of Scientology Auditing it's handled, gone, no-longer-a-problem, fixed. That is an example of the magic of Scientology.
Here is her full post: Get a Better ROI on Life
She said a lot, but one particular item I thought deserved emphasis:
The ratio on this is amazing:
Cumulative hours of time spent worrying or grappling with or refusing to confront these three problems on my own: 36 years
Cumulative time spent resolving these three situations in or out of counseling since last weekend: 8 hours
I've found that myself. There is something in your life that has affected you for years and years and in a couple of hours of Scientology Auditing it's handled, gone, no-longer-a-problem, fixed. That is an example of the magic of Scientology.
Here is her full post: Get a Better ROI on Life
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
The Purification Program
Julia has an interesting post on the Purification Program or (Purification Rundown as it is also called): The Purification Rundown
I have done the Purif twice, once in 1983 and again in 2001. The interesting thing was that the second time was after living in LA for 16 years, and the Purif took longer than the first time. Both times it was wonderful. Not only did I feel fitter physically, but I also found that I could think more clearly which made study and doing a job that requires a lot of mental work much easier.
It's also a blast, and you make some great friends in the sauna. I recommend it to everyone.
I have done the Purif twice, once in 1983 and again in 2001. The interesting thing was that the second time was after living in LA for 16 years, and the Purif took longer than the first time. Both times it was wonderful. Not only did I feel fitter physically, but I also found that I could think more clearly which made study and doing a job that requires a lot of mental work much easier.
It's also a blast, and you make some great friends in the sauna. I recommend it to everyone.
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Scientology and Results
Google Ninja asked several questions. I'll answer them in several posts. Here is the first:
I find Scientology fascinating, and have been reading quite a bit about it recently.
That's cool. I'll do my best to answer your questions.
I have a few questions. First of all, since we are talking about scientific technology, why is the results so varied? I mean, some people will say they LOVED OT3, and that it completely changed their lives, but others will say they didn't get much from it? By definition, a science has reproducible, provable results.
Although Scientology is a religion and not a science, its principles and how to use them are very exact. Like any other technology its results depend upon it being applied correctly. As a software developer you will understand that two people can write a program using the same language and one program can run great and the other can be a piece of @#$#$%. Does that mean the language is invalid? No. It means that one of the developers didn't apply it correctly.
Same goes for Scientology. When I did OT3, I applied the technology correctly and I got a fantastic result. The Church does everything possible to make sure the technology is correctly applied. We call it "Keeping Scientology Working" and it gets a tremendous amount of attention. But in the end it comes down to the individual.
When you complete a course of study in Scientology you get tested to make sure you got it. This is objective: you answered the questions right or you didn't. When you complete Scientology Auditing (counseling) it is a more personal and subjective thing. So the end product is named very clearly and the individual is asked to sign a statement that he or she has achieved that end product to his or her satisfaction. We call this attesting.
When you attest, you state very clearly that you got the result from the action and that you are very happy with it. If someone says "it was okay" or "it sucked" then actions are taken to correct whatever went wrong so that the person is "over the moon" about the action. No one is allowed to complete a major auditing action unless they are "over the moon" about it. What this means is that anyone who says they "didn't get much from it" was either lying at the time they attested or is lying now. Sorry to be so blunt about it, but that is the logical conclusion. (See this article: Any Reasons For Difficulties And Their Correction.)
Secondly, why has nobody been able to pass OT8 in over 13 years? Is it another "Wall of Fire" like OT3? Because by all accounts, it is pretty much the same kind of thing as most of the other levels.
I don't know where you got that data from, but Scientologists have been completing OT8 since it was released in 1988. In fact several of my friends have finished it in the last few months. They all rave about how great it is and how much of an impact it has had on their lives. I guess the place you read that was not a reliable source of information.
I'll answer more of your questions tomorrow.
I find Scientology fascinating, and have been reading quite a bit about it recently.
That's cool. I'll do my best to answer your questions.
I have a few questions. First of all, since we are talking about scientific technology, why is the results so varied? I mean, some people will say they LOVED OT3, and that it completely changed their lives, but others will say they didn't get much from it? By definition, a science has reproducible, provable results.
