quote: The most striking thing about both the contest itself, and the website that promotes it, is how it has managed to successfully elicit the support of a wide range of the "who's who" in science fiction, and interwoven their support and testimonials for THE CONTEST with support and promotion of L. Ron Hubbard, his career and his ideas. By lending their name to the contest, the very pinnacle of the Science Fiction elites - names such as Ann McAffrey, Terry Brooks, Neil Gaiman, and Robert J. Sawyer - have allowed themselves to be used by Scientology to bolster the reputation of L. Ron Hubbard. It is a transparent ploy to promote the Cult by promoting the founder.
Further more, I have discovered that the contest itself is owned and operated by a business subsidiary of the Cult... er... Church of Scientology. That means, to me, that the sales and proceeds of the anthology go into Scientology coffers. Every emerging author who submits and wins an award will have their work printed inside a book emblazoned with L. Ron Hubbard's name, the proceeds from sales of which will go to the Scientology war chest for spreading and promoting their fascist evil cult. The prize money is very high, so the monetary inducements are strong. Even I was tempted to submit to the contest, until I read the Wikipedia entry which made clear the connection between the contest and the Cult. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Writers_of_the_Future#Connections_to_Scientology
I did my own bit of research and found it to be true. I am absolutely appalled to think that OSC would endorse a contest connected with an abusive organization like Scientology.
Does anybody else has some insight into this matter?
Posts: 3 | Registered: Jan 2006
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posted
The most likely answer is that it was an accident? The Church of Scientology runs numerous front groups and they're heavy on obfuscating the ties to the church. The sci-fi book author thing could easily net another author who went along with the publicity opportunity thinking that there was nothing more 'sinister' about it.
Posts: 15421 | Registered: Aug 2005
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As long as everyone involved knows what they are getting into it's their own choice but they don't. Anyone entering the contest will be doing business with scientologists. Which means they will get ripped off one way or another. There are also talented, naive young writers out there who the cult would put a lot of effort into promoting if they thought they could make them a member. It' is part of their recruitment method to take a struggling or washed up artest and use their connections to forward the career so they get a new celib spokes person who they can also milk for more cash.
I'm a little suprized OSC dosn't know this or would have anything to do with a scam's front group.
Posts: 4 | Registered: Aug 2009
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I had hoped it was an accident, but apparently OSC is one of the judges of the contest. I realize he has only showed support for the contest and has not indicated any support for Scientology, but the contest is still a part of the CoS. If I were him, I would never want my name to be used to promote L. Ron Hubbard's work.
Posts: 3 | Registered: Jan 2006
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This thread seems to have a lot of hateful things in it. I don't agree with scientology but I don't think it should be called a cult and I don't think it's wrong for OSC to have something to do with contest run by scientology. If it weren't for a LDS magazine contest who knows where OSC would be. (Yes I know he probably still be in the same place, but The New Era gave him start)
Posts: 143 | Registered: Feb 2008
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quote:Originally posted by Rodger Brown: I don't agree with scientology but I don't think it should be called a cult
It's not really a matter of what they do or do not believe in, but rather that the organization does a lot of really cultlike things. In particular, they're known for systematically isolating members from non church family and friends, as well as being very deceptive about what their actual belief are until people have already been roped in to the organization.
Posts: 2437 | Registered: Apr 2005
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quote:Anyone entering the contest will be doing business with scientologists. Which means they will get ripped off one way or another.
What do you mean by "ripped off?"
I'm a winner of the contest. My short story, Blackberry Witch, won 2nd for the third quarter contest in 2005. They flew me to Seattle; they paid for a nice hotel to stay in; they put me through a professional workshop; they introduced me to some of the luminaries of the science fiction and fantasy world; they treated me with professionalism and courtesy, and not even once did they bring up their religion.
I should be ripped off more often.
If you've got questions about the contest, I'm happy to answer. I'm no supporter of Scientology; and anyone who thinks that the contest is raking in money from the sales of these anthologies doesn't understand publishing. The contests are very well funded; I'd be surprised if they ever make that money back. I'd be surprised if they even make half their money back.
As far as supporting and promoting L. Ron Hubbard, the science fiction writer...well. I don't really care for the man's books, myself, and his writing advice is kind of mediocre. However, via this contest, he's done a LOT of good for the genre, introducing new authors and voices.
Posts: 14554 | Registered: Dec 1999
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I won an award in the LRH WOTF a few years back, as has K D Woodbury (active in these sites). Yes, Bridge publications does support Hubbard's reputation, but so what? I've bought copies of OSC books, and didn't feel like I was becoming LDS. As far as being ripped off, I second Scott R. Rip me off like that anytime you want! And at most of the events the people are very careful to keep the literary and the Scientology separate.
