What do you think about scientology?

Question

So Hollywood is all about Scientology now. Why? I personally think it's a waste of people's time. I mean it reminds me of a folk tale, nothing real or sound. So why would people be so eager to believe this myth? God is who they should spend their time with. God is the one who is real and who is here for them, why would people try to focus on a religion that is so weird. I don't understand why people would turn God down, what is it about people that makes them second guess a God who's real and loves them, but will run and believe some crazy made up religion???

Answer 1

What do I think? I think it's a dangerous, manipulative, greedy, lying, scamming, brainwashing cult. I think this because I KNOW it has caused harm, real harm, to many of it's members and many who "dare oppose or criticize their religion".

Plenty of people have been harmed by Scientology. Thankfully I've been fortunate enough to never confront the organization directly. There have been a number of people who have had very bad experiences during their involvement with Scientology. Read about them here:
http://www.lermanet.com/persecution/
http://www.whyaretheydead.net/krasel/
http://xenu.net/archive/personal_story/cheryl_s/

Here are more "bad experiences" with the cult including an illegal plot to infiltrate the government, brainwashing techniques, mind control camps, attacks on critics, and DEATHS caused by Scientology doctrine and members:

• Operation Snow White – Under this official program, Scientology operatives committed infiltration, wiretapping, & theft of documents in government offices. This program constituted the single largest infiltration of the United States government in history. Among the 11 prominent Scientologists convicted of this conspiracy was Mary Sue Hubbard, the wife of Scientology’s “prophet”.
http://lisatrust.freewinds.cx/scientology/snow-white/index.html
http://en.allexperts.com/e/o/op/operation_snow_white.htm

• Operation Freakout - Their campaign of sabotage & violence against Paulette Cooper, the writer who published her research & findings on several cults, including Scientology. Scientology’s official plan: to frame Paulette, ruin her career & reputation & get her either incarcerated or locked up in psychiatric confinement.
The official plan: http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~dst/Krasel/cooper/frk1.html
Her book: http://holysmoke.org/cos/books/scandal-of-scientology-cooper.pdf

• Fair Game - the Scientology policy detailing how the organization may confront & handle critics & perceived enemies. Here is a direct quote: "Enemies may be deprived of property or injured by any means by any Scientologist without any discipline of the Scientologist. May be tricked, sued or lied to or destroyed.”
http://www.xenu.net/archive/disk/fairgame.htm
http://www.planetkc.com/sloth/sci/Fair_game_ord.html

• Physical & psychological punishment: Scientologists who "break the rules" while members of the "Sea Org" must subject themselves to the Rehabilitation Project Force (RPF), which includes regimes of harsh physical punishment, forced self-confessions, social isolation, hard labor and intensive ideological indoctrination.
http://www.xenu-directory.net/practices/rpf.html
http://www.lermanet2.com/scientology/gulags/BrainwashinginScientology'sRehabilitationProjectForce.htm
http://www.xs4all.nl/~kspaink/cos/rpf/escape_2.htm

• Brainwashing & mind control: Scientology exerts control over its members by means of typical cult tactics, including but not limited to controlling information about internal doctrine & criticism of the organization, severely restricting social contact outside the cult (including the practice of “disconnecting” with any family who question the credibility & trustworthiness of the cult), creating an “us against them” mentality by villainizing a specific out-group (for Scientology, it’s psychiatrists), & claiming all those outside the cult are unenlightened.
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/
http://www.cultinformation.org.uk/faq.html#cult

• Violent Kidnapping - Lisa McPherson was a Scientologist, was involved in a car accident & resultantly became mentally unstable. She was kidnapped from the hospital by agents of Scientology, held against her will, refused proper psychiatric treatment & allowed to STARVE TO DEATH.
Video: http://theunfunnytruth.ytmnd.com/
News Coverage: http://www.factnet.org/Scientology/Lisa_McPherson_Scientology_Deaths.html
Website: http://www.lisamcpherson.org/

• Tragic Murder - A CBS “48 Hours” special on Jeremy Perkins, the mentally disturbed son of Scientologist parents who, because of the Scientology doctrine of opposing psychiatry, refused to put him on the anti-psychotic drugs that would have stabilized him & prevented him from killing his own mother.
Video: http://www.scientomogy.com/jeremy_perkins.php
CBS article: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/10/25/48hours/main2124568.shtml
Website: http://perkinstragedy.org

Answer 2

*Eyeroll*

Was this actually a question about scientology or was it s chance to preach about your version of god?

