I'd be interested to know what other forum members' opinions are on this weird "CULT", I use the word advisedly as they are probably monitoring this subject closely from somewhere. I personally can't take seriously a body whose doctrine comes from an SF writer, namely L.Ron Hubbard, which claims that we are all descendants from aliens and who are total control freaks. How can anyone, including well known personalities, even entertain the idea of becoming one of their followers, if not purely for their own personal advancement/gain?

i don't personally believe it, but who are we to tell them they are wrong??

lol and having Tom Cruise as their Spokesman lol that guy is mental, he truly is, but hey i mean look. If thats what they choose to believe then 'meh' you have people who worship satan, god, prophet mohammed well maybe not worship but yeah. Its a weird world we live in, im somewhat an Atheist so everything is kinda a whole bunch of empty words, until I see proof.

hehe seen any of the southparks regarding this issue?

I believe that south park goes nuts at Scientology lol, as they do about everything else :P

its some scary stuff

if you need proof check out the BBC doc about 'em the reporter gets pushed so far he explodes is fantastic to watch.... they really pushed he though followed him around tried to intimadate him... amazing he lasted as long as he did

Yeah, I did see that documentary, the poor guy goes ballistic, but then I think he'd really had enough of the bullshit he was being told and the constant monitoring of his every move. The only privacy he could find was the toilet and even then he was being hassled at the door! I agree with the sentiments posted above and have no problem with people worshiping what they want, they can pray to a lampost for all I care. My concern though, is when it becomes too invasive and starts to destroy peoples lives, there has to be a limit and an openess to which the Scientologist movement doesn't appear to subscribe.

well what to say about sci... prove it and i will believe ..... lol aliens came and brought humans sucked trough a giant soul catcher ... hmm lol

When you think about it. It's no more, or less ludcrous than any other religion! A white haired vindictive old man who lives in the sky, wants us on our knees thanking him for the world. Visiting plague, pesilence & countless other misfortunes upon us if we don't suficiently pander to his ego. Just like any other religion it's a way for the priviledged exponents, the priests to bleed the believers dry, like the parasited they are. Just another way to bamboozle, confuse & thus control the vulnerable & superstitious but no better or worse than all the rest. Though unlike a lot it has not, so far, been responsible for starting any wars in its name.

So that's why Tom Cruise is so good in the war of the worlds

While I agree that it relies on faith a staple of every religion and that all seem unbelievable when rationalized (something religion does not encourage) I am not so cynical that I believe all religions prey on their followers for monetary gain (but some do). If religion makes a person happy or a better person then who are we to judge them.

I recently had this debate with my grandfather and his response was "when has god ever started a war?". "Wars are started by men, if all men followed the religious beliefs they claim to believe in then there would be no wars."

I'm mildly concerned with Scientology I'd have to admit.

The founder, Ron L. Hubbard, is a known fake who had been exposed for all manner of fraud before he had the ingenuity to found a religion. After all, making nonsensical claims in the name of science will get you laughed at and discredited -- but if you say it's simply your religious beliefs people suddenly are willing to give you a pass. Hence scientology was born.

The more serious components however are the constant targeting for conversion of people with low self-esteem for their "religion" only to suck their money out to the last penny and throw them to the curb when their usefulness has ended.

The various reported incidents involving scientologists seem to be glossed over as they're a "crazy cult" that no one would take seriously. But it has meant they're getting away with stuff most people would take a lot more seriously if it was a more recognized institution like the Catholic church.

For example.. what if the Catholic Church had insisted that someone requiring dire medical attention go to a hospital miles away from the nearest one because the physicians and hospital were catholic while the nearest one was not? This has happenned among the scientolgy community and led to accusations that this is done intentionally in an attempt to fleece their membership of as much of their cash before letting them die.

Such machivellian tactics and global dominance conspiracy, if proven true, should be a concern of us all.

It's the same as any other religon; believing something without any proof.

When I hear scientology, I think Jim Jones. Kool-aid anyone?

I dont believe in it. I think its more of a cult than anything else but hey if you believe it, then more power to you. who am i to tell you if your right or wrong

If someone told you that the world was flat would you also shrug and declare it just as "their beliefs" and question your right to tell them what's right and wrong?

If the answer is no, why give a pass to BS enveloped in religion?

the world being flat or round can be proven. no religion can be proven right or wrong so my point still stands

Scientologists claim they have an intimate relationship with an alien species. Why is it unreasonable to ask for some evidence?

So if I said I believed I was the son of the devil (or any other wild claim), you'd give me a pass because it's my religion simply because you couldn't disprove I wasn't?

