What I Want Is Happiness

I recently got a copy of State of Mind, a music CD by the Golden Era Musicians who are playing songs written by L .Ron Hubbard. I must say that my favorite song on this CD is a song tittled What I Want Is Happiness. It is a song that plays at my local org during the events. I liked listenng to it so I got the CD so I could listen to it in my personal time.

I want to write a very inspiring lines that I think sums up why people turn to Scientology to help better their lives and the lives of other and how we as parishoner's feel about Scientology:

"I was once as sad as you.
Had my earthy troulbes too.

Then I earned vitality.
In finding Scientology.

To say good-bye is not too hard.
One ones love with hate is marred."

What I Want Is Happiness - State of Mind CD by the Golden Era Musicans

Forest Whitaker

I, like many of many, was watching the Oscars last night and to me, my favorite part was the acceptence speech Forest Whitaker gave after he won Best Actor in a Leading Role for The King of Scotland. I always wondered if Forest was a Scientologist, especially after being in Battlefield: Earth but I think he might be. His speach was definetly Scientology inspired, but more importantly very deep and spiritual. For me, this was a definete highlight of the evening. I have copied a copy of his speach which can be read below. Enjoy:

ACCEPTANCE SPEECH:
Thank you. Thank you. Just a second, just a second. OK. Take it. OK. I wrote something down, because I thought if it would happen that I would be a little overwhelmed and I am. So, OK. When I was a kid, the only way that I saw movies was from the backseat of my family's car. At the drive-in. And, it wasn't my reality to think I would be acting in movies, so receiving this honor tonight tells me that it's possible. It is possible for a kid from east Texas, raised in South Central L.A. in Carson, who believes in his dreams, commits himself to them with his heart, to touch them, and to have them happen. Because when I first started acting, it was because of my desire to connect to everyone. To that thing inside each of us. That light that I believe exists in all of us. Because acting for me is about believing in that connection and it's a connection so strong, it's a connection so deep, that we feel it. And through our combined belief, we can create a new reality. So I want to thank my fellow believers in The Last King of Scotland. I want to thank Peter, Jeremy, Andrea, Lisa, Charles, Kevin, James McAvoy, Kerry, Stephen, Fox, DNA, Channel Four. I want to thank the people of Uganda, who helped this film have a spirit. And finally, I want to thank my mom and my dad. I want to thank my wife Keisha, my children, my ancestors, who continue to guide my steps. And God, God who believes in us all. And who's given me this moment, in this lifetime, that I will hopefully carry to the end of my lifetime into the next lifetime. Thank you.


To me personally it definetely sounds like something Scientological however whether or not it is, the speech was great and something that is very inspiring.

My Problem With Psychiatry

So here's by thing about Psychiatry. I do not see myself as Anti-Psychiatry. I feel that there needs to be, well let's call it a reformation or a re-look at the use of Psychiatry in schools as well as in hospitals. Let me give you a hypothetical explanation of what my beef is with Psychiatry.

So, ok I go to my doctor one day because for the past week I have been feeling really cold, I have a tingling feeling in my fingers and toes and I have been drinking about 5 gallons of water a day. Along with that I can't sleep and I can't concentrate. So I go see my doctor and she says to me:

"Let's do a blood test to see what level your blood sugar is at and then we can see what's going on."

A day later I get my blood test back from the Doctor and she gives me a call saying that my blood sugar was off the charts. So I go in again the next morning and do a fasting, blood glucose analysis test. I don't eat or drink anything for 12 hours. Of course the test comes back and affirms that I have, let's say, type 2 Diabetes so I go back to my doctor and we discuss treatment options.

Fair enough? Still with me? This is what a typical Doctor does. We can even put it into a formula:

Symptoms, Biological test, diagnosis and treatment. Simple right?

