[religious brainwash] A Piece of Blue Sky Scientology, Dianetics, and L. Ron Hubbard Exposed #5/189

I did "body-routing" from the street, which is to say "routing" people's "bodies" into the Mission.

I was "drilled" step by step, by an experienced Scientologist. Pretending to be a member of the public, the coach dreamed up situations. If I made a mistake the coach would say "flunk," and the mistake would be explained. Then the coach would repeat the phrase and the gestures ! had mishandled. Through the drills I was meant to become confident in real life situations. The drills often took strange turns. One coach asked if I wanted to "screw" her. I was flunked for not simply excusing myself. She explained that we were not trying to interest prostitutes in Scientology.

Homosexuals, Communists, journalists and the mentally deranged were not to be approached either. Scientology's goal was to "make the able more able."

I would introduce myself to someone on the street as if I was conducting a survey. I would ask "What would you most like to be?" then "most like to do?" then "have?" The questions were purely a device to start people talking. As soon as they did, I would slip into Hubbard's "Dissemination drill" 4by saying I was a Scientologist, and dealing with any negative response by attacking the person's source of information. If someone said, "Didn't the Australians ban Scientology?" I would say, "Where did you hear that?" They would almost inevitably say, "In the newspapers." This could often be dismissed with "Well, you can't believe anything you read in the papers," diverting attention from the complaint. It sounds remarkable, but many people would agree and abandon their criticism.

This trained lactic underlies Scientology's self-defense: divert the critic, attack the source not the information.

Next, I was told to direct the person to their "ruin": whatever they thought was ruining their life. I would keep asking questions until they showed genuine emotion about some aspect of their life.

Then I was supposed to "bring them to understanding" by letting them know that whatevertheir problem was, there was a Scientology course that dealt with it. "You're frightened of dying? Scientology has a course that can help you! .... Oh, yes, Scientology can help you with your asthma!"

I was told to say these things, and I believed what I was saying. The course which would help their problem, from obesity to pre-menstrual tension, was always the "Communication Course."

I would take an interested person to the Mission, and hand them over to a "Registrar" to be given a lengthy Scientology personality test, or a free introductory lecture. I took many strangers into the Mission, and most of my friends. Several started courses, though most drifted away without finishing.

The yellow walls of the Mission were covered with small notices, newspaper clippings about Scientology "wins," testimonials ("Success Stories"), and Hubbard quotes: "Scientology leads to success in any walk of life," for instance. The Mission consisted of a course room, an office, a tiny kitchen, a lavatory, and two counselling rooms. The course room could hold about 30 people, but most of the time only a few students were present. The receptionist doubled as a Course Supervisor. In the evenings seasoned Scientologists would arrive to take more advanced courses.

Among these were a bank manager and his wife, who held a senior position with the county Health Authority. I also did drills with the managing director of an engraving business, and with an active Quaker. They were all very encouraging about the benefits they felt they had experienced because of Scientology.

I expected to take a short course in Dianetics, and then start shifting my engrams around. This was not to be. In the quarter century since the publication ofDianetics: The Modern Science of MentalHealth, Hubbard had allegedly conducted a great deal of research, and the original procedure was now outmoded. A rigidly defined series of steps constituted the Scientology "Bridge." It was possible to receive counselling for a fee, or to train as a counselor and co-counsel with another student for free. There were several courses involved, but before Mission staff would even discuss the cost, they insisted that I do the Communication, or "Comm," Course.

The Comm Course is the beginning of most Scientology careers. Hubbard claimed to have been the first person to scientifically dissect communication. The Comm Course drills are called Training Routines, or TRs. 5

The first two TRs are similar to meditation. They are supposed to help you focus your attention on the person you are talking to. Two people sit facing each other, without speaking or moving.