Is Scientology any weirder than any other religion?

[Fight_n_back]

I really admire the way Tom Cruise, John Travolta and Jenna Elfman attack fear in their lives. If scientology helps them with that then why is it my business?

Thetan clusters frozen in ice that transmit negative messages to humans and influence their life? Really stupid.


The son of god dies, descends to a fiery after life, then rises again and allows for the sanctification of souls long dead and not yet born? Really stupid.

80 year old stuttering guy in the desert talks to a burning bush? A volcano gives him two stone tablets of commandments? Dum dum dum dum dum...

Cows are holy? Mohammed is the perfect prophet? Josepth Smith and the amazing 3d glasses? Babylonian astrology can show you your fate? The wrinkles on your hands predict the future? All dumb.

My religion is one of behavior not belief. I don't care what you believe, how do you act? Do you help the poor? Do you treat the people around you well? Do you signal when turning left?

All of the rest is just chatter.

All of a sudden people are allowed to make fun of Scientology, Joe Scarborough ripped it the other night on his show, something that would drive him crazy if it went the other way.

I will see War of the Worlds even if Tom Cruise converts to Zoroastrianism. I will not see MI3 even if he married a cousin of mine.

[RPM]

1. no

they are all weird

[mr_hat]

2. I think you could make the case that it is, in that >

it hasn't the centuries of indoctrination and assumed mysteries and miracles to pass down from generation to generation.

Pretty damn weird to follow a two-bit sci-fi writer who all but admitted a la Frank Zappa that he's only in it for the money.

Me, I'd have followed Phillip K. Dick, but he didn't ask...

[rzemanfl]

3. In a word, NO. Same shit- "eternal life" in exchange for your

time and $$$$$$.

[BigBearJohn]

24. Why should enlightenment be free?

[benburch]

4. Much, much weirder...

As we have documentation that L Ron Hubbard invented it as a money scam. (I knew a man who was at the same table when he announced that.) And yet the poor fools drain their bank accounts to become "Theta Clear".

And Scientology has a habit of having its detractors die a violent death... Only a coincidence, right?

[ET Awful]

5. Agreed.

Why is it that this question is asked every other day recently?

[Kraklen]

10. "has a habit of having its detractors die a violent death."

LOL. Yeah, you don't see that with other religions.

[benburch]

19. Well, I don't recall the Unitarians ever calling for a hit... nt

[Kraklen]

20. OK, so Unitarianism is the exception.

That means Scientology is normal and Unitarianism is the weird one.

Not that there's anything wrong with being weird.

[KFC]

13. Self Deleted

[BigBearJohn]

27. Have you forgotten the torture of non-believers during the Inquisition?

With these thing in mind, let us turn to the Inquisition. In his bull of Excommunicamus, Gregory not only instituted the Inquisition for the good of the heretic, but maintained that charitable, although convincing instruction, should be used before execution. In order that the soul's of the wretched might have one last opportunity for salvation. To that end certain apparatus was devised and follows a brief description of some of these contraptions.

Toe wedges: Toenails were slowly pried out with wooden skewers tipped with boiling sulfer, then driven into the sensitive quick, while at the same time slowly tearing the fingernails out with red hot tongs. This was often adequate to bring those with only minor transgressions back into the fold.

Tongue Slicer: A heretic's mouth was forced open and the tongue was painstakingly sliced into shreds by serrated iron blades. This has the unfortunate side effect that confession and repentance were difficult to determine. The Holy Inquisitor often had to simply guess whether contrition had taken place. This procedure was usually followed with death by burning which enabled you, Lord Jesus, to sort out the penitent from the unrepentant.

The Bench: Tied naked to this device the prodigal, immobile had his skin removed by an inquisitor wielding a sharp knife. Once the skin was removed, salt was rubbed into the raw flesh to spice things up a little. Even though these rituals were accomplished with reverence and love, many screamed obscenities at their saviors. Many of your kids turned away with tears in their eyes, their feelings quite injured.

