SP Times - The Money Machine Part 4

[Type4_PTS]

Part 4 is up now! :yes:

"Giant 'Super Power' building in Clearwater takes a pause, yet millions keep flowing in"http://www.tampabay.com/news/scientology/article1202006.ece

"Tax experts: Church's money-raising practices don't appear to threaten tax-exempt "http://www.tampabay.com/news/scientology/article1202009.ece

[freethinker]

Wow, these fundraisers are on a thrill ride. It's like a game to them to see how quickly they can conquer their prospect.

They're on some adrenalin rush of how easy it is and challenging themselves to make more and more probably without a single thought as to what happens to the donator who has just parted with more money that he can afford to lose.

They're like casinos on steroids or a pack of hyaenas out to take the lions lunch.

The term out of valence really applies here.

[Purple Rain]

Part 4 is up now! :yes:

"Giant 'Super Power' building in Clearwater takes a pause, yet millions keep flowing in"http://www.tampabay.com/news/scientology/article1202006.ece

"Tax experts: Church's money-raising practices don't appear to threaten tax-exempt "http://www.tampabay.com/news/scientology/article1202009.

Thanks for that, Type4_PTS! The second link was missing a bit on the end:

http://www.tampabay.com/news/scientology/article1202009.ece

[freethinker]

T4, second link is a dead end.
Part 4 is up now! :yes:

"Giant 'Super Power' building in Clearwater takes a pause, yet millions keep flowing in"http://www.tampabay.com/news/scientology/article1202006.ece

"Tax experts: Church's money-raising practices don't appear to threaten tax-exempt "http://www.tampabay.com/news/scientology/article1202009.

[Arthur Dent]

Part 4 is up now! :yes:

"Giant 'Super Power' building in Clearwater takes a pause, yet millions keep flowing in"http://www.tampabay.com/news/scientology/article1202006.ece

"Tax experts: Church's money-raising practices don't appear to threaten tax-exempt "http://www.tampabay.com/news/scientology/article1202009.

Great article about Super Scam. But the second link goes to Tampabay but says the page is unavailable. :confused2:

[Infinite]

Brilliant! Thank you SP Times.

You know, I think there is something still missing from what's been confirmed here. I wonder about the fact that there are thousands of Scilons in precarious financial situations. What sort of scams are the individual Scilons running to service their debts and keep food in the fridge? Given the parlous state of the US Treasury, I would suggest that a full-on IRS Audit of every member of WISE would reveal all manner of possible revenue streams to pursue.

Scientology: its never what it first appears to be and its always worse than you think.

[freethinker]

The tax experts say that their fundraising practices don't threaten their tax exempt status and that they don't have to be charitable to the poor to be charitable but they did say that they had to be charitable and if there is one thing the CO$ s not, besides a religion, is charitable.

I would think that their charitability would have to match their fundraising and I'm positive that that is light years out of proportion.:yes:

[Gadfly]

Great article! :thumbsup:

The "ruin-finding drill" is there in a new form.

The part where they discuss how the regges for Super Power would obtain confidential data about the prospects from D of Ps and MAAs, and then covertly "cave in the prospect" to their unique "ruin". The regges would show specially prepared bookets focusing on how bad everything is - crime, war, insanity. They would drive this into their space with TONE 40 and typical drilled Scientology "persistence". Once the person was fully overhwelmed with how bad it all was, piling on the typical Scientology doom and gloom approach, then the regges pull out the glossy Super Power books and explain how "Scientology Will Handle THAT", with SUPER POWER. "Super Power is THE SOLUTION to all of the world's many problems". "We need YOU to HELP reverse the decline of this planet NOW"!

And, just like with ANY "ruin-finding" drill they have NO IDEA if "Scientology can (really and truly) handle that"!!!! They learn the drill and "run" it on people. Most likely, just like with so many of the other claims by Hubbard, Super Power won't do much of anything to "solve the problems of Man", but the regges use that HOPE. They use that DREAM. They use that BELIEF to continually sukcer people into paying huge amounts of money to fuel a fantasy. It is DECEIT of the gullible, pure and simple - with LOTS and LOTS of pressure. Hubbard's sucker machinery operates on the backs of basically good and decent people (who just don't know any better). Whereas someone like Charmaine Roger (Super Power Reg) is a total bloodsucking piece of horseshit.

It is the same old same old "ruin finding", "Scientology can handle that" and BUY NOW, in a new and unique version specially designed to collect donations for Super Power. Can anyone say "manipulation". These regges just follow the drill - over and over an over.

It is so easy to spot the manipulation once one is familair with it.

Scientology SUCKS!

