[extropy-chat] Cults

[Mehran]

Let's be fair to Scientologists:

Is Scientology a Scam?
 
http://bernie.cncfamily.com/sc/scam.htm
 
The claim that Scientology is a scam, dressed up as a religion, and that
cult founders are con men exploiting brainwashed victims for personal wealth
and power is often made by critics. In fact, it's a very common myth which
anticultists launch at a great variety of groups.

Why is this a myth? Because a scam would mean that leaders are *knowingly*
exploiting others, that they  know perfectly well that their doctrine is
pure fantasy but somehow manage to hypnotize followers into accepting it. In
other words, that they don't believe their own doctrine themselves. This, in
my opinion, and that of many scholars who have studied cults, is false.

If leaders really believed their own doctrine, would it still be a scam? Of
course not. At the worst, it would qualify as a form of illusion.

If one thus assume that leaders are themselves as convinced about their own
doctrine as any dedicated member (and this is what I witnessed in the cult
myself), then he will view the claim that the group is a scam as a myth. Not
just a myth, in fact, but a derogatory, false, and dangerous accusation.

The scam myth works together with the mind-control myth in promoting
ostracism against unpopular groups and bring authorities to over-react.

The FBI, who made the mistake to follow anti-cult advises in the Waco
tragedy, now seems to realize this important aspect. In their Law
Enforcement Bulletin of September 2000, they describe this particular myth
and its dangers: 

NRMs often are stereotyped as con games run by opportunistic leaders.
Undoubtedly, some founders establish NRMs to intentionally bilk followers
out of money or to unilaterally promote their own interests. More
frequently, though, NRM leaders genuinely believe in their teachings,
however outlandish or fantastic these seem. Such leaders or prophets will
undergo great sacrifices-up to and including death-for the sake of their
message, and it is dangerous for law enforcement officers to approach such
leaders as if they were disingenuous con artists.

Certain practices sometimes are mistaken for indicators that leaders are
insincere. For example, the fact that NRM leaders enjoy benefits or living
comforts that their followers do not simply may reflect the honor that the
groups attach to the leaders' positions. Similarly, groups' requirement that
members turn over their assets to the movements may be prompted by a genuine
attempt to promote an ascetic lifestyle among the members. Law enforcement
officers should be very hesitant to assume that the leaders of NRMs are not
sincere.

If officers suspect that NRM officials have improper motives, they should
examine the leaders' backgrounds. Sociopaths or con artists generally will
not invest years trying to spread their messages and form groups without a
guaranteed payoff. Officers also should remember that NRM leaders and
followers may have many complex motivations for their behavior, not all of
which are internally consistent. NRM leaders may manipulate others and, yet,
still hold sincere religious beliefs. Thus, even if leaders display signs of
sociopathic or criminal behavior, officers should not assume that these
individuals are insincere about their religious beliefs.

In the absence of contrary evidence, officers should assume that NRM leaders
are true to their spiritual convictions.

Read more:  http://bernie.cncfamily.com/sc/scam.htm
 
ex-Scientology story:
http://bernie.cncfamily.com/sc/my_story.htm



LOVE
Mehran
www.rael.org