Is Scientology as valid as a religion as Christianity or Hinduism?

[ZombieHorde]

[DJ13]

1. Other: None are valid

[dbonds]

2. That makes it 'as valid'

[DJ13]

3. True, good point!

[Taverner]

4. Sure they're all valid religions.

Meaning they are all made up

[IndianaGreen]

5. They are all valid, just like pagan religions are all valid.. Valid myths!

but since Prop 8 has shattered the American covenant of respect of all religions, due to the Separation of Church and State, it is now open season on any religious institution that supported Prop 8 or advocates similar measures in all states.

[az chela]

6. Since L Ron Hubbard was sci fi writer and based his religion

on it I dont think that makes it a valid religion

[amdezurik]

8. you got too many thetan's!!!!!!

you need to be "cleared", cash or credit card?

(cue sci-fi music and spooky lighting)

[Thothmes]

7. Who gives a God Damned.

[ZombieHorde]

9. Funny.

[gblady]

10. not no, but HELL no....

it is a cult, through and through!

[Deep13]

16. begs the question...

...how is a "cult" different than a "religion"?

[juno jones]

11. Christianity , Hinduism, and all the rest of the 'traditional'

religions are based on myths that have existed for many millenia. These myths tend to be universal and appeal to us on a deep symbolic level: think Joseph Campbell or Jung's collective unconscious. Granted, they are dumb when taken on a literalist level, but they were never really meant to be taken literally.

Scientology and Mormonism both lack any tie to traditional human symbolism. In fact, they often discourage exploration of that symbolism by rather draconian means. Control the psyche and it's symbols, control the person. Both groups are very exclusive, the adherent having to constantly prove a kind of party purity to even be allowed to participate. Both groups also have a pretty bad record of hounding former members, especially those who speak out.

I certainly do not understand fundamentalistic thought in any religion, but I have far more respect for religions whose roots have been with us as long as we've been human than I do for religions contructed out of authoritarian whole cloth by con men.

If you'd like some weird insight into what old L. Ron was doing pre-scientology and the circles he was running in, just google 'Jack Parsons' and the 'Babylon Working'. He was scamming the ceremonial magicians of LA (and stealing their wives) until he figured out how to pull the big con on humankind. And he was a shitty sci-fi author as well.

edit to add: The 'force' and Star Wars Jedi 'religion' is probably more valid than scientology due to it's roots in human myth, primarily what Campbell called the 'Hero's Journey'

[salvorhardin]

20. They weren't?

These myths tend to be universal and appeal to us on a deep symbolic level: think Joseph Campbell or Jung's collective unconscious. Granted, they are dumb when taken on a literalist level, but they were never really meant to be taken literally.

They weren't? What evidence do you have to suggest that?

[pnwmom]

12. No, the other religions weren't begun by someone trying to sell his fiction books. n/t

[Deep13]

17. How do you know?

Maybe not books per se since it happened before mass printing, but certainly the ideas in those books.

[beam me up scottie]

18. They're all selling something.

Some have just been doing it for a lot longer than others.

[pnwmom]

19. Not only books, but capitalism as we know it did not exist then. n/t

[FM Arouet666]

13. Yes, of course it is.

Are the tenets of scientology crazier than the tenets of christianity?

Xenu the space alien lives on a distant planet, god lives in heaven.
Thetans attack our soul and create havoc, the devil torments our soul with sin.
Thetans dropped in volcanoes and bombed with A-bombs, god wiped out Sodom and Gomorrah and brought a big flood.
You can rid your self of thetans with auditing and an e-meter, you can get into heaven by accepting jesus and praying in church.
The e-meter costs a lot of money, the church wants you to tithe and give each sunday to the collection plate.

etc etc etc. Crazy is crazy. Which crazy is more valid than another is for the religious follower to decide.

[beam me up scottie]

14. You tell me:

[Deep13]

15. Yes, they are all equally made-up.

I did not vote, though, because a difference of opinion on this is not necessarily bigotry.

[Random_Australian]

21. No, scientology teaches that the only people who would criticise their church are evil people.

Therefore, allowing that into society would be bad.

Therefore, I do not think it is a valid choice of religion.

I use the same argument about the anti-gay groups as well. :shrug: But you do have to be careful with the whole "consequences of not being valid" thing. :crazy: Not a trivial problem to solve.

[maxsolomon]

22. Scientology is EXACTLY as valid as Mormonism

hinduism deserves some credit for coming up with yoga, and christianity deserves some credit for the core message of jesus.

[Darwins Doberman]

23. The first one would be correct without the added assertion that

believing it not to be a valid religion is bigotry. Heaven's Gate was a "valid religion" as well, but if someone objected I wouldn't call them bigots.

[ZombieHorde]

24. Do you believe that Scientology is as destructive as Heaven's Gate?

[TechBear_Seattle]

25. Define "religion" and explain what makes Christianity and Hinduism "valid" religions

Only after we have set the groundwork can your question be discussed.

[ZombieHorde]

27. Only after we have set the groundwork can your question be discussed.

You seem to be wrong, the groundwork has not been set, yet we are discussing it.

[Dr. Strange]

26. I'm going to say no.

Largely because of the secrecy. You ask a Christian or a Hindu what they believe and they'll tell you. In some cases (like the Gideons), they'll go out of their way to make sure that you know what they believe. The biggest mark against Scientology is that they keep a LOT of their doctrine secret, even going so far as to sue people to prevent the doctrine from being exposed.