@Boojuum
"...managing by statistics can be a good thing as opposed to simply assuming an area is doing well or not. The idea of hatting is a good thing. The concept of correction is a good thing. I'm not defending Scientology or LRH. I'm saying that we can take some of the ideas and use them to our advantage."
Sure, we can take some of those concepts and use them to our advantage. But did Hubbard really invent ANY of those things?
His modus operandi was to take ideas from a multitude of sources and claim them as his own, writing HCO PL's or HCOB's, thereby making them part of Scientology.
I love the concept behind CSW's (Completed Staff Work) and the policy he wrote on that, but he lifted that right out of the military. It's not as though he recalled that policy from his previous experience in the Galactic Confederacy (as he did with the Org Board).
"I understand that many of us are so jaded by our experience that virtually ALL of Scientology is considered evil and we're not that far off."
Clearly the CoS IS evil as the LRH policies & advices with which it runs on require marketing fraud, abuse, and exploitation of its own members, and many other evils that are documented on this forum and elsewhere. LRH used enemy tactics on not just those he characterized as "SP's", but on Scientology public and staff members as well.
While some of the "tech" in the right hands has helped some people, it is not based upon any scientific research, and has also harmed many.
Hubbard intentionally created mental illness in his members, implanting phobias (such as fear of psychs), and used other enemy tactics against us.
For anyone who has mental issues they want help with, or wishes to improve their abilities as a spiritual being, there is plenty of non-Scientology "tech" which is far superior IMO.
"Perhaps I'm trying to salvage a great deal of effort on my part to justify my involvement. I suspect most of us exes really learned a great deal. "
Sure, we learned some things. But what have we
failed to learn by not investing all those years into other things?
I don't think you need to justify your involvement though.
Hubbard was a professional con artist and created an organization which furthered his purposes. Some very sharp people fell for it, including some who were at Boston Org. At least one of the staff members I worked with there went to school at M.I.T. Many other very intelligent people were there on staff and as public.
One thing I believe is very important for EX'es and is often overlooked (including by myself until recently), it's necessary to forgive ourselves for getting sucked into the cult. I long ago forgave many who got me involved or did harmful things that negatively impacted me while I was in, but only relatively recently did I actually forgive
myself for getting in.
"Cool! and would that happened without the Scn experience?"
Some of the benefits I got from the experience of getting sucked into a cult and then eventually later getting away, learning about how individuals and organizations can negatively manipulate you, etc., I probably never would have gotten had I not gotten involved with Scientology.
They were hard lessons and I wish that I had learned them in a different way.
But they are useful lessons just the same, and ones that I trust will serve me going forward.