# Is Scientology as f\*\*ked up as FX leads me to believe? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [October 10, 2006, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-scientology-as-f-ked-up-as-fx-leads-me-to-believe/375899 "2006-10-10T04:55:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Surbey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@Surbey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Surbey)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2006, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-scientology-as-f-ked-up-as-fx-leads-me-to-believe/375899/1 "2006-10-10T04:55:24Z")
I don’t know who watched the FX show Nip Tuck but let me tell ya, they make scientology look like a straight out of crazy, Heaven’s Gate kinda cult. Any idea if this is even close? PS, if this is in the wrong section, by all means, move! ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2006, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-scientology-as-f-ked-up-as-fx-leads-me-to-believe/375899/2 "2006-10-10T04:58:40Z")
I haven’t seen the show you’re talking about, but yes, Scientology is [bad news](http://xenu.net). Majorly, incredibly fucked up. Avoid it at all costs. ---
**Author:** ![Improv\_Geek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b3f665/32.png) [@Improv\_Geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Improv_Geek)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2006, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-scientology-as-f-ked-up-as-fx-leads-me-to-believe/375899/3 "2006-10-10T05:38:14Z")
Yeah, Scientology is bad juju. Created by a sci-fi writer who openly is quoted as having noted that he started it to make money. The link above is a good one. Scientology avoids the news because it somehow has amassed a huge amount of money and is thus able to use an army of lawyers to beat people into submission if they try to publish anything slanderous, or even less than friendly. – IG ---
**Author:** ![ddgryphon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/8c91f0/32.png) [@ddgryphon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ddgryphon)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2006, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-scientology-as-f-ked-up-as-fx-leads-me-to-believe/375899/4 "2006-10-10T06:01:26Z")
[QUOTE=Guinastasia] I haven’t seen the show you’re talking about, but yes, Scientology is [bad news](http://xenu.net). Majorly, incredibly fucked up. Avoid it at all costs. [/QUOTE] That is, quite simply, the best link ever! ---
**Author:** ![KGS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/90ced4/32.png) [@KGS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KGS)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2006, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-scientology-as-f-ked-up-as-fx-leads-me-to-believe/375899/5 "2006-10-10T06:09:38Z")
[QUOTE=Improv Geek] Created by a sci-fi writer who openly is quoted as having noted that he started it to make money. [/QUOTE] Well, that’s a bit of a misquote. Early in his writing career, L. Ron Hubbard did remark that “The best way to make money is start a religion.” But that was years before he wrote _Dianetics._ Clearly, in the intervening years, he found enlightenment and discovered his true calling, which was to aid mankind. (Sheeya, right.) :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2006, 8:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-scientology-as-f-ked-up-as-fx-leads-me-to-believe/375899/6 "2006-10-10T08:54:05Z")
The religion itself is no more or less fucked up than any other religion. It’s just a new story. The main organization behind it (the ‘Church’ of Scientology) is an organized crime outfit that has gotten very good at hiding behind the First Amendment and using dirty tricks to stay alive. Never confuse a religion with an organization. Christianity, for example, is not defined by the Westboro Baptist ‘Church’. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2006, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-scientology-as-f-ked-up-as-fx-leads-me-to-believe/375899/7 "2006-10-10T14:06:40Z")
[QUOTE=Derleth] The religion itself is no more or less fucked up than any other religion. It’s just a new story. The main organization behind it (the ‘Church’ of Scientology) is an organized crime outfit that has gotten very good at hiding behind the First Amendment and using dirty tricks to stay alive. Never confuse a religion with an organization. Christianity, for example, is not defined by the Westboro Baptist ‘Church’. [/QUOTE] Yeah, but at least Christianity has multiple branches to choose from-Scientology really doesn’t. ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2006, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-scientology-as-f-ked-up-as-fx-leads-me-to-believe/375899/8 "2006-10-10T15:11:22Z")
Matts left home and presumably his parents cut him off; so why are the Scientologists still interested in him if he can’t pay them? ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2006, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-scientology-as-f-ked-up-as-fx-leads-me-to-believe/375899/9 "2006-10-10T16:51:20Z")
> [@](#): > > they make scientology look like a straight out of crazy, Heaven’s Gate kinda cult. Not quite. The leaders of the Heaven’s Gate cult apparently bought their own nonsense, since they joined in the general shedding of containers. The leaders of $cientology, by contrast, are quite content to stay fat and happy while the sheep pour money their way. ---
**Author:** ![fluiddruid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@fluiddruid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fluiddruid)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2006, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-scientology-as-f-ked-up-as-fx-leads-me-to-believe/375899/10 "2006-10-10T16:55:33Z")
This isn’t really arts-related, and due to the inflammatory nature of this topic, I will move this thread to the Pit. ---
**Author:** ![Slypork](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9fc29f/32.png) [@Slypork](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slypork)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2006, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-scientology-as-f-ked-up-as-fx-leads-me-to-believe/375899/11 "2006-10-10T17:23:14Z")
I still think South Park gave the best rip on Scientology [Trapped in the Closet (South Park) - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trapped_in_the_Closet_(South_Park_episode)) [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2Xt4CKgaJA](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2Xt4CKgaJA) The whole part where they describe Scientology with the banner over it “THIS IS WHAT SCIENTOLOGISTS ACTUALLY BELIEVE” is priceless. ---
