# 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:** 5
**Author:** ![I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/i_love_me_vol.i/32/521_2.png) [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Love_Me_Vol.I)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2012, 9:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-considering-joining-the-church-of-scientology-am-i-insane/641331/81 "2012-11-18T09:09:08Z")
> [@ConfusedMan](#): > > Ignore the negative stories. When I went to the church for the first time recently to learn about Scientology, I had a great experience. There was no pressure whatsoever, and they didn’t seem to care about ‘taking my money’. They didn’t suggest I buy anything[…] Well, from some dupes they get millions of dollars. From others, only 130 quid. Whatever. It all feeds the beast and keeps the crazy-wheels spinning. Congrats on doing your own small part. _“But you’re not Clear yet. We’re here to help! It’s going to take time and it’s going to take some sacrifice on your part. Let’s have a look in your wallet, then…”_ ---
**Author:** ![I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/i_love_me_vol.i/32/521_2.png) [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Love_Me_Vol.I)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2012, 9:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-considering-joining-the-church-of-scientology-am-i-insane/641331/82 "2012-11-18T09:11:51Z")
> [@ConfusedMan](#): > > I would highly recommend you visit a church yourself and see what it’s all about rather than listening to all the rubbish these so called critics say, the have probably never been in a Church of Scientology . If you are interested, just go in and see for yourself. You are not required to follow any particular dogma, rather they told me that whatever you have discovered to be true is true for you Ah. The Twelfth Step. Keep coming back. It works if you work it. ---
**Author:** ![Disgruntled\_Penguin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@Disgruntled\_Penguin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Disgruntled_Penguin)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2012, 11:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-considering-joining-the-church-of-scientology-am-i-insane/641331/83 "2012-11-18T11:16:21Z")
> [@buddha\_david](#): > > You can always be a Buddhist who’s taken a mulligan and put off _moksha_ til your next life. 🆒 That would be easy for me to do. He was always my least favorite Raver. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2012, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-considering-joining-the-church-of-scientology-am-i-insane/641331/84 "2012-11-18T12:39:28Z")
Insane? No, at least not in my opinion. But if you work at self improvement, one day you may reach insanity. ---
**Author:** ![blindboyard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blindboyard/32/2833_2.png) [@blindboyard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blindboyard)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2012, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-considering-joining-the-church-of-scientology-am-i-insane/641331/85 "2012-11-18T12:56:20Z")
> [@ConfusedMan](#): > > I am was looking for the most plausible religion, we all know that ghosts don’t exist but we don’t know what alien lifeforms exist or existed so Scientology seems more plausible. Thetans are ghosts. You could at least be a Freezoner. Scientologist tech, without the moneygrubbing Church, and the corporation of religious technology and so on. Still nonsense, but more like harmless nonsense. ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2012, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-considering-joining-the-church-of-scientology-am-i-insane/641331/86 "2012-11-18T15:12:04Z")
> [@guizot](#): > > Reported. Exactly what I was thinking. This is a witnessing version of JAQing off. ---
**Author:** ![ConfusedMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ac91a4/32.png) [@ConfusedMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ConfusedMan)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2012, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-considering-joining-the-church-of-scientology-am-i-insane/641331/87 "2012-11-18T15:37:11Z")
> [@MsWhatsit](#): > > I’m interested by what you mean by “Conservative” (capital C and everything!) since you say you live in the UK. Wow I got a lot to catch up on in this thread. I can tell you my views that make me Conservative but you probably won’t like them. I believe that the Government should censor speech, press, media, and the internet because there are some things the general public don’t need to know and we need to protect our children from pornographic images. National Service should be brought back or at least some kind of non-voluntary military service regardless of gender. There should be laws regarding same gender sex for consenting adults and I think homosexuality should be made illegal. There should be harsher sentences for the possession and use of drugs. We need to implement a National ID card that must be carried and produced on request by any police officer and illegal immigrants arrested on the spot, detained and deported within 7 days. We should end corporate welfare and stop giving government handouts to business. We need to end government barriers to international free trade. We need to privatize social security and let people control their own retirement instead of wasting money on dead weight. Lastly we need to cut taxes and government spending by 50% or more. ---
**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, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-considering-joining-the-church-of-scientology-am-i-insane/641331/88 "2012-11-18T15:39:02Z")
> [@ConfusedMan](#): > > Wow I got a lot to catch up on in this thread. > > I can tell you my views that make me Conservative but you probably won’t like them. > > I believe that the Government should censor speech, press, media, and the internet because there are some things the general public don’t need to know and we need to protect our children from pornographic images. National Service should be brought back or at least some kind of non-voluntary military service regardless of gender. There should be laws regarding same gender sex for consenting adults and I think homosexuality should be made illegal. There should be harsher sentences for the possession and use of drugs. We need to implement a National ID card that must be carried and produced on request by any police officer and illegal immigrants arrested on the spot, detained and deported within 7 days. We should end corporate welfare and stop giving government handouts to business. We need to end government barriers to international free trade. We need to privatize social security and let people control their own retirement instead of wasting money on dead weight. Lastly we need to cut taxes and government spending by 50% or more. In that case, please join Scientology. ---
