Can someone please explain all the ups & downs of scientology? thank-you :]?

Question

I need to know some information on scientology.

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
http://www.nypress.com/20/22/news&columns/feature.cfm

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

Beware of people who post lots of info off of strange internet sites, then say they have never been to a Scientology center. Most probably have never met one. I tried both scientology and baptists for a few years. As far as invasive, money grubbing, forcing wierd beliefs, and making it hard to quit... I had more trouble with the baptists.

Like most people (62% according to anti Scientology sites) I tried the first couple (cheaper) courses. Communications, and study. Great stuff. I still use it years later. I didnt feel a need for the deeper stuff on shaking peer pressure, or getting off drugs. But if I know anyone who did I wouldnt be against telling them to go to the nearest Scientology center and seeing if they will take them.

Getting to the highest ranks can be expensive but its still flat rates. Better than the "give up all worldly possessions" that most other religions do to become a top member (not that most people are interested in becoming a full-time priest anyway). The biggest drawback for most people, as far as I can tell, is what you see here in the other posts. Depends on the kind of friends you have and how well you handle things like "never met them but its full of crap cause I saw it on South Park" :)

Answer 3

No ups except the bank accounts of those who run it.
The downs? All the way to hell.
Created by a science fiction writer L Ron Hubbard whilst on a fishing trip. L Ron mused at the ways of making a million bucks. Invent a new religion, he thought; and Scientology was born. Pity the poor rich people who have been deceived by this evil cult.

Scientology: The Thriving Cult of Greed and Power
No cult extracts more money from its members." [Note: since publication of this article, the Cult Awareness Network has been taken over by Scientology. ...
www.cs.cmu.edu/~dst/Fishman/time-behar.html - 49k - Cached - Similar pages
Operation Clambake - The Inner Secrets Of Scientology
Extensive news articles, analyses, and criticism of the alleged Scientology cult, Dianetics, and L. Ron Hubbard, founder of the Church of Scientology.
www.xenu.net/ - 44k - Cached - Similar pages
Operation Clambake presents: What is Scientology?
The Church of Scientology is such a cult, to back up this strong claim I need to collect some of their secret literature. I want you to read it and make up ...
www.xenu.net/roland-intro.html - 15k - Cached - Similar pages
[ More results from www.xenu.net ]
Is Scientology Christian or a cult?
Is Scientology Christian or a cult? Why is scientology becoming so popular amongst celebrities?
www.gotquestions.org/scientology-Christian-cult.html - 14k - Cached - Similar pages

Answer 4

Scientology was once a cult shaped through L Ron Hubbard, a technology fiction author. It has due to the fact grown into a large group with individuals far and wide the sector. Although categorised as a faith, it isn't a faith within the strictist experience. They do have a few supernatural ideals, however no deity according to se. In a technique real to their cult roots, they're imagined to extract ample amount of cash from their recruits through having them pay for costly "cures".

Answer 5

Actually the ups and down is a course in Scientology. Is called "The Ups and Downs in life".
I'm a Scientologist and Scientology has never let me down. Could you be specific?
Well this is how it works:
You take a course.
You go home.
You apply what you have learn in life.
Your life improves.
Maybe you decide that you want to take another course if you have the time.
End of story.
That's all.

Answer 6

Scientology is a cult started by Sci-Fi writer L. Ron Hubbard, who at one time was a follower of Aleister Crowley. They use a system called "auditing" on their members, which is really just hypnosis.

Answer 7

http://www.religioustolerance.org/
has essays on all of the major religions and most of the smaller ones. Scientology starts on

http://www.religioustolerance.org/scientol.htm


This is their site introduction, not their Scientology introduction:

This web site is rather different:

This website is unlike almost all other religious sites:
It promotes religious freedom, and diversity as positive cultural values.

We do not promote our own religious beliefs. We can't because we are a multi-faith group. We try to explain the full diversity of religious belief in North America, from Asatru to Zoroastrianism, including Buddhism, Christianity, Confucianism, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, Taoism, Wicca, other religious groups, and spiritual/ethical groups.

We try to describe all viewpoints on controversial religious topics objectively and fairly. We cover a broad range of topics, from whether women should have access to abortion to whether homosexuals and bisexuals should be given equal rights, including same-sex marriage, and dozens of other "hot" topics.

Answer 8

About the only thing you really need to know is that it was created by a science fiction writer on a bet with several other authors. He cam forward and disclosed this, but then withdrew/recanted as it was making too much money for his son.

Answer 9

ups - your stupid enough to bileve the thing and think you know the oregion of life(find out more by watching south park : Scientology)

Downs - paying money for them to tell you crap and jus being a general dumbass

Answer 10

Here's the ups and downs. In the begining your bank account is up. In the end your bank account is down.

Answer 11

ups, none
downs , to many to list