(16) Scientology and NXIVM - Parallels and Plagiarism
Scientology and NXIVM - Parallels and Plagiarism
Influences on NXIVM beliefs and practices, sourced from Natalie et al (2019), rendered in the mode of W.S. Bainbridge, e.g. Bainbridge 1978. |NXIVM teachings drew upon diverse influences, including Ayn Rand ("parasites"), L. Ron Hubbard ("suppressives"), Milton Erickson's hypnosis, Isaac Asimov's science fiction, Rudolf Steiner, Tony Robbins, and neuro-linguistic programming. NXIVM incorporated elements of multi-level marketing and practices from judo, with colored cloth for rank and bowing.
This is the sixteenth post in a series that examines the book Scarred: The True Story Of How I Escaped The Cult That Bound My Life by Sarah Edmondson.
I recommend reading these posts in sequential order and have listed them in order to make reading them in order easy.
Unless noted otherwise, all quotes used in this series are from that book.
"Nancy also walked us through an analysis of how we each choose to define the word " good." I hadn't ever realized before that we take this idea for granted. She introduced a system of sussing out what's good from what's bad by first arriving at an objective definition of value, which is anything that saves time and effort. " ( Scarred page 45)
Scientology has a strong emphasis on severely similar concepts. One is regarding "rapidity of particle flow" and power.
How it is used in describing power is worth comparison.
"POWER, 1. power is being able to do what one is doing when one is doing it. (HCO PL 3 Apr 72) 2. a person who is hatted can control his post. If he can control his post he can hold his position in space-in short, his location. And this is power. When a person is uncertain, he cannot control his position. He feels weak. He goes slow. (HCO PL 23 Jul 72) 3. law: the power of a thetan stems from his ability to hold a position in space. This is quite true. In Scientology 8-80 the base of the motor is discussed. It holds two terminals in fixed positions. Because they are so fixed, power can be generated. If a thetan can hold a position or location in space he can generate power. If he cannot, he cannot generate power and will be weak. (HCO PL 29 Jul 71) 4. power is proportional to the speed of particle flow external and internal in an organization. (FO 747) 5. the rapidity of particle flow alone determines power. (HCO PL 16 Apr 65RA III) 6. power process(es) (LRH ED 103 INT)"
Hubbard, L. R. (1976). Modern Management Technology Defined. Los Angeles: Church of Scientology of California Publications Organization United States.
"POWER, 1. the amount of work which can be accomplished in a unit of time, or the amount of force which can be applied in a unit of time. Power has the connotation of being potential. Power does not necessarily mean application of it. ( SH Spec 83, 6612C06) 2. the ability to maintain a position in space. (PAB 131)"
Hubbard, L. R., (1975) Dianetics and Scientology Technical Dictionary. Los Angeles: Church of Scientology of California Publications Organization.
"THE POWER (defined as light-year kilotons per microsecond) OF A THETAN IS MEASURED BY NOTHING ELSE THAN THE DISTANCE (defined as spherical spatial length) AROUND HIM IN HIS ENVIRONMENT THAT HE CAN CONTROL.
And that is the power of a thetan; the totality of it, believe it or not.
WHEN A THETAN EXERTS THIS POWER UNCLEVERLY, HE BRINGS ABOUT DESTRUCTION.
And thus you get a fascist state that destroys itself. It’s got the control but not good sense.
And so that is where good sense and judgment enter in.
WHEN GOOD SENSE AND GOOD JUDGMENT ARE NOT ADDED INTO CONTROL, CONTROL GETS A BAD NAME.
And that is where you get the idea that people shouldn’t control.
A WAY TO IMPROVE YOUR CONTROL OR ANOTHER’S IS TO DO IT ON A GRADIENT.
If a thetan is having trouble controlling things, get him to control things on a gradient and he’ll snap right out of it."
DEFINITIONS
GOOD CONTROL: Harmonious alignment.
BAD CONTROL: Disharmonious alignment.
And by the way, you have art here, too!
WAR: Bad control having to be exerted because good control wasn’t exerted. And this also defines destruction.
[…]
Hubbard, L. R. (1982). OT Maxims The Technical Bulletins of Dianetics and Scientology (1991 ed., Vol. XII, pp. 414-415). Los Angeles: Bridge Publications, Inc.
The members of NXIVM can compare the doctrine and see for themselves how similar these concepts are.
Another similar idea exists.
"Dev-T Abbreviation for developed traffic. Additionally needless, inhibitive actions are called dev-t. (Modern Management Technology Defined (C) 1976)"
Both NXIVM and Scientology emphasize that being efficient is good and inefficient is bad, but the fact is each group defines being efficient at supporting the group itself is seen as good and being inefficient, or worse, not supporting the group is seen as evil.
Wikipedia has the following on Scientology Ethics:
Professor Stephen A. Kent quotes Hubbard as pronouncing that "the purpose of ethics is to remove counter intentions from the environment. And having accomplished that the purpose becomes to remove other intentionedness from the environment" and "(a)ll ethics is for in actual fact is simply that additional tool necessary to make it possible to get [Scientology] technology in. That's the whole purpose of ethics; to get technology in".
What this translates to, says Kent, is "a peculiar brand of morality that uniquely benefitted (the Church of Scientology) ... In plain English, the purpose of Scientology ethics is to eliminate opponents, then eliminate people's interests in things other than Scientology. In this 'ethical' environment, Scientology would be able to impose its courses, philosophy, and 'justice system' – its so-called technology – onto society." End quote
Stephen Kent is directly quoting a Scientology reference:
"ETHICS
The purpose of Ethics is:
TO REMOVE COUNTER-INTENTIONS FROM THE ENVIRONMENT.
And having accomplished that the purpose becomes
TO REMOVE OTHER-INTENTIONEDNESS FROM THE ENVIRONMENT.
(FLAG ORDER 909,5 October 1982,HCO Policy Letter, 18 June 1968, Ronald Hubbard)"
Ronald Hubbard, Scientology founder
To be clear in Scientology counter-intention is any purpose that opposes Scientology and other-intention is a purpose to do anything that is not Scientology. And ultimately Scientologys is doing exactly what Ronald Hubbard said to do as if his authority is infallible and sacred.
For many NXIVM members, certainly the inner circle, doing what Keith Raniere said was seen as the guiding principle in NXIVM.
Keith Raniere, NXIVM leader
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