scienetology!  what are people doing have they gone mad, making a money-making cult to seem like a religion?
373656
look at all religions and compare, then look deeply into them before you judge.\n\nit's not a money making cult any more than the catholic church, or the christian church. they sell books and services like any other religion. It takes money to print those books, and time away from people family to conduct services, plust the cost to pay upkeep and utilities of the church.\n\nthe definition of a cult is a belief system created by a person to control a person or group of persons, when that person dies, so does the cult\n\nL Ron Hubbard died in the 80's, but Scientology is still growing today, and if you read a book like Dianetics, you will find that it's not about controlling others, but I'll leave you to do that research for yourself.
767364
Exactly.  It is a CULT. Despite what a few fanatical members may say, it IS a cult. The church harasses & bullies anyone who they deem an "enemy" (basically anyone who has anything negative to say about the "church"). They will RUIN YOUR LIFE if you speak out against them long enough.\n\nThe founder is L. Ron Hubbard, the science FICTION writer who once told a friend that the best way to make lots of money is to start your own religion. Though being a very outspoken critic of psychiatric drugs, it was discovered upon Hubbards death that the anti-anxiety drug hydroxyzine (Vistaril) was present in his body, which several of his assistants would later attest was only one of many psychiatric & pain medications Hubbard ingested over the years.\n\nScientologists believe the evil alien ruler Xenu killed a lot of aliens (Thetans) from around the universe by bringing them to earth & blowing them up inside volcanoes. They believe the souls of these aliens (these souls are "Body Thetans") have attached themselves to us & cause many of our mental & physical ills. Even members of the Church of Scientology who know of Xenu will publicly deny the existence of Xenu & Body Thetans, or attempt to minimize their importance. Scientology has many graduated levels through which one can progress. Many who remain at lower levels in the church are unaware of much of the these doctrines, which mostly begin at Operating Thetan level three, or "OT III". Because the information imparted to members is to be kept secret from others who have not attained that level, the member must publicly deny its existence when asked. OT III recipients must sign a waiver promising never to reveal its secrets before they are given the manila envelope containing the Xenu knowledge.\n\nTo rid ourselves of "Body Thetans" & also “engrams” (past negative experiences stored in our unconscious mind) so that we can become “clear”, we have to go through "auditing" with a member of the “church” who uses an "e-meter" to measure our “reactive mind”...... & we have to pay lots & lots of money for “auditing” (purchased in 12.5-hour blocks, costing anywhere from $750 for introductory sessions to between $8,000 & $9,000 for advanced sessions) & to take courses on Scientology to advance to higher “levels” in the “church”. The “church” has also taken a very hostile stance towards psychiatry & psychiatric drugs irrespective of the fact that some people require medication to remain adequately functional in everyday life. They deny the reality of chemical imbalance & profound mental disturbance & accordingly do NOTHING to effectively stabilize the dangerously unstable. The “church” has been known to withhold prescription pharmaceuticals from member (with deadly results).\n\nScientology is undeniably a cult. For more information on what a cult is & what their damaging effects are, please visit the link provided at the bottom of the sources. Just know that Scientology DOES qualify by meeting these 5 criteria:\n\n(1) It uses psychological coercion to recruit, indoctrinate & retain its members. (2) It forms an elitist totalitarian society. (3) Its founder leader is self-appointed, dogmatic, messianic, not accountable & has charisma. (4) It believes 'the end justifies the means' in order to solicit funds & recruit people. (5) Its wealth does not benefit its members or society.
983756
Sounds like a cult to me.