:scnsucks:

[NCSP]

The tax experts say that their fundraising practices don't threaten their tax exempt status and that they don't have to be charitable to the poor to be charitable but they did say that they had to be charitable and if there is one thing the CO$ s not, besides a religion, is charitable.

I would think that their charitability would have to match their fundraising and I'm positive that that is light years out of proportion.:yes:

Plus, the experts' analysis doesn't address the issue of inurement, which is a key one.

[Type4_PTS]

Thanks for that, Type4_PTS! The second link was missing a bit on the end:

http://www.tampabay.com/news/scientology/article1202009.ece


T4, second link is a dead end.


Tks! :yes: I fixed the link in the OP

[Type4_PTS]

Plus, the experts' analysis doesn't address the issue of inurement, which is a key one.

There's two more parts to this series. Maybe they're saving the best for last? :unsure::biggrin:

[Mimsey Borogrove]

You know - you have to hand it to those two, Ron and Mini me, they sure have built an impregnable castle. Whatever else they have done they have achieved that.

In the article they get opinions from these tax guru's who say the church is doing nothing wrong, that a person only need walk away from the religion. Anybody know their contact info? I am going to give it to Howard Becker, Bridget, the Super power people and see what the hell they think about what they wrote a year from now.

LOL
Mimsey

[freethinker]

That's a good point and BTW, you're doing a good job in the comments section:thumbsup:
Plus, the experts' analysis doesn't address the issue of inurement, which is a key one.

[Sindy]

There's two more parts to this series. Maybe they're saving the best for last? :unsure::biggrin:

No, I don't think there is...it was a 4 part series.

[Type4_PTS]

No, I don't think there is...it was a 4 part series.

I got the idea of a 6 part series from the Village Voice which on Nov 14th said:


Wow. And this thing is only beginning. We hear the duo will take tomorrow off, publish part 3 of their series on Wednesday, and then give us parts 4, 5, and 6 on Sunday, Monday, and the big finish next Tuesday.
http://blogs.villagevoice.com/runninscared/2011/11/scientologys_sa.php

It was wrong about the scheduling though, so maybe also wrong about the number of parts? :unsure:

[Sindy]

I got the idea of a 6 part series from the Village Voice which on Nov 14th said:



It was wrong about the scheduling though, so maybe also wrong about the number of parts? :unsure:

Yeah, they were only guessing. It really is only 4 parts.

[Ogsonofgroo]

Only 4 parts? A shame, but I suspect there'll be lots more, the CoS lutz-cow has plenty of stories to be exposed :)

Great job by the SPTimes! Certainly has the cults gang of spin-doctors busy weaving up a frenzy of strawdogs and ad homs, much to the amusement of the general populace :dance:

Twas a good question at the end of the article asking 'how many others 'donated'/got regged' for ugly building's crowning cross, oh to be a fly on the wall....

:dancer:

[Dulloldfart]

Tks! :yes: I fixed the link in the OP

No, it's still shortened in the middle. Mouse over it and look at where it goes.

Paul

[Type4_PTS]

Only 4 parts?

Yeah, I guess it's only 4. I'd prefer that it was a 24 part series. :yes:



No, it's still shortened in the middle. Mouse over it and look at where it goes.


OK, now it's *really* fixed! :duh:

[Gadfly]

The main thing that has kept Scientology going and that enabled it to build such large "cash reserves" is the INSANE DEMAND.

Hubbard built the notions of "persistence", "intention", "removing counter-intention", "never giving up", "Tone 40", "unreasonableness", "making it go right despite all odds", and "demand" into the very fabric of the subject of Scientology. The idea of the "product officer" is to maintain extreme demand for products - every second of every day. These severe concepts of demand and control exist all throughout the practices and behaviors of Scientology.

People like Charmaine Roger, David Light or Sonja Caccavella (Jacques) have "mastered" the ideas and the behaviors. Hy Levy used the same ideas when he was in. They can keep pushing and pushing forever. Hubbard taught them well.

Without this incredible "we come back" (to reg you over and over and over) attitude, it could never have kept going.

This attitude of SEVERE DEMAND is drilled into every staff member and public. The extreme pressure starts at the top and flows down through the "command channels" with a brutal severity. I noticed and disliked this back in 1977. It has only gotten worse as Hubbard implemented his "fine-tuned new management system" in the early 1980s, and as this system better "removed all stops and arbitraries" from management lines.

Granted, severe demand and pressure alone would be insufficient. The belief that "Scientology is Man's only hope" is the other aspect of all this, that when accepted as true, excuses and justifies the severe pressure and constant force.

The end justifies the means.

