Scientology: Why Doesn't It Work?

Now, before all you Scientologists get your knickers in a twist, I'm not talking about personal, subjective experiences. These kinds of things happen to almost everyone for any number of reasons and can't be proven or disproven. That's not what this article is about.

I'm talking about all the stuff that the Scientology technology is very explicitly supposed to accomplish in the world. Why doesn't that work?

For example: All Scientologists are required to do the "PTS/SP Course". The full, actual name of the course is the "How to Confront and Shatter Suppression - PTS/SP Course". Most Scientologists today have actually done this course.

PTS="Potential Trouble Source", someone connected to an SP.
SP="Suppressive Person", someone who, for instance, attacks Miscavige's Church of Scientology.

So, do any Scientologists actually confront anything that might upset them? Do any Scientologists look at and confront any opposition to Miscavige's church? Scientologists don't look at any media that might mention negative things about Scientology. Scientologists carefully avoid most of the Internet. When the Anonymous protests take place near any Church of Scientology, Scientologists run and hide. Scientologists cover the windows and hunker down, waiting for the protesters to go away. Where is the confront?

And don't even mention "shatter". If graduates of the PTS/SP Course could "shatter suppression", there wouldn't be any protests, would there? All the negative information about Miscavige and his church would simply go away. But that hasn't worked either, has it?

No confront. No "shattering." Virtually all Scientologists have "learned" this technology but the promised results just aren't happening.

Why doesn't Scientology work?

Contrary to what one might expect, Scientologists really do know there are problems in the Church of Scientology. They even talk about it with each other. While they don't see the big picture, they see the local manifestations.

They see the local problems, but they believe that things are better elsewhere; things are better for other Scientologists.

And they expect that, sooner or later, someone will notice that things are going bad for this Scientologist, or things aren't going well with this local church -- and someone will come and fix it.

And these loyal Scientologists carefully write up reports, sometimes to "RTC", sometimes to David Miscavige, sometimes to someone else who is "in charge". They carefully look up the policies, they carefully document all their problems, they carefully present their information, they carefully suggest what should be done -- then they wait.

And they wait.

And the problems persist and get worse.

So they carefully write it all up again. And they carefully send it "up lines" again.

Surely this time, someone will read their report, see the horrible misapplication of Hubbard's policies or technology, and they will fix it. It's obvious what is wrong. It's obvious what should be done. All it takes is that one person in authority reads their careful report and sends the proper orders.

But it doesn't happen. Scientologists all over the world are having serious problems, they are carefully writing up their reports and sending them "up lines" to RTC or Miscavige or someone in authority -- and nothing is getting corrected. Why?

Why doesn't Scientology work?

Quite a few years ago, OT VIII was released. It was heralded as the "first true OT level". While David Miscavige, himself, has been unable to attain this level, many other Scientologists have. Some of them are still in Scientology and are still working to support Scientology.

But where are the results of these "true OTs" who are supporting Scientology? These OTs are supposed to be far beyond anything that has ever existed on this planet. These OTs are supposed to be incredibly effective. Around such OTs, things "just go right". Yes?

No.

But why? Why is so much going so wrong for the Church of Scientology? Why is it such a struggle for Miscavige and his church? Why have so many OT VIIIs dropped out of sight, left the church, moved away?

Why doesn't Scientology work?

Scientology is supposed to be fun. Scientology is supposed to increase communication, increase ARC, increase a person's ability to face difficulties. Scientologists are supposed to end up flourishing and prospering. Scientologists are supposed to be happy. Scientologists are supposed to be more connected with people.

ARC: Scientology acronym for Affinity, Reality, Communication, which equals Understanding.

I'm sure there are brief moments of happiness for many Scientologists, but, in general, none of this is happening. There is very little fun, very little happiness, not much flourishing or prospering. As a rule, Scientologists withdraw from friends, family, and society. Being involved in Scientology is not supposed to make one's life more of a struggle, but this is exactly what happens. Life, for Scientologists, just becomes harder, grimmer and more guilt-laden.

The difference between what is promised by Miscavige's Church of Scientology and what actually happens is stark. Why?

Why doesn't Scientology work?

And don't look at the colossal failure of Miscavige to get all churches to the "size of old Saint Hill". Don't look at Miscavige's failure to complete his "SuperPower building" in Clearwater. Don't look at the failure of the "Ideal Org" campaign which has caused untold problems for the local churches.

It doesn't take any effort at all to see that Scientology is not working. Things are not going well at all. It is obvious.

It takes a tremendous amount of effort, continuous effort, to keep not seeing this -- to make excuses, to hide from the facts, to grit your teeth and see the illusion and not the reality. Being a Scientologist today is a lot of work -- and none of it is fun.

And the bottom-line question that Scientologists must not ask is:

Why doesn't Scientology work?