From "Scientologists back in comm", something which points out interesting parallels between Scientology-brand totalitarianism, and another flavor.
Someone who is “under the radar” has sent this in. He or she grew up in the Chinese cultural revolution. The parallels to where we find ourselves now with the church are striking.
And by the way, the very fact that “under the radar” has become a common expression tells us how idiotic and non-Scientological this entire scene has become.
As a child, I lived through the Cultural Revolution in China. It was a very fearful and stressful time.
Our close knit family worked hard to make a better life. We were relatively well-off and well educated. Because of this we were seen as a threat to the revolution. Lesser
(and un-) educated communist party members – who were ardent ‘revolutionaries’ – suddenly held immense power and they proceeded to ‘divide and conquer’ our family in the name of the revolution. These revolutionaries believed that they were doing the right thing in order to protect the majority of people’s freedoms.
The ‘Red Guard’ – made up of young, idealistic, teenagers and young adults with limited education, no experience and no understanding of life had free reign to enforce ‘revolutionary ideals’ on the people. They would act on any report and they seldom investigated. We lived in fear of being ‘found out’.
Our whole extended family was eventually investigated – under threat of punishment for the serious crime of being ‘against the revolution’. Some of my close family were labelled (with a sign around their neck) as being ‘anti-revolutionary’ and made to clean streets and were spat on and mistreated – in one case for almost a year. Many lost their jobs or were prevented from holding an important position. My father was put into a re-education camp for almost two years – although convicted of nothing. He had to write up what he had done that was counter-revolutionary, and do a re-education program until he had admitted to ‘all that he had done wrong’.
My mother was often ‘interviewed’ and was encouraged to divorce him. Other family members were told to have nothing to do with them. It was not good to be connected to an ‘anti-revolutionary’. We were all powerless. Everyone lived in fear. Once ‘caught’ there was no way out of the ‘anti-revolutionary justice system’. Even the proper ‘justice’ channels did not work. There was no real justice – just the ‘revolution’. There was no truth – just an acceptable ‘revolutionary’ version. Common sense and good manners and thoughtfulness were replaced by revolutionary ideals and fervour. The revolution became more important than the people it was supposed to help.
In the name of the revolution our family was sent to different (small) towns around China. Some never came back.
The incomprehensible thing is: that the cultural revolution was meant to be for the people and to improve the lives of the people. It just did not.
Here is a list of things that actually occurred during the Cultural revolution (in no particular order).
Where else have you seen similar things happen? Possibly in your church?
A (new) cultural revolution
Someone who is “under the radar” has sent this in. He or she grew up in the Chinese cultural revolution. The parallels to where we find ourselves now with the church are striking.
And by the way, the very fact that “under the radar” has become a common expression tells us how idiotic and non-Scientological this entire scene has become.
As a child, I lived through the Cultural Revolution in China. It was a very fearful and stressful time.
Our close knit family worked hard to make a better life. We were relatively well-off and well educated. Because of this we were seen as a threat to the revolution. Lesser
(and un-) educated communist party members – who were ardent ‘revolutionaries’ – suddenly held immense power and they proceeded to ‘divide and conquer’ our family in the name of the revolution. These revolutionaries believed that they were doing the right thing in order to protect the majority of people’s freedoms.
The ‘Red Guard’ – made up of young, idealistic, teenagers and young adults with limited education, no experience and no understanding of life had free reign to enforce ‘revolutionary ideals’ on the people. They would act on any report and they seldom investigated. We lived in fear of being ‘found out’.
Our whole extended family was eventually investigated – under threat of punishment for the serious crime of being ‘against the revolution’. Some of my close family were labelled (with a sign around their neck) as being ‘anti-revolutionary’ and made to clean streets and were spat on and mistreated – in one case for almost a year. Many lost their jobs or were prevented from holding an important position. My father was put into a re-education camp for almost two years – although convicted of nothing. He had to write up what he had done that was counter-revolutionary, and do a re-education program until he had admitted to ‘all that he had done wrong’.
My mother was often ‘interviewed’ and was encouraged to divorce him. Other family members were told to have nothing to do with them. It was not good to be connected to an ‘anti-revolutionary’. We were all powerless. Everyone lived in fear. Once ‘caught’ there was no way out of the ‘anti-revolutionary justice system’. Even the proper ‘justice’ channels did not work. There was no real justice – just the ‘revolution’. There was no truth – just an acceptable ‘revolutionary’ version. Common sense and good manners and thoughtfulness were replaced by revolutionary ideals and fervour. The revolution became more important than the people it was supposed to help.
