Episode 33: Social Activist and Journalist Yashar Ali
Leah and Mike are joined by media and political reporter Yashar Ali. Yashar has covered scientology for years. He was recently named one of Time’s 25 most influential people on the internet. The topics range from celebrities in scientology, to media and elected officials responsibility dealing with cults to the Fair Game campaign against him.
A compendium of the writings of Hubbard about destroying anyone who dares criticize scientology
Hubbard’s infamous passage from Dianetics that a 7 year old girl should not react to a passionate kiss from a man
Reporting a scientologist to the authorities is considered a “High Crime” in scientology
A blog post about not reporting sexual assaults on children
Hubbard’s views on the judicial system, law enforcement summarized in the final chapter of his book “Introduction to Scientology Ethics.” The full text of the chapter is at my blog
Hubbard proposes deleting certain people from society — including homosexuals and “other sexual perverts” — see the full quote at my blog
This blog post details Hubbard’s views, and thus the policy of scientology
See description at my blog and links to scientology price lists
Just one of many smear sites scientology pays for with tax exempt funds
14 Comments
SCIENTOLOGY OR THE MANUFACTURING OF FALSE MEMORIES OF FALSE PAST LIVES
All of this, dianetics and others, is of little importance to Scientologists. It’s a screen. You don’t catch flies with vinegar. The real thing about Scientology is past lives. It is hardly ever talked about in Scientology surveys or reports because it is far too intimate for former followers, because it is most often that they have been tricked. This is what led them to spend extraordinary sums and, for some, to voluntary slavery for a billion years. Even if they hadn’t already contacted one or more of these so-called past lives, the prospect was compelling.
The honey of Scientology is that it claims, through its technology, to bring you straight into what would have been your past lives. It’s wrong. In search of past and similar situations, the Scientology hearing only triggers daydreams of alleged increasingly distant events in the past, until the person is well, if not extremely well. This well-being is not eternal even if it sometimes lasts a long time, so beware of the fall!
If during your sleep you dreamed that you were Napoleon, when you wake up it will amuse you at the most. You know it was just a dream, probably to satisfy a need for power. On the other hand, if you start to believe strongly that you really were Napoleon, then it is dangerous.
So imagine the state of Scientologists who firmly believe in the reality of those daydreams they have in hearing. For L. Ron Hubbard, this led him to the myth of Xenu, an intergalactic tyrant long ago (75 million years), who would have caused us a lot of misery. But, thanks to L. Ron Hubbard, you can now regain all the abilities that villainous Xenu would have caused you to lose. I think L. Ron Hubbard believed it, that he wasn’t even lying, so wonderfully this false discovery solved his own case.
He must have been hovering for quite a while with a needle so free that you can only try to follow it with the adjustement lever, floating right to left then left to right until it came out of the reading frame of the electrometer to the left then to the right, then again to the left and again to the right, and again to the left then to the right, and again and again… A floating adjustment lever indicates a state of exaltation, a total stoned.
Yesterday, Scientology claimed 14 million followers worldwide, including 45,000 in France. Today, there are 30,000 in the world, including 1,000 in France. More than a loss of speed, it’s a free fall. It has a nice nest egg left that can make it last, at least until those of its responsables in best positions tear off its remains.
Terrible episode. Yashar Ali. Yashar did what regarding Scientology? It never really comes out what he has contributed. He says “you know?” how many times? He offered nothing new, seemed hypocritical of the the very same media he lives on and bashing Trump and QAnon. This episode is a sad infomercial. I love the show and the hosts but this episode shit the bed.
This episode was actually very good, there are so many similarities between the supporters of Trump, the Q anon nutters and Scientologists, they all choose to be ignorant about reality. The only difference is that Scientologists are conditioned to not look at what’s out there but the other cult members are willfully ignorant about facts and reality, they chose to ignore what doesn’t fit their narrative themselves and dismiss it as fake news or lies when its actually the other way around. They are the ones giving into the fakery. They spoke about the Cult mindset in this episode and did a great job at it.
Hello! I have been catching up on all the podcast episodes and Marty Rathbun is brought up a lot. I wondered since he went back in, does that mean his wife has now become a scientologist? Also as a side comment, everytime you guys bring up that David Miscavage gets his clothing and shoes specially made it makes me giggle because it crosses my mind sarcastically of course, poor little fella can’t find his size anywhere that he HAS to have his clothes specially made! I LOVE YOU GUYS!