Ok, not for Psychiatrists and Psychologists. I got into an office and tell them you have severe mood swings; are irritable, nervous, chatter all the time, have trouble sleeping and are even panicky. So they might diagnose you with any number of Psychiatric labels such as Bipolar Disorder, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Social Anxiety Disorder, Panic Disorder and many others. There is not one single “diagnosis” but a bunch of labels or conditions that you may or may not have. In most cases people get labeled with more than two and are given a very board, general description of what they supposedly have. Then of course the Psychiatrist writes you off a prescription (which is basically the only reason why they actually go to medical school) and there you have it. There is a formula:

Symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment.

But hold on a second, something’s missing from all of this. Biological test? Ok, so where is my blood test, X-Ray, MRI, CT Scan or what have you which actually proves that I have this disorder? Well, there isn’t any. How can I go back to my doctor and tell her that I don’t have diabetes. She’d laugh at me, then show me my blood test and show me my numbers. I have it, there is proof because scientific proof is within the biological test. I can see my blood sugar numbers and I can see that they are high. It is off the charts and I have a psychical disease. Psychiatry? They can label you anything they want really but where’s the test? Where is the actual science behind their diagnosis? Well you know what, they don’t have any.

Now, think for a second. What other medical practitioner or Doctors never looks at the organ or part of the body, which they happen to specialize in? Well none. If you got a lung infection you go see a Resperotlogist (spelling), your back: an orthopedic surgeon, your stomach: a Gastroenterologist, your skin: a Dermatologist, ect, ect, and all of these Doctors do blood tests and/or X-Rays to confirm their diagnosis. Imagine walking into your Doctor’s office and you tell him or her that you have a cough for a few days. She tells you that you have pneumonia and gives you a prescription. You’d probably tell her that she was crazy and storm out of the place. So, how is this any different from when Psychiatrists tells you that you mentally ill but that there are no actual hard proof evidence to back it up?

So now, my problem and wonder is, if they diagnosis without biological tests, then how in the heck did they get into hospitals, schools and why does the Government give them billions of dollars every single year to fund their ventures?

That one I can’t answer.

Michael Duff

One of my new favorite solo musicians is a man by the name of Michael Duff. Micheal is a Scientologist and a New OT VIII if I am not mistaken but he is a very talented artist.

I particularly enjoy one of his songs called Rise, which Micheal wrote while doing a level in Scientology called OT V. I will post the lyrics and a link to the song as it is a really beautiful and deeply spiritual song. To me, the message is wonderful, Scientologist or not.

Rise:

I will get better at this
Seems I lost a lot of myselfI tried to give you what I thought you wanted
Aand gave you nothing of me
And now we sit in defeat with the house we thought was our dream
We tore the building down bricks and mortarand left us nothing but weeds

If we can fly like an angel
If we can run through the sea
Maybe we can start it all over like when we loved
Without enemies - Can We Rise?

And now the silent reprieve
And it's face down, still, in the field
What is the pity of one dead soldier
When all he bled for was greed

If we can fly like an angel
If we can run through the sea
Maybe we can start it all over
Like when we loved without enemies

Can We Rise? Rise, Rise?
Can We Rise? Rise, Rise?

All the memories that you own
All the nausea and the laughing teardrops
All come back - and then it's gone
So we wait for something we hope will heal us
You don't have to be alone
No man lives alone

If we can fly like an angel
If we can run through the sea
Maybe we can start it all over
Like when we lived without enmity
If we can fly like an angel
If we can run through the sea
Maybe we can start it all over
Like when we loved, Just you and me

Can We Rise? Rise, Rise?
Can We Rise? Rise, Rise?


You can listen to the song and several others by going to www.duffweb.com and clicking on music.

Enjoy...

Enough of This

One thing I love to do is write poety and essays. I do it alot and I enjoy it when others read my material.

Here is a poem called enough of this. It does deal more with the frusterations and in my opinion all people of all religions deal with on an everyday basic, including members of newer or lesser known groups.

Enjoy...

I have enough of this; I really had enough of this.
I have had enough; I've really had enough.