**Author:** ![ConfusedMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ac91a4/32.png) [@ConfusedMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ConfusedMan)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2012, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-considering-joining-the-church-of-scientology-am-i-insane/641331/89 "2012-11-18T15:44:58Z")
> [@Trinopus](#): > > Why not form your own faith? > [@Steken](#): > > This! > What say you, OP? If I form my own faith then it would be based on lies or a fictitious story because I have no faith in anything around me so that defeats the object of believing in something that is real . ---
**Author:** ![ConfusedMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ac91a4/32.png) [@ConfusedMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ConfusedMan)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2012, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-considering-joining-the-church-of-scientology-am-i-insane/641331/90 "2012-11-18T15:50:17Z")
> [@cougar58](#): > > 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 You got me… Katie Holmes obviously, I am male after all… ---
**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, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-considering-joining-the-church-of-scientology-am-i-insane/641331/91 "2012-11-18T15:54:32Z")
> [@ConfusedMan](#): > > If I form my own faith then it would be based on lies or a fictitious story So is Scientology. As fiction goes it couldn’t be more obvious. That’s also true of most of the other religions, but Scientology isn’t any less unbelievable. ---
**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, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-considering-joining-the-church-of-scientology-am-i-insane/641331/92 "2012-11-18T15:55:30Z")
Call back when you become an “Operating Thetan”-when you reach that level, you will have an IQ 0f 180, powers beyond belief, and no more pesky body thetans. You will also be broke. But you will be happy. ---
**Author:** ![ConfusedMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ac91a4/32.png) [@ConfusedMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ConfusedMan)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2012, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-considering-joining-the-church-of-scientology-am-i-insane/641331/93 "2012-11-18T16:14:24Z")
> [@ralph124c](#): > > 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”. Anybody who practices any form of religion or worship is a slave to their religion or God so how or why should Scientology different from other religions? ---
**Author:** ![Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kolak_of_twilo/32/73_2.png) [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolak_of_Twilo)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2012, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-considering-joining-the-church-of-scientology-am-i-insane/641331/94 "2012-11-18T16:14:25Z")
> [@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 🙂 I was going to mention the oh so gentle tug on my leg I felt while reading the OP but, yeah, what you said. > [@Willcross](#): > > Have you considered Hubology? > > I joined that religion back in 1998 and have been happy with it ever since. I have been cleared of all neurodynes and declared fully aligned. I can give more info upon request. > > Will Cross > > San Francisco Comedian. 😃 ---
**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, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-considering-joining-the-church-of-scientology-am-i-insane/641331/95 "2012-11-18T16:18:07Z")
> [@ConfusedMan](#): > > Anybody who practices any form of religion or worship is a slave to their religion or God so how or why should Scientology different from other religions? You’re being glib, Matt. ---
**Author:** ![ConfusedMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ac91a4/32.png) [@ConfusedMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ConfusedMan)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2012, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-considering-joining-the-church-of-scientology-am-i-insane/641331/96 "2012-11-18T16:21:20Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > You’re being glib, Matt. I don’t know the meaning of the word ‘glib’, can you explain and who is Matt? 😕 ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2012, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-considering-joining-the-church-of-scientology-am-i-insane/641331/97 "2012-11-18T16:22:07Z")
> [@Ulfreida](#): > > 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. If you think that you are being trolled, use the Report button. Do not accuse other posters of trolling outside Thwe BBQ Pit. [/Moderating] ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2012, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-considering-joining-the-church-of-scientology-am-i-insane/641331/98 "2012-11-18T16:26:01Z")
> [@ConfusedMan](#): > > I don’t know the meaning of the word ‘glib’, can you explain and who is Matt? 😕 Tom Cruise got into an argument about psychiatry with Matt Lauer on the Today Show once and one of the things he said was that Matt was being glib. Now, I’d like to go back to the part where you were both not pressured to spend any money and also spent 130 pounds on an auditing session. Tell me more about that. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2012, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-considering-joining-the-church-of-scientology-am-i-insane/641331/99 "2012-11-18T16:26:10Z")
[Glib](http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/glib) ---
**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, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-considering-joining-the-church-of-scientology-am-i-insane/641331/100 "2012-11-18T16:26:44Z")
> [@ConfusedMan](#): > > I don’t know the meaning of the word ‘glib’, can you explain and who is Matt? 😕 Google it. And when you’ve done that, let me know how you resolved that minor problem about the prophet thinking the universe is 300 trillion years old when science says is 14 billion. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-considering-joining-the-church-of-scientology-am-i-insane/641331.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-considering-joining-the-church-of-scientology-am-i-insane/641331.md?page=6)