What is scientology about? Why are all these celebrities attracted to it?
597838
Following is a simple description of what Scientology is:\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"\n\n There are currently over 8 million Scientologists  in more that 150 countries world wide.This includes various celebrities not just Hollywood ones. \nHollywood media for some reason seems to be making a big deal out of it at the moment. But then they create celebrities just so they can knock them down. If they can't find a reason to do so, they invent one.\nBashing a celebritie's religious choice seems to be in vogue at the moment. I'm sure they'll move on to something else soon.\nMost of these celebs have been Scientologists for many years. It never \nhad any media attention until now. That's the media for you.\nHowever we are a new religion, only 55 years old . This is the normal course for any new concept or idea, if you look through history.\nScientology is no exception. We don't take it personally.\n\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.\nI guess this includes celebrities. Why not?
709135
Scientology is no more odd than the beliefs of Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, or any other respected religion you can name, if you stop and think about it. It's a matter of what you're indoctrinated to believe or accept as respectable.\n\n1- Scientology considers the belief in a God or gods as something personal and therefore offers no specific dogma. The nature of the Supreme Being is revealed personally through each individual as s/he becomes more conscious and spiritually aware. There exists a life energy or force (Theta) beyond and within all.\n\n2- There are no particular human incarnations of God, as the universal life force (Theta) is inherent in all. All humans are immortal spiritual beings (thetans) capable of realizing a nearly godlike state through Scientology practices.\n\n3- Origin of Universe and Life: All is manifestation of the universal spirit, which is all that actually exists.\n\n4- After Death: Rebirths continue until one consciously confronts all pre-birth, current-life, and previous-life traumas and realizes one's true nature as a "thetan," immortal spirit--transcending matter, energy, space, and time. Achieving this state enables the spirit to escape the cycle of birth and death--to operate independently of the physical universe and become one with God.\n\n5- Why is there evil? Painful experiences and harmful acts in one's prebirth, current, and past lives become imprinted in the reactive mind and lead to irrational behavior. Departures from rational thought and untrue ideas ("aberrations") can result in wrongdoing.\n\n6- Salvation is achieved through the practices and techniques of Scientology, the ultimate goal of which is to realize one's true nature as an immortal spirit, a thetan. The path to salvation, or enlightenment, includes achieving states of increasingly greater mental awareness--Pre-Clear, Clear, and ultimately Operating Thetan. An Operating Thetan is a spirit who can control matter, energy, space, time, thought, and life. Practitioners ("Auditors") are regarded as ministers and counselors who assist others to achieve self-enlightenment. Auditors help others to identify their prebirth, current, and past-life disturbances, which are obstacles to happiness and spiritual enlightenment.\n\n7- Suffering occurs as part of the spirit's entrapment here in the physical universe. Only when the individual is aware of his spiritual nature can he identify his barriers within the universe and overcome them, rising out of a lower state and into a higher state of happiness and freedom.\n\n8 -Contemporary Issues: Based on the belief that you cannot free yourself spiritually without working to free others, Scientology has founded and supports many organizations for social betterment, particularly in the areas of drug abuse, crime, psychiatric abuse, government abuse of law, human rights, religious freedom, education, and morality. Scientology strongly favors the use of their methodology for spiritual/mental healing over the use of conventional treatment.
523764
Hi there,\nLong term Scientologist here (for 35 years plus).\nMy answer:\nIt's a "story". \nYOU don't take every story you hear seriously, especially when the source is from dubious websites and general rumour or media ........\n(I hope.)\nWell , neither do we.\nPeople who create this kind of thing usually have their own private agendas and are trying to ridicule and invalidate or attack their target for some hidden reason that you do not see.\nThis is not a new activity specific to the religion of Scientology.(or even religions actually)\nThe Romans circulated all kinds of rumours about the early Christians,\nto justify throwing them to the lions as a popular public event.\nHitler circulated similar false and alarming rumours about the Jews, not so long ago, (one of which was that they ate babies! ).\nThis allowed 6 million human beings to be murdered without any public protest from the German people.\nAnd so it goes on.
760454
They believe in some sort of God, but their god is some type of alien.\n\nWhile Scientologists acknowledge Jesus Christ as a great spiritual teacher, Scientology doctrine is not based on the teachings of Jesus.  Scientology has its roots in Nihayana Buddhism, and Scientology therefore acknowledges Siddharta Gautama as an exalted spiritual teacher. \nScientology however is not a philosophy of "faith" or "belief", but an application of practical principles to one's life in order to improve conditions.\n \n\nThey believe that your body is invaded with aliens that were banished from their planet a million years ago. And that when you are born, you have the spirits of about 2,000 aliens that you must rid yourself of. They call them Body Thetons (sp?) There's a book by Ron L Hubbard, called Dianetics (Sp?) in which this "religion" is based upon.... \n\nload of nutters if you ask me\n\nas for the amount of celebrities that get involved with it all i can say is they must be very bored with their lives and have way too much money that it has clouded their judgement.
