Scientology. Please explain.
Moderators: Ganzo, Dictators in Training
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Jay
Scientology. Please explain.
What's the deal with Scientology? I mean the actual belief and system surrounding it. Not "it's fucking gay and stupid and they suck at life". I don't know anything about it and everytime I look it up the explaination is 20 pages long. Can anyone summarize this?
Well, the first thing you should know was that it was created as part of a bet between 2 science fiction authors, L Ron Hubbard and Robert Heinlein. Apparently, they had a bet between them as to who could found their own unique religion first. Hubbard won, with Scientology. The Heinlein church does exist, it's called the Church of All Worlds, but Scientology is significantly more popular.
Scientology is actually pretty scary. They have been known to go all-out to destroy public figures who go against them. For example, the Cult Awareness Network, a group to help families who had family members join cults, called Scientology the most dangerous cult in America. Scientology ran them bankrupt with a continual barrage of one lawsuit after another, and then showed up at the bankruptcy proceedings to buy the rights to the name and the client list.
It's long, but a Time Magazine exposee is at: http://www.xenu.net/archive/media/time910605.html
Basically, at the high levels you're taught about the Evil Galactic Overlord Xenu who banished spirits to earth 75 million years ago, etc. (no, I really didn't make that up.) Of course, to reach those levels, you're paying out checks on the order of $30,000 a session...
Hubbard himself spent the last 5-6 years of his life living on a yacht in international waters because he was wanted on a criminal warrant from the IRS for tax evasion and fraud. He died in 86 before he could be brought to trial.
-Arlos
Scientology is actually pretty scary. They have been known to go all-out to destroy public figures who go against them. For example, the Cult Awareness Network, a group to help families who had family members join cults, called Scientology the most dangerous cult in America. Scientology ran them bankrupt with a continual barrage of one lawsuit after another, and then showed up at the bankruptcy proceedings to buy the rights to the name and the client list.
It's long, but a Time Magazine exposee is at: http://www.xenu.net/archive/media/time910605.html
Basically, at the high levels you're taught about the Evil Galactic Overlord Xenu who banished spirits to earth 75 million years ago, etc. (no, I really didn't make that up.) Of course, to reach those levels, you're paying out checks on the order of $30,000 a session...
Hubbard himself spent the last 5-6 years of his life living on a yacht in international waters because he was wanted on a criminal warrant from the IRS for tax evasion and fraud. He died in 86 before he could be brought to trial.
-Arlos
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Jay
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Jay
Scientology is the study and handling of the spirit in relationship to itself, others and all of life. The religion comprises a body of knowledge extending from certain fundamental truths. Prime among these:
Man is an immortal, spiritual being. His experience extends well beyond a single lifetime. His capabilities are unlimited, even if not presently realized — and those capabilities can be realized. He is able to not only solve his own problems, accomplish his goals and gain lasting happiness, but also achieve new, higher states of awareness and ability.
In Scientology no one is asked to accept anything as belief or on faith. That which is true for you is what you have observed to be true. An individual discovers for himself that Scientology works by personally applying its principles and observing or experiencing results
fwiw
Man is an immortal, spiritual being. His experience extends well beyond a single lifetime. His capabilities are unlimited, even if not presently realized — and those capabilities can be realized. He is able to not only solve his own problems, accomplish his goals and gain lasting happiness, but also achieve new, higher states of awareness and ability.
In Scientology no one is asked to accept anything as belief or on faith. That which is true for you is what you have observed to be true. An individual discovers for himself that Scientology works by personally applying its principles and observing or experiencing results
fwiw
Jay as long as you aren't the type to take every written word you read as absolute truth Dianetics is worth reading as mental junk food if you will. It puts forth some interesting ideas.
Scientology is a form of spirituality, a religion if you will although I hesitate to use the word religion due to the connotation it brings in looking to a higher power. Scientology from what I've seen tends to look more inward and focus on the mind. I'll submit to you that virtually every form of spirituality in some essence brushes upon altering yourself or the world through a non physical method. Be it prayer to a higher power or meditation of some sort delving deep within, it's all about touching something intangible in an effort to help the human condition.
That Scientology's origins were suspect does not mean that it doesn't truly work for some people. In the end be it through internal mental reflection, communion with a divine greater power, or meticulous study of the universe people seek to understand and via this understanding influence the world around them. The problem is we all get so wrapped up in what individually works best for us that we tend to become at least on some level intolerant of that which works for others, especially if it doesn't work for ourselves.
There is of course no small truth to what others have charged here, that Scientology is used to scam people, this of course can be charged in many other areas of human spirituality... which in reality is a general trend of people taking a good idea and perverting it for power and wealth to their own end, a charge which can generally be levied at any major and most minor forms of ideology.
Scientology is a form of spirituality, a religion if you will although I hesitate to use the word religion due to the connotation it brings in looking to a higher power. Scientology from what I've seen tends to look more inward and focus on the mind. I'll submit to you that virtually every form of spirituality in some essence brushes upon altering yourself or the world through a non physical method. Be it prayer to a higher power or meditation of some sort delving deep within, it's all about touching something intangible in an effort to help the human condition.
That Scientology's origins were suspect does not mean that it doesn't truly work for some people. In the end be it through internal mental reflection, communion with a divine greater power, or meticulous study of the universe people seek to understand and via this understanding influence the world around them. The problem is we all get so wrapped up in what individually works best for us that we tend to become at least on some level intolerant of that which works for others, especially if it doesn't work for ourselves.
