Scientology "Q and A" Page

Why do you call this a "Q and A" page instead of a FAQ?

While the standard term for this kind of page in computer lingo would be FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions), the term "Q and A" has a special meaning to Scientologists. It basically means to postpone action by endlessly questioning the orders from one's superior. It is generally considered a Very Bad Thing.

What's good about Scientology?

Ah... A short question with a long answer. Most of the premises on which Dianetics was based are usable in other contexts. Examples include: (a) earlier mental "stuff" tends to hold later "stuff" in place, (b) examining something thouroughly enough tends to reduce it's effect on the present, (c) the division between conscious and unconscious mental processing, and so forth...
A lot of the basic definitions from the early days of Scientology are also useful to understand the mechanisms within the mind. The emphasis on communication is a good thing for everyday life and the drills along those lines, in my opinion, dramatically changed my own self-perception and self-confidence.
Some of the administrative stuff, while too harsh to adhere to 100%, is still useful in many situations. And for as much as I dislike how the "ethics" material from 1967 was misapplied and misused, there are still some basic principles worth looking at (I would like someday to write a Thelemic version of the "ethics conditions" -- when I get the time, that is...).
And I suppose I learned some from comparing the group and the attitude it instills with other groups, particularly OTO and TOT. I think in some cases, an uncompromising "do-or-die" attitude -- and the ability to muster such an attitude at will -- is useful in magic. I think many Scn processes were pure magic. Especially those centered around "control" or "power". In the wrong hands, I suppose some of this stuff could be dangerous. In many cases, at least during my time in the organization, I think the wrong hands were present in abundance. If the people involved at the time had any sort of real-world ability, we'd all be in big trouble.

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