Scientology.. do you think it is a church or a cult?

Answer 1

After researching their behavior, tactics, beliefs and actions, I believe they are a cult.

There was a 60 Minutes expose' on Scientology dated 12/29/1997 which was very informative and well documented. It was very disturbing and hit on various cult-like tactics used (and denied) by the "church" including brainwashing, illegal detainment, torture, privacy violations, and very aggressive retribution against those who dared speak out against them or left the organization.

Their basic beliefs go way beyond simple self-help psychology or bio-feedback treatments. They actually believe we were once alien beings which traveled to earth thousands of years ago and that we can find peace only by undergoing bio-feedback treatments at their centers which purge engrams from our brains. Sound wacky? Yeah, that's what I thought as well. Kinda explains the weird behavior of some of its more prominent members like John Travolta and Tom Cruise.

Even the founder; L. Ron Hubbard himself said: "This is the best science FICTION I ever wrote" describing Dianetics.

If you are considering Dianetics and the Church of Scientology, I would be very, very cautious. Don't get hooked and don't be fooled.

Answer 2

Tom Cruise is an actor, most famous for being a Scientologist. The church is good.... do not listen to media bias they do not know what they are talking about... I am a Scientologist. People say we are a cult, but what makes us a cult? They say it is partially because we hoard money... This is not true. In fact I am very poor. I have been homeless twice and I have always been accepted. Is it because we believe in an alien that created us? They have all of that nonsense about the volcano, but none of it is true. We believe in an alien creator, true, but partially because we refuse to bow to the Christian God. We do not believe that we must obey and lie down for him or burn forever Is it less crazy to believe in a man in the sky that controls all life? We do not follow medicine. We use Dianetics. Dianetics is a system that separates the body from outside force so it can work on its own. I use it every dy and I have not got sick once,as before I did all the time. I was able to ru a seven minute mile when before e I got eleven minute miles. Dianetics destroys the ailment, medicine hides it. I would ut my money on Dianetics over medicine any day. We believe in dynamics, or ways to live. One must complete the first to move to the next. they are: 1.Self 2.Sexual/family 3.group 4.mankind 5.animal/beings. 6.Universe. 7.Spiritual 8.Infinity/creator No one has yet accomplished the last dynamic so we leave the choice open for the individual. Tom Cruise is at seven. We use these every day to better ourselves and make life here on earth our own heaven as we do not believe in sin or heaven/hell. We believe in the thetan, or soul which can control everything as it is only apparent. Time is only apparent as we see time as change, wthou change time would not exist. There are multiple dimensions so space is only the perspective of the individual looking. Money is only fine paper material that we hold a value to. You can email me any time for ny more answersrs.

Answer 3

It matters where you look from you may say cult but the people who believe in it may say church or religion

Answer 4

To me, it looks like Calvinism on steroids without discipline. It seems like a cult, based on their activities, their focus on L. Ron Hubbard and his organization, their commercial practices, and how they get new followers. They call themselves a church though, so I guess they are. I'm not in a place to really say.

Answer 5

Yes..... definitely a cult, after seeing the blatant fanaticism in Tom Cruise's eyes I know its a cult.....

Answer 6

A jacked up cult.

Answer 7

A cult.

Answer 8

A very rich and famous cult!

Answer 9

Most CERTAINLY a cult. It first into the five criteria for a cult:

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.

It is a vicious, dangerous CULT. The “church” harasses & bullies anyone who they deem an "enemy" (basically anyone who has anything negative to say about the "church"). They will RUIN YOUR LIFE if you speak out against them long enough. See this link for more information: http://www.xenu.net/archive/disk/fairgame.htm

The founder is L. Ron Hubbard, the science FICTION writer who once told a friend that the best way to make lots of money is to start your own religion. Though being a very outspoken critic of psychiatric drugs, it was discovered upon Hubbards death that the anti-anxiety drug hydroxyzine (Vistaril) was present in his body, which several of his assistants would later attest was only one of many psychiatric & pain medications Hubbard ingested over the years. (visit this link to read about the uses of hydroxyzine: http://www.drugs.com/mtm/v/vistaril.html )

Scientologists believe the evil alien ruler Xenu killed a lot of aliens (Thetans) from around the universe by bringing them to earth in golden DC8 “space-planes” & blowing them up inside volcanoes with hydrogen bombs. They believe the souls of these aliens (these souls are "Body Thetans") were captured, brainwashed and released who then attached themselves to our ancestors (who passed them all the way down to us) & cause many of our mental & physical ills. Members who know about Xenu will attempt to deny it or pretend like it doesn’t matter. They are required to sign a contract binding them to silence on the matter. Lower level members don’t know about Xenu & accordingly deny everything because they honestly don’t know.

To rid ourselves of "Body Thetans" & 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”...... & we have to pay lots & lots of money for “auditing” (purchased in 12.5-hour blocks, costing anywhere from $750 for introductory sessions to between $8,000 & $9,000 for advanced sessions) & to take courses on Scientology to advance to higher “levels” in the “church”.

The “church” has also taken a very hostile stance towards psychiatry & 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 & profound mental disturbance & accordingly do NOTHING to effectively stabilize the dangerously unstable. The “church” has been known to withhold prescription pharmaceuticals from member (with deadly results).

Answer 10

Easy one to answer - Cult.