Serious question

[Tru2form]

I see two possibilities and in one, I have to play Devil's Advocate.

Scenario I: Let's assume, for a moment, that the tech works and that the core of the belief is benign. L Ron really wanted to save the world and the Church is what it says it is.

The reason I could see them being reluctant to lower prices is that the money, in theory, is there to help spread the message and provide resources to make the world a better place. A lowering of price might seem as a lower commitment to doing the right thing.

In this scenario, the problem is simply the CoS has lost sight of the mission, and the means have become the ends. If this is the case, then all the Church needs is a wake up call; to be reminded what it was created to do.

Now there is a group who believes in the tech and doesn't charge, The Freezoners. (Jughood, you mentioned in another post that you didn't like the Freezoners. I'm curious as to why.)

Scenario II: The Church was always built as a money making scheme. L Ron really was a con man that happened to plug into some effective methods found in other philosophies and/or religions and set them up in a structure that funnels money to the top of the pyramid.

If this is the case, then the money is the point. Prices won't be lowered because someone is profiting and doesn't want to stop profiting.

The central problem in this scenario is that, if this is true, the core of the church is a scam and it can only be stopped by being dismantled or changed such that it no longer resembles anything like the current structure.[/b]

Jughood, that is what I don´t understand too. What I have learned so far, most of the Scientologist are good people willing to help others and make Earth a better place. But it seems that Scientologists cannot, because their management has other goals and bad moral.

If Scientology wants to survive management has to change for the better. You cannot attract new people if you don´t change your actions.

And, I want to repeat it again: Nobody want to destroy the beliefs of Scientology. We have no right to, nobody has. But we can judge your management and their actions because it effects us non-scientologists.

thank you jughood, you've basically asked THE question. why are they so secretive, why are the so hostile and why do they charge so much? you give me hope that some day maybe the CoS might become a legitimate religion, don't ever stop asking that question.

the only answer I (a member of Anonymous) have been able to come up with is, they are secretive because they have criminal activities to hide, they are aggressive because they don't want critical attention (to draw attention to said secrets or any logical inconsistencies) and they charge so much because to the people in charge it's nothing more than a money makeing venture. you can see why I'd be against this organisation. unfortunately I don't think you will be able to fix it from inside, there are just too many corrupt people with too much power you make the slightest move against them and you'll be declared.

[Grundy]

My theory: Power. Absolute power.

Think about what you would do with a few thousand people hanging on your every word, and ponying up cash as needed, and your own secret police.

Not a pretty picture, and now imagine someone who's spent his whole life in such a society. That's probably DM's problem. LRH founded it as a means for power, and thus his grab on things, and DM's living it now.

Think about how long it took Christianity to calm down from Witch Burnings and Crusades. Look into the Old Testamat when the Israelites arrived in the holy land. Remeber, it wasn't empty... it was full of people that God apparently ordered to be slaughtered. One could point to Islam still in the throes of calming down.

Also, think about what it takes to move up the bridge and ranks of power. You need to be greedy (Paying for things, and wanting more.), ruthless (The higher up you go, the narrower the pyramid.), and tricky (Because everyone else at those levels are greey and ruthless.) When you get to the top, you'll think you've "earned" and "deserve" rewards. Look into the old habits of selling papal favors and blessings. Not suprisingly, the papacy of those times were more about political jockying and profiteering than ministering.

If the CoS really plans on surviving at all, it'll probably need a massive purge of most of the people currently running it. Too many seem to be so lock-step dedicated to keeping their positions of power more than any ideals, even ideals of saving their own church.

because the OSA isn't crawling all the hell over this board already...
they know every word this guy has said.