I regard scientology as a part of the lunatic fringe. People have died from neglect and abuse under the care of scientologists, while others have been actively harassed by them. While the rank-and-file may be well-meaning, the group's leadership has been anything but exemplary.

Of course, that can apply equally well to many other faiths as well. I regard the existence of any god to be nonsensical.

Answer 3

I don't know a lot about it, but it seems to me from what I've heard about it that it's a way for people to justify focusing on "self." When somebody is focused on "self", they aren't going to look to God, because Jesus told us to take up our cross and follow Him. Putting our faith in God means not relying on "self".

"Scientology holds that the individual is a spiritual being (called a thetan to avoid confusion with concepts of the soul or spirit in other religions). The goal of Scientology is "making the individual capable of living a better life in his own estimation and with his fellows," and thereby "the attainment of complete and total rehabilitation of man’s native, but long – obscured abilities."
Another principle of Scientology and Dianetics is that the basic command followed by all life is "Survive!" and that this urge can be best understood by subdivided it into eight "dynamics" (dynamic meaning urge, drive or impulse). Scientology holds that as a person becomes more aware and able, he or she naturally tends to care about and want to take responsibility for wider zones in life: family, group and even mankind and life forms in general. Accordingly, Scientologists become involved in groups that apply Hubbard's teachings to such diverse areas as drug rehabilitation, criminal rehabilitation and community outreach programs "



Hollywood is Scientology - well, I know Tom Cruise and John Travolta are - but that's not all of Hollywood. They are big names though, and many people tend to do whatever is popular with celebrities. I don't know why. It doesn't really make sense to me either....to each his / her own. But those who turn from Christ are missing SO many blessings!

Answer 4

Scientology is a religion invented by L Ron Hubbard in order to earn himself some money after his self-help system, 'Dianetics', was debunked as a fraud. He used it to form the basics of Scientology, expanding the therapy to experiences in previous lives as well as the patient's current one. It works by picking up vulnerable people like alcoholics, junkies and teenagers and treating them nicely, offering a sympathetic ear, providing them with a community. It bombards them with information until there's nothing in their lives but Scientology. The new member becomes reluctant to leave as he/she knows his/her new friends will cut him/her off if he/she does. They end up giving all their income not related to 'cost of living' to Scientology in order to keep up with their mates.

As for celebs who are into it, the rules are different for them and they are never exposed to how it works for normal people. It makes for good publicity.

Answer 5

No, hollywood ISNT about scientology now. Whered you hear that? Ever been to hollywood? Just because its where scientology's base is doesnt mean that scientology is hollywoods base
They're laughed at here. Smoking outside their scientology buildings..in their uniforms..in between *classes*...

Answer 6

I would hardly say Hollywood is about Scientology. A couple of actors follow it. They make up less than one percent of people in the movie industry.

Most of us would have never even heard of it if two prominent actors were not members.

You also follow some crazy made up religion. Maybe theirs is just slightly more wacky.

Answer 7

Well in all fairness, Hollywood was all about scientology because of Tom Cruise, but then Tom Cruise got booted out of Hollywood, so I guess they're not all about it anymore.

Answer 8

It is based on fiction book by a guy who was just writing his own ideas of how things should be.
Then some people decided to turn his fiction into a religion and make a lot of money.

Answer 9

began via L. Ron Hubbard as 'self support method' referred to as Dianetics (he began out writing SiFi books after which wrote self support books) ...it right into a grew to become "faith".....many humans (Christians, atheist, agnostics, former contributors, ect) say it's the ideal 'textual content-booklet' illustration of a non-violent Cult (proposal a few contributors have pronounced bodily and emotional abuse) the fundamental notion is: for the period of your and beyond lives you will have had bad stories that you simply cannot keep in mind, those repressed stories 'preserve you again'.... via detailed counseling referred to as "Dianetics" (furnished via the CoS. for a nominal cost) you'll be able to 'approach/manage' those dangerous stories....as soon as there all looked after, you'll be able to go beyond to a "top undeniable of lifestyles" ....THE END....

Answer 10

Why do you assume that Scientologist deny God?
Scientology is about improving your self spiritually.
Once you accomplish this you can get closer to God.
I doesn't matter what color is the cat a long as it catches mice.
Scientologists believe that their path is the right one. I believe that too.

Answer 11

It is a personal choice and I will defend the right for anyone to choose such a belief system if they wish.