Official Off Topic Thread

[noble savage]

That sounds like it would be exhausting work! Haha

 

[OfSinsAndShred]

So many sweet people are Scientologists... I just don't get it. There's a church on every damn street corner here.

I read this book that they stopped printing and won't talk about anymore. It outlines their whole "processing" thing, which is textbook brainwashing. It's terrible.

 

[noble savage]

So many sweet people are Scientologists... I just don't get it. There's a church on every damn street corner here.

I read this book that they stopped printing and won't talk about anymore. It outlines their whole "processing" thing, which is textbook brainwashing. It's terrible.

I actually have family in Clearwater, Florida. That's where their world headquarters is located... Don't go to Clearwater!

Do their brainwashing tactics revolve around making a person feel like they are depressed/sad and then offer them help? A lot of cults do that.

 

[OfSinsAndShred]

I actually have family in Clearwater, Florida. That's where their world headquarters is located... Don't go to Clearwater!

Do their brainwashing tactics revolve around making a person feel like they are depressed/sad and then offer them help? A lot of cults do that.

That's how they get people in, then the really crazy stuff begins.

 

[DoomsdayZach]

Do their brainwashing tactics revolve around making a person feel like they are depressed/sad and then offer them help? A lot of cults do that.

My mom does that. Maybe my mom runs a cult.

 

[Meedleyx10]

I was able to witness an "anonymous" group protesting the church of scientology in the twin cities last year on my way to school. My school put in a bid on the building right across the street from their current building so they could expand, but the Scientologists came in at the very last second and outbid us. On my way to school, one of the protesters ( i don't know if he was with the anonymous group or not...no mask) came up to me and asked if I would like to hear about why they are protesting. I had time to kill so I listened to his rant (most of which I had heard before and mostly agree with), but he ended it with, "and they are using this spot in downton st. paul to drill into the Earth's crust and release excess heat into the atmostphere to start eliminating their opposers". I walked away.

 

[noble savage]

I was able to witness an "anonymous" group protesting the church of scientology in the twin cities last year on my way to school. My school put in a bid on the building right across the street from their current building so they could expand, but the Scientologists came in at the very last second and outbid us. On my way to school, one of the protesters ( i don't know if he was with the anonymous group or not...no mask) came up to me and asked if I would like to hear about why they are protesting. I had time to kill so I listened to his rant (most of which I had heard before and mostly agree with), but he ended it with, "and they are using this spot in downton st. paul to drill into the Earth's crust and release excess heat into the atmostphere to start eliminating their opposers". I walked away.

Did I understand this correctly? Scientologists want to drill a hole in the Earth, release heat and kill people who oppose them, while most likely killing themselves in the process?

 

[Meedleyx10]

According to that guy...yes.

 

[noble savage]

I guess that's funny, right?

 

[Meedleyx10]

At the time, I was struggling to decide whether to laugh, *facepalm* and groan, or run.

 

[progmetaldan]

I was able to witness an "anonymous" group protesting the church of scientology in the twin cities last year on my way to school. My school put in a bid on the building right across the street from their current building so they could expand, but the Scientologists came in at the very last second and outbid us. On my way to school, one of the protesters ( i don't know if he was with the anonymous group or not...no mask) came up to me and asked if I would like to hear about why they are protesting. I had time to kill so I listened to his rant (most of which I had heard before and mostly agree with), but he ended it with, "and they are using this spot in downton st. paul to drill into the Earth's crust and release excess heat into the atmostphere to start eliminating their opposers". I walked away.

We had some of those anonymous protestors come into the music store (all wearing masks etc.), cos they needed a guitar strap for the guitar he was playing in their protest... They told us all about it, and then he had to take off his mask to try the strap on so I laughed at him...

Chick Corea is a scientologist...

 

[J-Dubya 777]

Billy Sheehan is also a Scientologist.

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Nothing wrong with a little pedophelia. he's just trying to keep up with the catholics.

GGGGOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLL!

That sounds like it would be exhausting work! Haha

Double bonus points! Have you heard Stanhopes religious rants? "...and I haven't even gotten to the kidfucking yet..."

 

[Kenneth R.]

Chick Corea and Billy Sheehan??!? WTF

 

[Meedleyx10]

Chick Corea is a scientologist...

Yep...and here's scott henderson to tell you all about it:

Now you got it. Nothing to do with music though. It's about how tired I am of hearing about Scientologists and Christians and Jews and Muslims and all the other people who've grouped together over the centuries under the misguided and ridiculous belief that they know what's going to happen to them after they die, and that their way of living is the superior and only way. Especially when their beliefs lead to violence, and you can look in any history book for the number of deaths due to wars associated with organized religion. Or just watch the news. And don't get me started on the guys who say they're the vessel that God plays through. From what I've heard from most of those guys, I'd say if God's playing your guitar, can you please ask him to play some hipper solos? My personal belief is that there probably is a God or creator out there somewhere. He (or she) gave me a brain and I try my best to use it. It tells me that Scientology is a ruthless scam that preys on the weak minded and there's certainly no such thing as a thetan, anymore than there is a tribble. Nobody got to fuck a bunch of virgins for flying airplanes into buildings, and nobody will be thrown into hell for playing rock n' roll in night clubs, drinking whiskey, and chasing titties around. Except for Jimmy Swaggart. So, to answer your question, I'd play with Chick again only while hanging out my dick and pissing on a poster of L. Ron Hubbard.

and from a bit later:

When Jean-Luc Ponty was looking for a guitarist for a tour, he asked Allan first and Allan recommended me, so it's a true story but wrong band leader. If that also happened with Chick, I never heard about it. I doubt if Chick asked Allan to play with him because Allan is famous for his beer drinking - the first thing Chick asked me was "do you drink or smoke pot?" I said no but should have said not that much.

