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You can probably look it up in Wikipedia, but basically it's a "religion" (not really) based on the book Dianetics. I read about it a few years ago. This is kind of what I remember: The guy who wrote the book wanted to avoid taxes, so he created the "Church of Scientology". (or what ever the tax rules are for religious organizations) to decrease his tax basis. The guy who created it started out as a science fiction writer. He then wrote Dianetics as a new "self help" psychology book. He has no training by the way in any type of therapy or psychology. And th eAmerican Psychological Association does not support his practices. The "church" follows his practice of self fullfillment and personal growth. I believe that there are levels or stages of "deeper" growth and understanding of his "teachings". The final stage is were you learn that all your psychological pain comes from the ghosts of dead aliens on the planet Earth who were killed by another alien thousands of years ago. I believe they keep this final teaching secret until you reach this level. Gosh, I wonder why they keep that a secret?

Hey, Little lady. Not sure what they believe in. I haven't really researched it. I will say I saw the video a few days ago, and imo, Tom Cruise has become pretty scary. He's foaming at the mouth and then some...

No more wacky in my opinion than most of the religions out there now. Just not as widely accepted.

sd-bear, I want to point out that on that video, Tom Cruise said that if someone is involved in a car accident, he would not hesitate to stop and pull over because "Scientologists" are, "the only one that can really help". That statement in combination with the alien stuff (if true) is wackier than anything I've ever heard of.

Is that really any more whacky than believing that the creator of the universe can read your mind?

Scientology is a fraud

That Hubbard invented to make money off of stupid gullible people. Tom Cruise got lucky as an actor and made a lot of money but he is a nutcase to believe in that crap.

I don't disagree. I'm just saying that it's not much different from many of our other religious institutions in that money trumps all and faith trumps data.

Long ago, in my twenties, I dated a Scientologist. He was fairly high up in the org, I guess. Whenever I went to his house he was always dragging out a device that looked like two tin cans connected by wires, and asking me to -- I don't remember the term -- submit to something like "deprogramming" me. I always refused. When he talked about Scientology, he got that blank cult-like stare in his eyes, otherwise, he seemed fairly normal. I do know he spent a lot of money on "courses."

I prefer the church of the flyiing spaghetti monster

http://www.venganza.org/

selfportrait

----- Sour grapes for everyone!

at least he's not a hindu... the universe riding on the back of a giant turtle...

or a mormon... ancient dvd's found in the utah desert and decss'd by some norwegian hacker kid because the international code was set to 9: Heaven... and if jesus really did visit the natives, what would that say about their genocide at the hands of christians?

catholics and their child "rearing"... protestants and their money worship...

hell, at least muslims have something to look forward to in death... 40 virgins? how do they stay virgins... unless! you may look, but never touch??? it's a scam! suicide bombers, you're being tricked!!!!

"The final stage is were you learn that all your psychological pain comes from the ghosts of dead aliens on the planet Earth who were killed by another alien thousands of years ago"

OMG, are there any comets comming round?

"Whenever I went to his house he was always dragging out a device that looked like two tin cans connected by wires, and asking me to -- I don't remember the term -- submit to something like "deprogramming" me. I always refused."

LMAO!!!!!!!!!HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHA!!

He gave me the book Dianetics for Christmas. I've moved two times since then. Never read it. Not sure if it's still in a box in my garage. I give most of my used books to "The Bookman," an incredibly sweet Jewish guy who gives donated books to hospital, prisons, etc. Maybe he tossed it.

Your theological and sociological commentary is so enlightening. Let me guess, not much for organized religion Drunkle? I am a Mormon, but take offense to everything you said. If you disparage religions you should at least portray them accurately.

Mitt Romney and my prophet approved this message.

