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Just registered, looking for superman

DoneDeal

Patron Meritorious
Combine enough individual bits of data from divergent sources and you can have a shrewd idea from the start of who is who. Corporate internet marketing programs are centered on linking up such diverse sources of freely available online information, thus the current push to offer 'free' cloud-based services. :eyeroll:
Mark A. Baker


Yes. Before I started posting on this and other anti scn sites I gave it a look on how to remain unidentifiable. I found out alot, and it isn't an easy chore to do so.
One can use some services like jondonym to hide oneself pretty good, but you take a big hit to internet performance, or you can pay to get better performance.

These two sites can be helpful to people who wonder how see thru they are. But I don't know how much it helps to do anything about this stuff. But it's interesting to know.

http://ip-check.info/?lang=en

http://panopticlick.eff.org/
 

Infinite

Troublesome Internet Fringe Dweller
One obvious benefit about which I can personally attest is that for some individuals they may report an increase in their ability to [STRIKE]handle irrelevant[/STRIKE] avoid questions from [STRIKE]idiots[/STRIKE] those with a greater sense of personal equanimity.

True. Most people who have had no auditing have a greater sense of personal equanimity than those who have endured it. Still, you have yet to support your claim; but don't worry. I know you can't and I'm not in the mood to pull wings off flies.
 
I have no problem with that, but that isn't what I was asking. Unless you claim that your Scientology training produced "tremendous benefits" that really won't answer my question -- and I really am seriously asking any Scientologist. In the 30+ years I was in Scientology and I was a very true believer, and in the years since, I have never seen the "tremendous benefits" from Scientology that Hubbard promised.

I saw perfectly normal people struggling with the added burden of Scientology. I never saw people become extraordinary. I never saw people, as a result of some Scientology, quickly rise to the top of their fields, become geniuses, accomplish amazing breakthroughs in technology, science, the arts, etc. I knew some very fine people who were also Scientologists, but I never saw Scientology provide the promised "tremendous benefits". You must know this. You must have seen this as well.

I'm not even arguing that Scientology can't, eventually provide such tremendous benefits (although I, personally, doubt it).

What I'm asking Scientologists like Steve is, since we all know Scientology obviously hasn't yet provided the promised miraculous benefits before now, when do you expect that to happen? When do you expect to get the promised tremendous benefits? Some OT level? Some as yet "unreleased" tech? What?

Or do you think that just continuing what has already been done and done by Scientologists will, eventually, "work" for you?

I'm really just curious. What keeps Scientologists going in the face of only minor "wins" and no evidence of the promised results ever happening?

Bill

i would characterize a couple of things i've already essayed on this board as tremendous

e.g. what i was able to do for my friend as he laydying
 
Yes, that sense of purpose and having all the answers to everything is definitely a strong driving force and, as you mention, greatly missed when an awakening and giving it all up, takes place.

But imho, there is something else that keeps individuals glued to scientology. Fear. Never admitted, never faced, it is the best glue to keep an individual at the coal face of any abusive situation.

In scientology this fear lurks in the background in various forms. "What if I stuff up my eternal freedom by leaving scientology behind?" and "what if there is nothing else that can offer me the same buzz that auditing/training does?" and "what if scientology really is the answer to the planet's major problems?"

There are many other installed fears that the writings of Hubbard offer. They are so cleverly installed into the thinking of a person and take hard honest deep self-reflection to face.

Fear freezes. Fear shuts down. Fear pins a person. Fear makes a person dull. Fear controls.

It is easier to stay within the mental confines of "scientology = freedom" than face these deep fears.