We didn't get along well on the road and I was fired after two tours. On a personal level, I don't like organized religion and that certainly includes Scientology, so my lifestyle and beliefs were in direct conflict with Chick and his crew. I'd heard about some of the things he'd asked of previous musicians so I was expecting to have to deal with some Scientologyisms, but I was surprised when he told me not to have sex with girls in the audience after the gig because it degrades the music. I thought that anyone who would say something like that must be completely nuts, regardless of how well they play. I don't actually believe that Scientologists are crazy, just brainwashed in a creepy Ned Flanders kind of way.

On a working level we didn't get along either. At that time I was using a stereo rig and was used to standing in the middle of it to get my tone. When I soloed, Chick insisted that I walk out 20 feet to the front of the stage to strut for the audience, which I took to be a Vegas mentality. I told him that I couldn't hear myself up there and that I don't play as well when I'm not in control of my sound - he responded by saying "your perception of how you sound isn't as important as how the band looks to the audience." After that I just couldn't take his band concepts seriously anymore. I heard they were doing dance steps after I left the band....As many of Chick's fans know, he has a commercial side, no doubt another influence of Scientology, and during that time period I guess it was that side of him I was working for. After awhile I just refused to cooperate and was eventually fired. But regardless of how I feel about Chick as a Scientologist band leader, I still have great respect for him as an extremely talented musician. I'm glad our troubles weren't about music, because I know he liked my playing even if he didn't like my attitude. On a funny note, when I told Jean-Luc Ponty that I was going to take the gig with Chick, he laughed out loud and said "you??" and walked away. I didn't understand at the time what he thought was so funny - apparently he knew that I was a Scientologist's nightmare. Chick hired me a couple years later to play on a movie score he was doing and it was nice that there didn't seem to be any hard feelings or anything. I certainly don't have any - but I wouldn't allow myself to get into another situation where I can't be myself.

From what I understand he's not the only disgruntled former Chick Corea band member either.

 

[noble savage]

I think I'm more in love with Scott Henderson now than after I first heard Illicit.

 

[DoomsdayZach]

Sorry to get off subject, but I banned someone on the other forum today... same guy i was bitching about months ago! It's only a 30 day ban for sure, possibly permanent IP ban. It was AWESOME!

Jax, do you feel like this when i've been banned? Because it's the best ever...

 

[progmetaldan]

I'd say if God's playing your guitar, can you please ask him to play some hipper solos?

I lol'd at that...

It's interesting, because Chick Corea's 'To The Stars' is basically a instrumental concept album of Ron Hubbard's book of the same name, and I love that music... Its also interesting, because John Patitucci, who has been the bass player in his Elektric and Akoustic bands for years is a professing Christian, I'd be interested to know how they get on... I'm sure from that point of view they wouldn't have conflict about all the drinking, having sex with the audience business, but just from a theology/belief system point of view...

 

[progmetaldan]

Funny quote from a guy on the Planet X forum, talking about how Brett Garsed nearly dug himself into a hole in regards to the topic of Chick Corea and scientology...

At Brett Garsed's last gig, he had just finished playing a cover by Chick Corea, when he said something along these lines, "Ok, that was Kingdom of the 7th Empire, by Chick Corea, great song by a great man, who is also a scientologist. Not sure if he made that one because he's a scientologist or not, but hey, if that's what becoming a scienologist can do, well I'm not going to criticise it... Maybe we could all learn something from it...."

You could tell that he sensed he should stop there and continue playing. Hilarious moment. That's not a direct quote btw, just the gist of what he said in a collection of loose statements. One of those times when you want to make a light hearted comment and realise that you just can't about some things..

 

[noble savage]

I lol'd at that...

It's interesting, because Chick Corea's 'To The Stars' is basically a instrumental concept album of Ron Hubbard's book of the same name, and I love that music... Its also interesting, because John Patitucci, who has been the bass player in his Elektric and Akoustic bands for years is a professing Christian, I'd be interested to know how they get on... I'm sure from that point of view they wouldn't have conflict about all the drinking, having sex with the audience business, but just from a theology/belief system point of view...

I think the Scientology well of musicians is running dry, so he has to get normal people to play for him. Good thing I'm not good enough to get offered a job with him because I would probably say something so offensive that it would get me killed by Scientologists.

 

[progmetaldan]

I think the Scientology well of musicians is running dry, so he has to get normal people to play for him. Good thing I'm not good enough to get offered a job with him because I would probably say something so offensive that it would get me killed by Scientologists.

Probably...

That's why all the protestors wear masks, so they don't get their identities found out, and then harrassed later on by the scientolist hitmen...