I have to admit, I would have let Tom Cruise deprogram me Circa 1986. I seriously did not know what lust was until I saw Top Gun in 5th grade. I have a feeling Katie closes her eyes and thinks of Maverick whenever TC brings out the crazy.

bjensen

Don't let drunkle upset you,(though I don't believe any religion knows what is out there if anything) he's a jerk.......I can't even understand what he's talkin' 'bout most the time.....but then that's because he's drunk.....

"I have a feeling Katie closes her eyes and thinks of Maverick whenever TC brings out the crazy."

LMAO.......You ladies are hilarious this evening!

No big deal... I have a pretty thick skin. I'm in sales, though I probably shouldn't admit that considering the number of engineers here!

I suppose one big difference between judeo-christian religions and Scientology is that there are not "stages" whereby you've proven yourself to be entrusted with more information.

Now one could consider the Judeo-Christian stuff just as silly but at least the writings and beliefs of the leaders are pretty much well-understood and researchable.

bjensen:

i thought this was a bash religion thread...

not much of a thick skin if my joking offends you. funny too that you're offended by "everything" i said. not so offended by the comments about scientology though, eh?

nevermind all that, you're a mormon. one who should know what it's like to be ridiculed. so i'm sure you're empathetic. oh wait, scientology is a "cult"... not like mormonism, no, not at all. btw, how are the three wives? and what's the story on mormon temple rituals... i heard about some temple that was built up, outsiders invited in for a tour, and then totally redone after the tourists left...

say, i didn't disparage yhwh's witnesses... faith healings and whatnot? no wonder their numbers are so low...

little lady:

still bitter about santee sucking?

There may not currently be "stages" whereby you've proven yourself to be entrusted with more information, but until about 500 years ago there certainly were such stages. The church sort of really resisted us commoners nosing in on their monopoly on the holy word of god for about a thousand years before that.

I don't know if they are still at it, but Scientology had a history of suing the living crap out of ppl who said derogatory things about them in the 1990s. There was one newsgroup in that era where a group of ppl took to bashing Scientology (exposing it in their minds), and they found themselves in court in short order.

From my recollection, the ppl in that newsgroup claimed Scientologists had some sort of means of getting you to admit problems from your past (I think it was those tin can things CMcG spoke of?), recording those and then using them as leverage to keep you in the fold. I have no idea if that's true or not.

My wife and I are atheists but we truly don't care if other people want to believe in some sort of religion: Hell, it's their business and if it makes them feel better about themselves or life in general, more power to them. But...........I am always amazed how otherwise, rational, intelligent people are suckered into giving away their money to religious organizations, preachers and hucksters involved with religion. We sold our home in San Diego in 2005 and moved to South Carolina which is in the buckle of the bible belt. You can't go anywhere without someone asking you what church you attend or inviting you to attend their church. My wife was standing in line at the grocery store last week and carrying on a conversation with the man behind her when he asked her where she went to church. She told him that she was an atheist and he moved to another line. I guess he thought she was going to drag him to hell or something. We find it all quite amusing.

Germany is about an inch away from outlawing Scientology.
http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2007/12/07...

Ex-SD: If you think telling them you're an atheist gets 'em going, try telling them you're Catholic. When I was stationed in the Army down South, I made the mistake a couple of times. After that, I kept my mouth shut. They do take their God very seriously in that part of the world. Have you ever caught any of the local televangelists telling viewers to touch their TV screens to feel God's healing love? That is one of my all-time favorites. It doesn't work with porn, either. Or so I've heard.

Svelte: Scientology is exceptionally litigious, and uses lawsuits and the threat of same very effectively. I had heard similar things as to how they exerted control over followers, as well as those that had fallen away. I don't ascribe Tom Cruise's wackiness to Scientology; I think he would have been a wingnut regardless of faith or denomination.