Oh, I also believe there are little green men that live in the earth's core and come out only at Christmas time. But it's my religion so it should be recognized.

oh so you've seen the little green men too, im not alone then...

first i dont care what others believe if its not bothering me i dont give a damn. its just like those people tht say they converse with god or the devil its there life if they want to believe in that stuff its their choice.
and its not unreasonable to ask for proof but because the proof that most present is nothing more than somebodies opinion.
yes if you said your the son of the devil i would let you pass i would aslo recommend psychotic help but i wouldnt care even if it is your religion.
personaly i dont believe in any religion becuase there is no scientific evidence behind it also too many people you it as an excuse to do what they want

For those of you who didn't see the BBC's documentary, I forgot to raise a fundemental point which they brought up concerning privacy. Apparently, the people who were interviewed decrying the movement, had their past from year dot scrutinised in order to rake up any sort of misdemeanor to discredit them as viable spokes people against scientology. Anything from getting a parking ticket, being an ex alcoholic, or rent boy in one case, gave them carte blanche to ignore or invalidate these people's opinions because of their "evil and sinful" earlier crimes! Now if that Isn't Big Brother trying to run away from or hide the truth using totaly unacceptable strong arm tactics, I don't know what is frankly. Thanks to everyone for your input.

Well considering its failry non violent I guess its ok. I consider it a cult but even some cults do well. It does score some points at helping homosexuals who want to change ( its there choice right?) They don't go arround beheading people who don't think like they do.

They do loose some points though for demanding payment to move up in their group. Peoples actions should dictate that, not money. That very fact there tells me its just another jim jones type of cult minus the kool aid

The trouble is that these people get themselves elected to local government, the board of governers in schools & other oossitions which allow them to wield power way beyond the number of people that they actually represent. In the UK at present we seem to be at the mercy of small "focus groups" who manage to get ludicrous laws passed by getting themselves onto the relevant "consultation group". We have laws in the UK that prohibit criticism of a religion on laws designed to stop religious hatred & bigotry. Fair enough no one should be persecuted for their religion. But. These laws forbid even criticism of the religion.

Excellent point. I'd just like to add that in Canada, religions that have government acceptance get "charitable funding" status (cults need not apply). Basically what it means is that you can give to your church (or whatever) and get a tax break -- all funded by the tax paying citizen. If there's a similar system in the US then that'd mean if Scientology was ever recognized in the same way as the Anglican church is (for example) then you'd be funding those nuts. Good use of your tax dollars, huh?




Yeah, it's a little bit of fallout by interpreting law through the lense of political correctness and we have similiar problems in Canada.

A while back muslims tried to create a separate juidical system within Canada's legal framework that would apply only to canadian muslims and be based on shariah law. It was eventually shot down but the fact that they even entertained the notion is damn scary.

first off i would like to say that is ridiculous that you cant even criticize a religion. next yes if would suck to know that tax payers money is in any way going to what i believe is a cult. but the fact of me not caring in what anybody believes in is different than caring about what they do and how it will affect me. i would care if these people got into power and use it in ways metioned above

Who gives you the right to tell them that they are wrong? Maybe you are ? Maybe they are? At the end of the day it all comes down to faith and our Freedom to relish in it or deny it. Who Knows,you could be wrong,But is it really my place to tell you you are?http://213.155.27.24/forums/style_emoticons/DarksideRG/sawink.gif
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They can believe whatever they want, but at the end of the day our rights and freedoms overlap. If their beliefs somehow effect me in a way I think is negative or interpret as an infringement on MY freedom, I'm going to act. People don't simply "have beliefs."

They act on them.

That's what gives me the right. My freedoms are just as important as their freedom of religion.

i think you both would be right. if someones religion is Infringing on your freedom you should say something to protect your rights but if not there would be no reason to say anything

I don't honestly feel a "religion" that copyrights itself, has special churches for the rich and famous, and calls the main branch the "mother" church should be considered a religion. Maybe proprietary mindf*ck of the masses suits it better.

someone else addin to the rich get richer and the poor get BS

Tom Cruise is the messiah of Scientology??

Any group that considers that tw*t a Christ-like figure is suspect, IMO.

you must not have read the part of the bible that tells humans to start wars,
most of the top religions are incompatible with other religions this starts wars because most scripture states to kill any non-believers of your religion, which certainly sounds like an invite to start wars to me

Scientology is a load of dingos' kidneys.

Every morning before high school from 5am to 6am.

Sorry flashbacks.

The Bible is written by humans! Not one passage was written by a god!

I would like to blame a god for starting wars but since I don't believe one exists that just leaves all of us. Ok, so maybe you and I didn't start a war...but we haven't ended one either.

True but remember the bible was put together using alot of stories, and there is a lot more that could of been added, including the fact that the jesus dude was not the only so called messiah of the time there were more popular and celebrated, if for instance Aliens landed on Earth then Religion would be proved to be non existent.

