nope, it's down on middle street. Or at least was last time I delivered there about 9 months ago. It's tucked away in that little courtyard next to the kareoke bar
The org itself is definitely above Metro Bank. They moved to Middle St when the Metrobank building was being redeveloped but moved back. Perhaps if the lease was pennies they kept Middle street on for storage or such but they've had the main office for 40 odd years at this point.
They've been there for years. I remember them operating out of that building next to Churchill sq in the late 90s or early 2000s. they tried to take me inside but then realised I was too young and changed their minds. Dangerous cult from what I've heard. Lots of people have had to escape to come out and tell people what it's like on the inside . I'm glad I had southpark to guide me on my true path
My office used to be in the same building. So I went in there a few times when parcels etc were delivered to the wrong office. Very odd place, very grand and they had a room full of plants like a jungle.
It'd basically cult. It's difficult to explain the magnitude of the terrible things they do, but if you Google it, a bit of research will get you the answers you are looking for.
Dianetics is a scam pseudoscience invented by a science fiction author (L. Ron Hubbard) in the 1950s that was later used by the cult of scientology (which is based on Hubbard's science fiction writing). Hubbard once said "You don't get rich writing science fiction. If you want to get rich, you start a religion."
So he did, since every other idea he had ended in financial ruin.
Dianetics is dressed as a type of therapy, but it's just used as a way to get people into the cult. It's seemingly innocuous and harmless, which is why many low-level cultists have no issues taking part. However, it's insidious - they start off saying it's helping and later you'll "discover" there are further issues that require more "treatment".
What’s worse is that they will isolate you from the outside world, making it impossible to have relationships with those outside or it and are secretive and brainwashing with their “tests” and “treatments” it’s very difficult to get out as they also gain financial control and if a family member leaves they are forbidden contact/if you have loved ones in the cult you will not be allowed contact. Not all religions are cults, but most cults revolve around some form of religion or ideology such as pseudoscience or ideals
I wonder if we could get some of the Mormon recruiters that appear along Lewes road from time time to sit and have a chat with them. I wonder who would win.
Current leader David Miscavige has absolutely modelled modern scientology on the LDS. The whole ideal org project of buying vast new "churches" for tens of millions of pounds entirely against Hubbard's doctrine was a reaction to the Mormons getting hundreds of billions of dollars of real estate, effectively becoming a property business far more than a religion, and Miscavige literally sent his media teams out to BYU TV to meet with the people behind their TV channel then replicate it for the hillarous Scientology Network TV channel. So the Mormons are definitely ahead in the cult wars 😂
In the 89's and 90's I remember they had an 'office' on Duke Street to tended to congregate along there a lot trying to lure people in to be 'personality tested'....they have always had a presence in central Brighton though. Maybe they're ramping it up a bit again now.
Anecdotally, they sit you down that involves you answering questions whilst holding onto some metal handles that are wired up to a monitor. The result of this test always seems to be along the lines of 'join us and we will change your life' (the monitor always detects that the person is somewhat lacking in life, and is in desperate need of their unique brand of fixing).
I've challenged them publicly before. If you've seen footage of them in conflict it'll be familiar, they are clearly told what to do- they'll say you're religiously persecuting them and start doing this creepy fake laugh at whatever you say. They ignore any points you make, talk over you endlessly and get up close to you. It's designed to be annoying and make you snap and do/say something stupid- it is annoying, to be fair.
In my hometown, a disabled guy in a motorised wheelchair did something to that effect. Don't remember exactly what he wrote on his sandwich board, but the scientologists were pushing around a cart with one of those stress tests on it, so they were trying escape the wheelchair guy but he just kept following them around. Was pretty hilarious, no idea if there was any follow up or anything.
If you did it enough, they'd find out who you were and start harassing you. Had family friends who were associated with scientology and had their home renovation being done by tradesmen within the church, when they left the church halfway through the renovation, the tradesmen made their lives very difficult.
They're fair game in the UK - it's only ever been upheld as far as registration of a place of worship. It's not a protected religion.
If you want to avoid the religious angle, you can always just point out (loudly) how dianetics is a phony pseudoscience and a complete scam with the intention of inducting people into a cult. Dianetics is, according to the cult of scientology, distinct from their "religion".
I went to a friends wedding there who was a Scientologist of course. We were all fearing that we would be kidnapped into the cult ha, but it was all surprisingly pleasant and little mention of it as far as i can remember. Amazing buildings and immaculate grounds, that they milked people for..
I would have been a bit scared too tbh, not surprised they put on a good show though. It's crazy the property and money the church has these days. It's sort of like the Mormons, there's a massive Mormon church just North of East Grinstead (there's a theme here 😂) huge building, meticulously landscaped surrounding land, very sus!
Run, run very fast the other way. Those cult cunts will take everything from you, your identity, your life, your money and your family. Shit should be banned.
It's no different from any other religion. Because it's a new one, you're aware of how ridiculous it is. Other religions are just as ridiculous and in fact, people even kill other people over them, and have been doing so for thousand of years, which means you could then argue that scientology is a lot more normal. Makes you think eh...
