The St. Petersburg Times is running a series on the Church of Scientology that has some pretty eye-popping allegations, particularly with regard to Church leader David Miscavige. For those who have long argued that the Church is a cult (most recently in Europe) the exposé will likely reinforce their views.
The newspaper reports bizarre and abusive conduct by Miscavige, including hitting high-ranking officials and forcing them to play a game of musical chairs (where the losers allegedly are banned from the Church).
The Los Angeles Times also has a story alleging rampant corruption in the Church.
The series on Scientology is something of a surprise. Many reporters that I have spoken with over the years are privately reluctant to do Scientology stories because of the Church’s aggressive reputation in responding to press. The Church has a history of suing critics and pursuing members who have joined the movement opposing Scientology. This has led to recent lawsuits ( and here) and complaints. Recently, Scientology also was barred from making edits on Wikipedia because of what it viewed as a pattern of misleading or false changes on sites referencing the Church.
For the first part of the three-part series, click here.
For the second part of the three-part series, click here.
IS,
Honestly the most insulting thing about that whole tirade was that I only rated making fun of my pen name. Well, that’s the price one pays for moderation.
Troll:
“he commentary of Buddha is laughing, mespo, Mike Spindell, and Vince Treacy have been very effective in exploring those ‘metaphysical subtleties’.”
************
I suspect subtleties of any kind are foreign to you and yours–it doesn’t translate well when conversing with neo-cons. Too many words for the flash cards, I suppose.
BIL,
On June 23, 2009 at 11:39 am Jim Byrne SAID “I almost can’t believe that I am reading such ignorant, un-American rhetoric from such elitists.”
On June 23, 2009 at Buddha is laughing SAID “As to your last bolded statements, if you want to start throwing around the term “Un-American”, you can end the “discussion” right now and go fornicate yourself and your little avatar, troll.”
BIL, you’re being dishonest. Jim did not call you, or anyone else “un-American”. He referred to the rhetoric. You were the first to reply to his comment.
Of course you won’t apologize. That’s not in the elitist play book.
I see a pattern here. One can say “I like pancakes”. The adversary will say “You’re an idiot. There’s nothing wrong with waffles” In defense, the initial commentor attempts to defend with “I didn’t say anything about waffles”. The adversary replies with “That’s what you meant to say. You just think you’re clever enough to get away with it.”
Who is being dishonest?
“Laws are made for men of ordinary understanding and should, therefore, be construed by the ordinary rules of common sense. Their meaning is not to be sought for in metaphysical subtleties which may make anything mean everything or nothing at pleasure.” —Thomas Jefferson
The commentary of Buddha is laughing, mespo, Mike Spindell, and Vince Treacy have been very effective in exploring those “metaphysical subtleties”.
“anyway, strawberry season is peaking now. I’m moved on to blackberries. did you know you can freeze blackberries and use them for fresh blackberry pie for thanksgiving? or any winter time treat?”
________________________________
Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!
Educating liberals is like herding cats. They just cant learn. What are you all cat people? Cats are quite nice but dumber than hell. At least a dog can learn to fetch a ball. And a Jack Russel is a better mouser than a cat. So there, take that cat lovers.
I am sorry that was to low even for a troll, I’ll give the cat its spot above a Jack Russel-but not by much.
Leo writes: “right *work* and grok…”
The over-consumption of strawberries leads to dyslexic transpositions of ‘k’ for’d’ and ‘verse visa’….
FFLEO admits that he had to look up the *word* grok.
me: I can spell just fine and am not dyslexic. I can’t type very well, is all.
that should have been “right word”
these kinds of errors do not show up on spell check.
i have this awful keyboard with a broken shift key and yeah, I know I could get a better one, a new one, but have gotten used to turning out sub par writings.
anyway, strawberry season is peaking now. I’m moved on to blackberries. did you know you can freeze blackberries and use them for fresh blackberry pie for thanksgiving? or any winter time treat?
oh my is it that obvious? all you wise old intellectuals. Oh please tell me what to read I am waiting with baited breath. I so appreciate the opportunity to learn at the feet of the Masters:
From Gyges I can learn about invisible people who do stupid things
From Buddha I can learn how to cut and paste and it keep it congruent.
