Critical Q&A

This week, it’s answers about how to deprogram North Korea, more Scientology terminology defined and explained, past life beliefs and why they are so powerful in cults and a LOT more. Enjoy!

(1) Hey Chris! Seeing that you’re a subject matter expert on cult de-programming, I wanted your opinion on this situational question:

Assuming the Kim regime eventually falls in North Korea, what steps do you think would need to be taken to properly deprogram the population? How would the deprogramming of an entire population compare to that of someone leaving a cult who has the ability to re-enter a society that never fell victim to the programming?

I know this has already been done with the de-Nazification of Germany, but I’d like your unique perspective on this present-day situation.

(2) In a lecture on the Descent of Man (1955) LRH was talking about communication and used several terms I haven’t heard. He said that “stopping communication acquires mass”, he mentioned “thereness” several times, “communicatingness” and “start, stop and change”. O, lord of all things minutiae – besides word salad and nonsense, what are the meanings of these? I ask humbly in Hubbard’s name. Amen.

(3) Growing up the only concept of past lives I was ever exposed to was that of Reincarnation such as in the Eastern religions, where it is an incentive to be good in this life so that your next one is better. However, I’m noticing that high control groups seem to be using the idea of past lives pretty frequently, both with and without members laying claim to famous names (“I was Cleopatra! And also Joan of Arc!”) This to me is very curious and interesting. Could you talk about why this is, and what functions “past lives” serve for cults and high control groups? Scientology and otherwise. Also, does it take a lot of effort to convince people they have had past lives?

(4) I´m from the Czech Republic and I watched many of your videos. It is very helpful including the coercive control topic. It´s healing and thank you for that. I´m contacting you concerning the topic of repayment / refund. There is not many information out there about it. It´s clear that the other abuses in the Church of Scientology are of greater priority especially those in the Sea Org and the psychological abuse, but the situation concerning repayments (“money on account”) in Scientology is also energetically uneven. They are super active when they want money but complete opposite when it comes to balance. Financial abuse might have similar or same impact on emotional health as other abuses. Never pay the Church of Scientology in advance! I will be happy if I can get any feedback from you on this topic and if this might be a topic to talk about  in order to help people heal from this hidden abuse.

(5) As someone who works in litigation, I’m almost ashamed at how the “art” of examining a witness is not about revealing or approaching truth, but more about the witchcraft & cruel game theory of making people appear untrustworthy or casting the shade of doubt on testimony through rhetorical tricks. While it is important to carefully examine witnesses, and sometimes to confront them with unpleasant facts, I think all that can be done without the theatrics and rhetoric that are NOT designed to engage our critical thinking, but rather (literally) to disable it.

When we look more broadly at sales and marketing, not to mention politics, I wonder if it makes sense for you, as a former cult member, to consider the extent to which mainstream culture is an environment openly hostile to critical thinking.

Doesn’t it appear as though a cult-like environment is infecting our broader culture, and that just living in society presents us the same challenge to liberate ourselves from the confines of a situation that is constantly operating against our ability to be autonomous and reasonable? As someone who has emerged from a true cult, do you sometimes find yourself going through the same process all over again in civilian life?  I realize that, on a micro level, we have extraordinary freedoms.  But, on a broader political & cultural level, I think sensible people & sensible thinking are very marginalized.  I’m very curious to know your perspective on this, in light of your experience as a former Scientologist.

(6) In the unlikely event that the CoS is actually held accountable for their alleged illegal activity, how many Sea Org members, do you think, will “drop their bodies” (“unalive” themselves) as other zealous cult groups who believe in reincarnation have done in the past?

(7) If the Sea Orgs were an alien race in a Star Trek movie, would they then be called: THE SEA BORGS?

(8) How did Tom Cruise get into Scientology?