[molecular]

do you think its a real riligion.

[Stu]

No. But Scientology is. And its a bollocks one.

[Captain.Remy]

It's definately not, it's completely different from religion's basics. You may have a God but the way the Scientology takes is completely different, it's a cult.

[GiRTh]

I think Remy is right. It seems more like a cult than a religion.

[Captain.Remy]

Message original : GiRTh
I think Remy is right. It seems more like a cult than a religion.

I'm studying Religion in Philosophy class at the moment so I can tell you a lot about that. Religion doesn't ask you to pay, doesn't ask your ID and stuff like that. Scientology is not a religion, simple as and it's cearly defined as a cult.

[GiRTh]

Scientology asks you to pay? Then its definitely not a religion.

[Captain.Remy]

Message original : GiRTh
Scientology asks you to pay? Then its definitely not a religion.

So as all the cults. The problem is not in what God they believe because after all, we trust in what we want to but the manner and the way they do so is a problem.

[bananarama]

Religion doesn't ask you to pay!!!! I seem to remember "Money" collection plates being whipped around quite a bit.....

The world and its population is paying a very heavy price for religion. often with their lives....

[Tom]

Originally posted by bananarama
Religion doesn't ask you to pay!!!! I seem to remember "Money" collection plates being whipped around quite a bit.....

The world and its population is paying a very heavy price for religion. often with their lives....

Thats donations. Its voluntary and it keeps the churches going. You don't need a church to be religious, it just helps.

[Captain.Remy]

Message original : bananarama
Religion doesn't ask you to pay!!!! I seem to remember "Money" collection plates being whipped around quite a bit.....

The world and its population is paying a very heavy price for religion. often with their lives....

But Islam or Christians don't ask your bank account numbers don't they ? And they don't take money from your bank account every month don't they ? And you don't pay in order to join a a religion don't you ?
Exactly, you don't and that's the huge difference. Scientology is defined as a cult and it's not going to chance.

[Stu]

Major world religions have scammed their followers out of money in the past. Its not just scientology. They believe in something , therefore it qualifys as a religion in my book. You dont like it , I dont like it , but it is a religion. Some people follow it , but heck , who are we to blame? Most of us believe in a man who can turn water into wine and clone fish. When you put it like that , almost ALL religions are borderline stupid , and must be taken with a pinch of salt.

Never doubt ignorance .

[Mark]

Scientology as a whole is misunderstood, and misinterperated by the general public, especially with all the media attention lately. To define it as a cult, while technically true is frowned upon by scientologists because its insulting their beliefs and their lifestyle. I could think of just as many arguments to show that Christianity/Catholicism is a cult, which religious people would immediately frown upon. Works both ways.

A lot of people turn to Scientology not for the 'religious' aspect of it, but for its program called Dianetics. Dianetics is basically a self help program which scientologists use to try and help people with problems in their lives.

I may come across that I'm defending Scientology, but I'm 100% not. I don't agree with any of their practices, or their methodology in teaching it to its members - nor do I agree with their tax exemption and their corruption. I've watched several documentaries on Scientology recently, the BBC Panorama one with John Sweeny is very good and gives a good outline of the lengths the 'church' goes to in certain situations.

The thing which makes me laugh is when religious people bash the religious side of the church of Scientology. If you are allowed to believe in a god that lives in the sky and can perform unexplainable phenomena and crazy miracles that defy science then why can't scientologists can believe in Xenu their god that came to earth in a spaceship 75 million years ago. Both stories are equally as far fetched and ridiculous in my opinion

- Mark

[Stu]

Originally posted by Mark
Scientology as a whole is misunderstood, and misinterperated by the general public, especially with all the media attention lately. To define it as a cult, while technically true is frowned upon by scientologists because its insulting their beliefs and their lifestyle. I could think of just as many arguments to show that Christianity/Catholicism is a cult, which religious people would immediately frown upon. Works both ways.

A lot of people turn to Scientology not for the 'religious' aspect of it, but for its program called Dianetics. Dianetics is basically a self help program which scientologists use to try and help people with problems in their lives.

I may come across that I'm defending Scientology, but I'm 100% not. I don't agree with any of their practices, or their methodology in teaching it to its members - nor do I agree with their tax exemption and their corruption. I've watched several documentaries on Scientology recently, the BBC Panorama one with John Sweeny is very good and gives a good outline of the lengths the 'church' goes to in certain situations.

