Home What Happened, Chapter Eight
What Happened, Chapter Eight PDF  | Print |  E-mail
Wednesday, 30 December 2009 22:28

Creating a Cult from Within

Interviewer:  We're back with our 8th interview with Nomad, a man who gave over 30 years of his life to the Sea Org and who worked at all levels of its management structure. How are you?

Nomad:  Good. It's almost the New Year and 2010 should prove to be a very good year. But we'll get to that later.

Interviewer: What are we covering today?

Nomad: I want to detail some of the factors and things that have happened since 1996 when David Miscavige released the "Golden Age of Tech" and the "New Era of Management" - things which were calculatedly done to morph the Church from within - to change it into something it was never meant to be - and unfortunately - to give it a make-over that turned Scientology categorically into a cult.

Interviewer:  Ok.

Nomad:  While these incidents will appear haphazard, they are not. They are pieces of a bigger picture, but I hope to paint that picture for our readers. What I am telling you here is factual.  Let's take the subject of SOURCE. We all know what SOURCE is - that refers to LRH, L. Ron Hubbard, the "old man" as we used to call him back in the late 70's - you name it. The SOURCE line, besides LRH's books is Flag Mimeo. Mimeo is the mimeograph unit that is administered at the International Liaison Office in LA known as ILO. Mimeo prints and distributes LRH issues, as well as management issues, and sends them to orgs. After the Golden Age of Tech was announced in 1996 we began to see a practice happening - almost instantaneously - one which continued right on up to when I walked out the door several years ago. COB (Chairman of the Board) issues, written by David Miscavige were given SUBSTANTIALLY more importance than LRH issues. When a COB issue was printed by Flag mimeo, it was not unusual to see an "all-hands" called, whereby staff went down to mimeo to help collate these issues. These "all-hands" would involve checking EVERY single page of COB issues to make sure they were perfect and without blemish. It took thousands of man hours of time to do this, sometimes running for days on end with crews up day and night. Now - you'd think that the same level of perfection would be done for LRH issues - and logically you'd be right except that was not the case. LRH issues were printed, collated and readied for shipping. But COB issues - these were treated with special care - inordinate and ridiculously time consuming evolutions to ensure that his word arrived in orgs without a mar.

Interviewer:  Odd.

Nomad: It is odd. In my 30 years at management level I never once saw our mimeo do anything more than their expected job with any LRH issue, new or extant. But yet, when COB's issues came along - the protocol changed completely. You can say that this is a minor point but it isn't. The message that gives to the staff, and did in fact convey is that COB is MORE important than L Ron Hubbard. It was a transference of power. It changed the level of veneration from the man who researched and wrote the materials and built the organization, to the new guy, David Miscavige. It was calculated - and it did in fact denigrate L Ron Hubbard. This was one facet of the internal morphing that began to change the face of Scientology. Let's take the next one. When the Golden Age of Tech was announced to the world of Scientology in May 1996, who delivered the entire event, from start to finish? David Miscavige.  Who announced the new meter - alluding to the fact that he had it researched out and developed to a whole new standard? David Miscavige.  Who announced a new training tool (the simulator) - not as an LRH specified tool - but leaving the door open - by allusion - that he did it - David Miscavige.  Now try this one on for size. Any student or staff member will tell you this. When the new training drill binders came out with the Golden Age of Tech drills, do you know that there were rules imposed, and enforced, that you could not "slide one of those binders across a table" or spin it around on a table to face anothe student. You had to carefully and gingerly pick it up and place it in front of the other student so as to protect that binder. Oddly, when it came to LRH books and materials no one cared, and those could be pushed, shoved, stacked or otherwise - but not COB's training binders - these had special treatment. Again - the mindset is being morphed. The new man in town is David Miscavige.

Interviewer:  I am sure you're leading up to this, but how does this morph or change Scientology into a cult?

Nomad: Stay with me on this. Let's take another example. In 2003 David Miscavige travels to many of the CLOs (Continental Liaison Offices) around the world. He lectures the staff of those CLOs directly - giving them orders, mandates and laying down the gridwork for his strategy on Ideal Orgs. We were required to watch his briefings upwards of 10 times in the few years that ensued. Now if you're missing my point by now, it's quite simple. Most LRH films or lectures, I have listened to maybe once or twice. Sometimes more if I want. But here - we were not told to watch or listen to an LRH tape or lecture 10 times - instead we had to watch David Miscavige droning on about his viewpoint about the operation of the CLOs. As if he was the new Source of Scientology. And don't forget, the executives who demanded this of us also included a short lecture beforehand to the effect that we "better listen carefully and get the message."

