Well, I was a Scientologist for a few months. It was mostly out of curiosity, and then you get roped in, and next thing you know, you’re out a couple thousand dollars (though I was “lucky”, since those that are members for years have talked about tens to hundreds of thousands of dollars they gave to Scientology).
I read Dianetics. I did the book course at “the org” (i.e. the local Scientology center), and I also did something called “Life Repair”, which is based on similar concepts to Dianetics, involving “auditing”, and uses the E-meter. Basically, the “auditor” asks you questions, and your mind can cause the E-meter to “read”, to show that there is an area of “charge”, or something that needs to be addressed. It works similarly to a lie detector. You’ll sit there going over and over past events to deal with them. What usually happens is, when you can’t go back to a further event that caused issues in your life, you begin to relive/make up past lives. I refused to say that I had something going on in a past life, since I don’t believe in that, and certainly didn’t recall anything.
The problem with the Dianetics book is that it claims a lot of research, trials, patients, etc., yet there is no outside proof of this research done for the book. Some of it does make sense, and that’s what can hook you. Many ex-Scientologists will tell you that a lot of the intro stuff makes sense, and that’s how they get you to come for more.
For example, this was my route into Scientology: you go in, immediately the person at reception will ask what brings you in (friendly of course), then someone else will show up, and guide you to the “Public Information Center”, basically displays and videos with info on Dianetics and Scientology. You watch a brief intro to Dianetics, which leaves you feeling “wow! I’d like to get better and have those benefits!” (you can view this on their website if interested, don’t go in). They then say you HAVE to purchase the Dianetics book. Then, they say there’s a seminar on the weekend that you should come to, the Personal Efficiency Seminar, which helps you be more efficient in life, at work, etc, based on Scientology principles. Before you start that, you do a personality test, which ALWAYS will say that you have some issue, and, what do you know, Scientology can help.
There’s much more, but that’s just a taste for those curious about Scientology. I’d say to never go to the Scientology org, you’ll be the target of some very hard selling. There are plenty of documentaries on Youtube to show you what it’s like (and of course you can look at their website for their take). Dianetics is not real, is unnecessary, and is a money-making scam. The book itself is very hard to get through (I had to force myself, and I read a lot, and am in a science field). While some of it is based in actual psychology, much of it is just Hubbard’s inventions (i.e. the reactive mind. There is no proof of that).
But seriously they can be freaky with their very cult-like mentality. Im afraid they could turn into one of those Charles Manson wannabe’s.