How can anyone take scientology seriously?

Question

Seriously wikipedia it. I had an open mind until I read about this Hubbard guy and the history of it.

He is quoted as saying that basically religion is the best way to make money.

Apparently this alien called Xenu brought a fleet of aliens 75m years ago which is 5 times older for earth to be than the scientists estimate. Anyway he had to kill these aliens because they were "psychiatrists". The main opponent of scientology is psychiatry.

Hubbard also mad a manifesto that followers should undermine by any means possible anyone speaking out against it. He was a science fiction writer and admitted he made up scientology.

They extort money from people in a cult fashion especially susceptible celebrities who are insecure. They make them feel special and therefore open their pockets and further the cause (as we've seen so vividly lately.

I actually think they have some useful techniques to offer- dyslexia drugs

I want to hear from scientologists as well

Answer 1

Know why Hubbard has been known to say that he wanted to start a "religion" for the money? Because the leader of a CULT is always on the lookout to raise more "funds". Cults are never going to be satisfied "financially".

Know why Scientology opposes psychiatry? Well, many individual Scientologists no doubt really do oppose psychiatry ideologically, but Scientology the organization opposes it because a CULT needs a group to vilify. There is invariably a conspiracy involved with this vilified group... it creates an "us against them" environment meant to strengthen bonds within the cult by fostering a compulsion to defend the in-group and revile the out-group.

Know why Scientologists are condoned and even encouraged to "deprive of property, injure by any means, trick, sue, lie to or destroy" it's opposition? Because CULTS teach that enemies are criminals and impure. Hubbard simply went a step further by explicitly encouraging members to oppose "enemies" in the exact way described above (this is known as Scientology policy "Fair Game"). http://www.xenu.net/archive/disk/fairgame.htm

Their so-called "useful" techniques are nothing more than glorified pseudo-science combined with unlicensed psychotherapy.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dianetics#Scientific_evaluations
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,812852,00.html

Oh, and it's drug "rehab" program? Read about it HERE: http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~dst/Narconon/index.html

Answer 2

Scientology is a cult. Here is an article about Scientology from Times magazine.

"Harriet Baker learned the hard way about Scientology's business of selling religion. When Baker, 73, lost her husband to cancer, a Scientologist turned up at her Los Angeles home peddling a $1,300 auditing package to cure her grief. Some $15,000 later, the Scientologists discovered that her house was debt free. They arranged a $45,000 mortgage, which they pressured her to tap for more auditing until Baker's children helped their mother snap out of her daze. Last June, Baker demanded a $27,000 refund for unused services, prompting two cult members to show up at her door unannounced with an E-meter to interrogate her. Baker never got the money and, financially strapped, was forced to sell her house in September."

Answer 3

Scientology seems to be about as effective if not more effective than traditional Clinical Psychology.

You have to look at the sucess stories in Scientology, beyond Tom Cruise.

If I'm not mistaken, for example, I think Kenny Loggins was into it, and there are lots of others.

They seem to feel it gave them a focus and edge that made things work.

That doesn't valididate it, but Psychology has a dismal track record.

It is said that Woody Allen has been lying on the Freudian sofa for most of his life and does it many times a week and probably pays throug the nose for this service. He'll probably tell you it works.

The proponents of TM say the same thing about that. It's also expensive. You don't get TM training for free -- and it should be free.

Answer 4

Robyn Twitchell, age 2, died of peritonitis and a twisted bowel near Boston in 1986 after a five day illness. By the second day, the parents were calling the Christian Science church's worldwide public relations manager for advice. Autopsy photos showed bright red lips and chin, likely because the acid in the vomit had eaten the skin off, his scrotum and about 15 inches of his ruptured bowel were jet black because the blood supply had been cut off, he was so dehydrated his skin stayed up when pinched. Neighbors closed their bedroom windows so they would not hear the boy's screams. Rigor mortis had set in before the parents called 911.
Amy Hermanson, age 7, died in 1986 in Sarasota, Florida from diabetes.
Ian Burdick, age 15, died of diabetes in 1987 in Van Nuys Ca.
Ian Lundman, age 11, died of diabetes in 1989 in suburban, Minneapolis.
Michael Schram, age 12, died of peritionitis after his appendix ruptured in Mercer Island, Washington, his mother and a Christian Science Practitioner prayed over his dead body for several days before notifying a funeral home.
Ronald Rowan, age 11, died of aspiration asphyxiation, near Akron in 1979.
Shauntay Walker, age 4, died of meningitis in Sacramento in 1984.
These people deny medical treatment for their children and get away with it by using their religion as a exemption.
The parents are not bad people nor are they morally innocent.
Children's Healthcare is a Legal Duty, Child Inc. headquartered in Siioux city, Iowa can give you even more info. on these atrocities.

Answer 5

Ignore the part about Xenu and concentrate only on the self-helping doctrine, which is really a ho-hum conglameration of common sense, new age BS, and word play.

Answer 6

Well, from my point of view, how can anyone take any religion or cult seriously. That includes Christianity, Islam, JW, etc. To each his own. They aren't bothering me so I don't really care what Tom Cruise and his compadres believe in or follow.

Answer 7

Check out the truth my friend. Scientology is to be applied not believed. It is an applied religious philosophy.

Answer 8

Good question....

It's a religion based on self....and that's the core problem. As a christian, I know for a fact that I cannot save myself....only Christ can save me.

I am a sinner in need of a Savior.....I cannot cleanse myself.

Answer 9

pick a religion, pick a story