Interviewer:  What you're getting at is that by definition a cult becomes one because of an obsession or fixation with a cultish leader, one that commands and controls the minds of its followers - as opposed to a free thinking group.

Nomad: Exactly. I'm not ranting here about minor or disrelated things. I could detail dozens of similar things that were done to raise David Miscavige up on a pedestal as someone that was unchallengeable, someone that was beyond comprimise, a god-like figure whose word was absolute. That is how you make a cult. Call it Nazism with Hitler chanting, or the Kool Aid drinkers of Jonestown - it's all the same. You build up a figure in the eyes and minds of those that have committed themselves to the movement - and make him iconic, infallible, and untainted. People would do strange things for such a person, everything from murdering millions of Jews to sticking people in SP halls and treating them like criminals. That is how Scientology has been morphed from within into a cult. It wasn't that way before. Not even vaguely.

Interviewer:  How so? Wasn't L Ron Hubbard strict about conformity?

Nomad: LRH was strict about technical application. He demanded perfection in the use of Scientology technical procedures in order to get RESULTS.  That is entirely different from the mindset that David Miscavige has created. He has laid down the groundwork that establishes his rule as absolute - and in that arena no one else has a say. LRH on the other hand only insisted on correct use of Scientology - very different thing.  LRH also disarmed this whole cult factor by repeatedly saying that Scientology was free, that he wanted free thinkers, not slaves, and he also made it absolutely safe for people to talk and say their mind, and make their own mistakes. He didn't condemn them, or black ball them or covertly have them removed in order to protect himself. He had no concerns about his position.

Interviewer:  Are there any other significant points that corroborates this scenario?

Nomad: Many... but here's one more to cement it further.  I once asked someone for all the "advices" or "orders" on a specific area that I was working on at management level. I was given one or two binders of "advices" or "orders" - 80 or 90% of the content were comments, orders and mandates from David Miscavige. All carefully organized and formatted. His comments or orders took up the first 80% of this binder. They were tabbed and labelled too. Following that, in a small section at the back were orders or comments by LRH on the same area. In comparison to DMs stuff - LRH's comments looked like a vague after-thought!  And what's worse is that binder was treated like gold, handed to me in confidence and had to be returned asap. Why? Because it was David Miscavige - not because of LRHs material within it.
In other words, if I hand you such a binder, who are you going to listen to or follow after reading its contents?

Interviewer:  David Miscavige - of course.

Nomad:  That's right. Back in the days when Scientology was actually booming - when you needed advices or orders to review to see what should be done - you looked for LRH materials - not David Miscavige's ideas. The bottom line is that from Scientology events, to Scientology magazines, to internal orders and protocols and staff briefings, in fact, most every facet of Scientology since at least 1996, David Miscavige's word is what counts. He is the dominant role player - the new axis around which Scientology spins. If he says it is so, it is. If he says you're good - you are. If he says you're a criminal - then you are. It's hands down - irrefutable fact - if David Miscavige chants it - the rest of the organization does too - and they have been chanting his tune for the last 14 years at least. While Scientology has been on the decline now since the late 1980s - it wasn't until the mid-90s when he began to morph the entire organization from within into his version - the new cult.

Interviewer:  It's sad to see.

Nomad: It is. There are so many incredibly wonderful people engaged in Scientology. People who have given up the better part of their lives who have fallen for this perversion, who have been caught in the vortex and who are having their dreams and ambitions - purpose and drive - milked by a cult leader that has no business in the driver's seat.

Interviewer:  I know we've discussed this before, and however rhetorical it may be - is there hope of recovering Scientology from this situation? In your opinion of course?

Nomad:  (stares off into the distance for a time)... I believe the answer is yes. In my view we have to expose him to enough Scientologists that they turn around one day and say NO MORE. It's like any tyrant  who commits genocide or engages oppression on a people - eventually the people say NO. That time is coming for David Miscavige, and I truly believe that we must continue to expose him to the light of day.

