Is Scientology a religion or a cult?

Question

Explain why. Also, are you a Scientologist?

I mean "cult" as in "group of people who are either really stupid or actually believe it to notice what rediculous bull **** they're spewing".

Answer 1

It's a cult. No, I'm not a Scientologist, I'm a person with a brain.

Scientology is a cult. Every cult can be defined as a group having all of the following five characteristics:

(1) It uses psychological coercion to recruit, indoctrinate & retain its members.

Read here about the use of mind control and brainwashing in Scientology (this article was written by Monica Pignotti, Cult Intervention Specialist and former Scientologist): http://www.freedomofmind.com/resourcecenter/groups/s/scientology/pignotti/

Here is more information about Scientology "TR's", or Training Routines (which are billed as a way to improve communication skills, but whose real purpose is to plant the seeds for thought control): http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~dst/Secrets/TR/

(2) It forms an elitist totalitarian society.

It is official Scientology policy to label anyone who disagrees with the practices of or questions the validity and/or benignity of Scientology as a “Suppressive Person”. The policy also requires members to “disconnect” from them.
http://www.sptimes.com/2006/06/24/Tampabay/The_unperson.shtml

(3) Its founder leader is self-appointed, dogmatic, messianic, not accountable & has charisma.

Meet L. Ron Hubbard:
http://www.xenu.net/entheta/entheta/media/tv/secret/secret.html
http://www.xenutv.com/int/secretlives.htm
http://www.apologeticsindex.org/Bare%20Faced%20Messiah.pdf
http://slate.msn.com/id/2122835/?nav=ais

(4) It believes 'the end justifies the means' in order to solicit funds & recruit people.

Absolutely. After all, Hubbard DID create his own religion on order to scam people out of their money: http://lisatrust.freewinds.cx/scientology/hubbard.htm

Scientology is, in fact, seen as nothing more than a business in many countries (which is why, in those countries, it is appropriately NOT regarded as a religion). Here's the Wikipedia article on "Scientology as a business": http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientology_as_a_business

And nothing is too low for them: if people leave the church under unfavorable conditions, the church then charges them a "free-loader debt" which is basically retroactive billing for any auditing received or any Scientology training received while in the Sea Org, which can run into tens of thousands of dollars.
http://www.rickross.com/reference/scientology/history/history15.html#European

(5) Its wealth does not benefit its members or society.

The only "benefit" to society that Scientology claims is it's drug rehabilitation program (which is utterly ineffective and whose "success" statistics have been manipulated or outright doctored by Scientology) and it's "stand" against psychiatry.
This is a site that takes a critical look at their drug rehabilitation program which goes by the name of "Narconon": http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~dst/Narconon/index.html
And here's an article entitled "Scientology's War On Psychiatry": http://dir.salon.com/story/news/feature/2005/07/01/sci_psy/index_np.html?pn=1

In addition, it's doctrinal teachings are structured in typical cult fashion: the more benign, seemingly beneficial teachings are kept on "the outside", meaning they will teach it to anyone who wants to know as a way to lure in victims, a way to show how truly dedicated the cult is to helping and saving mankind. The more bizarre and sinister teachings are kept secret at the cult's inner core, and the victim must be assimilated and indoctrinated before they can be exposed to the REAL fundamental doctrines of the cult. This is EXACTLY what Scientology does.

Scientology talks of creating a world without hate, without war, etc etc. It offers it's "auditing" and "ethics" which on the surface seem a bit outlandish but possibly effective. The victim then begins pumping more and more money into the cult, paying for "a path to salvation" and all the while becoming more and more reprogrammed by the cult. Scientology's higher level of "Operating Thetan 3" is attained only by members who jump through numerous, VERY expensive hoops (the expenses total in the hundreds of thousands).

Once they've FINALLY reached "OT 3", Scientology teaches them this: http://xenu.net/archive/leaflet/Xenu-Letter.pdf

Answer 2

By definition, organized religion is a cult. This is not an insult, just a technicality.

And no I am not Scientologist. However I'm not stupid enough to judge a religion by outrageous propoganda and hate directed toward it by the idiots who refuse to tolerate anyone. Few people who make accusations actually know what the hell they're talking about.

Answer 3

Scientology is a Religion. My opinion is that it helps people, it studies the Spiritual aspect of man, it enables me to search for understanding of life, to me it's a Religion.

This is from an official Scientology site:

Scientology meets all three criteria generally used by religious scholars when examining religions: (1) a belief in some Ultimate Reality, such as the Supreme Being or eternal truth that transcends the here and now of the secular world; (2) religious practices directed toward understanding, attaining or communicating with this Ultimate Reality; and (3) a community of believers who join together in pursuing the Ultimate Reality.

Scientology’s belief in an Ultimate Reality that transcends the material world include its concepts of the thetan, the spiritual world (the seventh dynamic) and the Supreme Being (the eighth dynamic). The second element can be found in Scientology’s life-rite ceremonies such as naming, marriage and funeral services, but predominantly in the religious services of auditing and training, through which Scientologists increase their spiritual awareness and attain an understanding of the spiritual world and, ultimately, their relationship with the Supreme Being. As to the third element, a very vital community of believers can be found at any church of Scientology at almost any time of the day.

Scientology is thus a religion in the oldest sense of the word. Scientology helps man become more aware of God, more aware of his own spiritual nature and that of those around him. Scientology Scripture recognizes that there is an entire dynamic (urge or motivation in life) devoted to the Supreme Being (the eighth dynamic) and another dynamic that deals solely with one’s urge toward existence as a spirit (the seventh dynamic). Acknowledgment of these aspects of life is a traditional characteristic of religions.

I am a Scientologist.

Answer 4

The Watchtower Society's ideology is somewhat totalistic. I evaluate The Watchtower Society a cult interior the sociological sense (based on the team's actually habit particularly than ideals). no longer so beneficial correct to the corporation area of issues. The Watchtower Society's international publishing empire and belongings portfolio somewhat make money, yet i've got not seen any complicated info to point that those revenue are used for something different than for the Watchtower Society to enhance, make investments and perpetuate itself (and repay new child abuse sufferers).

Answer 5

Yes I'm a Scientologist.
Obviously I consider Scientology to be a religion.
(especially since you clarified your "definition" of cult )
Here's a factual description of my religion 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 anyone’s faiths of beliefs in the area of God , the Supreme Being, or the Infinite. This area is left totally up to the indivdual as part of his life.
It is also not a messianic religion. This means there is no worship of prophets or messiahs in Scientology. It is not belief or 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.

Answer 6

it's a religion! Most things that are called a "cult" are religions! But if we don't like there religion then we call it a cult!

Answer 7

Scientology as i understand it is a part of the greater religion called christianity... (maybe you have heard of it... probably not as it is an insignificant group of people who argue vehemently about the meaning of Jesus' life).
it is therefore a religion. I have a friend who is a scientologist.

Answer 8

It's both. All religions are by definition cults.

Answer 9

Religion

Because the IRS says so

No

Answer 10

A cult