Scientology?

Question

What in the heck is the religion of Scientology about? I have heard all kinds of weird facts, and tall tales. For instance, how their "higher being" is some other planetary creature. That, when their armagedon comes, he will eat the non-believers and beam up the "techies". I have done tons of google searches and wikipedia searches, but end up more confused than before I started. Can someone please set the record straight.

I know some of you think it's a cult, and that it's crazy for some of it's beliefs...but I want to understand more about it, not what you feel about it.

Answer 1

Im an ex-scientologist. And as far as Im concerned most of the answers given are pretty far off the mark. The scientologists on here get tired pretty fast of answering over and over (it would actually help if they were as fanatical as people think)

Its a bunch of self-help techniques researched by a scifi writer back in the 1950's (all scifi writers are pretty good researchers). Back then to claim you helped people with too many things you either had to be medical or religious. They tried medical and got in trouble. So they became a non-denominational religion. They believe in God, but not in prayer or miracles or "giving yourself to God" to cure the problems in your life.

The courses are at a flat price. I dont see a complaint there. Especially if compared to "tithing 10% of your income before taxes" as some of the complainers here believe in.

According to the anti-scientology sites
"Note: Preliminary analysis suggests that about 60% of people who try Scientology do only a single course or service, that 80% of new members become inactive within 2 years, and that 65% of those who reach the level of Clear become inactive within a year after doing so."
Heehee. Some cult. Great "mindwashing" there huh?

As to the space aliens stuff....
in the couple years I hung around a scientology center I didnt hear any of that. But the people who post it say its "secret stuff known only at the top" so I guess thats why 99% of scientologists have no idea what they are talking about? But people keep telling them its what they believe (scientology says its a wrong quote out of context by the way and not their beliefs). Its kindof like telling christians that they believe Jesus was married which is also supposed to be "secret" knowledge known only to the vatican.

I took 2 of the (cheaper) courses. Personal Communications, and Better Studying. Great stuff. I use it all the time. Then I left. No big deal.

Answer 2

It's a cult. The "beliefs" that are taught to the general membership do not match the beliefs and practices of the management. The reason you're getting confused is because just about everything you read is true -- the Cult of Scientology is full of paradoxes... hence the confusion. If you get involved, you'll get hung up in it. Better to just leave it alone.

Answer 3

They are all over here in California.
I can tell you that they have exactly the same reaction as you to all that stuff you said. :-) Unless they read it here they don't know anything about it.

I can give you some REAL (and scarey) things about them. They have powers. But they are like vampires. Photographs show you their real self. Have you ever heard anyone wonder why Cruise, Travolta, Seinfield, K. Alley, are sexy in film but when you see a still picture you wonder why you thought that? They are ALL like that. In person they are beautiful and you happily get a picture taken hugging them so you can brag to your friends. But the picture makes you go WTF was I thinking?

And they never seem confused. They are like those guards in England that are not allowed to smile. It takes a lot of effort to break their focus when they are doing something. And even more to make them mad. I am pretty good at being a smartass but they are a real challenge.

They are not at all broke and wearing rags. They all dress real nice. But I found out that the "horrible costs" aren't really what people here say so I guess that is not real surprising.

Most of them are not Scientologists. They are Catholics, or Wiccans, or Atheists who are taking scientology courses. That is actually what makes religious conversation with them dangerous. Turn them into a powerful leader-type then send them back to their flocks? That makes them hard to avoid.

I can see why they easily get sheep-people to follow them back. But they turn those sheep into goats and turn them loose. That's not cool. :(

Oh and it really isn't a "you can't leave" thing. Most people actually take just a couple of courses then quit. Getting away from them is actually easy if you say it like you really DON'T need their help and not like a sheep.

Answer 4

What you discover about Scientology on the web may be confusing because much about Scientology is a well kept secret. They say one thing about their history and beliefs that
may be contradicted by the things former members will tell you about the organization.
As they are a fairly new movement, having been founded/created by American author L.Ron Hubbard, it
shouldn't be to difficult to figure out, but it does get confusing for outsiders.
Go to beliefnet.com and ask there about Scientology. You might get as close to unbiased information among people who are not threatened by different beliefs, religions and world-views, and who don't have an Axe to grind.
But why the interest anyway? Is it Tom Cruse's attempts to get
David and Posh to converted to Scientology?
Tom's not all that. But I hear the Scientology Celebrity Center in L.A. is pretty cool.

Answer 5

Most of their ethics and morals are somewhat balanced, but the itself religion is very limiting to individuals. The fact that you usually have to pay to join scientology makes it lose some of the creditbility it might of otherwise had.

However, it is more accepting than many of the other religions.

Answer 6

Scientology is a religion that claims that the Earth was scientifically created and not by God the Father, which I honestly think they're complete morons, and they also believe in the Theory of Evolution, which makes no sense actually...do some more research on Scientology, there are a lot of weird things they do...

Answer 7

trust me scientolgy soppose to be some form of religion,but if you ask me its an act of discretion where the idiots that started this whole thing could make money out of rich people and they do some cruel things especially to babies when their born.
but the people who are apart of it are to brainwashed that they begin to follow anything their leader days,
but if you read the real truth behing the whole thing like aparently we were all suppose to be aliens,
and why and how we all come about or some crap or rather, to be honest if you read the storied on the ones that left it even oprah was apart of it she has left a while ago now,they have all have interesting stories to say,
but the reason behind all this is to rob the poor into believing this is all true to make them rich a powerful.
i wouldn't even consider joining it or even having any part into knowing what goes on goes it is all rubbish and lies.

Answer 8

That's how cult's work, there is no real explanation. Just watch Tom Cruise for about 1 minute.

Answer 9

Sci-fi writer starts a "religion".
Do the math. Or am I being glib, Tom?

Seriously tho', read up on some of their beliefs. Hilarious.
And you essentially buy your way up their ladder. Too much.

Answer 10

Ask Mr Hubbard:

http://www.scientology.org/