The similarities between Scientology and Training in Power have to do with common cult practices.  Both groups claim to know 'The Truth', both have an intricate belief system revealed through incremental levels, both enforce a fixed fundamentalism through specific language, expectations of behavior and fear of disagreement, both have an us/them camaraderie that excludes outsiders, both reveal to people, after years of investment, secret knowledge to do with space beings and being part of a special universal force that will save the Earth. 

 

Both groups have typical cult methods to deflect and deny accountability; questioning the group's doctrine or practices is not allowed.  Followers of both Scientology and Training in Power are manipulated into thinking that if they aren’t seeing or believing what everyone else is seeing or believing, if they disagree with a teaching or teacher, they are not doing enough, they are in resistance, they need to fix themselves by taking more courses or doing more healing work with the group.  The result of this is that people tend to act like believers even though they don't really see what others say they see, thus the group doctrine and group illusion is maintained.    

 

One of the best descriptions I've heard of how Scientology (and Training in Power) manipulates people is by Mark Bunker.  Watch his video Scientology: Comparing Myths
 in which he answers the question: "Don't all religions have some things that outsiders would view as silly?" 

 

You can see all of Mark's informative videos at his website at XenuTV 

 

Tory Christman was a high level member of Scientology for 30 years and does a great job of exposing in several YouTube videos.  Scientology: Tory Speaks in Santa Barbara Part 2 describes deflection of accountability by laying blame on people who disagree or question.  I recommend watching her other videos either on YouTube or on Mark's site. 

 

Both Scientology and Training in Power originated from charismatics who created a fixed doctrine.  Both are as evangelical as the most conservative religious groups, only this fact is hidden until you reach upper levels. Here is an extreme example from another charismatic leader, Benny Hinn, an evangelist from Toronto, to give a feeling of the incredible power of belief that both Scientology and Training in Power create.  This comes from a CBC article exposing Benny Hinn called Do You Believe in Miracles at CBC. 

 

Within this exposé is a Master's thesis by Justin Peters exposing Hinn as a false prophet and pathological liar. As for his evangelical healing practices, Peters describes dejected parents, after being convinced to donate to Hinn's cause for healing, carrying their unhealed crippled children out of the church, believing they just don't have enough faith.  To quell doubt, Scientology and Training in Power both lay blame on followers for not believing enough.  

 

Both groups feed on people’s hopes and dreams with the promise of great secrets revealed and supernatural power. Every course gets you closer to fulfillment of the promise, which is always above you. It is the part of us that wants the brass ring, the big prize, the secret knowledge and ultimate nirvana, that doesn’t want to fail and that is manipulated by these groups through doctrine and group think.  In order to not fail, the brainwashed mind must deny doubt.  

 

Those who do begin to break the spell for whatever reason begin to ask the right questions. In this exciting educational, spiritual, psychological group am I healthier than ever, richer in spirit, enriched with tools that help my career and family experience? Am I in increasingly in better emotional shape, financial shape, more connected and happy in life? Am I fulfilling my own path? When one realizes that the promised precepts of both Scientology and Training in Power are arbitrary and manipulative, they must leave knowing they will be dropped and/or become an enemy of those in the group.  If you're not unquestionaly for us, you're against us.     

Both groups preach that you are special and were “chosen” to bring this knowledge to the world, appealing to ego and life purpose.  They state it is your free will to participate in this special work.  But ex-members who wake up know they never gave their free will or consent to be manipulated.  One could say, buyer beware, but the truth of the faulty goods are hidden from your awareness for years, and when you do find out, the spiritual and emotional cost is painful.  

I have no personal experience with Scientology, yet I hear the same story from their ex-members as I hear about and personally experienced in Training in Power. I think of all those I know who were shamed, humiliated, accused of theft, berated in classes or meetings in front of others and then left, without fanfare, alone, haunted by the hypnotic "fallen"  failure message, even if they knew better. Training in Power’s system of love and light, so seductive and beautiful at first, is really spiritual rape, and this is what it has in common with Scientology.