How does Scientology get away with it, exactly?
It charges money – a lot of money – for everything it does, but it calls itself a religion (one made up by a writer of pulp science fiction) and get a religious tax exemption.
How does it manage that? Why did the IRS say “Ok, you get your tax exemption, what the hell, why not”?
You know what “auditing” does? It restores your beingness.
Wut?
The goal of auditing is to restore beingness and ability. This is accomplished by: (1) helping individuals rid themselves of any spiritual disabilities; (2) increasing spiritual abilities.
Beingness. Does that have any connection to the ground of all being?
Through auditing one is able to look at one’s own existence and improve one’s ability to confront what one is and where one is. There are vast differences between the technology of auditing, a religious practice, and other practices. There is no use of hypnosis, trance techniques or drugs during auditing. The person being audited is completely aware of everything that happens. Auditing is precise, thoroughly codified and has exact procedures.
A person trained and qualified to better individuals through auditing is called an auditor. Auditor is defined as “one who listens,” from the Latin audire, meaning “to hear or listen.” An auditor is a minister or minister-in-training of the Church of Scientology.
A person receiving auditing is called a preclear—meaning “a person not yet Clear.” A preclear is someone who, through auditing, is finding out about themselves and life. The period of time during which an auditor audits a preclear is called an auditing session. A session is conducted at an agreed-upon time established by the auditor and preclear.
And for an agreed-upon sum of money; a large sum of money.
An unlimited number of questions could, of course, be asked, which might or might not help a person. The accomplishment of Dianetics and Scientology is that L. Ron Hubbard isolated the exact questions and directions to bring about spiritual freedom. The questions or directions of the process guide the person to inspect a certain part of their existence. What is found will naturally vary from person to person, since everyone’s experiences are different.
Regardless of experience or background, however, the individual is assisted in locating not only areas of spiritual upset or difficulty in their life, but the source of the upset. By doing this, a person is able to free themselves of unwanted barriers that inhibit, stop or blunt their natural abilities and increase these abilities so that they become brighter and more spiritually able.
Why do people believe this stuff? Why does it work?
Why do people take Ayn Rand seriously?
Did L Ron Hubbard and Ayn Rand ever meet?
Did anyone ever see them both at the same time? Are we completely sure they’re not the same person?
Is it something in the water in Los Angeles?
I have many questions. I’m not going to ask an auditor for help though.