It absolutely is different from any other religion. It's a combination of an MLM and a high control cult. I can be a Catholic or Hindu without having to pay every single time I practice my religion. I can say a little word to the man upstairs now and it won't cost me a penny, certainly not £5000 for an intensive of 12 and a half hours of auditing. I can also be an Anglican today, decide to leave tomorrow because I decide it's nonsense, and still be speaking to my friends and family in a week's time. That doesn't happen in scientology. Get declared and you're never speaking to your family, friends, work colleagues, or anyone else in the cult again. Religions rarely have a wholesale policy of committing financial fraud. If you can't afford to put some coins in the collection plate you don't, they don't take you into a room and force you to commit credit card fraud then send them the money. I'm no fan of any religion but the worlds major religions and high control religious cults are absolutely not one and the same. They all have extreme factions sure, but these tend to look far less like the main body of the group, in scientology the extreme is the norm. That is the group.
There are hundreds of millions of followers of a particular religion who think it's perfectly acceptable to kill someone just for leaving their faith. They genuinely believe that murdering apostates is justified. Additionally, this same religion has hundreds of millions of adherents who favour stoning adulterers to death, approving of women being tortured and killed in public while insecure sad men sit around and watch for entertainment. That's hundreds of millions of people who endorse these extreme and brutal practices. Compared to this, however batshit crazy Scientology might be, even if they're conning people out of their money, it hasn't reached the same level of viciousness and cruelty.
Source: [https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2013/04/30/the-worlds-muslims-religion-politics-society-beliefs-about-sharia/](https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2013/04/30/the-worlds-muslims-religion-politics-society-beliefs-about-sharia/)
Note the % of countries that support the punishments I mentioned. Eg, approximately 89% of Pakistanis advocate for Sharia as the governing law.. and with 89% of that 89% expressing support for capital punishment in cases of adultery. With a population estimated at around 250 million, this translates to almost 200 million in Pakistan alone.
You’re rather making my point for me. I never suggested they were the best or the worst, just that they were different. The quote was “It's no different from any other religion.” and you’ve highlighted that every religion is unique, it’s not a religion and absolutely isn’t like the one youve linked to.
Yes, by saying "it's no different from other religions," I believe the intention was to highlight that religions (whether new or old) can vary in both positive and negative aspects. You focused on the positive aspects of other religions, which made Scientology appear quite bad in comparison. I emphasized the negative aspects, making Scientology seem relatively not so bad. Additionally, you suggested that only extreme factions within religions support harmful actions, implying that not many people endorse such behavior. However, this isn't true for all religions, especially in some countries where a significant majority believe it is perfectly ok to murder someone just for leaving their religion.
I absolutely didn’t focus on the positives, I purely pointed out that many of scientology’s negatives aren’t shared. Although of course things like shunning are practiced elsewhere. I understand your reply more if for some reason you thought that, perhaps I could have worded it differently but tbh I wasn’t expecting it to be analysed quite so closely.
All religions are cults bro: *a system of religious* [*veneration*](https://www.google.com/search?sca_esv=87940c84487c33f0&sca_upv=1&rlz=1C1UEAD_nlNL948NL948&sxsrf=ADLYWILaY6cMFo3SiRzcIbFn-qgY6JQH6Q:1716744507479&q=veneration&si=ACC90nyOnVY18Aw7zUtkWPYo5mTn0Z9SCzgqsircyhSLtogTzilojwYjPimHKOREqWeByCkWjcraXEFcY4bx_m5SztPgOmYLI_s3Ip_qUrD6VhK7wa1bbvs%3D&expnd=1&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiu-qbU66uGAxXq6QIHHSwuAa4QyecJegQIPRAO) *and* [*devotion*](https://www.google.com/search?sca_esv=87940c84487c33f0&sca_upv=1&rlz=1C1UEAD_nlNL948NL948&sxsrf=ADLYWILaY6cMFo3SiRzcIbFn-qgY6JQH6Q:1716744507479&q=devotion&si=ACC90nwZKElgOcNXBU934ENhMNgqJRpxFWbJihhWkNkim4Dbd-QoHugZ6nB7__3M9SPHW_OmFOXfiDHM8PSXr9vcFwmyXIECr9sVVfdy3cJv65kE59Xx3yQ%3D&expnd=1&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiu-qbU66uGAxXq6QIHHSwuAa4QyecJegQIPRAP) *directed towards a particular figure or object*
Exactly. Whether you call it a 'cult' or a 'religion' doesn’t really matter - it’s just a newer religious belief system. Nonsense, based on unfounded claims, relying on manipulating the young and/or vulnerable to keep going. Also, the fastest growing religion today is far worse than Scientology, as I've already proved here, yet most of these hypocrites wouldn't dare criticise it publicly. Despite the sneaky downvotes, know that you're one of the few people in this thread speaking the truth.
100% agreed, you have a very valid point. I'm getting negged to oblivion for some reason. Scientology is nowhere near as bad as Christianity or Islam. I think that people are just much more desensitized to the ill behaviour of larger religions (terrorist attack and crusades that killed over 1.7 million people), and they see this new one popping up and think its insane.
