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My Fascination with Cults and the Absurd reactions to them
Absurb responses do not help.

There are very few organizations in this world like the so called Church of Scientology. To call this a religion is a grotesque perversion of the term. We do have extreme rationalists like Richard Dawkins who are happy to tar them all with the one brush but this is hard an intelligent or effective answer to a serious problem. For materialist rationalist like Dawkins all religion is the same even the pseudo religions that have their feet squarely in the atheist camp.


Some years ago L Ron Hubbard created his society based upon a concept that he called ‘Dianetics’ The science of the mind. Within months of his publication of the book it was condemned by Psychiatrists as being pseudo quackery and potentially dangerous. There no was talk of religious meaning at this stage of L Ron Hubbard’s career. Instead this was in his view a ‘science’ that he himself had discovered through deep research and experience. Dianetics can be compared to Richard Dawkins concept of the Meme in many ways. They both deal with the function of the mind; they are used to explain problems in their evidence with singular reference; they are both non material and essentially cannot be tested scientifically; they both require faith as the key reason for following them. Yet Dawkins is able to sell his pseudo science to the unsuspecting with a lot less skepticism. We may wonder what would happen if L Ron Hubbard tried to promote the Meme theory and Dawkins Dianetics.


The shift from being a pseudo psychology cult to a pseudo religious cult came as L Ron Hubbard was being investigated for fraud. L Ron had been interested in getting into the religious world for purely financial gain. He confided to a friend that ‘he was interest in starting a religion, rather than existing as a penny per word author because that was where the real money was.’ It was not just a cynical leap but one that protected him from losing assets as he donned the religious veneer. Suddenly all his pulp science fiction novels became holy scripture and his creating called Dianetics became the centre piece of an oppressive cult designed to systematically fleece people of money. When people refer to oppressive cults the usually refer to Scientology as the worst example possible. Its activities have been well document and exposed in various court cases. The most significant case occurred when Scientology agents infiltrated the FBI headquarters to chase after their enemies. Several high ranking Scientologists, including Lon Hubbard’s wife were convicted and sent to prison over that incident.

The biggest giveaway that something is not right about any movement is the level of deceit that it blatantly displays. Scientology is no different. Their symbol is designed to look like a Christian cross. However Scientology is in no way a Christian religion and rejects the Christianity as a false and destructive influence implanted by the evil Xenu. The other deception is that people must pay thousands of dollars to learn their beliefs. It is an incremental scale of payments that has been calculated to be around $300,000 to reach a point where you are permitted to know the secret truths. Even to learn about Xenu will cost thousands of dollars and hundreds of hours of auditing (brainwashing). Legitimate and safe religions do not engage in this sort of practice. Most will provide you with the books and learning material free. Their beliefs are readily available for scrutiny and examination. Unlike deceptive cults they do not try to hide information and charge thousands of dollars to reveal it. If you can go to a library and read the entire doctrine of a particular religion then that is an indication that they have nothing to hide before you join them.

Oppressive cults are called so because they do oppress people in a several and often cruel manner. They engage in deceptive behavior to trick people into joining them; they hide their agenda and doctrine; they also engage in mind control and manipulations like ‘love bombing’ and ‘ego stripping’. They also seek to destroy perceived enemies and see all those that are not in their little club as no trustworthy. L Ron Hubbard called his outsiders WOGS and independent media the ‘Wog Media’. They were no to be trusted under any circumstances. He also had a policy of ‘Fair Game’ that was to ruthlessly hunt down and destroy people he called ‘Suppressive Persons’ ie: enemies and the enemies of Scientology. People who fallen victim to this policy have had their lives destroyed under a relentless barrage of smear campaigns false police reports and framings. The people arrested infiltrating the FBI were doing just that.

Scientology is not the only cult to have an equivalent of the ‘Fair Game’ policy. Political cults have also engaged in this practice of destroying perceived enemies or running smear campaigns against those who they think lack sufficient loyalty to their cause. The idea of having a rival viewpoint is not some esoteric question for oppressive cults, rival viewpoints are bad for business because they distract potential victims.