Although Scientology is a religion and not a science, its principles and how to use them are very exact. Like any other technology its results depend upon it being applied correctly. As a software developer you will understand that two people can write a program using the same language and one program can run great and the other can be a piece of @#$#$%. Does that mean the language is invalid? No. It means that one of the developers didn't apply it correctly.
Same goes for Scientology. When I did OT3, I applied the technology correctly and I got a fantastic result. The Church does everything possible to make sure the technology is correctly applied. We call it "Keeping Scientology Working" and it gets a tremendous amount of attention. But in the end it comes down to the individual.
When you complete a course of study in Scientology you get tested to make sure you got it. This is objective: you answered the questions right or you didn't. When you complete Scientology Auditing (counseling) it is a more personal and subjective thing. So the end product is named very clearly and the individual is asked to sign a statement that he or she has achieved that end product to his or her satisfaction. We call this attesting.
When you attest, you state very clearly that you got the result from the action and that you are very happy with it. If someone says "it was okay" or "it sucked" then actions are taken to correct whatever went wrong so that the person is "over the moon" about the action. No one is allowed to complete a major auditing action unless they are "over the moon" about it. What this means is that anyone who says they "didn't get much from it" was either lying at the time they attested or is lying now. Sorry to be so blunt about it, but that is the logical conclusion. (See this article: Any Reasons For Difficulties And Their Correction.)
Secondly, why has nobody been able to pass OT8 in over 13 years? Is it another "Wall of Fire" like OT3? Because by all accounts, it is pretty much the same kind of thing as most of the other levels.
I don't know where you got that data from, but Scientologists have been completing OT8 since it was released in 1988. In fact several of my friends have finished it in the last few months. They all rave about how great it is and how much of an impact it has had on their lives. I guess the place you read that was not a reliable source of information.
I'll answer more of your questions tomorrow.
Monday, March 17, 2008
Scientology Advanced Courses
chakurakid15 asked about the "OT Levels" (also called Advanced Courses). These are higher levels of Scientology auditing. He asked all sorts of questions so I'll do my best to answer.
My Answer:
I've noticed that several people, chakurakid15 included, seem to have a wrong definition for the term "Thetan", it means: "an immortal spiritual being; the human soul. The term soul is not used because it has developed so many other meanings from use in other religions and practices that it doesn't describe precisely what was discovered in Scientology. We use the term thetan instead, from the Greek letter theta, the traditional symbol for thought or life. One does not have a thetan, something one keeps somewhere apart from oneself; one is a thetan. The thetan is the person himself, not his body or his name or the physical universe, his mind or anything else. It is that which is aware of being aware; the identity which IS the individual"
The amount of garbage I've seen on the Internet purporting to expose "what Scientologists really believe" is quite amazing. That people would spend their time and imagination dreaming it all up is even more amazing. Don't they have better things to do?
For example, chakurakid15 mentioned something about exorcise "evil spirits." We don't do that, heck, we don't even "exercise" 'em :) . You must be mixing Scientology up with some other religion.
What Scientologists actually believe, is simple: Scientology Beliefs. That is all we believe. With everything else in Scientology it is up to the individual to decide for himself or herself whether the information presented is true or not. You study something, you apply it to your life and you see if it works. That's all there is to it. As L. Ron Hubbard said: "Nothing in Dianetics and Scientology is true for you unless you have observed it and it is true according to your observation." (Personal Integrity by L. Ron Hubbard)
Personally, I've never come across anything in Scientology that, after careful and thorough personal inspection and investigation, didn't turn out to be true.
chakurakid15 was asking what you get out of the Advanced Courses. He had heard that after the eighth level "you get things like great strength, the ability to fly, and you can even change the way the reality around you is with just your thoughts". I don't know where you heard that, what I do know is that the gains from the OT Levels up to OT VIII are described in the "Ability Gained" column on the "Bridge to Total Freedom" and accurate data about the OT Levels can be found here: Operating Thetan Levels. I could repeat what is there, but I'm lazy, so please take the time to click and read.
Regarding your questions about space aliens, I will simply refer you here: Do Scientologists believe in aliens?.