1183239
Hi Bethany,\n\nI am glad you are researching into it...I have had a lot of time for my own reasons to look into scientology and have found some rather worrying stuff on the subject.  I urge you to do a lot of research at not only the scientology sites and from his books but also from critical sites and the evidence they present, as well as there opinion.  These critical sites are often run by or added to by ex-members who have spent, often decades in scientology before realising the true nature behind it.  There are many philosophies, activities and help groups you can go to that do not involve money, that do work, and are not highly disputed by individuals, ex-members, scientists, governments & all the families whose loved ones have disconnected from them.\n\nIt is not endorsed by the mainstream scientific community and infact has many ideas and theories which have been flat out rejected.  He also did not do any of the research he claims to have done, or at least all the evidence of it mysteriously vanished.\n\nAre you aware that Hubbard thought that religions are an implant (R6 implant that forms the basis of your reactive mind)\nhttp://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/xenu\n\nYou are right to suspect of the Church of Scientology as a cult and that it exhibits less than desirable actions, such as all these court transcripts, or Operation Snowflake, or the way it hounds its critics...\nhttp://www.clambake.org/archive/CourtFiles/\nhttp://www.clambake.org/archive/judge_quotes.html\nhttp://www.daisy.freeserve.co.uk/bonniewoods.htm\nhttp://www.scientology-lies.com/investigation.html\n\nHere is a paper presented at the Society for the Scientific Study of Religion, November, 1991\nhttp://www.cs.cmu.edu/~dst/Library/Shelf/kent/isc.html\n\nAlso see this Govt. Report:\nhttp://www.xenu.net/archive/audit/fosthome.html\n\nHere is an info pack on what scientology might not tell you, written mainly by ex-members:\nhttp://www.clambake.org/archive/infopack/\n\nHere is something that explains their practices\nhttp://www.clambake.org/archive/techniques/\n\nYou might also like to read these accounts by ex-members:\nhttp://www.clambake.org/archive/books/apobs/\nhttp://www.clambake.org/archive/books/isd/isd.htm\nhttp://www.cs.cmu.edu/~dst/Library/Shelf/xenu/xenu.html\n\nPlease review the following sites as well as any you might have read given to you by the Church of Scientology.\n\nhttp://www.xenu.net\nhttp://www.factnet.org\nhttp://www.truthaboutscientology.com\nhttp://www.scientology-lies.com\nhttp://www.lermanet.com\nhttp://www.xenutv.com\n\nIf you still want to follow Hubbards Teaching pls do so in the FreeZone not the CofS.  It is much cheaper, original tech, and without the cult thing.\n\nhttp://www.fzaoint.net     \nhttp://www.fza.org     \nhttp://www.freezone.org\n\nAnd just to be fair here is the Official site for the Church of Scientology:\nhttp://www.scientology.org\n\nPlease do the reading and make an informed decision, I wish you all the best for the future no matter what decision you make.
780633
In Scientology you have to also learn how to deceive your self. It is a self-deceptive cult.
339646
Scientology 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 or 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 an 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, if you have one.\nAnd it is only true for you according to your own observation and experience with it. So there is no "belief" required.\n\nThe most basic principle of Scientology is that YOU are your own immortal soul, that this is not a "thing" you HAVE, like a Mind or Body, or house, car, computer...but what YOU actually ARE.\nThe whole purpose of Scientology is to increase an individual's knowledge, 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.There are exact gradient steps or levels worked out, so that anyone can follow this route to spiritual freedom. In Scientology we call this the "Bridge" .\nThe concept is to safely cross from existing states of awareness to  higher states.\n\nHe published a book in 1951 to communicate the basic principles he discovered called: " Scientology The Fundementals of Thought"\n\nRecommend reading this book , it is simply written and most libraries will have a copy.\n\nHope this answer  communicates. Let me know.
548275
Scientology 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"\n\nThere are currently about 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.
661438
Scientology 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"
447697
Two reasons possible.\n\n1.  Because they are insane psycho stalkers.\n\n2.  Because they have no lives of their own, so they hope to live vicariously through celebrities.
