please help me understand scientology better?

Question

i try not to hate on them, but if everything ive read or heard is true these people are kooks

Answer 1

Scientology, which questionably calls itself a new "religion", is the brainchild of science fiction writer & occult enthusiast L. Ron Hubbard. The organization, by means of Hubbard’s self created psychotherapy technique called “Dianetics”, claims to be able to help rid members of any & all mental constraints including but not limited to emotional scarring (from this & "past" lives) due to "engrams" (past negative experiences stored in our unconscious mind), psychological disorders & chemical imbalances (the solution is to convince members that these things don't actually exist) & drug dependence (including legally prescribed psychopharmaceuticals which counteract the effects of psychological disorders Scientologists believe to be nonexistent). Their “treatment” of substance abuse includes little more than massive doses of vitamins and extended sessions in a sauna.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dianetics#Scientific_evaluation_and_criticisms
Dianetics review: http://dir.salon.com/story/books/review/2005/06/28/dianetics/index.html
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,812852,00.html
http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~dst/Narconon/detox.htm

The official Scientology organization is composed of a number of “levels”. One begins as a “preclear” & works their way up. One must purchase virtually every service crucial to advancement directly from the "church" & at staggering prices. "Auditing", for example, is purchased in 12½ hour blocks, costing anywhere from $200-$750 for introductory sessions to between $8,000 & $9,000 for advanced sessions. Basically, Scientology claims to possess exclusive knowledge of the path to religious redemption & then charges obscene amounts of money for every tiny incremental step towards this end. Visit this link to see how $380,000 is a conservative estimate for the total cost of moving all the way up the Scientology hierarchal ladder: http://www.xenu.net/archive/prices.html
These are the total costs for auditing alone: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientology_as_a_business#Costs
Here’s an explanation of what “auditing” is: http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20061224182319AA2nnd6

At level OT III (Operating Thetan 3), some very strange & fiercely guarded secrets are imparted upon worthy members who have paid enough money to advance to such a level (and no, this isn't a joke): The evil alien ruler Xenu killed millions of aliens (Thetans) from around the universe by kidnapping them, bringing them to earth in golden DC-8 “space-planes”, stacking them around volcanoes & blowing them up by dropping “h-bombs” into the volcanoes. Scientologists believe the souls of these aliens (these souls are "Body Thetans") were captured, brainwashed & released; they then attached themselves to our ancestors (and according to Scientology’s belief in Thetan immortality, they also attached to us during “past lives”) & cause many of our mental & physical ills to this day. Auditing is said to “clear” us of these Body Thetans as well as the “mental implants” they supposedly impose on our minds.
http://sf.irk.ru/www/ot3/spaink-ot3.html
http://www.spaink.net/cos/essays/atack_ot3.html
http://xenu.net/archive/leaflet/Xenu-Letter.pdf

Scientology has taken a very hostile stance towards psychiatry & psychiatric drugs irrespective of the fact that some people require medication to remain adequately functional during everyday life. It doesn’t recognize legitimate conditions like autism, epilepsy, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, or ANY neurological disorder / chemical imbalance at all, & the “church” has been known to withhold prescription pharmaceuticals from members (often with harmful & deadly results). The “Church” blames psychiatry for the Holocaust, as well as school shootings & even September 11th. It’s been suggested that Hubbard’s vehement opposition was born of the psychiatric community’s rejection of his “tech” as a valid treatment method, but it’s also possible that Hubbard chose psychiatry as a scapegoat. Organizations like Scientology are notorious for villainizing a specific out-group because their “stand against the enemy” fosters cohesion within said organization, & psychiatry was an effective rallying point considering many people already distrust & oppose the mental health profession.
http://www.anti-scientologie.ch/usa-scientology.htm
http://www.lacitybeat.com/article.php?id=3137&IssueNum=136
http://dir.salon.com/story/news/feature/2005/07/01/sci_psy/index_np.html?pn=1
http://perkinstragedy.org

