How does Society View Scientology?

Question

What is society's view on the religion of Scientology?
Would they view them as being deviant? and if so why?

Answer 1

Society hopefully sees Scientology for what it is: a dangerous cult.

This is what Scientologists ACTUALLY believe:

Xenu was an alien ruler of the "Galactic Confederacy" who, 75 million years ago, brought billions of people to Earth in spacecrafts resembling Douglas DC-8 airliners, stacked them around volcanoes and blew them up with hydrogen bombs. Their souls then clustered together and stuck to the bodies of the living. The alien souls continue to do this today, causing a variety of physical ill-effects in modern-day humans. L. Ron Hubbard (a science-fiction writer and the creator of Scientology) called these clustered spirits "Body Thetans," and the advanced levels in Scientology place considerable emphasis on isolating them and neutralizing their ill effects.

To rid ourselves of "Body Thetans", we have to go through "auditing" with a member of the “church” who uses an "e-meter" to measure our “reactive mind” in order to clear our mind of “engrams” (past negative experiences stored in our unconscious mind)...... and we have to pay lots and lots and lots of money to take courses on Scientology to advance to higher “levels” in the “church”.

Scientology is undeniably a cult.

Every cult can be defined as a group having all of the following five characteristics:

1. It uses psychological coercion to recruit, indoctrinate and retain its members
2. It forms an elitist totalitarian society.
3. Its founder leader is self-appointed, dogmatic, messianic, not accountable and has charisma.
4. It believes 'the end justifies the means' in order to solicit funds & recruit people.
5. Its wealth does not benefit its members or society.

Are Cults Harmful?

To remain within the strict mental and social confines of a cult for even a short time can have the following disastrous effects:

Loss of choice and free will. Diminished intellectual ability, vocabulary and sense of humor. Reduced use of irony, abstractions and metaphors. Reduced capacity to form flexible and intimate relationships. Poor judgment. Physical deterioration. Malnutrition. Hallucinations, panic, dissociation, guilt, identity diffusion and paranoia. Neurotic, psychotic or suicidal tendencies.

Answer 2

I was reading an article on that on a magazine I wouldn't have ever guessed would have it: The Rolling Stones. Surprisingly enough though, the article seemed to have a very thorough journalistic approach to it. It discussed what "normal" people thought about Scientology. After reading the whole article, which took me very little time to read due to Rolling Stone's often vulgar vocabulary (hehehe), I came to the conclusion that society views Scientology as almost like a cult, a very unorthodox religion at its best. The article seemed to be unbiased; however, the reader couldn't help but notice that the article itself was written by a Scientology "outsider" which perhaps indicates that Scientology is viewed as an extremely far left "religion." Weird, if that makes more sense.

Answer 3

First I want to clarify that the story of Xeno is just a fable and no Scientologist believe it to be true. In fact most Scientologist I have meet haven't even heard the story. Scientology is much like Buddhism but instead of meditation the use auditing with the same goal and better results. Scientology is the most attacked religion there is. Why? Because it works. And the slave masters don't want theirs slaves to go free and think by them selves. So Scientology must be discredit and destroyed. The IRS, Times magazine and others have done theirs best to destroy Scientology. But it is still here. Why? Because it works.

Answer 4

They point and they luagh....

They view it as deviant becose some science fiction wrighter made it up.... and then exspanded apon it with a lot of psychological theories and stuff he pulled from other religions.

The only reson it acutaly helps anyone is there is aprently some half way desent philosophy in there.... and people are like... OMFG he must be right about everything else........

Most everyone think's it's a crack and luagh at anyone that acutaly beleaves in it.


Besides hollywood... aprently a lot of people there eat it up.

Answer 5

Hubbard later softened his stance on homosexuality interior the late 1960's. the reason many of the main religions abhor homosexuality is purely by way of fact homosexuals can not reproduce and consequently can not furnish extra souls for that distinctive cult...oops sorry faith. Religions survival relies upon on increasing its populations. Why do you think of you're immediately born into Islam to illustrate, and as quickly as you're a muslim you're actually unable to pass away or convert to a distinctive faith. this type the muslim inhabitants purely keeps transforming into. of direction there are muslims who've left the islamic faith, yet they could stay something of their lives in secret for concern of loss of life from apostasy. this form of loving faith isn't it?

Answer 6

As idiots. Anyone who believes we came from "lord xenu" and brainwashed aliens needs some help. Worse if you take into account L. Ron Hubbard was a child molester and science fiction writer.

Answer 7

the philosophy sounds pretty solid... until you get to the aliens part then it gets a bit bizare.

Answer 8

I admit I don't know, but hopefully with distrust.

Answer 9

They are (rightfully) viewed as a whacko cult......