Scientology

[Neo]

So I watching South Park the other night, and the spoofed Scientology. At first I didn't think much of it, until later when I got online and did a little research on it. This organization is completely out of it. That or they are geniuses.

They sue anyone who tries to critisize them, and believe in the strangest things. But instead of a normal religon, the Church of Scientology (CoS), requires you to pay money to be a part of it.

The go after anyone who dares release thier 'sacred' texts and stuff...

But one problem of many is this;

The whole thing was started by a raving loon Sci-Fi writer...

So I bring this challenge to yall, Go hit google, or whatever your favorite search engine is, and research the CoS, come back here and lets discuss it.

The people running it are geniuses -- leading a worldwide scam -- and the belivers are just completely out of touch with reality. Brainwashing, propaganda, etc... have all been mentioned about the CoS.

So... your thoughts? Completely fraudulent? Or are you one of them?

Oh, and fyi: They actually sued Time for doing an article on them. At the end of this South Park episode, Stan yells "Go ahead! Sue me!" over and over -- and in the credits, everyone is John Smith or Jane Smith. You can say what you want about the show -- but that was pure brilliance right there :P

It seems as if very few people want to call CoS out in the open. Or if they try, then get slammed with red tape, thier lives get ruined, or they are harrased.

-Neo

[psycho42b]

This...church, If you wish to call it,is very...disturbing. And yet, they haven't been completely up with the times, as it says in a pdf (http://http://www.xenu.net/archive/leaflet/Xenu-Letter.pdf) file I found, they haven't been completely introduced to the internet. And as for criticizing them, they don't just sure, they also hire private investigators to follow you and watch you at all times, hire people to rob you, beat you up, threaten you and your family with death, near constantly harass you at any given time, and any others I failed to mention. This sounds somewhat serious,as it could be an attempt to take over the world. As for the church wanting to escape its "persecution", why doesn't it just buy up a small, poor country, and use it for its own needs and wants? I knew some people did this, but never on such a large scale. looks like the mafia has either a partner or a rival. :smirk: May this ... er... delusional... idea crumble back to the nothingness from which it came. good find, by the way.

[GenocideAlive]

At first I thought it was something cool like investing money in science (the requisite fee), and that someone finally decided that science might deserve some kind of religious accolade. You know, real truth. But alas, yes, I never liked the writing from the guy whom invented Scientology and I sure as hell think his fucking religion is for whackos. I mean, no mental health professionals? Oh yeah, the world would be way better off. Sure. Way better.

[Nechozim]

oy, thats crazy. I really cant believe that someone would believe something like that. Btw, everything that they said on south park was true O.o! I have heard that scientologysts are notorius for sueing people, Iv never heard that they ruin the peoples lives too, but at this point ill believe it.

~on a side note, i hope WarBoards doesnt get sued:P

[DrawingBlanks]

Urgh... Scientology... must... die...

First of all: I stop tolerating a certain religion when its founder has been charged with fraud or other crimes involving suspicious handling of money.

Second of all: Scientology should not be dismissed as a threat to human society.

It is a subversive cult that's now got star-power backing it. Tom Cruise, Kirstie Alley, and now Katie Holmes (thanks to aforementioned disgraceful excuse of an actor) are all part of the Church of Scientology. Since it has such influential star-power, I would sincerely be on the lookout for Scientology and try my damnedest to curb its assimilation of anyone else into its sinister fold.

There are organizations out there for ex-Scientologists trying to escape the cult. They offer psychiatric help (among other things) to make sure their transition out of the cult is as smooth as possible. Unfortunately, Scientology has caught onto this and has assaulted these ex-Scientologist organizations with lawsuits and such, forcing them to close their doors due to bankruptcy and whatnot. However, what Scientology does (after the targeted ex-Scientologist organizations close their doors) is take over these organizations (name, location, everything). Since they were once known for helping ex-Scientologists out of the cult, people trying to get out of Scientology will try to go to said organizations for help. However, since Scientology has taken over the organization, all the Scientology escapees will get is a straight path back to the organization from which they were trying to flee.

As for "recruitment" procedures, Scientologists have been known to falsely imprison people (like isolate them and lock them in a room) until they agree to be a part of the church (even if they say it just to get out of isolation). Also, intimidation tactics such as singling out and putting unnecessary and uncomfortable focus on people who try to leave the "educational seminars" (sometimes even going so far as to put people in the way of the exit so as to discourage people from leaving).

In general, Scientologists will use whatever resource they can (even if it is of the illegal variety) to get as many people as it can as well as to keep people from leaving during any stage of the indoctrination/assimilation process.

Yeah, Scientology is a dangerous and sinister organization. The dismantling of this "religion" would only be a blessing to the world.