Torture by Fire: A favorite of the Inquisitors. The wastrel was tied to The Bench, his feet immobilized. The soles of his feet were liberally smeared with lard and then slowly broiled over red-hot coals. Periodically fresh coats of lard were applied to insure the baking process was excruciatingly slow. The goodness in the hearts of your kids, prompted this to be a favorite. Confession and repentance, when it transpired, was not garbled by the destruction of the tongue, death by infection was much reduced over the skinning process, and, while the sinner would never walk again, there was little other harm. Thus, given a choice, a great many of your Inquisitors, having soft hearts and love, utilized this method to save the soul's of the forlorn.

The Copper Boot: Another favorite for much the same reason as above. A copper boot was fitted over the naked foot and slowly filled with boiling oil or molten lead. Alternatively the boot could be then cooled with water and reheated over a fire.

http://www.aztriad.com/letter5.html

[endarkenment]

6. Didn't we just have this thread like two days ago?

[Kraklen]

11. Yeah

but it was in the Lounge and it got locked for some reason.

[Lexingtonian]

7. That's a little too easy.

Scientology's core belief is that the population of Earth consists of 100% schizophrenics, and Scientology can- and will- cure every single one of them, if it kills them. Scientology is literally the insane running the insane asylum. And look up "R2-45" (iirc) if you don't believe the killing part.

Say what you will about other religions, few or none of them impute mental illness as the fundamental condition of Mankind. They do propose that sanity is not enough and wisdom and love are possible, and killing is no solution.

[Kraklen]

9. OK.

And Christianity holds that the population of Earth consists of 100% sinners and that giving your life to Jesus can and will keep everybody from going to hell.

Essentially the same thing.

I thing Hubbard knew what he was doing.

[Fight_n_back]

12. Your anlyisis ignores

"sinful nature" the belief that men are essentially psychotic animals without god's guidance.

Modern "evangelicals" do not believe anyone can live a moral or purposeful life without Jesus. This means 85% of the world lives in darkeness.

Killing those who don't believe? That makes Scientologists weird? Its brainwashing same as any other.

Thomas Jefferson spoke about "the tyranny that rules mens minds" and considered "reason" to be the answer.

I wish that was talked about on cable instead of Tom Cruise and his couch dancing on Oprah.

[Lexingtonian]

16. No one knows what 'sinful nature' means

Some use it as an excuse to be sinful, others as an excuse to feel guilty. It's cheesy, as I see it, because a trivial set of magical words and exertion of will can always dispell it in the minds of those who understand it in the conventional ways and make you Saved and Exalted and all that.

[Kraklen]

8. Nope.

Same weird beliefs. Same sketchy practices. Same inexcusable crimes in the name of religion.

Can't make fun of Scientology than complain about "Christian bashing."

[Pithlet]

23. That's like saying

You can't complain about Christian Bashing if you make fun of Wal Mart.

[evermind]

14. I think you're ignoring the fact that most major religions have

had a few hundred years to deteriorate to the point at which we see them now. Whereas Scientology was pretty much fucked-up from the get-go..

Also, other major world religions make accessible a sophisticated moral doctrine through their teachings (even if it isn't much acted on). Scientology: look out for yourself, and screw anyone who disagrees; not much of a moral doctrine.

Fundamentalists in major religions may be likened to scientologists in the nuttiness of their beliefs, but they are only the (vocal) minority. Most practicioners believe in an allegorical or parabolic interpretation of the claims of their various holy books. Scientology, as far as I know, does not admit of any non-literal interpretations of its wild, wild claims.

[mr blur]

15. Once again, it's NOT a religion (nt)

[Oreegone]

17. Weirder

Not a religion, its a cult. People have died at their hands trying to be controlled or trying to get free of the organization. They use a lot of old ideas to train people, many which are very good, but they just use them to get people to hold to Scientologies ideals rather use these great tools to help find what is actually best for the people involved. By the way it costs A LOT of money to take their training and have them decide who you should marry.

