From: cep@Apple.COM (Christopher Pettus)
Newsgroups: alt.religion.scientology
Subject: Re: Can I be in this without giving money?
Message-ID: <55327@apple.Apple.COM>
Date: 24 Jul 91 20:50:26 GMT
References: <1991Jul24.065001.18338@parc.xerox.com>
Organization: Uh, can I get back to you on that one?
Lines: 47

In article <1991Jul24.065001.18338@parc.xerox.com> lachman@parc.xerox.com (Hans Lachman) writes:
>Can I be a member of your church and become a full fledged Scientologist
>without contributing any money, and without discontinuing any of my present
>activities and relationships?

OK, it depends on what you mean by "being a Scientologist."  You can be
a Christian without doing anything except acknowledging whatever pleases
you as being fundamental about Christianity (the Apostoles' Creed is
one example).  Remember that the money that goes to the Church is not
a "donation;" it's payment for services, in the form of courses and
auditing.

So, you could probably call yourself a Scientologist just by reading
_Dianetics_ and deciding you believed what it said.  On the other hand,
if you'd like the services of the Church, that will cost you.

With certain exceptions, noted below, I've not known anyone who went
into the Church who had to discontinue his or her present activities
or relationships.  The Church is VERY down on some things, such as
recreational drug use, though.

>It's possible I could make contributions of a less tangible kind, for
>example, becoming a better person and a more positive element of the world,
>providing a good example of a Scientologist and how to live properly,
>giving assistance to those who seek help and gratification to those who
>help me.

The only way that I know of that the Church gives out free auditing and
courses is by joining the Sea Org, which is (in effect) the missionary arm
of the Church.  In it, you receive your Church services free in exchange
for working for the Church long, hard, and exclusively.  In effect, everyone
you associate with will be Church members, since that's all Sea Org members
have time for.

As for the example you give above, think of Scientology as any mental
health provider, who you pay to perform services on your behalf.  I
don't think the above ideas would work well on a psychotherapist ...

>I would prefer if only Scientologists posted responses. 

Ooops, sorry, I'm not one, but I think the non-Scientologists with
insight into the Church might have something to contribute.
-- 
-- Christophe

"Oh, so you're going to kill me!  What a finely-tuned response to the
situation!"