I can tell you personally that I've been a Scientologist for over 30 years. I am near the top of the Scientology Bridge (on the auditing side) and have done most of the available Advanced Courses (some are not available yet). The gains I have experienced are so huge that it is difficult to describe them all without going on and on and on ad nauseam. So I'll try to sum it up in a few words: My life is great. I am happy. When I come across something in life that is difficult I can face it and handle it. The personal barriers I had in the past (shyness, various inhibitions, difficulties in certain areas of life, depression, random illnesses, etc., etc.) have all vanished like morning mist in the noonday sun. Life is fun and a blast. I look at life like an exciting adventure and I'm Indiana Jones!
Anyway, that's it on those questions.
My Answer:
I've noticed that several people, chakurakid15 included, seem to have a wrong definition for the term "Thetan", it means: "an immortal spiritual being; the human soul. The term soul is not used because it has developed so many other meanings from use in other religions and practices that it doesn't describe precisely what was discovered in Scientology. We use the term thetan instead, from the Greek letter theta, the traditional symbol for thought or life. One does not have a thetan, something one keeps somewhere apart from oneself; one is a thetan. The thetan is the person himself, not his body or his name or the physical universe, his mind or anything else. It is that which is aware of being aware; the identity which IS the individual"
The amount of garbage I've seen on the Internet purporting to expose "what Scientologists really believe" is quite amazing. That people would spend their time and imagination dreaming it all up is even more amazing. Don't they have better things to do?
For example, chakurakid15 mentioned something about exorcise "evil spirits." We don't do that, heck, we don't even "exercise" 'em :) . You must be mixing Scientology up with some other religion.
What Scientologists actually believe, is simple: Scientology Beliefs. That is all we believe. With everything else in Scientology it is up to the individual to decide for himself or herself whether the information presented is true or not. You study something, you apply it to your life and you see if it works. That's all there is to it. As L. Ron Hubbard said: "Nothing in Dianetics and Scientology is true for you unless you have observed it and it is true according to your observation." (Personal Integrity by L. Ron Hubbard)
Personally, I've never come across anything in Scientology that, after careful and thorough personal inspection and investigation, didn't turn out to be true.
chakurakid15 was asking what you get out of the Advanced Courses. He had heard that after the eighth level "you get things like great strength, the ability to fly, and you can even change the way the reality around you is with just your thoughts". I don't know where you heard that, what I do know is that the gains from the OT Levels up to OT VIII are described in the "Ability Gained" column on the "Bridge to Total Freedom" and accurate data about the OT Levels can be found here: Operating Thetan Levels. I could repeat what is there, but I'm lazy, so please take the time to click and read.
Regarding your questions about space aliens, I will simply refer you here: Do Scientologists believe in aliens?.
I can tell you personally that I've been a Scientologist for over 30 years. I am near the top of the Scientology Bridge (on the auditing side) and have done most of the available Advanced Courses (some are not available yet). The gains I have experienced are so huge that it is difficult to describe them all without going on and on and on ad nauseam. So I'll try to sum it up in a few words: My life is great. I am happy. When I come across something in life that is difficult I can face it and handle it. The personal barriers I had in the past (shyness, various inhibitions, difficulties in certain areas of life, depression, random illnesses, etc., etc.) have all vanished like morning mist in the noonday sun. Life is fun and a blast. I look at life like an exciting adventure and I'm Indiana Jones!
Anyway, that's it on those questions.
Monday, February 25, 2008
Scientology Sunday Service & Other Services
I got a "question" from "David". Throughout his 'question' he comes across as very angry and over and over told me that I am lying.
Here is one of the "lies" he accuses me of:
There are no regular Sunday CoS services. Where are they? What would they be like? Would you stare at Ron for 2 hours? Auditing is the only "service" they provide, and that must be done one-on-one.
Unfortunately with fanatics like David it is impossible to reason with them. If I say that there are Sunday Services at Scientology Churches then I'm lying. The fact that I have attended such services makes no difference to David. Naturally I must be lying about that to. The fact that you can do a search on any search engine and find tons of data on the Scientology Sunday Service means nothing to the David's of this world.
Here are some sites I found when I did a search:
- Scientology Sunday Service, All are welcome
- Scientology Sunday Service in Australia
- Sunday Service at Celebrity Centre
- How do I learn about Scientology?
