“Ex” is not Anti.
Anti is a stance against. As a stance against, it contains an element of “we’re at war”.
Because of this stance against, Anti-Scientology contains much more tribalism than Ex-Scientology. Sometimes, Anti-Scientology can contain just as much tribalism as “Scientologist”, in fact.
“Ex” is all kinds of individual viewpoints. Ex is more tolerant, less self-righteous.
Ex allows you to be free of blind loyalties, allows you to point out hypocrisy, and to apply human kindness – even to Scientologists.
Exes are not necessarily at war with their previous spiritual pursuit – Exes have simply graduated.
Ex can be an antidote to the tribal cruelty of Antis.
“Anti” is a very specific and tightly controlled tribal belief system which comes out of the AntiCult Movement. The AntiCult Movement has a branch for each ‘cult’ – Anti Scientology, Anti-JW, Anti Mormon, etc. Same beliefs applied to each minority religion.
That belief system contains the belief in “Cult Brainwashing” at its core. Cult brainwashing is a belief only. It has been debunked by science every time it has been studied. When you adopt the belief in Cult Brainwashing you de-legitimize other peoples’ minority religious pursuits and dehumanize those who pursue them – whether they have harmed anyone or not.
After many long years as an Anti, I’ve found that it is much more healthy to be an Ex, than it is to be an Anti after Scientology.
Being at war with your previous spiritual pursuit, and being at war with who you used to be in the ‘cult’, ultimately ends up being self-destructive. I was a prominent Anti-Scientologist for about 15 years. I found that lifestyle unsustainable, toxic and corrosive.
The first casualty of war is the truth. And so the thinking in anti circles is that any fact or true story which would be neutral or – god forbid – a positive fact to the benefit of the ‘cult’ is to be hidden and smashed, and the person promulgating it discredited and banned. Because we are at WAR, dammit, and you are helping the enemy by telling the truth about them!
The truth of anything is BOTH the good and the bad.
Scientologists can not tell the truth about Scientology because IT MUST BE ALL GOOD.
Anti-Scientologists are equally unable to tell the truth about Scientology because IT MUST BE ALL BAD.
Like I said, this is an unsustainable way to live. It’s self destructive and harmful to Exes to live this way over time.
Why?
Because it, too often, is not TRUE.
I read your interview with Steve Eichel and Steve Hassan. That was fascinating. Thanks for posting it.
Both claim to be cult experts yet they seem to do the same thing Scientology does. When faced with a good, difficult question they don’t answer the question – they say “Read this” (feels like “No verbal tech” and “Get the book and read it”) type of NO ANSWER. If they feel you are not going to agree with them…they resort to those tactics. My head was spinning with their “no answer” diversion tactics. Thanks to Scientology, I spotted it immediately.
My conclusion is that there is no such thing as a cult expert. There is no such thing as a critical thinker. There are degrees of awareness where a human being may be aware they are getting unduly influenced by religions, “experts”, political factions, etc. The human mind is built to ” identy with” as a survival mechnanism. It appears to have strong idenity with politics and religion. It can become radicalized on those two subjects using lies, manipulation, deceipt wich all evoke emotions. Emotions bind and BLIND. Cognitive disonnance and cognitive bias are at work unknowingly to the subject.
Steve Hassan and Chris Shelton claim to be critical thinkers and cult experts yet they are in a “cult of hate” regarding Trump. If anyone who was in Scientology thinks they are safe from being unduly influenced again, they are wrong.
I believe we were radicallized to an extent in Scientology. One can never undue that. It is like going all the way down the rabbit hole to find out “there is no god”. You can’t undo that. You know. It kind of sucks. But eventually, you learn to live with it and make the best you can with your life. We were duped and conned. Scientology scammed us out of money and precious time. Scientology implanted ideas and beliefs that had some truths in them but a lot of lies. It takes a long time to re program those implants.
So what is the answer to find peace and harmony in life? To stay safe from undue influence? It is everywhere all around us. Advertisers, pollitics, religions etc.
These ex cult boards and blogs have some value but I believe if you stay in them too long, they can do damage. At some point we all have to throw in the towell to find some peace.
I agree with you completely. After 20 years of being out and being through all phases of Ex and Anti Scientology, I think when you said this, you were spot on:
You are touching on what I call Post-Ex Scientology:
http://alanzosblog.com/post-ex-scientology/
Okay, thank you for that information. I am sorry that you got attacked and banned. That was not necessary at all in my opinion. I will look forward to reading about it on your blog. I have been lurking for about a year and staying away from the Org for about that same amount of time. I finally got the nerve back then to look at the internet. I also follwed Leah Remini’s show on A&E and watched every single episode. I have been reading many horror stories from Scientologists. I think David Miscavige is to blame for the destruction of our Church. I know my Org has been not expanding and in fact, is shrinking. The “Church of Miscavige” seems to like money more than helping people and I won’t participate assisting it any longer. I am not telling anyone how I feel. I just tell them I am busy with work and have many projects to do. There is so much information to read. What do you think I should read on the internet, or what book should I get or movie should I watch ?
Here’s a list I made of the things that helped me after I got out. A Study List for Life After Scientology
And here’s a list of “phases” I could identify in myself and others. The Phases In and Out of Scientology & Ex-Scientology
Alanzo – I was lurking on Ex Scientology Message Board Redux and saw they banned you. I did not think your posts were that bad. What the hell happened? I am new to the Ex community and someone told me you had a blog so I looked around the internet and found it.
Yes. These guys need me to be a “vicious troll” so they can keep calling me a “vicious troll” LOL.
What I think I made clear here on my trip through ESMBR is that the new ESMB is not healthy for most Ex-Scientologists.
In the two weeks I was there I saw them run off a person who had only come on to the board to ask about her dad.
It is the oddest thing I’ve ever seen for a message board that says it’s for Ex-Scientologists.
It isn’t. It’s a clique. A kind of blinkered and intolerant Conservative Republican Supper Club dominated by way too many very narrow-minded people who are absolutely not good for a person coming out of Scientology.
I’ll be writing a review of the new ESMB in the coming days.
No, ex means was a Scientologist, no longer is a Scientologist. One can be tolerant and open without being an ex. There are tolerant exes, tolerant never been in critics , and then there are exes and never been in critics who would check most or all the boxes for “anti Scientologist “.
I’m sure there’s a Venn diagram somewhere…