The Naysayers and the Critics    

I’ve got something to say about naysayers and critics.

Now, I want to make clear I’m leaving out the professional critic as that’s what he/she gets paid to do. People like or don’t like his opinions and his pay depends on it, so that’s different than what I’m talking about here, and I will excuse the professional critic from my own critique.

I sometimes sit around and think “What do people think of me? Do they have a good opinion of me, a bad one? Do they think I’m kind of a jerk or that I’m a nice guy? Do they think I’m doing a lot of good or that I could do more that I’m not doing?” 

I often find that the more I do, the more I have these thoughts. I also find that the more I do and get done, the more I get negative people in my vicinity, one way or the other. It’s just a rule of numbers. I’m reaching more people and a certain percentage are negative naysayer critics, no matter what I do. I could save the world one day from famine and disease and there would be a certain percentage of naysayers and critics about that, too, period, end of story. So when I sit around and wonder about myself, I usually end up deciding to just go on my merry way and do the best I can.

Now let’s take this same concept and put it into a much wider sphere—that of a large group, like Scientology. Now, it’s funny that, for over 20 years, I have gone to one Scientology church or another, many events and many other activities as a Scientologist. I don’t think I can even count on one hand the number of unhappy parishioners I have met. I would say well over 99 percent were happy as clams, studying their courses, being an auditor (a Scientology spiritual counselor), working at a church as a staff member etc. Just a lot of happy people doing as much good as they can and quite happy with the results they were seeing in the people they were helping and in their own lives. 

Did someone have a difficulty here or there? Sure, but that’s just life and life does have its obstacles, so you will always see this with anyone at some point, whoever they may be. But my point is that at least 99 percent of the people in any of these Scientology communities I spent time in as I moved over the years were happy people—happy with Scientology and doing quite well compared to many other people I met.

Don’t talk to the haters and the naysayers—about anything, for that matter. You are talking to a percentage of the population that would hate YOU if you caught their attention enough.

But now, let’s get into the “darker aspects” of getting a lot done, that Scientologists as a group cannot avoid due to just how much good they do in society. You see, we have our naysayers and our critics. And the following points about these people are very interesting ones:

#1. They aren’t Scientologists, meaning most of them have not read a book, done a course, received spiritual counseling or done anything at all in the Scientology religion. If they have (doubtful, but possible) they would simply go right into category #2...

#2. They are largely former Scientologists who committed crimes against the Church large enough to warrant them being kicked out of the Scientology religion. I can tell you that is not an easy task to accomplish with a group as forgiving and helpful as Scientologists.

For point #1, I would like to know how you can criticize something you know nothing about. It’s like a movie critic criticizing a movie he hasn’t even seen! He would be out of work pretty quick if his audience found out he wasn’t watching the movies he was evaluating for them and, worse, criticizing. So this is an interesting point. How do you criticize something you know nothing about? But the critic will say, “Oh I heard so and so and so and so.” Try that in a court of law and see where it gets you. NOWHERE. It’s called “hearsay” and is not admissible as evidence or testimony in any way whatsoever.

Go fishing with a large net. When you scoop everything out, you’ll get some fish, but you will always get your share of dirt and scum in that net.

The word “hearsay” comes from two words: “hear” and “say.” And it means exactly that. You heard something, then said it. So these people are just a part of those #’s I was talking about in paragraph two (when I saved the world). It’s that certain percentage that will be negative and not like you no matter WHAT you do, including saving the world. And that’s not even a joke.

For point #2, I can tell you that to be totally kicked out of a Scientology church is hard to do. I’m almost laughing while writing this because I find it incomprehensible that some have managed to accomplish it—you would have to work hard at it. Scientology as a group is one of the most forgiving groups out there, without a doubt. Don’t get me wrong, if you start causing real trouble, you won’t be invited to be a member much longer. But this has to be extreme, and I can tell you that these “critics” did some pretty nasty stuff to the very church they were a part of. The Church pretty much had no choice but to tell them they were no longer welcome in our group. 

Now these same people are out there criticizing Scientology? Laughable in the extreme.

The fact is, Scientology reaches a whole lot of people worldwide. It does a whole lot of good for individuals, groups and communities wherever you find it. Just ask any REAL practitioner or parishioner of Scientology and you’ll get REAL, educated opinions on the actual subject matter. Don’t talk to the haters and the naysayers—about anything, for that matter. You are talking to a percentage of the population that would hate YOU if you caught their attention enough. And Scientology has caught the attention of a whole lot of people. And here’s the deal: go fishing with a large net. When you scoop everything out, you’ll get some fish, but you will always get your share of dirt and scum in that net. It’s just a matter of math. Lots of fish and a little bit of dirt and scum and even some garbage here and there. We do a whole lot of good in society in Scientology and we unfortunately, like the fisherman, get our share of dirt and scum back. But be assured, we will continue to do lots and lots of good, as many of us have studied this exact phenomenon of “the haters” and know what to do about it, which means they cause no real concerns to us.

Oh yes, we will keep doing very well indeed, and help lots and lots of people.

Sorry haters!