Propoganda by redefinition of words

You’re probably wondering why I haven’t commented on this post yet, and the answer is because I’ve only just now stopped laughing.

Marty cites an LRH quote in which the Ol’ Fraud suggests that his PR people adopt the Nazi and Communist technique of redefining words.

Marty then shows a Co$ flyer that, according to Marty, redefines the word “Humanitarian”. (Which isn’t quite true — since Scns believe they are saving the world, I suppose that donating money to build an Idle Org really does make one a humanitarian.) Down in the comment section, Marty’s crowd of cheerleaders* goes on to accuse DM of redefining even more words.

If I understand Marty and his fan club correctly, redefinition of words is a bad thing…and that’s what makes this post a barrel of lulz.

Because if you read the rest of this policy – the part Marty left out – LRH goes on to tell his followers that they are supposed to redefine words! Says LRH:

“Psychiatry” and “psychiatrist” are easily redefined to mean “an antisocial enemy of the people.” This takes the kill-crazy psychiatrist off the preferred list of professions…it is necessary to redefine medicine, psychiatry and psychology downward and define Dianetics and Scientology upwards.” — LRH

So once again, Marty is lambasting David Miscavage for following LRH policy. And here I thought the whole point of the independent movement was that DM and his crew were altering LRH policy!

If I was an independent Scientologist, this post would make me pretty angry, because Marty is essentially cherry-picking bits of LRH’s tech to prove a false point – just like Church management does. (Oh, wait, Marty was Church management!) Lucky for Marty, thinking for oneself isn’t a high priority for most Scientologists. LRH conveniently taught his followers to accept a leader’s words without question. They did it for LRH, they did it for DM, and doing it for MR is simply a matter of falling into a comfortable and familiar pattern.

Hmm. Come to think of it, if I was an indie, I probably wouldn’t get angry at all.

Thanks for the laughs, Marty.

Original post: Propaganda by redefinition of words

ML,
Caliwog

*”Marty’s Crowd of Cheerleaders” is hereby redefined as “commenters whose opinions agree with Marty’s.” As we Co$ protesters are learning, comments that disagree with Marty’s POV generally don’t pass moderation.

[Marty’s] respects to Malcolm X

In today’s blog entry, Marty remembers Malcolm X, who he describes as having “had a profound effect upon me personally.”

“His autobiography chronicles obvious parallels to our struggle in his discovery that a sect leader had severely corrupted the religion he had devoted his life to defending,” says Marty.

The Independents claim that David Miscavige has altered L. Ron Hubbard’s original writings. Now, there’s no question that changes have been made. Per LRH policy, issues that have been revised must carry the date of revision. Several policies were revised after L. Ron Hubbard died in 1986. Though Scientologists believe in reincarnation, so far as I can tell, LRH has not (yet) returned from the dead. So obviously someone else made the changes.

But to say that DM’s alterations are the reason Scientology has become the evil cult that it is, well, that just ain’t true.

LRH is behind the Church’s most tyrannical abuses. Do some research and look up a punishment called overboarding. Look up the Rehabilitation Project Force. Look up disconnection. All of these have their origins in LRH policy.

To get a better feel for the Church of Scientology in the pre-DM days, read up on what the Church did to Paulette Cooper as revenge for her book The Scandal of Scientology – the famous Operation Freakout, which took place in 1976. David Miscavige was 16. He had just joined the Sea Organization. He hadn’t even started his gig as LRH’s cameraman.

David Miscavige isn’t responsible for originating those practices. Continuing them? Definitely. Making them worse? Perhaps. But originating them? Nope. That was all L. Ron Hubbard. As Scientologists would say, “LRH is the why.”

Marty obviously considers DM to be the “sect leader” who “corrupted the religion”. But the fact is that DM hasn’t significantly altered the basic teachings and practices of Scientology.

LRH set up Dianetics and Scientology to make money. I think he eventually began to believe his own bullshit – but the fact is that it’s still bullshit. We were not shoved into volcanoes and blown up by an evil galactic overlord. People do not get sick solely because they are connected to someone who treats them badly. Nor do they give up a subject of study only because they read a word they didn’t understand. Serious diseases cannot be treated by simply touching a person and saying “feel my finger.” Young children are not “little adults” that must be treated like grown-ups instead of being nurtured. And your life’s troubles are not caused by millions of invisible space spirits clinging to your body.

That’s the truth about Scientology. Toppling David Miscavige and replacing him with Marty Rathbun – or anyone else – isn’t going to change that.

ML,
Caliwog