Reality

Question answered by escapee in Scientology

Anonymous asked this question on 9/27/2000:

Did Hubbard really say that reality, including the phisical universe is just an agreement? Do Scientologists believe this? If so, how many people does it take to change reality? Was the earth flat when the majority of people thought it was? Is this how Scientologists accept the official doctrine on Hubbard's life history and the statements about church membership and expansion? Could a person who believes that reality is just an agreement be a credible witness to any event?

escapee gave this response on 9/30/2000:

Not "just" an agreement. Reality is the agreed-upon apparency of existence. When people thought the world was flat, that was the agreed upon apparency of existence of that time. If you didn't believe it, you were "out of agreement" and probably thought to be nuts. It just takes one person to begin to change reality, one person who steps forth and says the world is round, but it takes the agreement of others before an entire belief system can be changed. That is all there is to reality, it is an agreed upon (or disagreed with) belief system. Yes, it is there because we believe it. I believe the sound would still be there if the tree fell in the woods and no one was around to hear it.

This concept is not unique to Scientology. I first heard it from my Christan Science teacher when I was 13 years old. Scientists have done tests where particles changed position according to who observed the particle.

Scientology itself started out unknown with no agreement. It is now a reality, like it or not.

If you and I agree to meet somewhere, that is reality. Or do you have a different word for it? You don't show up, I'm upset, that is a break in reality.

As far as Scientologists within the COS accepting the official doctrine, people rarely question what is told to them as fact until something shows up that is contrary. It isn't because they agree that reality is the agreed upon apparency of existence. Lots of people believe that, hardly new news.

Credible witness? Everyone gives his story from his own viewpoint. As anyone who works with police or district attornies, stories do not always match. It is what is distilled from the stories that become the reality.

We agree on certain facts of history, but guess what, someone introduces some new evidence and reality changes. Schools begin to teach history differently.

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