198042
Fanatical would be a better word I would think.  It's a 'religion' that is based on self improvement and learning to fix your own problems without needing professional help.  Once you get into it's quite hard to get out.  From what I have learned there is hypnosis involved in parts of it as well as thetans (aliens) in your body that you need to help put to neutral to grow.  It's really wierd.  The higher up you go the wierder it gets.  I do know L. Ron Hubbard was a good friend of Alister Crowly (the worlds most evil man who formed a lot of things on modern Satanism, and he did call himself the anti-christ) and a lot of Crowleys teachings are incorperated into it.  Some almost word for word.  There is also documentation around now, how true it is I don't know, that Hubbard did call himself the anti-christ as well. Also, that the supposed highest level of it, OT8, teaches that God was the bad one and that they are truely worshipping Lucifer, the good one.  It also involves that they are aliens and earth is a prison planet that aliens use as a prison so to speak.  They do deny that but they also denied OT3 vehimitly when it was leaked as well and it was true.\n\nPeople who have left it do frankly say that it is evil and brainwashing is involved.  People who have studied the teachings say that as well, that it is based on princiles that are false and don't do what they say they do.  They have such a strong following because they do have a lot of money and do sue people who say anything bad.  They may not win but what they do is wear the opponent down or keep litigating until they run out of money.  There is also the celebrity angle.  They are catered to and given special treatment.  They are heavily recuited do to their star power and influence with the masses.\n\nThis is a cult and it is one of those that is scarey, no doubt.  People do have a right to worry about them!  See the following links for information....
780633
In Scientology you have to also learn how to deceive your self. It is a self-deceptive cult.
470663
try entering a religious cult.
318371
Sounds like a new religion is being formed. (Oh great, just what we needed!)
254117
and what cult is this?  If you tell me that you can't name it because your life will be in danger, everyone here will just figure you for a liar.\n\n-----------\n\nLiar!  Liar!  Pants on fire!
975445
Yes, I don't know if they even come up to the level of cult. It looks as though "Rev. Moon" just uses his followers as sale people to advance his personal wealth...   Jim
528060
I didn't check out the GMA story, but don't really need to, to tell you that YES there are likely "phony exorcisms" performed by profit-seeking priests. (Which, by the way, I didn't know priests could collect money for exorcisms, but it doesn't exactly surprise me.) Wherever there is a "dollar to be made", people will be there, and money attracts ALL KINDS. Money corrupts some people, even sometimes "holy people". And power and privelege also corrupt sometimes, and the three seem to quite often go "hand-in-hand".\n-Tera (time4u420@yahoo)
845907
ccluff7 is absolutely right.  A young relative of mine got involved with this strange cult when he was a bit low during his studies.  All they seemed to want,  was to get him to pay money to go through 'auditing' processes (galavanic skin responses which you can do yourself with a multimeter) and pay them large sums of money for the privilege.  By brainwashing him (or at least using dubious psychological persuasive techniques) he gave up his studies and went abroad as a builders labourer in order to get money to give to the cult.  It ruined his life in fact.  Died early, too.   So if Katie Holmes is prepared to believe humans are the result of spacemen (Thetans) visiting the earth, and that Ron Hubbard (whose book Dynetics is but a distorted version of many standard psychology tracts), was a sort of 'saviour', then she desrves all she gets.  On the other hand, she might just be a shrewd person who will divorce Cruise and  take him for all he's got!
430322
Yes!  Science is the spawn of Satan.  It tries to trick us into believing patent nonsense like a round earth, a solar centric system, the nonexistence of ghosts, "evil"ution, and communication at a distance - all things that god tells us are false.\n\nI think I've even seen scientists gathered together incanting magic spells to access great power.  Oh sure, they call these spells equations, but only a sorcerer could comprehend all those squiggles.\n\nYep, dey's 'da debil all right.  Plus, they all go to church together Sunday morning and donate 10% (gross or net according to their own conscience).  What more proof do you need that it's a cult!?
