Message from discussion
Scientology: Getting New Converts
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From: Eldon <EldonB...@aol.com>
Newsgroups: alt.religion.scientology
Subject: Re: Scientology: Getting New Converts
Date: Sat, 4 Jul 2009 04:43:52 -0700 (PDT)
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On Jul 4, 1:01=A0pm, SMASHERKARL <k...@atheist.com> wrote:
> "A recent suggestion got me thinking, "How is Miscavige's Church of
> Scientology getting new converts now?"
>
> It can't be easy. The public at large knows all about the sooper-
> seekrit, confidential, highly-dangerous, OT information. They know all
> about Lord Xenu and the Body Thetans (which would be a great name for
> a band, don't you think?)
>
> The average non-Scientologist knows much more than the average
> Scientologist. As far as the church is concerned, any potential
> convert might suddenly blurt out information that would kill a lower-
> level Scientologist! How can they let the lower-level Scientologist
> out to recruit new members. It's certain death! It's impossible!
>
> So, one assumes, only those OT III or higher are being allowed out for
> proselytizing. Only OT IIIs can man the Volunteer Minister's tents.
> Only OT IIIs can give those "Stress Tests". Well, gee, this must
> severely restrict their operations.
>
> Now you have these OT IIIs out talking to the public, and they are
> required to lie. Someone says something about Xenu and the Body
> Thetans and the OT III must lie and say that Scientology does not
> believe or teach that. How do you think that goes over? The public
> person knows the Scientologist is lying, because they saw the
> information in L. Ron Hubbard's handwriting or heard it directly in
> Hubbard's voice. The Scientologist knows they are lying, and that if
> they could recruit someone, that person would eventually find out they
> had been betrayed.
This makes logical sesse, but I think they've pretty much given up on
the myth that a mere mention of Xenu will kill people. Maybe they
believed that ten years ago, but now I think they just blank it out
and ignore Ron's dire admonition.
>
> That doesn't make for a real effective recruitment. Since most
> Scientologists are merely misguided and gullible, not evil, this
> blatant lying isn't going to go over too well.
>
> What to do? What to do? David Miscavige needs to lure in more people,
> but the standard recruitment line is broken. What to do?
In the past, there were a few effective means of bringing in new
people.
1. Word of mouth. People who were convinced they "made gains" would
encourage friends or relatives to try a basic course, which wasn't
very expensive or threatening.
2. The personality test. Done by someone who knows how to work the
subject's fears and desires, it was often enough to get someone to try
out a basic course.
3. Free sample Dianetics sessions by students. I did one of those when
I was taking the Dianetics course, and the poor guy was so impressed
he joined the Sea Org within a couple of months!
In all cases, it's a matter of getting someone to take a basic course
in a friendly, non-threatening environment. But I don't think that
environment exists in Scientology today. They're way uptight and
paranoid, so any potential piece of raw meat surely drives them into a
feeding frenzy.
>
> Miscavige's previous "solution", the shiny new buildings, is not
> working! Not only are they not getting bought or renovated quickly
> enough but any that are fully completed just aren't pulling in new
> people anyway. Street recruitment via "Ideal Org", "Personality Tests"
> and "Stress Tests" is broken. What to do?
>
> Miscavige the Failure now has a new program. Oh, this one surely will
> work when all of his past programs have failed. He's going to sell
> books!
>
> Oh, not David personally, no. He can't actually handle that. He has
> ordered everyone to go out there and sell books. Sell-sell-sell-sell!
> Surely that will work!
>
> He's absolutely sure that people will buy the Scientology books that
> he has so painstakingly "corrected". People will buy his books, read
> his wonderful, new-improved "wisdom", and, magically, come in and
> start sending Miscavige money.
>
> But that is yet another abysmal failure. People didn't particularly
> want Hubbard's books and they really don't want Miscavige's
> "corrected" versions. It would be possible to properly market one or
> more of Hubbard's books and have some success -- it's been done -- but
> Miscavige can't do it. It takes intelligence, bright ideas, surveys,
> analysis, testing and quite a bit of time and money. Miscavige doesn't
> have the intelligence, doesn't want to waste time and money doing all
> the hard work -- he only relies on "Miscavige-bright-idea" power.
>
> Oh, my! Those are the "bright ideas" that have failed consistently for
> 30 years.
>
> His book selling project has failed from the very start. You see,
> selling books is a well researched and well mapped out activity, and
> Miscavige doesn't know anything. Here's a hint, David: You don't send
> out hoards of people to the street to "sell books". That's stupid.
> Also, you don't send out people to harass bookstores. Do you think
> it's smart to seriously alienate bookstore owners? And you don't pull
> out 30-year-old ads which were carefully tailored for that time and
> run them now, in today's Internet world! That's lazy! And very stupid!
>
> The only "successes" Miscavige has with his project were created by
> FORCING Scientologists, who already have all the books, on threat of
> heavy punishment, to buy his books. Good one, David! But he very
> quickly ran out of people he could force to do this.
>
> Miscavige is down to force and punishment. That's the only way he can
> operate: Force and punishment. He is now forcing people to buy his
> stuff. He is forcing people to send him money.
>
> But Miscavige can't force the public to buy his crap. He can force
> some Scientologists to go out to try and sell his crap, but they can't
> force the public to buy Miscavige's crap either.
>
> Woe betide his system of force and punishment when his victims realize
> that his threatened punishment is without teeth! His threats have no
> power.
>
> Many Scientologists are realizing that, if Miscavige is an example of
> the best that Scientology can produce, there is something seriously
> wrong with Scientology.
>
> What good is a threat to "banish someone from Scientology" if people
> realize they don't want Miscavige's version of Scientology anyway?"
>
> Posted by Just Bill
>
> http://askthescientologist.blogspot.com/2008/10/scientology-getting-n...
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