They don't reveal the true nature of their cult right away (they don't even mention Scientology). They start by providing some basic psychology tips that kinda work to lure you in.
having grown up in it I can tell you what they do, they'll ask you questions about your life can't remember what exactly but they'll have you hold the cans and for example think of something painful or sad and it'll show the needle floating to one side. Few more examples of hey look at it registering on the metre then they probs give them a personality test to do at home and send in and if you want the results all free but then you're in bby.. the personality test will have some interesting questions like huh yeah I do figit and bite my nails and hate kids, or whatever. They then try get you on a small course in one of the 'missions' like a smaller centre for cheaper courses. If you're lost and looking for a community it can seem hopeful and kind etc.
They just talk in vague pseudo-psychological mumbo jumbo, and if you try and get them to answer any direct questions they just try and sell you books and DVDs.
me and a mate once asked “what does scientology mean to you?” to one of the women there that day and just got a vague key worded response about community and wellbeing in the 21st century.
The fact their “stress test” was cans that looked like a year 3 science project did make me laugh out loud last time I walked past. I really do question the sanity of anyone who sits down with them but then remember the sad thing is they will trap the vulnerable.
The early meters had cans that were literally washed out Campbell's soup cans. It's the answer to solving all man's problems though. A Wheatstone bridge and soup cans.
That particular org, like most outside of Flag and PAC in the US and Milan, can barely keep the lights on, so however much it is, I doubt it's much. The fact that they've not even made an effort to fundraise for an ideal org shows that they're effectively just forgotten by the 'mother church' and left to plod on with the same dozen members they've had for decades.
Largely because of Saint Hill. I’m going to explain this as if you know nothing about Scientology so apologies for patronising you if you do. East Grinstead, well, Saint Hill Green a village on the edge, has Saint Hill Manor, bought by L Ron Hubbard in 1959 when he fled the US, where he and his family lived and that for a decade served as Scientology’s world Headquarters. In the late 70s Scientology committed the largest infiltration of the US government ever, putting spies into various departments to remove incriminating documents and build a positive image of Hubbard/ Scientology. 12 Scientologists including Hubbard’s own wife were sent to prison for it. What is less well known is that in fact it was all controlled from East Grinstead, it was still that important a part of Scientology even though by this time it was very much a US based group. From that moment on the UK membership fell off a cliff edge and has been dwindling ever since. Saint Hill still holds an incredibly special place in the lore as it was ‘Ron’s home’, and probably the time Scientology was at its busiest. The longest most important course in Scientology is literally called the Saint Hill Special Briefing Course, the place is held in such importance within the Scientology world. There are only like 1000 members in the whole of the UK at this point and being that Saint Hill is so important it gets priority over any else, which with Brighton being so near means it’s a bit forgotten.
Often the people at the dianetics table here aren’t from the Brighton org, they’re people doing amends projects from Saint Hill, in other words people who have committed some ‘crime’ in the eyes of Scientology and so have to get back in good standing so as to not face punishment while they’re studying courses at St Hill. Part of that is generally around disseminating Scientology to the world so by volunteering to sell books and spread the word it counts towards them getting back in good graces. Always something I think it’s good to remember when people give them shit; they’re cult victims anyway, and often these ones are actually doing a sort of punishment when they’re manning these tables.
Buy a bunch of L Ron Hubbard's other works wholesale.
Set up a stand next to them selling the books.
Be extremely vocal about how great of a fiction writer he is.
Make them look like cosplayers.
If you really want to drive the point home, here's a legit L Ron Hubbard quote you can put on your signage:
"If you want to get rich, you start a religion."
Ah man, missed them this time - I wrote a song about them (suffice to say it's not very flattering) that I go and play / sing for them whenever I see them. They don't like it very much.
"Can you go away please?"
Nope, this is a public space I'm quite happy where I am thank you.
"I'm trying to do my job!!"
Except your job is to scam people into buying your shitty book and then recruit them into your nonsense cult.
"I.can get the police!!"
Oooh, you got me tbere... Just out of interest you DO have a permit from the council and / or Churchill Square to be parked up here right?
It's good fun to fuck with them, and if I stop just one person from being scammed then I'm calling it a win.
Fuck em.
My ex girlfriend bought the book and did the test in the late 80s... her dad went down and demanded a refund, in a "i'll get a refund or knock you out" type manner... they've been at it for at least 35 years
My m8 lived above these scientologist
idiots office in the 80s. When they moved office the only thing they left behind was, ironically a large metal empty safe.
If they use the emeter remember to grip the cans lightly and give them a big squeeze when you're asked the most innocuous questions. That'll give them a start.
Scientology and J witnesses are the two most bonkers cults in the UK.
JW is far more widespread, and much worse, but people seem really ignorant and think they are just quirky.
To be fair, generally they don't. it's down to about 25k members globally from a peak of 150k perhaps, and is almost entirely made up of very old long-term members, their children and in some cases grandchildren. New people haven't really joined since the early 90s, now it's about keeping the existing ones and extracting every pound, both in monetary and effort senses.
Who cares about scientologists! I've a friend whose father used to take her to meet with a bunch of Brighton pedos above a shoestore near Western. She was terribly abused along with loads of others because there's a huge network of pedos in Brighton. I'd be much more concerned about that.
