Scientology  is about  What exactly?
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Actually, you'd be surprised at how accurate that South Park episode was.  Whenever they had "THIS IS WHAT SCIENTOLOGISTS ACTUALLY BELIEVE" on the screen, they were NOT kidding.  Yes, the bit about aliens is true.  And yes, it's true, L. Ron Hubbard, the science fiction writer, created a "religion".  Here, I'll explain what it's all about.\n\nIt 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. (visit this link to read about the uses of hydoxyzine: http://www.drugs.com/mtm/v/vistaril.html )\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. Members who know about Xenu will attempt to deny it or pretend like it doesn’t matter.  They are required to sign a contract binding them to silence on the matter.  Lower level members don’t know about Xenu & accordingly deny everything because they honestly don’t know.\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.
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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 over 8 million Scientologists in more that 150 countries world wide. \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.\n\nHope this helps answer you question as to what it is about.
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Check out Defamer, it's got a very good Tom Cruise/Scientology section.
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Scientology is not a system of "beliefs". It is an applied religious philosophy. And when I say "applied" I mean it is applied to life and living in all it's aspects with the purpose of improving the conditions of life.\nNothing in Scientology is true, unless it is true for you.\nAnd then it is only true according to your own observation and experience.\nSo there is no belief involved.\nI have studied and applied it to my own life and living for the past 35 years or more. It definitely works for me.\nAs to aliens.....??? No idea where this comes from.\nSilent birth is definitely an ideal environment for both mother and baby if you can arrange it. (Tom Cruise has the resources to do this for his partner Katie and soon to be born, new baby)\nThe reason why is fully explained in Chapter 7 " Prenatal Experience and Birth" in the book "Dianetics The Modern Science of Mental "Health" by L.Ron Hubbard\n\nFor a very good basic book on the subject of Scientology which covers\nall of it's basic principles I would recommend:\n"Scientology The Fundementals of Thought" by the same author.
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• Belief in Deity\nScientology 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\n \n• Incarnations\nThere 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\n \n• Origin of Universe and Life\nAll is manifestation of the universal spirit, which is all that actually exists. \n\n \n• After Death\nRebirths 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\n \n• Why Evil?\nPainful 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\n \n• Salvation\nSalvation 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\n \n• Undeserved Suffering\nSuffering 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\n \n• Contemporary Issues\nBased 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.  \n\n=)
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You should read a good history of Scientology by L. Ron Hubbard, a great science fiction writer, who started a religion to avoid prosecution.
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Scientology to an extent. there is a bigger story to it. \nTry not to judge unless you know about it. \nCan we really say we are the only forms of consciousness in this vast, vast universe?
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I think that it is an interesting cult thing created and propagated by celebrites. I mean how many of us can read a science fiction book by L. Ron Hubbard and than continue to think...hey maybe my spiritual side comes from aliens! It takes a special person like tom cruise to think like that.
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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.
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I'm a Scientologist and I definately agree with Thetaalways in terms of a discription of the religion itself and how it grows. That last part of it with the 5 points is an L. Ron Hubbard quote and should have been put in quote marks. Hubbard is the founder of Scientology.\n\nHowever, I remember when I was looking at different religious groups trying to figure out which one (or ones) were for me. For me the "Pluses" are it has helped me solve many of the problems I used to have in life and made me a better student in school. \n\nThere is only one "sort of negative" I can think of is that because there is SO MUCH false information on what it is out in the media, and intolerance in this world I sometimes find myself having to defend my choice to others. This can get a little irritating at times because I may be doing something COMPLETELY unrelated to being a Scientologist when I have to handle someone verbally attacking me SOLELY on that basis.\n\nEven this has had the unintended side effect of making me and excellent debator, and made it so I had to look at materials related other parts of Scientology I might not have otherwise. It never ceases to amaze me the amount of data on whatever subject you can think of contained in Scientology.\n\nIf you are searching for a religion I sugest http://www.religioustolerance.org/ as it has good descriptions of the various choices out there. If you want data on Scientology in particular I suggest borrowing a copy of "What Is Scientology" from the library and looking at the online site here: http://www.whatisscientology.org/\n\nThis way you can look at all the important data before making a decision for yourself.\n\nGood Luck with that!
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The religion that Tom Cruise is involved in is Scientology.\nHe has been involved with it for over 20 years and was introduced to it by his first wife , Mimi Rogers.\n\nFollowing is a brief description of it. For more details I recommend the book "What is Scientology" compiles by the Church of Scientology, (or any basic book on the subject, by L.Ron Hubbard.)\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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In Scientology you have to also learn how to deceive your self. It is a self-deceptive cult.
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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!
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I've been doing a little reading on it, too. Just out of curiousity and some more to answer a couple of questions here.  I'm not sure what the actual main belief is, if it has one.\n\nHere's my post for one of those questions (I know it's long, sometimes I just can't help myself), http://answers.yahoo.com/question/?qid=1006032806764\n\nIt'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 implanti
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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.
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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.
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Scientologists are either the believers, or those old hands who realize it's a scam and they are in it to fleece the newcomers. The believers are not insane in the sense that they are "crazy", "psychotic" or whatever. They are desperate for answers to questions that have begged for answers for millenia. Most of these questions boil down to, "Why does life hurt sometimes?" or "Why am I here?". They see a few nuggets of common sense in Scientology, and being desperate for answers, they get conned into accepting the whole load of faulty thinking that comprised L. Ron's philosophy on life. Then they get conned into the space-aliens-as-gods thing or whatever weird nonsense Scientology says to its members. So, yes- I think lots of them are kinda brainwashed, and for the vast majority of Scientologists it's not insanity that gets them to embrace the e-meter.