**Author:** ![D\_Odds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/d_odds/32/2882_2.png) [@D\_Odds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Odds)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2006, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-scientology-as-f-ked-up-as-fx-leads-me-to-believe/375899/12 "2006-10-10T17:33:28Z")
I’m waiting…nay, salivating…for the day someone comes on the SDMB and says just one thing that can be construed as positive about Scientology. I like a public execution as much, if not more, that the next poster. ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2006, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-scientology-as-f-ked-up-as-fx-leads-me-to-believe/375899/13 "2006-10-10T17:36:08Z")
[QUOTE=D\_Odds] I’m waiting…nay, salivating…for the day someone comes on the SDMB and says just one thing that can be construed as positive about Scientology. I like a public execution as much, if not more, that the next poster. [/QUOTE] The letters all line up real prutty in the word… (Sorry, best I could come up with.) ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2006, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-scientology-as-f-ked-up-as-fx-leads-me-to-believe/375899/14 "2006-10-10T17:36:51Z")
> [@](#): > > I’m waiting…nay, salivating…for the day someone comes on the SDMB and says just one thing that can be construed as positive about Scientology. I like a public execution as much, if not more, that the next poster. I once heard a radio show where a pro-Scientologist debated with Antis. It was – underwhelming. The Scientologists el;ected to send in a virtual Newbie, who seemed unarmed against her attackers. She didn’t even have the usual Scieno arrogance. It almost made me feel sorry for their side. I don’t know if they were caught unprepared, or if they deliberately sent in someone who at least acted so ill-prepared as a ploy, but it wasn’t fun to listen to. ---
**Author:** ![DiggitCamara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/df788c/32.png) [@DiggitCamara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DiggitCamara)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2006, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-scientology-as-f-ked-up-as-fx-leads-me-to-believe/375899/15 "2006-10-10T17:44:51Z")
[QUOTE=D\_Odds] I’m waiting…nay, salivating…for the day someone comes on the SDMB and says just one thing that can be construed as positive about Scientology. I like a public execution as much, if not more, that the next poster. [/QUOTE] Well, the natural life of this kind of threads is: 1. Inquiry: what is Scientology? Why is Scientology? Is it truly bad? 2. A couple of responses stating how horrible it is (with links to anti-scientology resources) 3. Someone shows up and states something like "but… what do you personally know about them? Have they done anything bad to YOU (or YOUR loved ones) 4. People point them to the links in point 2 or try to argue the point Repeat points 2 to 4 in random order ad nauseam. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2006, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-scientology-as-f-ked-up-as-fx-leads-me-to-believe/375899/16 "2006-10-10T18:11:29Z")
[QUOTE=alphaboi867] Matts left home and presumably his parents cut him off; so why are the Scientologists still interested in him if he can’t pay them? [/QUOTE] Lower-income Scienos usually end up as cheap and/or free labor for the organization. ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2006, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-scientology-as-f-ked-up-as-fx-leads-me-to-believe/375899/17 "2006-10-10T19:19:13Z")
I stated here once that I’m not particularly bothered about them and a couple of people jumped on me. I imagine they really would have handed me my ass if I actually said something downright positive. C o S would never even cross my mind if it wasn’t for the boards, and I live in close proximity to their Mothership. Different things get different folks riled up, I guess. It’s all good. I’m just wondering how long it’s going to take until C o S tries to take action against FX. Is there anything they could actually do? Does anyone think there’ll be reprecussions(legal or “otherwise”)? ---
**Author:** ![Caridwen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c89c15/32.png) [@Caridwen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caridwen)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2006, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-scientology-as-f-ked-up-as-fx-leads-me-to-believe/375899/18 "2006-10-10T19:48:14Z")
[QUOTE=DiggitCamara] Well, the natural life of this kind of threads is: 1. Inquiry: what is Scientology? Why is Scientology? Is it truly bad? 2. A couple of responses stating how horrible it is (with links to anti-scientology resources) 3. Someone shows up and states something like "but… what do you personally know about them? Have they done anything bad to YOU (or YOUR loved ones) 4. People point them to the links in point 2 or try to argue the point Repeat points 2 to 4 in random order ad nauseam. [/QUOTE] 3a. Someone shows up and says all religions are bad and the Scientologists aren’t any worse than other religions. ---
**Author:** ![Spiny\_Norman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@Spiny\_Norman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiny_Norman)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2006, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-scientology-as-f-ked-up-as-fx-leads-me-to-believe/375899/19 "2006-10-10T20:30:45Z")
Viacom/Paramount administers a swift kick in the pants to Tom Cruise in full view of an interested press corps. Almost immediately Nip/Tuck - produced on the Paramount lot - sink their teeth into CoS. That would not have gone over well when Cruise/Wagner Productions still had offices there. At the same time, South Park posters proclaiming the intent to offend any and all major religions - including CoS - pops up like mushrooms. This after Cruise had threatened Viacom that he’d refuse marketing MI3 if the anti-Cos South Park episode wasn’t withdrawn… Coincidence ? I think not… Some Hollywood players are flipping the bird in the general direction of CoS, and I for one am enjoying the spectacle. And yes, CoS is seriously fucked up, even for a Southern California joiner cult - and that’s facing some stiff competition. They prey on the vulnerable, fight incredibly dirty when facing criticism and yell about persecution if opposed. They have deep pockets and are very determined. ---
**Author:** ![Mollie\_Magill](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mollie_magill/32/20882_2.png) [@Mollie\_Magill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mollie_Magill)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2006, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-scientology-as-f-ked-up-as-fx-leads-me-to-believe/375899/20 "2006-10-10T20:48:31Z")
[QUOTE=D\_Odds] I’m waiting…nay, salivating…for the day someone comes on the SDMB and says just one thing that can be construed as positive about Scientology. I like a public execution as much, if not more, that the next poster. [/QUOTE] It’s got a really nice name. Oh, and watching Tom Cruise wig out is really, really fun. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-scientology-as-f-ked-up-as-fx-leads-me-to-believe/375899.md?page=2)