558724
Scientology! ughhhh tom cruise and his messed up beliefs! why should anybody have to have a "silent birth"?! its totally ridiculous and full of crap.
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!
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.'
815795
What you see of any celebrity via the media (press or TV) isn't \nusually going to be a "good example" of who they really are. What sells is "dirt", contraversy, etc.\nEspecially in Hollywood. This has been going on since the beginning in the 1920's and 30's when they stated the "gossip columns". Now it's a huge industry which has to be fed continuously. If they can get away with it and even if they can't (They get sued) it's still worth it financially.That's why they all have lawyers on board (the media) to weigh the costs of what they can get away with.\nIf  a celebrity creates a successful career and is also active in\nother areas of his or her life, cares about his fellow man, like Tom Cruise, he's a target for attack.\nLook at what happened to the Dixie Chix, and all that happened\nbecause the lead singer spoke up, gave her opinion. She didn't even DO anything.\nYou don't get to find out about what Tom Cruise is really like, what he does, how many people he helps. \nThe media builds the celebrity up into something excentric and\nlarger than life so that they can knock them down first chance they get.\nMartha Stewart, Michael Jackson, Brittany Spears,Mel Gibson...... the list goes on. It has nothing to do with religion.\nThe thing they can't figure out about Tom Cruise is he just keeps on being successful caring about his fans and people in general and doing and saying what he thinks is right. It doesn't matter what they do or say about him.\nNow that IS a very good example of what a Scientologist is all about.\nI should know , I've been a Scientologist for 34 years. I also know and care a lot more about Tom Cruise and what he does and is doing for his fellowman than his "celebrity".You will never find out what he is really like via the press or media.\nAs for his new wife Katie, looks to me like she loves the man.(Not the "celebrity")
1020421
I've studied Scientology, and read books on both sides of the issue.  Scientology is an applied religious philosophy.  It's a field of study who's subject is you.  Scientology's hope for you is that you can achieve the state of "Clear" or a state of freedom from your traumatic memories.  Scientology helps people achieve this state through Dianetics counseling.\n\nThe aims of Scientology are a civilization without insanity without criminals and without war, where the able can prosper and honest beings can have rights and man is free to rise to greater heights.\n\nScientologists believe strongly in community service, and have founded many social betterment organizations including, Narconon which helps people get off drugs, the Citizens Commission on Human Rights which works for psychiatric reform, the Applied Scholastics study tech organization, and the Way to Happiness Foundation.\n\nBUT, Scientology is very expensive.  Crossing Scientology's "Bridge to Total Freedom" can cost up to half a million dollars.  And some of the information available on Scientology makes the organization look like a bizarre cult and it's practices have encountered controversy.  Just google it, and you'll find a ton of information both pro and con.
241212
It's a bunch of junk based on the rantings of L. Ron Hubbard.  They believe because there is a lot of hypnosis involved in it.  It is a religion that uses a lot of psychobabble as it's base.  They teach that all mental illnesses can be cured with vitamins and exercise  It involves thetens (aliens that live in all our bodies), There is also auditing session and garbage about the earth being a prison planet for aliens.  Toss in there Hubbard was a good friend and great admirer of Alister Crowley and some of what is in it is almost word for word some of Crowley's rituals.  There is also rumors and stuff floating around, how true it is I haven't a clue, that when you reach OT8 you learn that Hubbard called himself the anti-Christ and that humans have it all wrong, that Lucifer was God and God was the evil one.  It's whacked out!
65623
Literally, Scientology means the study of truth.  Scientologists believe that man is an immortal spiritual being whose experiences extend far beyond just this lifetime.  According to Scientology, man's capabilities are unlimited, even if they are not presently realized.\n\nScientologists believe that painful memories from our past can hinder our ability to realize our limitless potential.  For this, Scientologists offer auditing which enables people to remove the painful effects of these bad memories.  Practically, auditing is a type of counseling using a lie detetector called an E-meter.  In auditing, the auditor never invalidates what the pre-clear says.  The ultimate aim of auditing is so people can attain the state of "Clear," or a state of freedom from painful past memories.  Clears are free from psychosomoatic illnesses, self determined, vigorous and persistent.\n\nScientology's aims are a civilization without insanity, without criminals and without wars.  Where the able can prosper, where honest beings can have rights and where man is free to rise to greater heights.\n\nFor this purpose, Scientologists run many humanitarian organizations including Narconon and Criminon, helping people get off drugs, the Citizens Commission on Human Rights, which fights psychiatric abuse, the Applied Scholastics educational system and the Way to Happiness Foundation.