What is scientology?

Question

I've always been curious what it's REALLY about. I heard it was a really strange religion and now I'd like to find out the truth. I'm not thinking of converting or anything, I'd just like to know for my own knowledge.

Okay, I know how use a search engine - I'm not a moron! I wanted personal accounts on the religion and everyone's thoughts on it. I'd also like some simple information - not the religion's life story! Why did you post an answer to this Geezah?

Answer 1

It's 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 Level 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://www.spaink.net/cos/essays/atack_ot3.html
http://sf.irk.ru/www/ot3/spaink-ot3.html
http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~dst/OTIII/
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://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

I'm in California and surrounded by them all the time.
It's just a bunch of self-help courses. It makes them all seem happy, open, and focused. Not at all like the sheep most people are. Such as the ones I see posting "I read" responses to every scientology question.

Most of the wierd stuff you read about the religion is crap. Read Xenu.net and get the real information but read past the heavy spoonfuls of hate. It's no more expensive than any other courses. Most people take a few courses then leave. Heehee not very good at being a cult. The alien stuff is supposed to be "secrets known only by top members" so it's like asking a christian about pope stuff. Most scientologists don't know any of that, and don't care.

I like Church of the SubGenius better. The one for lackers, slackers, and procrastinators. Totally the opposite of scientology.

Answer 3

If you really want to know, then read a book, or take a course. Otherwise, forget about it. The best books to start with are "Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health", and Scientology: The Fundamentals of Thought". The intro courses I recommend are: the Communication Course and the Personal Efficency Courses (I and II). These intro courses are NOT expensive, and you will have first hand knowledge of the subject, instead of all this internet garbage.

Answer 4

Im one of those ex-scientologists.
One of the majority who take a couple of courses then quit. I took the Personal Communications course and the Better Studying course. Both were excellent and I use them everyday.

I didnt see or hear any of the "alien" stuff. They all seemed quite open and happy and very focused. It seems as though many people who have never had any contact with them are determined to post the same stuff over and over whenever scientology gets mentioned.

Answer 5

Scientology teaches that mankind is an immortal being (called a Thetan) not originally from this planet that is trapped by matter, energy, space, and time (MEST). Salvation for a Scientologist comes through a process called 'auditing,' whereby 'engrams' (basically, memories of past pain and unconsciousness that create energy blockage) are removed. Auditing is a very lengthy process and can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. When all engrams are finally removed, the Thetan can once again control MEST instead of being controlled by it. Until salvation, each Thetan is constantly reincarnated.

Answer 6

here's a great site to check out that will give you the real deal on scientology: http://www.xenu.net/

this site has personal accounts of people who were involved in scientology and got out, it also includes debates with scientologists, and it is easy to find your way around the site. seriously, it's the best site i've found to look into scientology.
it is a cult, it's well disguised, but still a cult.

Answer 7

In less time than it took you to post that question, you could have just scrolled up and used Yahoo.com to search the web for "Scientology". Or, just search the archives here, because this question probably gets asked every day.

Answer 8

It is a scheme of getting money from gullible people and not having to pay taxes on that money. It was dreamed up by a hack SF writer for just that purpose.

Look up scientology in Wikipedia.

Answer 9

It's not nearly as strange as some people *cough* wish people to believe.

Ignore the BS you hear about them believing in aliens in volcanos... they don't. Plain and simple. The religion's purpose is self-development.

Answer 10

wikipedia has a decent description, but it's a secretive cult that gives members information after they've achieved a certain level of "thetons" in their bodies and they pay a bunch of money.

Answer 11

For starters, it's a cult out to get money and pass off as a religion to avoid taxes.