Scientology - religion or business? You decide! (America, mission, churches)

[darkpenguin]

I watched Panorama on the BBC last night and was shocked at the bullying tactics this religion use when they are being observed.

Here is the link to the episode:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/programmes/panorama/default.stm

Here is the backlash from the church of scientology:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9psX5...elated&search=

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g1iCI...elated&search=

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rtp1y...elated&search=

I must say that I find the paranoia within the religion very disturbing.


I was wondering what others views are on the videos and scientology in general!!!

[Terrywoodenpic]

I would go for more a scam. Certainly not a religion on UK definitions.

I find it hard to believe they are even a cult as they show almost no definable attributes of a religion let alone a cultish one. perhaps a criminal business scam would be nearest I can think of.

If you read the sticky about them on their forum this site you get some idea of what they are about.

I have watched them since they were invented by Ron Hubbard. He always said there was more money in religion than writing books.

I would like to see their secret books to find out where all the money goes... we know where most of it comes from... the people they scam.

As this is an American owned site,I suppose it has to be represented on this forum, they would soon send in the lawyers if it were not. But that does not mean all members have to agree that they are a religion.

[Bishka]

Originally Posted by darkpenguin

I was wondering what others views are on the videos and scientology in general!!!

Personally, this iks one of the VERY few faiths that I consider not a religion or cultish.

[GeneCosta]

The line separating business and religion was blurred way before Scientology. The mega-churches propping up pastors with handsome allowances come to mind. I don't think it's that different than any fundamentalist religion.

[Terrywoodenpic]

Originally Posted by GeneCosta

The line separating business and religion was blurred way before Scientology. The mega-churches propping up pastors with handsome allowances come to mind. I don't think it's that different than any fundamentalist religion.

I don't think that changes the situation.

Religions automatically have the benefits of a Charity in the USA.
To be a religion you only have to declare yourself to be one.
There is no test.

Until the USA sorts out this law and establishes a test under an independent commission as in the UK. Business scams will be able toset themselves up under the protection of religion... whether they are a mega church or a science fiction offshoot.

[lillitruthseeker]

i always thought that scientology was only for rich celebrity people --

[dogsgod]

It's for believers.

[!Fluffy!]

(from another thread)


Note interesting usage of the terms "bank" and "audit" in the organization (from the sticky on RF's scientology forum).

The "clearing" process is very time consuming and expensive, btw.

Quote:
The aim of auditing, according to the Church of Scientology, is to enable the preclear to recover awareness and volitional control of the material previously stored in his reactive mind. Critics of Scientology have claimed that an audit is, among other things, a gathering of material for blackmail in the case that a Clear should leave the religion. The Church of Scientology publicly denies this theory. However, it acknowledges that it keeps extensive archives of auditing records for every auditing session managed by the Church. These personal records of all Scientologists are called PC folders ("Preclear folders"), and the Church of Scientology states that these records are kept absolutely confidential. Critics and former members contest this claim. Numerous accounts are given by former members of Scientology, who claim that information from their PC folders are routinely used for purposes of blackmail and personal ruin.

-----------

There are many nightmarish personal accounts on the web:
http://www.rickross.com/reference/sc.../scien363.html
http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~dst/Library/S...eld/us-16.html

[!Fluffy!]

so really i think it goes way beyond a scam. These people own you when you sign on, followers are subjected to everything from forced labor to brainwashing, and being locked up is commonplace. Ex-followers have died under very suspicious circumstances, people have been kidnapped and abused, others have had their careers ruined, reputations ruined, families destroyed, and threats of violence and lawsuits are common Scientology tactics.

I read of at least one young girl (in Florida i think) who died as a result of starvation while being "secluded", another was repeatedly raped by her "counselor" over a period of two years. In both cases the scammers tried to bribe, threaten and cajole anyone involved into dropping charges and covering it up.

They have armories full of weaponry, and armies of lawyers, and banks full of money.

i'd say it's more like a combination mafia / mind-control cult.