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L. Ron

senorpogo

Master Poster
senorpogo
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Mar 18, 2006
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So I'm checking out www.xenu.net. While I've been suspicious of the CoS for a long while, I had never really done too much research into their beliefs. It's all very, very distrubing. Granted, I had heard about the whole Xenu and alien thing, but - while kind of kooky - the beliefs weren't so out of place when compared to other religions. What really disturbs me are the concepts of "fair game" and the way the Church asserts itself in the real world.

Anway, what I find most interesting on this website (and the reason for the post) is this L.Ron quote - "Writing for a penny a word is ridiculous. If a man really wants to make a million dollars, the best way would be to start his own religion".

For those who know more about L.Ron than me, was the guy just out to make a quick buck or did he really believe the entirity of the doctrine he created?

There's a lot of content on xenu.net and I'm not finished yet so maybe I'll come across the answer.
 
senorpogo said:
Anway, what I find most interesting on this website (and the reason for the post) is this L.Ron quote - "Writing for a penny a word is ridiculous. If a man really wants to make a million dollars, the best way would be to start his own religion".

For those who know more about L.Ron than me, was the guy just out to make a quick buck or did he really believe the entirity of the doctrine he created?
Click to expand...
The infamous quote

[swiki]L Ron Hubbard[/swiki]
 
Bleh. I just realized that I posted this in "science" when I meant to place it in "religion". My apologies.
 
Tha't okay. Hubbard was a science fiction writer. There is a science in studying cults. Etc.

Conclusion: He definitely said it (and more than once).
Click to expand...

There was a science behind coming to that conclusion.
 
:rolleyes: :p

Hey, I was serious about how they figured out if Ron said that or not. I feel he did say it, there's enough evidence that he did.
 
Senorpogo - read Bare-faced Messiah on the xenu site. This unauthorised biography gives a good insight into the man.
My Opinion
Scientology started as part con, part delusion but as he surrounded himself with believers he started to believe his own hype.
 
The small amount I read at random, convinced me that L. Ron Hubbard had little to offer me. There are thousands of better religous things to read, in my opinion. Neil
 
Harlan Ellison has confirmed the Moskowitz quote on several occasions.

For an interesting read on L.Ron and Scientology, dig up a copy of Cults of Unreason. Written back when CoS was just getting in gear, it details some of the bizzare shenanigans that were going on within the "church".
 
Let's not forget the contribution his mental illness played in all of this.
 
Bikewer said:
For an interesting read on L.Ron and Scientology, dig up a copy of Cults of Unreason. Written back when CoS was just getting in gear, it details some of the bizzare shenanigans that were going on within the "church".
Click to expand...

Bikewer,
I couldn't agree more strongly with this recomendation. "Cults of Unreason" should be on every skeptics reading list.

Robert
 
my opinion is that he started out doing it for the money, but by the end was so drunk on power that he believed his own crap.
 
I find it interesting that if you watch the ads plugging 'ol L-Ron's books, there's never a hint that he's dead...
 
senorpogo said:
It's all very, very distrubing.
Click to expand...
... and very, very sad for all those involved.

senorpogo said:
For those who know more about L.Ron than me, was the guy just out to make a quick buck or did he really believe the entirity of the doctrine he created?
Click to expand...
He was out to make a buck.
He had long standing delusions of grandeur along with other antisocial indicators from an early age, and amphetamine fueled phycosis was later added to the mix, but we should never kid ourselves that he believed the more ludicrous aspects of his shpeil.
Read the links - facinating!
 
Martin Gardner, the well-known skeptical author, said in one of his books that he had at one time held the view that LRon was merely a charlatan, but had come to believe that he was a dangerous psychotic.
I don't recall how well Gardner knew the man.
 
Strider1974 said:
Senorpogo - read Bare-faced Messiah on the xenu site. This unauthorised biography gives a good insight into the man.
My Opinion
Scientology started as part con, part delusion but as he surrounded himself with believers he started to believe his own hype.
Click to expand...

I think you are right - I think he did believe that what he knew about maniplating people had lead him to something that could make him rich. I think a speole actually tried it and found it complete rubbishhe went further and further along the ad hoc hypothesis path until he went nuts.
 
Bikewer said:
Martin Gardner, the well-known skeptical author, said in one of his books that he had at one time held the view that LRon was merely a charlatan, but had come to believe that he was a dangerous psychotic.
I don't recall how well Gardner knew the man.
Click to expand...

I know Gardner followed LRon very closely even before he founded the church of Scientology, when it was just the "Dianetics" movement.
 
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