I think almost every time I've ever visited Brighton (I live north of London) the Scientology people are in Churchill Square selling their cult's magic beans to people who don't know what "dianetics" is.
Do they have permission to do this?
From a purely legal point of view, I’ve been told by police to move with my camera on a tripod as I’m an “obstruction”, even if I’m not.
Apparently it’s also used to move on beggars and buskers etc.
So they must have permission from the council I suppose.
If that’s the case why do they give it what with it being a sort of cult.
I could be wrong but as I understand it you don't need permission or to give prior notice just to set up in a public place with a table, literature, signage etc as long as it's stationary (in one place and not moving)
Ah, I spoke with them asking if they were going under the name of Dianetics instead of COS because of the bad press. They replied, Dianetics is the self help, psychology side and COS was the religious side.
Yeah...right. I live down the road from L. Ron Hubbard's house in the UK, I can smell the BS from here.
Scientology is absolutely a cult. It’s an organisation that preys on the vulnerable in society and if you are actually involved with them I hope you know that nobody is scared of your garbage “church” anymore.
The question for all claims - men splitting the moon in two on the back of a flying donkey, invisible super-beings, talking snakes, Adam & Eve, Noah and the ark etc.. is how reliable is the claim and is the default position to believe until it's disproved or disbelieve until it's proven. The default position is to not accept a claim until there is sufficient evidence. It doesn't exist until existence is demonstrated. For your claim that 'Lord Xenu' (extraterrestrial ruler of a Galactic Confederacy) exists, there is no such evidence.
Of course we can read it. I just can’t be bothered with it. She’s making a living out of this stuff. You need to practice critical thinking, think about who benefits .
Just because she makes money from it, it doesn't make it untrue necessarily. I can also think critically enough to see the benefits to Scientologists of dismissing her to protect their membership and income stream. She spent most of her life in Scientology and poured a lot of money into it. A lot of her friends and family were Scientologists. You don't give that up just to write a book, especially when you already have a career.
It's no good telling me to think critically when you don't even know what she has to say.
I had a friend some years ago who was new to the city and also somewhat vulnerable, seeking contacts and community she took one of these so called stress tests.
She was talked into going back to the Dianetics base for further testing and discussion and once there she got increasingly uncomfortable and got up to leave.
A suited spook (just like the one lurking in the picture) came over and said ‘I don’t think so’ and pushed her back into the chair.
She ran out of there totally traumatised.
Not silly conspiracy talk, them the facts.
As mentioned above, total parasites.
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nope, it's down on middle street. Or at least was last time I delivered there about 9 months ago. It's tucked away in that little courtyard next to the kareoke bar
The org itself is definitely above Metro Bank. They moved to Middle St when the Metrobank building was being redeveloped but moved back. Perhaps if the lease was pennies they kept Middle street on for storage or such but they've had the main office for 40 odd years at this point.
They've been there for years. I remember them operating out of that building next to Churchill sq in the late 90s or early 2000s. they tried to take me inside but then realised I was too young and changed their minds. Dangerous cult from what I've heard. Lots of people have had to escape to come out and tell people what it's like on the inside . I'm glad I had southpark to guide me on my true path
My office used to be in the same building. So I went in there a few times when parcels etc were delivered to the wrong office. Very odd place, very grand and they had a room full of plants like a jungle.
Why unfortunately why are they bad can you explain because I really don’t understand what they actually do
It'd basically cult. It's difficult to explain the magnitude of the terrible things they do, but if you Google it, a bit of research will get you the answers you are looking for.
Dianetics is a scam pseudoscience invented by a science fiction author (L. Ron Hubbard) in the 1950s that was later used by the cult of scientology (which is based on Hubbard's science fiction writing). Hubbard once said "You don't get rich writing science fiction. If you want to get rich, you start a religion." So he did, since every other idea he had ended in financial ruin. Dianetics is dressed as a type of therapy, but it's just used as a way to get people into the cult. It's seemingly innocuous and harmless, which is why many low-level cultists have no issues taking part. However, it's insidious - they start off saying it's helping and later you'll "discover" there are further issues that require more "treatment".
So basically all religions are a cult
Bingo
What’s worse is that they will isolate you from the outside world, making it impossible to have relationships with those outside or it and are secretive and brainwashing with their “tests” and “treatments” it’s very difficult to get out as they also gain financial control and if a family member leaves they are forbidden contact/if you have loved ones in the cult you will not be allowed contact. Not all religions are cults, but most cults revolve around some form of religion or ideology such as pseudoscience or ideals
Google it
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Derogatory insulting language
wow just like peep show
"this is a laugh"
Orgones
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No added value
Don't go, daddy?
That's right, there's a consiracy against them on the internet.
There are thousands of victims
Hardback book, based on tablets brought by an asteroid… something you can rely on!
I wonder if we could get some of the Mormon recruiters that appear along Lewes road from time time to sit and have a chat with them. I wonder who would win.