The thing which makes me laugh is when religious people bash the religious side of the church of Scientology. If you are allowed to believe in a god that lives in the sky and can perform unexplainable phenomena and crazy miracles that defy science then why can't scientologists can believe in Xenu their god that came to earth in a spaceship 75 million years ago. Both stories are equally as far fetched and ridiculous in my opinion

- Mark

Pardon the pun , but AMEN! Some excellent points their.

[Sticks]

According the the book, the Barefaced Messiah by Russel Miller, A Sunday Times journalist, L Ron Hubbard who founded Scientology said that one way to get rich was to create a religion.

Incidentally the Church of Scientology did all sorts of dirty tricks to stop that book coming out.

From my reading of the book and research in to this group, L Ron Hubbard was a thoroughly nasty individual who scammed people. As far as some of the "beliefs" go, it is worth noting that L Ron Hubbard used to right stories for the magazine "Astounding Stories" a Sci Fi magazine

[Mark]

Originally posted by Sticks
According the the book, the Barefaced Messiah by Russel Miller, A Sunday Times journalist, L Ron Hubbard who founded Scientology said that one way to get rich was to create a religion.

Incidentally the Church of Scientology did all sorts of dirty tricks to stop that book coming out.

From my reading of the book and research in to this group, L Ron Hubbard was a thoroughly nasty individual who scammed people. As far as some of the "beliefs" go, it is worth noting that L Ron Hubbard used to right stories for the magazine "Astounding Stories" a Sci Fi magazine

Not to mention it might just be one big plagiarism http://www.iheartchaos.com/2008/02/2...more-you-know/

[bananarama]

Originally posted by Tom_

Thats donations. Its voluntary and it keeps the churches going. You don't need a church to be religious, it just helps.

Taking money is taking money. Voluntary or otherwise is splitting hairs......Actually I was making an ironic statement about religion and not claiming scientology is a religion. I agree it is not. Then neither are the religions of the world. They are instead institutions used to control others at what ever cost to whoever....The belief in God is used by such institution as an excuse for whatever cruel controlling and murderous activities they wish to impose.....

The gullable just roll over and let it all happen....

[usa4eva]

I really dont know why there is sooo much attention on it, who gives a crap.

wow, people can do what they want, why do people have to judge others, I mean what has it got to do with us, to what we think of it

[Sticks]

Originally posted by usa4eva
wow, people can do what they want, why do people have to judge others, I mean what has it got to do with us, to what we think of it

It's not a question of judging others, according to those who have got caught up and ended up leaving it seems to be a scam, a way of extracting money, which ties in to the the reported comment by it's founder L Ron Hubbard

[alan_powers]

Originally posted by Sticks

It's not a question of judging others, according to those who have got caught up and ended up leaving it seems to be a scam, a way of extracting money, which ties in to the the reported comment by it's founder L Ron Hubbard

if it was a scam there wont be as much people as there are in it, and a bigger point im trying to make on how big the attention to this is that ISNT ALL THE OTHER RELIGIONS A SCAM? yet this religion is being highlighted excessivly?

[Sticks]

Some may try and use "religion" to fleece other adherents, like the Catholic church did in the middle ages with the sale of indulgences, but that was not the Raison Detre of the religion, Scientology is different because of it's founder, what he reportedly said about making money by starting a religion and how the organisation operates and tries to suppress critics using all sorts of documented dirty tricks

[depression]

Originally posted by Sticks
Some may try and use "religion" to fleece other adherents, like the Catholic church did in the middle ages with the sale of indulgences, but that was not the Raison Detre of the religion, Scientology is different because of it's founder, what he reportedly said about making money by starting a religion and how the organisation operates and tries to suppress critics using all sorts of documented dirty tricks

what did he reportadly say about making money,

and dont all religouns suppress critics, and use all sorts of documented dirt tricks such as the media and co-vert policies????

[Mark]

Originally posted by depression

what did he reportadly say about making money,

"If you want to make a little money, write a book. If you want to make a lot of money, create a religion.” - L. Ron Hubbard

[James]

Reminds me of how Francis Ford Coppola once suggested to George Lucas that if he started a religion based on Star Wars it would become one of the world's biggest...

[Captain.Remy]

Message original : Mark

"If you want to make a little money, write a book. If you want to make a lot of money, create a religion.” - L. Ron Hubbard

That's what it's a cult indeed.