The "end" is the notion that "Scientology works and only Scientology can help Mankind". The "means" are the many tricks, lies and CONSTANT FORCE that are used to achieve the "end".

For me, I NEVER in all of my life EVER saw the high degree of pressure, demand and force that existed in standard Scientology operations. And, that was back in the 1970s and 1980s when I was in the Sea Org. That it is even WORSE today is simply amazing. :omg:

[purpleheather69]

This response is short and to the point......IT MAKES ME SICK TO READ ABOUT THE MONEY THEY HAVE TAKEN FROM PEOPLE>>>>>>>>>>>>> SICK :angry::angry::angry:

[Sindy]

The main thing that has kept Scientology going and that enabled it to build such large "cash reserves" is the INSANE DEMAND.

Hubbard built the notions of "persistence", "intention", "removing counter-intention", "never giving up", "Tone 40", "unreasonableness", "making it go right despite all odds", and "demand" into the very fabric of the subject of Scientology. The idea of the "product officer" is to maintain extreme demand for products - every second of every day. These severe concepts of demand and control exist all throughout the practices and behaviors of Scientology.

People like Charmaine Roger, David Light or Sonja Caccavella (Jacques) have "mastered" the ideas and the behaviors. Hy Levy used the same ideas when he was in. They can keep pushing and pushing forever. Hubbard taught them well.

Without this incredible "we come back" (to reg you over and over and over) attitude, it could never have kept going.

This attitude of SEVERE DEMAND is drilled into every staff member and public. The extreme pressure starts at the top and flows down through the "command channels" with a brutal severity. I noticed and disliked this back in 1977. It has only gotten worse as Hubbard implemented his "fine-tuned new management system" in the early 1980s, and as this system better "removed all stops and arbitraries" from management lines.

Granted, severe demand and pressure alone would be insufficient. The belief that "Scientology is Man's only hope" is the other aspect of all this, that when accepted as true, excuses and justifies the severe pressure and constant force.

The end justifies the means.

The "end" is the notion that "Scientology works and only Scientology can help Mankind". The "means" are the many tricks, lies and CONSTANT FORCE that are used to achieve the "end".

For me, I NEVER in all of my life EVER saw the high degree of pressure, demand and force that existed in standard Scientology operations. And, that was back in the 1970s and 1980s when I was in the Sea Org. That it is even WORSE today is simply amazing. :omg:

There have been a few times, in the "wog" world, where my product officer type viewpoint has been met with a certain amount of polite disdain, even from a boss I was working to impress. One time a boss told me that he wanted me to tone down my sales rhetoric because he felt I sounded like a carnival barker! I actually had to look it up as I had never even heard of that and of course, I thought he was part of the "soft sell" world too afraid to ask for a product. :duh:

There have been a number of occasions where I have been relieved of my frantic need to get a product now! now! now! out in the real world, where I was allowed to do the necessary actions to build solid relationships, etc.

The product officer thing has been a double edged sword for me and mostly balanced toward destruction. I know I have a hard time doing organize steps thinking that every moment has to be spent on the final product. It's a big problem for me.

Screw you Scientology!!! :p :bleh:

[Voltaire's Child]

My heart breaks for those who lost or sold homes because of their involvement with CofS, and who liquidated inheritances, retirement funds and other savings and who now have nothing.

[Voltaire's Child]

Does anyone remember- several years ago on OCMB- there was a link to a site where it was all these happy CofSers talking about donating to their idle orgs? It seemed to be a compilation of messages and wins or something, from various churchies and all pertained to the idle org program.

I can no longer find it. It was one of the most distressing sites I've ever seen. It had people posting stuff like "so what if it's my inheritance, my eternity is more important, so they can have my inheritance" (that's not verbatim but it's pretty much what I remember seeing). It really really bugged the hell out of me.

[Sindy]

Does anyone remember- several years ago on OCMB- there was a link to a site where it was all these happy CofSers talking about donating to their idle orgs? It seemed to be a compilation of messages and wins or something, from various churchies and all pertained to the idle org program.

I can no longer find it. It was one of the most distressing sites I've ever seen. It had people posting stuff like "so what if it's my inheritance, my eternity is more important, so they can have my inheritance" (that's not verbatim but it's pretty much what I remember seeing). It really really bugged the hell out of me.

Well, when church members are destitute they won't be helped by the cult. The cult will chew them up and spit them out.

[purpleheather69]

My heart breaks for those who lost or sold homes because of their involvement with CofS, and who liquidated inheritances, retirement funds and other savings and who now have nothing.

Oh hell yes!!! Me to Voltaire's Child......me too....and I knew quite a few. :melodramatic:

[purpleheather69]

Well, when church members are destitute they won't be helped by the cult. The cult will chew them up and spit them out.

