Scientology: The Ultimate Failure
So
remember when South Park made that episode making fun of Scientology? That was
fun, wasn’t it? Turns out that the Church of Scientology is still a thing
though, and it’s up to Leah Remini (a former member of said “Church” [Yes I
prissy quoted that]) to point out all the absolutely abhorrent things that
Scientology makes its bread and butter off of.
 |
| Leah Remini, producer and host of Scientology and the Aftermath |
For
this particular docu-review, I’ll be looking at the second episode of the
second season of Leah Remini’s Scientology and the Aftermath. This particular episode deals with the failure of
Scientology to meet the key requirement of a religion to its followers. But
what might that point be?
Leaving behind the theological questions and looking at religion purely in a practical light, the main goal of any faith is to provide for its people a sense of spiritual and emotional fulfillment. And yet, as Remini points out in her entire series, this couldn’t be any farther from the truth. Scientology preys on the weak and the desperate, using them as cash cows, forced labor, and all but mind-wiping them to obey their doctrine.
Leaving behind the theological questions and looking at religion purely in a practical light, the main goal of any faith is to provide for its people a sense of spiritual and emotional fulfillment. And yet, as Remini points out in her entire series, this couldn’t be any farther from the truth. Scientology preys on the weak and the desperate, using them as cash cows, forced labor, and all but mind-wiping them to obey their doctrine.
And
that’s the purpose of Remini’s docu-series: point out the evils of Scientology
to an audience that might not be wholly familiar with the Church, while also
exposing these out-and-out evil actions to any who will listen. It’s by
reaching out to this audience, and by putting forward the people who were most
affected by Scientology (such as Remini herself, or her guests who are usually
former members of the Church) that the docu-series establishes the weight of
its purpose; this isn’t about cold hard facts or a few trumped up statistics,
but rather it’s about lives that have been affected—in some cases destroyed—by a
Church that to this day receives tax exemption
as a religion.
This.
Is. Stupid.
So
while we’re on the topic and I’m good and steaming about this betrayal of
religious, moral, and ethical principle in the pursuit of that tasty hard
stacks’a’cash, let’s look at some fun facts I found on scientology:
o L.
Ron Hubbard, the science-fiction (cause of course he was) writer of Scientology
has been awarded three Guinness Book of World Records entries for his
Dianetics.
o Despite
claims of growth by the Church-run magazine Freedom,
only 25,000 Americans claim to be scientologists.
o The
average cost of Scientology reaches anywhere from $30,000 to $128,000,
depending on how deep into this rabbit hole you want to go.
o Claims
of abuse by the church range from claims of rape (which they covered up), child
labor violation, human rights violations, and spurious law suits.
o Scientologists
do not believe in or allow members to seek psychological help.
Leah Remini is a brave woman for
taking a stand against the Church like she has, but it hasn’t been without
consequence. Not only has the church threatened legal action against her, but
have dedicated entire websites to destroying her credibility and that of her
co-hosts in a practice known as “Fair Game” by the Church. Yet her ability to
stand up and tell the truth despite the threats of petty, morally-reprehensible
thugs speaks volume to both her own character and the value of this
docu-series.
Sure, one could argue that much of
the arguments presented rely on eye-witness testimony of former members, or
that there’s a fair amount of potentially manipulative emotional material, but
in this blogger’s honest, humble opinion, I don’t see that as being the case.
Pathos is not a sign of a poor argument; rather, it is a key component to show
the emotional turmoil that these people suffer through for their poor choice in
putting faith in these money-hunger monsters.
Leah Remini’s docu-series is a must
watch for anyone interested in the topic of Scientology and the potential abuse
of religion. It gets my highest rating of 5/5 tickets. If you have the time,
go see it. You won’t be disappointed.
Oh, and if some Church official
should see this, and get their knickers in a twist over my language?
That
is all. Have a good day, and stay beautiful, readers!
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