The only 3 things that are used as control are Politics and Religion and money and the two former have the most, I can't comment on Scientology as I know very little about the actual principals or workings of the so-called faith.

For a start Alien lifeforms MUST exist... somewhere, we are not and never have been the center or start of the universe, when Humankind cannot interplanetary travel how can some stand and say this is crap or that is crap. As for Scientology v's Christianity then the most likely is that Scientology is more accurate.

IMO

Just substitute Religion with Politics for a moment. Nobody cares if someone attacks someone because of his politics. It's legit to question political viewpoints but religion is kind of a holy cow.

For some reason religion has this special status in our society that makes it nearly impossible to criticize it. I mean c'mon everybody with a clear mind can see that every religion is bullshit. I don't want to be mean to anybody here but lets face it, adam and eve, bad snake, flood, virgin birth, ressurection and xenu all fall in the bullshit category. I know that there's no way to actually disprove this crap but I still have to right (and in my opinion the duty) to tell everybody who thinks this crap is true, to wake up.
(btw: just because I can't disprove it doesn't mean that the chance is 50/50)

I kinda got carried away a little but what I'm trying to say is that scientology has the same right to exist like all the other churches cults and religions ... none.

3 things are permanent in this world Hope, Faith and Love. to belittle someones faith is wrong.

I think it is wrong to pay amounts of money for learning a religion. Why is it not for free?
There must be a few guys at the top laughing loud by earning so much money.
Who is getting richer? Perhaps Tom Cruise and his beloved Katie ?

ANYONE seen da ali g episode where he rags on "Science-Tology". -is pretty funny.

Did those aliens molest have a prophet that molested, raped a 9 year old girl>? DO those aliens hang gay people in therocratic ruled goverments>? Do those aileans preech hate towards gay people?

hmm seems to be harmless to me.

actually the maker of the religion back when he was alive said that the easiest way to make money is to get people to follow you. and he did. lol cha ching on his part.

Yes and sure lets make LEGIT churches pay taxes and while we are at it lets sit back and watch 3rd world countries NOT get charity from these churches because the money is spent paying taxes.

Look, some FRAUD churches should be banned from tax breaks but not all

technically speaking, every religion is just like a cult. scientology is no different.

addressing the "who are we to tell them they're wrong" topic, there comes a point when reasonable beliefs cross the line into ludicrous practices. their minds are twisted and they need to be told, like a child that throws car keys into a lake, except these car keys are people minds and the lake is a pile of bulls**t.

there is certainly some kind of chance that Mr. Hubbard speaks the pure truth, and he has been chosen to witness, record, and encourage his report or record of this system. but at a certain point, the healthy individuals in a population need to step back and recognize this cult as a radical group that must be taken seriously. crazy people do crazy things and sooner or later its going to really screw things up for someone at some point; this is something that's unnecessary and can be prevented.

by telling them they're wrong, you only push them further into their locked mind. by telling them they're wrong, I feel like i'm trying to save these poor souls that could have had a chance to do something beautiful with their life.

it's like playing counterstrike and watching some kid only use a pistol because he doesn't know how to buy anything. you're sitting next to him at the computer at some lan party or at a cafe and you feel like you should tell him to press B, but he's really anxious and abnoxious and doesn't want help from anyone and arrogantly says he can do it with a pistol.

who am i to tell him he's wrong? he's an idiot and im only trying to help him, so some day he can be on my level and we can mutually enjoy each others gameplay, or physical company. same applies to these scientologsst dipwads; these poor souls could have been one of our friends in the future or a boss that would have made us rich or anything mutually helpfull to our existance. instead it's wasted....

Scientology is not a religion it is a business, praying on weak-minded individuals who exploit millions for financial monetary gain. and for what? for a chance to bare false witness to an idea that we are descendants from aliens? also if you want to know how secretive and sinister scientology is then i suggest looking up operation snow white and operation freakout.

Doesn't sound a lot different from most other religions to me! Angels, Aliens, Elohim, Gods, The Tooth Fairy £$£$£$$£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£

Hey you leave the tooth fairy out of this...he always gave me money and never asked for any in return.

woops.
what I meant was religion=big buisness.
what about the pink unicorn?

HE? I don't know what your childhood was like but my tooth fairy was definitely a she. But I will withdraw all aspersions cast in the direction of the Tooth Fairy. Even male tooth fairies.

let's make torrent sharing a religion. if we meet certain criteria would could have our day in court...

...and probably lose.

Dont we have it already..? Tbh its quite nice religion since nobody is telling anybody which is true form to believe and even the sacraments we have are played under fake names with people we dont know nor even would know if we would meet em on the street.

Long live torrent!