samprasvsfederer123
Banned
what is it how does it work what is it about im just curious because i see many actors are in it and many contorversies about many deaths of people from scientology
What's Scientology?
- Thread starter samprasvsfederer123
- Start date
David_Is_Right
Semi-Pro
It's a special service designed for celebrities that have run out of ways to waste their money...
spacediver
Hall of Fame
i suggest you start with this excellent 1987 bbc panorama documentary - gives some historical context to this money grabbing cult.
http://www.xenutv.com/blog/?p=545
http://www.xenutv.com/blog/?p=545
CanadianChic
Hall of Fame
It is a cult, not a religion.
Deaths from Scientology? Can you elaborate?
samprasvsfederer123
Banned
well i cant count them but years ago there was a spanish star who died and hundreds of headlines pointing to scientology surfaced.
Bud
Bionic Poster
Wikipedia also has a pretty good synopsis about Scientology...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientology
malakas
Banned
Watch THIS and you will learn all that's important to know.
http://www.southparkstudios.com/episodes/103804/
http://www.southparkstudios.com/episodes/103804/
35ft6
Legend
Scientology is a unique opportunity to see what might eventually become a major world religion in its formative years. And their creation myths are pretty crazy but really no crazier than the stories in the Bible or Koran or any other religious book. With that said, they're way more unlikeable than other religious people I know.
origmarm
Hall of Fame
+1. Completely agree with 35 below also, Scientology is effectively a religion in it's infancy.
flyinghippos101
Legend
except with a nominal entry fee...
Exactly. This is a big difference. You can not be a Scientologist for free. This is perhaps the chief trait, though not the only one, that distinguishes it from a religion, even one in its infancy.
malakas
Banned
FedererForehand
Banned
Scientology= Scam
There is a fee for all religions. It's not necessarily monetary, but the cost is not zero.
jonnythan
Professional
I think the "religion" aspect of it is mostly a sham. The whole Xenu/spaceplane/etc is a cover.
I think that Scientology is really a way for the powerful people of the world to share money and favors tax-free and in complete secrecy. The whole religion aspect is a distraction and a cover.
It makes sense if you think about it. It takes millions of dollars in classes and upgrades to get at the heart of it - all the poor idiots who can't afford that never get into the inner sanctum and never learn all there is to learn, which is all well and good because then Scientology gets all their money but these commonfolk never get a say in the organization. Once you've bought your way into the elite, you have the perfect cover for all sorts of activities and favors. You can exchange all the money you want, and since it's a "religion," all the money is untaxed and essentially untracked.
When you think about it this way, it really isn't all that crazy, is it?
I think that Scientology is really a way for the powerful people of the world to share money and favors tax-free and in complete secrecy. The whole religion aspect is a distraction and a cover.
It makes sense if you think about it. It takes millions of dollars in classes and upgrades to get at the heart of it - all the poor idiots who can't afford that never get into the inner sanctum and never learn all there is to learn, which is all well and good because then Scientology gets all their money but these commonfolk never get a say in the organization. Once you've bought your way into the elite, you have the perfect cover for all sorts of activities and favors. You can exchange all the money you want, and since it's a "religion," all the money is untaxed and essentially untracked.
When you think about it this way, it really isn't all that crazy, is it?
Dedans Penthouse
Legend
Wasn't Scientology an 80's Police album?
max
Legend
Damn that's good!
TenniseaWilliams
Professional
On this MTM description at http://www.tennislessons.com/coaching.mtm, Oscar Wegner seems to claim that scientology will directly improve your tennis game.
Camilio Pascual
Hall of Fame
Get your credit cards' limits raised.
Helpful tip: Do your advances in Scientology when interest rates are low. Slack off when they are high.
Helpful tip: Do your advances in Scientology when interest rates are low. Slack off when they are high.
malakas
Banned
jazzyfunkybluesy
Banned
Churches = Scam
Organized religion = Useless
Organized religion = Useless
borg number one
Legend
From what I've read about Scientology, it strikes me as in effect "big business".
It seeks out the vulnerable and misguided (i.e. those that are somewhat "lost"). I recall them "recruiting" near my college campus in Austin, Texas. It's a joke, based on just the following from a Wikipedia summary:
"Scientology has been surrounded by controversies since its inception. It has often been described as a cult that financially defrauds and abuses its members, charging exorbitant fees for its spiritual services.[6][15][16] The Church of Scientology has consistently used litigation against such critics, and its aggressiveness in pursuing its foes has been condemned as harassment.[17][18] Further controversy has focused on Scientology's belief that souls ("thetans") reincarnate and have lived on other planets before living on Earth.[19] Former members say that some of Hubbard's writings on this remote extraterrestrial past, included in confidential Upper Levels, are not revealed to practitioners until they have paid thousands of dollars to the Church of Scientology.[20][21] Another controversial belief held by Scientologists is that the practice of psychiatry is destructive and abusive and must be abolished.[22][23]"
Their website is BIZARRE, in that it obviously seeks to recruit many Christians especially that are still in effect "searching". It is basically a cult that operates under the guise of organized religion.