An absurd notion at this point is to take all associations and tar them with the same brush. This is not only wrong but can often be an intentional deception. People who want to promote their narrow policy will try to employ the ‘straw man’ version of what they oppose rather than the true version. Rather than say that they oppose something because it conflict with their personal doctrine and dogmas they try to use sweeping generalizations to make the case. Poor inductive thinking stands out like this: Scientology is bad; Scientology is a religion; Here is another religion therefore it must also be bad. Yet this is exact the kind of thinking that people like Richard Dawkins present to world as brilliant wisdom. I shudder to think that there are people who swallow this line.

The possession of one crazy notion is never nullified by an equal and opposite notion. That only leads to more craziness in the world, not less. Perhaps we should be looking harder at the policies of these new saviors from religion. What do they really represent and what policies are they trying to promote?

I am always fascinated with the workings of cults and mini cults.

For another view on this subject you can go here:
Really Long Link
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In a Climate of Fear who will Speak the Truth
And then they came for me...

Many people like freedom in way that they cannot describe. They like it like they like ice-cream and parties. They like but when pressed to describe it they become lost. Isn’t it any wonder that there are people who try to blur the lines between anarchy and freedom? For some people anarchy is the only freedom that they will ever consider.

There is a problem with building anything that has anarchy as its basis and that is anarchy is just another dictatorship. Eventually only the strong or powerful rule and everyone else is bullied or suppressed in some way. “Anarchist is just a confused tyrant,” Mussolini once wrote. I do believe that he was being honest on this rare occasion. Thugs and bullies will always come to fore whenever they find even the slightest opening. The vast majority of us are not so inclined and so we become targets. The power hungry will always look for ways to cease power from those accept them into to their homes. The power hungry do not like us, do not trust us and they want us gone.

There is a climate of fear being driven across this tiny universe that we inhabit. A climate where you are being judged by your view point, rather than by the content of your character. The climate of fear is being driven by those who cannot stand the thought of a voice that disagrees with theirs. More than that, they fear that you will write something that others may read and agree with. You honest and forthright words are being seen as too dangerous to allow to exist. You are the enemy because freedom of conscience is their enemy.

You may not know who they are, then again you may. We do not need to name these people because we can see how they operate.

For those of us who have seen real oppression this is no different.
It begins with a climate of fear and end with purge of anyone who days speak out of place.
This is what is happening now.
Eventually those who do not fully support them are targeted and told to give their loyalty.
They want your fear, obedience and yourself respect.

They came for the Jews
But we said nothing because I was not a Jew
They came for the Muslims and still I said nothing because I was not a Muslim
They came for the Christians, Buddhist and Hindus because ….

And then they came for me.

If this is to an end the let it be known that the greatest honor one can given is to be sacrificed in the name of liberty.
It is badge of pride that those who trade on fear will never know.

<>< ><>


And then they came for me.



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Musical Pariahs in the Middle East

Twelve months ago Iranian President Mahmoud
iran
Affections change quickly. Ahmadinejad is now the new pariah
would have been seen in a better light by the west than US President George W Bush. Obstructionist and confrontational was the label he was given for the rhetoric that came from the White House. The contention was the nuclear power plant being constructed by Iran with aid of Russia. We could easily imagine that in this environment how the Bush Regime had built up a deficit of trust over the Iraq War. Also how the trouble in Iraq was being blamed on Iran may have seemed like a smoke screen. There was speculation that Iran would be hit before the nuclear power plants were completed. Over a decade earlier Israel bombed Iraq’s only nuclear power plant into rubble just before it was to be completed. This time the speculation was that Israel would do the same thing to Iran’s nuclear power plants. The message was clear, neither Israel nor the Bush Administration would tolerate an Iran that had any capacity to produce nuclear weapons, no matter how remote.

