Scientologists are embarrassed. Why?

[BardoThodol]

I can't even say the word Scientology to others without feeling this cringe of embarrassment. Not to my wife. Not to my best friends. Not to my kids. Not to people at work. Not even to strangers when I'm getting in digs on TC and SCN at the checkout counter.

Jeez, can anyone do me a favor and audit out my embarrassment of long duration over having been involved with Scientology? Four flows? I just really, really, really need a session right now.

[Smilla]

It very rarely gets mentioned in our family, and when it does, it's usually accompanied by my eldest son whistling the the theme tune from the X-Files. Yes, I feel a bit embarassed

[HelluvaHoax!]

..

In many ways the Scientology experience could be viewed as humiliating.

But, there are other ways to view it too.

It was Le Grande Adventure, a sweet and innocent belief that there is magic somewhere in life and the passionate commitment towards trying to find it.

I don't think we were wrong to believe that we could touch or find a realm that is beyond ordinary life.

Hubbard was so infinitely assured in his presentation that he had "found it" (the portal) it sure seemed worth giving it a try.

So we did.

Later we discovered that Hubbard was both insane and a criminal.

So that was quite an adventure.

A terrific story to tell.

I have had many adventures in life that concluded with a surprise ending--and not a good one! There's nothing really too awful about that because some of them (although unmitigated disasters at the time) opened a new realm of opportunity and riches that I can only say "Thank God the disaster happened or I never would have had such great fortune!"

In telling people about my vacation to the theme park known as ScientologyWorld, I don't "run the incident" as though I am still in it. In other words, I don't conceive it as a pc would recounting an engram to the auditor. I tell it (in few brief moments) like someone might recall being a child and looking out their bedroom window late Christmas Eve, expecting to see Santa Claus.

Well, in Hubbard's case, Santa Cause.

It's a cute and endearing story when viewed as a silly quest that went nowhere.

What is noble about this naively dumb journey, however, is the commitment and passion brought to exploring that path. That is something I am in fact proud that I was able to do.

I really tried. So it didn't happen, so what?

Every great invention, innovation or discovery surely was launched on the shoulders of previous failures. I am typing this, for example, on a computer that came after thousands of years after trial and error to find a better method of writing than carving hieroglyphs into stone. So thanks, greatly, to all the fools who failed in that millennial effort, so that others could succeed.

Failure is very organic to life. If there is any choice in the matter, why not embrace it.

Cheers!

[Ogsonofgroo]

Hey, things are really different now that I'm over here with the Indies. We don't feel embarrassed or cringe. I consider it an honor call myself a Scientologist.

Here's a recent shot of me completing the new Power Certainty Rundown.





You should really come to our next Indie Graduation--there will be a Free Membership card given out to the first 1000 people that sign up for the "I WANT TO BE LIKE RON CLUB".

It would so theta if you come and have wins with us. During the break there will be free refreshments and high-toned com about postulates.

Great! Just when I thought it was safe to have sip of my drink! Cider~ up nose backwards~ mess ensues! Iya!

[SchwimmelPuckel]

Why are everybody laughing at this!? - This pic is a completely truth- and faithful rendering of everyday reality in Scientology!! - Nothing fun about it at all!!!

Mhmmmpf...

Mewhahahhahahahhahahhahyahahahhahahbahahahhahahhha haaaa!!!!!

[Mythbluster]

..
I have had many adventures in life that concluded with a surprise ending--and not a good one! There's nothing really too awful about that because some of them (although unmitigated disasters at the time) opened a new realm of opportunity and riches that I can only say "Thank God the disaster happened or I never would have had such great fortune!"

>snip

Failure is very organic to life. If there is any choice in the matter, why not embrace it.

Cheers!

Couldn't agree more! This is a principal I have always seen much wisdom in. Some of the worst mistakes/low points in my life, although painful at the time, altered my path drastically. Without which I wouldn't have met my closest friends, formed the band I did or have found my long term girlfriend etc.

I am happy now so wouldnt change a thing. With each disaster I have tried to learn from my mistakes as much as possible and become a "better" person through them. Cliche or not I believe what doesn't kill you (usually) makes you stronger, or at least more interesting! Which is why spoilt Hollywood types who have led a sheltered, shallow and self obsessed life often have a personality to match!

Although past transgressions can still leave a shadow it is important not to dwell on bad choices and beat your self up on what ifs. "To err is human, to forgive is divine" is a quote I remember from childhood. Most important is to forgive yourself. Life is all about trial and error and its better to regret something you have done than something that you havent! We all f up as we try to follow the path we choose and any who think they haven't ever? That is the biggest f up of all!

To me with all this in mind, even if Scientology auditing worked I wouldn't want it, I want my previous pain and dissapointment to continue to effect my thought process, as its all part of who I am today.

Back on topic (kinda) theres a few good reasons to be embarrassed in this video I saw today:


Hadn't seen a lot of this before and always find promotional stuff a laugh, If I was a scilon and knew plently people had seen leaked stuff like this I'd be hesitant to own up too! Apologies in advance if any of you are in this!

[Claire Swazey]

Anecdote:

Held a garden party last year in my yard. Almost everyone who came was a local ex member. John also invited our neighbors. So, they kept asking us "where do you know these people from?". And it was awkward. It's not that I have a problem with people knowing I used to be in CofS. It's just that it's a big long story, or I think it is, anyway. So I'd be all like, oh, gee, I've known these guys for YEARS.

So they kept asking and I was chatting with one of my pals who said "Oh? that's all you said? Because I said "hell, we were all in a cult together." and we laughed.

So then I was relaxed about telling the neighbors, yah, we were in a cult and it was mean so we all left.

I just thought this was amusing.

[Demented LRH]

I was not embarrased to tell anyone that I am a Scientologist. However, when I was in Sea Org, I was extremely embarrased to tell even the fellow Scientologists that I am a Sea Org member because only a schmuk would work for $20 a week.

[HelluvaHoax!]

--snipped for brevity--

"....what doesn't kill you (usually) makes you stronger.

Cool post, all of it.

On that snipped line, agreed!

And it's corollary:

....what doesn't kill you makes you stronger.
...what doesn't clear you makes you stronger.

[_brian]

For me, I don't think the embarrassment will ever go away. There were a few times when someone nearly found out I was in, or had been. I think nearly being found out results in a missed cringehold, doesn't it?

My involvement took a large portion of my life away, especially from my kids, 2 now in their 30's and the younger years of my teenager daughter. I expect to have to have conversations (I've never had yet) about how or why I was one.


Anyway, awhile back when the word cringe, which seemed to be starting to be used a lot in posts here, I thought about a scale (great another scale) about the physiological reactions that can occur when scientology is mentioned in near proximity, ymmv.

Flinch
Twitch
Wince
Grimace
Squirm
CRINGE
Or something like that.

There seems to be no flattening of this phenomenon no matter how much one cycles through it.