Scientology

[YeshuaFan]

LMAO That is GREAT! I should try that next time the Tax Bill arrives

On a serious note, Scientology preys on the desperate. yes, someone would have to be desperate to fill out a survey, and sadly, thousands do. But If we at least alert people up front to this scam, maybe we can help a few of those desperate people find healthier and effective treatment and fulfilling pathways in life, instead of the lies and abuse that scientology will give them.

They need to be offered the Gospel of Christ and salvation, not the bogus salvation Scientology promises!

 

[ViaCrucis]

Everything I know about Scientology comes from documentaries, ex-member accounts, and South Park.

-CryptoLutheran

 

[YeshuaFan]

Everything I know about Scientology comes from documentaries, ex-member accounts, and South Park.

-CryptoLutheran

Excellent series on them running on A&E for last 3 years now!

 

[FireDragon76]

Early in the film "The Fifth Element," the character Korben Dallas has a big stenciled word in his apartment: KEEP CLEAR. He looked at it and said, "I'm trying." It's a Scientology thing, and an indicator of how far the cult reaches.

It's probably more of an inside joke, than trying to promote scientology.

 

[FireDragon76]

Many people who want to warn against Scientology try to do so by pointing to their mythology, buuuut... I don't think that is quite the right angle, since virtually all religions - including big, established world views that are regarded as "normal" because so many people consider them factual truth - become ridiculous if you take a detached look at their foundational stories.

Yeah, being made aware of Xemu, DC8-starships and volcano-thetans may help to keep *some* people from becoming drawn into the organisation (which is why they don't tell you about it until you are deeply indoctrinated), but sheer ridiculousness does not suffice.
(Otherwise, there would be no Mormons or Hare Krishnas around any longer, just to mention two examples that won't get me penalised around here.)

A more objective angle than the plausibility of their world view comes with their actual practices, particularly the Office of Special Affairs.
In case you aren't aware, Scientology basically has got its own secret service: a whole branch devoted to investigating, discrediting, and - if possible - destroying opponents, gaining political leverage, and furthering the organisation's goals by any means possible.
Their "Operation Snow White" was the greatest infiltration of the US government prior to the Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election.

You might wonder why they are still around, despite this public knowledge of their more sinister actions. The answer to that is that they are keenly aware of how the US system works: if you've got enough money, you are essentially above the law, and if you know the right people (which comes with having enough money), nothing is beyond you.
They essentially blackmailed their way to tax-exempt status as a religion in the 1980s, harassing IRS personnel until they gave them what they wanted.

And when Germany tried to fight back against this organisation on account of their anti-constitutional practices and values (which is basically the ONLY thing that can get you indexed around here), US officials were ready to exert pressure on Scientology's behalf, until all opposition was either eliminated or rendered ineffectual. They even managed to gain broad public support by painting themselves as "the next Jews" in widely publicised, expensive newspaper campaigns, raising the ire of the US public.
Some federal states around here tried to push back, but what happened then was usually this: the US consulate sponsored some clandestine dinner or charity event hosted by Scientology, inviting influential representatives such as the chief of police, mayors, etc. Afterwards, funding for anti-cult campaigns would be cut "for budget reasons".

That's a good point. While DC-8's and souls trapped in volcanos might seem bizarre, our own Bible has some equally vivid and unusual imagery as well- giants, "living creatures", and so on. Making this a particularly weak criticism of Scientology, esp. from a Christian POV.

Scientology was involved in one high profile kidnapping and torture case several decades ago in Clearwater, but the Scientologists managed to corrupt the chain of evidence for the case, rendering the medical examiner's testimony suspect. They definitely have some sinister practices.

Prior to Bill Clinton's presidency, the US government did not recognize Scientology as a religion, it was considered a criminal racket. Instructing the IRS to accept Scientology's religious status was one of Clinton's biggest moral lapses in his presidency.

 

[ViaCrucis]

That's a good point. While DC-8's and souls trapped in volcanos might seem bizarre, our own Bible has some equally vivid and unusual imagery as well- giants, "living creatures", and so on. Making this a particularly weak criticism of Scientology, esp. from a Christian POV.

Scientology was involved in one high profile kidnapping and torture case several decades ago in Clearwater, but the Scientologists managed to corrupt the chain of evidence for the case, rendering the medical examiner's testimony suspect. They definitely have some sinister practices.

Prior to Bill Clinton's presidency, the US government did not recognize Scientology as a religion, it was considered a criminal racket. Instructing the IRS to accept Scientology's religious status was one of Clinton's biggest moral lapses in his presidency.

That thing about Scientology's bizarre ideas is a point I've tried to remind myself, and mention to others as well. I actually remember this point being made by an instructor when I was visiting some friends when they were attending Ecola Bible College in Oregon--many, many years ago now. He showed a video of Neo-Pagans in the woods performing some rituals. A bunch of the students laughed at how "silly" it all looked, to which the instructor stopped them, and asked them how they think their religious beliefs and practices look to others and if they were any less silly. It shut up the whole class really quick. I remember being super impressed.

So, sure, I may think the idea of space airplanes and alien souls is bizarre. But I also believe that a man who is also God died for my sins and rose from the dead and is the Lord over all creation; that is hardly a statement that is going to sound like anything other than pure crazy talk to someone who doesn't believe or is unfamiliar with my religion. The only reason it isn't routinely mocked in our culture the way other religions tend to be is because of the pervasiveness of my religion in our culture. And I should be mindful of this. My most deeply held beliefs, which define who I am in this world, look like pure lunacy to others.

-CryptoLuthearn

 

[Jane_the_Bane]

The idea of an avatar sacrificing himself to drive home a message of forgiveness is not that bizarre.
There are other parts of Christian lore and practices that are infinitely more bizarre to outsiders/non-believers.
Transsubstantiation, the eternal virginity of Mary, or a census that requires people to travel to the home of their ancestors. (Okay, that last one is weird for entirely different reasons, namely that no sane person would ever conduct a census like that. But the tale somehow needed to get Jesus from Nazareth to Bethlehem in the name of "prophecy", I suppose.)