[dbonds]

18. Yes, but if Christians can't convert you they kill you.

What would that difference be?

[JanMichael]

21. There are gradations of "weird".

Scientology, since it was created as a gag, is pretty loopy. LDS? Losing the gold tablets is also up there.

The rest? Not much less or much more if one wants to apply a "It's a Fact" label to it.

[BigBearJohn]

22. I agree with you utterly and completely.

I am not a scientologist, but have many friends who are. They are loving, caring, and responsible people. I told them I am not
interested in becoming a scientologist, but we are still friends.

[dbonds]

25. All of it, every religion, is a face we put on the divine.

We come up with abstract concepts to form a religious cosmology that we can get some spiritual growth with. They are ALL silly, but some work for some people, others may for a different set, and none for yet others. All of them seem to have some concept of duality, whether it is good and evil, male and female, or humans and aliens. If it works for someone then it works. Because others don't relate to it doesn't not make it any sillier than their religion.

[Codeblue]

26. If you really think about it

Scientology may actually be the most normal one of them all.

Society has been focused on progress for nigh on a thousand years and that is a feature of modernity. To look to new technologies to aid in human existence and apply them properly.

The other religions are based on traditions that have been around for about a thousand years now. When these religions were created, many of the mysteries of the universe we have now unlocked were still shrouded. That was theeir attempt to create order out of chaos and explain the way the univers works.

Now technology has really taken over from those traditions. Even many modern Catholics and Muslims believe in progress and the things technology can do for human kind.

The next step really had to be some kind of religion that focuses on technology as its "God" rather than an all knowing spirit.

[jennygirl]

28. Yes, Scientology is Definitely off the Loop

Unlike all the other religions (Christianity, Judaisim, Islam, Buddhism, and Hinduism), Scientologgy ABSOLUTELY ABHOR
PSYCHIATRY AND MENTAL ILLNESS!!! As a mental health professional and a person with bipolar disorder I find the way that they persecute the mental health profession is irresponsible and can led to deadly consequences if the wrong type of person tried to join them. BTW, I read the H. Ron Hubbard was actually bipolar himself and that one of the reasons he came up with this cult is because he was unable to obtain proper psychiatric treatment. Talk about Freud's theory of projection. This man lived it his whole life.

[Fight_n_back]

29. and the Pope doesn't want condoms

my point is that either we can make fun of people's beliefs or we can't. If we can then then Im game if we can't then thats fine too. I just want to know the rules.

[jennygirl]

30. I Don't Think Mental Illness is Something To Be Laughed At

What I said about the Scientologists (unlike other religions) have made it a passion to go off and propagandize the real mental health establishment. In fact they have an entire program called the Citizens Commission on Human Rights (Sounds much *'s Operation Enduring Freedom for Iraq War) in which they tear apart the mental health system with a cruel fashion.

Also as I hinted at early a lot of people with real mental illnesses tend to gravitate to these bizare cults (I have seen this in my practice as a psychologist) and the cults will persuade them that they are not mentally ill (when in fact they are grossly so). These people end up more delusional, homocidal, and suicidal. I don't think that's funny at all. Several DUers appear to regard mental illness a joke. I guess we can only attribute it to ignorance -- such a juvienile attitude.

[Fight_n_back]

31. I wasn't laughing

Pregnanacy and the death's of women is also not to be laughed at.

Evangelicals believe that epilepsy is caused by demons. How should that affect my opinion of "w"'s tax policy?

[livinginphotographs]

32. Not really.

Both are pretty ridiculous.

Honestly, if Christianity/Islam/Judaism/whatever wasn't practiced by so many people, it would be called a cult as well.

[The Magistrate]

33. Locking

Original post is flame-bait, and offensive.