I watched the HBO documentary “Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief” this weekend.

Wow did I learn some things.

Aside from the obvious (Scientologists are crazies), here’s what I learned:

1. Religions are a lucrative business. Similar to TM.
2. Money and power can cause destructive paranoia (similar to the inevitable fall of movie-depicted mobsters).
3. Taking through your fears can be cathartic.
4. “I’ve already paid” is enough for people to proceed despite better judgement.
5. Belief is a force to be reckoned with.
6. People are lonely.
7. People are scared.
8. People need hope.
9. Paying for the rights to a secret and being asked to keep it is a sign you’re being duped.
10. After watching footage of L. Ron Hubbard, I’m really interested in what Jesus, Muhammad and other religion starters were like pre-holiness.
11. I’m obsessed with living forever and am pretty sure starting a religion is the best way to do that. But, I’m not going to do that because…
12. Forever isn’t a real thing since the universe, too, inevitably dies. (I didn’t learn that from the movie, but #11 combined with this video is a good reminder to live a life of love.)

Eye-opening movie for anyone interested in entrepreneurship, religion, or Tom Cruise or John Travolta.