Scientologists: Masters of "Doublethink"

Doublethink:

The power of holding two contradictory beliefs in one's mind simultaneously, and accepting both of them . . . . To tell deliberate lies while genuinely believing in them, to forget any fact that has become inconvenient, and then, when it becomes necessary again, to draw it back from oblivion for just so long as it is needed, to deny the existence of objective reality and all the while to take account of the reality which one denies — all this is indispensably necessary. Even in using the word doublethink it is necessary to exercise doublethink. For by using the word one admits that one is tampering with reality; by a fresh act of doublethink one erases this knowledge; and so on indefinitely, with the lie always one leap ahead of the truth.

George Orwell
1984

Doublethink is the carefully cultured, self-control skill of being able to know and completely accept two contradictory facts. Perhaps everyone does this a little bit, but Scientologists must develop this skill to a wondrous degree.

Let us review a few examples of these Scientology doublethink marvels.

• Scientologists know that the OT III materials are deadly. They know that just reading the OT III materials, before one is ready, will kill a person. They know this with absolute certainty.
  
• Scientologists also know that the OT III materials have been leaked. The secret materials were published in court documents. They were published in newspapers and magazines. They were explained in South Park. These OT III materials are all over the Internet. This is the primary reason they cannot look at newspapers, books, the Internet, etc. And they also know that millions and millions have read these materials and that there were no harmful effects. No mass deaths were reported after the South Park episode.
  

They know both these things. They know both these contradictory things are absolutely true.

• Scientologists know, without a shadow of a doubt, that "Scientology is the fastest growing religion in the world." They know that the church is always seeing "unprecedented expansion, world-wide." They hear this, they know it is true.
• Scientologists also know that, outside of Miscavige's flamboyant events and press statements, they don't see or hear anything about this "expansion". They are aware that their local church is not expanding. They are aware that fewer Scientologists show up at events. They are aware that the church's course rooms are nearly empty, week after week.
  

Scientologists believe in a vast, incredible expansion, and at the same time they see, with their very own eyes, only deterioration.

• Scientologists know that all Scientologists are masters of communication. They know that, through the various Scientology communication courses, they know more about, and are better at communication than anyone else.
  
• Scientologists are also aware that they cannot talk to certain types of people. A majority of the people in the world are people who a Scientologist cannot talk to! Anyone who disagrees with Scientology is not to be communicated with! Reporters, psychologists, psychiatrists, anyone who doesn't accept, immediately, Scientology's doctrine, must be avoided.

In addition, Scientologists will absolutely rave about the amazing communication of a Class XII (highly trained) auditor by rhapsodizing "An auditing session by a Class XII auditor is so natural, just like having a normal conversation!" In other words, the ultimate in advanced Scientology communication is to sound normal!? And this is so hard for a Scientologist to accomplish that it takes years and years of advanced training to accomplish a session that is "like a normal conversation"?

• Scientologists know that "Scientology works!" They know that Scientology is the effective solution to all the world's ills.
• Scientologists also see Scientologists behaving badly -- not repaying loans, running less-than-reputable companies, getting in trouble with the law and such. They also are, quite often, struggling to survive themselves. They see their local church struggling, barely making it from week to week. They have heard of various world trouble spots being "handled" in Miscavige's events, and yet ... umm, those trouble spots are still there, not "handled".
  

Despite all the "effective solutions" of Scientology, all that Scientologists see for themselves and other Scientologists--outside of the alleged successes of Miscavige's fantastical events--is struggle and failure.

• Scientologists know that people who have completed OT VIII are virtually god-like. They are far, far above everyone else, with powers and abilities beyond our comprehension.
• They also see many OT VIIIs around their churches, and they do not ever see these OT VIIIs exhibit any special abilities. They do not ever see these OT VIIIs rise above the rest of us. They do not ever see these OT VIIIs behave particularly differently than they did before all those levels. The evidence they see is that nothing special happened.
  

The ultimate accomplishment in Scientology is OT VIII. Scientologists accept these all-too-normal OT VIIIs while believing that OT VIII will give them god-like perceptions and powers.

There are many, many other contrary facts that Scientologists must hold to be able to continue believing in Scientology. Doublethink is an essential skill for all Scientologists.

It is ironic that L. Ron Hubbard once wrote:

Personal Integrity

WHAT IS TRUE FOR YOU is what you have observed yourself
And when you lose that you have lost everything.

What is personal integrity?
Personal integrity is knowing what you know.
What you know is what you know.
And to have the courage to know and say what you have observed.
And that is integrity
And there is no other integrity.

L. Ron Hubbard
Ability Magazine, 1961

What is deeply ironic about this is that Scientologists -- to remain loyal, True Believers in Scientology -- have had to abandon their personal integrity; they have had to abandon their ability to accept what is really there; they have had to abandon their ability to know what is just plain obvious.

Ultimately, for a Scientologist, what is true for them is not what they observe for themselves. What is true is only what the Church of Scientology tells them to believe.
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