L. Ron Hubbard, the man behind the creation of Scientology, was & still is a controversial figure. Biographies & lists of personal accomplishments differ greatly between Scientology & non-Scientology publications as the “church” tends to exaggerate & outright lie about his early life, his education, his travels, his achievements etc, preferring to paint a distorted, flattering picture. Several books & articles present facts which flatly contradict these church-published accounts (links to free online copies of these books & articles are provided below), showing conclusively that he was NOT the brilliant, accomplished figure revered by Scientologists. During his autopsy, the sedative Vistaril™ was present in his body, which several of his assistants would later attest was only one of many psychiatric & pain medications Hubbard ingested over the years. It had also been said by many who knew Hubbard personally that at the end of his life he was “a psychopathic insane person screaming about BT's [Body Thetans]…”
http://www.apologeticsindex.org/Bare%20Faced%20Messiah.pdf
http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~dst/Library/Shelf/atack/contents.htm
http://www.clambake.org/archive/books/mom/Messiah_or_Madman.txt
http://skull.piratehaven.org/~atman/factnet/lrhbare.txt

To be blunt, Scientology is a cult. It employs semi-legitimate psychotherapy & self-help methods to keep people loyal & convinced of its merit while it simultaneously sucks them dry financially & attempts to keep them far away from ANYONE, even friends & family, who would dissuade them from remaining in such a harmful situation. It bullies all known critics, opponents, “enemies”, etc, often through malicious litigation & character assassination. It’s a particularly greedy as well as manipulative & dangerous cult that takes its anti-psychiatry fanaticism to deadly limits.
http://www.solitarytrees.net/racism/harass.htm#start
http://www.factnet.org/Books/SocialControl/scs.html#toc
http://www.sptimes.com/2006/06/24/Tampabay/The_unperson.shtml
http://www.xenu.net/archive/personal_story/funkydonny.html

Answer 2

You can read the same thing about most religions (and its probably true for the larger ones).

All I know of Scientology is that most people take a couple of the cheap courses, then leave (like I did). The Communications course, and the How to Study Better course are chearper than college course and well worth the money. I dont think Id go for any of the other more expensive courses unless you are really messed up with something like drugs and need the help.

Personally I had more trouble getting away from the Baptists.

Answer 3

Tom Cruise and John Travolta are Scientologists. To understand what happened to make it bizarre to people, see site below under an objective view of Scientology.

Answer 4

They are kooks. The things you have read are true. There is documented evidence to back it up. The things to understand about this cult is:
It is not a religion it is a cult.
It will bleed you dry of every penny you have.
It is dangerous and manipulative.
It publishes propaganda that can't be independently verified.
Above all, STAY AWAY FROM THEM!

Answer 5

Eh, nothing that the Mormons, Catholics, or Protestants haven't done first. I like Scientology, because you see people who believe fifty irrational things themselves trying to use logic and facts to pick apart Scientology.

Answer 6

Here is what Scientologist have to say about Scientology.
http://www.basicauditing.org/

There are some people who dislike Scientology, simple they are either antagonistic to people getting better in life or they have been misinformed.
http://www.scientologytoday.org/Common/question/pg56.htm

The best way to find out about Scientology is to read the books and listen to the lectures of Scientology.

Check out the books and start reading for yourself.
http://bpi.goldenageofknowledge.net/items/fot_procrs.html?locale=en_US&view=detail&_sssnkey=31618332b560911b8e2a7fe2feb5763b

Answer 7

If you want to find out about a ford, do you go to the GM dealership?

If you speak to a Scientologist or visit a church you will get the real story behind our religion. I also suggest you visit our website www.scientology.org where you will find detailed information on our religion, the churches and the public assistance groups that we fund and participate in. The simple fact is that we are here to stay, we are a POSITIVE influence on the community and we will fight to get the recognition of being a religion that we deserve!

Answer 8

There really is no "understanding" necessary. In Britain and Germany, it is not even considered a religion. There is a reason for that. Just take a deep breath, and let it go.

Save your money, and run.

Answer 9

Call Tom Cruise!

Answer 10

Here's scientology:

You pay for lessons every week to learn more about it so that you go up a level. After you are broke and reach the final level, you find out that an alien put you here.

Answer 11

L. Ron Hubbard got really, really rich off misleading people in ways that can't be proven since they deal with the intangible and unprovable. It's a crock.