By "ewsnead" more
17 June 2005
Source:
http://groups.google.com/group/alt.religion.scientology/msg/8fd24de737eed892
The persistent onslaught of Scientology criticism prompted by
Tom Cruise's very public avowal of undying love to poor Katie
Holmes continues unabated. After properly addressing the
escalating horrors in the Middle East or some pressing domestic
issue, the print media and talking heads take liberal and
calculated opportunity to belittle the diminutive Cruise and his
ridiculous cult at every turn. We've reached a point that
publicly bashing Scientology incurs the risk of fatigue even
among some seasoned critics. Not so long ago it seemed that the
occasional newspaper editorial critically calling attention to
the cult or the unflattering tabloid snapshots of fat Kirstie
flipping off a tourists taking her photo, prominently stood out
amid the outcroppings of topics that generated a broader based
public concern.
Who, aside from the miniscule cadre of cult cognoscenti had
inclination to even consider the evil deeds and cultural
implications of a cult introduced to the world by some erstwhile
(and ersatz) science fiction
author. What a difference a year makes. Nowadays any media
profiling of the cult in rapid-fire fashion follows another.
Thanks to its star pupil, Tom Cruise, Scientology recently
entered our livingroom lexicon as a synonym for a crank and
dangerous aggregation of whack jobs. Never before has the rotten
House of Hubbard weathered such withering scrutiny and delicious
derision. The floodgates yawned immediately following that
fateful instance of cultural space and time when Tom in
spectacular fashion exposed his engrams to the world by
performing the infamous Couch Dance before a ga-ga-ing Oprah
Winfrey and her hysterical gaggle of front row seals.
In addition to its bizarro belief system, the well-documented
legacy of Scientology's criminal behavior precludes possibility
of any conventionally measured assessment of its enduring
cultural relevance as a bona fide religion. Indeed, Scientology
spins upon its own axis of self-conferred legitimacy. However,
when pressed, cult spokespersons insist upon their automatic
entitlement to religious status by a bedeviling triple denial:
first they deny the existence of a core theology concocted from
comic book science fiction; then when
Xenu is publicly outed,
they deny the illegitimacy of such theology bearing the regal
stamp of Xenu; finally, and most insidiously, they deny that the
engraved public record of their past criminality has any factual
bearing upon the actuality of their prior (and current)
activities. Whatever pretensions to spirituality are actually
supported by these convoluted defense motions, it seems that a
change of venue to the Centurion star system might afford them
sole opportunity for a fair hearing. What becomes increasingly
plain is that the current round of satirizing and more judicious
public exposure relegates the cult to the ignominious cultural
scrapheap of claptrap it so richly deserves. It's about time.
This criticism will continue in earnest. Since the sacrosanct
public relations defenses of Hubbard's sordid creation have now
become fatally breached, the cult's legacy of lies and social
vampirism appear so grossly unambiguous. This demands a public
reckoning, and it will occur at a considerably diminished risk
to those who would report it. The Scientology target becomes
progressively less dangerous to the extent its antagonists are
broad based, work in concert, attack from many different
directions, and play to unequivocal public sentiment concerning
foundations of human decency.
We've crossed a watershed. Any attempted retribution by
Scientology against institutional critics (The cult still
maintains significant capacity to make an example of individual
critics) backfires to the extent that it entails extra-legal
tactics and in consequence, prompts further investigation with
more prolonged and ugly public exposure of its criminal
disposition. Scientology no longer reliably enforces silence and
secrecy as a broad strategy of concealment with regard to its
intentions and activities and as a weapon against would-be
adversaries. The costs of criminal containment have come to
outweigh any benefits. The vagaries of the real world attained
sufficient critical mass to finally overcame the purportedly
impregnable Hubbard doctrine of "Always attack!! Never defend!"
Scientology currently finds itself pinned down in a tiny corner
of the room into which it spent so many years diligently
painting itself. Its founder refused to consider the possibility
of setbacks to his agenda and failed to develop more flexible
approaches to adversity. His successor lacked even this iota of
imagination. So goes the dwindling spiral of Scientology.
--
ewsnead
We accumulate our opinions at an age when our understanding
is at its weakest. — George
Christoph Lichtenberg
http://www.xenu.net
http://www.xenu-directory.net/mirrors/www.whyaretheydead.net
http://www.lermanet.com
http://www.scientomogy.info/index.html#NEW
http://firstdistributorsnz.com/scien...south-park.htm
http://www.torymagoo.org
http://www.xenutv.com
and (polite drum roll)
http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/story/9363363/inside_scientology |