From GWMom I can Learn, well now that I think about it not much of anything (go back to shopping and annoying your husband)
from hidflect I can learn nothing at all.
from Mike Spindell I can learn about progressive thought all 1 sentence of it, but I think I know it already “if you work take your salary cut it into thirds and give your neighbor 1/3, the government 1/3 and you can keep the rest”
GdumbMom- why the f$%#@ would I want to learn anything about a philosophy that at its’ core is degrading to human beings. I already know what I need to know about commies and socialists-they suck and they ruin every thing they touch.
Did you all know that during the mid 1800’s in this country there were numerous socialist societies that had communes? Guess what every single one failed or turned to capitalism to make it work. Oh and the Pilgrims tried it to and oh guess what that did not work either and you know why? Probably not but I will tell you, because it is against mans nature as a rational being, that is why. But I guess none of you would understand that. Progressives, what a bunch of dopes, high ideals and good intentions but no outcome other than penury, hunger and woe.
Now you can all go back to sleep and dream your big dreams of changing men into gods and ending hunger, poverty and whatever else ails mankind. You all dream while capitalists actually do all of that.
everyone of you is an intellectual candy a$$.
Nazi’s are socialists-National Socialists they did not call themselves National Fascists.
GWLSM wrote:
“…while writing this morning I sat searching for just the right work and grok just sprang to mind”
_________________________________
“right *work* and grok…”
The over-consumption of strawberries leads to dyslexic transpositions of ‘k’ for’d’ and ‘verse visa’….
FFLEO admits that he had to look up the *word* grok.
buddha writes:
You used the verb “to grok” in context. You are woman after my own heart.
And I too perceive youth being a factor.
me: thanks, doll. while writing this morning I sat searching for just the right work and grok just sprang to mind.
maybe we should go into the profiling business.
Gyges,
Speak for yourself. I think the Mullah’s are just dreamy!!!!
GWLSMom,
You used the verb “to grok” in context. You are woman after my own heart.
And I too perceive youth being a factor.
Gyges writes: I still don’t think IS falls into the “troll” category, but I think our disagreement is more over the use of the word troll then of the facts of the situation.
I think IS was like a home schooled kid who never learned how to make friends and never graduated college and is probably 22 and unemployed and lives with his twice-divorced mother and watches Glenn Beck and O’Really and Hannity on the old 25″ in his bedroom and groks over their lies and damn lies because he can’t get a date and his mother won’t let him watch porn.
he’s different and it makes him feel good to be different, to be perceived as different because that makes him feel special. if he appears to be difficult it is simply because he has chosen to be ignorant. it is just as easy to chose to become educated and to take the advice of well-meaning adults who have offered to guide him through a few history books and the benefit of mature experience.
given who his tv heroes are it is unlikely that he will be able to individuate from them at any time in the future. individuation and maturation is hard work. learning to think for oneself and develop ideas and standards based in fact and from personal experience is hard work. it isn’t easy to take something from column a and b and c and taste all the flavors and decide what really works when you can just eat from the bottomless carton of swill that fox news dishes up.
my advice to IS: turn off the tv. turn off the computer for 6 months. sell everything you have, IS, and buy a plane ticket. travel. meet new people. see some ancient ruins and read the guidebook. then toss the guidebook and just open your eyes and your mind. then come back to the US enroll in community college get a real job and see where experience dovetails with open minded learning.
Gyges,
Your mom really should be proud. You optimist you. 😀
Et al,
Nevermind, just read This from IS:
“most in this blog havent seen a dictator they dont like. although the Mullahs touch a chord because they believe in a God. ”
I always admit when I’m wrong, and I’m admitting it now.
Mike, Buddha, Et al,
I still don’t think IS falls into the “troll” category, but I think our disagreement is more over the use of the word troll then of the facts of the situation.
To me, a troll is somebody who’s sole purpose is to inflame people who are part of an online community. I think IS is much more likely to be playing missionary than Robin Goodfellow. Jim, I’m not so sure on anymore, which is why in general I’ve left him alone.