And told that they are a "down stat".... OMG I HATE THAT TERM.... "you're a down stat" I cringe at that phrase........ :angry::nervous::no::no::no::no::no::no:

[namaste]

My heart breaks for those who lost or sold homes because of their involvement with CofS, and who liquidated inheritances, retirement funds and other savings and who now have nothing.
"nothing" is right. They have absolutely NOTHING to show for the money that they have parted with.
I feel heartbroken for them too.

[FoTi]

I have this idea that Superpower will never be released until all of those who have donated to SP are dead and gone. :eyeroll:

[Sindy]

I have this idea that Superpower will never be released until all of those who have donated to SP are dead and gone. :eyeroll:


Possibly, he'll show how LRH said it was for staff, first and foremost and then convince the parishioners that the planet will be cleared much more quickly by doing what Ron said and then he'll pretend to be getting the staff through. There will be lots of initial fanfare and obscured activity that people can vaguely sense but never prove. Everyone will get the idea that it is being delivered when it isn't. It will take years for anyone to notice.

[HelluvaHoax!]

I have this idea that Superpower will never be released until all of those who have donated to SP are dead and gone. :eyeroll:


Well, you had to admit. . .

If you are a criminal cult hellbent on stealing money and not getting caught, that's a pretty SuperPowerful technology!

[Voltaire's Child]

I am rather sure that the main rationalization that the cult would use-both as a cynical cult manipulation thing and as a true believer thing- is "what's x number of dollars/time/etc compared with your eternity and your spiritual well being."

And I know money isn't everything.

But the cult uses this to get people to keep paying while DM runs around gambling, living in the lap of luxury, etc- AND filing frivolous lawsuits and hiring PIs.

I also want to say that there is not nor should there be a correlation between amount of money spent and spiritual achievement.

The above rationalization is something that in reality, I'd only apply to a question like "well, it takes so much TIME to meditate or to study X religion". AND, I add, that would be up to me, it would be up to you, it would be up to that person. It isn't up to someone else how much time we're gonna spend- because it's OUR road, not theirs. And it for damn sure isn't up to anyone else what money we should spend, who we should associate with, do we really not need that house or IRA or 401k.

Even if there were a trade off in enlightenment, it would still be an insane self serving justification.

But while we're at it- why don't we look at the question "is ther ea trade off in enlightenment?"

Ok, how are the OTs you've met doing? The Clears? The Grade 4s? Are they happier, are their home lives more harmonious, are they doing more for the planet?

Well, I don't really want to judge my fellow human being that much- I hate it when people do it to me- but just my own personal observation- I'm not seeing that these other folks know the secrets of the universe, are playing a better game, are doing more for others, are happier on a personal level, that their kids are happier. I'm just not. I'm not seeing Scn boddhisattvas.

Ok, what about my own experience? Was I one?

No. I got some "gains" and I'd never deny them (something for which I've garnered occasional flak). But I was no enlightened being.
I also feel that the pain this organization caused me greatly offset the gains I truly did have. And knowing that others have had a much worse time than I did and are physically broken, financially unstable, are still looking for their families- well, I can't speak for them but it does not sound like the trade off for them is looking so great.

[Type4_PTS]

As this is Thanksgiving over here in the U.S. I should say that I'm very thankful for the SP Times. :yes:

They're actually changing their name to the "Tampa Bay Times", but they'll always be the SP Times to me. :biggrin:

Here's a few pics taken from Part 4 of the series:

http://i1119.photobucket.com/albums/k622/Type4PTS/Day4Front.jpg

http://i1119.photobucket.com/albums/k622/Type4PTS/CindyP.jpg

http://i1119.photobucket.com/albums/k622/Type4PTS/GoldShovel-1.jpg

In that 3'rd picture there is an illustration of what is supposed to be David Miscavige. Now this is where I take issue with the artist. That person is WAY to tall to be a likeness of Miscavige. :coolwink:

[Boojuum]

Thanks PTS.

Seeing what the SP Times looks like is impressive. The links don't do it justice. This is a big deal.

I had NO idea that the Soup for Power building was THAT big.

[Type4_PTS]

Thanks PTS.

Seeing what the SP Times looks like is impressive. The links don't do it justice. This is a big deal.

I had NO idea that the Soup for Power building was THAT big.

You're welcome. :yes:

There is a picture in the online version though as well over here:
http://www.tampabay.com/news/scientology/giant-super-power-building-in-clearwater-takes-a-pause-yet-millions-keep/1202006

http://www.tampabay.com/multimedia/archive/00199/a4s_1alead_112111_199649c.jpg