Several months ago I wrote the Great Middle Path and posted it on Scientology-cult.com under the pseudonym Sitting Bull. It is the only posting I have ever made under another name than my own. I only did so out of respect for the other authors of articles there – none of whom were able at the time to use their names for a variety of defensive reasons. I have updated the article with facts that have occurred since its original posting which tend to support its contentions. The updated article follows:
The Great Middle Path
According to the Buddha (Siddhartha Gautama) the way toward light is along the great middle path. That is, an intelligent, righteous pursuit of truth that bypasses the distractions of the extremes. Neither extreme asceticism nor extreme engagement in entertainments of the flesh leads anywhere but to from below whence one came.
Observing the Scientology spectrum within such a framework is quite interesting. The extreme, reactionary far right of the spectrum is occupied by David Miscavige (DM). He is so obsessed with maintaining his image as the only one who is really “On Source” that he consistently implements policies (written and oral) that are changing the very nature of the subject for the worse by assuming the role of Source.
Scientology once consistently assisted people in becoming more themselves, more tolerant, more questioning of authority, more independent of thought, more insouciant, more free. Under DM those pursuing the highest levels of spiritual attainment in Scientology are instead becoming less themselves and more what he wants them to be: more intolerant, less capable of independent thought, more serious, and more imprisoned. And all that comes with an ever increasing financial price – so let’s add “more worried about future survival” to the list.
DM seems to be working hard to turn the only road to total freedom into the rocky road to virtual captivity.
The extreme, rebellious far left of the Scientology spectrum is occupied by those who would not be satisfied until every last word of Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard was forever destroyed. The the anti-Scientology extreme cut its teeth on the purported purpose line of restoring freedom of speech and thought on the subject. Ironically, that very group is now demanding that everything L Ron Hubbard ever issued be burned in one colossal Spanish Inquisition-esque bonfire.
Thus, the antis have turned freedom to think and speak into freedom to think and speak as we do.
Both extremes of the spectrum seem to have settled on one strong point of agreement. That is – getting the other guy is everything. What neither side seems to understand is that the generalization of their intentions toward one another only empowers the other side. Unfortunately, the folly of these factions comes at the expense of the largely innocent majority.
DM loves nothing more than appointing an enemy of Scientology to justify his continued, escalating abuses and ravenous money collection. To the degree criticisms are generalized to the subject or even to staff or public, DM gets a pass. He is only too happy to have his own criminal acts hung on innocent people (Scientologists at large) so that he can position himself as their protector.
This was done in spades with the Freedom magazine published and distributed in response to the Truth Rundown series by the St. Petersburg Times. While the series focused very specifically on the well witnessed human rights abuses of Miscavige himself, and each source made a point to assert said acts were in violation of all that Scientology and LRH stand for, DM came right out of the blocks in Freedom trying to shift the blame. The first column of the first page of text accused the Times of “incit[ing] hatred against Scientologists”, “painting[ing] a false picture of the Scientology religion”, “unfairly stigmatiz[ing] Scientologists”, and accused the Times’ of being “biased” and demonstrating “bigotry”. Incidentally, I received a number of reports from public who were crush reged to contribute large sums of money for this tripe. They too were told falsehoods about their religion being under attack.
With his generalization of his own sordid conduct projected onto Scientology, and his dishonesty about the nature of exposures of same, DM encourages well-meaning Scientologists to continue funding his war chest which he uses to silence truth.
On the other side of the spectrum, DM pours gasoline on the critics’ fire by his intolerant, aggressive, and anti-social responses to their hue and cry. Any criticism no matter how valid – and the most warranted criticism is always directed at his own conduct – is characterized by DM as “anti-Scientology.” Since an SP is incapable of any self-recognition of wrong-doing, instead of correcting his abuses DM steps them up and keeps producing future enemies, all the while driving mere critics into the anti-Scientology camp by his efforts to censor and destroy them.
The relative minority of Scientology haters (far, far left) – those who favor book banning and burning and coercive tactics used to alter people’s beliefs – similarly use the DM led suppression tactics to paint the entire religion of Scientology as pernicious and worthy of dismantling.To them, everything about Scientology must go – including the peaceful practice of its philosophy, even when done sans the policies they use to justify all their broadsides against the religion itself.
To those who enjoy conflict and strife the opposite extremes of the Scientology spectrum are a match made in heaven. Spewing generalities is the stock-in-trade of both sides, and those generalities further empower either side. In the final analysis, those who generalize their attacks on Scientology and Scientologists are DM’s best friends. By the same token, DM by his penchant for generalizing any valid criticism of his own conduct as “anti-Scientology” is the greatest ally of the anti-Scientologist. They keep one another in business.
Since the original posting of the Great Middle Path, the attacks on the middle by both DM and the Haters has rang out in near perfect harmony (in fact dissonance). DM and the Haters want me and other independent minded Scientologists silenced at any cost. DM and the Haters want Scientology (the philosophy, the religion) destroyed and are doing their damnedest to make it happen.
DM resonates with Haters because his chronic tone level is HATE. The 1.5 horizontal column (closest to Hate there is) in Science of Survival reads like it was tailor made for DM. For example, those who have been around him much will readily recognize the applicability of these easily visible traits:
Affinity: Hate, violent and expressed.
Command over environment: Smashes or destroys others or environment. Failing, may destroy self. Fascistic.
The handling of truth: Blatant and destructive lying.
Literalness with which statements or remarks are received: Accepts alarming remarks literally. Brutal sense of humor.
Method used by subject to handle others: Uses threats, punishments and alarming lies to dominate others.
Pleasure moments: True pleasure moments difficult to find. Reactive satisfaction in destroying.
Both extremes of the spectrum are died in the wool Haters. They are busy keeping the innocent many embroiled, diverted and confused – while they empower one another. Empowering the extreme minorities only leads the peaceful majority toward the fringes of darkness. The light shines upon a place far from the dark extremes of the spectrum.
Look for the alignment between DM’s actions and utterances and those of the anti-Scientology Haters. Recognize, Haters are friends of Dave. And Dave is the best friend of the anti-Scientologist.
Think before lending support to either side of the darkness.
Think for yourself.
And keep taking it to the streets: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZYtUWWwpGSw
Moving On Up a Little Higher 