I could be just assuming the best in people, but if that’s the worst that’s said of me, I’d have made Mom proud.
FFLEO,
I’m pretty sure you should be tipping the Stetson I assume you wear at Lotta.
IS writes: I have read a good deal about the camps, it was horrible and may it never come to pass again. I am sure we can agree on that.
But in my opinion when the state is placed above the individual and that is what socialism and communism do, the logical conclusion is the destruction of human beings. It happened in Nazi Germany, it happened in China, it happened in Soviet Russia, it is happening in Iran.
me: yeah you regret what happened in the camps but you did not retract your statement about what liberal intellectuals were up to in the late 40’s, did you?
communism means that everything is collectively owned by the people. fascism means that everything is owned by the state. nazis were fascists.
can you wrap your teeny tiny little brain around that?
I know, at the far left and right extremes fascism and communism kinda look similar but they are not.
while there is no law against ignorance try to remember that ignorance is a choice and like many other things you have chosen it appears that you have chosen ignorance and have decided to wear that like a crown on your head. it fits you well.
I wish a fond goodbye to Mr. Byrne, for now. I would like to point out that I caught onto his act early though, while others
felt he was “engageable.” No gloat, well perhaps a little, the real point is that how people use their language indicates the honesty or disingenuousness of their positions. In Mr. Byrne’s case I saw this dishonesty early on, but allowed that I might be judging too quickly. His own subsequent posts revealed himself and affirmed my original judgment.
I think at times all of us regulars, myself included, react to those we disagree with as trolls, when there is just an honest debate afoot. The phrasing of people’s points should be the best indicator to us as to whether they are trolls, or merely represent another position on an issue. This is tied in with whether when engaged they try to refute your points, or ignore them and change the topic.
“If it makes you all feel any better I went to the handbook of progressive thought in the 20th century and sure enough on page 213 was a description of Nazi’s – right wing organization dedicated to the destruction of individual freedom and liberty. Used by modern day conservatives as a role model for good government. My apologies. And I thought they were on the left, gosh darn wrong again. Thank goodness for the handbook.”
IS,
Now you are not just annoyingly ignorant of history, you are beginning to make stupid jokes. Of course there is no such “handbook,” so your attempt at irony was childish. Most regular posters here do not need handbooks, or other party line preachers to formulate their ideas. They read widely and more importantly, they think.
You on the other hand have done nothing but prove that you are neither an extensive reader, nor really interested in any history that doesn’t fit into your preconceptions. your handbook is listening to Rush, Sean and Glenn and swallowing their ignorant rantings whole. They of course got their ideas from Grover Norqvist and Karl Rove. It is obvious that this is true because you endlessly repeat their propaganda.
As Jill and others aptly have stated, when you are faced with someone directly refuting your statements, you simply ask other questions and ignore addressing the points made.
That does qualify you as a troll, but like Jim Byrne a shifty one. The question any rational person must ask themselves is why do people like you do it? One possible answer is the delight that faux conservative have in “riling
up them Libruls.” While you may well be having fun don’t you realize how stupid you show yourself and your opinions to be?
By the way don’t give me the elitist crap, because the people you truly worship, the “haves” and “have mores” that GW Bush called his base, are the real elitists. Perhaps you are one of them and have an income in the top one percent. I have no way of knowing. My guess though is that you’re just an average working guy, who doesn’t understand where his own self interest lies.
Lottakatz,
Are you a Mr. or a Ms.? I am not trying to pry, just that you are sometimes referred to as she and sometimes as he.
Thanks
“Big government provided all the necessities that the people wanted, but in turn no one was allowed to voice opposition to the only government party. Socialized medicine, socialized workers, and cradle to grave care was provided by the big government”
Troll,
Get your history straight. All of the things you say were provided by Hitler were actually instituted by then German
Chancellor Count Otto Von bismarck. These were implemented between 1883 and 1889 and were supported by Von bismarck as the duty of Christians. There are literally no recognized historians that would characterize Von bismarck as a liberal.
It is so hard discussing these issues with people who don’t have even a rudimentary knowledge, or interest in, history. I learned this about Von bismarck, by the way, in High School. What were you doing at the time, smoking grass?