Scientology. Please explain.

[Jay]

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?

[Arlos]

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

[Burgy99]

The american media is so Pro Christian I wouldn't be suprised if part of the negative publicity Scientology receives is because of exactly that.

Afterall, who doesn't love Tom Cruise?


And, the name Xenu would sound just as wierd as Jesus Christ if you didn't hear the word on a daily basis.

[Tikker]

you missed the part about it being created as a bet by a sci fi writer burgy

[Jay]

I wonder how the members can be so devout if that's the case. I mean, Tom Cruise isn't stupid (crazy maybe but..). John Travolta, Danny Masterson (Hyde from 70's Show), Chef... if it's so obviously false how can anyone buy into it that much? You think they are profitting from it?

[Jay]

Oh and I imagine I don't need to ask this but are there any real Scientologists on this board?

[Arlos]

I don't know, honestly. How did Jim Jones get all those hundreds of who had once been ordinary normal people to drink kool-aid with cyanide in it?

-Arlos

[Tikker]

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

[Lueyen]

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.

[Burgy99]

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.

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

[Minrott]

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?

[Tikker]

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

[kinghooter00]

Thats some crazy shit... We all should make up a religion...
I'll start writing... i'll keep you posted.

[Harrison]

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.

[Jay]

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.

[Zanchief]

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.

[araby]

I am very afraid of scientologists, and of this entire forum now. in fact as I type this I have the fear that they know about it and are coming for me. though they will be disappointed because I have no money.

[Ouchyfish]

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)

[araby]

that scared me.

[Ouchyfish]

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

[Kramer]

scient - ology

the scientific study of science

[Jennay]

I hope Katie Holmes is ok

[Diekan]

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.