(As an aside, what happened in The Simpsons episode about the Movementarians parallels what happens in Scientology. Unfortunately, the person that does the voice for "Bart Simpson" is also a known Scientologist.)

[Nostradamus]

This ...... religion (if it can be called that, I prefer the term scam) is ridiculous. I mean women have to remain silent in childbirth? You have to pay to be part of church? This is possibly the funniest thing I have ever heard! I think we had better stop discussing this religion and hide the thread before we get sued.

[Prozerran]

Does anyone see some correlation between Scientology and StarGate? The 5th Element? How about Alien vs. Predator? Anyone? Let me see some hands, damnit!

[GrassDragon]

I've done some research about Scientology and see it basically as a scam. They don't tell you about most of the religion until after you've "paid in", and by then they won't let you out. It screams scam. And if the pdf that psycho posted is any good, it really sounds like a sci-fi novel that somebody passed off as a religion.

Then again, flooding the entire world except for one boat that will eventually repopulate the world seems farfetched too.

[Nickodemus]

Then again, flooding the entire world except for one boat that will eventually repopulate the world seems farfetched too.

Nice one. :P

[Prozerran]

You know, Star Trek fans seem to have their own religion. It's not like the belief is the problem. It's the tactics used in propagating said religion (i.e. paid admission, cornering disbelievers, etc..)

That being said, I'm sure the beliefs of scientology may be, to some, convincing, but the evangelism (as it could be called) is the real problem. Just so that's clear.

[Neo]

You know, Star Trek fans seem to have their own religion. It's not like the belief is the problem. It's the tactics used in propagating said religion (i.e. paid admission, cornering disbelievers, etc..)

That being said, I'm sure the beliefs of scientology may be, to some, convincing, but the evangelism (as it could be called) is the real problem. Just so that's clear.
Are you trying to drag the trekkie outta me? Don't you bring star trek up!

I don't know if its the fact that you have to pay money is the only problem -- its that they preach all psychatrists should be wiped from the earth, and on top of that its very anti-christian (L. Ron says so).

And that they use really subverssive tactics, mindwash/brainwash you, tell you how ot life/what to do/etc...

-Neo

[GenocideAlive]

And that they use really subverssive tactics, mindwash/brainwash you, tell you how ot life/what to do/etc...
Um, wtf. How is that not a quality of every single god-forsaken religion on earth? Did you know that Christian groups sometimes buy old abortion clinics, change the name slightly, and turn them into "Advisory" clinics? So basically from the time the chick enters, they're trying to push her to "keep her baby" and "consider" 10,000 other options. In the end, they neither have the license nor the capability to do abortions, but they let people think so. Then when they come in, they pretty much use the misunderstanding to guilt-trip/pressure the girl into doing what they want. It's fucking sick.

[Neo]

Um, wtf. How is that not a quality of every single god-forsaken religion on earth? Did you know that Christian groups sometimes buy old abortion clinics, change the name slightly, and turn them into "Advisory" clinics? So basically from the time the chick enters, they're trying to push her to "keep her baby" and "consider" 10,000 other options. In the end, they neither have the license nor the capability to do abortions, but they let people think so. Then when they come in, they pretty much use the misunderstanding to guilt-trip/pressure the girl into doing what they want. It's fucking sick.
Yes, that maybe true, but the CoS does even more, buying out clinics to help ex-scientologists get out, but then instead of helping them out, they brainwash them back into the CoS (at least with the ex-abortion clinics you can tell, since like, if they arent giving you an abortion its pretty obvious >_>).

On top of that, the pope can't/wouldn't call up a celebrity or someone in office and tell them to quit thier job becuase they are in an organization that disses on the catholics.

Besides that, even if you have a problem with certain religons, most of them do have good morals at thier base -- ie: treat others as youd like to be treated, don't harm others, etc... Like you know what I am trying to get at hopefully.

At thier core, I don't really have problems with epopel who follow christianity... Just as long as they don't convert me. But the CoS problem is that they will literally lock you in a room, or block the exits from convention/large exhibitions until you promise to join them...

Pretty sure catholics dont do that XD lol...

At its core, the CoS is no different then the mafia... though it can be argued that at least the mafia doesnt try to cover the fact that they are illegal.

-Neo

[Morkeliph]

How is that not a quality of every single god-forsaken religion on earth?Despite your example (which is definitely deceitful), I don't know that its fair to generalize all religions as working such. Unfortunately, many do, but so do many governments and many forms of man-made social organizations in general. Nonetheless, I don't think we should hastily categorize all religion as brain-washing and manipulatively deceitful, just as you wouldn't want all atheists being categorized as antagonistic, anti-religious and intolerant. Both stereotypes, I believe, are inaccurate.