Why Are Scientologists So Immature ?

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I just listened to the third episode of the Opening Minds podcast.

In it Jon Atack and Christian Szurko discuss something completely relevant to the state of mind of Scientologists and what it is like to leave Scientology. Chris Shelton left Scientology and had to deal with a significant obstacle.

There is an idea worth examination to me which they discussed. There is a hypothesis that cult members enter a kind of infantilized state in their relationships to the cult leader. That's a fancy way to say they are emotionally at the level of a pre-adolescent in their submissive infatuation with the cult leader.

They are like children that believe everything their parents say and see no flaws in their parents. By thirteen most of us lose the rose colored glasses and rebel against our parents. Scientologists assume the state of mind from before this period and it defines their mindset.

I have seen folks who are frustrated in dealing with Scientologists repeatedly describe it as similar to talking to nine and ten year olds. Unfortunately they are not wrong.

The exit point from Scientology can lead in several directions. A person can stay in that cult mindset and cult hop from group to another. That is a way to stay like a young child and seek a new parent to guide you.

We question why some ex Scientologists have embraced conspiracy theories or become Trump supporters who see no flaws in his character or behavior in any way. They are simply infatuated with him, not romantically but like the child entirely dependent on a parent for survival.

The other route a Scientology cult member can take is not perfect either. It's like hitting your thirteenth birthday emotionally and throwing off the rose colored glasses regarding Hubbard. You usually have a ton of false beliefs from Scientology and enough mental and emotional baggage to spend several lifetimes unpacking.

You may have an instinctive or well defined sense of weakness in your thinking that contributed to your being duped in Scientology. It's sometimes something that becomes a desire for information on cults, influence, Scientology in particular or critical thinking or other subjects. In part it depends on your own experiences and the information you encounter. Some people just are satisfied to believe Hubbard and Miscavige are evil people who lied.

But the important thing to me is dealing with whatever a person personally needs to and dealing with facing the reality of having the emotional maturity of a thirteen year old despite being forty something or fifty something or whatever age you are.

I have seen information from people that deal with drug addiction and describe clients as not progressing in maturity while using and being frozen at a young age emotionally. Similarly in Scientology I was addicted to the euphoric trance states I could enter on course. It was a worry free state that I interpreted as miraculous and enlightened. In retrospect it appears to just be total obedient submission to the authority of Hubbard.

Spending years chasing a high from putting your judgement entirely under the control of another person's will is not a way to mature as a person. I recently asked several questions. One was why ex Scientologists fight and argue so much. Another was why do many become conspiracy theorists and get into other cultic relationships, including Trump supporters who see him as an infallible hero, and in some cases a messianic savior.

I think a viable answer may be that they upon exiting Scientology have to deal with growing up. I have seen lots of information on attachment styles and that cults have unhealthy attachment as the norm. So the ex cult member has two strikes against them, especially if they were raised in the cult.

They are thrust into the world as thirteen year olds emotionally - at best - and have spent years or their whole lives in relationships with unhealthy attachment as the only thing they know.

They can face an uphill battle to grow up and form and maintain healthy relationships or revert to immature and unhealthy attachment in other cults or cult like behaviors.