Scientology

[Gonz]

God speaks to them

 

[spike]

hmmmm... alien implants.... sounds about as plausible as immaculate conception.

Or talking snakes, burning bushes, and arks carrying every animal on earth.

 

[MrBishop]

The more that I read about Scientology, both from Scientology sites and anti-scientology sites..the closer the 'religion' comes to a cult, heavy into control and 'retraining'. (aka brainwashing).

It is truly a scary thing to read about and only gets scarier as you get more into it.

 

[Professur]

The more that I read about Scientology, both from Scientology sites and anti-scientology sites..the closer the 'religion' comes to a cult, heavy into control and 'retraining'. (aka brainwashing).

It is truly a scary thing to read about and only gets scarier as you get more into it.

Take one look at how Cruise acted on Oprah (it was oprah, wasn't it?). Brainwashing is an understatement.

 

[MrBishop]

Yeah...usually with brainwashing, you lie down on the couch...not jump over it.

Maybe one of the scientologists forgot to carry a 1 somewhere.

 

[Spirit]

Dude, you're thinking of Christian Scientists not Scientology.

That link does not provide any information stating thier stand on medical intervention. In saying that, perhaps you can explain where you get your knowledge on Scientology? I'd love to know what you know.

They don't worship Hubbard as a god-like figure as far as I know.

See.. I need to know how you know.

What I read on the internet is typically from either a disgruntled ex-Scientologist - so does that mean it's tainted information? Or from a radicalist who is hell-bent on damnifying anything remotely constrewed as a *religion*. I have read articles written by people who actually took out loans so they could stay in - or improve their status.

So - is it really a religion or is this, in fact, a cult? Depends on your definition of either, I suppose. Depends on how you interpret the definition.

And Spike: From everything I have read, they do worship L Ron. They hang pictures of him like Christians hang pics of Jesus.

However, if you can site otherwise, I'd love to read about it.

 

[chcr]

I want to know your thoughts on Scientology. I've been reading and reading and what I gather is it's just some freak who wanted to make up a religion for the money.

Xenu? Are you kidding me? Is this true?

What do you know about it?

L. Ron Hubbard (at one time a passable if overwordy science fiction writer) once said, "Writing is okay, but if you want to get rich, start a religion" and thus, he did.

My favorite explanation...

I should probably mention that I consider all religions science fiction and as such scientology isn't the wierdest (although it certainly is right up there).

 

[chcr]

But they worship L Ron as their.. *God*like firgure. I don't get that, I mean - he's just a writer with off the wall ideas.??

If he told his followers to take a lethal dose of something cuz the aliens told him it was time - would they?

They worship Xenu.

http://www.xenu.net/

 

[Spirit]

South Park... sigh.. they rock.

 

[chcr]

BTW, Elron's dead. Died in the mid-eighties.

 

[spike]

That link does not provide any information stating thier stand on medical intervention. In saying that, perhaps you can explain where you get your knowledge on Scientology? I'd love to know what you know.
See.. I need to know how you know.

What I read on the internet is typically from either a disgruntled ex-Scientologist - so does that mean it's tainted information? Or from a radicalist who is hell-bent on damnifying anything remotely constrewed as a *religion*. I have read articles written by people who actually took out loans so they could stay in - or improve their status.

So - is it really a religion or is this, in fact, a cult? Depends on your definition of either, I suppose. Depends on how you interpret the definition.

And Spike: From everything I have read, they do worship L Ron. They hang pictures of him like Christians hang pics of Jesus.

However, if you can site otherwise, I'd love to read about it.

As far as I know Scientologists don't have a stand on medical treatment so much.

Christian Scientists on the other hand are against medical treatment which was what highwayman was thinking of. Christian Scientists do "not rely on conventional medicine but holds that the ills of the flesh, including death itself, can be healed through prayer and faith in God".

What I know of Scientology is from my own research, reading Dianetics and a couple of Scientology books. I spent a couple years off and on reading about quite a few different religions.

While they may hang pictures of him from admiration since he founded Scientology I have never seen anything indicating that they worship him in a god-like way.

I also don't see it as a cult, but possibly it was a business venture. The focus of Scientology is really psychotherapy and not a worship type of thing.

 

[Spirit]

[snip]....I should probably mention that I consider all religions science fiction and as such scientology isn't the wierdest (although it certainly is right up there).

After reading this, I looked up the difference between a cult and a religion and I have to agree with you on this one. Hm.