L Ron Hubbard / Scientology

Unknown Date - The History Of Xenu, As Explained By L. Ron Hubbard In 8 Minutes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DwfxuQtgGE0
- It's fascinating to hear his method of speaking.

1958 - Clearing Congress - Speech by L Ron Hubbard
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SB92maqvbAI

1966 - Introduction To Scientology - Exclusive Interview With L Ron Hubbard
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6DXXBhAb0yI

1967 Documentary Article on L Ron Hubbard
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_w-YWwC1lI

2001 - Lisa McPherson Trust - Interview with someone who grew up in Scientology
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dgs7elTVI48
- VERY interesting information about how their ranch worked

Unknown Date - Tom Cruise interview with Matt Lauer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Y7CpS0gtlk
- They debate the merits of psychiatric methods. I'm honestly kind of in agreement with what Cruise says about trying to find ways of solving people's problems through natural methods like exercise instead of by using drugs.

Unknown Date - Tom Cruise Scientology video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFBZ_uAbxS0
- This is a promotional Scientology video
- Cruise is talking the entire time about Scientology issues in a way where it's hard for an outsider to understand the context.

2008.06.30 - Scientology - Scientology Documentary: L. Ron Hubbard - Founder
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dziK04-9qqQ
- it's absolutely fascinating to watch, especially after reading the relevant sections of "A Piece of Blue Sky"

2012(?) - Paul Thomas Anderson on new film, "The Master"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-lcpa3LeoVM

2012.09.03 - Brian Culkin on Scientology - He was in it for a year and spent $350,000 before leaving and asking for his money back
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R31Ea2FjKhE
1:45 - He says a major problem with Scientology is that they think a one-size-fits all
3:30 - He says it's really interesting that it's a poor man's religion that
4:00 - He says LRH's genius was being able to simplify things in a way that made it easily digestible by unintellectual people
4:45 - He says that in the moment he felt like he was making gains
5:00 - He says the people at the Boston org were really nice
5:25 - He mentions that he always felt like there was a carrot hanging in front of him

2014.02.26 - Scientology Church Tour 2014
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mfGgrwB4k54

2015 - HBO - Going Clear
- Benefits mentioned:
  - It provided relationship therapy(?) for a writer and his wife.
  - It provided a way to meet nice people.
  - It provided emotional support for struggling actors who were dealing with a great deal of rejection.
  - 37:05 - When John Travolta joined, he didn't really believe in himself. He got an injection of confidence, and then what happens is that you fear that if you leave, everything will go down the tubes.
- Problems mentioned:
  - 40:00 - When you reach OT-3, you're shown handwritten "secret" materials which are totally different from everything that's come before; it's all the stuff about volcanoes and a-bombs, etc. And that was the point at which two of the former Scientologists who were interviewed went "What??".
  - 42:50 - Self-contradiction: The woman says that she couldn't understand how she could have a bunch of thetans inside her when she was already certified "Clear". So basically the story at a higher level was contradicting the story at a lower level.
- Tactics used:
  - ~1:05:00 - They had thousands of Scientologists file lawsuits against the IRS and all of its employees simultaneously.
  - ~1:06:00 - They would try to dig up dirt on the IRS, send PIs to IRS conferences to tally the bar bill that the taxpayer was paying, etc.
  - ~1:54:00 - They were harassing a former exec who was publishing damaging information about them, so they set up a surveillance house across from the former exec's house that was filming 24/7, and they would have guys coming up to his house and pestering him because they were "filming a documentary".