Why do some people think its a scam and a cult??? Scientology??

Answer 1

Because it IS a scam and a cult.

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

Because it IS a cult and it IS a scam... the cost of all these "levels" OT etc is ridiculous, the "auditing" is a joke, the training routines are downright brainwashing techniques, the man who started scientology was a sci-fi writer who was mentally ill and on drugs for it, he was a chronic liar... and anyone who believes some alien "Zenu" took souls and blew them up with bombs etc is plainly ignorant and misled. If you take a few hours and actually read a scientology book, or learn thier training routines and crap the only way you could ever buy into such drivel is if you are already off your rocker... People who are ignorant and naive are sucked right in because they think their life sucks and want to blame it on something else... well way to go join a ridiculous cult.

Answer 3

I dont have problem with Scientology personally, nor does I hold any Ill will or judgment on people involved in the religion. I think though it is easy to think its a scam because there are allot of very... shall we say .. out of the ordinary doctrines and some odd beliefs. I have heard that Tom Cruise was denied citizenship in France because They too consider it a cult... I dont know though. They dont seem (to me) to have a good foundation for a religion or a spiritual philosophy.

Answer 4

I do not. I'm now not devout, however I do not just like the precedent being set. If there are particular bills that may be tested towards particular members inside the Church of Scientology, then obviously the ones criminals will have to be arrested and stand trial, however I do not approve of "outlawing" a entire faith. Just since it does not attraction to me does not imply that I could stand idly by means of even as a faith expensive to a few of my friends is outlawed. That's now not well for freedom of faith and sense of right and wrong.

Answer 5

where to begin.

Created by a Science Fiction Writer out of his own mind in the late 20th century, whereas most accepted faiths/sects that have sprung up in that time are lines or off shoots of pre-existing faiths.

the Mormons started in the 1800's and still suffer similar backlash, but by technically being Christian they are slightly more accepted as an arm of that faith, More so in the past since disavowing Polygamy.

The Galactic federation, Soul Catchers, and Xenu, don't help their cause much either. The express and overt desire for cash, sure alot of other faiths take collections and request a tithe, but they only ask for a small portion and that is voluntary.

add to that the fact that Tom Cruise is their poster boy, and he's a bit nutty as of late. their claims of being able to Cure Homosexuality, their issues w/ psychiatry, and opposition to pharmaceutical assistance

Answer 6

Scientology was founded in 1953 by fiction author L. Ron Hubbard, just four years after he made the statement, "I'd like to start a religion. That's where the money is," to Lloyd Eshbach; quoted by Eshbach in Over My Shoulder. That's where he found wealth, also--Hubbard became a multi-millionaire.

Answer 7

Lets see, a newly formed religion, the founder of this newly formed religion is now a very wealthy wealthy individual. It is not of the Holy Bible. The people involved in it pay a lot of money to stay involved in it. Oh and did I mention the founder is NOW a very wealthy man. No doubt grinning from ear to ear on his way to the Bank.

The fact that certain entertainers that I had once thought might have half of a brain, I found out is a big supporter in it. What a disappointment they turned out to be. All I can say is just , well they are very sorry, sorry, people.

Answer 8

Bc it is!
My mom was 1 for a time.
I cut my teeth, on that "garbage!!"
It is a misleading, harmful, destructive cult.
The auditing is Highly Expensive!!!!!!!!!!!!!! SCAM!
Unless, ppl in ur family are in it as well,
and u get ur auditing for free.
Then u still have to pay for the classes, $$$$.
Unless u join the Sea Org, or ASHO, or Pubs, etc....
then it's free.
But the kids are hurt the most & the worst!!!!
I know I was there, & I was a kid.
It's all made up garbage, made up by a man,
no different then u or I;
in the regards that he faced death
the same as the rest of mankind.

Just recently, 1 of my family members,
put my address on the mailing list.
(I am a true Christian)
I had to contact them repeatedly,(mail, phone & 'puter)
to STOP sending their propaganda to my house!!
They wouldn't STOP.
Until I told them I was on the Golden Rod of 1981 out of the Sea Org.,in Los Angeles, Calif.
Now, they stopped.

Answer 9

Because anyone who would honestly give money to a bunch of jokers who say your body is infested with the dead souls of people (thetans) blown up by a guy named Xenu in a volcano is crazy and buying into a scam.

Answer 10

Because they got their info from a cartoon that makes fun of all religions.
OR they saw it on YouTube
OR they read about it on sites like ClamBake

In a serious comparison with nearly any other religion I dont think it comes off nearly that bad. Such as, for most of the definitions of cult that people list here (invasive, money grubbing, forcing weird beliefs, pushy into all aspects of personal life, and making it hard to quit) I had more trouble with the baptists.

Answer 11

Because these words have definitions that fit Scientology very well.