‘De-sci-phering’ Tom Cruise video
Here is a great article with more information!
“For me, it’s all about KSW.” So says actor and celebrity Scientologist Tom Cruise on a video allegedly circulated by a disgruntled former member of the church. What does that acronym mean? And why are people so suspicious about the Church of Scientology?
The video, which was aired in part on Wednesday morning shows, allegedly is used to promote the Church of Scientology belief system to newcomers and features Cruise speaking about his commitment to its tenets. Cruise joined the church in the 1980s, according to Andrew Morton’s new unauthorized biography of the star, and has emerged as a spokesman for Scientology in recent years.
KSW stands for Keeping Scientology Working, a policy letter written in 1965 by L. Ron Hubbard, Scientology’s founder. In the letter, Hubbard, a science fiction writer, outlined 10 steps to ensure survival of the movement. He commends members for carrying out the first part of the mission, but urges them to take it further and eradicate what he called “incorrect technology.”
“This point will, of course, be attacked as ‘unpopular,’ ‘egotistical’ and ‘undemocratic,’” Hubbard wrote in the letter. “It very well may be. But it is also a survival point. And I don’t see that popular measures, self-abnegation and democracy have done anything for Man but push him further into the mud.”
Messages left with the Church of Scientology International seeking clarification of the letter’s meaning have not yet been returned. But scholars of new religious movements (NRMs in academic parlance) say the letter posted on the Internet is authentic. They say the letter and terminology encourage members to take an aggressive approach against people who oppose tenets of the belief system.
Cruise said his life and mission was made clear when he re-read the letter.
“We are the authorities on getting people off drugs. We are the authorities on the mind. We are the authorities on improving conditions,” Cruise said. “Once you know these tools and you know that they work it’s not good enough to say I’m just doing OK. … Being a Scientologist people are turning to you, so you better know it and if you don’t go and learn it.”
This might help explain why Cruise in 2005 publicly criticized fellow actress Brooke Shields for taking anti-depressants for post-partum depression. It also might help explain why the church has earned a reputation for being so litigious when it encounters what it calls a PTS, a “potential trouble source,” or SP, “suppressive person.”
Scientology teaches that a life force called Theta exists within all of us. Through the church’s practices, adherents believe one can realize his or her true nature as an immortal spirit, or thetan. Their path to enlightenment is a step-by-step process of achieving greater awareness. The ultimate goal is to become an Operating Thetan.
“Scientology is kind of an amalgam of eastern Hindu mysticism, science fiction and self- help,” said Mathew Schmalz, an associate professor of religious studies at the College of the Holy Cross. He compares the way the general public treats Scientology to the way Americans treated Catholics more than a century ago, and adds that Scientology is not a countercultural movement. “If you look at it in terms of other religious traditions it’s not really that strange,” he said. “What’s strange is it’s presented in a science fiction idiom.”
But there are plenty of sci-fi aspects to a number of religious traditions. So why does Tom Cruise make us so uncomfortable? Schmalz suggests that Scientologists’ frequent reluctance to answer specific questions about their faith doesn’t go over well with Americans. He suggests another reason too.
“It accepts traditional American ideas of success, which is one reason why it recruits celebrities so assiduously,” he said. “You could look at Scientology as a parody of American values and success. Reflected back on American society there are certain things we might be uncomfortable with.”
Watch the video. Does Tom Cruise make you feel uncomfortable? If he were evangelizing for a different faith, would you feel the same?
Definition: PTS/SP
Tom Cruise is in the media all over the place. That’s not new, but what’s new is that he is quoted using Scientology terminology. So here is some collected data directly from the source:
(Source: Scientology Handbook (online) )
Often a social personality is so mired down in his own difficulties that he cannot see improvement is possible. To him, his setbacks and travails are “just life” or “the way things have to be.” He has no inkling that such a thing as antisocial personalities exist or that one (or more) were making life miserable for him.
To become aware that such a condition exists requires one understand what the condition is. Following are basic terms and definitions associated with the detection and handling of antisocial personalities and those affected by them. These need to be understood for success in addressing and handling personal suppression.
Suppressive Person: (abbreviated “SP”). A person who seeks to suppress, or squash, any betterment activity or group. A suppressive person suppresses other people in his vicinity. This is the person whose behavior is calculated to be disastrous. “Suppressive person” or a “suppressive” is another name for the “antisocial personality.”
Potential Trouble Source: (abbreviated “PTS”). A person who is in some way connected to and being adversely affected by a suppressive person. He is called a potential trouble source because he can be a lot of trouble to himself and to others.
An indicator of someone being a potential trouble source is not whether that person looks intimidated or not cheerful or is having trouble with his boss. Those are not things that indicate whether someone is a PTS. The indicators are very precise.
The PTS is connected to an SP who is antagonistic to him. The suppressive person keeps the potential trouble source from functioning in life. Therefore, the potential trouble source can do well in life or in some activity and then, when he meets up with or is affected by the suppressive person-who is somehow invalidating or making less of him or his efforts-he gets worse.
A potential trouble source is doing well and then not doing well, doing well, not doing well. When he is not doing well, he is sometimes ill. …
Definition: KSW – Keeping Scientology Working
This is the title of a series of Scientology texts by L. Ron Hubbard to make sure that Scientology is not being abused. He says in No 1 of the series:
“We have some time since passed the point of achieving uniformly workable technology.
The only thing now is getting the technology applied.
If you can’t get the technology applied then you can’t deliver what’s promised. It’s as simple as that. If you can get the technology applied, you can deliver what’s promised.
The only thing you can be upbraided for by students or pcs is “no results”. Trouble spots occur only where there are “no results”. Attacks from governments or monopolies occur only where there are “no results” or “bad results”.
Therefore the road before Scientology is clear and its ultimate success is assured if the technology is applied.”
