Scientology: A cult? A joke?

After recieving several warning on another forum for badmouthing Scientology, I must ask the members of RF for their ideas on this supposed religion. My current understanding is that it is a cult that demands money and secrecy from its members. The mythology and doctrines I've heard, if they are true, are completely ridiculous and absurd.
If this an actual, credible religion, then I apologize, but thus far everything I've read and heard about it confirms the idea that it is an idiotic, and possibly dangerous, cult.

I'm with you here dude. It's all rediculous, but if people will fall for it, they probably deserve it.

Operation Clambake for the win. http://www.xenu.net

I wouldn't say it is any more ridiculous than believing a god created the world in a week, or that the bible contains hidden codes, or that rocks and trees have spirits.

If people want to spend there money on it, then it's there choice. The only thing i'm concerned about with Scientology are the allegations of abusing members who want to leave.

I guess all religious organizations fit loose descriptions of cults. what is most unsettling about scientology is its demand for people's money and time and the way it strains family relations. Religions should bring people together, not encourage them to break away.

Zephyr said:

I'm with you here dude. It's all rediculous, but if people will fall for it, they probably deserve it.

Operation Clambake for the win. http://www.xenu.net

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That sounds a tad cynical , if you don't mind my saying so; some people - I have no doubt - believe it to be genuine; being duped is hardly a reason for thinking "If they fall for it, they probably deserve it"..........

Real Sorceror said:

After recieving several warning on another forum for badmouthing Scientology, I must ask the members of RF for their ideas on this supposed religion. My current understanding is that it is a cult that demands money and secrecy from its members. The mythology and doctrines I've heard, if they are true, are completely ridiculous and absurd.
If this an actual, credible religion, then I apologize, but thus far everything I've read and heard about it confirms the idea that it is an idiotic, and possibly dangerous, cult.

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No different from any other religion then no?

darkpenguin said:

No different from any other religion then no?

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They are called a church for tax purposes, but it is not a religious group.

My experience: I was curious, had an interview, was given an IQ test and was told about the basics of Scientology...it is a self psychology exploration with a determination to attain CLEAR thinking...the courses cost money...in my case, I don't know if they thought I was a hopeless cause or too CLEAR already...but no courses were suggested...I still occasionally get literature from them.

If one's thinking is screwed up, IMHO, they may be cheaper than long term psychiatric care.

Scientology: A cult? A joke?
I could find out for you but the truth is I just can't afford it.

cardero said:

Scientology: A cult? A joke?
I could find out for you but the truth is I just can't afford it.

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How whacko are you? They thought I was a lost cause and that nothing they had would help me...they didn't even try to sign me up for their expensive CLEAR conditioning.

Real Sorceror said:

After recieving several warning on another forum for badmouthing Scientology, I must ask the members of RF for their ideas on this supposed religion. My current understanding is that it is a cult that demands money and secrecy from its members. The mythology and doctrines I've heard, if they are true, are completely ridiculous and absurd.
If this an actual, credible religion, then I apologize, but thus far everything I've read and heard about it confirms the idea that it is an idiotic, and possibly dangerous, cult.

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Attaching labels such as "cult" or "a joke" usually says more about the one labeling than it does about the group labeled.

PeaceSeeker said:

How whacko are you?

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Call me curiously crazy but I find Scientology interesting. Taking in consideration everything I read, nothing could prepare me until I realized what Scientology can provode for my life firsthand.

PeaceSeeker writes:They thought I was a lost cause and that nothing they had would help me...they didn't even try to sign me up for their expensive CLEAR conditioning.

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Therein lies the rub. In order to get a sound understanding of the religion one has to contribute to costly auditing procedures. I just don't have the funds.

The Church of Scientology is a dangerous organization, or so former members say. Call it a cult or not according to your taste and personal definitions, just focus on what the organization does.


eudaimonia,

Mark

cardero said:

The organization actually does provide public services. They seem to have formed a valid religious status by providing community aid.

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That makes them a charity, not a religion.

When compared to other religions, it can be difficult to see a difference.

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I personally see a big difference based on what I've read online.

I don't see any point continuing this discussion. If anyone is interested, do the research and make up your own minds.


eudaimonia,

Mark

PeaceSeeker said:

They are called a church for tax purposes, but it is not a religious group.

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That is one thing that people overlook. Scientology only declared themselves a religion in the early 70's for the sole reason of having certain tax protections.

nutshell said:

Attaching labels such as "cult" or "a joke" usually says more about the one labeling than it does about the group labeled.

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Unfortunately, I tend to agree with you. I don't see the need to "bash" any other religion (or non-religion); if I don't personally like it, well, that's my "problem". Hitting out at groups does little except engender resentment.

Each to his own.......

nutshell said:

Attaching labels such as "cult" or "a joke" usually says more about the one labeling than it does about the group labeled.

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Unless of course it actually is a cult. As everyone has pointed out, you have to pay quite a lot of money just to learn about the supposed religion.
Also, their belief that deseases and disorders don't exist is a very, very dngerous idea.

Zephyr said:

I'm with you here dude. It's all rediculous, but if people will fall for it, they probably deserve it.

Operation Clambake for the win. http://www.xenu.net

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Wow. If I wasn't convinced before, I am now.

Personally, I tend to be suspicious of any religion that was founded as the result of a bet.

Bruce

Real Sorceror said:

Unless of course it actually is a cult. As everyone has pointed out, you have to pay quite a lot of money just to learn about the supposed religion.

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I can see your point, and would tend to be suspicious of anything that was 'designed' that way.

Also, their belief that deseases and disorders don't exist is a very, very dngerous idea.

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There may well be some truth in that - don't knock it.

Excluding fractures of bones from an accident, and other physical accidents, the mind is reponsible for a lot of ailments.

When you aren't happy, your immune systrem suffers; when that happens, you are far more at the mercy of viruses than you are when you are happy.

I have heard stories about cancer sufferers - now, I understand that the reason for the number of cancer sufferers is due to a surge in carciniogenic materials, and foodstuffs; however, the way a patient reacts to medication and cure is very much dependent on their mental attitude.

I have a book (which is not new - it was written at the beginning of the last century) - and it is in French (so I can't quote anything from it).:cover:

Basically, it examines the ailments of old age - that is one section of it.

To give an example - Loss of hearing (in the elderly) - sure, there are some who have had their hearing ruined by events (such as many soldiers from the two world wars whose hearing was damaged due to constant shelling) - well, my Dad was one of those.

But there are others, where it is suggested that they no longer like what they hear, and therefore the mind (acting as a safety mechanism) helps the person not hear as well as he/she used to ; the other common one was with eyesight degeneration; for the same reason - because the elderly don't really want to see what is going on.

I could go on, but that was the essense of the theory - and believe me, I can see some aspects of that type of "mechanism" in myself (not that I am elderly) - but in that my disabilities are - to a certain extent - explainable by my mental processes.