Written in the sun

I have a prediction for you.

In the next 15 years, Scientology will gather a massive new following. The bullying, unrepentant nature of the administrators of the so-called church will see to that. Once it is through this fledgeling stage, it has the potential to snowball. But how will it do it?
The secret lies in in the fact that it has been so clearly exposed as a corrupt, repellent organisation and yet it still exists, perhaps even thrives. If it weathers this storm, then it's hard to think of mountains that it can't climb. Because once it has enough pennies for all the administrators to be nice and rich, it will disown the hard sell that it makes to its infantry.
It will make a show of removing the “bad elements" that gave it this oh-so-unjustified negative publicity as its size will make it be able to use a softer approach for the masses.
It's softer new age message will sell. It will sell because of the pressures the world will face in the next 10 years. It will look very appealing and having shed the shackles of what it took to get there, it was eventually be able to wield unimaginable power.

The recent second Panorama exposé ended with what was supposed to be an indictment -- the final line referring to Scientology as a “cult”.
The naive insult of an older journalist. Cult uses to be a bad thing. Now it's fun. Cult isn't a dirty word any more.
I may see something wrong with Scientology, but I do not see anything wrong with cult. Star Trek is a cult. In my darker moments I suspect birdwatching is a cult.
Cult is geek-chic.
Cult is nerdy intelligence.

To me the word cult lost its darker edge years ago so as an indictment of a dangerous movement the accusation is a weak punchline.

The simpler messages of Scientology will be a manna to the masses. Masses who are more than ready to replace traditional organised religions so tainted with hypocrisy and paedophilia. Who, in many cases have already wiped clean that part of their brain and replaced it with a little restless amateur atheism.

Millions of empty sheets of paper, a blank canvas waiting to be filled, waiting for a message.
Scientology will be ready to oblige with its bulging property portfolio and the tantalising mix of celebrity endorsement.

It will sell for the same reason people buy the Sun.

It will sell for the same reason people buy butter. And with every pattie, comes a bit more cash for the portfolio. Look after the pennies and the pounds will look after themselves.

The only thing that will save us from this new and possibly hitherto undiscovered strength in mass common sense. But modern man is not skilled in this. Despite our super-sophistication.

Some of the best paid people in London, New York, LA, Tokyo are paid to exploit the weaknesses in our psyche.

They are good at it.

They can push us to extraordinary beliefs.
Buying margarine because Carol Vorderman says so is one thing but putting your eyes under a laser because an Olympic rower says it is a good idea is another.

If Tom Cruise is your hero, you want to be a little more like him, don't you?

That's what heroes are - role models.

Every year a list of the most powerful people in the world appears. Actors are among them. Actors!
A bit of fun at the movies is one thing.

But give them power, true power and I begin to wonder what awaits us.