There is of course no small truth to what others have charged here, that Scientology is used to scam people, this of course can be charged in many other areas of human spirituality... which in reality is a general trend of people taking a good idea and perverting it for power and wealth to their own end, a charge which can generally be levied at any major and most minor forms of ideology.
Raymond S. Kraft wrote:The history of the world is the history of civilizational clashes, cultural clashes. All wars are about ideas, ideas about what society and civilization should be like, and the most determined always win.
Those who are willing to be the most ruthless always win. The pacifists always lose, because the anti-pacifists kill them.
Yea I saw the part about it being made off a bet Tikker. I'm just throwing it out there. My next question Jay already asked, how can so many credible people follow it? It makes you wonder what it's really all about underneath all of the half truths.
I must say that the above paragraph actually sounds really intriguing. In that article from Time magazine it sounded like the IRS bashed heads with the Scientology Cult, but to me I don't think thats necessarily a bad thing because I feel the IRS is very evil and crooked.
I'm sure maybe parts of it are whack and steals peoples money under the pretense they can "buy" themselves a better afterlife, but thats nothing new. Nothing pisses me off more than those fake ass evangelist that grab people by their head, throw them to the ground and claim they are cured of all illness. And then politely ask for all the money the person can give =p
Allow me to introduce you to the devil : http://www.jsm.org/
and :http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimmy_Swaggart
Tikker wrote:Scientology is the study and handling of the spirit in relationship to itself, others and all of life. The religion comprises a body of knowledge extending from certain fundamental truths. Prime among these:
Man is an immortal, spiritual being. His experience extends well beyond a single lifetime. His capabilities are unlimited, even if not presently realized — and those capabilities can be realized. He is able to not only solve his own problems, accomplish his goals and gain lasting happiness, but also achieve new, higher states of awareness and ability.
In Scientology no one is asked to accept anything as belief or on faith. That which is true for you is what you have observed to be true. An individual discovers for himself that Scientology works by personally applying its principles and observing or experiencing results
fwiw
I must say that the above paragraph actually sounds really intriguing. In that article from Time magazine it sounded like the IRS bashed heads with the Scientology Cult, but to me I don't think thats necessarily a bad thing because I feel the IRS is very evil and crooked.
I'm sure maybe parts of it are whack and steals peoples money under the pretense they can "buy" themselves a better afterlife, but thats nothing new. Nothing pisses me off more than those fake ass evangelist that grab people by their head, throw them to the ground and claim they are cured of all illness. And then politely ask for all the money the person can give =p
Allow me to introduce you to the devil : http://www.jsm.org/
and :http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimmy_Swaggart
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kinghooter00
- Captain Google
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Tikker wrote:Minrott wrote:Xenu put us all on a mountain and blew it up with hydrogen bombs. I mean c'mon, how can you not believe that happened?
it's not really less likely to have happened than any other religion
There is no fucking way you believe that.
How do you like this spoiler, motherfucker? -Lyion
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Jay
Harrison wrote:Tikker wrote:Minrott wrote:Xenu put us all on a mountain and blew it up with hydrogen bombs. I mean c'mon, how can you not believe that happened?
it's not really less likely to have happened than any other religion
There is no fucking way you believe that.
I think what Mr. Tikker is trying to say is that Xenu, evil galactic overlord, blowing up stuff with H bombs holds as much water as God creating earth and it's inhabitants in 7 days and wielding supreme power and being somewhat selective on who gets to kick it with him in heaven after death.
Jay wrote:Harrison wrote:Tikker wrote:Minrott wrote:Xenu put us all on a mountain and blew it up with hydrogen bombs. I mean c'mon, how can you not believe that happened?
it's not really less likely to have happened than any other religion
There is no fucking way you believe that.
I think what Mr. Tikker is trying to say is that Xenu, evil galactic overlord, blowing up stuff with H bombs holds as much water as God creating earth and it's inhabitants in 7 days and wielding supreme power and being somewhat selective on who gets to kick it with him in heaven after death.
And I agree with him.
Apologies for dredging up a 9 month old thread, but the forum didn't seem like it would suffer as a result of me posting this and bringing it to the top:
http://theunfunnytruth.ytmnd.com/
(apologies if this is a repost)
http://theunfunnytruth.ytmnd.com/
(apologies if this is a repost)
Lyion wrote:If Hillary wins Texas and Ohio, she'll win the nomination.
Tossica wrote:Seriously, there is NO WAY Sony is going to put HD-DVD out of the game.
join the club! 
This will cheer you up!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wi3IK-6tiQA
then this will spook you again:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPol_m8wm8Y
This will cheer you up!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wi3IK-6tiQA
then this will spook you again:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPol_m8wm8Y
Lyion wrote:If Hillary wins Texas and Ohio, she'll win the nomination.
Tossica wrote:Seriously, there is NO WAY Sony is going to put HD-DVD out of the game.
Re: Scientology. Please explain.
I hope Katie Holmes is ok
Re:
Arlos wrote:Well, the first thing you should know was that it was created as part of a bet between 2 science fiction authors, L Ron Hubbard and Robert Heinlein. Apparently, they had a bet between them as to who could found their own unique religion first. Hubbard won, with Scientology.
-Arlos
That in itself should tell you it's all a crock of shit.