> If you bombard a person with unanswered questions they will stack up
> in his mind so that he has to do something with them before his head
> explodes!

> The sensation is rather like the way I imagine my computer feels when
> too many programmes are competing for too little memory. Work slows to
> a crawl and the system becomes prone to crashes.

> The solution is to close some of the open programmes and the mind
> works in a similar way. It will put certain questions aside for a
> while hoping to pick up on them later and come to a conclusion.

> Unfortunately this is not what happens in a cultic environment. The
> cult deliberately creates confusion and overload in the new recruit.

> The new belief will be filed away in the mind as true even though it
> has not been examined.

> The recruit probably intends to return and consider the matter at a
> later date but can easily forget to do so- particularly if kept very
> busy.

> How do cults (and Scientology in particular) do this?

> Christian cults will often ask the recruit to pray about an issue
> rather than think about it. This bypasses the logical part of their
> brain and ensures that the recruit makes their decision on emotions
> alone.

> Scientology has two very effective ways to achieve the same effect.

> Firstly the recruit may be asked to 'think with it'. This involves
> forming thoughts as if the doctrine were true. This causes the
> doctrine to enter the mind through the back door- without logical
> examination.

> Secondly the recruit can be made bad for even considering the
> question. They may be word cleared or treated with condescension for
> not understanding. This can also cause some personality types to cave
> in and accept a belief without evidence. People have a strong need to
> fit in.

> In short- if you ever find yourself in an environment where questions
> are not welcome- run, don't walk!

> > There are only so many questions the human mind can deal with at any
> > one time.

> > If you bombard a person with unanswered questions they will stack up
> > in his mind so that he has to do something with them before his head
> > explodes!

> > The sensation is rather like the way I imagine my computer feels when
> > too many programmes are competing for too little memory. Work slows to
> > a crawl and the system becomes prone to crashes.

> > The solution is to close some of the open programmes and the mind
> > works in a similar way. It will put certain questions aside for a
> > while hoping to pick up on them later and come to a conclusion.

> > Unfortunately this is not what happens in a cultic environment. The
> > cult deliberately creates confusion and overload in the new recruit.

> > The new belief will be filed away in the mind as true even though it
> > has not been examined.

> > The recruit probably intends to return and consider the matter at a
> > later date but can easily forget to do so- particularly if kept very
> > busy.

> > How do cults (and Scientology in particular) do this?

> > Christian cults will often ask the recruit to pray about an issue
> > rather than think about it. This bypasses the logical part of their
> > brain and ensures that the recruit makes their decision on emotions
> > alone.

> You made some very valid points up untill the following paragraphs:

> > Scientology has two very effective ways to achieve the same effect.

> > Firstly the recruit may be asked to 'think with it'. This involves
> > forming thoughts as if the doctrine were true. This causes the
> > doctrine to enter the mind through the back door- without logical
> > examination.

> So the thought experiments of physicists and mathematicians, amongst
> others, are cult mind bending?  Or do I misunderstand you?

> > Secondly the recruit can be made bad for even considering the
> > question. They may be word cleared or treated with condescension for
> > not understanding. This can also cause some personality types to cave
> > in and accept a belief without evidence. People have a strong need to
> > fit in.

> The above strikes me as pretty valid.  Scientologist officially answer
> as many questions as asked, but 1 gets the point of maby not such a
> good idea after a while, I found.  Then again I was quite young, and
> began learning limits to the validity of many inquiries in a work
> environment, especially when experience would soon answer such
> questions.  People who must really work, and really think, in other
> nonscientology fieslds must learn the same.

> > In short- if you ever find yourself in an environment where questions
> > are not welcome- run, don't walk!

> Scientology does not officially discourage questions.- Hide quoted text -

> - Show quoted text -