I watched the last episode of Strange Angel. It's been an interesting two seasons that went in a direction I didn't see coming at first. Hard to believe how much I know about so much of this and entirely somehow missed some of the most interesting aspects of it. And then some.
I wasn't sure about this show until I realized that one of my lifetime favorite film directors, Ridley Scott was involved. So, I checked it out. It's certainly, well done, entertaining, disturbing, challenging at times and unusual. I first learned of Ridley as many did, with his release of maybe my favorite sci-fi film, Blade Runner. Because of that great film (and on the controversy of the two versions of the film, I love them both for different reasons),
I started following the late great actor Rutger Hauer after that film, too. Eventually, I got to interact with him online years later. At one point I was selected to be in a special book of fiction stories after he chose one of mine he said "had heart" (which was why I chose it) an said that was how he chose his film roles also.
There is more to that story but not for here. Besides, I've addressed it elsewhere. I looked back into Rutger's filmography and watched all his first films. Which led me to his first film, Turkish Delight, and another favorite director and friend of his, Paul Verhoeven (who eventually got to Hollywood to do Robocop and other top films). Which led mt to Paul's film, The 4th Man. Which led mt to actor, Jeroen Krabbé. And so it goes on.
I also went back to Ridley's first film, one of my top favorite period piece, The Duellists, with some great actors, Keith Carridine, Harvey Keitel, and others. Love that film. And now apparently Ridley's new project, "Blade Runner: Black Lotus", an anime TV series. Sadly, I'm not a fan of anime or cartoons as much as say, my adult children are.
All that being said now, and I'm trying to drag this out considering the spoiler so there's some text at the top here before it hits...
I did not know that sci fi author and founder of a ridiculous "religious" that has evolved into a monster... L Ron Hubbard. I read him as a child. I had no idea he had anything to do with Aleister Crowely's Thelema or Jack Parsons. Or that L Ron got his idea for starting a "religion" from Crowely. I remember reading I think it was his contemporary, Isaac Asimov saying when he and other Golden Age sci fi writers heard L Ron was going into the religion business, they all had to laugh about it. It's no joke now. A joke morphed into a ridiculous problem today.
But that explains so very damn much about the blight that is Scientology. Not that it's any more ridiculous than the conman Joeseph Smith founded and ridiculously named, Church of Latter-Day Saints, the Mormons.
I first read L Ron in the 1960s as a kid. I had to laugh, as I said, as many of his sci-fi author contemporaries did when I discovered years ago he had founded a ridiculous faux "religion" who eventually blackmailed their way into being a registered, "legitimate" US Government recognized religion and thus, tax-exempt.
Ludicrous. As are most churches in general, in being tax-exempt anymore. Especially with those who get into politics, who abuse our politics, who push politics when they are supposed to be focused on non-material issues of the mind and spirit. Which mostly is untrue and we have far better ways to deal with reality in these ethereal issues than make-believe pie in the sky anachronistic models from ancient and more ignorant times. But that is another matter for another time and one I've addressed many times before.
Scientology uses some pretty basic psychological principles and can be useful... up to a point. The point at which it turns into a ridiculous con, or a cult, or a money-making machine like many religions or churches and mega-churches, and even more so under recent Scientology leadership.
Like charleton and conman, David Miscavige, in the best sense of a Donald Trump, conman. If Trump goes into religion, we're screwed. At least his followers would be, much as they are now in a political sense. But again, another matter for another time that I've addressed many times before.
As with religion in general, you can always do far better using tried and true established psychological principals. Not to be fair that there are any set up in a church, congregant format to fully replace much of what a church would give you in the social aspects. So perhaps it is a moot point. But the far better potential is still there.
And anyone putting themselves between a person and an ethereal power is subject to abuse and being corrupted as power tends to do. More easily with some than others, more easily in some organizational formats than others.
But if you get the right therapist, and they are to be sure difficult to land on one who matches up with what you need they are far more useful to a human being. Applying therapy as a therapist, after the basics in helping a client, really is an art to apply. Too many practice it as rote and mechanical, when in reality it should be and is a fine art of psychological enhancement and self-actualization.
Getting back to old L. Ron Hubbard:
From Thelemapedia
"Lafayette Ron Hubbard was born in Tilden, Nebraska on 13 March 1911. He is better known as L. Ron Hubbard (and often referred to by his followers as LRH), was an American pulp fiction author and the founder of the Church of Scientology."
"While being discharged from the Navy, Hubbard met up with Jack Parsons in Pasadena, California. He started to read the works and writings of Aleister Crowley and started to engage with Parsons in various magickal practices.
"L. Ron Hubbard died in 1986. The autopsy revealed that he had Vistaril, a prescription anti-psychotic drug, injected into his butt. Before the coroner could do a more complete autopsy, the Church of Scientology took possession of his body, cremated him and buried him at sea."
About that last:
Hubbard suffered further ill-health, including chronic pancreatitis, during his residence at Whispering Winds. He suffered a stroke on January 17, 1986, and died a week later.[263][276] His body was cremated and the ashes were scattered at sea.[277] Scientology leaders announced that his body had become an impediment to his work and that he had decided to "drop his body" to continue his research on another planet,[278] having "learned how to do it without a body".[279]
Who should not take Vistaril?
low amount of magnesium in the blood.
low amount of potassium in the blood.
wide-angle glaucoma.
closed angle glaucoma.
a heart attack.
prolonged QT interval on EKG.
chronic heart failure.
abnormal EKG with QT changes from birth.
So...was Hubbard murdered? Probably.
Who would have done it?
Pretty obvious really...
As for Strange Angel? Watch it yourself.
It is if nothing else, still a Ridley Scott production.
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