Personally, I have a deep distrust for anyone that calls themselves deeply religious and/or spiritual but at the same time seeks to "recruit"/"proselytize"/engage in "missionary pursuits" to convert the those that have not "seen the light".
The Church of Scientology seems to be "capitalizing" on many of our current social ills.
It seeks out the vulnerable and misguided (i.e. those that are somewhat "lost"). I recall them "recruiting" near my college campus in Austin, Texas. It's a joke, based on just the following from a Wikipedia summary:
"Scientology has been surrounded by controversies since its inception. It has often been described as a cult that financially defrauds and abuses its members, charging exorbitant fees for its spiritual services.[6][15][16] The Church of Scientology has consistently used litigation against such critics, and its aggressiveness in pursuing its foes has been condemned as harassment.[17][18] Further controversy has focused on Scientology's belief that souls ("thetans") reincarnate and have lived on other planets before living on Earth.[19] Former members say that some of Hubbard's writings on this remote extraterrestrial past, included in confidential Upper Levels, are not revealed to practitioners until they have paid thousands of dollars to the Church of Scientology.[20][21] Another controversial belief held by Scientologists is that the practice of psychiatry is destructive and abusive and must be abolished.[22][23]"
Their website is BIZARRE, in that it obviously seeks to recruit many Christians especially that are still in effect "searching". It is basically a cult that operates under the guise of organized religion.
Personally, I have a deep distrust for anyone that calls themselves deeply religious and/or spiritual but at the same time seeks to "recruit"/"proselytize"/engage in "missionary pursuits" to convert the those that have not "seen the light".
The Church of Scientology seems to be "capitalizing" on many of our current social ills.
What are you kids smoking?
You can join a reputable church with no money. You can not be a Scientologist with no money. That is a huge and troubling distinction you both seem to be ignoring.
And this "fee for all religions but not necessarily monetary" statement is pretty much jibberish. What next, saying that the "cost is not zero" for posting in this thread?
For the record, I am an agnostic and do not attend any church or have any use for religion. But I can still tell a harmless and good intentioned church from a manipulative money-grubbing for-profit cult.
35ft6
Legend
Classic characteristic of cult is members are encouraged to distance themselves from non-believers and especially critics of the cult. Also, it's hard to leave Scientology unscathed, and you have to sign a contract before attending any services. This contract prevents you from ever taking Scientology to court over money (and almost everything in Scientology costs money) or psychological harm, speaking of which it also includes something about you never wanting psychiatric help. All of these things are official church doctrine, not the demands of some rogue operative who set up his own shop on some farm in Ohio. This really does set it apart from most forms of Christianity found in America. I was raised Catholic, and you didn't have to give money during mass, and they didn't force you to ostracize your non-Catholic friends, and leaving was as easy as deciding not to go anymore. Read up on it, Scientology is very different from the other high profile "religions" found in the states.
Well, this is interesting. Because there's another poster named 35ft6 who had a much more benign take on this budding major religion earlier in the thread.
Last edited:
Mick
Legend
35ft6
Legend
The responses don't contradict each other. Read them again. They really might become a major world religion... their creation myths really are no crazier than other widely accepted ones... and their followers are harder to like than those who follow other religions in the USA... and they are way more cult like than other mainstream American religions.
You've been on ignore for a long time, looked at your response on a lark. Reminded me quickly why you're on ignore. Haha.
Last edited:
samprasvsfederer123
Banned
u mean like an elite "illuminati " " new world order" kind of organization that wants to destory other religions?
I don't have to read them again. Anyone can see that the second post was dramatically more critical than the first, almost as if written by a different person. Perhaps you are still wrestling with this issue and don't know what you feel?
In any event, put me back on ignore if you can't handle someone noticing your shifting attitudes and wishy-wash stances within the same thread. No skin off my back.
malakas
Banned
The minute I read the first bolded sentence I knew the second.
Every church will ask-demand for your money/time/effort sooner or later.
You're suggesting since I don't attend church I know nothing of how they operate?
