Your first question of how they get celebrities to become Scientologists, is pretty simple. And it's probably what you were thinking. They basically take dead-aim. But not for the money. In fact ONLY someone from the "President's Office" is allowed to sell them ANYTHING in Scientology.
The "Office of the President" is a department of a specific church known as "Celebrity Centre International" or "CC Int" (yes, with the french spelling and all), located on an ungodly-valued property in Hollywood, CA. You can google it. The building looks like some place Daddy Warbucks would live. And while it is open to the general public, it's main purpose is to attract and service celebrities. Though they are kept completely out of sight.
The building has a special underground garage located directly underneath the public parking area. You must be cleared via security to enter it. The celebrity area of the church is can be reached this way. But only authorized personnel are allowed access. They even have an outdoor courtyard between the garage and the building, which has been shrouded in trees and various plants. And the only possible way you could view it, would be from the sky. It's actually a really nice set-up. Everything is extremely classy, from the furniture to the spa/gym where the "Purification Rundown" (hot sauna therapy) is done. They study in their own areas. The property already contains a 4-star restaurant and hotel, as well as a proper cafe. And last (but certainly not least), a slew of armed security, very similar to the secret service in style and design.
That is one function they primarily trust to experts in the field. See because let's say you were a small-arms specialist in the military (such as a navy seal), you aren't even allowed to receive scientology services due to the possibility of you being planted inside by the government or whoever could get to them. So yeah, they are there for one reason and one reason only... To stop anyone who comes looking for trouble, by ANY means available.
Just like Mario Majorski.
A guy who, in 2008 walked up to a group of those guards while dual-wielding katana swords. He never even made it out of the parking lot, where he was gunned down on the spot. And if I had to guess, I'd say he never meant to hurt anyone but himself. But what they won't tell you about Mario is the actual depth of his involvement with the church in the early 90's.
To me, there are two things that stand out about his history with the church.
#1. In 1990, Mario received some of the most expensive and "powerful" auditing sessions in Scientology, known as the "L-Rundowns" or "L's". These services are only available at the organization known as the "Flag Land Base", commonly referred to as "Flag". It was there, in the late 70's or early 80's where L Ron Hubbard first began this mega-church. And IT IS MEGA.
But mega-churches come with mega-prices. And it came with a price, both financial and moral. The first thing that was done was the offering of some "Advanced Services", not yet available to the public. Specifically the L's, of which there are three (L10, L11 and L12). The starting price these auditing sessions? At that time it was 10k per 12.5 hour package or "intensive". He did 2 of them (11 and 12). And I have NO clue how many intensives he had to buy to complete them. I'd say he spent at least 40 grand to get them done.
And just how do they sell people such lavish therapy? Simply by explaining to them that they can "be" (L12), "do" (L11) and "have" (L10) ANYTHING they want. That is, once they've finished the rundowns and unlocked the badass-within, they will never need worry about those issues again. And what a badass old Mario turned out to be, eh?
My favorite one would have to be L10. It's the one you do first. Keep in mind I never did any of that shit. But I mean, I have personally heard the most outrageous claims you can imagine as to it's effect. My favorite of these claims? There was a soap-opera actress who thought it was the sole reason she won a daytime Emmy. Not that it helped her acting at all. Just that she decided to "have" the award. And by this decision alone, they gave it to her? WTF? Funny how none of them have just "decided" to have the mega-lotto yet. What a joke.
Yeah. We are talking about some serious brainwashing here. And I'd just like to point out that, at the prices Mario was paying, along with the "red convertible" (unsure of make and model), which he drove to CC Int before being shot and killed... One would think that a pistol, in terms of affordability, would have been his first choice for a successful assassination or mass-homicide. If in fact that was the plan. You see where I'm going with this?
#2. I'll just quote this little tidbit I found on the net.
Majorski was a church member and student at UCLA in 1993 when he and a classmate sued a psychiatry professor and the university. The professor, Louis West, now deceased, was an expert on brainwashing and an outspoken critic of Scientology, which he dismissed as a "pyramid scheme." Suits filed in state and federal court accused West of activities, including speeches to anti-cult groups, that transgressed the separation of church and state and interfered with Majorski's practice of religion.
Both suits were dismissed, and court records indicate that Majorski's role was largely limited to providing his name as a plaintiff.
Majorski gave a quote about the matter to UCLA's Daily Bruin at the time, stating, "It is illegal and immoral for the University to provide tens of thousands of dollars of aid to West to try to destroy any religion. We intend to see that this is stopped." Records published in official Scientology magazines suggest that he had been taking courses at the church as early as 1990, and sleuths at Why We Protest have dug up some of his bankruptcy filings