Is Scientology a Cult or a Religion?

Answer 1

A cult. It is banned in Germany along with other extreme groups.

Answer 2

Not much point in asking a question like this one I guess.
If you read the answers you will see that most answers contain a part of a definition of cult or of religion. You will also notice tht most definitions are different.

My favorite one: religion gets tax cuts, cult does not. It is clear and can not be misunderstood. That the definition is up to the people of the tax office is only a small problem.

Another subjective definition (and I am afraid it will be difficult to find another one) might be:
religion: mainstream, dominant in a given society
cult: considered as small and somewhat strange.

The problem is that I do not know of any group who will not protest at being stamped a cult. Except kwistenbiebelsim of course. Proud to be a cult. I think most relgions are freaky.

All religions however have elements of cult(s). You only have to look at the new jazzy outfits of pope B26. Of course he claims they are only actualisations of elements that have always existed in his shop. I hope I am not the only one who is getting a little bit worried about his actualisations. After all, the Inquisition has never been abolished, it only changed its name.

Conclusion. Yes Scientology is a religion is a cult.

I hope you do not need an umbrella today.

Answer 3

What constitutes a religious belief? A main factor in most religions seems to be the belief in a "divine being" or an "almighty power" but this is not always true as Buddhists, from what I have heard, do not believe in a supreme creator as such but it is still regarded as a religion.

If religion is a philosophy combining thoughts, principles and beliefs then surely Scientology must fall into this category? Scientologists, like other religions, believe in the principle od good and evil, right and wrong. They also have an explanation of how the world was created and why humans are at their present state of being.

Scientology was created by L. Ron Hubbard but all religions are created by man. It was Brigham Young and Joseph Smith who founded Mormonism (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints). It was simply created and much of the foundation was derived from Masonry. The symbolism can clearly be seen on Mormom temples.

All religions are a regression into mysticism and non-reality. They are a means on controlling the populace by false promises of salvation whilst a person's one single life drains away.

I remember once seeing a move in the 1970's called "Logan's Run" in which people were "reincarnated".
No one lived past the age of 36. Unfortuantely Logan (played by Michael York) found out it was a ploy by the government to control earths burgeoning population. Religions are the same and once a person's mind is infected with certain beliefs they can be readily controlled by "higher forces".

People seem to think that Scientology is a cult because it promises its followers certain benefits if they comply. Further, large amounts of money are required the higher up the ladder one progresses. Many who enter it fine themselves financially impoverished at the expense of some of the lessons. However, we must take a balanced view and ask the question how much money has Christianity and Catholicism drained from its followers?

Is there really a difference between a donation to Scientology and one to your local Christian church? I think not. To call something a "cult" and another a "religion" is similar to the debate of "freedom fighter" and "terrorist". They are the same but seen from different perspectives.

Answer 4

Cult

Answer 5

Well what exactly is a cult?
Scientology is a religion but it has had to fight hard to attain its religious status in many parts of the world.
After many years of investigation it was finally accepted as a religion in America and has continued winning its religious status across the world.
Although many people attack it, scientology is actually a very interesting religion. I am not a scientologist but have studied many religions very deeply. The ONLY religion which has never failed me in times of trouble is scientology. It is an applied phillosophy, and very exact in its data. If I had to choose a religion it would be scientology. Finally, scientology is a service religion. Like all religions, it charges for its services and if people stopped attacking it so much maybe the prices could come down.

Answer 6

Anyone that changes anything about the bible, or adds to it, or takes away from it, is not Christian. They are a cult. And they are to be labeled as a cult, and a liar and deceiver.

Scientology is a cult.

With love through Christ Jesus,

Dusty

Answer 7

An interesting story really....L. Ron Hubbard's book was originally written as a self help book. Psychologists got together and basically got the book shut down because Hubbard did not have a degree in Psychology, so he modified it into a religious text and marketed it that way.

He never really wanted it to become a real religion. He was only interested in helping people let go of negative things that held them back from becoming whatever they wanted to be.

Sadly, since that time it has been promoted as a religion. As far as I know, L.Ron never claimed any special revelation or inside scoop on divine knowledge. This makes me wonder how so many people can come to accept it as the truth. It is another example of a cult at it's finest.

Answer 8

Scientology is, without a doubt, a cult: Its teachings are taken from science fiction and eastern mythologies; It promotes man as the ultimate power in the universe--he just hasn't realized it yet; Salvation comes through an extremely expensive process of mind games; and it categorically denies the existence of the God of the Bible, Heaven, and Hell. To a Scientologist, Jesus Christ was just another nice guy who unfortunately was wrongfully put to death, and whose story ends at that death.

Answer 9

it's a pyramid scheme, religion, paramilitary organization, quackery, etc. etc. Scientology is pretty much unique I think. It's idiotic that these people can claim religious freedom, and have their ordinary members confined in slave labor camps (see RPF: rehabilitation project force). I don't know how to define religion and what Scientology is exactly if it is not religion, but it is categorically different from all religion. I sometimes (in my darker thoughts about religion in general) think of it as religion 2.0.

edit: see XENU tv, with the videos of a woman who was a member for 20 years or so. She actually got pretty high up, but they tried to get her off her epilepsy medication, and the conflict that created was one of the things that got her out, as well as her internet contacts which she had because she tried to minimise exposure of Scientology secrets on the internet.

Answer 10

It is NOT a religion! It is a personal relationship with the atemporal/aspacial thetan hovering six inches outside your cranium. It is living life in accordance with the laws of Lord Xenu.

Further, it is no more a cult than the belief that the ghost of a dead Jewish man will someday host a banquet in the sky.

Please, consult a dictionary for the definition of "cult" before accuse ANY group of being one.

Answer 11

Neither. The German government and courts investigated Scientology organisation and came to the conclusion it was a money making enterprise with some very dark political ambitions.