Why is it that in this society everyone who's happy is automatically insane?
And why is it that any group that's doing something are automatically quacks?
I'm sick and tired of all the hate and the bigotry that's online and on the internet.
I'm sick and tired of a sensational press that only interviews ex-members.

I have enough of this; I really had enough of this.
I have had enough; I've really had enough.

Why am I ridiculed for being a Scientologist, when all I'm doing is searching for meaning?
All I am doing is trying to answer some of life's questions, and so are you.
I'm sick and tired of the advertiser selling me things that wont make me happy.
I'm sick and tired of all the people who wont pick up and book and read, there's so much ignorance.

I have enough of this; I really had enough of this.
I have had enough; I've really had enough.

Ghandi sad: "First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they attack you, then you win." All these bigots never see themselves as one and I think it's wrong.
I'm sick and tired of the satirical cartoon mocking me because I am different.
I'm sick and tired of being a liar, no; I'm not in a cult!

I have enough of this; I really had enough of this.
I have had enough; I've really had enough.

Combatting Hate Sites

I am going to attempt to explain certain methods used by Anti-Scientology websites, which will give one a better understanding on certain tactics that one can use to combat the online bigotry and discrimination that may end up in a random, web search on Scientol0gy.

1) No disclaimers. After typing in the word Scientology into one of your favorite search engines, you will be bombarded with many websites, probably millions. Which one do you go to? Many people are looking for a site that is not official, the ridiculous idea that Scientology websites "will just say good things about Scientology" are for some excluded even before they type in the word. Remember that Scientology and thus all religious people do know more about their religion then outsiders and angry ex-members who are more interested in selling you propaganda just for some attention. I believe that a lack of good resourcefulness and terrible research skills tend to point people into the direction of Anti-Scientology websites because of their independence and a fictionalized image of neutrality, for example because they are not official websites from the Church. However, when you click on a link one thing most people should look for is a disclaimer. I want to know whose webpage I am reading and in a sentence or two, explain to me who the creator is (name, age, nationality, this does help), what affiliations or religious beliefs the creator holds, where exactly is the information coming from, who is funding this website and what stance does it take on the issue of Scientology. However, you will not find anything close to a disclaimer on Anti-Scientology websites. If there was a disclaimer it would probably read like this (paraphrased). This would in my opinion be a disclaimer for one of the most popular Anti-Scientology sites out there.

"The creator of this website is a 30-something, Secular Humanist (like the Anti-Religious Richard Dawkings and Paul Kurtz) from Northern Europe. He has never been inside a Church of Scientology and has admittedly never taken a Scientology course. The only Scientologists the creator of this website has ever met was during one of several "protests" in which the creator of this website stood in front of several Churches screaming hate slogans at those freely entering their Church for services. The creator of this website has no education in Sociology or Religious Studies but rather a Collage diploma in Computer Programming or something of that nature. The creator fully supports the Anti-Cult Movement and is violently opposed to hundreds of minority religions and spiritual practices as most Secular Humanists are covertly so but particularly Scientology, Christianity, Jehovah Witnesses, Sufism and Eastern movements such as Hinduism and Transcendental meditation. The creator also fully supports the practices of cult deprogramming and exit counseling and is a supporter of Margaret Singer’s unscientific brainwashing theories. The creator was arrested for conducting hate marches against the state Church in his home country but he does believe that people have the right to be Scientologists even if his website says otherwise. Also, he does not consider his website to be objective, however all of the materials on his website say otherwise and will leave you with a different impression of the Church of Scientology, which would be that it is ones moral duty to destroy this religious organization by all means possible, even if the creator truly feels this way or not. This websites also contains misinformation and altered confidential teachings of the Church of Scientology to which the creator broke the law and violated the intellectual property rights of L. Ron Hubbard, founder of the Church of Scientology. The Church legally owns the intellectual and publishing right to the real, unaltered version of this material and not the creator of this website.”

So, if in all honest, though I am definitely being mellow dramatic here, if an Anti-Scientology website was this honest, would you visit it?