- Come to Scientology Sunday Service
The list goes on and on and on.
David also shows incredible ignorance and bigotry by his "questions". "Would you stare at Ron for 2 hours?" I was going to say something very nasty in response to that, but I will restrain myself; this is a public place and there may be children present :) . So, I'll just say, "No we wouldn't."
"Auditing is the only 'service' they provide, and that must be done one-on-one." Oh, dear me, David. You show in that one statement how little you know about Scientology. You show that although your "question" was all about the cost of Scientology services you have not bothered to study up on your subject. (I'm sort of cringing at where this is going, because I don't want to sound sarcastic or high-and-mighty but how am I supposed to respond to such a comment? Okay, I'll count to 10 and try to be good. 1, 2, ... 9, 10. )
In Scientology there are many, many "services". Let's start with Sunday Service.
The main part of a Scientology Sunday Service is the sermon which typically addresses a topic related to an important Scientology principle or practice and explores its relevance to everyday existence. Sometimes a recorded L. Ron Hubbard lecture will be played. This is followed by "Group Auditing" (also known as "Group Processing") (note that David: "Group") in which the minister conducting the service uses auditing to extrovert the attention of the attendees with the intention of orienting them to their present time environment and increasing their ability to communicate. Next come announcements regarding community outreach and benevolent activities that the Church and its parishioners are involved in, community programs, Church events, etc. The service ends with a reading of the "Prayer for Total Freedom." At the Sunday Services at Celebrity Centre (which I attended when I lived in LA) they also would often have musicians performing.
You can find out about some of the many other Scientology Services here:
- The Services of Scientology
- Introductory Services
(and please note, David, that they are not all one-on-one auditing).
To answer your other "questions", or maybe "accusations" would be a better word, I already covered them here: Answers to Questions regarding the cost of Scientology Services.
Here is one of the "lies" he accuses me of:
There are no regular Sunday CoS services. Where are they? What would they be like? Would you stare at Ron for 2 hours? Auditing is the only "service" they provide, and that must be done one-on-one.
Unfortunately with fanatics like David it is impossible to reason with them. If I say that there are Sunday Services at Scientology Churches then I'm lying. The fact that I have attended such services makes no difference to David. Naturally I must be lying about that to. The fact that you can do a search on any search engine and find tons of data on the Scientology Sunday Service means nothing to the David's of this world.
Here are some sites I found when I did a search:
- Scientology Sunday Service, All are welcome
- Scientology Sunday Service in Australia
- Sunday Service at Celebrity Centre
- How do I learn about Scientology?
- Come to Scientology Sunday Service
The list goes on and on and on.
David also shows incredible ignorance and bigotry by his "questions". "Would you stare at Ron for 2 hours?" I was going to say something very nasty in response to that, but I will restrain myself; this is a public place and there may be children present :) . So, I'll just say, "No we wouldn't."
"Auditing is the only 'service' they provide, and that must be done one-on-one." Oh, dear me, David. You show in that one statement how little you know about Scientology. You show that although your "question" was all about the cost of Scientology services you have not bothered to study up on your subject. (I'm sort of cringing at where this is going, because I don't want to sound sarcastic or high-and-mighty but how am I supposed to respond to such a comment? Okay, I'll count to 10 and try to be good. 1, 2, ... 9, 10. )
In Scientology there are many, many "services". Let's start with Sunday Service.
The main part of a Scientology Sunday Service is the sermon which typically addresses a topic related to an important Scientology principle or practice and explores its relevance to everyday existence. Sometimes a recorded L. Ron Hubbard lecture will be played. This is followed by "Group Auditing" (also known as "Group Processing") (note that David: "Group") in which the minister conducting the service uses auditing to extrovert the attention of the attendees with the intention of orienting them to their present time environment and increasing their ability to communicate. Next come announcements regarding community outreach and benevolent activities that the Church and its parishioners are involved in, community programs, Church events, etc. The service ends with a reading of the "Prayer for Total Freedom." At the Sunday Services at Celebrity Centre (which I attended when I lived in LA) they also would often have musicians performing.
You can find out about some of the many other Scientology Services here:
- The Services of Scientology
- Introductory Services
(and please note, David, that they are not all one-on-one auditing).
