I remember reading that article, it was a real eye opener. Especially the fact that people were scared of crossing the organization

Yeah, it was a really good article.  I passed by the RS issue in the grocery store on the magazine endcap next to the frozen meat and seafood area and the whole Scientology thing caught my eye.  I stopped and picked up the magazine, and then couldn't stop reading.  Just stood there next to meat and fish and read and read and read! 

You know what's weird - about 2 years ago maybe I had a really realistic "dream" where I was wandering around some outdoor plaza sort of thing on a sunny late morning/early afternoon.  It looked like it could have been California, since I lived there for 10 years, but who knows.  I was with somebody I think, maybe a girl my age, I'm not sure.  And we came across a Scientology recruiting office sort of thing.  Curious, we went inside.  It was dark and cool, air conditioned.  I don't really remember what happened next other than I believe I bailed out.  It felt wrong and gave me the creeps and I remember leaving or something, wanting to get away.

It just seems odd to dream about something like that.  Maybe it wasn't a dream, but rather a glimpse into a parallel timeline of some sort.   I can't explain my interest in learning about the conspiracies and weirdness of Scientology.  So maybe it's because I've dabbled with it in another timeline.

http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/st … cientology

This episode gets into everything from Scientology's purpose of $$$$ making $$$$$ money $$$$$, portraying the people who run it as phoney baloneys, to its celebrity endorsers, Tom Cruise bein' in the closet, and those alien Xenu beliefs.  http://www.dailymotion.com/relevance/se … -cruise-vo

Also, the link I posted earlier for the Mind Controlled Celebrities gets into the negative aspects of scientology that most likely won't be discussed in this particular thread, such as the threats and intimidation/harassment of people who decide to leave, and the fact that there very well may be people being held captive as forced labor at the Hollywood California Scientology HQ.

Rolling Stone did a good piece about Scientology last year that's worth a read.   I'll see if I can track down an online version of it.  What emerges in the article is the pervasive fear of the members - if they leave the group, they'll be cut off permanently from their family members who are still in.  None of them want that, and they're scared to even be anonymously interviewing with the RS interview.

One of the Universal Seduction books I have has background info. on L. Ron.  I'll look at that later when I get home, see if anything is worth reposting. 

Scientology does have some valid ideas from what I've seen on the main page, and funny enough some of my own ideas and life ideals match up to what they talk about, so much so that I worried that people would think that I was a Scientologist.    But there are definitely some major problems with that organization.   The $$$ thing being at the top of the list.  They are first and foremost interested in your $$$$.  Not helping you.  And then the fear and manipulation tactics, which traces back to control, because they seem very nervous of the idea of anybody questioning anything or leaving.  I do believe that die-hard members who can't acknowledge any possible negative issues with the group have been brainwashed to some extent, or else they need to belong somewhere - and that's what this group provides them with.  It's a place to fit in when you're lost and wayward and have nothing else really.  So they don't want to be hearing anything negative.   IMO if you're of right, balanced mind you should be able to see the good and bad, pros and cons with anybody, anything or any situation.   Those who stubbornly repeat a "script" that only focuses on positives while denying any funny stuff are probably either brainwashed, or latched onto/invested out of need and ego identification/extension.

Did I answer your question satisfactorily?

Sure did, thanks.

All is built upon deceit and all the tools and agents needed are in place.

A perpetual experience of what is truth by self.

It,s just I can see the same thing occuring here.

I was in this "Church" myself.

I cannot enter a debate regarding others beliefs that may seem derogatory.

Also a post that is clearly a Q&A's with belief promotion a by-product and no other point of view welcome,no thanks but thanks for posting.

If this works for you then good luck.

PS:You could say, the ability to differentiate between the programing and the path of program avoidence is the important thing.

The ability to differentiate is important. You could just as easily say all spirituality is programming.

I'm not sure how long you have been with the organization or how far you have gone.  So my question may not be appropriate.

My main question is more to a personal level.  Has it ever seemed that scientology had a good grip on reality but still didn't quite hit the mark?

Good question. No it seems to me that Scientology exactly hits the mark. Reading writings by LRH you usually get the feeling "That is so true - it explains many experiences I've had and if I'd only had this in mind then I would have dealt with it so much better."

There is no belief structure in Scientology. You don't believe anything LRH has written because he wrote it. You have to look and see if it's true. Auditing you try out and judge for yourself whether it works or not (it does). There's nothing metaphorical in Scientology. If something exists in the body of knowledge of Scientology it's there because it works. Scientology isn't an abstract philosophy, the whole point is to make things better using processes where you can see results. There are many processes that work that LRH found that were discarded because he found other processes that worked better.

Did I answer your question satisfactorily?