Tolerance or ?
Last evening I was invited to tour some of the program facilities of the Scientology Church in Clearwater, Florida. The program facilities which I visited included Criminon ((world free of crime); Narconon (Drug Rehabilitation Programs), Anti-Drug Programs, Human Rights and The Way to Happiness. Each of the programs has its own information and learning centers equipped with state of the art video equipment and staffed by pleasant, traditionally attractive, welcoming individuals. There are also books, pamphlets, comfortable furniture and refreshments. One feels genuinely welcomed to a gracious, well appointment space. Certainly all of the programs reflect concerns, which any spiritual, well-intentioned individual could embrace.
I have no doubt that the individuals involved are exactly who they appear to be: people from various countries and cultures who sincerely want to lead a very spiritual life, which include being of service to other people. After all, who would or could fault a group, which want to eliminate substance abuse/addiction, crime, and the violation of human rights. The program which is entitled “The Way to Happiness” includes 21 precepts which, on the surface, any spiritual teach might endorse. These are:
· Take care of yourself
· Be Temperate
· Don’t be promiscuous
· Love and help children
· Honor and help your parents
· Set a good example
· See to live with the truth
· Do not murder
· Don’t do anything illegal
· Support a government designed and run for all the people
· Do not harm a person of good will
· Safeguard and improve our environment
· Do not steal
· Be worthy of trust
· Fulfill your obligations
· Be industrious
· Be competent
· Respect the religious beliefs of others
· Try not to do things to others that you would not like them to do to you.
· Try to treat others as you would want them to treat you
· Flourish and Prosper
On the surface this sounds like a list that Pope Francis, Gandhi and many other individuals who are respected a spiritual teachers would agree. There might be a bit of discussion about whether it is sometimes necessary to do something illegal, i.e. e. laws which have discriminated against various individuals and groups. One might question what it means to be promiscuous, particularly in terms of the anti-GLBT beliefs of the Scientologists. There is that question of who decides one is a person of good will and whether it is okay to harm a person who one determines is not of good will even though another precept states do not murder. On the other hand I could not determine, in my admittedly fairly cursory reading of the literature, whether the scientologist believe that killing in the name of God or country would violate these precepts. After all, most countries would not say that they were murdering those with whom one was at war.
Questions have also been raised about the wealth of the church and what percentage of their income is spent on overhead. Some reports maintain that in 2012, the Scientologist Church/organization in Clearwater, Florida had assets of $209,655,686.00. Certainly the building I entered, the “uniforms” of the staff which one sees on the streets of Clearwater would suggest that a significant amount of money is spent on overhead.
There have been various documentaries, books and articles written about the teachings and the practices of the Scientologist Church. It is certainly not my intention to expand on the thoroughness or the accuracy of some of those.
Goodness knows I would like to align myself with any organization which promotes universal human rights, ministers to those in prison, feeds the hungry and provides quality services for those addicted to various substances, power, types of relationships which end up stealing one’s life. I also applaud anyone who promotes the golden rule.
I have nothing against “nice” things although I must admit I, fairly or unfairly, tend to mistrust any person, program or environment which seems slick and which needs to promote its programs with many books, pamphlets, brochures, state of the art video equipment and other expensive technology.
In the service of full disclosure I must admit I like the fact that many of the historic (as historic as 100 year old buildings can be) buildings in Clearwater have been so beautifully restored and are so pleasing to the eye. There is also a part of me which can momentarily be attracted to beautiful, physically fit, well groomed (in terms of traditional standards which might also apply the loan sharks, mafia members and others), smiling, polite young people. (I do not ask what boat all the people past 30 are loaded onto but they certainly are not in evidence.) I am a little taken back by the fact that even those who hail from other countries seem, for the most part, to look like very white or occasionally of some other European or South American ancestry.
I want to trust these people, to keep an open mind and not allow some of the criticism of the Scientologists, which I have read and heard to influence my opinion. Yet, a part of me does not feel safe in this setting and certainly not safe in aligning myself with this organization. I know that this is not just because I am a gay man whose “life style (or hoped for life style)” would not be acceptable. It is not just that I am a little more than vaguely bothered by the assumption that the people labeled as criminals are different than the “criminals” who think it okay to flourish at the expense of others; that I am feeling a sense of “dis ease” the exact source of which I cannot identify, but which I have learned to trust.
I try to clear my mind and just be present with love and open to learning. This is not a comfortable or easy process for me in this situation. The challenge, of course, is to hold on to myself, to not allow myself to dismiss my questions while staying open to the possibility that there is something here for me to learn.
I did not expect this challenge but I am grateful that, once again, I have to confront what I think I know and the source of what I feel. Again I know that this is not about this particular church or organization. This is about me separating the wheat from the chaff in my mind. I consciously and often unconsciously pick up opinions, prejudices, biases and the fears of others. That is the chaff. The wheat comes from a deeper place in me. Until I can decide which is which or at least make a better educated guess about this I am going to be uncomfortable.
I remind myself. Breathe. Notice my breath. Breathe. Notice.
