What is it about scientology that gets people all fired up?

Question

I don't know anything about it. I was just reading an article about Tom Cruise not being allowed to film a movie on Germany military bases because he is part of a cult that makes money aka scientology. That's what they said anyway. So what exactly is scientology?

Answer 1

That's the quarter million dollar question there. "So what exactly is scientology?"

It seems to be a cult dealing with Aliens which only tells info to people high up in the clan, which takes big checks from celebrities.

It gets people fired up just cause it's rediculous, but since a celebrity or two supports it, suddenly it matters.

Answer 2

I feel most responses give you an accurate depiction so I don't want to repeat it all. One thing to keep in mind though is that those telling you "what scientolgoy really is" don't really know themselves unless they are a high level in the church. To learn "the secrets" you pay them money and they feed you a little information at a time. This is how people get sucked in, because in the begining the stuff they are taught makes sense, but it's not until after years of studying and lots of money later that you actually get to the bottom of their beliefs-and since it took you so so very long to get to that point and so much money spent, it's too late-your sucked in. And those that are at hight levels in the church and do know their highly guarded secrets, are not allowed to discuss it. Some countries, or maybe it's just one I'm not sure, do not/will not recognize scientolgoy as a religion, they regard it as a cult, I'm assuming Germany is one of those countries if the article you read was true. The links others posted have lots of great info, you can also search it on youtube and see some interesting stuff.

Answer 3

It's a cult that makes money by exploiting naive people. Scientology has been involved in criminal activity for decades.

Germany is perfectly right. They won't allow Tom Cruise to film at their military bases. One of the many reasons Germany refuses to recognize Scientology as a legitimate religion:

On July 8, 1977, the FBI raided Church of Scientology properties in L.A and Washington D.C. alleging that Scientology officials conspired to steal documents belonging to the Federal Government and conspired to obstruct justice by covering up these crimes during a grand jury investigation. About 90,000 pages of stolen government documents, burglary tools and eavesdropping equipment were seized in the raid. Scientologists attempted to portray themselves as a persecuted religion.

The documents seized in this raid exposed an incredible array of cloak and dagger operations undertaken by Scientology’s Guardian’s Office, including bugging the Justice Department, stealing documents from the IRS, setting up church enemies on bomb threat charges, and attempting to destroy the reputation of the mayor of Clearwater, Florida.

Eleven high ranking Scientologists, including L. Ron Hubbard’s wife Mary Sue, were sentenced to federal prison for their part in these actions. L. Ron Hubbard himself was in hiding but was listed as an unindicted co-conspirator.

Answer 4

Here's a factual description for you:

Scientology is an applied religious philosophy. When I say "applied" I mean you actually use it in your life to change or improve existing conditions. It is a very practical religion.
All religions if you learn about them have a basic philosphy, but they also have certain dogma, rituals and observances, and a certain faith or belief is required. There is nothing wrong with this, but Scientology is not that kind of religion. It does not intrude on anyones faiths of beliefs in the area of God , the Supreme Being, or the Infinite. This area is left totally up to the indivdual as pasrt of his life. It does not conflict.
It is also not a messianic religion. This means there is no worship of prophets or messiahs in Scientology. It is not faith based. A truth should be true according to ones own observation and experience.
The dictionary definition that applies:
Religion: The spiritual or emotional attitude of one who recognises the existence of superhuman power or powers.

The most basic principle of Scientology is that YOU are your own immortal soul, that this is not a "thing" you HAVE but what YOU actually are.
The whole purpose of Scientology is to increase an individual's understanding and awareness of himself. and life.And to rehabilitate his native goodness, abilities and potential.
When you do this the sphere and zone of his positive influence increases and moves outward into his life, his family ,his friends, his groups and mankind which he is part of.

How this result is achieved is the "technology" of Scientology, which was developed by L.Ron Hubbard after his extensive research and the discoveries he made, about the human spirit. The basic religious philosophy and knowledge of Scientology is very old, going back 10,000 years at least to the Veda or Vedic Hymns from the East. L. Ron Hubbard researched and made new discoveries about the human spirit. He developed technology from these discoveries to apply to increase spiritual awareness and ability.
He completed his research before his death in 1986 and left all of his results and copyrights
to the Church of Scientology along with most of his considerable personal estate, when he died.

He published a book in 1951 to communicate the basic principles he discovered called: " Scientology The Fundementals of Thought"
There are currently over 10 million Scientologists in more than 163 countries world wide. However we are a new religion, only 53 years old.
The true story of Scientology as a religion goes like this:
1. A philosopher developes a philosophy about life and death.
2. People find it interesting.
3. People find it works.
4. People pass it along to others.
5. It grows.

This is just an overview.
L. Ron Hubbard explained fully the theology and technologies of Scientology in more than 500,000 pages of writings, including dozens of books and over 2,000 tape-recorded public lectures. So it's not possible to fully answer your question on this forum.

As for Germany, it has a history of negative attitudes and descrimination towards to other religions and races, and general violations of human rights.
Scientology has had similar treatment in this country with regard to rights violations and religious freedom.
It's a joke that they consider Tom Cruise and the movie he is making about an attempt on Hitler's life some kind of present threat to their national security because he is a Scientologist. What does his religion have to do with making a movie?? Makes you wonder what they are really
all "fired up " about. I personally have no idea.

Answer 5

This is nothing new. The US State Department's has repeatedly reported on Germany for government and societal discrimination against minority religious groups and Scientology.
http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2005/51554.htm
http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2006/71382.htm
http://www.cnn.com/US/9701/30/scientologists/index.html

On June 2000, the U.S. House of Representatives held hearings concerning Germany's discrimination against American Products based on religion. http://www.cesnur.org/testi/EUintolerance_03.htm

Most notable was Germany's boycott of Windows 2000 because a defrag program used by Windows was developed by an American company whose CEO is a Scientologist.
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2000/11/03/ms_helps_you_hack_scientology/

On Nov 2000, a German official was arrested in Switzerland and given a 30 day suspended jail sentence for spying on Scientology. The German government apologized to Switzerland for the incident. http://www.cesnur.org/testi/scient_dec01.htm

Scientology is a new religion. Like all new religions they face discrimination.

Answer 6

I'm no fanatic but Scientology is a bogus religion. The so called Guru or the one who started the religion is a science fiction writer and it was a joke to him that others where giving him all kinds of money and following his path. He took some parts of the Vedas and twisted them to make his own idea. We call the flowery language of the Vedas which are not considered spiritual. It's nonsense.

Answer 7

Look up Operation Clambake. It's a great site that exposes Scientology for what it is - a money grubbing cult.

Answer 8

the funny thing about scientology is that you cant get any real info on it unless you go visit a church of scientology or actually join their church. they just want to suck people into it.

all it is is a money grubbing cult that is absolutely ridiculous.
i want to go to one of those churches though and get the info.
but im afriad ill laugh....

Answer 9

Go here for a summary: http://www.religioustolerance.org/scientol.htm
Or here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DAmEO-oLHzA


It's a non-deity religion that regards psychology and psychiatry in the same light as Creationists view geology, astronomy, chemestry, and biology. The faith is directly responsable for a number of deaths of their members, and at one point infiltrated the IRS with the intent to learn about their percieved enemies.

Answer 10

Scientology: There is an alien living inside of you. It makes you sad. Give us your money and we will make you happy again.