Why is scientology strongly against psychology? Is scientology a cult? For example, if I got into it, and?

Question

...my family did not, would I be encouraged to disassociate with them?

Lastly, I am a psych major. If I were to go the Scientology route, I'd have to pick a new profession, right?

I'm reading some great replies and also noticing a lot of contrast and contradiction between posts. Would people also add, please, if they have their knowledge from personal experience, or from what they've heard from others, from the web, etc.? Thanks so much!

Answer 1

Here's a general overview that I think will answer all your questions (and yes, I wrote this, I didn't lift it from a blog or from Wikipedia):

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://xenu.net/archive/leaflet/Xenu-Letter.pdf
http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~dst/OTIII/

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.freedomofmind.com/resourcecenter/groups/s/scientology/pignotti/
http://www.sptimes.com/2006/06/24/Tampabay/The_unperson.shtml
http://www.xenu.net/archive/personal_story/funkydonny.html

Answer 2

The founder of Scientology was dabbling with a "science of the mind" back in a day when you had to be licensed to practice such. So he made it a religion. (Yeah, right!)

Since then, he's been in a war with psychology and psychiatry. It's a good "face" to put on with your members, get them to see only the ogres "out there", so the members won't discover that your own "science of the mind" is faulty and doesn't work. The continuance of the fight against psychology/psychiatry benefits the Church of Scientology.

Yes, you would have to pick a new profession. You would also be put through the grist mill at every step of the way, while they are re-evaluating you (for the umpteenth time) to ensure that you are serious, and dedicated to Scientology, and have no more bits and pieces of ties or loyalties to your old subject of study.

And yes, you would be encouraged and pressured to get your familiy in. If they are nonchalant about it all, then you might be "allowed" to continue associations with them. But if they ever balk at it, or express to you their displeasure with you being "in", then you will be ORDERED to disassociate with them. If you do not, you will be kicked out of Scientology.

Answer 3

Yes it's a cult. All the replies of why the cult is so against psychiatry are absolutely correct. But where the whole thing actually stemmed from is when l.r. hubbard wrote Dientecs, he first tried to get the medical field to support his theories and they in so many words thought it was rediculous especially the psychs, so this is his way of getting back. Also it has be proven through war records that he requested the assistance of psychological help a few times while he was in the navy.

I got the Dianetics info from several of founder l. ron hubbard's biographies such as "Messiah or Madman" by Bent Corydon. The war info was found in his actual war records which is available on line.

Answer 4

Im an ex-scientologist.
They arent against all of psychology. They are against "treatments" that arent "cures". Thats mostly in the psychiatry field. Things designed to convert someone into a person that can pass for normal without trying to get at the reason for the problem. Starting in the 1950's they pushed strongly against lobotomies to make people sheep, electro-shock in the hopes that something might change, drugs such as downers for awhile until the person forgets why they had a problem, hypnosis to make a person forget that they have a problem. Not all of psychiatry, and much of psychology, isnt a problem at all.

As for the disassociate thing, thats not quite right either. They push self-reliance and self-direction. The word disassociate doesnt come up unless someone tries to stop you in something you really want.

And a new profession? Not really. About the only absolutes they have tend to be mostly legal ones. You cant commit a crime, or take illegal drugs, etc. They frown on mood changing legal drugs and alcohol and things like that but they dont say "you must or else" about things like that.

Answer 5

They are not against psychology. Psychology is the scientific study of the psyche, of the mind. That is what the "ology" part means, coming from the same root word as "logic." Being against psychology would be like being against geology or archeology or history. That doesn't make sense. Which is not to say that scientology makes sense either.

Semantically, scientology should be the scientific study of science, which is something of a conundrum of a definition. Why they chose to call their church this is both mysterious and none of my business.

Scientologists are against PSYCHIATRY which is the medical treatment of mental health. Anyone could argue the merits of treating chemical imbalances in the brain with more chemicals (drugs) and make a pretty good point either for or against, but I merely wanted to help you correct the premise of your question.

Answer 6

Scientology is opposed to psychology and psychiatry because of its many human rights abuses many doc's over the years have inflicted onto their patients. And they have largely went unknown throughout the years.

Plus, many professionals in this field are some of Scientology's greatest opponents.

Scientology isnt a cult. Its a fact that has been supported by many scholars and religious leaders throughout the world. The group is very open about its practices and its activities.
And their texts like the famed Dianetics the modern science of mental health, are published in over 50 languages and has sold 20 millions copies worldwide.

The family unit is a big deal in Scientology. If one had an issue with a family member because of their involvement with the church, there are chaplain services available to assit the individual resolve any and all issues. It can be handled.

Not to mention, a simple tour of any church, which are available daily, can take care of any mysteries one might have.

Although Scientology is against many of the pratices of Psychology, as in, specifically, the use of anti-depressants, there are many people in the church who have studied Psychology. These doctors tend to use different treatment methods in their pratices (but not necessarly the use of Scientology).

I hope that covers any and all of your questions. If you want more info, pick up Dianetics at any church or mission of Scientology or wherever books are sold.

Or pick up a book called "What is Scientology". It has thousands of pictures and references on anything you'd like to known about the church, Dianetics as well as info on the life of L. Ron Hubbard, the founder of the church.

Answer 7

Scientology is against psychology and psychiatry because those fields tend to help people who would otherwise be inclined to become Scientologists. Yes, Scientology is a cult, one which encourages its members to give their money to the cult and to not associate with people, even family members, who are not in the cult. And, of course, you can't be a psychologist and a Scientologist. Why would you want to get involved with them? What's the attraction?

Answer 8

Lots of religions, Scientology included, don't like us thinking too much. Some of them say the most outrageous crap, like if you use your brain too much, "the devil is trying to confuse you". God, I've heard that one a million times.

They can control you a lot more easily if you're a sheep. Knowledge is power, and BOY do they know it. So they discourage it as much as they can.

Answer 9

Because the sci-fi author who came up with the idea of Scientology hated psychologists. When you base a belief system on someone who hates a certain profession, obviously that belief system is going to be anti-said-profession.

)O(

Answer 10

You've studied Jung then? That's basically what scientology is... the dianectics crap is jungian analysis camouflaged as a cosmic exprience... I guess they don't want people to be in contact with people why might point that out to them.

Answer 11

I'm a psych major and we giggle at them all the time- it also costs to join the religion