2) THE TRUTH. Thing aren’t always so black and white, which is ironic because most of these Secular Materialists and Secular Humanists strongly believe in moral relativism so in that morality is human based so it can be differ depending on culture, religion, society and what have you. However, these Materialists tend to become Absolutists when it comes to what they see as truth. So if truth be told, the creators of Anti-Scientology websites believe that the Scientology on there site is 100% fact and if you dare question them then you are either deluded, stupid or insane. Or the classic, you “lack of critic thinking skills” or my favorite is that you are “critically challenged.” (Hidden meaning is that Scientologists are damn good at debunking the myths of Scientology, which make critics look bad. You got to love the arrogance of our critics.) It kind of reminds me of trying to debate the bible with Jerry Farwell. The bible is truth to Fundamentalist Christians and we are all going to hell unless we believe in the TRUTH of the bible. The Fundamentalism created by these Secular Materialists and Secular Humanists is the same mentality of the Fundamentalist Christian. I am willing to accept that truth depends on who you ask.

Now imagine the fact that many people who are Anti-Scientologists are getting their information on Scientology from misinformed sources like ex-members and the media. Yes I said ex-members. I will give you a quote by Professor Bryan R. Wilson who was a Professor of Sociology and Religion at Oxford University for 40 years and his conclusion on the reliability of ex-members. You might be able to understand why the victim claims of ex-members never hold up in court. It does however make for a scary, scandalous news story:

"Neither the objective sociological researcher nor the court of law can readily regard the apostate as a creditable or reliable source of evidence. He must always be seen as one whose personal history predisposes him to bias with respect to both his previous religious commitment and affiliations, the suspicion must arise that he acts from a personal motivation to vindicate himself and to regain his self-esteem, by showing himself to have been first a victim but subsequently to have become a redeemed crusader. As various instances have indicated, he is likely to be suggestible and ready to enlarge or embellish his grievances to satisfy that species of journalist whose interest is more in sensational copy than in a objective statement of the truth."

Professor Bryan Ronald Wilson, PhD Oxford University.

Is it truth or misinformation because you believe that the “information” given to you in real fact or because you are too gullible to think otherwise? Or maybe your Anti-Scientology stance has made you and your websites popular and even though you know that your “information” is false, you really like the attention people give you as an “expert”? I can’t answers these questions and wont attempt to. So let’s leave Anti-Scientology at personal motivation and everyone’s intensions are different, possibly financial.

So to review my posts. No disclaimers and the idea that what you are reading is truth without a second opinion are the two main points of Anti-Scientology websites. No matter how convincing the website is, if you are reading one of these pages then it is better to close the window, take a deep breath and move onto more reliable sources. Even better, if you really want to see if Scientology is for you, read some books and take a tour of a Church. One of two things will happen, either 1) You will agree in Scientology and its teachings or 2) You wont.

It is really that simple.

Happy hunting…

Psych Truth

I have been looking around for a great site about the truths of Psychiarty and Psychology but it not being from the Church of Scientology or the Citizen's Commision on Human Rights. I happen to support both groups but want to post a non-Scientology resourse here. We Scientologist are pretty diligent to dispel the myth that somehow only we are the only group who are opposed to certain Psychiatric practices or that we are somehow "mislead" on the subject, which seems to be the only criticism I have only heard of when someone without much knowledge of Scientology tried to explain our opposition.

Here is a website created by real Doctor's and people with PhD's in Psychology or certified Psychiatrists. These men and woman are not Scientologists and there is no connection with the Church of Scientology as far as I know but there might be some connection or affiliation to the Citizen's Commision on Human Rights although the www.cchr.org is not linked on this site. The CCHR was founded by the Church of Scientology and a Professor of Psychiatry named Dr. Thomas Szasz but the Citizen's Commision of Human Rights in a secular organization and not runed or organized by the Church.

The link is www.psychtruth.org as long with that the site contains really great radio shows, they can be heard from http://psychtruth.org/radio.htm

Happy hunting...