Interviewer: One last question for today. Is it conceivable that Scientology would end up fracturing itself into many sects, as happened with the Christian and Catholic movements?

Nomad:  Certainly. When the Catholic Church engaged its reign of terror in Europe, burning heretics and suppressing any religion or pagan practice that didn't conform to their version, we saw the creation of new sects, in fact, we saw the creation of an entirely new nation in America where religion could no longer be dictated by one central power. If David Miscavige continues his version of Scientology, it will, per force, splinter up and that would be unfortunate. But people will do what they must to gain freedom. Scientology is anything but a cult and certainly is not oppressive - so what we're seeing now is a cult leader, branding his style of Scientology and marching it forward to a very steep precipice. Fortunately - there are many of us who will not allow it to go down or to disappear.

Interviewer:  Thank you Nomad.

Nomad:  Been a pleasure.

Posted By Outside the Box

 

Comments   

 
# RJ 2009-12-31 04:23
OTB, you are so spot on!

They even had a hat write up on the proper care and handling of those stupid GAT drills binders that you had to be checked out on before you could use them!

As if they were sacred scriptures or something.

Unbelievable!

However, what I found is that they make excellent lunch trays!

They're also make pretty good frisbes too. Not as good as the real thing but close.

You can also use them to prop your tech volume on to make it easier to read the exact HCOB violated by the drill.
 
 
# Guest 2010-01-01 03:04
Here's a very simple observation that I believe is being way overlooked in this article and across the boards: If LRH TRULY had made it to OT 15 and beyond dont you think he would have squashed DM from the start??? Please try to answer this one. I believe it is a very logical and sane viewpoint and obnosis. Thanks.
 
 
# OTB 2010-01-04 03:25
Anonymous - If you had worked with LRH, as many of us did, you would know that he lived by everything he wrote - but that he had a human side too - and unfortunately - we don't always see the snakes in the bush until too late. Rest assured - LRH would have seen DM eventually. I was there when LRH spotted others who were doing in Scientology back in the early 80's and he didn't hesitate to deal with them so that Scientology would be around for the long haul. As to the veracity of LRH's case state - that is conjecture.
 
 
# OTB 2010-01-01 03:48
RJ - That was funny - but so true about the drill binders being treated like holy scriptures.
 
 
# lunamoth 2010-01-04 07:39
GAWD, RJ! Such sacrilege! You are entirely toooo independent and waaaay too insouciant!

You probably didn't wear white cotton gloves while reading your latest copy of "Freedom," either. And no "making eye contact"with the pictures of dm, either!

luna
 

Sorry, but you do not have the right to post comments.

Who's Online

We have 169 guests online

Statistics

Content View Hits : 12360646

New Articles

Support this website

Help keep truth flowing out.

Bookmark, Share

Embezzlement

Massive Ponzi Scheme

"So, on the model of an elaborate Ponzi scheme, Scientologists are coerced to 'invest' in the dissemination of Scientology... The Cob makes a show of carrying through, but in reality he pulls the funding..."  Learn More...

$70 Million Fraud

"The money is still coming in (approximately $70 million so far). The bank interest is about $200,000 per month and there is still over $200,000 in new donations per month... so you can see the strategy here..."  Learn More...

$100 Million Swindle

"The total amount spent to build his own office building (for Little Dickie and the few staff he has remaining) was right around $70 million... He spent another $30 million on the house next door (which is unoccupied)..."  Learn More...

Assault

Assault

"Specifically, on four separate occasions The Cob physically assaulted and violently battered individuals in my presence, sending a strong message that anyone in the room was likely to be next. Three other times he threw heavy objects at me or at my staff..."  Learn More...

Battery

"Assaulting staff members at the Int base became routine with many individuals being physically attacked over and over and over again. We are talking about repeated blows to the face, choking, dragging to the ground, ripping clothes, hitting with heavy objects and so forth..."  Learn More...

Human Trafficking

Insanity

"Only when you see the history as well as the present will you see the whole picture, the fingerprints, the moving force behind it all and its sheer madness..."  Learn More...

Coverup

"staff are "off-loaded" to far flung areas to work in "small, failing" organizations, bereft of their spouses and families..." Learn More...

Banishment

"Little Dickie in his twisted sociopath mind sees normal, productive people as “threatening” and therefore sees a need to destroy them..."  Learn More...

