Can someone enlighten me on "extreme religions?"?

Question

What are the basic tenets of religions like Jehova's Witness, Mormon and Scientology? Where can I go to find more answers?

Answer 1

Scientology, which questionably calls itself a new "religion", is the brainchild of science fiction writer & occult enthusiast L. Ron Hubbard. The organization claims to be able to help rid members of any & all mental constraints including but not limited to emotional scarring (from this & "past" lives) due to "engrams" (past negative experiences stored in our unconscious mind), psychological disorders & chemical imbalances (the solution is to convince members that these things don't actually exist) & drug dependence (including legally prescribed psychopharmaceuticals which counteract the effects of psychological disorders Scientologists believe to be nonexistent).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dianetics#Scientific_evaluations
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,812852,00.html

The official Scientology organization is composed of a number of “levels”. One begins as a “preclear” & works their way up. One must purchase virtually every service crucial to advancement directly from the "church" & at staggering prices. "Auditing", for example, is purchased in 12½ hour blocks, costing anywhere from $750 for introductory sessions to between $8,000 & $9,000 for advanced sessions. Visit this link to see how $380,000 is a conservative estimate for the total cost of moving all the way up the Scientology hierarchal ladder: http://www.xenu.net/archive/prices.html
These are the total costs for auditing alone: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientology_as_a_business#Costs
Here’s an explanation of what “auditing” is: http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20061224182319AA2nnd6

At level OT III (Operating Thetan 3), some very strange & fiercely guarded secrets are imparted upon worthy members who have paid enough money to advance to such a level (and no, this isn't a joke): the evil alien ruler Xenu killed a lot of aliens (Thetans) from around the universe by kidnapping them, bringing them to earth in golden DC-8 “space-planes” & blowing them up inside volcanoes with hydrogen bombs. Scientologists believe the souls of these aliens (these souls are "Body Thetans") were captured, brainwashed & released; they then attached themselves to our ancestors (who passed them all the way down to us) & cause many of our mental & physical ills to this day. Auditing is said to “clear” us of these Body Thetans as well as the “mental implants” they supposedly impose on our minds. http://sf.irk.ru/www/ot3/spaink-ot3.html http://xenu.net/archive/leaflet/Xenu-Letter.pdf

Scientology has 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 don’t recognize legitimate conditions like autism, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, etc, and the “church” has been known to withhold prescription pharmaceuticals from member (often with harmful & deadly results).. Suspiciously, it was discovered upon Hubbard’s 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. http://www.clambake.org/archive/ronthenut/16.gif
(visit this link to read about the uses of hydroxyzine: http://www.drugs.com/mtm/v/vistaril.html )

To be blunt, Scientology is a cult. It employs semi-legitimate psychotherapy & self-help methods to keep people loyal & convinced of its merit while it simultaneously sucks them dry financially & attempts to keep them far away from ANYONE, even friends & family, who would dissuade them from remaining in such a harmful situation. It’s a particularly greedy as well as manipulative & dangerous cult that takes its anti-psychiatry fanaticism to deadly limits. See this link for more information: http://www.lisamcpherson.org/

Answer 2

Other ways, Reverend? Only one way that I know of. Ask yourself "Who am I?" Do not ask anyone else. All else is a variation of this question. One can start out asking some other question, but eventually the question does become this one. The question has a history older than spoken or recorded history and the result is always the same. Eventually, to genuine askers, the answer becomes so obvious that he/she will never need a pastor again. The very idea or concept of a "pastor" will come to seem like a hoax played out on him/herself. There are no answers of any usefulness found anywhere else outside asking oneself. With this answer the question of "proof" is moot. Other's claims based on belief or even their personal faith cannot be falsified - and who would want to - as they are also personal and in response to their own search. You may think you have a better answer, but you only have your answer. Leave others strictly alone, and if you really asked that question seriously, you will naturally want to leave others alone - unless they ask as you have done here. You will understand both the meanness and the futility of any religious agenda. You will be flattened by the authentic sense of compasion. Talk about it? Don/t bother because words are only concepts based on yet other concepts. God realization is not a concept. Words are only pointers at best. In reality, you have said nothing. If you really are a Reverend, then your best help for your flock would be to answer their questions with a steady loving gaze and complete silence. That should do until you and they get the hang of it. Good Luck. Check that you are still breathing...you have just found god if you are.

Answer 3

Well Scientology is void of any "basic tentets," I can tell you that. Aside from the alien, and the volcano, and L. Ron Hubbord saying that making a religion would be a great way to get money...I have no idea why people follow it. Oh and there is a great south park episode about the founding of Mormonism. I know that it involves magic glasses...and golden tablets that only Joseph Smith could see. Both of those are so crazy.

Answer 4

Religions that are considered "extreme", or "cults" are only so considered because they've not yet garnered much political power. Mormonism is slowly but surely shedding its cult status as it becomes a political constituency.

Answer 5

Just stand outside in front of a WalMart or an airport long enough, and all these extreme religions will come to you. In fact, you won't be able to get away from them.

Answer 6

You can simpy Google these religions, and you will find more information about them than you could read about in a month. Good luck.

Answer 7

for the jehovah's witnesses go to www.watchtower.org.......it is the offical web page an it give soem really good answers....clears a lot of misconceptions

Answer 8

The official sites for the Mormons is http://www.lds.org and http://www.mormon.org

Another good site is http://www.beliefnet.com

Answer 9

definitely go to www.mormon.org and www.lds.org for Mormonism. Definitely...

And for our basic beliefs (articles of faith) go to:
http://scriptures.lds.org/en/a_of_f/1

Answer 10

can someone enlighten Tirya and tell her a steady diet of Krispy Kremes is not such a great idea?