I think you are the ignorant one here. While a reputable church may ask that you make a small financial offering, or perhaps help in some other way, they will not DEMAND you do so, or bar you from attending their services if you refuse. You can go to a Catholic Church every Sunday for 50 years and never once put a nickel in the collection basket and you will still be welcome there.
Can you say the same for Scientology?
Last edited:
malakas
Banned
yes that's what I suggest.
Because with your posts that's obvious to me.What I say here is this: Scientology church is like all churches.They ask for your money.The people who are... religious enough to pay so much to join and go far in the ranks of scientology would pay the same in all the other churches as has been done for thousands of years in the history of all churches.
35ft6
Legend
Not true. With Catholic Church, it's voluntary. With Scientology, mandatory, and very very expensive. Catholic church might ask, and I say "might" having been raised Catholic. You can't be a member of Scientology without paying for its courses and audits. At Starbuck's, the tip jar would be the Catholic Church, and buying a coffee or Danish is like Scientology. Big difference.
malakas
Banned
Is there?Because if what I remember is correct it comes from the Catholic Church the absolution certificates no?That rich people payed for all their sins to be forgiven..
Have we gone a long way since then,or simply they have learn to conceal it better?People still pay money so they can help the church and so they can go to heaven.
The Scientology doesn't seem different to me,only they are more frank about it ..and they ask more money.
BUT my point is that people who join this,and pay this money..their "target group" would end up paying it anyway in some other church as it has been happening for all these centuries.
I am not here to argue about the Catholic Church,if you're a member good for you.That's my personal opinion that churches are up there with politicians and journalists as parasites of the volk.That's why Scientology seem normal to me.
Your "opinion" is based on ignorance and, it seems, a touch of bigotry. To compare the voluntary and small contributions the Catholic Church might ask of its members to the large fees demanded by Scientology is absurd.
Tell you what: Why not do some field research on this and get back to us. Go attend a Catholic Church for a year and tell us how much you are required to pay. Then join Scientology for a year and see what it costs you...
malakas
Banned
Ok,if you say so,that's what is based on.
There's no catholic church to attend to in the next 1000 kilometres from here but more than enough from eastern orthodox churches.I have attended however catholic churches in Italy and have talked to italians and the situation seem to be the same.When it cost me ANY money to practice my religion whether it's one euro or one thousand to me it's the same hypocricy and therefore I put all churches in the same basket.So Catholic church goes together with Scientology for me.
Ok,if you say so,that's what is based on.
When it cost me ANY money to practice my religion whether it's one euro or one thousand to me it's the same hypocricy and therefore I put all churches in the same basket.So Catholic church goes together with Scientology for me.
I don't what the hell is going on in Greece or Italy or who you might be talking to, but I guarantee you can attend any Catholiic Church in America every Sunday for 20 years straight and never spend even one penny for it.
The Catholic Church is free. Get it? Free. Scientology is most definitely NOT free. Get it? NOT free.
See the difference?
malakas
Banned
heycal we will just never agree because you don't understand my point.
I am not 100% but still fairly positive that whatever goes in Italian catholic church goes to american as well.And that is asking for money sooner or later.
But I'm not even Catholic so who knows?Maybe american catholicism is an island of utopia.
I don't care if you are not 100% positive about what goes on in U.S. Catholic Churches. I am. This is not a matter of opinion where reasonable people can disagree, but a matter of demonstrable fact, and you are a 100% wrong.
I further suspect you are wrong about the practices of the Catholic Church in Italy and other countries as well, though I have no proof of this at the moment. And remember, asking for money is not the same as demanding money. Are you suggesting that if I lived in Italy and attended a Catholic Church there, that they would eventually bar me from entering its doors and worshipping there if I refused to give them any money?
It's also worth keeping in mind that the Catholic Church has million upon millions of poverty-stricken, dirt-poor followers the world over. They couldn't give a penny even if they wanted to, and many get more from the church's charity work than they could ever possibly give.
Contrast that with Scientology, an expensive cult aimed at the more affluent classes and unavailable to the poor.
Last edited:
malakas
Banned
Nahh I didn't say they would demand it from you.But you would be much pressured to pay them.They are not so direct as Scientology in that matter.-for the record I don't have anything personal against Catholics!!-
Anyway,whatever I'm out of here for good.I don't like these religion threads because they soon get ugly and really should have known better than to enter one.bye.
shazbot
Semi-Pro
I don't understand how malakas can even argue this with you.
Scientology forces you to pay money. FORCES.
Catholic and any Christian church ask for donations. Some people donate a lot, some people donate a few (1-2) dollars a month. If they donate a lot it's because they can.
Like heycal is saying, anyone can go to Catholic church for free all year round.
