Didn’t you read my post? I said that Scientology (the religion) is no better or worse than any other religion, such as Christianity, or Judaism, or Buddhism, and so on. If you want someone to defend the CoS around here, keep waiting: There simply aren’t that many CoS freaks around, especially these days.
I missed this the first time. Scientology in and of itself is just another bizarre religious story, with the same potential for harm if taken too seriously. The CoS, however, is a criminal cult that has absolutely no business existing on this planet.
Groups are not religions are not groups. A cult is a group and is defined by its abusive behavior, not its beliefs.
I think it’s telling that it’s considered OK to shit on this “religion” and its followers on the SDMB but if you do the same to Islam and its followers…watch out!!
I agree with you. I’m just saying that’s usually the next line in the scientology debates. Someone brings up theatans and the next person talks about what they consider crazy about other religions.
You can’t read something like this about new mothers and not think they’ve all lost their minds.
“On the baby, perhaps the best thing is no processing for three days. Then
talk to the baby, tell the newcomer he or she is welcome, then make friends.
Various things can be done – touch assist is best. Even the birth engram
can be run but that’s a little adventurous in a lot of cases.” http://groups.google.com/group/alt.religion.scientology/msg/f6427787a2b548ac?output=gplain
It’s not so much their beliefs, which while pretty out there, aren’t in and of themselves cause for alarm. It’s their approach to medicine, (especially psychological), their practices and the way they isolate anyone who joins. Some of the treatments for illnesses they prescribe can be deadly.
Can’t this also be said for Christianity? I could pick and choose my Christians and show lots of Christian Scientists who believe in praying instead of using antibiotics. The world’s biggest Christian denomination, Roman Catholicism, actively works to prevent people from using condoms, resulting in thousands, if not millions, of deaths due to AIDS, syphilis, et al. I would wager the RCC’s policy on condoms has killed more people than there are Scientologists.
The main difference between Scientology and Catholicism, or Hinduism, or Buddhism or what have you is that Scientology is newer and less popular.
I just saw the previews for Boston Legal next week and they will have a case where someone fires an employee because they are a scientologist. So I wonder what their spin on it will be?
My question is, does the average Scientologist actually believe the entire history of the aliens and what not, or are they smart enough to know that is bulljive, but remain members because they find some aspect of the practical teachings to be helpful? Sort of like, you can be a Chrisitian without believing some of the wilder aspects of the Bible.
As OneCentStamp has aptly demonstrated, the issue is sweeping generalizations about the people involved in the religion or factually incorrect statements about beliefs–it’s perfectly fine, so far as I can tell, to insult both the religion itself AND any defined group of practitioners who demonstratably carries the traits you wish to assign them.
It’s this last part that seems to get people in trouble.
Generally the average, lower ranking members aren’t told the whole alien story. They save the really bizarre stuff until you’re trustworthy/have given them large amounts of cash.
The big problem with Scientology; it makes very clear, explicit claims. the main one is; if you invest $200,000, and achieve the state of “clear”, you willbe a genius, happy and successful. This just doesn’t happen. In fact, Scientolgy has destroyed lots of lives. As for religions; most make claims that are NOT verifiable. but, as mentioned, they don’t (usually) turn you into a pauper in the process of becoming a member.
We don’t really know that that’s true - we have good evidence L. Ron Hubbard didn’t believe in it, but he’s as dead as a doornail, and it’s perfectly possible his successors do.
Besides, anyone really think Jim Bakker was much of a Christian?
I’m no fan of Scientology, but why do the other cults get a pass?
The CoS has money, is fairly long-lived as cults go (it has survived the death of its founder), and it manages to convince celebs that the CoS is the place to be. It has avoided being destroyed through what I can only describe as animal cunning on an organizational level. What other group could have pulled off Operation Snow White and gotten away with it?
It is slowly fading into irrelevance (as the constant unpunished media mocking shows) but it is not dying off especially quickly. Most importantly, it has a genuine PR department: The corporate tentacles of the CoS, including Narconon, all look bland and normal enough to be legit. The impediance mismatch between the official corporate look and the leaked Xenu story make for great TV, and the specter of the perfect amoral corporation managing it all gives the story that extra push.
No, it’s a separate Scieno run organization. They deliberately chose a similiar name, hoping people would associate the two of them. Typical sleaze from the clams.
