The Mystery of Scientology
One of the world’s most unique religions is that of Scientology. Known around the world, thanks to prominent celebrity members such as Tom Cruise and Nancy Cartwright, very little is understood about what really goes on behind its closed doors.
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We do know Scientology has beliefs, such as reincarnation, that are similar to other modern religions. However, they also have a vast amount of secret texts that speak of extraterrestrial cultures and a 70 million-year-old alien ruler known as Xenu.
The World's Most Controversial Religion
While the religion is fairly secretive when it comes to its doctrine, former members have spoken of the extensive fees involved in joining. According to the sources, the founder of Scientology, L. Ron Hubbard, believes traumatic events cause what’s called an ‘engram’ in one’s mind.
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In order to remove such ‘engrams,’ members of the church must partake in an activity known as an audit. Each session requires a fee, and it can often take several years of payments before a member achieves the status of “clear.”
Cult-Based Mentality
The members of The Church of Scientology have received their fair share of criticism over the years. But in return, the members will harass those who scrutinize their belief system and take to both the street and social media to do so.
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With so much public interest in Scientology, it makes sense that certain modern-day influencers have tried their best to get a peek into what really goes on inside the church. One such tik-toker known as @reckless_ben was able to sneak in and record a service.
The Man Brave Enough to Infiltrate
Reckless_Ben is best known for his TikTok page, which is full of hilarious videos and an array of pranks that have amassed him quite the following.
Source: @reckless_ben/TikTok
However, he decided to up the ante and try and work his way inside one of the world’s most secretive churches. He was able to accomplish this by signing up to participate in Scientology’s “Confession” program.
A Master of Disguise
In a TikTok video, he discusses the unusual incident that occurred during the confession program. But what really caught the attention of his fans was when he attended a Sunday service wearing a pair of sunglasses that had a hidden camera in them.
Source: @reckless_ben/TikTok
Ben went on to capture fairly bizarre footage of just exactly what occurs during your average Sunday session inside the Scientologist church, and to some, the evidence is rather startling.
You Can Check Out But You Can Never Leave?
The video begins with a man standing behind a podium. The very first words that come out of his mouth are, “Welcome to Sunday Service. All you have to do is follow the commands.”
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Such a sentence sent alarm bells ringing off in people’s ears. Many of the people who continued to watch the entirety of the clip agreed that the whole service seemed more like a brainwashing session than a religious gathering
An Expert’s Opinion on What Is Really Happening
One viewer who watched Ben’s video just so happened to be a psychologist and decided to leave a comment under the post, shedding light on the brainwashing nature of the church.
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He said, “What people may not realize is that by repeating an already completed task, it creates a sense of buy-in and investment. Then when he says something … like ‘come next week’ you come. It takes years but it’s how cults or really any extremist recruitment goes. Small to large investments over a long time.”
The Prankster Strikes Again
In a separate video, Ben played another prank on a Scientology location by setting up a light source that projected the word “s**cks” onto the outer wall of the building under the word Scientology.
Source: @Reckless_Ben/TikTok
This gag earned him millions of views on his TikTok channel. However, while many saw it as a simple yet effective prank on one of America’s most unusual religions, others have spoken about a major concern for the young content creator.
A Concern For Safety
Following the posting of the video, various members of the TikTok community were worried for Ben’s safety. One viewer went as far as to write, “Not all heroes wear capes, but please be careful. They will try to hurt you.”
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Scientologists have long been defending their beliefs and practices in the media, and while Ben’s video is one of many, there could certainly be some backlash for the TikToker.