# I'm Considering joining the Church of Scientology! Am I insane? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [November 17, 2012, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-considering-joining-the-church-of-scientology-am-i-insane/641331 "2012-11-17T18:16:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2012, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-considering-joining-the-church-of-scientology-am-i-insane/641331/61 "2012-11-17T23:08:58Z")
> [@buddha\_david](#): > > You can always be a Buddhist who’s taken a mulligan and put off _moksha_ til your next life. 🆒 Or he can practice mindfulness, moderation, and non-attachment even with respect to alcohol if he wishes. ---
**Author:** ![Robb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a183cd/32.png) [@Robb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robb)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2012, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-considering-joining-the-church-of-scientology-am-i-insane/641331/62 "2012-11-17T23:18:07Z")
You can’t just dip a toe into the pool of Scientology. You need to tie a dive belt around your neck and leap head first into the deep end. You won’t regret your decision. Becoming clear will inflate your IQ and likely make you telepathic. But, that is nothing compared to the rewards you receive if you join SeaOrg. ---
**Author:** ![Steken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@Steken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steken)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2012, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-considering-joining-the-church-of-scientology-am-i-insane/641331/63 "2012-11-17T23:20:13Z")
> [@Trinopus](#): > > Why not form your own faith? This! What say you, OP? ---
**Author:** ![cougar58](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f07891/32.png) [@cougar58](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cougar58)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2012, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-considering-joining-the-church-of-scientology-am-i-insane/641331/64 "2012-11-18T00:09:11Z")
If you had your choice of whom you spend next weekend with, which would you chose: Katie Holmes or the Scientologists ? Get back with us then we’ll confirm / deny your sanity ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2012, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-considering-joining-the-church-of-scientology-am-i-insane/641331/65 "2012-11-18T00:33:04Z")
Frankly, anyone who would even consider joining the COS has more than a few loose screws. But heck, if you want to become a slave, go right ahead! Elron Hubbard himself described his creation as “a new way of making slaves”. ---
**Author:** ![mutantmoose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a87d85/32.png) [@mutantmoose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mutantmoose)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2012, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-considering-joining-the-church-of-scientology-am-i-insane/641331/66 "2012-11-18T01:08:25Z")
Has anyone actually read Dianetics? Is it any good? ---
**Author:** ![hkepotat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/edb3f5/32.png) [@hkepotat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hkepotat)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2012, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-considering-joining-the-church-of-scientology-am-i-insane/641331/67 "2012-11-18T01:16:48Z")
> [@mutantmoose](#): > > Has anyone actually read Dianetics? Is it any good? It starts with some observational psychology, that while it makes a few good points, tends to extrapolate them into fairly unsubstantiated grounds. It then devolves into some more conjecture with virtually no merit or proof. It gets worse from there. Was a best seller for quite some time as it was a vehicle for laundering money by COS, did a pretty good job of that, actually. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2012, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-considering-joining-the-church-of-scientology-am-i-insane/641331/68 "2012-11-18T01:32:07Z")
> [@mutantmoose](#): > > Has anyone actually read Dianetics? I did, until MEGO set in. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2012, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-considering-joining-the-church-of-scientology-am-i-insane/641331/69 "2012-11-18T01:34:49Z")
> [@Aquadementia](#): > > Please consider [The Church of the SubGenius™](http://www.subgenius.com/slaq.htm) first. Splitter. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2012, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-considering-joining-the-church-of-scientology-am-i-insane/641331/70 "2012-11-18T03:09:05Z")
> [@Captain\_Amazing](#): > > You’re not insane. A lot of people have become members of the Church of Scientology and are happy enough with it. But realize that it can be fairly expensive…auditing doesn’t come cheap, and that their might be pressure on you to cut off relationships with people critical of the Church. That being said, though, I hope you find what you’re looking for. You can get audited by the IRS for free and any penalties will be cheaper. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2012, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-considering-joining-the-church-of-scientology-am-i-insane/641331/71 "2012-11-18T03:24:17Z")
