system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
ELI5: If L Ron Hubbard was such an experienced Sci Fi writer prior to Scientology, why are the themes in Scientology often a bit "goofy" even from a realistic science fiction standpoint

Im trying to avoid breaking rule 7 here, but I guess thats a question I've always had. Here you have this guy whos written tons of Science Fiction books, but his big crowning achievement of Scientology has a bit of a.. silly "plot" Even in book format I think many people would say "Oh well thats lame". So maybe I don't know enough about him, science, or Scientology, but is there kind of a definitive explination to why the whole Xenu/Volcano People thing is.. less than convincing for the average person?
gpt
"Experienced" does not necessarily mean "good". Hubbard has never been considered a particularly good writer by most people who read sci fi, except for scientologists who, admittedly, have to be brainwashed into thinking it.

He was creative, sure, but that also doesn't mean you're actually good. But hey, people have to believe something, sometimes. And scientology does a good job of hiding their wacky Xenu beliefs until after you're so far in that you're either brainwashed and already falling for it, or too financially or emotionally invested in it to back out so easily. And when you do anyways they threaten you and send people to your house to harass you so you stay quiet about it.