Once I faced my fears about "life without scientology" I began to have more benefits than I can find the words for. Bliss. Stunning connection (and insight) to things I can't describe, nor would I wish to for they are very personal. Based on no system, I have been to heaven. I have deep insight into myself and continue to enjoy evolving without the constraints of any system to "guide" (mechanically control) me. Without the controlling words/ideas of others, life is very free. :)

obviously i find much to like in ron's work but the sense of "havng all the answers" is koolaid i never drank.

anyone who has all the answers is someone who has tossed out most of the best questions
 
Norwegian_troll_doll.jpg

you do pony up some first rate graphics FB

distressingly enough, what i see in a mirror is starting to resemble this image

as i understand it, for purposes of this board, one is only formally accorded the title of troll if one is posting on behalf of CoS

i am william birdwood. i am posting on esmb as an entirely independent free adult and if am a representative of anything it is the constitution of the united staes of america
 
Well, I don't think either is true. This is someone who has become completely indoctrinated in the mind-control of Scientology. Note he is very sincere but also note that he stopped looking after he joined Scientology. This was the key moment. Everything shut down at that point: Every bit of curiosity, every desire to question things, any ability to doubt, they all shut down. All that is left is complete, absolute, unquestioning agreement. This makes the best Scientologist.

I am sorry for such a person, but I will not argue because there is no independent mind there to argue with -- there is only absolute agreement with anything and everything Hubbard.

You could say he is a troll because the effect is the same, but with a troll, the person knows what they are doing. Steve doesn't. It's just a playback of what was fed in -- no one was there to evaluate, judge, consider and weigh the "data".

Bill

very good point bill

i like steverino's posts of course, but i too would reccommend he be able to well appreciate the existence of other good paths

etc...
 
I'm responding to you prior to reading the rest of this thread.

This is going to seem way out of left field, but may I suggest feminism? (Did you make a face at that? :)) Seriously. It's not just for women. And it's most certainly NOT about hating men, burning bras, or whatever other offensive stereotype you may have encountered.

View attachment 5430

It sounds like you're searching for a like-minded COMMUNITY, not necessarily a religion. If you're looking for a community of critical thinkers, who are not afraid to challenge the status quo and conformity, and who believe in social justice and eradicating things like sexism, racism, classism, etc., they're a great comunity to connect to. And yes, men are welcome. The movement has grown to include more than just resolving sexism, although that is obviously still important, as women are still not treated equally in society, but it has evolved to recognize the importance of intersectionality - the way that all of the various -isms work to oppress all of us. It's the closest thing to real-time community philosophy I have encountered that didn't center around religion, and the critical thinking and discussions are excellent.

Here are a couple of possible starting points to learn more:

1) http://www.amazon.com/Men-Feminism-...8&qid=1357514448&sr=8-1&keywords=feminism+men

2) http://www.amazon.com/Guys-Guide-Fe...8&qid=1357514448&sr=8-7&keywords=feminism+men

3) http://feministing.com/

4) http://www.feministe.us/blog/archives/

And just for kicks, here's an awesome riot grrrl video from back in the day, as you seem like someone who would appreciate kickass punk rawk grrrls: :rock:

5) http://youtu.be/5DSSFJJ5Wo4

And some riot grrrl context:

6) http://www.npr.org/2013/01/05/168696666/bikini-kill-rises-again-no-less-relevant

As for religious communities, after growing up with a branch of Christianity and then experiencing Scientology, I'm quite wary of organized religion. That said, I have been exploring the Unitarian Universalist church. They have more of a focus on community and social justice work, and members can follow whatever religious beliefs they choose, or none at all. It's surprisingly progressive that way, and based on what I've seen, a lot of great work has been done by them on the social justice front. As an added benefit, it's easier to find large clusters of UU folks than it is to find clusters of feminists who gather regularly (social justice / activist circles are good bets in this case).

Now, if you're looking for a group of fundamentalists who will hand you a list of rules about how you should live your life, there are MANY of those to choose from, but I personally wouldn't recommend it. It doesn't sound like that's what you're searching for, but beware that this is what you are most likely to find as you search around.

Good luck to you!
White Rabbit

coooool...

my primary church in boston is U-U (in san francisco it's a christian church)

they're pretty mellow, maybe a little too mellow; you know what you get when you cross a unitarian with a jehovah's witness?

a person who rings your doorbell for no apparent reason
 

Free Being Me

Crusader
Norwegian_troll_doll.jpg

you do pony up some first rate graphics FB

distressingly enough, what i see in a mirror is starting to resemble this image

as i understand it, for purposes of this board, one is only formally accorded the title of troll if one is posting on behalf of CoS

i am william birdwood. i am posting on esmb as an entirely independent free adult and if am a representative of anything it is the constitution of the united staes of america

This is what you do: post on threads with your empty claims of El Con's auditing and auditor training, minimize, marginalize & deny El Con's abuses and crimes, explicitly downplaying the victims of El Con's $cientology to the point of people leaving the thread. Yeah, you're a troll.
 

