What is Scientology , Can someone explain it to me?
363934
The word Scientology literally means "the study of truth." It comes from the Latin word "scio" meaning "knowing in the fullest sense of the word" and the Greek word "logos" meaning "study of." \n\nScientology 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: \n\nMan 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. \n\nIn 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. \n\nThrough Scientology, people all over the world are achieving the long-sought goal of true spiritual release and freedom.
307747
The word Scientology literally means "the study of truth." It comes from the Latin word "scio" meaning "knowing in the fullest sense of the word" and the Greek word "logos" meaning "study of." \n\nScientology is the study and handling of the spirit in relationship to itself, others and all of life. The Scientology religion comprises a body of knowledge extending from certain fundamental truths. Prime among these: \n\nMan 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. \n\nIn 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. \n\nThrough Scientology, people all over the world are achieving the long-sought goal of true spiritual release and freedom. \n\nThis aka, "cult" was created by —L. Ron Hubbard \nThe Creation of Human Ability \n\nHe is the one the authored the book, Dianetics?\n\nLets go to scripture and see what the Word of god speaks of these false teachings.\n\n2 Peter 2:01,2............:1But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves. 2Many will follow their shameful ways and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. 3In their greed these teachers will exploit you with stories they have made up. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping. \n\n1st John 4:01...........1 Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. \n\nMore or less sister we both know that this is a flase teaching and the spirit has warned us..\nSo God bless and Amen...
271423
It's got a reputation as an expensive church that's fashionable in Los Angeles.  Expensive because the path toward self improvement it defines seems to involve a lot of costly sessions.\n\nAt any rate, it was founded by a science fiction author, L. Ron Hubbard who also wrote a number of books on philosophy and what he calls Dianetics.\n\nThere's some interesting ideas: the basic goal of all humanity should be achieve immortality - truly on an individual basis, all of our disfunction is caused by "engrams" which I understood to emotionalized trauma stored in our subconscious mind.  He defines a methodology for clearing these engrams and labels a person who has been freed from all of these engrams as a "Clear".\n\nJohn Travolta, Tom Cruise and many others have recently brought Scientology into a more public light.\n\nThere are some kinda freaky aspects of Scientology like the e-meter and some of the auditing practices.  I'd recommend that you take a look at some alternate opinions before jumping into it.\n\nSome links that may help you are listed below.
311058
Scientology is the belief that we are all aliens, and there's measured levels, blah blah blah.... it's all based upon a science fiction writer's beliefs. L. Ron Hubbard.
1117982
scientology is b.s.  a cult and a sick joke.  they love to take money (ALL your money) from their 'followers'.  they have been kicked out of several countries already, including greece. \n\nread the time magazine article from 1990.\n\ncome on, it's a 'religion' started by a bad science fiction author - get a life!
437555
If you mean Scientology then I can tell very simply. Because I actually know.\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 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 spere 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.\n\nHe published a book in 1951 to communicate the basic principles he discovered called: " Scientology The Fundementals of Thought"\nIf you read this basic book then you also will know for yourself what it is.
