I am deeply curious about Scientology (please no jokes) and would love to hear from anyone who's been involved, what drew you to it and why you're passionate about it.
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I am deeply curious about Scientology (please no jokes) and would love to hear from anyone who's been involved, what drew you to it and why you're passionate about it.
Ok, I deleted my posts. I am curious also & would still be interested in reading positive feedback about it.
No its not for me, but I would still like to read why it is for others.
Ourlux, is there anything in perticular about it that you are drawn too?
Thanks fiona, it wasn't necessary but nice of you!
Well as i said i really don't know much about it except what i've read online etc. And i wouldn't say i'm drawn to it but i think there must be some pretty amazing things about it for some powerful & successful people to commit themselves to it (Tom Cruise, James Packer). They are obviously successful in life and what i wonder is why they CHOSE scientology over other religions, you know? I'd like to know what those reasons are.
Thats interesting, I have never really thought about it like that. I kinda just figured it was a "trend" to all the rich & famous people & thats why they got into it KWIM. But maybe there is more too it. My previous post were based only on what I have found on the web & I never bothered to look any further after that.
So hmmmmm I wonder what It is.
I don't know too much about it to be honest but the company I used to work for delivered to the Scientology churches in the city. We found that they would only let certain people in the gates. I'm not sure how it was worked out, but the very first time someone spoke to you they'd assign you a number. The higher (or lower, sorry can't remember) the number the better you were. Though they didn't tell you what number you were, I just got into a conversation with one of the ladies one day & she was telling me about it.
We had one driver that they said could not enter the premises, they didn't want him anywhere near, he was a "bad" person so to speak according to his number. They wouldn't let him in at all the first time he went there, so it's a first impressions sort of deal I guess. There was one driver they loved & he was a very good soul according to the lady I dealt with. There were also only three people they would speak to in the office, me being one ;) Interestingly enough it turned out that the driver they wouldn't allow in was staling from our company. So it seems like there is something in what they're doing there.
I wasn't saying it's a positive or negative, just something interesting. I thought it was amazing that this driver was seen as a bad or damaged soul & wouldn't allow him into their property then we find out he was stealing. Just interesting I guess. And yep I did have a number, no idea what it was now, this was about 8 years ago!
I'm sure it was probably a pretty high ranking number Sarah ;)
Aww thanks Fiona :)
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It's not done as a positive thing for the husbands, the principle behind that is that the noise (moaning/screaming etc) can be a traumatic entrance to the world for the baby. My understanding of the silent birth is that it is in the best interests of the baby, as they perceive it... to make its entrance peaceful. I can actually see how it makes sense and would love to have "breathed" my baby out as quietly as possible instead of screaming like a banshee ;)
Thank you for explaining about the silent birth Ourlux - i didn't know about the meaning behind it, and I think it's great for everyone to find out these kinds of things and to help break down the stereotypes that exist about other groups
MOD HAT ON:
This area is designed to be a positive place to discuss religion & spirituality. If there are comments that occur that are deemed not to be this way, they will be edited out and infractions will be given. Let's make sure we don't perpetuate myths about groups, instead that we can find out answers and discuss everything in a supportive way... this thread was designed to give over the positives of Scientology - if you feel you can't do that, then please don't post here.
Yeah I read that as well Ourlux. And it's not about being entirely silent from what I've read, more about being clam & using nice words, so no "I hate you, you f'ing did this to me" sort of things, just calmness surrounding the birth. I personally think this would be a pretty darn tough thing to do!
Nothing about that resembles all the hype in the media about TomKat when Katie was pg.:
What exactly is a Silent Birth?
This is all about providing the best possible environment for the birthing mother and her new baby.
Silent births are labor and delivery done in a calm and loving environment. This means everyone attending the birth should refrain from spoken words as much as possible. Chatty doctors and nurses, shouts to “PUSH, PUSH” and loud or laughing remarks to husbands are the types of noises that are meant to be avoided.
The idea of silent birth is based on L. Ron Hubbard’s research into the mind and spirit. He found that words spoken during moments of pain and unconsciousness can have adverse effects on an individual later in life. What has been said during traumatic experiences such as birth records in a part of the mind called the reactive mind. These recordings store and have the power to influence a person by dictating thoughts, emotions and psychosomatic ills not under his control. Anyone can read about this in the book Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health.
Mothers naturally want to give their baby the best possible start in life and thus keep the birth as quiet as possible
To me this is just the same as Hypno Birthing.
Although im not sure if I agree with the part that says What has been said during traumatic experiences such as birth. Im not sure if they mean birth is traumatic over all or just when there are reasons that may make the experience a traumatic one. I woudn't have thought the birth process to be a traumatic one for mother or baby if all goes well KWIM? But Im not sure exactly what they mean by it so I could be way off & they do only mean in regards to a birth that is not normal.
Overall I take this as being "pro" a nice & calm environment for birth to take place. Nothing bad about that.:
What goes on at a silent birth?
There is no specific routine. Just like care is taken in all other aspects of labor and birth, a woman and her doctor or midwife and any others present work out how to communicate without words. Different women have done different things.
Its not really the same as hypnobirthing (well not as I did it) but i do see the idea as coming from good intentions.
I also read an article about katie being forced to not pick up or comfort Suri when she was distressed, this was twisted as being cruel however the premise behind it is the same as the silent birth concept in that they apparently associate words with traumatic experiences, so in order to avoid this they don't comfort them in times of distress. Not saying this is a positive or negative thing but that is the reason behind it.
I had a scientology client once. I was quite interested in it. I've even got the dianetics book somewhere so I could read up on it.
From memory (it was years ago)... she was saying that they have a "self belief" system. So they select 'strong, motivated' people. I think that's what their personality tests are all about. To weed out the weak/unstable people. They have lots of seminars to build up confidence and motivate people. That's why many of the scientologists are seen as "successful" people (in some peoples eyes). I must admit, that aspect of it appealed to me. And my client was keen for me to come check it out.
If you remember Tom Cruise had a go at Brooke Shield for taking PND medication. (he has since appologised)... I don't think they believe in people taking anti-depressant medication.
I don't think they believe in any particular "God" as such. Ron Hubbard wrote the Dianetics book - but he is not a 'god'... but more of a guru.
Some other 'famous' people are John Travolta & Kelly preston, and Kirstie Ally, Pricilla & Lisa Marie Presley, Kate Cebrano...
and the quiet birth is for the babies sake. And when you think about it, it's a "nice" idea.... although not really practical if you are in agony. But quite a number of people came out and said that it's not a totally silent birth. They just don't encourage the screaming and swearing (probably aimed at DH's)... They want to babies to enter into a calm environment. the mothers can moan and make noises... but they discourage the really negative screaming/swearing.
Is that perhaps why it's difficult to find information on Scientology then? Because you have to be selected before you can learn more, and that information isn't accessible to the general public?
I like the idea of the calm birth. I gave my birth partners instructions to gently correct me if I got abusive, because that's just not who I am and I didn't want that to be a part of my birth experience. I did glare at dh for making noise (his lolly bag was crackling), and shush them, but I apologised after.
I see, i didn't realise you had to be asked to join!
I honestly find it all quite fascinating.
I don't know if you are necessarily "asked" to join.
I think you can apply... but if you don't fit their profile - they wouldn't accept you. Or you would have to do their courses to get in.
And there are certainly different 'levels' within the group. So you build up to gain more knowledge.
Yeah its not exactly like hypno birthing. I just meant that both require a positive, calm enviromnent.