As for your “self-actualized” friend: think of it like drugs. I’ve known plenty of losers who were also giant potheads. But by and large, all of them were equally big losers before they ever discovered weed. Meanwhile, I know plenty of potheads who are great people and productive members of society, and plenty of straightedge losers.
Your friend might have been equally self-actualized by Christianity, or Islam, or Buddhism, or Oprah, or nothing at all. There’s no reason to think that Scientology alone was responsible.
Let me ask two questions:
Do you have too much money?
Do you like your brain and personality the way it is now, or the way some dude who wants to get his hands on all your money will change it?
Well, now I have to say one possible good thing: if your life and brain is fucked up beyond all hope, and you just can’t stand normal religions or TM or whatever, then sure, why the fuck not- if your life really can’t get worse.
I used to live in Hollywood. Many of my friends went into Scientology. All but one of them changed for the worse. One dude was a complete drugged out loser whacko, and his scientology freinds forced him into it. Now he’s just a brainwashed Scientology loser, which is a improvement.
But dude- you are a SDMB Member, thus you are smarter than average and you have at least that to lose. Don’t. Please.
I’m interested to know if you’re quoting something he said here - reason being that I watched that BBC documentary about Scientology recently and they interviewed a bunch of celebs who are into it. They all said almost exactly the same thing; “it’s made me a better person on a daily basis” - it wasn’t just that they all happened to be in agreement about what they considered the positive side of it, it’s that they were all saying the same thing, almost verbatim - indicating to me (I think) that they’re just reciting some slogan they’ve been given.
They have, but they’re a mixed bag to say the least. Google FreeZone. Warning: Some of these people are*** way ***nuts-er than the run-of-the-mill Scienos.
My only advice would be; don’t go if you’re not sure about wanting to join. If you want to go just for a laugh, or to see what it’s like, don’t. just remember these people are experts at what they do. Make no commitments. At all.
Know that if you do go, thanks to your friend they will have your name, address, and every personal fact about you that your friend knows(along with everything that can be found out about you on the internet)-they will use this information to make it look as if they’ve got the inside track on your life. If you still insist on giving it a shot, go by yourself(without telling your friend that you are doing this), park some distance away, and give a fake name and no address. This reduces the chances of a "hot reading ".
Ask yourself if you really want to give your money to any group endorsed by Tom Cruise. If the answer is yes, then go for it: you are already beyond salvation.
Just kinda curious enough to ask, but not enough to search myself:
Several folks have referred to Scientology as a for-profit pyramid scheme. I was wondering, who is getting rich from it? L. Ron’s is long gone. Are there “shareholders”? A wealthy “priesthood”? Or is it suggested that if you buy your way up to a certain level or recruit enough converts you’ll start getting a cut?
They are hugely litigious, and will easily out-lawyer anybody they choose to attack. Plus they have a habit of hiring private investigators. I’m guessing that they have stopped bribing public officials, but that used to be in their bag of tricks, too.
I don’t know exactly how much people might actually be paid as members of the church. They do have “celebrity centers” and all sorts of wildly luxurious facilities that they let Tom Cruise and some other celebrities use, and I imagine some non-celebrity members might get a similar treatment. The top echelon of the Church is the “Sea Org,” which maintains at least one cruise ship, called the Freewinds.
My son spent 20 minutes with them when he thought they might be worth a look. 11 years later he gets calls and literature in the mail and lots of emails from them. He has moved 3 times with no forwarding address and changed his phone twice and he still gets calls and letters. Nothing else and although persistant no other pressure, but damn, why do they keep this up? Are they hoping he will suddenly lose 50 IQ points and listen to them again?
Man, they’re worse than Marine recruiters. At least they gave up after 3 address changes and 8 years.
Seriously, the Marine recruiters were still calling my parents home looking for me despite my Mom telling them I was already in the Navy. They were still calling me after I got back from by 4 year hitch. It is good to know some group can out-crazy the Marine recruiters.
Man, The Core is indisputably the worst big budget film ever made. Battlefield Earth even sucks at being the worst; it’s a poor second best to worst, which is even worse that being the worst. And while you’re working out the tortured logic of that statement, I’m going to be sitting over here watching Plan 9 From Outer Space.