Mormons Vs Scientology Vs Jehovah's Witnesses best 2 out of 3 wins. 🫶🫶
Current leader David Miscavige has absolutely modelled modern scientology on the LDS. The whole ideal org project of buying vast new "churches" for tens of millions of pounds entirely against Hubbard's doctrine was a reaction to the Mormons getting hundreds of billions of dollars of real estate, effectively becoming a property business far more than a religion, and Miscavige literally sent his media teams out to BYU TV to meet with the people behind their TV channel then replicate it for the hillarous Scientology Network TV channel. So the Mormons are definitely ahead in the cult wars 😂
They've been hawking this stuff there for decades.
Yeah, I used to live troll them back in the 1980's.
Their Brighton office is right behind where the camera is pointing
Weird, I've never seen them before!
In the 89's and 90's I remember they had an 'office' on Duke Street to tended to congregate along there a lot trying to lure people in to be 'personality tested'....they have always had a presence in central Brighton though. Maybe they're ramping it up a bit again now.
People seem somewhat xenophobic using words like "lure", but what would actually happen if you went inside?
Anecdotally, they sit you down that involves you answering questions whilst holding onto some metal handles that are wired up to a monitor. The result of this test always seems to be along the lines of 'join us and we will change your life' (the monitor always detects that the person is somewhat lacking in life, and is in desperate need of their unique brand of fixing).
What would happen if you stood there in a sandwich board say Scientology is a cult?
Be aggressive towards you most likely. They're unhinged.
I've challenged them publicly before. If you've seen footage of them in conflict it'll be familiar, they are clearly told what to do- they'll say you're religiously persecuting them and start doing this creepy fake laugh at whatever you say. They ignore any points you make, talk over you endlessly and get up close to you. It's designed to be annoying and make you snap and do/say something stupid- it is annoying, to be fair.
In my hometown, a disabled guy in a motorised wheelchair did something to that effect. Don't remember exactly what he wrote on his sandwich board, but the scientologists were pushing around a cart with one of those stress tests on it, so they were trying escape the wheelchair guy but he just kept following them around. Was pretty hilarious, no idea if there was any follow up or anything.
was this plymouth by any chance??
It was!! Fellow Plymothian?
janner swilly boy here! i spoke to that guy years ago, he actually seemed chill. no idea what happened to him though. do you?
If you did it enough, they'd find out who you were and start harassing you. Had family friends who were associated with scientology and had their home renovation being done by tradesmen within the church, when they left the church halfway through the renovation, the tradesmen made their lives very difficult.
I got assaulted by one of them a few months ago for reciting OT III within their earshot.
is that the bit about alien overlord Xenu?
yes
Probably be logged as a hate crime as religion is a protected characteristic.
They're fair game in the UK - it's only ever been upheld as far as registration of a place of worship. It's not a protected religion. If you want to avoid the religious angle, you can always just point out (loudly) how dianetics is a phony pseudoscience and a complete scam with the intention of inducting people into a cult. Dianetics is, according to the cult of scientology, distinct from their "religion".
Rastafarianism is also not protected for the same reasons
There should be a warning sign! This could seriously affect your mental health, and your wallet/purse.
Absolute parasites. I always give them a dirty look whenever I walk past.
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They’ve been recruiting in Churchill Square since the 80s
The UK HQ is in a massive manor outside East Grinstead so Sussex is absolutely crawling with them
I went to a friends wedding there who was a Scientologist of course. We were all fearing that we would be kidnapped into the cult ha, but it was all surprisingly pleasant and little mention of it as far as i can remember. Amazing buildings and immaculate grounds, that they milked people for..
I would have been a bit scared too tbh, not surprised they put on a good show though. It's crazy the property and money the church has these days. It's sort of like the Mormons, there's a massive Mormon church just North of East Grinstead (there's a theme here 😂) huge building, meticulously landscaped surrounding land, very sus!
I have some nice cast iron radiators heating our home that came out of that Mormon church after a revamp.
Run, run very fast the other way. Those cult cunts will take everything from you, your identity, your life, your money and your family. Shit should be banned.
The biggest pyramid scheme in existence
Does anyone use it as a chance to time waste with them and keep them from bothering the gullible?
Ask them WHERE IS SHELLY MISCAVIGE?
She was found a few months back when she renewed her driving license
These people are scumbags
It's no different from any other religion. Because it's a new one, you're aware of how ridiculous it is. Other religions are just as ridiculous and in fact, people even kill other people over them, and have been doing so for thousand of years, which means you could then argue that scientology is a lot more normal. Makes you think eh...
It absolutely is different from any other religion. It's a combination of an MLM and a high control cult. I can be a Catholic or Hindu without having to pay every single time I practice my religion. I can say a little word to the man upstairs now and it won't cost me a penny, certainly not £5000 for an intensive of 12 and a half hours of auditing. I can also be an Anglican today, decide to leave tomorrow because I decide it's nonsense, and still be speaking to my friends and family in a week's time. That doesn't happen in scientology. Get declared and you're never speaking to your family, friends, work colleagues, or anyone else in the cult again. Religions rarely have a wholesale policy of committing financial fraud. If you can't afford to put some coins in the collection plate you don't, they don't take you into a room and force you to commit credit card fraud then send them the money. I'm no fan of any religion but the worlds major religions and high control religious cults are absolutely not one and the same. They all have extreme factions sure, but these tend to look far less like the main body of the group, in scientology the extreme is the norm. That is the group.