For many this just echoed a line that we had all heard before. Namely that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction that were capable of being launched within minutes. The WMD was the argument to go to war and after two years of searching all over Iraq the Bush Administration finally reported that they never existed. In this light any claims that Iran was building up WMD’s, in the form of nuclear weapons, seemed like a case of ‘fool me twice, shame on me’. The credibility gap for such claims had been destroyed by the example of the Iraq War. In this kind of environment, particularly as a dirt USA election campaign started, Ahmadinejad’s errors were less important than Bush and the Neo Cons.

In the past month some light has been shined upon the kind of character that Ahmadinejad really is. The disputed election has led to widespread protests across Iran with violence and heavy handed crackdowns taking place. In the first time since the 1979 revolution street protests and defiance of authority is taking place. Videos show protesters throwing stones at police and they also show police beating people. Regardless of the validity of the election result there seems to be enormous pressure on the current rulers of Iran to either give in or to quash all decent. A revolution against the revolutionary regime seems unlikely but a crippling of the capacity to stop decent seems likely.

The vision of a young women in Iraq slowing dying from gunshot wound to the chest is still being circulated across youtube. It is very disturbing and shows being helped until blood starts pouring out of her nose and mouth. I do not recommend people see it if they are easily upset. However her picture is now being used as inspiration for the protesters as they call her a martyr for democracy. Other people who have been killed after Iranian police visits have also been held up as symbolizing life under an oppressive regime.

Regardless of how people view the election result the image of Ahmadinejad has been damaged by his own attitude to this crisis. He refuses to consider that the election results requires a recount and he has threatened heavier crack downs if protests continue. Instead of looking like a strong leader that opposes US and Israeli geopolitical interference in the Middle East he looks more like a despot dictator clutching onto every straw of power that he can. In the span of about one month the Anti Bush hero has become the new pariah of the Middle East.

This change of image may eventually come back to haunt Ahmadinejad when talk of taking out his nuclear capabilities enters the political debate once more. The argument that he is dangerous and irrational is being built by his own actions in the last elections. This mishandling of an internal crisis with jackboot diplomacy does nothing but add fuel to any impeding propaganda blitz that would argue that Iran’s nuclear facilities should be obliterated. What then of Obama’s desire to engage with Iran in a new spirit of co-operation? It will be very difficult for him to offer olive branches soon without appearing to support a ruthless crackdown at the same time. Perhaps he will learn from this experience and realize that not every enemy of George W Bush is therefore his friend.


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fff
Blogger at work


In the grand scheme of things I would say that very few people of talent purely develop those talents as a money making venture. They may consider it a possible goal, even an ambition, a bench mark but if that is the only goal then talent only ever suffers as a result. I hang around a lot a musicians, as some of you may know, and one thing about musos is you can quickly tell the ones who are in it for short term gratification. Those who are in it to develop talent and skills are a lot different so that they can make artistic milestones are genuinely respected


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We of the Nevar Nevar

June 29th 2009 00:57
We of the Nevar Nevar
Darkest before the Dawn

I do believe that We of the Never Never is a great story that will be told for years to come


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Dear Stalker

June 26th 2009 23:31
Dear Stalker

I have always wondered what thrill you get from hiding in the shadows and striking when people are not looking. I mean. Wow, it must take a lot of courage to live the knowledge that you have been deprived of ever showing courage. Never mind the convoluted logic of that previous sentence. I think you know what I mean


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ORBLE HAS BEEN HACKED

EVERYONE BE AWARE THAT THIS CAN HAPPEN TO YOU TOO


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And whatever you do Nevar mention the Racism

According to the powers that be no one here has the right to seek legal advice


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Nevar was banned from Orble for complaining about a racist slur against his wife. Discuss.

This is the sequence of events


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The Embodiment of Stupidity

June 20th 2009 03:53
The Embodiment of Stupidity
A typical activists looking up statistics

Suddenly everything is a human right. Everything from the telephone to film ratings is a human right. Not that I would begrudge people demanding special rights for their relationship with fish but do such relationships have to be shoved in our faces? Do such people have to give the proverbial finger to all around them in such an arrogant manner? The in-your-face, I-dance-on-your-grave attitude is now as much a part of the modern culture as whipping slaves was in ancient Egypt. Take that, you all


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