Scientology

Its the Celebrity religion thats taken Holly Wood by storm, forget Kabala and the tight leotard wearing queen of reinvention Madonna and feast your eyes upon this interesting man made religion whose followers include high profile celebrities such as John Travolta and Kirstie Alley.

Long gone are the days where Tinsel towns dominant religions were composed of the simple world religions such as Christianity Judaism, or even Buddhism in the case of the peace loving grey haired fox himself Richard Gere. I know many of you have come across this area with the crazed sofa humping Tom cruise being their spokes person of the century for this seemly strange cult, but have you ever wondered exactly what the hell it is these people believe?

Well to put it simply....

Scientology teaches that mankind is an immortal being (called a Thetan) not originally from this planet that is trapped by matter, energy, space, and time (MEST). Salvation for a Scientologist comes through a process called 'auditing,' whereby 'engrams' (basically, memories of past pain and unconsciousness that create energy blockage) are removed. Auditing is a very lengthy process and can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars(what a surprise ). When all engrams are finally removed, the Thetan can once again control MEST instead of being controlled by it. Until salvation, each Thetan is constantly reincarnated

Oh and did I mention this religion was founded by American science fiction author L. Ron Hubbard? He created this group in 1952 as an outgrowth of his earlier self-help system, Dianetics, Hubbard later characterized Scientology as an "applied religious philosophy" and the basis for a new religion.

Bloody interesting right? The dude alleged to have said if you want to be rich make up a religion

And so he did, LOL I swear I am LOVING this old dude. I'm thinking of making up my own religion. Called the W.P.D.F that being the Worship and Pay the Doc foundation. Yep all donations will help you all to reach enlightenment in the docs hereafter called wait for it?..... Cococabana. In this After life created by non other than yours trulys omerist spirit all those who donate to the Doc's (which is a guy I made up) religion wil indeed go to my after life. Althose not in favour will wallow in spiritual limbo never reaching the pinnicle of the docs earthly enlightement. LOL See? That wasn't so bad we can all do it....

I also have seen a show called Panorama make actually make a investigative reporting on it. And they not only made the reporter feel threatened but they made his crediblility fly out of the window, when he flipped out and shouted at them.

So people what do you think of Scientologists? Are they just a bunch of crazy, wacko, jobless, coporate-cult, movers and shakers?..or are they spiritually enlightened people who hold respectable beliefs?

Wow...hmm i had never heard of scientogists before but they sound...interesting. Some of there stuff seems respectable but other parts of it are a little out there lol....

Um, it's kind of wacked out just like any other religion. Whether you're paying thousands of dollars to get your past life's drama out of your system, waging war for the sake of God who asked that no man kill another man, hoping you'll be a llama in your next life...or whatever...religion is ridiculous and I think it's kind of funny. As long as Scientology does not affect me directly on a negative level, or maybe even positive, it's none of my business. I don't need to snoop into other people's affairs and hate them for the choices they have made that are neither good or bad for my general welfare.

If you disagree with what I said, let's battle. I have a staff that can turn into a Cobra, part entire oceans, and turn water to blood. TIZIGHT!

The interesting thing for me, or one of them about Scientology, is that because it's a modern religious movement, we can see it's origins, it's creator and it's initial behaviors right from the start in a way we can't with say, Christianity.

So a failed science fiction writer like L Ron can just spew out a book called Dianetics, which is nothing more than a self help book riddled with words he made up that basically mean the same thing as psychological decriptions of how we react to situations.

And the Aliens things, the Thetans, it's so laughable, but people buy it, even when they can see there is nothing divne about the person who created it...I mean, his own Son hates him and has been touring the world trying to tell everyone his dad was full of BS...still people buy it.

Check out youtube with scientology for some really scary but interesting vids.

Oi oi oi.

Well. I guess you could become "spiritually enlightened" no matter what your religion is. But when your religious teachers instruct you to buy your own salvation, little red flags start going up in my head. On a side note, though, wasn't there something of the sort in some Christian sects throughout history? "Give alms and attain Heaven," "pay your taxes and you get the pearly gate..." Even the moderate lutheran church I went to for years had a few days out of the calender dedicated to "tithing." They used Biblical evidence for shedding your wealth to help others... and yet it still rubbed me wrong.

