MovieChat Forums > Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath (2016) Discussion > L. Ron Hubbard's intentions

L. Ron Hubbard's intentions

posted 8 years ago by justanicknamed
11 replies | jump to latest

I know that his intentions were to start a "church" so that he could avoid paying taxes. I don't understand how the IRS back in the 1950's, when Christianity was so much more prevalent in our society than it is today, gave them the exemption.

While those were his intentions, did he mean it to cause so much harm? I get him writing books and making films about it. He was a creative guy and him doing that stuff probably helped him with his case with the IRS that he shouldn't have to pay taxes.

But, how would he feel now if all of the stories from the ex-members are true?

I'm not trying to convince anyone to believe in Christ, but it should be easy for even non-believers to look at the Crusades, Inquisition, Witch Trials, sexual abuses and think, "That is NOT what Christ wanted his followers to do." Especially not when His final commandment was, "Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another."

So, were the abuses going on when Hubbard was alive and therefore he was ok with it? Or, was this just all "harmless" fun until he died and the other guy took over?

[–] nyctc7 8 years ago

Hubbard could be a very cruel person. Hana Whitfield has a few awful stories. He created the RPF which treated persons very cruelly. She tells a story of how a young boy--perhaps 4 or 5 years old--disturbed some of Hubbard's papers while playing and Hubbard had the boy locked in the ship's (the Apollo) anchor locker which was damp, cold, dark, and potentially dangerous. Members of the crew were tossed overboard, sometimes blindfolded (while in port, not in the middle of the ocean) if they did something "wrong". This must have been at least a 30' drop. Terrifying, especially to the older people. Imagine seeing that done to your mother.

Gerry Armstrong on Hubbard: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K1QBHWkd72Y

[–] justanicknamed 8 years ago

Wow. I didn't like those sh!t heads to begin with, and this makes it all the worse.

I hope Remini and the others stories paves the way for Congressional hearings on them and their tax-exempt status. The IRS constantly is looking into churches to make sure everything is on the up-and-up, why not compel this mother effers to prove they aren't simply a cult with only the top dogs living large while the rest live in poverty and aren't allowed to leave.

[–] LoBo_77018 8 years ago

didn't it go back and forth for decades regarding the tax exempt status? I don't think they've had it the entire time since it was created.

[–] jwkfh 8 years ago

Yes, the "ruling" is very shady... I believe the stories of bribes and personal blackmail of those involved with the "ruling". Then again, I believe ALL religions/cults should be taxed equally. There is no reason the world's richest bank, (The Vatican), should be able to ply their trade, "scott free". .

[–] justanicknamed 8 years ago

There is no reason the world's richest bank, (The Vatican), should be able to ply their trade, "scott free". .

Two points on this. First off, Catholic World Wide Charities donations is more than the Red Cross's. They do tremendous work around the world, so they aren't getting off "scott free" - although I feel that makes no difference to you.

Secondly, the exemptions would have to be removed for all religions, charitable organizations and other, non-government entities which enjoy a tax-exempt status.

[–] esmad3-216-475224 8 years ago

They got in the 90's, it took decades. By that time it was do or die for them. The church would certainly have gone bankrupt if they didn't

[–] Melancholy11 8 years ago

I think he was similar to Jim Jones. He was a person with a chip on his shoulder and wanted to control people while making a fortune. He succeeded in his goal though it seems that he was plagued with ill health for a lot of his life.

[–] whatever94401 8 years ago

Megalomaniacs think 99% of the rest of us are barely human. If you suck up to them, have stuff they need you get some good treatment, but they genuinely believe they are better than everyone and therefor their actions are justified. They minimize any mistakes they make or justify them. So LRH most likely wouldn't lower himself to answer allegations, and his successors behave the same way.

[–] justanicknamed 8 years ago

Thanks.

Like I said, I didn't know much about him. I could see where a person comes up with all of this cr*p as a goof in order to avoid paying taxes, and then someone else picks up on it and uses it to gain power and wealth. But, from what everyone has said, L. Ron seems like a Mo Ron who didn't care about who got hurt.

[–] kinseisenshi 8 years ago

L. Ron is a mental headcase that was diagnosed with schizophrenia and wanted to be a psychiatrist but was laughed out of town for "Dianetics". Seeing psychiatry laugh at his "findings" embittered him. He then started to practice his own idea of "psychology". He had claimed to have cured psychosis by nothing less than solitary confinement.

He was obviously mentally ill, and all he wanted was control. Control over people, which he thought as a psychiatrist, he would be free to do so. That didn't work, so he made a cult.

Anyone else notice his teeth? Granted the footage is in black and white but I can still see rotting bones in a crazy man's mouth.

A person hates you because they either wanna be you, see you as a threat, or hate themself

[–] justanicknamed 8 years ago

The first house I owned was previously owned by a woman who read continuously. We kept a great number of them and donated/pitched the rest.

I remember she had "Dianetics" in paperback, but only because I remember Bob-Cat Goldthwaith's joke of after he'd done some crazy thing saying, "I AM a living example of Dianetics!"

I almost wish I had kept the book so I could read it now rather than risk the embarrasment of requesting it from the library.