To answer your other "questions", or maybe "accusations" would be a better word, I already covered them here: Answers to Questions regarding the cost of Scientology Services.
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Answers to Questions regarding the cost of Scientology Services
chakurakid15 said:
He's not saying he wants to get a degree in Theology. He's asking why does it cost you money to be IN the church. Christianity does not REQUIRE you to donate money to be in it or make you take classes so you can be saved ...
What he and I are curious about is why do you have to pay for classes to learn more about your religion? I've been in christianity for 13 years, and other then an occasional new bible when mine wears out, I've never been again REQUIRED to pay a cent to learn more about my religion or to get help. Why is it that Scientology does? I don't understand that. I'm not trying to be rude, but that seems a little ridiculous to me. If you could explain that, maybe I could understand a little better where you're coming from.
My response:
Thanks for your questions. I'll do my best to answer them.
The Church of Scientology does NOT REQUIRE you to pay anything to be a Scientologist.
Let's compare what a person (Mr. C) might do if he wants to be a Christian but doesn't want to spend any money and what a person (Mr. S) might do under the same circumstances if he wanted to be a Scientologist.
Mr. C can go to his local public library and get out a Bible.
Mr. S can go to his local public library and get out a Scientology book.
Mr. C can go to his local Christian church to attend a Sunday Service at no charge.
Mr. S can go to his local Scientology church to attend a Sunday Service at no charge.
Mr. C can go to his local Christian church to attend other free services.
Mr. S can go to his local Scientology church to attend other free services.
So far there is no difference and no requirement to pay anything.
The big difference comes when we start talking about the spiritual technology of Scientology, what we in Scientology call "Auditing". There really is no equivalent that I know of in other religions. It is very difficult to describe what I'm talking about without going into tremendous detail, but I'll try to give you the "Reader's Digest" version.
Through Scientology Auditing you can achieve the following abilities:
- Willing to communicate freely with anyone on any subject. Free from or no longer bothered by communication difficulties. No longer withdrawn or reticent.
- Able to recognize the source of problems and make them vanish. No longer worried about problems he has with others, problems they have with him, problems others have with others or problems he has with himself. Can recognize the source of problems.
- Freedom from the hostilities and sufferings of life.
- Freedom from upsets of the past. Ability to face the future. Ability to experience sudden change without becoming upset.
- Ability to move out of fixed conditions and able to do new things. Able to face life without the need to justify his own actions or defend himself from others.
(These are just a few from the full list.)
When you gain these abilities you know it for yourself, no one tells you that you have them. You tell the Auditor (counselor) when you are satisfied you've reached the ability.
To give a person these abilities requires an exactly applied technology. It takes a great deal of work to teach a person how to give these abilities to another. It is not something you can do by simply reading some books. It's sort of like kidney surgery, you can read all the books you like on it but nobody in their right mind is going to let you operate on them. While not quite so life threatening, the technology of Scientology has to be applied exactly and with an accompanying discipline for it to work.
Thus it takes time and resources to do it. It takes Scientology Training. So if a person wants to be certified as a professional Scientology Auditor he will need to go to a properly certified Church which has highly trained professional staff who will make sure he comes out of that training as a professional. Naturally this sort of training costs money.
On the other side is receiving the Auditing so you can achieve the abilities such as those listed above. Delivery of this technology takes a highly trained professional team to do it. It takes time, resources and highly personalized attention. Again this costs money.
I hope that answers your questions about money.
One other thing. There is a word "Thetan" that we use in Scientology. it is a much mis-defined term. The word means "soul", but soul has so many other meanings that we use the term thetan instead, from the Greek letter "theta", the traditional symbol for thought or life. One does not have a thetan, something one keeps somewhere apart from oneself; one is a thetan. The thetan is the person himself, not his body or his name or the physical universe, his mind or anything else. It is that which is aware of being aware; the identity which IS the individual.
What Scientology Auditing (spiritual technology) addresses is you, the thetan and not anything else.
References:
A Description of Auditing
A Description Of Scientology Training
What is auditing?
What is a thetan?
What is training?
Does it cost a lot to be a member of the Church and take services?
