SCIENTOLOGY is it a cult?

Question

anyone who says no has something to hide?

Answer 1

Yes indeed it is, a dangerous, destructive, greedy, manipulative, scamming, lying, brainwashing CULT.

Scientology, which questionably calls itself a new "religion", is the brainchild of science fiction writer & occult enthusiast L. Ron Hubbard. The organization, by means of Hubbard’s self created psychotherapy technique called “Dianetics”, 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
Dianetics review: http://dir.salon.com/story/books/review/2005/06/28/dianetics/index.html
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 millions 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 during 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 these links for more information: http://www.lisamcpherson.org/
http://www.sptimes.com/2006/06/24/Tampabay/The_unperson.shtml
http://www.factnet.org/Books/SocialControl/scs.html#toc http://www.freedomofmind.com/resourcecenter/groups/s/scientology/pignotti/

Answer 2

A cult? depends on your definition of cult, but I would say yes, it's a cult.

Pantheism. Pantheism means all (“pan”) is God (“theism”). It is the worldview held by most Hindus, many Buddhists, and other New Age religions. It is also the worldview of Christian Science, Unity, and Scientology.
(Geisler, Norman L.: Baker Encyclopedia of Christian Apologetics. Grand Rapids, Mich. : Baker Books, 1999 (Baker Reference Library), S. 580)

The somewhat smaller book by Hefley contains incisive evaluations of twenty-eight new cults with particular attention to the Unification Church, Hare Krishna, the Divine Light Mission, Transcendental Meditation, Satanism and witchcraft, Scientology, EST, and the Children of God.
(Dallas Theological Seminary: Bibliotheca Sacra Volume 135. Dallas Theological Seminary, 1978; 2002, S. 135:270)

If by cult you mean a group that denies the basics of Christian faith, then yes Scientology is a cult; but cult also has senister sidelights, thanks to groups like Branch-Dividians, and the Unification Church, and the Jonestown massacre.
to theextent that these groups try to control the actions of their people, and even their thoughts, the sinister element is there.

Answer 3

Hello uiyui u,

I have found Scientology works. As in when I apply a specific Technique I get a specific result.

In my dictionary there are several definitions-the derivation(where the word comes from) is [French culte or Latin cultis 'worship', from colere cult - 'inhabit, till, worship'].

I would have to agree that we inhabit our bodies, we till the earth and our lives and we do worship life.

There is a couple of was in Scientology to get your crimes known, this way you can sort them out. If someone holds onto their crimes they become individualised, they reduce their ability to reach. The best thing to do is to tell your crimes to another ethical person.Then repair of any damage you have caused can be done.

Answer 4

You gotta see the episode of South Park on Scientology. It's the one where Tom Cruise won't come out of the closet...
Seriously. Quality social commentary...

Answer 5

All religions, even Christianity, is a cult. The definition of a cult is "a particular system of religious worship, esp. with reference to its rites and ceremonies"

Answer 6

Oh my gosh yes. They are the most dangerous kind of cult. Check out www.whyaretheydead.net get ready to be shocked.

Answer 7

Not only is it a cult, it is a very powerful business. It's not just about brainwashing people but about making money.

Answer 8

I am not a scientologist but I doubt that they are any more a cult than any other religion. Leave them alone.

Answer 9

All religions are a cult.

Answer 10

yes
see kingdom of the cults

Answer 11

Um...maybe its isn't? Maybe it is just a bunch of guys that see facts? Besides cults worship something...*cough*Christians*cough* Scientologists just see what time has told us.