What is Scientology all about?

Question

I've heard so much lately but have not idea what it is all about. I've read a little but it just does not make sense. Can someone explain in laymen's terms?

Answer 1

I think this explains it pretty well, and in relatively brief, understandable terminology.


Scientology is a system of beliefs and practices created by American pulp fiction and science fiction author L. Ron Hubbard in 1952 as a self-help philosophy. By 1960 Hubbard had redefined it as a "religion by its basic tenets". The name "Scientology" is also sometimes used to refer to the Church of Scientology, which is the largest organization promoting the belief system of Scientology. There are other organizations and individuals who are not affiliated with the Church of Scientology who regard themselves as practitioners of and believers in Scientology, sometimes collectively called the Free Zone. The Church regards such independents, almost without exception, as not practicing the "true" Scientology set out by Hubbard, while many of those independents make the very same criticism about the Church.

The Church of Scientology presents itself as a religious non-profit organization dedicated to the rehabilitation of the human spirit and providing counseling and rehabilitation programs. Church spokespeople claim that Hubbard's teachings (called "Technology" or "tech" in Scientology terminology) have saved them from addictions, arthritis, depression, learning disabilities, mental illness, cancer, homosexuality and other perceived problems.

The controversial organization has attracted much criticism and distrust throughout the world because of its closed nature and strong-arm tactics in handling critics. Lawmakers, including national governing bodies of several countries, have characterized the Church as an unscrupulous commercial organization, citing harassment of critics and exploitation of its members. Scientology's principles have been characterized as pseudoscientific by scientists, medical doctors and psychotherapeutic practitioners. Although some religious scholars consider Scientology a religion[9], it has frequently been perceived as a cult and a pseudoreligion.

Allegations of Scientology's cult status can be attributed to its unconventional creation by a single authoritative and charismatic leader. Within the church members are arranged in a hierarchically pyramid ranked structure, with higher level members holding authority over lower ranked subordinates, especially as evidenced by the Sea Org. The Church indoctrinates its members providing very little initial knowledge of the inner secrets of the organization. In order to reach this knowledge parishioners are required to advance forward in rank through study and payments to the Church, the incentive of which is the stepped acquisition of promised powerful secrets and gaining of supernatural abilities.

According to a 2001 survey published by the City University of New York 55,000 people in the United States would, if asked what their religion was, have said Scientology. The worldwide number of Scientologists is disputed: the Church of Scientology claims around 10 million members as of 2006, but claimed national membership figures it has released when totalled indicate a figure of around 500,000. Adherents.com suggests there may be 500,000 Scientologists worldwide while critics say Church membership is likely to be less than 100,000.

Answer 2

Scientologists believe in the god Xenu, who brought billions of frozen people to earth, stacked them up around volcanoes and blew them up with hydrogen bombs. Their souls wandered the earth, trying to find a host body. Those souls are supposedly what causes turmoil in todays society.

thats all you need to know to decide that scientology is messed up. P.S. its not because of you that it didnt make sense, it's the religion.

Answer 3

I started to read and its kinda boring. The problem with that religion that is too peacefull.
At this time peace is only in words and does nto get much popularity. This religion won't get too much spread because its too peacefull. Ppl need to feel that they are better than others that's why christianity is so popular.
Therefore GOD and peace don't exist.

Answer 4

Its so messed up i cant explain without getting into a right twist. Im sure some1 will be able to give u some useful websites.

Answer 5

Hey L R, check out the website serf gave you a link to. It will clear things up.

Answer 6

Scientology is about aliens and getting money. It is also about killing people, which is the scary part.

Answer 7

A pack of crap. made up and practiced by a bunch of weathly people designed to alleviate their guilt for being greedy asses.

Answer 8

They were founded by an idiot and it was all about making money. You pay to pray.

Answer 9

Hi ya,

Scientology is a cult that was created by L Ron Hubbard who lied about his life and his research in order to gain adherents. It started with a book he wrote called Dianetics in 1950, and shortly after he created scientology. It is said he did it on a bet, that he, a science fiction writer to cause a true cult following.

