Scientology, Social Justice, and My Failed Cult Initiation

Redefining words and concepts is a cult tactic

Although it happened something like thirty-five years ago, I distinctly remember the scene. A young girl with a brown pony tail, sitting on a wooden bench, looking at me with contempt. I was in elementary school (I think) and she was probably in her early twenties.

I had just started my first course in Scientology. My parents were and are Scientologists, so of course I would at the very least be introduced to it. (In their defense, they are great people and we have a great relationship. Whatever goes on in their sessions seems not to have negatively affected them or our relationship, so more power to them.)

All I was asked to do in this introductory session was to read something then have a discussion about it. I don’t remember anything about what I read, likely because I didn’t read much of it. But what I do remember is being scolded.

“That’s why you’re bored. You don’t even know what basic words mean.”

This young lady asked me why I didn’t read it and I said something like, “I was bored with it.” She told me I was bored because I didn’t understand what I was reading. To show me how much I didn’t understand, she asked me…