anger

The Post-Scientology Internet As Anger Porn

I came across this post in an on-line venue controlled by Ex & Anti-Scientologists. It pretty much stopped everyone in their tracks.

I think it is well-written, extremely insightful, and deliciously heretical. Blasphemous, even. It gives a very important perspective on one aspect of what we are doing here on the Post-Scientology Internet.


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When I departed Christianity, I engaged the ex-Christian niche of the internet. It was much like this site, in that it compiled the horrific testimonies of ex-believers, aggregated negative press in an unending stream, and served as anger porn.

It felt like catharsis because I was finally able to communicate my anger in an environment that didn’t force me to suppress it. But, I internalized on a daily basis the experiences and anger of others. In a way, it was atrocity tourism, as we were always looking for and consuming outrageous examples of Christian behavior.

The end result of that was, when I had to deal with Christian family members behaving badly, my anger wasn’t proportional to the offense. I wielded a rage that was compounded by every horror story, ridiculous sermon, and outrage I intentionally sought out.

What I experienced with my family was wrong, and while they don’t leave room for reconciliation (only blame on my part), I could have had the capacity to handle it better if I had limited my outrage to the specific injustices that were done to me. I would probably not had the mental breakdowns I had over all this, if I kept it in check.

When you’re telling people this, they may feel like you’re invalidating their anger. But I understand what you’re saying in that consuming outrage without keeping it in context results in a vastly disjointed relationship with reality. The Internet makes the very worst of it all float to the top, and feeds it to you in a steady stream.

– “artfulbreathing”

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“It felt like catharsis…”

14 thoughts on “The Post-Scientology Internet As Anger Porn”

  1. Digging the vibe here with Alanzo and Mirildi. Hi to you both.

    Have found a lessening interest in visiting the blogs lately. Thursday funnies at Rinder’s blog: I just can’t. Love the writer Terra Cognita and Regraded Being.

    Alonzo, I like that you’re posting more and prompting discussion. Not so into the war with Tony Ortega and ESMB folks.

    I like the insightful pieces you tend to write after you’ve read some interesting book on logic or such.

    Anyway, I’m doing good. Have a fun project and making an obscene amount of money for it. I’m grateful for all that I have and the people I know, even if I only know you through comments and postings. Yes, I’m talking to all of you!

    I like the masthead by the way, about how getting out of a cult strengthens you. I agree, that was the case for me personally. But I also recognize that some people DO need to recover.

    So, sorry for the rambling posting that bothers anyone. I didn’t have anything pithy to say or comment on, I just stopped by for a chat and a beer. Cheers!

    • I think that you are in the majority with regard to the Tony Ortega and esmb posts. Out into the wilds of the internet, I think those posts have made me the pariah that I am out there.

      It’s just that I see the damage that they do to exes. And I have to say something. And I really can’t care if anybody likes me.

      But.

      I am running a blog here. So I guess I should listen more.

      Good to hear you’re doing well.

      I have a new report that is a compilation of all the scientific research done on cults and sects for European governments. I am sitting down to dig into it right now.

      I’ll be writing up stuff from it later.

      Keep Ramblin

  2. You have me thinking again, marildi – laughter – From above, “Seems like it was your fate.” hmmm – what is fate?
    fate: n. ME < fatum, prophetic declaration, oracle < neut. pp. of fari, to speak: see *fame*

    Here's an interesting synonym study from my dictionary:

    fate refers to the inevitability of a course of events as supposedly predetermined by a god or other agency beyond human control
    destiny also refers to an inevitable succession of events as determined supernaturally *or by necessity* (caps mine), but often implies a favorable outcome – "it was her destiny to become famous"
    portion and lot refer to what is supposedly distributed in the determining of fate, but portion implies an equitable apportionment and lot implies a random assignment.
    doom always connotes an unfavorable or disastrous fate

    • The reference to “oracle” in the derivation made me think of the human tendency to look to “authority” for guidance. Oracles, seers, gurus, you name it.

      Another usage of fate is “2. b) what happens or has happened to a person or entity; lot; fortune” In other words “Shit Happens”, no agency needed.

      At different times I might have looked at my scn experience in terms of all of the different fate synonyms.

  3. I have no objection to Mike’s purpose of bringing down the Cherch of Miscavige. Two years ago there was more discussion of possible benefits from having pursued scn. It seems the trend of comments has now shifted. That’s the way it goes. Many people still show up and relate their stories which is a good thing imo. I’ve told some of my stories here on Alanzo’s blog and on Mike’s and Marty’s blogs to my benefit.

  4. Alanzo’s Internet Scientology Rehab Center. Free and blaspheme allowed!

    Since “Aftermath” Mike Rinder’s blog has turned into 98% rip apart scn. That’s okay for some people, I suppose.

  5. marildi is here! Start of Session! (joke)

    Hi marildi!

    What’s on the menu today? Rupert Sheldrake, nondualism, Ken Wilber, etc. etc. etc.

    You steered me toward a lot of interesting topics and current philosophical personalities on Marty’s blog. – Thanks for that!

  6. Alanzo, I never thought I’d see the day when your blog on the subject of Scientology was the most enlightening one on the internet. Sincere kudos.

    Btw, I wonder if you would ever have become such a good writer had it not been for Scientology – and thus have the means to create many good effects. Seems like it was your fate. 🙂

    I especially like the fact that you are now in a position to free many ex-Scientologists – for real. I wish I would have had access to the data you post, with regard to the cultlike trap that many ex-Scientologists fall into, and why they do. This has been a real mystery to me over the years, and if I had known this data it would have saved me a lot of time, energy and frustration. Cheers!

  7. Is “arftulbreathing” supposed to be the person’s signature? At any rate, so the story goes, when the monks got too into the details the Buddha said “Just focus on the breathing.”

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