421192
I get pretty cheesed off myself reading all the baloney that gets spewed forth on this forum about Scientology.\nJust between us two I'm also a bit weary answering the same questions about it.\nI must have answered over 100 or more in the last few weeks, trying to put some factual information out, between all the utter nonesense.\nSeems like some folks just use this forum as a garbage dump, instead of sharing any actual, factual knowledge the might have about a subject.\nHaving said all that (and sorry for dumping on you , please don't take it personally)\nScientology is an applied religious philosophy. When I say "applied" I mean you actually use it in your life to change or improve existing conditions. This is different from a religious practice. All religions if you learn about them have a basic philosphy, but they also have certain dogma, rituals and observances, and a certain faith or belief is required. There is nothing wrong with this, but Scientology is not that kind of religion. It does not intrude on anyones faiths of beliefs particularly in the area of God , the Supreme Being, or the Infinite. This area is left totally up to the indivdual, which is why you can be a practicing Jew for example and still use and apply the priniciples of Scientology in your life. It does not conflict. If anything it will enhance your understanding of your chosen religious practice.\nAnd it is only true for you according to your own observation and experience with it.\n\nThe most basic principle of Scientology is that YOU are your own immortal soul, that this is not a "thing" you HAVE but what YOU actually are.\nThe whole purpose of Scientology is to increase an individual's understanding and awareness of himself. And thereby his native abilities .\nWhen you do this the sphere and zone of a person's positive influence increases and moves outward into his life, his family ,his friends, his groups and mankind which he is part of.\n\nHow this result is achieved is the "technology" of Scientology, which was developed by L.Ron Hubbard after his extensive research and the discoveries he made, about the human spirit.\n\nHe published a book in 1951 to communicate the basic principles he discovered called: " Scientology The Fundementals of Thought"\nThis is a MUCH easier read than Dianetics, (only about 100 pages instead of over 500) Dianetics does not explain Scientology since it preceded it and was first published in 1950.\n\nNow I know there have been some complaints that I keep telling people to read this book. I understand that some people just don't read books, or find reading difficult, but honestly the explanation and introduction to the subject is fully contained in this book. And you can apply it's principles right away, for yourself.\nThat way you can actually experience what it is for yourself. Then maybe you can help me to answer these questions !@!!*!!\nBecause then you will KNOW whats UP with it!
1022118
Go here for this critics viewpoint then go search the whole site...\n\n"In a Nutshell\n\n    The Church of Scientology is a vicious and dangerous cult that masquerades as a religion. Its purpose is to make money. It practices a variety of mind-control techniques on people lured into its midst to gain control over their money and their lives. Its aim is to take from them every penny that they have and can ever borrow and to also enslave them to further its wicked ends.\n\n    It was started in the 1950s by a science fiction writer named L. Ron Hubbard in fulfilment to his declared aim to start a religion to make money. It is an offshoot to a method of psychotherapy he concocted from various sources which he named "Dianetics". Dianetics is a form of regression therapy. It was then further expanded to appear more like a religion in order to enjoy tax benefits. He called it "Scientology".\n\n    Scientology is a confused concoction of crackpot, dangerously applied psychotherapy, oversimplified, idiotic and inapplicable rules and ideas and science-fiction drivel that is presented to its members (at the "advanced" levels) as profound spiritual truth."\nhttp://www.clambake.org/roland-intro.html\n\nI personally believe scientology is a pseudo-science and a pseudo-religion.  I think the Church of Scientology is a cruel dangerous cult that takes your money and your ability to reason enough to see so.  \n\nThere is too much to post to give you the full answer, and indeed there are many opposing views.  You really just have to read and research some stuff for yourself.\n\nSee the links to important information on the internet about scientology:  The first 3 would probably suffice but in case you want to keep reading...\n\nSee here for the whole site, it is very interesting but horrifying reading, there is a wealth of critical information on scientology.\nhttp://www.clambake.org  (Same as http://www.xenu.net )\n\nTo find out about the beliefs of scientologists from a neutral site go here:\nhttp://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/scientology\nAnd more here:\nhttp://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/xenu\n\nThe CofS has been investigated by governments and taken to court many times.  "Some European governments (including notably, Germany, Belgium, France, and Austria) do not consider the Church to be a bona fide religious organization, but instead a commercial enterprise and / or a cult." wikipedia.org/scientology\n\nHere are the court files:\nhttp://www.clambake.org/archive/CourtFiles/\n\nHere is the UK Govt. Investigation, the Foster Report:\nhttp://www.xenu.net/archive/audit/foster01.html\n\nHere are whole books written mainly by ex-members, the authors have posted them for anyone to read:\nhttp://www.clambake.org/archive/books/\n\nHere are some quotes from some judges:\nhttp://www.clambake.org/archive/judge_quotes.html\n\nCheck this site out, although warning it isn't pleasant http://www.lisamcpherson.org\n\nIf you like videos here is a good site: http://www.xenutv.com\n\nNow i've given you all those links it might only be fair to give you the official link too:\nhttp://www.scientology.org
507544
Yep, there are currently over 8 million Scientologists in more that 150 countries world wide. However we are a new religion, only 55 years old so you will have to give us a bit more time as we just got started.\nThe true story of Scientology as a religion goes like this:\n1. A philosopher developes a philosophy about life and death.\n2. People find it interesting.\n3. People find it works.\n4. People pass it along to others.\n5. It grows.\nAs to your question about our "beliefs",  this is a hard one to answer\nbecause nothing in Scientology is true for you unless it is true for YOU. And even then, it is only true for you, according to YOUR observation and experience . This is a very important point of personal integrity in Scientology.\nSo it really isn't any kind of belief system. This is quiet different from most other religions. One usually tries to understand something by comparing it to other similar things, so with Scientology, as a religion\nit is hard to understand it in this way, because it does not have this particular similarity with other religions.\n\nFollowing is a pretty good description of what it is. I hope this helps you to understand it better:\n\nScientology is an applied religious philosophy. When I say "applied" I mean you actually use it in your life to change or improve existing conditions. This is different from a religious practice. All religions if you learn about them have a basic philosphy, but they also have certain dogma, rituals and observances, and a certain faith or belief is required. There is nothing wrong with this, but Scientology is not that kind of religion. It does not intrude on anyones faiths of beliefs particularly in the area of God , the Supreme Being, or the Infinite. This area is left totally up to the indivdual, which is why you can be a practicing Jew or Atheist,for example and still use and apply the priniciples of Scientology in your life. It does not conflict. If anything it will enhance your understanding of your chosen religious practice.\nAnd it is only true for you according to your own observation and experience with it.\nIt is a non denominational religion . The dictionary definition that applies:\nReligion: The spiritual or emotional attitude of one who recognises the existence of superhuman power or powers.\n\nThe most basic principle of Scientology is that YOU are your own immortal soul, that this is not a "thing" you HAVE but what YOU actually are.\nThe whole purpose of Scientology is to increase an individual's understanding and awareness of himself. And thereby his native abilities .\nWhen you do this the sphere and zone of his positive influence increases and moves outward into his life, his family ,his friends, his groups and mankind which he is part of.\n\nHow this result is achieved is the "technology" of Scientology, which was developed by L.Ron Hubbard after his extensive research and the discoveries he made, about the human spirit.\nHe completed his research before his death in 1986 and left all of his results and copyrights\nto the Church of Scientology along with most of his considerable estate., when he died.\n\nHe published a book in 1951 to communicate the basic principles he discovered called: " Scientology The Fundementals of Thought"
1075309
That happened to me.  I guess at first I felt totally betrayed, mad, I didn't know what to do or what to think.  Then I started trying to educate myself to "make sure" that I was correct that my belief system was based on lies.  The whole process has taken several years, but then I started researching many other beliefs and religions and found out that most of them were also.  So I am no longer a part of organized religion and I have discovered my own beliefs.  I'm still on my spiritual quest but my current beliefs probably lean toward New Thought.
361748
Mormon heresy? OK c'mon now trask, y'know you'll full of it! someone, especially Mormon missionaries, listening to you?\nmy advise, avoid the queen of hearts\n(i.e. brainwashing=bad mojo man)