Elimination

"According to David Miscavige, demonstrated by his own actual statistics, 98% of the population is suppressive..."  Learn More...

Terrorism

Climate of Fear - Reign of Terror

"Ever-increasing savage actions created a climate of fear. You could be screamed at, ridiculed, spat on, embarrassed, threatened ferociously or beaten. You could lose Scientology, your friends, family, parents, split off from your spouse, no money, no job, cast out into the world penniless and alone if you ever dream of defying The Cob" Learn More...

Coercion

"For example, through his destructive policies Miscavige forced hundreds of female Sea Org members at International Management to get abortions when they got pregnant. When the media started to investigate that, he came up with the solution: he ordered that husbands and wives at International Management get divorced...."  Learn More...

Racketeering

Shaking Down Scientologists for Cash

"Through his programs and subverted staff he extorts Scientologists into 'donating' huge sums of money, forcing thousands into debt. It's a protection racket no different from thugs 'shaking down' local business owners for cash. His specialty is crushing people..."  Learn More...

How Church Financials Really Work

"It's a lot more viable to chase down millionaires who will donate $10 million for a hand shake, some applause and a metal pin. It's not a matter of saving the planet and all the poor suffering people... it's 'Where's the BIG, FAT, EASY MONEY?' -- that's what we're talking about!..."  Learn More...

Blackmail

Tax Exemption by Blackmail

"Miscavige bragged that he collared the IRS Commissioner Fred Goldberg in the hallway outside his IRS office and threatened to expose him. Private investigators hired by Miscavige had caught Fred in some unethical activity. Miscavige told Fred if he didn’t cooperate, he’d immediately ruin him with full-page ads in USA Today..."  Learn More...

Extortion of a Federal Official

"He also bragged to a number of staff who were close to him about how he illegally obtained information which he was able to use to blackmail the IRS official who granted the church tax exemption..."  Learn More...

Torture

Annie Tidman: Imprisoned for 2 Years

"Annie Broeker Tidman, Hubbard's personal assistant right up to the time of his death, realized that Miscavige was systematically and forcefully taking over the church. She attempted to escape to rejoin her husband but was caught and brought back to California, isolated and kept under guard on a remote property for over 2 years..."  Learn More...

Sadism in the SP Hall

"His most infamous sadistic moment was when he told them they were going to play 'musical chairs' and only the last person to get a chair would stay and the rest would vanish without even a chance to say good-bye to friends and family, husbands or wives. The game went on for hours as staff wept bitter tears. This delighted The Cob."  Learn More...

Abuse

Lisa McPherson's Demise

"Miscavige said he knew what was wrong and proceeded to write three paragraphs on what was to be said to this girl. The staff wondered how The Cob was even qualified to supervise auditing and even if he was, why hadn't he studied the folders first? The girl's name was Lisa McPherson and you know the rest."  Learn More...

Night of the Living Dead

"Moments later came a wail of inhuman agony unlike anything I have every heard in my lifetime, before or since. The screams were so incredibly loud. Louder than any sounds I could imagine a human could make. They filled the sky and the valley and my lonely office. 20 or 30 minutes they lasted..."  Learn More...

ScientologyReviews.com

scientology-reviews-website

Discover what people really say about all things Scientology

Shocking, unbiased consumer reviews covering every Scientology book, lecture, course, auditing level, organization and program — more than 300 in all. Probe the depths or write your own honest reviews.

Click to see Scientology Reviews

The Voice of iScientology

iscientology-website

An answer to the corrupt monopoly of Scientology

This website is a simple answer to those who tried to monopolize and corporatize spiritual freedom: An open gateway dedicated to helping people move up to higher levels of awareness and ability under their own steam.

Click to visit iScientology.org

31 Factors for Scientologists to Consider

The Pertinent Manifesto"Scientology has been taken over by a self-appointed dictator, David Miscavige, who has turned the Creed of the Church of Scientology, the Code of a Scientologist, and the Credo of a True Group Member on their heads and instituted the virtual practice of Reverse (Black) Dianetics..."  Learn More...

Opinion poll

Is David Miscavige a crook?
 
Website conceived, designed and optimized for search engines by Logo for Steve Hall Creative, Web Designer in Dallas, Texas