Meditation 879
A Lie Based on a Liar's Lies
by: JT
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In a New Yorker article[1] documenting the parting of ways between Scientology and long time high-ranking member, Paul Haggis, Scientology was thoroughly exposed in all its dishonesty. In an NPR interview[2], the fact-checking that went into the article was discussed with the author, and this pretty well establishes that the article can be accepted as factual.
I won't go into Haggis's story which is well covered in the articles, but let's just look at the official story of Scientology's origin.[3]
L. Ron Hubbard, Scientology's founder claimed to have been wounded in WWII leaving him blind and a hopeless cripple. According to him, he healed himself through principles that became the basis of Dianetics which then became the basis of Scientology.
Tommy Davis, Scientology's chief spokesman is quoted as saying "Of course, if it's true that Mr. Hubbard was never injured during the war, then he never did heal himself using Dianetics principles, then Dianetics is based on a lie, and then Scientology is based on a lie. The truth is that Mr. Hubbard was a war hero."
It is clearly established in the article that Hubbard was not injured in the war, thus did not heal himself, which leads us inevitably by Davis's own words to the conclusion: Scientology is based on a lie.
That's a lie that includes badly-forged discharge papers, and claims to medals which weren't even available at the time Hubbard was in the military. As to Scientology's response that this is because Hubbard was a spy and two sets of documentation were produced to cover it up - well that's a lie too. Even military intelligence is not that stupid as to create such poor documentation.
Scientology's version of Hubbard's war record: a lie.
Scientology's story of Hubbard's war injuries: a lie.
Scientology's story of Hubbard's cure: a lie.
Dianetics: a lie.
Scientology: a lie.
Lies from start to finish.
Footnotes:
- The Apostate: Paul Haggis vs. the Church of Scientology by Lawrence Wright, The New Yorker 14 February 2011 (Currently this article is open to all - in time it will only be available to subscribers. Get a hard copy if you want it.)
- The Church of Scientology, Fact-Checked, NPR 8 February 2011
- For the unofficial story of the origin of Scientology, listen to this interview with Harlan Ellison. Note - this story has not been fact-checked - all the others there at the origin are now dead.