Puggo - Jar Jar's Yoda said:
I am struck by the complexity and cryptic-ness of the structure. Half of what the OP is posting I can't even follow. It almost seems like members get so entwined in this tentacled labrynth that they don't notice obviously horrible things like banning family members from seeing each other. I think the scientific name for that is "groupthink", and the Hitler analogy seems to have been applied to the wrong side, at least in that respect.
Back in the 80s when I was playing a lot of music, many of my musician friends were in Scientology because it got them off of drugs. So I thought it was fine and benign, until I saw one of them (who I briefly dated) trying to use it to treat someone with alzheimers. I thought that was seriously presumptuous for someone without a medical background, and have been suspicious of it ever since.
Given my observations, above, is there any sort of self-reflection built into the system? Or does it (the system) pretty much presume itself to be infalible?
Scientology is an incredibly dense subject. It takes dedication to properly study it. I've tried explaining things the best I can but naturally it won't make sense to outsiders.
As far as self-reflection goes, that's not an easy Yes or No answer. Hubbard's writings are considered infallible, but he himself has written that you should use your own judgment and believe for yourself what is true.
But you'll get declared if you publicly state that you feel Scientology is bullshit.
L. Ron said:
We of the Church believe... that all men have inalienable rights to think freely, to talk freely, to write freely their own opinions and to counter or utter or write upon the opinions of others.
- Creed of the Church of Scientology
Scientology is a workable system. This does not mean it is the best possible system or a perfect system. Remember and use that definition. Scientology is a workable system.- Policy letter, "Safeguarding Technology"
What is true for you is what you have observed yourself... Nothing in Scientology is true for you unless you have observed it and it is true according to your observation.- Article, "Personal Integrity"