Scientology

[JMP]

When I was much younger, I read L. Ron Hubbard's Dianetics, from cover to cover, and I can tell you that "Scientology" has nothing to do with science. I found the premise to be very arbitrary and contrived. Of course, I may have just not understood it.

[CessnaDriver]

http://www.southparkstudios.com/clips/104274/what-scientologist-actually-believe

[texan]

I used to work at a commercial printer who did a large volume of work for the Church of Scientology, I can first hand say they're a very secretive and wealthy organization who compartmentalize information so as to make the faith sound more 'normal' than it really is to new members.

As far as cult vs. religion, I don't see the distinction. I've only heard the terms be interchangeable in what the big/old group calls the little/new one. How many followers and years must a persistent faith be around before it graduates from cult to religion?

[iambrian]

i've driven through "gold base" quite a few times. Trippy the security they've got going on there. Lots of weird spots in scientology, twin peaks has one, happy valley, etc. I'm proud sp

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[Kappy]

The little research I've done on Scientology didn't yield anything good about it. From silent births to alien spirits, it really taxes my ability to take it seriously. If their church at least did some public good, I might rethink my position, but nothing came up.

[Kappy]

This site might help:

http://www.forum.exscn.net/forum.php?

[Joseph Lee]

"If you want to get rich, You start a religion."
---L. Ron Hubbard (11-07-1948)---

[Pally]

Years ago (mid '90s), a co-worker of mine joined and started to bring his "faith" to work. He brought Dianetics and Scientology literature to the office and somehow got our addresses and put us all on Scientology mailing lists! (What a jerk!!!).

He told me that he needed to raise $50k to work his way up the structure and reap the rewards (cash & fame). He also did purification drinks (never ate) and made sure he was "right" with all of his co-workers before he left, apologizing and such!

He was a bit of a slacker and fancied himself as some sort of celebrity by affiliating with the group in Hollywood. I felt sorry for him, I thought he was going through some kind of mid-life crisis.

[billofrights]

I saw an image once a few years ago that said "If you want to know what Christians, Jews, or Buddhists believe, walk into one of their places of worship and they'll tell you. If you want to know what Scientology believes, they'll tell you- after your check clears."

[Iknownot]

"Going Clear" by Lawrence Wright. (The author who wrote the Looming Tower about Al-Qaida).

Interesting read and gives a good background on L Ron Hubbard, the early church of Scientology and it's more recent history (as its beliefs have been exposed to the general populace).

[Fate]

They are not just a cult they are a Satanic cult that used Black Magic and Sex rituals.

Sex rituals? Hmm...maybe they're worth checking out afterall!

[Citadelgrad87]

I am no expert on Scientology even faith in general. I have read Getting Clear and a few articles. I try to avoid anything radically pro or anti, because that's so much noise.

I can say that this belief appears to be unusually tied to the financial contributions of members, and that it appears to intentionally conceal it's core beliefs, both from the general public and from people just getting involved. It's dispensed in dribs and drabs that from more fantastic as the person moves up the levels.

Based on what I understand the higher levels teach, it appears extremely bizarre to me, and many wonder how otherwise intelligent people can believe those things.

I wonder if it is as simple as people getting so financially and effort invested, coupled with an emperors new clothes pressure, that they almost have to stick with it, otherwise they not only walk away from all the money, time,mans effort, but frequently their own families.

There's an episode relayed in Getting Clear where a guys is ready to move up to a new level, and he is given a briefcase that's literally handcuffed to his wrist, and he's sent to read it. Iirc, it was some handwritten notes of Hubbard. He takes the case and expects to find enlightenment, and instead it's just gibberish. It was so nonsensical, he thought it was a test. He went back and the guy said "did you read it?" Yes, I read it. It makes no sense. The guy said you didn't understand it, read it again. He was thinking I did understand it, it's crap.

I think there's a lot of pressure from people they look up to to accept it all and treat it like some great secret.

[Gem1950]

[Kurus214]

I spent 6 years managing a part of a computer software company that was at the top levels run by Scientologists. They would park the run away 'kids' who had run away from the 'c-org' the central organization in my part of the business and I'd have to create make work for them. I friended a few and they would be kind enough to let me know they were running away - but for my own good would not tell me where or when. I thought at first it was a joke - but then found 'goons' at my door or waiting in my carport to ask me what I knew about the kid and where he might have gone.

[CessnaDriver]