391588
Scientology.  Here's some info:
230218
It's interesting to note that the official Scientology FAQ's are at odds with some of the statements made as answers here. It has been stated here that Scientology is "not a belief or system of beliefs" and "there is no belief in Scientology", and yet, the church's official  website seems to state the exact opposite by listing its beliefs and talking about believers. It is no wonder that there is a bit of confusion as to what Scientology is and isn't, if the followers cannot agree with the information publicly posted by the church itself.\n\n\nFrom the official Scientology site mentioned a few times here, http://www.scientology.org \n\nWhy is Scientology called a religion? \n\nScientology certainly meets all three criteria generally used by religious scholars around the world to determine religiosity: (1) a belief in some Ultimate Reality, such as the Supreme or eternal truth that transcends the here and now of the secular world; (2) religious practices directed toward understanding, attaining or communing with this Ultimate Reality; and (3) a community of believers who join together in pursuing this Ultimate Reality.\n\nScientology’s beliefs in an Ultimate Reality that transcends the material world include its concepts of the thetan, the spiritual world (the seventh dynamic) and the Supreme Being (the eighth dynamic). The second element can be found in Scientology’s life-rite ceremonies such as naming, marriage and funeral services, but predominantly in the religious services of auditing and training, through which Scientologists increase their spiritual awareness of themselves and attain an understanding of the spiritual world and, ultimately, their relationship with the Supreme Being. As to the third element, a very vital community of believers can be found at any Church of Scientology at almost any time of the day.\n\nScientology is thus a religion in the most traditional sense of the term.\n\n\nDoes Scientology have a scripture? \n\nYes. The writings and recorded spoken words of L. Ron Hubbard on the subject of Scientology collectively constitute the scripture of the religion. He set forth the Scientology theology and technologies in more than 500,000 pages of writings, including dozens of books and over 2,000 tape-recorded public lectures.\n===============\n\nSome interesting reading from an opposing view is found here,\n\nhttp://www.spaink.net/fishman/home.html\n"When Fishman was then brought to court, he used parts of Scientology-documents to prove he had been brainwashed by the Church. These Scientology documents thereby became public material: anybody could go to the court library and read them. The Church, fearing that its sacred secrets would be revealed, had some of their people going to the library every day to borrow these documents, thereby preventing other people (read: non-Scientologists) from reading them. Nevertheless, the Fishman Affidavit got copied (it was also available through the clerk of the court, for a mere $36.50). Somebody retrieved the affidavit via the clerk, scanned it, and posted it to the net. The Fishman Affidavit has been travelling on the Internet ever since."\n\nand here,\nhttp://www.spaink.net/fishman/ot3.html\n"In OT III, ("OPERATING THETAN, Section Three") Hubbard explains his cosmology and the ins & outs of 'body thetans'."\n\n"The head of the Galactic Federation (76 planets around larger stars visible from here) (founded 5,000,000 years ago, very space opera) solved overpopulation (250 billion or so per planet, 178 billion on average) by mass implanting. He caused people to be brought to Teegeeack (Earth) and put an H-Bomb on the principal volcanos (Incident II) and then the Pacific area ones were taken in boxes to Hawaii and the Atlantic area ones to Las Palmas and there "packaged". "\n\n==============\n\nI'm not taking either side.  I do think it's important to question your b
1035810
It's a cult whose purpose is to increase the distance between its suckers, oops, I mean members, and their assets. Hubbard was a really bad s-f writer and desperate to make some dough. Here's an article I found on the Religion Facts website:\n\n'In Scientology doctrine, Xenu is a galactic ruler who, 75 million years ago, brought billions of people to Earth, stacked them around volcanoes and blew them up with hydrogen bombs. Their souls then clustered together and stuck to the bodies of the living. These events are known as "Incident II" or "The Wall of Fire," and the traumatic memories associated with them are known as the "R6 implant." \nScientology founder L. Ron Hubbard detailed the story in Operating Thetan level III in 1967, famously warning that R6 was "calculated to kill (by pneumonia etc) anyone who attempts to solve it." Much controversy between the Church of Scientology and its critics has focused on Xenu. The Church avoids making mention of Xenu in public statements and has gone to considerable effort to maintain the story's confidentiality, including legal action on both copyright and trade secrecy grounds. Critics claim that revealing the story is in the public interest, given the high prices charged for OT III. The Xenu story prompted the use of the volcano as a Scientology symbol.'
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....
684250
Yep, Scientologist here,\n(It seems that "Liam" whoever he is, has anticipated me, I must have started to annoy him somehow.)\n\nHere is a very brief outline. I hope it answers your question. Let me know.\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. The basic religious philosophy and knowledge of Scientology is very old, going back 10,000 years at least to the Veda or Vedic Hymns from the East. The  developement of the technology is new.\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"\nThere are currently over 8 million Scientologists in more that 150 countries world wide. However we are a new religion, only 55 years old. \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.