Chaplain And Ministerial Services
Dianetics, Scientology & Beyond By L. Ron Hubbard
Auditing to Higher States of Existence
He's not saying he wants to get a degree in Theology. He's asking why does it cost you money to be IN the church. Christianity does not REQUIRE you to donate money to be in it or make you take classes so you can be saved ...
What he and I are curious about is why do you have to pay for classes to learn more about your religion? I've been in christianity for 13 years, and other then an occasional new bible when mine wears out, I've never been again REQUIRED to pay a cent to learn more about my religion or to get help. Why is it that Scientology does? I don't understand that. I'm not trying to be rude, but that seems a little ridiculous to me. If you could explain that, maybe I could understand a little better where you're coming from.
My response:
Thanks for your questions. I'll do my best to answer them.
The Church of Scientology does NOT REQUIRE you to pay anything to be a Scientologist.
Let's compare what a person (Mr. C) might do if he wants to be a Christian but doesn't want to spend any money and what a person (Mr. S) might do under the same circumstances if he wanted to be a Scientologist.
Mr. C can go to his local public library and get out a Bible.
Mr. S can go to his local public library and get out a Scientology book.
Mr. C can go to his local Christian church to attend a Sunday Service at no charge.
Mr. S can go to his local Scientology church to attend a Sunday Service at no charge.
Mr. C can go to his local Christian church to attend other free services.
Mr. S can go to his local Scientology church to attend other free services.
So far there is no difference and no requirement to pay anything.
The big difference comes when we start talking about the spiritual technology of Scientology, what we in Scientology call "Auditing". There really is no equivalent that I know of in other religions. It is very difficult to describe what I'm talking about without going into tremendous detail, but I'll try to give you the "Reader's Digest" version.
Through Scientology Auditing you can achieve the following abilities:
- Willing to communicate freely with anyone on any subject. Free from or no longer bothered by communication difficulties. No longer withdrawn or reticent.
- Able to recognize the source of problems and make them vanish. No longer worried about problems he has with others, problems they have with him, problems others have with others or problems he has with himself. Can recognize the source of problems.
- Freedom from the hostilities and sufferings of life.
- Freedom from upsets of the past. Ability to face the future. Ability to experience sudden change without becoming upset.
- Ability to move out of fixed conditions and able to do new things. Able to face life without the need to justify his own actions or defend himself from others.
(These are just a few from the full list.)
When you gain these abilities you know it for yourself, no one tells you that you have them. You tell the Auditor (counselor) when you are satisfied you've reached the ability.
To give a person these abilities requires an exactly applied technology. It takes a great deal of work to teach a person how to give these abilities to another. It is not something you can do by simply reading some books. It's sort of like kidney surgery, you can read all the books you like on it but nobody in their right mind is going to let you operate on them. While not quite so life threatening, the technology of Scientology has to be applied exactly and with an accompanying discipline for it to work.
Thus it takes time and resources to do it. It takes Scientology Training. So if a person wants to be certified as a professional Scientology Auditor he will need to go to a properly certified Church which has highly trained professional staff who will make sure he comes out of that training as a professional. Naturally this sort of training costs money.
On the other side is receiving the Auditing so you can achieve the abilities such as those listed above. Delivery of this technology takes a highly trained professional team to do it. It takes time, resources and highly personalized attention. Again this costs money.
I hope that answers your questions about money.
One other thing. There is a word "Thetan" that we use in Scientology. it is a much mis-defined term. The word means "soul", but soul has so many other meanings that we use the term thetan instead, from the Greek letter "theta", the traditional symbol for thought or life. One does not have a thetan, something one keeps somewhere apart from oneself; one is a thetan. The thetan is the person himself, not his body or his name or the physical universe, his mind or anything else. It is that which is aware of being aware; the identity which IS the individual.
What Scientology Auditing (spiritual technology) addresses is you, the thetan and not anything else.
References:
A Description of Auditing
A Description Of Scientology Training
What is auditing?
What is a thetan?
What is training?
Does it cost a lot to be a member of the Church and take services?
Chaplain And Ministerial Services
Dianetics, Scientology & Beyond By L. Ron Hubbard
Auditing to Higher States of Existence
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