Going Clear, Part 3 Wright’s Cultic Practices

Going Clear, Part 3 summary:

Wright accuses Scientology of thought stopping – a form of mind control censorship.  However, “By the time you get 3 or 4 chapters into Going Clear, he is effectively applying that to his readers…By then he has already labelled the founder “delusional, imaginary.”  So, from that point forward there can be no “scientology side” presented, since they are already referred to as “delusional, imaginary.” 

Wright uses a sophistry that is based on the “us vs. them” and thought stopping techniques he has employed.  That is, conclusions and subjective opinions of Scientology haters become logical and any subjective viewpoint from Scientologists becomes illogical.  To do so, Wright ignores any discrediting information about any anti-Scientology source, yet immediately treats a gospel any opinion or subjective slur against Scientology as fact. 

The fact alteration is remarkable in the favor the anti Scientologist.  Rathbun points out the protagonist Paul Haggis said by Wright to have come into Scientology “wanting to be a writer.”  In the movie – which Wright produces and carefully edited – Haggis said “he wanted to be a documentary film maker.”  He tells the writer he wanted to be a writer; he tells the film maker he wanted to be a film maker.  Instead of pointing out the manipulative, dishonest fellow is, Wright lets him have it both ways; because, “hey, who is going fact check and attack on scientology?”