Is Scientology the rich man's religion?

Question

I have noticed that mostly rich celebrities join this group.

Answer 1

It may attract the rich, but it certainly isn't a religion. It's a cult and demonstrably so. Here is the real deal on Scientology, the truth without being influenced by loyalty to the "church" itself. 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" and also “engrams” (past negative experiences stored in our unconscious mind) so that we can become “clear”, we have to go through "auditing" with a member of the “church” who uses an "e-meter" to measure our “reactive mind”...... and we have to pay lots and lots and lots of money for “auditing” (purchased in 12.5-hour blocks, costing anywhere from $750 for introductory sessions to between $8,000 and $9,000 for advanced sessions) and to take courses on Scientology to advance to higher “levels” in the “church”. The “church” has also taken a very hostile stance towards psychiatry and psychiatric drugs irrespective of the fact that some people require medication to remain adequately functional in everyday life. They deny the reality of chemical imbalance and profound mental disturbance and accordingly do NOTHING to effectively stabilize the dangerously unstable. The “church” has been known to withhold prescription pharmaceuticals from member (with deadly results).

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 [convincing potential members that they are unhappy and Scientology is the only means of helping themselves]. (2) It forms an elitist totalitarian society. [they label everyone who disagrees or questions as a “Suppressive Person” and requires members to “disconnect” from them] (3) Its founder leader is self-appointed, dogmatic, messianic, not accountable and has charisma. [Yes, that would be Hubbard] (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. [self evident proof for 4 & 5 as it does milk members for virtually everything they have and it’s wealth doesn’t find it’s way back to it’s members or society at all]

Cults are extremely 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

In my opinion...

Scientology is a cult that courts the rich and famous with a "lite" version of the belief system, with the knowledge that fans of the rich/famous person will want to join themselves. At the "regular person's" level, it's a different thing, and they're likely to end up spending a lot of hours and money they don't really have moving up the levels, etc.

Again, this is just my opinion.

Answer 3

Scientology is only a religion for tax purposes. It is a scam and cult.They have a lot of money and they spend it on a lot of lawyers. When you join you have to pay them to stay involved. Celebrities make good candiates for conversion: They have a lot of money, they can bring attention and legitamacy to the cult, and they are often flakey enough people so they are easy to brainwash.Tom Cruise...

Answer 4

Hate to offend anyone,but Scientology is a religion for the foolish.
It's really wacko when you study it.It really has no religious baring at all.It is true brainwashing.Not like the other religions we bash each other about.

Answer 5

The word Scientology literally means "the study of truth." It comes from the Latin word "scio" meaning "knowing in the fullest sense of the word" and the Greek word "logos" meaning "study of."

Scientology is the study and handling of the spirit in relationship to itself, others and all of life. The Scientology religion comprises a body of knowledge extending from certain fundamental truths. Prime among these:

Man is an immortal, spiritual being. His experience extends well beyond a single lifetime. His capabilities are unlimited, even if not presently realized — and those capabilities can be realized. He is able to not only solve his own problems, accomplish his goals and gain lasting happiness, but also achieve new, higher states of awareness and ability.

In Scientology no one is asked to accept anything as belief or on faith. That which is true for you is what you have observed to be true. An individual discovers for himself that Scientology works by personally applying its principles and observing or experiencing results.

Through Scientology, people all over the world are achieving the long-sought goal of true spiritual release and freedom.


Scientologists represent a tremendously varied cross-section of society, from Norwegian fishermen, Brazilian soccer players, to Japanese businessmen, Greek artists and Italian educators. One must disregard age, race, occupation, nationality or political allegiance, for Scientologists cover the entire spectrum.

But Scientologists can be identified by positive attributes that span all cultures. They are ethical, active, educated, successful and drug-free (none at all use illegal street drugs). And while such descriptions may run counter to many “popular” trends in society, they underscore the fact that Scientology helps people lead better li

Answer 6

it's not a religion it's a science fiction story

Answer 7

yes, and it was started by Ron.L. Hubbard the sci-fi writer, now what does that tell you of whacky ideas.

Answer 8

There are multiple ways to go about and get Scientology.
1. You can do volunteer work in a church and get your services for free.
2. You can take the courses and become an Auditor your self and do all your auditing with a partner.
3. You can pay to have a professional Auditor audit you.
Honestly training is the preferred route for people to get Scientology because not only you get your Auditing done, you have get full understanding of how it works. The reason Scientology charges fees for its services is because they don't take donations in their Sunday services, they rather earn their money by delivering courses and auditing.
Fees from professional Auditing are no more expensive that going to a Psychologist (for hour). And fees for training are no more expensive than taking a course in you community college.
But if you are rich and you want to recieve your Auditing while staying in a 5 star rated Scientology resort or the Scientology Cruise Ship, of course is going to cost you.

