Is Scientology as bad as you think it is?

Question

"Scientology considers the belief in a God or gods as something personal and therefore offers no specific dogma."

it means to bring The Church to a slow and silent death, since the communication with your god/s can be done home

"There are no particular human incarnations of God, as the universal life force (Theta) is inherent in all. All humans are immortal spiritual beings (thetans) capable of realizing a nearly godlike state through Scientology practices."

it means, no heaven, no hell, enjoy life right here right now.

"Salvation is achieved through the practices and techniques of Scientology, the ultimate goal of which is to realize one's true nature as an immortal spirit, a thetan."

the salvation, is the intermediate step we gotta take through Scientology, that would lead us to atheism in the long run.

You know? to me Scientology is a sincere attempt to destroy religion. Some people are too deep into it, and they need an in-between step. And that's exactly what Scientology is.

Answer 1

The Church of Scientology IS as bad as I think it is, though not for the reasons you're listing.

There are multitudes of people who have suffered tragic 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
http://www.fairgamed.org/

● 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://xenu.net/archive/personal_story/funkydonny.html

● 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

I don't know enough about it to make an informed decision. Since I hate people making statements about my religion that are untrue, because they are completely misinformed, I will refrain from making statements about Scientology, until I have actual information.

Based on what you say, I would not say that they are bad, rather just not what I believe. They would have to sacrifice children or something crazy like that before I would say they are evil.

People are free to believe what ever they want and we should allow them that right, whether we agree with their beliefs or not. As long as they are not breaking any laws in their beliefs, there is nothing wrong with different belief systems.

Now Tom Cruise- well he is just pshyco- I know that for a fact- but so are a lot of other Hollywood types.

Edit**

I am not sure how other posters can say that it is bad simply because the church was formed in America. I am unaware of a rule that says any religion formed in America is bad.

Answer 3

I tried it. I took the first two trainings. Better communicating, and better studying. I didnt get into the more expensive ones on clearing drugs or escaping peer pressure since (A) they were more expensive and (B) I didnt feel I needed them. The course prices were less than college courses and I felt they were much more useful. I had no problem leaving (I had more problem leaving the baptists and they wanted more of my money than the Scientologists did) :) I did learn some pain handling techniques when I was there. They show them to anyone who bangs their knee or gets a headache. Works well. I still use them with myself and my kids. Everybody I saw there seemed very open and happy. But of course thats enough to scare some people.

Answer 4

It is a cult. It is evil. It is dangerous.

The following links are news stories about a girl with schizophrenia, whose parents refused to allow her to take her medication because they were Scientologists. She had a severe psychotic episode because she wasn’t on her meds and killed her father and sibling, almost killing her mother too.

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,22069705-28737,00.html

http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,22045262-5001021,00.html

http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/scientology-denied-daughter-help/2007/07/09/1183833431861.html

Did you know Scientologists believe they have the right to torture or kill ‘Suppressive Persons’ (SP) people who oppose Scientology?
“ENEMY: SP Order. Fair game. 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.fairgamed.org/fairgame.htm

Answer 5

If this is your conclusion then it's not based on any real knowledge of Scientology or religions in general for that matter.
The truth is that Scientology being religion itself supports and assists other religions and all forms of religious tolerance.It is part of our moral code to respect the religious beliefs of others.

You are asserting your opinion against a religion and twisting what little you know of it into some weird private theory.

It's fine to have an opinion but realise that opinions may or may not be based on any actual facts.

Answer 6

It's little more than gobbldegook cooked up by a crazed lunatic who wrote really lousy science fiction. That, and an obvious scam to milk gullible people for their money.

Answer 7

scientology doesn't lead to atheism, though. unless one manages to escape the church of scientology, it leads to slavery.

Answer 8

It's worse.