I never read Ron Hubbard, or any other scientology books, and my most consistent source of information is a South Park episode regarding these "lunatics". But just by looking at the way Tom Cruise acts I can pretty much make this up:
The truth about scientology is this: they start by giving good common sense advice applied to real practical situations, then they go on ranting about this negative energy, aliens, the history of the earth, etc, etc. When you get to the last level they simply say to you:
IT WAS ALL A BIG LIE
They say it right in your face, and you're mesmerized. First you don't believe it, you think it is a test or some practical joke. But the people go on proving it you, and the best proof is the enormous idiocy of the story. And then you realize, no, I mean, you actually REALIZE you were stupid, you were really stupid.
But then comes the question: why? Why was I so stupid for such a long time, for God's sake?
And that's the important part: you were stupid because you needed answers, because you were weak, you could not trust your own sense of direction and value, you could not follow your inner freedom, you were still dependent on the world, on what the people of the world would say or think about you and your way.
If you had been completely free from the start, not only would you not buy this shit, you would not even be interested in this bullshit religion: because you had yourself - the most superabundant being, if left free. But because you were fragile, because you didn't trust yourself, you ensnared yourself bonding your freedom on your own fears, and the rope is some sort of external belief, the belief in the world, the belief in people, the belief in belief; and you were happy to swallow all this because, now that you had not your freedom to let you see and fly, it made you feel secure even with your eyes closed.
Well now it is time to unswallow. so listen to me boy: the truth is, no one knows the truth, and the only person you'll have, in whom you can truly trust to tell you what is real, and what is worthy is yourself. and even you will ever know, so your trust will be in emptiness but that will have to do somehow.
And then you know - these scientologist guys will continue - Life is an illusion my friend, but only you can take out the covers that bind your eyes to solitude.
So now you know the truth: that there is no truth, at least not a human truth, a truth to which the human mind or even the heart can have access too. The only thing that remains for you to do is to be mature, that is, not dependent, and assume your freedom as your ultimate and inescapable guide.
And that's how Cruise became
this crazy!! ^_^
...
and free ...
(wow, scientologists now almost seem like Neal Donald Walsh in one of his bad days!!! But no, that can't be, cause Neal thought he was God (how absurd) but only because God told him so. Which must mean that he believes he is God because he told himself that he is God. If he hadn't say that to himself, surely he would not believe it, but not that he had listen himself say that he is actually God himself, now he can believe it!! ^_^ Well, that must surely be a coherent conversation, but if both parts are the same, then why use words altogether??? If lovers, who, although intimate, skip words and go directly to hugging and kissing, how would the same being really "communicate" in himself?)