This guy was the worst guest yet. I think the Scientology fair game policy is absolutely ridiculous, but what kills me is we have lived through years of journalists using similar tactics against the political parties they don’t like. For instance taking the phrase like “Leah doesn’t vet the guests for the Aftermath show” out of contextual meaning to use it for their own agenda. Journalists do this all the time in attempts to twist the facts for their own agenda. People that support all political parties disagree with the practices of Scientology.
I appreciate that Leah and Mike have not used their platforms to speak ill in regards to politics. I wish guests would follow this lead, because there are supporters that actively try to help in this initiative that come from all political beliefs.
I agree. I’m going through the episodes now, having listened to the first 30 some podcasts in about a month, and this is the one that I stopped halfway through. Ali is such a hack and boring as well.
I am only a simple wog. However, I believe I have an idea to help a Scientologist who wants out. Any way an “Underground Railroad” can be started to help people move undetected?
We provide this through the Aftermath Foundation. We have helped many escape.
I love the podcast. I have a request. When you talk about suicide, can you please stop using the word “commit”? It implies a crime and the National Foundation for Suicide Prevention recommends against using that language. It’s preferable to say that someone died by suicide or took their own life. Thank you!
Hi! I’m a Never In. I have a 1000 thoughts but want to keep this short. In this episode there was a suggestion to ask celebrities where they are on the bridge. I think this makes a lot of sense because a person in this group only knows the content they’ve studied up to that point.
Question: If I met someone in Scientology, would it be considered bad manners/aggressive/rude to ask where they are on the Bridge? Socially, I don’t know if it’s considered awkward like asking someone how much money they have or whatever….
That also makes me wonder what it’s like within the group itself. Is it a collection of cliques within a group? (ex: OT 6s snub OT 2s?) And that brings me to other questions like can a family of Scientologists/friend group who are all at different levels sit around the dinner table discussing their “religious” insights or is that against the rules?
It’s such a different way of life, that one question leads to 10 more questions. Fascinating.
Mike & Leah, please please please get John Dehlin from Mormon Stories on your podcast. The Mormon church tracks and harasses it’s members worldwide just like how you describe it at the 36:00 mark. The world needs to know that Mormonism is the world’s nicest cult (but still an awful cult).
He is coming soon
Howard Stern might be interviewing Tom Cruise. I heard on his SiriusXM channel the same day that I listened to this episode of your podcats that they were contacting Tom’s people to schedule! Howard could be the person to ask the “right” questions as Mike, Leah and Yashar were talking about. I sent all three of you messages on IG or Twitter but maybe this is the best way to contact you?
I have to say I started listening because I enjoyed “The Aftermath” and felt it really highlighted something that I was taught, at a young age, to stay away from at all costs. The mention of the Dianetics commercial campaign resonated with me because I remember that prompted the questions that would get me educated on what the problems with Scientology are.
I also have to say that I’m a little disappointed that this podcast is being used more frequently as a platform to bash anyone who is not devoutly left wing. Hearing about “Fair Game” then listening to Leah, Mike and guests lightly fair gaming folks on the right side of the political spectrum is surreal. It would be easy to take a cheap shot or two but really I think it comes down to something that was said in a previous episode. This system works and well enough that maybe folks can’t help but utilize it. You should believe what you want but going off subject of the podcast to utilize the same tactics you object to, to link political opponents to Scientology or to disparage them in a nonchalant manner comes off as if your entire podcast is insincere.
I remember finishing the last episode of the first season of “The Aftermath” just hours before driving to D.C. to attend Trump’s inauguration, as I have attended every inauguration that I have been able to since reaching adulthood. It affected me profoundly because it reminded me of things my family dealt with growing up in a small town in NJ. How my father was targeted for leaving the democrat party when I was a child. Then how my mother was targeted when he passed away. How that affected her and my brothers and sisters growing up.
No organization, public or private, is ever on the right side of everything. They all make mistakes and engage in less than ethical behavior. The question is the degree. Scientology takes it to a degree best expressed with scientific notation. Politicians are generally not that bad but their unethical behavior affects every citizen not just a sub grouping. Personally I believe that a few mean tweets is pretty minor compared to manipulating the stock market and engaging in insider trading thanks to your position as a Congresswoman over decades.
Finally I’d like to say two more things. First off I am not a republican. Best description for me would be “Practical Libertarian”. I believe in personal freedom and vote for who best represents that and has a chance of winning. Second I’d like to say that I think “The Aftermath” and this podcast are vital and needed. You deserve the praise you get for these endeavors. I know I’m less than half way through the episodes but I will continue to catch up. Not just to continue to educate myself further but to see if perhaps you can hold the mirror of Scientology up to your own political comments.
Thank you and please keep sharing!