"Smart people get sucked into this scam because it is very, very finely honed and thought out. Things are revealed on what is called "the gradient". The very beginning concept is some fairly interesting pop psychology about things in your past affecting things in your present, combined with basic courses on things like effective communication. Only much later are you introduced to the fact that your past includes past lives, and the space alien thing takes years to reveal. By that time you are so far in and deeply committed, not to mention you have confessed everything you've ever done to these guys, that is beyond embarrassing to quit now. Most people go until they realize it's a scam, others go farther and manage to pull out despite the fear of losing their eternity, a few get too deep to leave. It's all fine with the Scientology organization. They have a no refund policy. And many people are hesitant to criticize something they were fooled about and spent thousands and thousands of..." - Mike O'Connor