Going Clear: Scientology And The Prison Of Belief - Documentary

Started by wilder, February 19, 2015, 05:09:15 PM

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wilder



An in-depth look at the inner-workings of the Church of Scientology.

Directed by Alex Gibney
Release Date - March 29, 2015 on HBO




Fernando

did anyone see this?

It's good and fucking crazy, specially when you hear its creation myth, I quote:

''The story is that, 75 million years ago People lived in a world very much like the world of America en the 1950s. the following is an audio of Hubbard. People at that particular time and space, were walking around in clothes which looked very remarkably like the clothes they wear in this very minute. And the cars they drove looked exactly the same, and they walked down the streets that looked like these streets. It was a very similar world, and similar problems. One of which was overpopulation. Hubbard continues. They had elected a fellow by the name of Xenu to the supreme ruler. There was a tyrannical overlord of the galactic confederacy named Xenu, in order to resolve this problem of overpopulation, he called people in, ostesibly for tax audits, and had them frozen with injections of glycol to their heart. Hubbard continues. Boxed them up in boxes, threw'em into space planes, DC-8 is the exact copy of the space plane of that day. They were flown to the prison planet, teegeeack, it's actually earth, and these frozen bodies were then dropped into volcanoes...''

you get the picture. just let me repeat, 75 million years ago...Paul Haggis said it like it is, WTF is this?

poor Travolta seems to want to get out but apparently can't because of the amount of dirt they have on him, and Tom Cruise...those conventions videos looked like Nazi rallies, really scary.

Alexandro

saw it and loved it.
also there's a lot more of scientology in The Master than what I thought initially.

Jeremy Blackman

FYI, if you're curious what it's like being initiated into Scientology these days, check out this series of podcasts (which I don't think is quite done yet). Think of it as a less scary companion piece to Going Clear.

You might be surprised by the lighthearted tone, but keep in mind it's nothing new for these guys. (They've tried out several different cults.) Certainly there's a lot of pressure exerted upon new prospects, but Scientology is mostly revealed as a desperate (and somewhat pathetic) organization that is probably hemorrhaging members and not gaining many new ones.

It's especially interesting to learn exactly what auditing is like, and how early you're asked to do it. I am not surprised they're having trouble recruiting; I'd be out the door within 5 minutes. If I wanted to do something profoundly dumb and exhausting, I'd watch Sense8.

The podcast is "Oh No, Ross and Carrie!" Here are the individual episodes:

Part 1: Going Preclear
Part 2: We Stand Tall
Part 3: Create-Create-Create
Part 4: Dianetics and Volcanoes
Part 5: L. Ron Hubbard Life Exhibition
Part 6: The Celebrity Center
Part 7: The Way to Happiness

(The last 3 are not essential.)

Description of Part 4: The "fun" continues as Ross and Carrie get certified in Dianetics. The pair spend 22 hours at the Church over a single weekend, learning how experiences are encoded in our cells, what an "engram" is, and how to audit your friends for neither fun, nor profit. Plus, find out the secret menu item for Scientologist vegetarians.

Lottery

Good stuff. It's fascinating and scary to watch the evolution of Scientology to what it is today.

Also, PTA really did his homework for The Master.

tpfkabi

Did anybody watch the Leah Remini Scientology TV series?
I want to say they even showed a memo from the church regarding The Master briefly while showing shots of various letters and documents.
I'm thinking Paul and some of the crew had to be harassed before and after The Master, but I don't remember if anyone ever mentioned it.
I am Torgo. I take care of the place while the Master is away.

wilder

I saw it and found it more involving than Going Clear, overall. Way more up close and personal. I don't recall anything regarding The Master, though - do you remember which episode?

tpfkabi

Quote from: wilder on February 19, 2017, 04:48:25 PM
I saw it and found it more involving than Going Clear, overall. Way more up close and personal. I don't recall anything regarding The Master, though - do you remember which episode?

No. I think it was just a shot of the letter, but I don't think they talked about the movie at all.
In a montage of various documents. I can't say with a 100% certainty.
I am Torgo. I take care of the place while the Master is away.

Jeremy Blackman

Here's an excellent and very personal interview with a Scientologist who has just left the church:

http://ohnopodcast.com/investigations/2018/12/29/ross-and-carrie-meet-trevor-rogues-gallery-edition

"Trevor Heasley joined the Church of Scientology two and a half years ago, when a church official offered him a job creating marketing materials for a local org. While searching the internet for Scientology logos, he happened upon a podcast by two people who went undercover in the Church, and eventually got kicked out and unofficially labeled suppressive. Knowing he was defying Church orders, Trevor listened. And not long after, he had left his job and his Church. Trevor joins us to share his momentous story, and bravely disclose what he says he witnessed during his short, but intense, devotion to Scientology."

wilberfan

Always an interesting listen.   And for me the additional aspect that the "Valley Org" is a couple of miles from where I live...