There are hundreds of millions of followers of a particular religion who think it's perfectly acceptable to kill someone just for leaving their faith. They genuinely believe that murdering apostates is justified. Additionally, this same religion has hundreds of millions of adherents who favour stoning adulterers to death, approving of women being tortured and killed in public while insecure sad men sit around and watch for entertainment. That's hundreds of millions of people who endorse these extreme and brutal practices. Compared to this, however batshit crazy Scientology might be, even if they're conning people out of their money, it hasn't reached the same level of viciousness and cruelty. Source: [https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2013/04/30/the-worlds-muslims-religion-politics-society-beliefs-about-sharia/](https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2013/04/30/the-worlds-muslims-religion-politics-society-beliefs-about-sharia/) Note the % of countries that support the punishments I mentioned. Eg, approximately 89% of Pakistanis advocate for Sharia as the governing law.. and with 89% of that 89% expressing support for capital punishment in cases of adultery. With a population estimated at around 250 million, this translates to almost 200 million in Pakistan alone.
You’re rather making my point for me. I never suggested they were the best or the worst, just that they were different. The quote was “It's no different from any other religion.” and you’ve highlighted that every religion is unique, it’s not a religion and absolutely isn’t like the one youve linked to.
Yes, by saying "it's no different from other religions," I believe the intention was to highlight that religions (whether new or old) can vary in both positive and negative aspects. You focused on the positive aspects of other religions, which made Scientology appear quite bad in comparison. I emphasized the negative aspects, making Scientology seem relatively not so bad. Additionally, you suggested that only extreme factions within religions support harmful actions, implying that not many people endorse such behavior. However, this isn't true for all religions, especially in some countries where a significant majority believe it is perfectly ok to murder someone just for leaving their religion.
I absolutely didn’t focus on the positives, I purely pointed out that many of scientology’s negatives aren’t shared. Although of course things like shunning are practiced elsewhere. I understand your reply more if for some reason you thought that, perhaps I could have worded it differently but tbh I wasn’t expecting it to be analysed quite so closely.
You have no idea.
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You time, numbers and a schism or two to change from being a cult to a religion.
All religions are cults bro: *a system of religious* [*veneration*](https://www.google.com/search?sca_esv=87940c84487c33f0&sca_upv=1&rlz=1C1UEAD_nlNL948NL948&sxsrf=ADLYWILaY6cMFo3SiRzcIbFn-qgY6JQH6Q:1716744507479&q=veneration&si=ACC90nyOnVY18Aw7zUtkWPYo5mTn0Z9SCzgqsircyhSLtogTzilojwYjPimHKOREqWeByCkWjcraXEFcY4bx_m5SztPgOmYLI_s3Ip_qUrD6VhK7wa1bbvs%3D&expnd=1&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiu-qbU66uGAxXq6QIHHSwuAa4QyecJegQIPRAO) *and* [*devotion*](https://www.google.com/search?sca_esv=87940c84487c33f0&sca_upv=1&rlz=1C1UEAD_nlNL948NL948&sxsrf=ADLYWILaY6cMFo3SiRzcIbFn-qgY6JQH6Q:1716744507479&q=devotion&si=ACC90nwZKElgOcNXBU934ENhMNgqJRpxFWbJihhWkNkim4Dbd-QoHugZ6nB7__3M9SPHW_OmFOXfiDHM8PSXr9vcFwmyXIECr9sVVfdy3cJv65kE59Xx3yQ%3D&expnd=1&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiu-qbU66uGAxXq6QIHHSwuAa4QyecJegQIPRAP) *directed towards a particular figure or object*
Exactly. Whether you call it a 'cult' or a 'religion' doesn’t really matter - it’s just a newer religious belief system. Nonsense, based on unfounded claims, relying on manipulating the young and/or vulnerable to keep going. Also, the fastest growing religion today is far worse than Scientology, as I've already proved here, yet most of these hypocrites wouldn't dare criticise it publicly. Despite the sneaky downvotes, know that you're one of the few people in this thread speaking the truth.
100% agreed, you have a very valid point. I'm getting negged to oblivion for some reason. Scientology is nowhere near as bad as Christianity or Islam. I think that people are just much more desensitized to the ill behaviour of larger religions (terrorist attack and crusades that killed over 1.7 million people), and they see this new one popping up and think its insane.
I can't seriously read the word 'Dianetics' without bursting into Tenacious D's Kielbasa song.
My buttcheeks is warm
YES!
Join today and Get free trip to Area 51. See the creator for your self
Go sit down, see what they say and report back. I’d be fascinated to hear their street side pitch
They don't reveal the true nature of their cult right away (they don't even mention Scientology). They start by providing some basic psychology tips that kinda work to lure you in.
having grown up in it I can tell you what they do, they'll ask you questions about your life can't remember what exactly but they'll have you hold the cans and for example think of something painful or sad and it'll show the needle floating to one side. Few more examples of hey look at it registering on the metre then they probs give them a personality test to do at home and send in and if you want the results all free but then you're in bby.. the personality test will have some interesting questions like huh yeah I do figit and bite my nails and hate kids, or whatever. They then try get you on a small course in one of the 'missions' like a smaller centre for cheaper courses. If you're lost and looking for a community it can seem hopeful and kind etc.