Since then a dangerous vicious organisation called the Church of Scientology has emerged, trapping individuals into the cult, causing them to part with their money and their individuality to mesh into the cult. I will start with the beliefs, and the follow on to resources on the net critical of scientology which has evidence of which I speak.

Scientologys Beliefs in short:

We are a thetan (soul), that is reincarnated
We collect engrams when unconscious
Engrams plague our reactive mind causing all sorts of personality problems &/or physical ailments.
Auditing (hypotic trance-like questioning while hooked up to a crude lie detector) gets rid of them.
They believe this takes them to new heights of awareness and ability - this has never been demonstrated.
Hubbard discovered and mapped out the only way to Total Freedom.

You then learn that you are also infected with ancient aliens that were dropped here to solve an over-population problem - this is the story of Xenu. So more auditing is required to audit all the little Body Thetans you have stuck to you, as well as removing all the various Implants that Hubbard 'discovered' you had. You audit these beings out yourself paying for the privilage. To go right to the top will cost around $380,000, maybe more...

Or go to wikipedia and read what they think:

"Some central beliefs of Scientology:

* A person is an immortal spiritual being (termed a thetan) who possesses a mind and a body.
* Through the Scientology process of "auditing", one can free oneself of "engrams" and "implants" to reach the state of "Clear", and after that, the state of "Operating Thetan". Each state is said to represent recovering the native spiritual abilities of the individual, and to confer dramatic mental and physical benefits.
* The thetan has lived through many past lives and will continue to live beyond the death of the body.
* A person is basically good, but becomes "aberrated" by moments of pain and unconsciousness in his or her life.
* What is true for you is what you have observed yourself. No beliefs should be forced as "true" on anyone. Thus, the tenets of Scientology are expected to be tested and seen to either be true or not by Scientology practitioners.
* Psychiatry and psychology are evil and abusive. [20]
* Humans retain many emotional problems caused by early stages of evolution"
http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/scientology
http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/xenu

See here for the main critical site of scientology, there is a wealth of information on this site:
http://www.clambake.org

This is one critics view (the owner of the site):

"In a Nutshell

The Church of Scientology is a vicious and dangerous cult that masquerades as a religion. Its purpose is to make money. It practices a variety of mind-control techniques on people lured into its midst to gain control over their money and their lives. Its aim is to take from them every penny that they have and can ever borrow and to also enslave them to further its wicked ends.

It was started in the 1950s by a science fiction writer named L. Ron Hubbard in fulfilment to his declared aim to start a religion to make money. It is an offshoot to a method of psychotherapy he concocted from various sources which he named "Dianetics". Dianetics is a form of regression therapy. It was then further expanded to appear more like a religion in order to enjoy tax benefits. He called it "Scientology".

Scientology is a confused concoction of crackpot, dangerously applied psychotherapy, oversimplified, idiotic and inapplicable rules and ideas and science-fiction drivel that is presented to its members (at the "advanced" levels) as profound spiritual truth. "
http://www.clambake.org/roland-intro.html


Justice Latey, ruling in the High Court of London:

"Scientology is both immoral and socially obnoxious...It is corrupt sinister and dangerous. It is corrupt because it is based on lies and deceit and has its real objective money and power for Mr. Hubbard... It is sinister because it indulges in infamous practices both to its adherents who do not toe the line unquestionably and to those who criticize it or oppose it. It is dangerous because it is out to capture people and to indoctrinate and brainwash them so they become the unquestioning captives and tools of the cult, withdrawn from ordinary thought, living, and relationships with others."
http://www.clambake.org/archive/judge_quotes.html

Here is a critical page on the techniques used by CofScientology.
http://www.clambake.org/archive/techniques/

Here are some books written by ex-members:
http://www.clambake.org/archive/books/apobs/
http://www.clambake.org/archive/books/isd/isd.htm
http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~dst/Library/Shelf/xenu/xenu.html

The truth about L Ron Hubbard:
http://www.clambake.org/archive/books/bfm/bfmconte.htm

For comparison here is their own website
http://www.scientology.org

The Church of Scientology is a dangerous vicious cult.

Speak to any Cult Expert in the world and they will inform you of the dangers of Scientology.

Answer 10

It teaches the opposite of what the bible teaches. It is of satan.