In the name of the revolution our family was sent to different (small) towns around China. Some never came back.
The incomprehensible thing is: that the cultural revolution was meant to be for the people and to improve the lives of the people. It just did not.
Here is a list of things that actually occurred during the Cultural revolution (in no particular order).
Where else have you seen similar things happen? Possibly in your church?
Questioning the leadership will end up in trouble. Do not ask questions. Just don’t.
• The ‘old’ conservative, experienced leadership is replaced by new leaders, loyal only to the revolution and its leader.
• People live in fear of being accused of not agreeing with the leadership – so they keep quiet and try not to be noticed.
• No personal initiatives are tolerated – only orders from ‘above’ have any value.
• Can’t trust anybody – as anything you say can and will be used as evidence against you.
• People are ‘encouraged’ to write reports on others – especially for not supporting the ‘revolution’.
• No personal opinions allowed – just say what everybody else says.
• No personal thoughts allowed – just think what you are told to think.
• The State has complete power over you, your family, your life.
• While there is Mao’s ‘red book’ of guiding policy and also party policy, many ‘orders’ from above are arbitrary and ignore policy, and often are based on someone’s personal opinion or for their personal gain.
• People too scared to fight it. There is no real justice system.
• If one family member is labelled as being ‘against the revolution’ the rest of the family is told to disconnect.
• Many families, friends and colleagues are ‘encouraged’ to split up.
• Anybody not disconnecting will also be labelled as…. ‘against the revolution’
• Those deemed as not too dangerous are re-educated (under threat) until they are considered as supporting the revolution. They are made to write up exactly what they did wrong during re-education. This can be used against them at a later stage, if necessary.
• People not permitted to read / talk about what is happening outside China. Tight control of communication and information to prevent anti-revolutionary thoughts.
• Only revolutionary books permitted, as permitted by the leadership.
• Only ‘acceptable’ truths are communicated – bad news or negative reports are not acceptable (even if true).
• The Communist party and the revolution (group) are more important than individual.
• Crimes committed in the name of the revolution are perfectly acceptable.
• The Red Guard enforces party policy (or whatever they want). Harshly.
• The Leader is regarded as the saviour of China. His loyal followers cheer and clap and cry and faint when they see him at mass rallies. They believe his every word.
Many years have passed and the Cultural Revolution is now long gone but in some ways see a similar story playing in the church – the way that the church operates, and the way that people are treated.
Only once the revolution had passed and freedoms returned did China become successful.
This is my story. This is my observation.
• The ‘old’ conservative, experienced leadership is replaced by new leaders, loyal only to the revolution and its leader.
• People live in fear of being accused of not agreeing with the leadership – so they keep quiet and try not to be noticed.
• No personal initiatives are tolerated – only orders from ‘above’ have any value.
• Can’t trust anybody – as anything you say can and will be used as evidence against you.
• People are ‘encouraged’ to write reports on others – especially for not supporting the ‘revolution’.
• No personal opinions allowed – just say what everybody else says.
• No personal thoughts allowed – just think what you are told to think.
• The State has complete power over you, your family, your life.
• While there is Mao’s ‘red book’ of guiding policy and also party policy, many ‘orders’ from above are arbitrary and ignore policy, and often are based on someone’s personal opinion or for their personal gain.
• People too scared to fight it. There is no real justice system.
• If one family member is labelled as being ‘against the revolution’ the rest of the family is told to disconnect.
• Many families, friends and colleagues are ‘encouraged’ to split up.
• Anybody not disconnecting will also be labelled as…. ‘against the revolution’
• Those deemed as not too dangerous are re-educated (under threat) until they are considered as supporting the revolution. They are made to write up exactly what they did wrong during re-education. This can be used against them at a later stage, if necessary.
• People not permitted to read / talk about what is happening outside China. Tight control of communication and information to prevent anti-revolutionary thoughts.
• Only revolutionary books permitted, as permitted by the leadership.
• Only ‘acceptable’ truths are communicated – bad news or negative reports are not acceptable (even if true).
• The Communist party and the revolution (group) are more important than individual.
• Crimes committed in the name of the revolution are perfectly acceptable.
• The Red Guard enforces party policy (or whatever they want). Harshly.
• The Leader is regarded as the saviour of China. His loyal followers cheer and clap and cry and faint when they see him at mass rallies. They believe his every word.
Many years have passed and the Cultural Revolution is now long gone but in some ways see a similar story playing in the church – the way that the church operates, and the way that people are treated.
Only once the revolution had passed and freedoms returned did China become successful.
This is my story. This is my observation.
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