I would seriously look into the Church of [Dudeism](http://dudeism.com/). It’s as good a philosophy as any other religion and it’s a pretty laid back crowd. ---
**Author:** ![Onomatopoeia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/onomatopoeia/32/4145_2.png) [@Onomatopoeia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Onomatopoeia)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2012, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-considering-joining-the-church-of-scientology-am-i-insane/641331/72 "2012-11-18T03:24:38Z")
Heh. I love threads like this! It’s interesting to read the comments of other posters who inexplicably do not feel the gently, yet oh so obviously wafting breeze 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2012, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-considering-joining-the-church-of-scientology-am-i-insane/641331/73 "2012-11-18T03:51:07Z")
> [@Onomatopoeia](#): > > Heh. I love threads like this! > > It’s interesting to read the comments of other posters who inexplicably do not feel the gently, yet oh so obviously wafting breeze 🙂 we feel the breeze. it’s refreshing. ---
**Author:** ![Ulfreida](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ulfreida/32/8014_2.png) [@Ulfreida](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulfreida)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2012, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-considering-joining-the-church-of-scientology-am-i-insane/641331/74 "2012-11-18T04:31:29Z")
I wanna change my vote now. Where’s the button where I change my vote? Maybe on the other side of this bridge. Wait, what’s under there? Something kinda ugly but at the same time, it has an innocence to it. I think it’s just a baby one. ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2012, 6:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-considering-joining-the-church-of-scientology-am-i-insane/641331/75 "2012-11-18T06:17:48Z")
> [@hkepotat](#): > > If you have lots of money you don’t mind spending on some almost decent armchair psychology, they may be able to accommodate that need. I’m not sure one wouldn’t be better off with a Jungian analyst. Wait. You’re in the UK, right? Go talk to Arthur. Arthur Uther Pendragon, real guy, neo-pagan, may or may not be the present incarnation of King Arthur, rides a motorcycle. His sort of paganism is not as structured as Scientology, but it’s a lot easier on the pocketbook. Which means more money for strong drink. ---
**Author:** ![LouisB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dfb087/32.png) [@LouisB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LouisB)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2012, 6:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-considering-joining-the-church-of-scientology-am-i-insane/641331/76 "2012-11-18T06:50:21Z")
If Tom Cruise is your hero, dive on in. If you think he is batshit insane, run for the border. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Colossus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.colossus/32/9423_2.png) [@Dr.Colossus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Colossus)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2012, 7:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-considering-joining-the-church-of-scientology-am-i-insane/641331/77 "2012-11-18T07:18:56Z")
> [@HoneyBadgerDC](#): > > Why would you be looking for religion if you don’t believe in God? You can find a similar spritual like peace by just examining your own place in the universe. I struggle myself with a concept of God and the roll he plays but have never found a religion that comes close to my beliefs. want to directly discuss this with you. do not want to hijack. solutions? ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Colossus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.colossus/32/9423_2.png) [@Dr.Colossus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Colossus)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2012, 7:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-considering-joining-the-church-of-scientology-am-i-insane/641331/78 "2012-11-18T07:34:40Z")
> [@Lamia](#): > > If you’re determined to join a cult then there are [plenty of others](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UFO_religion) that are based on belief in aliens. [Raelism](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ra%C3%ABlism) is a big one, and while the Raelians seem like a pretty wacky bunch to me I’d sign up with them before I got involved with Scientology. Raelism! i’m that now. thanks for the link. my life suddenly makes total sense. first order of business will be proposing design changes to their symbology. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2012, 7:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-considering-joining-the-church-of-scientology-am-i-insane/641331/79 "2012-11-18T07:54:12Z")
> [@Dr.Colossus](#): > > want to directly discuss this with you. do not want to hijack. solutions? Start another thread. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2012, 7:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-considering-joining-the-church-of-scientology-am-i-insane/641331/80 "2012-11-18T07:54:52Z")
> [@Ambivalid](#): > > Have you thought about a name for your spaceship? Or is there even a choice in the matter? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-considering-joining-the-church-of-scientology-am-i-insane/641331.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-considering-joining-the-church-of-scientology-am-i-insane/641331.md?page=5)