I think Kevin makes a really interesting point, in that we can see the origin and evolution of this modern religion like no other. Kind of scary, mm?

To Barry Manilow of course Sherry!

Scientology exists because people, most of them anyway are so confused by the complixity of being alive and decently educated in todays world, that they literally need someone to take them over and tell them how to live.

I'll tell you guys a funny Scientology story..

Two years ago during the world famous Edinburgh festival [ which you should all come to, every August..I'll be your guide]..they set up a bright yellow tent in a very central popular park in town. It was right next to a super busy walkway not far from where I lived at the time. They were trying to stop everyone who went by, and usually I'd make little UFO noises at them when they came too close and they'd get the point and leave me alone.

However, one day I had some time to spare, and it was a constantly rotating crew of staff inside the place...so I went in. Two women approached me and asked If I'd like some help looking around...I said no that I'd be fine...but they said it was much better if someone came with me to answer my questions...I smiled and said I'd rather go around myself and if I had any, I'd ask. A huge guy came over and asked if there was a problem. The women said that I didn't want anyone to come with me inside the tent and he frowned like I'd punched his Mother. I told them I wanted to see it all for myself and I'd come and speak to them afterwards, and without waiting for permission I walked off around the tent.

it was set up with a series if large pictures with couples arguing..and children crying..and overly dramatic images of people taking drugs and violence etc...with questions like

"Relationships can be tough, who can help you?"...I walked around the tent and when I got the end and was checking out the books...this young man came up to me...he must have been, maybe 13, so I guess he was a kid....he had a bright yellow T-shirt on with the words "Lay Minister" on it. He asked how I was doing and I said fine. He asked me what I thought of the exhibition and I said I thought it was overly simplistic and a little silly....

Get this, he started saying that he could use his life experience to take away my sarcasm and heal my life....I of course burst out laughing at him....so his co-horts came across, all 3 of them and starting trying to work me down....I played around with them a little debating, and then accepting what they said...and then debating again...eventually they asked me to leave, which I took as an intellectual victory.

My advice is too read one of their books, but don't go anywhere near them unless you want your life invaded....by people who think they are aliens.

Lol...I see that two will fight for the affections of Kevin...Lol.

Anyways back to the topic at hand...Yesterday I went to Youtube, and just typed in the word "Scientology" and the first video I saw was hilarious mixed in with certain disgust at the fact of what an organized religion or should I say "cult" (They hate being called that word) would do if you go against them or question them.

See for yourself...

http://youtube.com/watch?v=pPol_m8wm8Y

LOL I SAW THE PROGRAMME ABOUT THIS. It's just a freaking joke. It's not a religion, it's a cult. (I didn't even realise Noir said anything about that.) They're dragging in imbeciles to try and promote their 'scientology' who are actually so thick they fool for it, end of. Tom Cruise for example, oh yeah, he definitely discovered this cult himself and decided to become part of it. Nobody with a brain believes there's this huge Playstation like machine that rules us all. It's stupid, it's pathetic, so what I'm ridiculing people's beliefs, it IS stupid, there is no denying it. The whole thing, where the leader interferes in interviews about it and they deny and protect their little gang, oh my God, get a life.

Kevin isn't that great, get over him you two. (He's mine!)

I'd love to think that scientology is full of stupid people, but the fact is, sometimes the smarter you are, the harder you fall for things, particularly when you are desperate and upset.

I was almost married to this lassy once, and her Father, who had an IQ of 157 and was intelligent in so many other ways, got recruited into the Jehovah Witnesses when he split up with his wife, just because he was depressed and vunerable. He changed alot after that, started looking at lots of spiritual things I would tell him about with the religious filters on...he thought I was getting into devil worship...it was a real pity.

Still, I did sacrifice his Dog, just for laugh.

As for the ladies fighting over me, please, I post one pic of me in drag and you all go soft for it.

Gays.

Ah, change your picture now! I was talking about the one before, not this one...either way, maybe you should consider a picture of James Franco as your AVATARRRRR instead ;)

And did you seriously call us "gays"? Can I get you in trouble for that?