Now about Zero Cool anti-Scientology propaganda bellow I have this to say:

1. I'm sorry to burst your bubble but Scientologist don't believe in Aliens. The story of Xenu is just a fable like the story Jonah in the Whale in the bible. Fables are not intended to be taken seriosly. The story of Xeno doesn't have any significance in Scientology beliefs.

2.What the heck is a "body theta". A thetan is the Scientology term for the human spirit, there is no such thing as body thetans. I have been in Scientology for over 10 years and I have never heard the term "Body Theta".

3. "The reality of chemical imbalance"? What reality of chemical imbalance? It has never been proven that man can have a chemical imbalance that affect its behavior. Blood test, cat scan, x-rays or any medical test can't determine if a person is crazy. Crazyness are is a label applied to certain socially unacceptable behaviors. A disease is something that a person has and is some form of cellular irregularity or abnormality. Many experts agree that Psychiatry is solely based on opinion and long term use of Psychiatric druds are highly harfull not to mention many side effects including addiction. Anti-drepresants should only be used as a short term solution to calm your nerves during a highly stressfull situacion like a family death and post-partum depresion, ect.
http://www.cchr.org/files/14887/48_hours...

4. What coersive to recruit methods? Scientology has in your face solutions for in your face problems. This seems very strait foward to me.

5. We label everyone who disagrees or questions Scientology a Supresive? That's not true, we only label those that try to harm or attack Scientology or Scientologist.

6. Its founder leader is self-appointed, dogmatic, messianic, not accountable and has charisma? So was Jesus Christ, Bhuda and Mahomma what's your point?

7. It believes 'the end justifies the means' in order to solicit funds & recruit people? Hey, we have our code of conduct too. There are thing we consider right and wrong like everyone else. http://twth.org/eb/?id=16664j

8. Its wealth does not benefit its members or society? Scientologist are highly involved in their comunities and run many comunity help programs.
Do you know that the campain "Say no to drugs and yes to life" was started by scientologists?
http://www.notodrugs-yestolife.org/index...
http://www.emediawire.com/releases/2006/...
Do you know that Scientologist fight for Human Rights?
http://www.youthforhumanrights.org/...
Do you know run the biggest criminal rehabilitation oeganisation there is?
http://www.criminon.org/
Do you know run the most sucessful drug rehab program there is, with a 75% long term sucess rate.
http://www.narconon.org/narconon_results...
Do you know that Scientologist provide for free a very basic, easy to understand and to apply "moral code".
http://twth.org/eb/?id=16664j
http://www.sptimes.com/2005/10/30/tampab...

9. "Cults are extremely 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."

Anwser: Scientologist are some of the more inteligent, able and sucessfull people in this planet. Including Jenna Elfman, Kelly Preston, John Travolta, Priscilla Presley, Sofia Milos and Leah Remini. Even Danny Masterson from the that's That '70s Show is a Scientologist and he is freaking funny. Also Bryan Zwan CEO of Digital Lightwave and Craig Jensen CEO of Executive Software International are scientologist too.

10. Those sites that she mentions are no more credible than the sites that say that 9/11 was a plot from the goverment and that the hollocaust never happened.

For example the reference on wikipedia about Xenu 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. The fable of Xeno doesn't have any significance on Scientology believes.

The site" http://theunfunnytruth.ytmnd.com/... " alleges that Lisa McPherson died of neglect when in fact it was determined by several forensic examiners that "Lisa McPherson, died suddenly and unpredictably of a blood clot in her left lung that originated from a knee bruise she suffered in a minor auto accident 17 days earlier." The forensic examiner that originaly said that Lisa died of dehidration and bed rest (Dr Joan Woods) admited that she didn't perfom the autopsy and afther examining the facts she changed the cause of death of Lisa to be natural.
http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/sptimes/acce...

Also that site alleges that Lisa McPherson was held against her will when in fact Lisa was taken to the Scientology resort by her own request. In Judge Quesada's own words "Based on the undisputed facts of this case, plaintiff has not made and cannot make a showing that Lisa McPherson was unlawfully restrained 'against her will' by the defendants. In fact, all of the evidence indicates the opposite. Lisa McPherson refused psychiatric observation or admission at the hospital; she expressly stated her desire to receive the religious care and assistance from her fellow congregants"http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/sptimes/acce...

I can challenge the information in those sites and "PROVE" that the information in those sites are not only false but absurd.

There are 10 million of Scientologist in the planet living happy and fruitfull lives.
http://www.taipeitimes.com/news/world/ar...
Last years Scientology opened 1,300 missions including missions in Nepal, India and Venezuela.
http://www.scientology.org/html/opencms/...
http://www.scientology.org/html/opencms/...
The reason that Scientology is here and growing is simple: "Because Scientology works".