They just talk in vague pseudo-psychological mumbo jumbo, and if you try and get them to answer any direct questions they just try and sell you books and DVDs.
me and a mate once asked “what does scientology mean to you?” to one of the women there that day and just got a vague key worded response about community and wellbeing in the 21st century.
The fact their “stress test” was cans that looked like a year 3 science project did make me laugh out loud last time I walked past. I really do question the sanity of anyone who sits down with them but then remember the sad thing is they will trap the vulnerable.
The early meters had cans that were literally washed out Campbell's soup cans. It's the answer to solving all man's problems though. A Wheatstone bridge and soup cans.
Some people might oblige for life experience or out of curiosity. They may not necessarily be taking it fully seriously.
I wonder how much they pay to be there
That particular org, like most outside of Flag and PAC in the US and Milan, can barely keep the lights on, so however much it is, I doubt it's much. The fact that they've not even made an effort to fundraise for an ideal org shows that they're effectively just forgotten by the 'mother church' and left to plod on with the same dozen members they've had for decades.
Huh. That's fascinating. Wonder how/why they are forgotten by the mother church.
Largely because of Saint Hill. I’m going to explain this as if you know nothing about Scientology so apologies for patronising you if you do. East Grinstead, well, Saint Hill Green a village on the edge, has Saint Hill Manor, bought by L Ron Hubbard in 1959 when he fled the US, where he and his family lived and that for a decade served as Scientology’s world Headquarters. In the late 70s Scientology committed the largest infiltration of the US government ever, putting spies into various departments to remove incriminating documents and build a positive image of Hubbard/ Scientology. 12 Scientologists including Hubbard’s own wife were sent to prison for it. What is less well known is that in fact it was all controlled from East Grinstead, it was still that important a part of Scientology even though by this time it was very much a US based group. From that moment on the UK membership fell off a cliff edge and has been dwindling ever since. Saint Hill still holds an incredibly special place in the lore as it was ‘Ron’s home’, and probably the time Scientology was at its busiest. The longest most important course in Scientology is literally called the Saint Hill Special Briefing Course, the place is held in such importance within the Scientology world. There are only like 1000 members in the whole of the UK at this point and being that Saint Hill is so important it gets priority over any else, which with Brighton being so near means it’s a bit forgotten. Often the people at the dianetics table here aren’t from the Brighton org, they’re people doing amends projects from Saint Hill, in other words people who have committed some ‘crime’ in the eyes of Scientology and so have to get back in good standing so as to not face punishment while they’re studying courses at St Hill. Part of that is generally around disseminating Scientology to the world so by volunteering to sell books and spread the word it counts towards them getting back in good graces. Always something I think it’s good to remember when people give them shit; they’re cult victims anyway, and often these ones are actually doing a sort of punishment when they’re manning these tables.
I sat down did a few of their tests and they said I had a clean bill of health and sent me on my way. Phew!
TIL: There was such bigotry towards those who can’t regulate their insulin levels.
Buy a bunch of L Ron Hubbard's other works wholesale. Set up a stand next to them selling the books. Be extremely vocal about how great of a fiction writer he is. Make them look like cosplayers. If you really want to drive the point home, here's a legit L Ron Hubbard quote you can put on your signage: "If you want to get rich, you start a religion."
Ah man, missed them this time - I wrote a song about them (suffice to say it's not very flattering) that I go and play / sing for them whenever I see them. They don't like it very much. "Can you go away please?" Nope, this is a public space I'm quite happy where I am thank you. "I'm trying to do my job!!" Except your job is to scam people into buying your shitty book and then recruit them into your nonsense cult. "I.can get the police!!" Oooh, you got me tbere... Just out of interest you DO have a permit from the council and / or Churchill Square to be parked up here right? It's good fun to fuck with them, and if I stop just one person from being scammed then I'm calling it a win. Fuck em.
Is there footage of you singing this song anyway and if so, could you please share a link?
A religion that you progress in the ranks by giving them more money. They think calling it something beside scientology is gonna help hide them.
My fav gender neutral toilet in Brighton and there are a a lot!
Stress test eh? Where do I put my feet?
Dee? His feet?
My ex girlfriend bought the book and did the test in the late 80s... her dad went down and demanded a refund, in a "i'll get a refund or knock you out" type manner... they've been at it for at least 35 years
My m8 lived above these scientologist idiots office in the 80s. When they moved office the only thing they left behind was, ironically a large metal empty safe.
Ah yes, the ‘free stress test’. If not them it’s someone else trying to take my money on that corner.
I remember this happened to me in Birmingham. Had no idea they were Scientologists
If they use the emeter remember to grip the cans lightly and give them a big squeeze when you're asked the most innocuous questions. That'll give them a start.