Written September 3, 2015
Last evening I was invited to tour some of the program facilities of the Scientology Church in Clearwater, Florida. The program facilities which I visited included Criminon ((world free of crime); Narconon (Drug Rehabilitation Programs), Anti-Drug Programs, Human Rights and The Way to Happiness. Each of the programs has its own information and learning centers equipped with state of the art video equipment and staffed by pleasant, traditionally attractive, welcoming individuals. There are also books, pamphlets, comfortable furniture and refreshments. One feels genuinely welcomed to a gracious, well appointment space. Certainly all of the programs reflect concerns, which any spiritual, well-intentioned individual could embrace.
I have no doubt that the individuals involved are exactly who they appear to be: people from various countries and cultures who sincerely want to lead a very spiritual life, which include being of service to other people. After all, who would or could fault a group, which want to eliminate substance abuse/addiction, crime, and the violation of human rights. The program which is entitled “The Way to Happiness” includes 21 precepts which, on the surface, any spiritual teach might endorse. These are:
· Take care of yourself
· Be Temperate
· Don’t be promiscuous
· Love and help children
· Honor and help your parents
· Set a good example
· See to live with the truth
· Do not murder
· Don’t do anything illegal
· Support a government designed and run for all the people
· Do not harm a person of good will
· Safeguard and improve our environment
· Do not steal
· Be worthy of trust
· Fulfill your obligations
· Be industrious
· Be competent
· Respect the religious beliefs of others
· Try not to do things to others that you would not like them to do to you.
· Try to treat others as you would want them to treat you
· Flourish and Prosper
On the surface this sounds like a list that Pope Francis, Gandhi and many other individuals who are respected a spiritual teachers would agree. There might be a bit of discussion about whether it is sometimes necessary to do something illegal, i.e. e. laws which have discriminated against various individuals and groups. One might question what it means to be promiscuous, particularly in terms of the anti-GLBT beliefs of the Scientologists. There is that question of who decides one is a person of good will and whether it is okay to harm a person who one determines is not of good will even though another precept states do not murder. On the other hand I could not determine, in my admittedly fairly cursory reading of the literature, whether the scientologist believe that killing in the name of God or country would violate these precepts. After all, most countries would not say that they were murdering those with whom one was at war.
Questions have also been raised about the wealth of the church and what percentage of their income is spent on overhead. Some reports maintain that in 2012, the Scientologist Church/organization in Clearwater, Florida had assets of $209,655,686.00. Certainly the building I entered, the “uniforms” of the staff which one sees on the streets of Clearwater would suggest that a significant amount of money is spent on overhead.
There have been various documentaries, books and articles written about the teachings and the practices of the Scientologist Church. It is certainly not my intention to expand on the thoroughness or the accuracy of some of those.
Goodness knows I would like to align myself with any organization which promotes universal human rights, ministers to those in prison, feeds the hungry and provides quality services for those addicted to various substances, power, types of relationships which end up stealing one’s life. I also applaud anyone who promotes the golden rule.
I have nothing against “nice” things although I must admit I, fairly or unfairly, tend to mistrust any person, program or environment which seems slick and which needs to promote its programs with many books, pamphlets, brochures, state of the art video equipment and other expensive technology.
In the service of full disclosure I must admit I like the fact that many of the historic (as historic as 100 year old buildings can be) buildings in Clearwater have been so beautifully restored and are so pleasing to the eye. There is also a part of me which can momentarily be attracted to beautiful, physically fit, well groomed (in terms of traditional standards which might also apply the loan sharks, mafia members and others), smiling, polite young people. (I do not ask what boat all the people past 30 are loaded onto but they certainly are not in evidence.) I am a little taken back by the fact that even those who hail from other countries seem, for the most part, to look like very white or occasionally of some other European or South American ancestry.
I want to trust these people, to keep an open mind and not allow some of the criticism of the Scientologists, which I have read and heard to influence my opinion. Yet, a part of me does not feel safe in this setting and certainly not safe in aligning myself with this organization. I know that this is not just because I am a gay man whose “life style (or hoped for life style)” would not be acceptable. It is not just that I am a little more than vaguely bothered by the assumption that the people labeled as criminals are different than the “criminals” who think it okay to flourish at the expense of others; that I am feeling a sense of “dis ease” the exact source of which I cannot identify, but which I have learned to trust.
I try to clear my mind and just be present with love and open to learning. This is not a comfortable or easy process for me in this situation. The challenge, of course, is to hold on to myself, to not allow myself to dismiss my questions while staying open to the possibility that there is something here for me to learn.
I did not expect this challenge but I am grateful that, once again, I have to confront what I think I know and the source of what I feel. Again I know that this is not about this particular church or organization. This is about me separating the wheat from the chaff in my mind. I consciously and often unconsciously pick up opinions, prejudices, biases and the fears of others. That is the chaff. The wheat comes from a deeper place in me. Until I can decide which is which or at least make a better educated guess about this I am going to be uncomfortable.
I remind myself. Breathe. Notice my breath. Breathe. Notice.
Written September 3, 2015
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