Ha! Kevin, I demand an apology.

I liked this in the same way I like myths; just another filter to see the world through, albeit a quite unoriginal one really. cool. we get caught up in these memes, though, far too often.

this is f'ed up:

http://theunfunnytruth.ytmnd.com/

Jane, I am sorry that you need a sorry.

How is that?

Eesh... I watched the link that Noir posted up there. Kind of scary and ridiculous as the same time. No actual attempt at rational discussion.

You're right Bob...In a sense...Religion is man-made. But it is made from the truths and revealations of many spiritual leaders that have been the symbol of altrusim...

Scientology seems to me like a cult in which brain-washing seems to be evident. I mean what I have a problem with is Scientology's disconnection policy, in which members are encouraged to cut off all contact with friends or family members..

I find that religion may have it's fallacies, but it brings humanity together...There may be bigots, racists and haters out there, but they make up a small percentage of the religion. What you need to look at is the people who truly feel blessed and actually tell what their religion is so that many of them would share it as well.

And besides...Every theory that has been brought forward and every living thing in this world has a fallacy....

Well in a way...Yes it is a cult, but then there are those that use religion in a wise way, and there are those that use it in an ignorant way...

You believe in spirituality don't you Bob...If someone were to use that...Let's say to get money, power...Would that not be the same as how religion has become.

Rather than blame the whole concept of religion, I suggest you blame the actual people who run and abuse it.

They are really disgusting...You know guys that Tom Cruise ate the placenta of his baby because of this scientology thing?
And they have so weird things in my own opinion

The only 'religion' I have, can't be described to therefore put me in a section of any 'religion'. So really, cult still describes it perfectly. There's no reason to contradict things.

If Christianity had started at the same time as Scientology, we'd most likely look at it with the same level of wry amusement with which we look a modern cults, like scientology.

You could say the same for almost any religion. We accept the wild and esoteric claims they make because they were made, for the most part originally, thousands of years ago and it's hard to prove either way that far back.

It's not so hard with any cults that have sprung up since say, the 1950's...and it's the parallels that I find veeeery interesting.

We laugh at claims of scientologists concerning our alien origins, but we accept the holy trinity, the miracles of the bible and the story of genisis

But how come only a handful of people see this?

Basically the simplest definition of religion is a belief system
I am almost certain that if we examine any belief systems we will find divisions
Some may say that the proverbial handful of people that are not, bigots, racist's, and haters, are true to their own nature. Objectively we may ask what is the cause of that nature. Does anyone know of any other natures of man besides human nature and divine nature? In my opinion any man, or woman has a free will to accept or reject any nature regardless of professed belief.

When we are able to see past the illusions, my hope is that we may find something solid to stand on.

Eh...that's unacceptable. You are calling us "gays" as if the term "gay" is negative. Unless your intended meaning is 'happy,' the usage of that word with negative connotation is un-modly.

It seems to me that from what I have read, courtesy of the Wikipedia free encyclopedia, it is difficult for me to link Scientology to God in a traditional sense. The article seemed to avoid God in favor of an a allien creation. Although I found the word religion I cannot recall the word God at all. Religion crucified my God and through ignorance there is yet a stigma on faith, hope, and love.

Un-modly? Jane, get a grip..I'm going to assume you are joking around.

If I wanted to insult you, I wouldn't call you gay.

Ha Ha Ha....

Man such is technology....It may not verbalise sarcasm or making a joke...But it can certainly verbalise "taking offence"

Ummmmmm..

dont call people gay in a deragatory manner. its just that- deragatory.

>=(

HA! I don't get angry, just frustrated at times...and that is when I'm grumpy, and in that case...I wouldn't be talking at all, I would be talking as little as possible. To respond, no, I was not joking...but at the same time, no I really don't care about what I was saying...I just talk for the sake of talking. Seriously, it's not cool to use the term "gay" with negative connotation, but am I the slightest bit upset with you? No, if you were closer, I would give you a hug.

SCIENTOLOGY IS A JOKE, and I can appreciate a good joke time to time.

HELP ME TOM CRUISE! USE YOUR WITCHCRAFT TO PUT THE FIRE OUT...... .. . .