Critical Q&A

The weekly show where I answer questions from viewers left in the comment sections of my Critical Q&A videos or sent to me by email at AskChrisShelton@gmail.com. This week, the questions I answer are:

(1) Some times it occurs to me as if the criticism of destructive cults was mainly introduced by “concerned parents” (especially in the 1970s and 80s). Do we have to consider the possibility that some points of cult criticism are, in reality, the maintenance of questionable societal norms and potentially the symptom of a new generation, becoming more and more independent, colliding with the traditions and values of the previous generation and which is frightened about changes in society and a subjective feeling of “alienation” to their children (maybe scapegoating cults, considering them as having a somehow “indecent” influence on the youth)? For instance, parents of young members of the Rajneesh/Bhagwan cult were often concerned because of the group’s progressive mindset concerning sexuality. How is it possible to differ between appropriate cult criticism and undifferentiated maintenance of traditional family ideals and societal structures? Don’t get me wrong, I am absolutely convicecd that there are destructive cults using dangerous and psychologically harmful techniques of control, manipulation, thought-stopping and hypnosis, but how can we tell the difference between a benign, socially progressive group and a destructive cult?

(2) In an interview with Jeff Augustine, Jon Atack talked about the theft of the OT materials packs from Copenhagen. How many copies of each OT materials packs would a class 5 / ideal org have? What are your recollections of the time when the materials were stolen? Did you hear about it or was it hushed up? Did you notice security tightened?

(3) I was surprised by your explanation about suppressive antisocial, psychotic people just PRETENDING to be Clear and OT and ACTING like they got gains. What about the E-Meter? According to Scientology promotional material, the E-Meter always tells the truth and can easily spot a lie. I quote from an official site, “It is a religious artifact used as a spiritual guide to help the preclear locate and confront areas of spiritual upset. It is an electronic instrument that measures mental state and change of state in individuals and assists the precision and speed of auditing. The needle reactions on the E-Meter tell the auditor where the charge lies and that it should be addressed through auditing.” Either people can fool the E-Meter or they can’t. If they can what does this say about Dianetic and Scientology auditing?

(4) You say that the reason Scientology is building so called Ideal orgs is that they have to. The can’t just hoard money, because they are tax exempt. So they build new Orgs that are basically empty buildings and brag about how they are expanding. But in a video on Youtube you also say that Ideal orgs are payed and renovated by local Scientologists and that they rent the building they bought and renovated from the mother church. If this is true, then Scientology seems to be doing what you said they cant do – hoarding money. Which statement is true? Both?

(5) I really appreciate the amount of effort you put into researching different topics as well as your critical analysis of them. That being said, I’m wondering what your thoughts are on remote viewing including its validity, the CIA’s research (called Project Stargate), and any connection to Scientology it may have through one of the first remote viewers (named Ingo Swann).

(6) Last month my daughter, sister and niece were in Clearwater for a wedding and decided to drive downtown to gawk at the Scientologists. After a while of taking pictures and getting their eyes full, they realized they were being followed by a big white van with dark windows. They got kind of freaked out and said they had the feeling that they were being run out of town. We all laughed and said that because my niece was driving, they would have her tag number and start pounding her with mail. Lo and behold, the day she got back to Atlanta, she got a pamphlet from Scientology about their TV channel. Her next door neighbor also got something from them, but I think it was generated from her being in Clearwater. Do you think it was coincidence or related to her sight seeing and picture taking in Clearwater? Thanks.

(7) In one of Marty Rathbun’s books he claims that the Church had him change his name from Mark to Marty. He implied that this was a standard practice at the time. I haven’t heard about this from any other source. Could you tell us anything you know about it? Thank you, Chris!

(8) Is it true that Sea Org and many other Scientology ’employees’ have no healthcare and we the tax paying ‘wogs’ are paying for their healthcare through Medicaid? Also, does Scientology or are Scientologists encouraged to take advantage of any other government freebees (besides tax exemption) so DM can keep more money?