Defections, court fights test Scientology By ERIC GORSKI (AP) – 3 days ago
Church spokesman Tommy Davis said Scientology is flourishing, with more than 8,000 Scientology churches, missions and groups in 160-plus nations. He said assets and property holdings have doubled over the past five years, including a new church in Rome and another opening this weekend in Washington, D.C.
"From our perspective, things are going pretty great," Davis said. "In fact, that's downplaying it. Actually, what's happening with the church right now is frankly spectacular. To the degree there are these various things happening, it really is a lot of noise."
One major survey of American religion shows Scientology declining in the U.S., however. The estimated number of Americans who identify as Scientologists rose from 45,000 in 1990 to 55,000 in 2001, then plummeted to 25,000 in 2008, according to the American Religion Identification Survey.
Davis said that while the church avoids membership estimates, it's "absolutely in the millions" globally and growing in the U.S.
> Defections, court fights test Scientology > By ERIC GORSKI (AP) – 3 days ago
> Church spokesman Tommy Davis said Scientology is flourishing, with > more than 8,000 Scientology churches, missions and groups in 160-plus > nations. He said assets and property holdings have doubled over the > past five years, including a new church in Rome and another opening > this weekend in Washington, D.C.
> "From our perspective, things are going pretty great," Davis said. "In > fact, that's downplaying it. Actually, what's happening with the > church right now is frankly spectacular. To the degree there are these > various things happening, it really is a lot of noise."
> One major survey of American religion shows Scientology declining in > the U.S., however. The estimated number of Americans who identify as > Scientologists rose from 45,000 in 1990 to 55,000 in 2001, then > plummeted to 25,000 in 2008, according to the American Religion > Identification Survey.
> Davis said that while the church avoids membership estimates, it's > "absolutely in the millions" globally and growing in the U.S.
So if the numbers the Church of Scientology has provided us over time aren't estimates, they are exact figures?
On Nov 4, 12:42 pm, Eldon <EldonB...@aol.com> wrote:
> Davis said that while the church avoids membership estimates, it's > "absolutely in the millions" globally and growing in the U.S.
Davis is "absolutely" brainwashed if he believes that. I'm sure he picks up a vibe of excitement about Scientology in Hollywood, and thinks it is like that everywhere. Why is a cult that is so stat- obsessed in other respects -- right down to taking notes of every auditing session and keeping them on file, or miles of wire used in the Ft. Brainwash renovation -- yet so disorganized they can't keep a database of people currently taking Scientology courses, or holding some kind of simple membership.
I think this whole aspect of stats constitutes why it is so damn hard to get off their mailing list. Once you are taken off, you can't be part of someone's stats as an active member, and instead some drone is held accountable for the decline. Is that a good stat to tell your supervisor: "I took 40 pissed-off people off the mailing list today." Hip hip hurray!
On Nov 4, 9:53 pm, Astrid <Astrid7777...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> On Nov 4, 12:42 pm, Eldon <EldonB...@aol.com> wrote:
> > Davis said that while the church avoids membership estimates, it's > > "absolutely in the millions" globally and growing in the U.S.
> Davis is "absolutely" brainwashed if he believes that. I'm sure he > picks up a vibe of excitement about Scientology in Hollywood, and > thinks it is like that everywhere. Why is a cult that is so stat- > obsessed in other respects -- right down to taking notes of every > auditing session and keeping them on file, or miles of wire used in > the Ft. Brainwash renovation -- yet so disorganized they can't keep a > database of people currently taking Scientology courses, or holding > some kind of simple membership.
As Ray sardonically implied, they have been spewing out numbers of 8, 10 and 12 million members ever since Heber appeared on the disastrous 60 Minutes show back in 1985. They know exactly what the stats are right now, but they ain't talkin' no mo'.
> I think this whole aspect of stats constitutes why it is so damn hard > to get off their mailing list. Once you are taken off, you can't be > part of someone's stats as an active member, and instead some drone is > held accountable for the decline. Is that a good stat to tell your > supervisor: "I took 40 pissed-off people off the mailing list today." > Hip hip hurray!
They're scraping the bottom of the barrel. Not long ago, a guy who left the Sea Org well over 20 years ago, and is entirely disaffected, received a few phone calls. Poor phone registrars.
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