Scientology - cult or helpful

[Lochnessgiraffe]

My dcousin has recently started going to the local scientology place and I have been concerned. He is doing and paying for the self improvement courses. He says that they are friendly and helpful and supportive. He is not long separated from his wife and family and I think v vulnerable. He has no other friends. I live over 3 hours away from him but try to contact him about every week but this is all he talks about now and posts about. He seems happier with himself and more confident. But I'm concerned.
Aibu to be worried or just leave him as he's happy?

elmosducks I'm surprised you didn't have to be part of the cult to teach. I'm glad you don't work there any more, they scare me. We're near E Grinstead and when I had DC2 the mw described helping at Scientology births - the mums are expected to remain completely silent - she was not a fan

Yeah, it's very much a cult.
Have a read of "Bare Faced Messiah" which is an accurate biography of L Ron Hubbard. It's almost funny.

@Lochnessgiraffe problem is if you let them they will pull your cousin away from you. You need to warn your cousin now before they put a wedge between you

I think it's right to say they get to operate in the UK as they got charitable status granted!
Please get the advice of professionals who 'rescue' people from them- be prepared with the right strategy. There are more people pulling your cousin away than you or he will know.

My inlaws are Scientologists. We most definitely are not, but we see them and they see other family and friends who are not in the cult. They don't really talk about it or try to recruit us. I imagine they've spent a shedload of cash on the books and courses and stuff.
So I think you can be in it without it taking over your life entirely but it sounds like your cousin is more vulnerable at the moment and might find it harder to maintain a separate life.
I've watched the Louis Theroux and Leah Remini docs and I get the impression it's more powerful and insidious in the US. If you're in the UK it might not be quite so bad but it is definitely a cult and essentially a money spinner for the people at the top. It's not really about helping people.

the mw described helping at Scientology births - the mums are expected to remain completely silent

Whaaat?
Bloody hell, is that even possible?
That's beyond appalling, if is the case.

I thought it was just the medics etc around the woman in labour who had to remain silent, not her.

He hest get out now OP. They will take his money and brainwash him. They will make him cut off any contact with friends, family and the outside world. Dig up dirt, it wont take you long and expose this cult to him immediately. He is in danger. I pray he listens. Best wishes.

Absolutely a cult.

I worked with a young girl who did an inpatient program with the Scientologists to help with her drug addiction. The stuff she told me was horrendous. Absolutely no psychological basis to what they did at all, sounded far more like brainwashing.

Also just wanted to echo what you and others have said about treading carefully. Perhaps read up on motivational interviewing which is a psychological strategy helpful when clients are defensive. It's important not to put them in a position where they feel the need to defend whatever it is (I.e. their behaviour, relationship, or in this case Scientology).

I only read one of the dianetic books (before I knew what it was) and thought it was a really good, positive self-help book that was all about believing in yourself and your capabilities. I really liked it. I then realised that the lovely person giving it to me was Scientology and it was a recruitment attempt. I knew enough about Scientology to know it was a no from me but I still think that dianetic book had merits on its own.
I have no idea whether you can get books or courses without joining the cult though.

In my mind it is no more ridiculous or far fetched than the mainstream religions of the world. The only difference is age. But yes, it is cult like in its following and known to act intimidatingly towards 'apostates'. Drag her away if necessary.

I have experience with them. It’s a cult. It’s not funny. It shouldn’t be made light of; they are dangerous and will hound anyone who shows interest and strip you of money and ostracise you from friends and family.

Research it and sit down with your cousin and steer him away. It won’t be easy and he will lean on the ‘science’ and classes but he is barely in the door and can still be reasoned with

• I assume and hope.

Because it’s so ‘mainstream’ the organisation get away with a lot but make no mistake about it - it’s a cult.

@Everanewbie it's not the crazy ideas that are worrying but that they are actually dangerous mentally, financially, emotionally, and in some cases physically. Most other religions don't physically harm you to stop you from leaving, ask you to take out loans to be a member, or isolate you from other people.

@honeybeetheoneandonly Most of LRH's books are available via Amazon, it is the courses and progressing through the levels which generates the income, which is then distributed worldwide under the guise of a religion to accumulate assets.

I actually did - about 20 years ago - get convinced by canvassers in the street to go and have an auditing session. I was unemployed, had been walking around in my suit approaching temp agencies feeling very low. I left that encounter £60 lighter paying for books and signed up to start a course as what I needed was Dianetics. Obviously, I never did but it shows how easy people are sucked in.

The "Church" here has now moved from a few rented offices in a block approx 20 years ago to owning a huge Grade II listed house as it's HQ.

Has anyone else noticed there's every Louid tlTheroux doc except the one on Scientologists on Netflix?

@NerdyBird I think it's more US based now because of visa restrictions. If we look at generations from just 30-50 years ago, it was very easy for other nationalities to be part of religious movements (e.g. SeaOrg, Jamestown, Waco).

@RuffleCrow That's no conspiracy, Going Clear is available to download & the last 2 seasons of Leah's series

I didn't say that. Do you mean they're on Netflix UK ? because i couldn't find anything Scientology related at all on mine.

@RuffleCrow Its available to rent or buy on Amazon Prime or Sky.

Get him to watch the Leah Remini Docu series on amazon prime. It's absolutely crazy the things they are doing and the stories the ex members are telling

Its a cult just like any other organised religion. Only difference is the government are not encouraging this religion like they do the old religions.
All the abrahamic religions, judaism, christianity and islam all about brainwashing people and taking money.

Scientology is just a modern day version of this and people who wouldn't talk out about the other religions will talk out about this one.

It really depends on his willpower to resist and also, to put it bluntly, how much money he has. Yes it is a religion but you won’t get to see the reality of it (ie the group prayer / meeting) unless someone (usually your lecturer) takes you to them and wants to sponsor you. They generally won’t do that unless they think you will benefit scientology in someway.

I found their auditing sessions really, really helpful in a way I didn’t even find therapy helpful at disseminating my abusive past and depression. They use Buddhist teachings and teach useable ‘living in the moment’ techniques to help - but you do need to stick to your boundaries.

I joined as a young person on a high five figure salary, got friendly with my tutor and his family / girlfriend, and he took me to prayer meetings. I’ll be honest they scared me (think the over the top baptist scenes in True Blood lol) and so I started distancing myself. He then introduced me to an American guy in a similar job to mine with the intention that we could potentially hit it off and that’s kind of when I stopped.

I cut them all off, blocked their numbers, and then joined a different scientology group to finish my auditing sessions. The good thing is they don’t really communicate between the different cities. So if you find one place is full on or you feel uncomfortable you can go to another city keep your distance and be fine.

It's a cult that brajnwashes and traps people. Even the current leader's family had to plot to escape like a jail break; as for his wife, she hasn't been seen since the Cruise-Holmes wedding and is believed to be under house arrest somewhere. Going Clear and Leah Remini's book should be essential reading for anyone interested in their inner workings.

and the following video clips from Leah's series.

They are an awful, horrible cult and it's very well known.

Cult.
And completely agree with
Google Leah Rimini and the work she's done since leaving the cult

Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath. Great series, shows how twisted they really are