The Positive "Cult Experience"

Some anti-cultists like to post a list of "post-cult syndromes", the weakness of which has been discussed by Monica Pignotti and Lema Nal.

However, why not post lists of strengths too? (Bearing the same limitation that these are not necessarily caused by cult membership).

I can see a few positive aspects.

I was interested to read recently that most high profile defectors have done rather well in re-integrating society, in spite of having spent 20-35 years in Scientology and having no formal high-level education. I have seen that with myself and my friends as well. I think it has to do partly with some of the useful things we learn while in such a group, but also because of the fact that (I believe) most "cult members" are bright people who join alternative groups because they see through the limits of society and are not satisfied with it. They are idealist-oriented people who seek something better.

The "cult experience" also provides one with a feeling of "having found what I was looking for", a feeling of engagement and belonging, of dedication for the common good, responsibility for the world we live in, etc... I think these are positive and somehow stay as inner qualities after one quits the group.

One also may experience states of heightened awareness. It gives them a taste of what true spiritual experiences might be. It is similar with drugs. In spite of the negative effects of drug, it can give one an idea of higher states of beings. Often, after getting rid of the negative influence of drugs, one will seek to experience the state back, but without the dependencies this time, and I think that's a good thing too.

Ethic - one's sense of ethic is strongly reinforced while in a cultic group. This may sounds strange and I will explain later, but this is in fact what happens. One becomes more aware of the consequences of wrong doing, of the energy balance in the universe and the reaction of one's own spiritual being to ego characteristics such as greed and cheating. After exiting the group, one may retain this sense of ethic, and I believe it makes for more honest and responsible citizens. Again, you could say that the sense of honesty was already present in the 'cult member' before, but I believe it is part of what makes him attracted to the group and that the group strenghten those qualities.

Now how come, if the above is true, that cultists are being cultic? Well, that's the irony of all cults, including anti-cult cults and political parties. They just do wrong in the belief that what they do is good! It's the whole dialectic of cultism and I am not going to go into that now.

Which brings me to the next positive aspect, not linked by one's belonging to a cult but, on the contrary, the process of going out. Going out from such an high level of personal involvement requires tremendous questioning and integrity to look. When you truly realize the limitations you have fallen into, which I refer to as the cultic mindset, then you can see it in other groups, and this may help you chose better next time around. By itself, it also is enlightening and one can learn a lot through this too. You realize the importance of never assuming, keeping yourself open to self-questioning (which makes you more humble, a spiritual quality), and the importance of free speech to avoid getting trapped in a closed group/cult mentality.

Of course, as I pointed out many times, not all ex-members learn from their exit in this way, and they on the contrary become involved in the very same mentality they were trapped while in the cult but on the other side, and doing really wrong things - all the while still believing they are doing good. This is just the next trap we need to learn, and once we can see that trap too, then, again, we really gain more positive insight, beneficial to our own evolution, and beneficial to society, because it makes for a less intolerant society, where individual members gain the courage to question the majority's assumptions and stand against mob mentality.

So, on the whole, I think the cult experience can be really positive too. It strengthen the good qualities in the individual and provide him with the taste of "something" our sclerotic society and religions usually are unable to provide. It further makes the person wiser as he exists the group, in that it makes him more aware of a variety of illusion one can fall into. Again, if the person is able to avoid or exit the anti-cult trap, it makes him/her more perceptive of yet more illusions.

These are a few positive things I can see, at first sight, about the "cult experience", and things that would be fitting for a positive list.

The Gullibility Test

Now this is an interesting video, albeit not for the reason it has been webbed.

OK - it's a mildly amusing parody. But what I find interesting is at the very end. The two persons they try to involve in the parody turn out to be actual Scientologists! And again, contrary to what Shallonymous tries to portray, they are friendly and tolerant to the whole sketch, even though it apparently has been ran in front of the org..

Scientology Gullibility Test « THE WOG BLOG from XENU TV

Postulates and Positive Thinking

Links Scientology postulates with positive thinking.