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This is what Scientologists ACTUALLY believe:\n\nXenu was an alien ruler of the "Galactic Confederacy" who, 75 million years ago, brought billions of people to Earth in spacecrafts resembling Douglas DC-8 airliners, stacked them around volcanoes and blew them up with hydrogen bombs. Their souls then clustered together and stuck to the bodies of the living. The alien souls continue to do this today, causing a variety of physical ill-effects in modern-day humans. L. Ron Hubbard (a science-fiction writer and the creator of Scientology) called these clustered spirits "Body Thetans," and the advanced levels in Scientology place considerable emphasis on isolating them and neutralizing their ill effects.\n\nTo rid ourselves of "Body Thetans" and 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”...... and we have to pay lots and lots and lots of money for “auditing” (purchased in 12.5-hour blocks, costing anywhere from $750 for introductory sessions to between $8,000 and $9,000 for advanced sessions) and to take courses on Scientology to advance to higher “levels” in the “church”.  The “church” has also taken a very hostile stance towards psychiatry and 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 and profound mental disturbance and 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. Every cult can be defined as a group having all of the following five characteristics:\n\n(1) It uses psychological coercion to recruit, indoctrinate and retain its members [convincing potential members that they are unhappy and Scientology is the only means of helping themselves]. (2) It forms an elitist totalitarian society. [they label everyone who disagrees or questions as a “Suppressive Person” and requires members to “disconnect” from them] (3) Its founder leader is self-appointed, dogmatic, messianic, not accountable and has charisma. [Yes, that would be Hubbard] (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. [self evident proof for 4 & 5 as it does milk members for virtually everything they have and it’s wealth doesn’t find it’s way back to it’s members or society at all]\n\nCults are extremely harmful. To remain within the strict mental and social confines of a cult for even a short time can have the following disastrous effects:\n\nLoss of choice and free will. Diminished intellectual ability, vocabulary and sense of humor. Reduced use of irony, abstractions and metaphors. Reduced capacity to form flexible and intimate relationships. Poor judgment. Physical deterioration. Malnutrition. Hallucinations, panic, dissociation, guilt, identity diffusion and paranoia. Neurotic, psychotic or suicidal tendencies.
298127
Here's an article I found:\n\n"Welcome to Scientology"\n\nThe word Scientology literally means "the study of truth." It comes from the Latin word "scio" meaning "knowing in the fullest sense of the word" and the Greek word "logos" meaning "study of." \n\nScientology is the study and handling of the spirit in relationship to itself, others and all of life. The Scientology religion comprises a body of knowledge extending from certain fundamental truths. Prime among these: \n\nMan 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. \n\nRead more here:\n\nhttp://www.scientology.org/
457473
Try http://www.xenu.net/ for a more objective view.  It's a cult.\n\nhttp://www.xenutv.com/ has some great videos of crazed scientologists.
435883
The word Scientology literally means "the study of truth." It comes from the Latin word "scio" meaning "knowing in the fullest sense of the word" and the Greek word "logos" meaning "study of." \n\nScientology is the study and handling of the spirit in relationship to itself, others and all of life. The Scientology religion comprises a body of knowledge extending from certain fundamental truths. Prime among these: \n\nMan 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. \n\nIn 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. \n\nThrough Scientology, people all over the world are achieving the long-sought goal of true spiritual release and freedom
786290
It is a CULT. Despite what a few fanatical members may say, it IS a cult. The church harasses and 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 and 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 and blowing them up inside volcanoes. They believe the souls of these aliens (these souls are "Body Thetans") have attached themselves to us and cause many of our mental and physical ills. Even members of the Church of Scientology who know of Xenu will publicly deny the existence of Xenu and 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" and 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”...... and we have to pay lots and lots of money for “auditing” (purchased in 12.5-hour blocks, costing anywhere from $750 for introductory sessions to between $8,000 and $9,000 for advanced sessions) and to take courses on Scientology to advance to higher “levels” in the “church”. The “church” has also taken a very hostile stance towards psychiatry and 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 and profound mental disturbance and 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 and 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 and retain its members. (2) It forms an elitist totalitarian society. (3) Its founder leader is self-appointed, dogmatic, messianic, not accountable and 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.
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Scientology - The word Scientology literally means "the study of truth." It comes from the Latin word "scio" meaning "knowing in the fullest sense of the word" and the Greek word "logos" meaning "study of." \n\nAny religion going to war with any other religion will desperately fight the cause of the other.  I recently discussed with someone the arguments between Evolutionists and Creationists... and we came to the same conclusion.  Regardless of who is 'right' or 'wrong' (if you dare consider it in those terms), neither side will agree.  \n\nMy answer to your question?  Do some research, learn a little about it and study other religions and come to your own conclusion.  There's no other way, except to "conform."\n\nI hope this helps.