Allan: We live in a major city (county population is 500k people) and we are bordered on the north and south by two other counties that make the total population of the area slightly over 1 million people...........and I believe that there are only three, Catholic churches between all three counties so I can imagine the reaction that a self-professed Catholic would receive from the local Baptists who literally have a church on just about every corner. I read a Newsweek article (online) the other day that was written by a reporter who was traveling with Huckabee. He was astounded at the number of Baptist churches that he saw while riding in the car for only about 10 miles. I was born and reared in this area but left to go in the military for four years and only returned for a couple of years before leaving again for over 30 years. Many things have changed here but the large numbers of honest to goodness, bible-beating zealots have not diminished. There are are HUGE, Baptist churches here and they take in some serious money every month to support their buildings, upkeep and staff'. They are exempt from state sales taxes (and other state taxes as well) which makes no sense to me.

Ex-SD I'm totally with you on that. I love the look on the faces of deeply religious people when they ask me what religion I am, and I respond that I'm an atheist. It's like I punched them in the gut and knocked the wind out. Conversation usually drops off after that.

If you want a really entertaining afternoon head over to the Creation Museum in Santee (its free!). My fiancee and I went once and had a glorious time. It absolutely boggles my mind what these otherwise rational, intelligent people believe.

http://www.icr.org/discover/index/discov...

I was in Texas last month and there were signs plastered all over the place that said "Believe in God? Even DEMONS believe that!" I guess it was implying that if you don't believe in god you are inferior to demons. Except I don't believe in demons either...

Ex-SD: I stopped in a grocery store in Fayetteville (circa 1987) following a run. I was wearing one of my old football jerseys (from a Catholic HS). I pass this nice (appearing) little old lady and nod. She looks me dead in the eye and calls me an anti-Christ. No s**t. I was floored. I could have had a pentagram tattooed on my forehead, and could've been throttling a helpless child and not drawn a stronger reaction. And she said the word with utter venom.

Yup, them Baptists is a mite serious about (their version of) God.

What is truly funny is the number of honky tonk bars that absolutely rock on Saturday nights. Booze, drugs, fighting and carousing, and then the same group is in church the following morning. Course, as a Catholic, I probably shouldn't be pointing any fingers in that respect.

Every organized religions have some points to them, and that's why people believes in them. I think the problem is that because it is organized, they are all prone to manipulation by individuals or groups to serve their own selfish purposes. I still stands that ORGANIZED RELIGIONS ARE FOR THE WEAK MINDED PEOPLE. That's why they are offended when someone disagree with their believes. I am cool as long as you don't force your believes on others. Personally, I am agnostic but not an atheist.

Btw, the things that Scientology believes come very close to Chinese myths. The founders of Chinese civilization came from the sky riding on a dragon (long body dragon without wings), and defeated (killed) an equally powerful enemy capable of manipulating weathers and elements.

Buddhism is more philosophy

Than religion and it makes sense.

CardiffBaseball,

Usually I try to stay out of religious discussion because I dont care what the un-enlightened believe, but your statement:

"Now one could consider the Judeo-Christian stuff just as silly but at least the writings and beliefs of the leaders are pretty much well-understood and researchable"

May not be completely correct.

Even in the well researched Judeo-Christian churches, there is much miss-information about what is actually in the bible. Many religious experts have studied and proclaimed, but there is little in the bible to support the notion of an eternal punishment in "Hell". It exists only in the minds of the believers. Until after 1765 it never showed up in the new testiment, and did not arrive in the old testiment until the King James version. Churches have created dogma to facilitate their own earthly desires.

And this re-writing the "book" is far more reasonable than some churches fabricated canabalistic rituals where the flesh and blood of the savior is eaten and drank each week at mass which was never part of the "book"

If scientologists want to be the offspring of Zorg the interplanetary traveler and our ancient relative - so be it. Maybe they have a book that they are miss representing also.

I think you are introducing a straw-man here, though perhaps not intentionally. Yes my statement was vague, I am speaking to generic philosphy (i.e. there is a god, etc.). For better or worse these things shaped entire civilizations.

I do agree interpretation varies wildly even amongst Christians.

Scientology?

I think Tom Cruise is their God. That's all I know.