what is so strange about Scientology?

Question

I read alot about tom cruise and his horrible religion. I tried to read up on it, but I can't seem to find out what the extreme views are that these people have. Does anyone know about this religion and what some of there beliefs are?

OMG, I don't think I can ever watch another tom cruise movie. This stuff is insane.

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
http://lisatrust.bogie.nl/scientology/essays/jeff-hubbard.htm

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

It's a "New Age" belief that you can create your own situations.
I believe this to be true. Your thougts will manifest themselves.
This is part of the doctrine of Scientology. Where it gets fuzzy for me is when you start talking about all the "levels"
I know there is financial donations that are also expected. Which is probably why so many actors are involved in it.

It is interesting to me that some of the most successful and talented actors and actresses belong to the the Church of Scientology.

Answer 3

everyone has a right to their own belief, even if it doesnt make sense to you. some of scientology makes total sense, and to associate scientology with tom cruise is not fair, because he is a weird guy anyways, but it has nothing to do with his religion. All religions have bits of truth, but none are completely correct. we should all try and learn about other religious views, and take what makes sense to you, and leave the rest behind.

Answer 4

Heehee. Most of the "beliefs" posted here are supposedly "secret knowledge known only to the top members". Which means that 99% of scientologists dont believe that stuff even if they do have the info straight.

Its mostly lots of self help stuff. I took some courses from them. I took Personal Communications, and Better Studying. Good stuff. I didnt feel a need for the more expensive courses on things like kicking peer pressure, getting off drugs, empowering yourself in your career. But I can see why its all good stuff for the Hollywood crowd.

They believe in God but other than that its pretty non-denominational. They dont make people leave their church, or "convert" to scientology, or even follow rules (altho they are stricter on law breakers than many other churches Ive seen). The sunday services were all stuff about wishing good things for people going thru disasters and asking for canned food for them, etc etc. Its a pretty nice community.

Answer 5

The precursor to scientology was called dianetics. There's a story current in science fiction circles (L. Ron Hubbard was a pulp science fiction writer before he became a "prophet") that Hubbard was challenged at an early science fiction convention to invent a religion. Hubbard apparently claimed that you couldn't invent a religion so silly that no one would believe it. Dianetics and, eventually, scientology were the results.

I have no proof that ever happened, but I've heard it many times in the last three decades or so. However, the basis of scientology - "thetans" and "clear thetans" and so on -reads a great deal like 1930's space opera. In my book, that's strange.

Answer 6

Actually there really isn't much out of whack with the subject of scientology, although the church of scientology IS run rather like a control-motivated cult. That violates there own stated goals & purposes, but then I do not claim to be a wholly objective observer.

I am a Freezone Scientologist (meaning scientologist independent of the church) and left the church during the great schism about 25 years ago. That schism occurred precisely because of extensive interference by the church leadership in the private lives of the church membership.

Philosophically, scientology is a lot like buddhism. The practice of scientology is a bit unique, although many techniques pioneered in dianetics & scientology in the 50s & 60s have since then become a part of mainstream psychological counseling.

The science fiction elements promulgated on the web having to do with "space aliens" are not a part of the subject of scientology. As reported they represent mostly a mischaracterization of things which do occur in certain very specific types of private counselling sessions.

Mostly these reports reflect the ignorance of people who are unfamiliar with the nature of auditing and does not reflect actually occurs during auditing sessions.

That material is not a fundamental essential aspect of the study or practice of scientology. Nor is belief in the material expected or required of ANYONE, including those who are audited on it.

General questions on the subject of scientology are welcome on the yahoo chat group freezoneorg. It is a membership chat group run by knowledgeable & experienced scientologists who are NOT associated with the church of scientology in any way. There is no "church" or other group that you will be pressured to join. ;-)

Newcomers & non-scientologists are welcome. Feel free to ask questions within the boards stated guidelines & policies.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FreezoneOrg/

Answer 7

Here’s a factual description for you (From an actual Scientologist):

Scientology is an applied religious philosophy. By “applied” is meant that it is for use in life and living. You actually use it in your day to day life to chandge and improve existing conditions. It is a practical religion.
All religions if you study them have a basic philosophy, 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 acknowledges the principle of God or the Supreme Being but does not try to define or describe this principle, leaving it up to the individual.
It is also not a messianic religion. This means there is no worship of prophets or messiahs.
It is not belief or faith based. In Scientology a truth is true for you according to your 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.
Scientology believes or considers that Man is basically good. This is different from many religions that promote that he his natively evil or bad unless “made” good.

The whole purpose of Scientology knowledge application and procedure is to increase an individual’s understanding and awareness of himself and to rehabilitate his native abilities and potential.
When you do this there sphere and zones of his positive influence increases and moves outward into his life , his family and friends, his groups and Mankind of which he is part .

How this result is achieved is the “technology” of Scientology, which was developed by L Ron Hubbard from discoveries he made after extensive research into the field of the mind and the human spirit.
Some of this knowledge was already existing in the ancient texts of the Veda or Vedic Hymns going back 10,000 years. New and additional discoveries were made and fully recorded and codified .
Hubbard published 18 basic books from 1950 to 1953 to fully communicate these basic [rinciples and the path of his research. He completed all his research before his death in 1986 and left all his materials and copyrights to the Church of Scientology’s Religious Technology Centre along with most of his personal estate when he died.

The Church of Scientology is currently established iand operating internationally in over 160 countries world wide. However it is still a new religion, less than 55 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 3,000 tape recorded public lectures.

Sorry, there isn't really anything strange about it.......

Answer 8

"Among these advanced teachings, one episode revealed to those who reach OT level III is the story of Xenu and his Galactic Confederacy.

Scientologists have argued that the published accounts of the Xenu story and other teachings are distortions of their practice, presented out of context for the purpose of ridiculing their religion.[68]

Xenu (sometimes Xemu) is introduced as an alien ruler of the "Galactic Confederacy" who, 75 million years ago, brought billions of people to Earth in spacecraft resembling Douglas DC-8 airliners, stacked them around volcanoes and blew them up with hydrogen bombs. Their souls then clustered together and stuck to the bodies of the living. Scientologists believe the alien souls continue to do this today, causing a variety of physical ill-effects in modern-day humans. Hubbard called these clustered spirits "Body Thetans", and the advanced levels place considerable emphasis on isolating them and neutralizing their ill effects.[74]"

That is pretty freakin weird.

Answer 9

His stories about "thetans" and alien tyrants are pretty bizarre, all right.

On the other hand, there is just as much evidence for them as there is for any of the Abrhamic fiaths: Nothing except a book that says "this is so".

If people hadn't died because of these guys it might have been funny.

Answer 10

You have to pay money to "move up" with them... so no, I don't know much about them.

I have read some of their stuff... its nearly incomprehensible. The science fiction writer that created that religion was borderline CRAZY... or maybe fully crazy...

Answer 11

that an alien traveled to this planet 1000 years ago & dropped off souls that now inhabit your body, to relieve yourself of them makes you special like tom & travolta. ot7

it is every bit as possible as any other religion 0%.