What is Scientology?

Question

is south part true?
they believe these aliens came to earth?

I did find one thing while searching the internet:

In the late 1940s, pulp writer L. Ron Hubbard declared:
"Writing for a penny a word is ridiculous. If a man really wants to make a million dollars, the best way would be to start his own religion"
Reader's Digest reprint, May 1980, p.1
Hubbard later created the Church of Scientology...

south part = south park

Answer 1

The portrayal of Scientology by South Park is for the most part true. There are many anit-cult websites on the web that expose the evils of scientology. This is a terrible religion that drains it followers of money, hope and time. Then it discards them like a vampire. In addition - they are not people you want to cross. They do try and exact revenge on people that bad mouth them. They take down names, they sue, they attempt to bankrupt. Just break off all contact with these people. They are convincing and dangerous.

Some of the best sites on this are www.factnet.net and www.clambake.org.

Answer 2

Here is a pretty accurate description of what Scientology is:

Scientology is an applied religious philosophy. When I say "applied" I mean you actually use it in your life to change or improve existing conditions. This is different from a religious practice. All religions if you learn about them have a basic philosphy, but they also have certain dogma, rituals and observances, and a certain faith or belief is required. There is nothing wrong with this, but Scientology is not that kind of religion. It does not intrude on anyones faiths of beliefs particularly in the area of God , the Supreme Being, or the Infinite. This area is left totally up to the indivdual, which is why you can be a practicing Jew,for example and still use and apply the priniciples of Scientology in your life. It does not conflict. If anything it will enhance your understanding of your chosen religious practice.
You can have no specific religious beliefs and still benefit from using it.
And it is only true for you according to your own observation and experience with it.
It is a non denominational religion . The dictionary definition that applies:
Religion: The spiritual or emotional attitude of one who recognises the existence of superhuman power or powers.

The most basic principle of Scientology is that YOU are your own immortal soul, that this is not a "thing" you HAVE but what YOU actually are.
The whole purpose of Scientology is to increase an individual's understanding and awareness of himself. And thereby his native abilities .
When you do this the sphere and zone of his positive influence increases and moves outward into his life, his family ,his friends, his groups and mankind which he is part of.

How this result is achieved is the "technology" of Scientology, which was developed by L.Ron Hubbard after his extensive research and the discoveries he made, about the human spirit. The basic religious philosophy and knowledge of Scientology is very old, going back 10,000 years at least to the Veda or Vedic Hymns from the East. The developement of the technology is new.
He completed his research before his death in 1986 and left all of his results and copyrights
to the Church of Scientology along with most of his considerable estate., when he died.

He published a book in 1951 to communicate the basic principles he discovered called: " Scientology The Fundementals of Thought"
There are currently over 8 million Scientologists in more that 150 countries world wide. However we are a new religion, only 55 years old.
The true story of Scientology as a religion goes like this:
1. A philosopher developes a philosophy about life and death.
2. People find it interesting.
3. People find it works.
4. People pass it along to others.
5. It grows.

Note the absence of any belief in aliens.......
As to "South Park" you are right, it's a satirical cartoon. Most satires rely on making someone or something look totally ridiculous for their source of humor.
"The Simpsons", for example, while funny, is not an actual true representation of an average American family.
In fact quite a few American families would be insulted if they
thought that TV show was taken seriously by those who watched it!!!

As to that other paticular quote it is bogus and originally appeared in an earlier edition of The Book of Famous Quotes which was where Readers Digest got it from.
It was removed from later editions because he basically never said it.
Some folks would like to undermine this religion, and this seemed like a good way to do it at the time. At the moment this intent seems to be showing up in the media and in various bogus websites on the internet. It's the same thing just different
methods in this technological age.
New religions have all gone through this kind of thing in the past.
Scientology is no exception to this. For some reason it has very little negative effect on us and we continue and expand.

Answer 3

According to Scientology.org:-

Scientology follows a long tradition of religious philosophy and practice. Its roots lie in the deepest beliefs and aspirations of all great religions, thus encompassing a religious heritage as old and as varied as man himself.
Through drawing upon the wisdom of some 50,000 years, it is factually a new religion, one which has isolated fundamental laws of life and, for the first time, developed a workable philosophy that can be applied to help one achieve a happier and richer existence. Scientology is therefore something one does, not merely something one believes in-an important point which will be greatly clarified as you read on.

That Scientology’s development and rapid promulgation was made possible, in part, by advances in the physical sciences through the first half of the twentieth century is significant. For Scientology constitutes man’s first real application of scientific methodology to spiritual questions.

Part one of this volume provides a firm grounding on the subject of Scientology. This covers three topics, with chapters devoted to each. The first provides a brief introduction to the Scientology religion and a basic explanation of its philosophy. The second traces the history of religious thought in order to place Scientology into its proper context and clarify the path it follows. The third chapter introduces the reader to the Founder of Scientology, L. Ron Hubbard

Answer 4

a new tom cruise movie

Answer 5

A cult.

Answer 6

Yes South Park is accurate... And I can actually prove it!

Here is an extract in his own handwriting confirmed by the Church's lawyers in court.

http://www.xenu.net/archive/OTIII-scholar/

Here is another court freed document which concerns the whole of OTIII which came up in court during the Fishman Affidavit, you can check out other OT levels here too; see OTVIII for an interesting comment about Jesus.
http://www.xs4all.nl/~kspaink/fishman/index2.html

Here is a summary from an ex-member:
http://www.xenu.net/archive/OTIII-scholar/atack-ot3-summary.txt

My overall opinion is that the Church of Scientology is a destructive cult...

Included in this answer is evidence that has come to light from numerous court trials, government investigations and by the efforts of ex-members.