Besides, most of the time one man's "cult" is another man's "faith." I was raised as a Christian, and our holy book starts off with a talking snake.
Posts: 270 | Registered: Apr 2009
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quote:Originally posted by Flying Fish: Besides, most of the time one man's "cult" is another man's "faith." I was raised as a Christian, and our holy book starts off with a talking snake.
As I said before, I feel the biggest distinction between faith and cult comes not from beliefs but from actions. And from what I've seen, COS has earned the label of cult.
Posts: 2437 | Registered: Apr 2005
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quote:Originally posted by Rodger Brown: I don't agree with scientology but I don't think it should be called a cult and I don't think it's wrong for OSC to have something to do with contest run by scientology.
I think the world is hard pressed to come up with any organization that more deserves to be called a cult.
And this goes beyond the fact that they ably qualify for the literal interpretation of a cult. There's also the eight billion billion creepy cultlike exploitations and isolations they inflict upon their members (Introspection Rundown, Disconnection, etc).
Posts: 15421 | Registered: Aug 2005
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From the information contained in the wikipedia article and Scott R's and Flying Fish's posts, it seems quite clear that the judges and participants aren't being duped (because the connections are quite open) and that the organizers and judges aren't after monetary gain (because there isn't any to be had). So, it comes down to the ethics of involving oneself in something which on the one hand generates positive publicity for scientology and on the other makes a genuine positive contribution to the literary field.
quote:I've bought copies of OSC books, and didn't feel like I was becoming LDS.
That's a bit of a far-fetched analogy.
Posts: 96 | Registered: Jun 2009
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quote:it comes down to the ethics of involving oneself in something which on the one hand generates positive publicity for scientology and on the other makes a genuine positive contribution to the literary field.
Generates positive publicity for L. Ron Hubbard, maybe. But for scientology? I'm dubious that anyone reading any of these anthologies is going to think after reading, "Oh, those Scientologists aren't as bad as A Piece of Blue Sky makes them out to be! Look at all the nice stories they published!"
You might get an essay or two on writing from L. Ron Hubbard; that's as close to dianetics as the anthologies wander, IMO.
The people who know about Scientology already have an opinion about it, and the books aren't going to change anyone's mind. The people who don't know about Scientology aren't likely to discover anything about it from reading the Writers of the Future anthologies.
Posts: 14554 | Registered: Dec 1999
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Rivka, perhaps the analogy is far-fetched: sorry. And I probably came across as comparing Card to Hubbard, which I'm pretty sure Card would not like.
What I was trying to say is that the Hubbard religion, the Hubbard business model, and the Hubbard written works deserve to be treated separately. Participating in WOTF is a great deal for an aspiring writer, and submitting contest entries or buying the anthologies doesn't mean you have anything to do with Scientology, any more than submitting to IASF means you're endorsing Judaism, or reading an Anthony Boucher book means you're endorsing Roman Catholicism.
Posts: 270 | Registered: Apr 2009
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Yes, by extension. The man and the organization are synonymous for many - how accurate that impression is isn't the issue. And as silly as the "not that bad after all" line of reasoning you mention sounds, that is precisely what I mean. Naive people will have that thought consciously, less naive people subconsciously.
And I'm sure most of the celebrities mentioned are aware of this. By linking their names with Hubbard's, they raise scientology's respectability by a tiny amount. Assuming they view that as a negative thing, they must justify it as an acceptable price to be paid for the tangible goals that the contest accomplishes. And I'm not saying I disagree with them.
Posts: 96 | Registered: Jun 2009
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It's just a scam, a form of organized crime that uses the same thought control methods cults do. Hubbard compiled all the directed thought conditioning, stage hypnotism, military brain washing tech etc. and then wrote a theology to go with it. As far as there being "hateful" things in this thread I suggest you visit the exscientologykids dot com website. It's a survivors recovery group run by people who were born into scientology and escaped. I suppose there is no direct harm in being involved in the contest. One can get a great meal at a mafia front restaurant. Diamonds mined with slave labor are just as pretty as the other ones.
Posts: 4 | Registered: Aug 2009
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quote:I suppose there is no direct harm in being involved in the contest. One can get a great meal at a mafia front restaurant. Diamonds mined with slave labor are just as pretty as the other ones.
Is this sarcasm or a grudging acceptance of facts? I honestly can't tell. Posts: 96 | Registered: Jun 2009
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quote:I suppose there is no direct harm in being involved in the contest. One can get a great meal at a mafia front restaurant. Diamonds mined with slave labor are just as pretty as the other ones.
Is this sarcasm or a grudging acceptance of facts? I honestly can't tell.
Seems like sarcasm. Ironically, in both cases he could still be talking about Scientology for all I can tell.
Posts: 3 | Registered: Jan 2006
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