The LIFE Repairman: How to Have Things Go Your Way

Trabants Can Be Beautiful Too

Bi-lingual blog from Scientologist Andrea Gerak. Good to posh up your Hungarian.

Indeed a good photo of a nicely decorated old Trabant.

PS - Budapest is one of the most stunningly beautiful cities I know. Worth a visit! Plus I have been told that partying around the Balaton lake is super hot those days.

Budapest by Andrea Gerak: Trabant

Scientologists Raise $1,100 for Fire Department Through Breakfast Event

Church Donation Supports City Emergency Response | Pasadena News Now: "In response to President Barack Obama’s “Day of Service” challenge for Martin Luther King Day, members from the Church of Scientology of Pasadena honored the Pasadena Fire Department’s operations captain and community liaison Danny Serno with a check for over $1,100. [...] Scientology volunteer ministers, the church’s boys scout troop stationed at Sunland/Tujunga and the Women’s Auxiliary of the Church raised the money by cooking an “all you can eat pancake and egg breakfast”."

R.I.P. Traci Williams

The Washington Post reports the death of Traci L. Williams, who died from cancer at the age of 45. Traci was an actress, arts educator, and Scientologist.

From 1985 to 1995, Traci performed for the "Living Stage Theatre Company" in schools, jails and the juvenile justice system. The company also organized theater workshops for disabled children, troubled teenagers and the incarcerated.

From 1995 until earlier this year, she worked for the Church of Scientology community outreach and education programs.

Traci seemed to have found her way into helping others through her art. Whatever we may think about some of her choices, there is no doubt that she must have put all her heart into it. Ultimately, I believe, that this is what counts.

PS - Her decease is reported in ARS together with some confusing information as to whether she blew from the CoS or not.

Becoming a Scientologist

Crystalfrost Jones recalls how she became a Scientologist.

Louanne

Louanne is a Scientologists who does answer people's questions. The work he does is quite remarkable, and if all Scientologists would be like him, it may not be the kind of controversy it is today. Although...

Anyway, I believe this blog is his too, but, contrary to his other blog where he confronts questions, and to his web page, this one is linked through the Scientology Blogosphere, probably because the content is acceptable for broad publication within the Scientology network.

I must say that I never really took the time to start reading Louanne's blog or page in details, so my assessment is a superficial one. I don't even know if he is a he or if he is a she (is that proper English?). Nevertheless, the simple fact that a Scientologist opens himself to open debate and tackles with the many anti-Scientology myths is worth to be noted.

PS - There was another Scientologist (among others) doing that before, albeit not quite at this level. His name was Mike but I don't seem able to find his page right now. Here is an ARS post that quotes from his web site. He tackles with anti-Scientology myth #326 - gulp!

Scientologists Hanging with Anons

OT5 Karel Jeelof did the right thing - quietly hanging with Anon and listening to what they have to say.

Anon does not like it, however, and claim that he is only pretending to be nice and is only trying to "handle" them, then speak of going to picket his company in retaliation.

You can never win. Either you avoid anon and are accused of hiding, or hang out with them and are accused of being a "handler".

Scientology Blogosphere Redux

Unlike what I thought, the Scientology blogosphere was not created by the CoS but by Grahame, an individual Scientologist who regularly answers questions on his own blog.

Two Funny Posts on Each Side

Two funny posts. One is from a Scientologist, Kat, contrasting a man's way of doing things, with a typical woman's way. The other is by a critic, Astrid, describing how her would-be German secret agent, supposed to control her, is to meet her. Enjoy :-)

Scientology Blogosphere

Did I mention already that if you want to read Scientologists' blogs, the best way is to subscribe to the "Scientology Blogosphere's shared items" blogs. They'll do the work for you. The one blog that is not included, that I know, is the excellent "Scientology myths" blog, because it openly inter-act with critics.

How Did You Get into Scientology?

How did you get into Scientology - as told by a Scientologist who has been in the movement for 38 years.