Why is Scientology so controversial?

Question

I hear about it in the news a lot. I know certain high-profile members say and do completely ridiculous things. So what's the deal here?

Answer 1

I think that, in reality, all faiths are highly controversial.

That said, some are simply publicized more than others. A friend of mine; he's a scientologist, once said, "My faith is no different than anyone else's it's faith, no matter what. What I believe and what you believe may be completely different, but why should what I believe be respected any less than what someone else believes?"

I simply think that the majority vote; Christianity, tends to point out and expand the controversy of cultures or faiths that have less publicized ideas. In doing so, they make it seem that one idea is more controversial than another, when in fact the controversy lies in religion as a whole.

Answer 2

Scientology is a religion? mmmh... maybe. Usually a religion is some where people have to believe in something. In Scientology you have not to believe, you have only to use the philosophy and, if you feel that it is right, you can go on to use other more. Really talking about soul (thetan) and God (8 dynamic) it seem a religion. But the talking about is again without the basic of to believe... You can know... You can see... an if you feel good about and you see that is real for you all is ok. So it is controversial it is not yet sure that is a religion, or it is formally a religion to not pay the taxes. Or maybe it is controversial because a lot of people have personal gains and other people dont understand in what way this can be possible. Or again controversial because a lot of scientologist are now Indipendent and are against the church... Against church because of hight prices or wrong philosophy application... Sure that Scientologist is so controversial!

Answer 3

There is no deal here.
There is no contraversy except the one deliberately created by the media via certain vested interests. You proove the point by stating that that is your only source of "info" on the subject.

Here's a factual description of Scientology from a reliable source.... a 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.

Where exactly is the contraversy in this???

Answer 4

Also, Scientology was originally a "self-help" program. The religion and mythology part was invented after the IRS came by collecting taxes.

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"why should what I believe be respected any less than what someone else believes..." Maybe because I don't believe humans came from a bunch of space aliens that were thrown into a volcano a few millions years ago.... LOL.

Answer 5

It was based on "Dianetics," which was the notes for a SCIENCE FICTION NOVEL. Some people are too weak-minded to understand fact from fiction, and believed L. Ron Hubbard's scribbles as true. He made a joke about religion being a big moneymaker. He died without publishing his novel, so some retard did it and thought it was real.

Scientology is a cult for stupid people, by stupid people.

Answer 6

Add to Thomas J's answer, before L. Ron Hubbard developed Scientology, he went around telling people that the best way to make a lot of money was to invent a religion.

It's all downhill from there.

Answer 7

In the news a lot? The only news Ive seen lately is their disaster crews helping out, or their other projects (literacy, narconon, criminon) getting rave reviews.

What else did you see? Tom jumping on the couch declaring his excessive love for his wife?

Im an ex-scientologist. I hung out at the centers for a couple of years, took the cheaper courses, then left. Its all good stuff. I still use it all the time. But as far as the stuff I see posted here all the time I never saw or heard any of that crap.

Answer 8

Here's the controversy... and feel free to ask any Scientologist to contradict these FACTS. There are multitudes of people who have suffered tragic experiences during their involvement with Scientology. Read about them here:
http://www.lermanet.com/persecution/
http://www.whyaretheydead.net/krasel/
http://xenu.net/archive/personal_story/cheryl_s

Here are more "bad experiences" with the cult including an illegal plot to infiltrate the government, brainwashing techniques, mind control camps, attacks on critics, and DEATHS caused by Scientology doctrine and members:

● Operation Snow White – Under this official program, Scientology operatives committed infiltration, wiretapping, & theft of documents in government offices. This program constituted the single largest infiltration of the United States government in history. Among the 11 prominent Scientologists convicted of this conspiracy was Mary Sue Hubbard, the wife of Scientology’s “prophet”.
http://lisatrust.freewinds.cx/scientology/snow-white/index.html
http://en.allexperts.com/e/o/op/operation_snow_white.htm
http://www.lermanet.com/reference/77Granjurypart1.htm

● Operation Freakout - Their campaign of sabotage & violence against Paulette Cooper, the writer who published her research & findings on several cults, including Scientology. Scientology’s official plan: to frame Paulette, ruin her career & reputation & get her either incarcerated or locked up in psychiatric confinement.
The official plan: http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~dst/Krasel/cooper/frk1.html
Her book: http://holysmoke.org/cos/books/scandal-of-scientology-cooper.pdf
More info: http://www.holysmoke.org/pc/pc.htm

● Fair Game - the Scientology policy detailing how the organization may confront & handle critics & perceived enemies. Here is a direct quote: "Enemies may be deprived of property or injured by any means by any Scientologist without any discipline of the Scientologist. May be tricked, sued or lied to or destroyed.”
http://www.xenu.net/archive/disk/fairgame.htm
http://www.planetkc.com/sloth/sci/Fair_game_ord.html
http://www.fairgamed.org/

● Physical & psychological punishment: Scientologists who "break the rules" while members of the "Sea Org" must subject themselves to the Rehabilitation Project Force (RPF), which includes regimes of harsh physical punishment, forced self-confessions, social isolation, hard labor and intensive ideological indoctrination.
http://www.xenu-directory.net/practices/rpf.html
http://www.lermanet2.com/scientology/gulags/BrainwashinginScientology'sRehabilitationProjectForce.htm
http://www.xs4all.nl/~kspaink/cos/rpf/escape_2.htm

● Brainwashing & mind control: Scientology exerts control over its members by means of typical cult tactics, including but not limited to controlling information about internal doctrine & criticism of the organization, severely restricting social contact outside the cult (including the practice of “disconnecting” with any family who question the credibility & trustworthiness of the cult), creating an “us against them” mentality by villainizing a specific out-group (for Scientology, it’s psychiatrists), & claiming all those outside the cult are unenlightened.
http://www.sptimes.com/2006/06/24/Tampabay/The_unperson.shtml
http://www.factnet.org/Books/SocialControl/scs.html#toc http://www.freedomofmind.com/resourcecenter/groups/s/scientology/pignotti/
http://xenu.net/archive/personal_story/funkydonny.html

● Violent Kidnapping - Lisa McPherson was a Scientologist, was involved in a car accident & resultantly became mentally unstable. She was kidnapped from the hospital by agents of Scientology, held against her will, refused proper psychiatric treatment & allowed to STARVE TO DEATH.
Video: http://theunfunnytruth.ytmnd.com/
News Coverage: http://www.factnet.org/Scientology/Lisa_McPherson_Scientology_Deaths.html
Websites: http://www.lisamcpherson.org/
http://www.whyaretheydead.net/room174.html

● Tragic Murder - A CBS “48 Hours” special on Jeremy Perkins, the mentally disturbed son of Scientologist parents who, because of the Scientology doctrine of opposing psychiatry, refused to put him on the anti-psychotic drugs that would have stabilized him & prevented him from killing his own mother.
Video: http://www.scientomogy.com/jeremy_perkins.php
CBS article: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/10/25/48hours/main2124568.shtml
Website: http://perkinstragedy.org

Answer 9

Why is religion so controversial?

Answer 10

Simple; it is a cult; nothing more nothing less.