SMASHERKARL <k...@atheist.com>

"Before anyone gets too deeply involved in the Church of Scientology,
there are warning signs. Pay attention to the warning signs! Your good
sense will tell you something is very wrong.

If you ignore the warning signs, it really is your own damn fault, you
know.

Preposterous claims

As part of their sales routine, Scientologists try various tricks to
get you to tell them of some major problem you are having. It may be
family, health, job, the economy, war--they pry something from you
that they can use.

Then, no matter what you've said, they will inevitably utter the magic
words, "Scientology can help you with that!"

Think about it. Scientology claims to be able to help you with
absolutely anything. They claim to be the ultimate solution to
everyone's ills. No matter what those ills might be.

This is a big warning sign. Only the most gullible could believe such
extreme claims like that. This screams, "Scam!" more than anything
else they could say.

Salesmen/Sales tricks

Church of Scientology salesmen troll the sidewalks trying to get
people to take a "stress test" or a "personality test". They're out on
the sidewalk, they're in the malls. Doesn't that seem just a little
off?

And they use these tricks. They tell you it's a "stress test" and hook
you up to a meter. The needle jumps. They say it "indicates stress".
Oh yeah? What proof do they have of anything? It's their meter. It's
their needle. They can do anything they want with them. What kind of
test is that? It's a trick to pull you in, that's what it is. Does it
have any validity? I'll let you guess the answer to that one.

The "personality test" is the same thing. You spend a chunk of time
answering a whole lot of questions. They take it away and come back
with a graph of some kind. What is it? What does it say? Is it valid?
Does it mean anything? No, it's another trick. It isn't actually any
recognized "personality test" at all. It's a sales gimmick. It says
what they want it to say, that's all.

You get tricked into these things because you're curious about
yourself. But after all that participation, everyone who does these
tests learns only one thing:

They're "horribly messed up" and "Scientology can help with that".
Every test result from every person results in an identical
"analysis".

This is a warning sign. These "tests" are sales gimmicks, they're not
valid.

Super slick presentation

Another of the warning signs is the super-slick presentation. You get
hit with a big video production, in a special theater. Then you are
given a stack of slick promotional materials.

Gee whiz! It must be legitimate, look how slick the presentation is!

None of these things give you any real information. It's all show, no
substance.

Just try to get straight answers to your questions. Ask away. Listen
to the "answers". You don't actually get real answers, just fancy
promotional literature and a big video production. No facts.

You're not supposed to notice there are no facts. It's a big
distraction.

Actually, it's a big warning sign.

The Contract

Before starting any "major service" (anything above the introductory
services) you will be required to sign The Contract.

If ever there was a warning sign, this is it.

This beast is many pages of small-type legalese. The church does not
want you to read it, they just want you to sign it.

You are not allowed to take this contract to your lawyer. You are not
allowed to have your own copy of this contract. If you actually read
the contract you will find that it attempts to absolve the church from
any and all liability for anything they might do to you. You sign away
all possible rights you might have.

According to the contract, you pay, but you are promised absolutely
nothing.

No lawyer would let you sign such a "contract". The fact that this
contract is considered secret, and you can't have a copy, is extremely
revealing.

Only a fool would sign such a contract.
Money, money, money
It's all about the money.

Their only free services are their sales presentations.

Just try to get out of the Church of Scientology without handing over
some money. They are very insistent, you have got to buy something.
Buy a book. Buy a course.

Buy something. Buy!

It starts out with the cheaper things, but, if you show any interest
at all, it soon escalates to the more expensive services. Everything
they do is for sale and their job is to get your money.

Now, this really should be ringing warning bells for you.

It is very plain and very simple. The Church of Scientology engages in
lots of activities that, in any reasonably intelligent person, should
trigger loud alarm bells:
"Warning! These activities are not the actions of an honest
organization. This group is trying to pull something. Warning,
warning!"

Just pay attention, OK?"

Posted by Just Bill

http://askthescientologist.blogspot.com/2008/05/scientology-warning-s...