Anonycat

Crusader
coooool...

my primary church in boston is U-U (in san francisco it's a christian church)

they're pretty mellow, maybe a little too mellow; you know what you get when you cross a unitarian with a jehovah's witness?

a person who rings your doorbell for no apparent reason

There is a really nice Episcopalian church in SF and they are Anon friendly. :)
 

Ogsonofgroo

Crusader
Here's some Undercover Karaoke with Jewel where she gets into disguise, pretending to be someone else, than goes into a bar and sings some of her own songs to see if people would recognize who she really was.


[video=youtube;rmv1VhrtYRo]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmv1VhrtYRo[/video]

Oh gee thanks T4, now I'm stuck on funnyordie vids @YT, sorry gotta :run: and :roflmao:

Another one? Sure, here ya go! :)

[video=youtube;rVIpY-r95w8]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=rVIpY-r95w8#[/video]

:biggrin: :cheers:

(was that off topic? whats the topic now? oh nm.)
 

Claire Swazey

Spokeshole, fence sitter
you do pony up some first rate graphics FB

distressingly enough, what i see in a mirror is starting to resemble this image

as i understand it, for purposes of this board, one is only formally accorded the title of troll if one is posting on behalf of CoS

i am william birdwood. i am posting on esmb as an entirely independent free adult and if am a representative of anything it is the constitution of the united staes of america

Well, not just that. Lately, it's been like, why would you say that, I don't like it, o you must be trolling. Doesn't matter if the person says ten bazillion times that they're against CofS.

I think the title of troll is bestowed by those trying to comfort themselves.
 

Free Being Me

Crusader
Well, not just that. Lately, it's been like, why would you say that, I don't like it, o you must be trolling. Doesn't matter if the person says ten bazillion times that they're against CofS.

I think the title of troll is bestowed by those trying to comfort themselves.

Hey Claire, glad you're supporting a kindred spirit, remember the good times when you were denouncing the entire critic movement here at ESMB? Repeatedly undermining the significance of El Con's lies and crimes while dismissing the horrors we ex-scio's have gone through by discrediting critics is the number 1 aim of El Con/$cientology supporters... just like you were doing and your buddy See B.S. is doing now.

>snip<"And if you want toxic, just look at some of the insane and downright evil crap some critics aim at each other in the name of critic[STRIKE]dumb[/STRIKE]dom. There are people out there teaching hate and doing so in the name of "hey, I'm an ex member/skeptic/critic/detractor".

Claire on Critics - snipped posts (Post 1)
http://www.forum.exscn.net/showthread.php?29470-Claire-on-Critics-snipped-posts
 
Hey Claire, glad you're supporting a kindred spirit, remember the good times when you were denouncing the entire critic movement here at ESMB? ...

Not true. The entire time that Claire has been on ESMB she has been selective about her comments in criticism of other critics, although that point has often been lost upon those who felt themselves criticized. Moreover she has been correct to do so. Poor arguments and bad conduct among critics undermines the effort to expose the abuses of hubbard and the church.

Some critics feel that saying anything nasty online about others is wholly justifiable, without regard to the truth or appropriateness of their remarks, provided only that the target of their remarks is seen by themselves as somehow supportive of scientology.


Mark A. Baker
 
Not true. The entire time that Claire has been on ESMB she has been selective about her comments in criticism of other critics, although that point has often been lost upon those who felt themselves criticized. Moreover she has been correct to do so. Poor arguments and bad conduct among critics undermines the effort to expose the abuses of hubbard and the church.

Some critics feel that saying anything nasty online about others is wholly justifiable, without regard to the truth or appropriateness of their remarks, provided only that the target of their remarks is seen by themselves as somehow supportive of scientology.


Mark A. Baker

voltaire's child is a self proclaimed bitch whose bite is suspected of being distinctly more ferocious than her bark which is music to many ears
 
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