What is the Sea Org? I've heard a lot about Scientology (a lot of it from South Park - which is actually pretty accurate from what I understand), but that one eludes me.
There's mountains of material on that online, I'm not saying that to be condescending, buit because I'm just too lazy to explain it in detail right now. Basically it's what Hubbard intended as Scientology's "elite" staff, maybe sort of like Catholic monastic orders or so, but wearing fantasy navy uniforms. They have to sign billion year work contracts (literally, they sign away all their future lifetimes as well), work insane hours for extremely little pay in mostly menial jobs (cleaning, waiting, etc.), spend all their time on Scientology property, have no privacy, no free time.
Given all of these ridiculous things that have been described about Scientology in this thread, I have to ask - what benefit does it provide to the members? Surely there must be something positive about it for people to ever be persuaded to join up. But I have never heard what that might be. Or is the whole point that we don't know? Is it like, "Give us all your money now, and do what we tell you now, and we promise that in about 15 years' time we'll tell you the answer to the secret of the universe," and then in 15 years they're like, "The answer? 42! Ha-ha suckers! We've got all your money now and all your secrets too!" Seriously, what is it? .
It sounds like it goes after people with either massive self-esteem issues or pronounced narcissism. It's easy to own someone when you stroke their ego long enough to build or re-enforce self-worth. Once that's been successfully accomplished, they're quite malleable until they inevitably discover what charlatans the ego-boosters were. This usually happens when the "owner" asks the "ownee" to do something morally or ethically questionable. The Scientologists take it a step further, apparently, to hold those things over one's head that were "confessed" during the "free audit" and other subsequent "sessions".
Mostly a sense of community. You feel lost, someone takes you to a meeting where everyone is really positive and they sell you an easy solution to all your problems/insecurities. Basically what every cult does... or drug. ETA: And this:
From what I understand, they pitch it as a religion of smiles, where people are promised to be happy and solve many of the world's problems.
The workers at Whole Foods says Katie seems much happier and is actually smiling now, whereas the past few weeks she's been very surly, even getting in a argument with a cashier and screaming at him, repeatedly calling him an a**hole when her card didn't swipe, or some such thing. Not many people no this, but the cashiers at Whole Foods are part of the Intelligence and Analysis section of the Department of Homeland Security, reporting to Deputy Secretary Jane Lute.
You lot are a bunch of SP's. lol If you dont stop Xenu will ungrade you all to PTS'es......and then your in trouble. lol
Most of it is in the South Park episode that caused Isaac Hayes to leave the cast (he was a big time Scientoligist). Apparently they got into quite a bit of detail how the "church" works and he quit. IIRC, Matt & Trey got a lot of threats from them afterwards.
Scientologists give me the willies (and not the nice willies). I met a really lovely singer from Sweden and her equally gorgeous boyfriend one night out at stockholm. He then informed me she was scientologist which was causing major problems with their relationship as he was incredibly liberal - his twin was gay and she had problems with this. Or rather, she was facing an internal struggle within herself. I tried to ask what the religion was all about and he couldnt answer. Often think about them and whether they got through they're difficulties.
Ouch! Couldn't be so in the closet to essentially support one entire pseudo religion via your movie receipts.
I thought you were making a joke, looked it up, and saw that he still is and has donated money to them. WTF?