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Is Scientology really that bad?
- Thread starter saraibyn
- Start date
Ben Dhyan
Veteran Member
How do you dispel myths about Scientology if you have not experienced being a Scientologist?
Here is a good resource to find out about Scientology, by people who have actually experienced it.... Ex Scientologist Message Board
EverChanging
Well-Known Member
You are abundantly transparent, you know.
leibowde84
Veteran Member
Yeah, it is absolutely terrible. Breaks up families, basically steals money and leaves people bankrupt, spreads destructive lies to children, and tries to ruin the lives of those who want to leave the church. Say what you will about the Catholic Church, but Scientology takes it to another level.
leibowde84
Veteran Member
What religions?
leibowde84
Veteran Member
Maybe you haven't gotten to that level yet.
leibowde84
Veteran Member
Yeah, but other religions don't have nearly as much a tendency and effort to ruin people's lives who disagree with them.
Erebus
Well-Known Member
This, more than anything else, is why I take issue with Scientology. As much as I dislike the money-grabbing, it's the harassment of detractors and those who leave that makes it a dangerous scam rather than your average morally bankrupt scam.
leibowde84
Veteran Member
Actually, anyone currently in the church will be biased and unreliable. "Apostates" as you call them (which certainly makes it seem like you are being dishonest about not being associated with the "church") provide the best view into the harmful aspects of scientology.
But, it is undeniable that they treat those who leave the church very badly, using intimidation as a weapon.
leibowde84
Veteran Member
Just as an anecdote, me and my buddy were in LA as tourists. We were taking some pictures outside the Scientology headquarters. Not of the building, but near it. Someone came up and tried to take my buddy's phone. My friend immediately punched the guy in the face, knocking him to the ground, as he thought he was stealing his phone. Turns out the guy was tasked by the church to stop anyone from taking pictures around the building.
I have never heard of a more ridiculous rule that scientologists have no right enforcing. Everyone who I've talked to who has left the church said it was all about money. No one still in it will talk about it. So, it is perfectly reasonable to see the church as pretty awful.
What I have seen of their doctrine makes it sound like they use a close variation of Kardecism's view on mental health and epistemology. Which is to say, a very damaging for of doctrination by peer pressure and avoidance of criticism.
Therefore, yes, it is truly worth keeping a distance from and discouraging away from existence, even leaving aside the matters of money and harassment of critics and former members.
Therefore, yes, it is truly worth keeping a distance from and discouraging away from existence, even leaving aside the matters of money and harassment of critics and former members.
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Satans_Serrated_Edge
Deicidal
OT3 ain't cheap dontchaknow.
Jeremiahcp
Well-Known Jerk
Scientology is not any worse than any of the other religions, they are equally pointless and senseless. It is just a different type of worthless drivel so people are more critical of its nonsense.
Then on what basis did they formerly (and perhaps still) charge members $20,000 for access to the story of Xenu? (I base that on an affidavit reproduced in the press.)
And, corresponding with that, why did they litigate so hard to stop it going public?
The Xenu story was (is?) available around the net in those days, and was later sent up on South Park─ or rather, simply told, since it sends itself up. Xenu, galactic ruler 75m years ago, dealt with the overpopulation of his domains by putting billions of his people in spaceships that looked like DC9s with rockets, shipped them to earth, blew them up with atom bombs and then needed to stop their souls from seeking revenge. So he caught the souls on electronic fly-paper, compressed them, brainwashed them by making them watch bad movies, and formed them into clusters which are still around as parasitic demons. Xenu is still alive but in captivity. And the reason people believe in god and Christ is because they were in the bad movies.
In what sense don't those Scientologists who've parted with the bucks to learn about Xenu not believe in him? What did they think they got for their money?
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Seems to me that apostates are some of the best source of information about religions and cults. And I am certainly NOT taking the word of a member of the religion with merely a BS degree saying otherwise. Special Pleading anyone?
Twilight Hue
Twilight, not bright nor dark, good nor bad.
There's so much material and accounts on the practices and methodology of Scientology, that it's pretty hard to see it in any positive good light aside from it's science fiction stories by Hubbard. I have the distinction that it's essentially a Mafia type organization that is cleverly designed to use religion as a money making racket which uses and employs intimidation and survallance tactics to quiet and shut down it's critics and dissenters, and the manipulation of it's adherents to extract funds and do their bidding.
McCavage's own father provides the most damning testament as to his sons actions and mentality as head of Scientology.
On the surface Scientology is a scam designed to part vulnerable people from their money on fake 'treatments.' That's bad enough. But I have a special loathing for any organization that suppresses medical treatment for people with physical or mental health issues on a conspiracy that lets people die.
Never forget Clearwater.
Never forget Clearwater.
Is Scientology really that bad?
Examining Scientology without the context of competing religions is meaningless.
Things to consider....
- Size
- Benefit & detriment to members
- Posed threats or advantages to others
Things to ignore....
- Goofy mythology & beliefs
- Scamminess (a common trait of the big successful ones)
It's small, it doesn't wage wars, it doesn't infect government, it doesn't wage terrorism.
Will it become a threat to larger society?
I don't think so.
(This is where goofy becomes relevant.)
Examining Scientology without the context of competing religions is meaningless.
Things to consider....
- Size
- Benefit & detriment to members
- Posed threats or advantages to others
Things to ignore....
- Goofy mythology & beliefs
- Scamminess (a common trait of the big successful ones)
It's small, it doesn't wage wars, it doesn't infect government, it doesn't wage terrorism.
Will it become a threat to larger society?
I don't think so.
(This is where goofy becomes relevant.)
leibowde84
Veteran Member
What about the fact that they go after and intimidate ex members of the church who have fled due to mistreatment?
That's an awful practice.
But as I pointed out, evaluating a religion is meaningless in a vacuum.
Does it make the religion worse than those who wage wars, conduct
terrorism, systematically rape children, & inject theocracy into government?