I personally believe the Church of Scientology to be a destructive cult that lies to and tricks adherents into believing they are improving themselves and the world around them, while they are for the most part doing the exact opposite.

“Scientology is a system of beliefs and practices created by American pulp fiction[1][2] and science fiction [3] author L. Ron Hubbard in 1952 as a self-help philosophy.”
http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/scientology

See here for a critic’s view:
http://www.clambake.org/roland-intro.html

See here for scientology’s own view:
http://www.scientology.org/en_US/religion/index.html

Scientology is considered a religion in some countries, a profitable organisation in others, and in some it is considered a cult whose practises have been banned. For example, the US gives Scientology tax exempt status, whereas Germany and Belgium have called it a “totalitarian cult” and a “commercial enterprise”. France in 1995 classified it as a dangerous cult. The UK refused charitable status in 1999. Russia has a pending court trial over their refusal to register scientology as a religion.

Scientology believes it has the only workable technology to help mankind of its problems, using theories and ‘tech’ from Hubbard to do so.

“Scientology indoctrination usually begins with the Communication Course Training Routines or "TRs". These are supposed to enhance the ability to communicate, but have been called by one expert "the most overt form of hypnosis used by any destructive cult".

Read here for the techniques used by scientology: http://www.clambake.org/archive/techniques/

Hubbard has not discovered anything about the true nature of man, nor was he educated or qualified to do so. He was undoubtedly a clever man but also with many psychotic tendencies, that never cleared his own problems let alone anyone else’s. He died on the psychiatric drugs he had campaigned so hard against. He had a reoccurring stomach ulcer, and continued to claim military disability allowance. By personal accounts he had a wild temper, mild OCD, & respiratory problems, despite the fact that his new discoveries were meant to fix all man’s problems including physical ailments. Tom Cruise is quoted as saying it will cure tuberculosis for example.

Scientology originated out of Hubbard’s book Dianetics. Dianetics is a rewrite of Freudian memory regression into a complex and ill-worded theory, along with occult magick from Aleister Crawley with Hubbard’s experience as a sci-fi writer thrown in. Scientology has never submitted it methods to the scientific community, nor is it endorsed by any such body. Hubbard was not a scientist and seemingly knew nothing of the scientific method, nor has any of his ‘extensive research’ ever come to light. What has come to light is the social & mind control techniques that take place in scientology, and how people are duped into following this money & alien orientated cult.
http://www.clambake.org/archive/books/apobs/
http://www.clambake.org/archive/lrhbare/

This only formal study of dianetics done near the time it appeared showed dianetics did not achieve any of its stated aims or benefits.
http://www.clambake.org/archive/fischer/

Here is an archive of official studies critical of scientology
http://www.clambake.org/archive/audit/

Here are court trials and investigations:
http://www.scientology-lies.com/investigation.html
http://www.clambake.org/archive/CourtFiles/

"[The court record is] replete with evidence [that Scientology] is nothing in reality but a vast enterprise to extract the maximum amount of money from its adepts by pseudo scientific theories... and to exercise a kind of blackmail against persons who do not wish to continue with their sect.... The organization clearly is schizophrenic and paranoid, and this bizarre combination seems to be a reflection of its founder, L.Ron Hubbard." "
Judge Breckenridge, Los Angeles Superior Court

See more on what judges have to say about scientology:
http://www.clambake.org/archive/judge_quotes.html

You cannot progress in scientology without a belief in re-incarnation, and then little alien souls that inhabit your body, so it is not compatible with other people’s faith, it just says it is. OT's are also meant to have a variety of seemingly supernatural abilities.
http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/xenu
http://www.clambake.org/archive/ot/

Most people have now heard of Xenu, the Intergalactic Space Lord who trapped alien souls on earth who now inhabit our bodies and cause problems… Well “This is what Scientologists actually believe” and South Park is accurate as the court documents at the beginning of this answer show.

Scientology is a Destructive Cult:

They lie to members to gain and keep them.

They report for example that there are 8 million adherents worldwide; there are in fact only about 100,000.
http://www.clambake.org/archive/COS_members.html

They say it has been thoroughly researched using the scientific method when it hasn’t. Where are the peer reviewed scientific papers? Where is the extensive research that Hubbard carried out?

They use mind control techniques: http://www.freedomofmind.com/resourcecenter/groups/documents/scientology/pignotti

They hound and harass critics:
http://www.suppressiveperson.org/

They limit outside information via censoring, condemning it the work of criminals, as well as via disconnection with family.
http://www.clambake.org/archive/events/censorship/
http://www.xenu.net/archive/infopack/15.htm

Here are some tragic stories within Scientology:
http://www.whyaretheydead.net

Here is a website with many video's of scientologists behaviour, interviews and media coverage:
http://www.xenutv.com

Seen as that was all quite heavy esp. if you read the links and maybe a little 'overbearing' to quote another user, here is some light humour to do with the subject, including the south park episode.

South Park:
http://www.xenutv.com/cruise/sp-closet.htm
http://www.chefgate.info/

Other:
http://www.zipperfish.com/free/yaafm11.php
http://www.clambake.org/archive/books/lampoon/lamp1.htm
http://home.snafu.de/tilman/cos_fun/

Tom Cruise:
http://www.scientomogy.info/
http://www.tomcruiseisnuts.com/
http://65.58.242.81/scientomogy.com.php

EDIT (see thetaalways below) OK, Theta I accept you can't prove the readers digest quote, but what about the COURT TRIALS AND DOCUMENTS???!? Why comment on a small quote that you say has been removed anyway, what about the Official Documents, pls comment.

Answer 7

www.xenu.net