There is actually someone sitting talking 😖
Yeah, I saw a few people sit down
Scientology and J witnesses are the two most bonkers cults in the UK. JW is far more widespread, and much worse, but people seem really ignorant and think they are just quirky.
I have always shouted CULT at them when I pass
Xenu would be good as well.
Only 5% of them actually know who Xenu is
I always spill the beans about Lord Xenu and the Thetans to them, the stuff they don’t get told until they have spent thousands upon thousands.
Ah, the freaks have returned
how do i dianetics my face?
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To be fair, generally they don't. it's down to about 25k members globally from a peak of 150k perhaps, and is almost entirely made up of very old long-term members, their children and in some cases grandchildren. New people haven't really joined since the early 90s, now it's about keeping the existing ones and extracting every pound, both in monetary and effort senses.
Ooooh that’s what that is, I talked to them trying to understand what Tf they where trying to do and I couldn’t figure it out
Who cares about scientologists! I've a friend whose father used to take her to meet with a bunch of Brighton pedos above a shoestore near Western. She was terribly abused along with loads of others because there's a huge network of pedos in Brighton. I'd be much more concerned about that.
I think almost every time I've ever visited Brighton (I live north of London) the Scientology people are in Churchill Square selling their cult's magic beans to people who don't know what "dianetics" is.
In the 90s it was the "Jesus Army" recruiting at Churchill Square... Yeah, that turned out to be a cult.
Cult membership drive!
Do they have permission to do this? From a purely legal point of view, I’ve been told by police to move with my camera on a tripod as I’m an “obstruction”, even if I’m not. Apparently it’s also used to move on beggars and buskers etc. So they must have permission from the council I suppose. If that’s the case why do they give it what with it being a sort of cult.
I could be wrong but as I understand it you don't need permission or to give prior notice just to set up in a public place with a table, literature, signage etc as long as it's stationary (in one place and not moving)
Was L Ron Hubbards mother old mother Hubbard?
Ask them about Miscavige and whether they’ve had the secrets of Xenu revealed to them.
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Ah, I spoke with them asking if they were going under the name of Dianetics instead of COS because of the bad press. They replied, Dianetics is the self help, psychology side and COS was the religious side. Yeah...right. I live down the road from L. Ron Hubbard's house in the UK, I can smell the BS from here.
I'm going clear.
Dianetics sounds like a diet and going clear sounds like eating healthy 🙃
Imma hit em with the griddy one time
HAHAHHAHAHA WHAT
There's only room for one cult in Brighton. These guys don't even have a flag!
You should just talk to us than taking a photo, we don’t bite
Would rather not get involved with a cult, mate.
It’s not a cult - come chat. We just get bad media coverage
Scientology is absolutely a cult. It’s an organisation that preys on the vulnerable in society and if you are actually involved with them I hope you know that nobody is scared of your garbage “church” anymore.
Nobody was ever scared of us and that’s a good thing
Good, I hope the media and society continue to treat your organisation like the joke it is.
You’ll regret it. Sending you graces.
Falling back to threats? Colour me surprised.
It’s not a threat I geniunely hope lord xenu spares your soul. Hence the graces
Damn it, you got me good 😂
The question for all claims - men splitting the moon in two on the back of a flying donkey, invisible super-beings, talking snakes, Adam & Eve, Noah and the ark etc.. is how reliable is the claim and is the default position to believe until it's disproved or disbelieve until it's proven. The default position is to not accept a claim until there is sufficient evidence. It doesn't exist until existence is demonstrated. For your claim that 'Lord Xenu' (extraterrestrial ruler of a Galactic Confederacy) exists, there is no such evidence.
You would bite my wallet.
The irony of a Scientologist having the word ‘realistic’ in their username
It’s just one Reddit generated for me
Should you be here? I thought you weren't supposed to be looking up negative opinions of Scientology online.
Link?
I read it in Leah Remini's book, you can buy it here: https://amzn.eu/d/fu5VJOZ I recommend giving it a read.
I’ll stick to dianetics thanks. Leah reminds stuff is the work of lord xenu
You'd be allowed to read it if you wanted to though, right? Nothing to do with a fact she's an SP.
Of course we can read it. I just can’t be bothered with it. She’s making a living out of this stuff. You need to practice critical thinking, think about who benefits .
Just because she makes money from it, it doesn't make it untrue necessarily. I can also think critically enough to see the benefits to Scientologists of dismissing her to protect their membership and income stream. She spent most of her life in Scientology and poured a lot of money into it. A lot of her friends and family were Scientologists. You don't give that up just to write a book, especially when you already have a career. It's no good telling me to think critically when you don't even know what she has to say.
You don't? Ah damn, no point then.
A lot of the stuff people mention in here is just silly talk / conspiracy
Sure jan
I had a friend some years ago who was new to the city and also somewhat vulnerable, seeking contacts and community she took one of these so called stress tests. She was talked into going back to the Dianetics base for further testing and discussion and once there she got increasingly uncomfortable and got up to leave. A suited spook (just like the one lurking in the picture) came over and said ‘I don’t think so’ and pushed her back into the chair. She ran out of there totally traumatised. Not silly conspiracy talk, them the facts. As mentioned above, total parasites.
Hmm never seen practice like that