Is Scientology Bogus?

1. 71

   tritrainposted 14 years ago

   It seems like just a money making venture by L. Ron Hubbard.
   
   What are your thoughts on it?

   replyreport
   1. 0

      sandra rinckposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Just like other religions but much more entertaining.

      replyreport
      1. 59

         hanging outposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         yes religions.. but thank God for the spirit of jesus!!

         replyreport
      2. 51

         ibneahmadposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         Does it relate to Science? Is it based on Word of Revelation? If the answer is no; then it is neither science nor religion.

         replyreport
   2. 59

      hanging outposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Scientology
      
      -God can be whoever you want him to be (amg enc. p610)
      -Of necessity any definition of god must be subjective, and we make no attempt to define god as a reality for all people. It would only7 be possible, theoretically, to be totally aware of god in all manifestations, when one was spiritually advanced (the background adn ceremonies of the Church of Scientology, p.22)
      -Each person attains his own certainty as to who god is and exactly what god means to him. The author of the universe exixts. How this is symbolized is dictated by your early training and conscience (Scientology catechism)
      -The Individual Scientologist is free to interpret god in whatever manner he or she wishes. (Hubbard, What is Scientology? p 200)
      -His precise naure is not delineated, since the Church hold that each person must seek and now the Divine Nature in and for himself. (Scientology p. 17)
      -There exists a life energy or force (Theta) beyond and within all.
      god is therfore the 8th dynamic, which is also known as Infinity (faqs at Scientology.org)
      
      Jesus Christ
      -A great teacher, though rarely mentioned in Scientology.
      The historic esus was not nearly the sainted figure [he] has been made out to be. (Hubbard, Student Briefing, OT Vlll, ser. 1)
      -You will find... the Christ legend a million years ago. (Hubbard, History of man p. 38)
      
      Holy Spirit
      
      -The Holy Spirit si rarely mentioned, though it could be one of the many gods within Scientology
      -Followers are urged to follow their inner spirit rather thn the acknowledgment of Gods holy spirit.
      
      Definitely UNbiblical. Completely a false religion. There is no father, son or relationship. There is no 'feeling' of family. No anything.
      Indeed if this were the only church in town i would move to another town.

      replyreport
   3. 58

      Beelzedadposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      It was, he had no idea others would take it seriously and make a cult out of it. 

      replyreport
   4. 60

      janis8posted 14 years agoin reply to this

      How can it be bogus when it does so much to help the planet?  Scientology and Scientologists assist at every major disaster across the globe. They were at ground zero in NYC, at the tsunami, at Haiti, at Katrina, on and on.  And everyone reports that their assistance was extremely beneficial. Dr. Nancy Snyderman reported on the news that she hadn't heard of them before but observed their abilities in giving aid to the wounded while she was in Haiti offering her assistance as an M.D.

      replyreport
      1. 59

         SomewayOuttaHereposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         are u a scientologist?

         replyreport
      2. 60

         Pierre Savoieposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         The Scientologists are so crazy they go around trolling for disasters and give "touch-assists" to firemen.  You know how you can "poke" someone on FaceBook?  That's how real and effective this stuff is...

         replyreport
   5. 60

      janis8posted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Surely the ills of the world are compounded by people trying to make others wrong. If there are any lessons to be learned from any religious teaching, it is that we survive best when we survive collectively. We cannot sustain well-being with an attitude of "you're wrong/I'm right", or by distancing ourselves from those who seem different.

      replyreport
   6. 75

      Castlepalomaposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Don't trust a religion base on a Science fiction writer.

      replyreport
   7. 83

      pennyofheavenposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      It would only matter to the followers whether it is or it is not.

      replyreport
      1. 75

         Castlepalomaposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         Actually I do not trust any Religion that limits my thinking, is against or discriminate groups and isolated my freedom.
         
         Kind of limits all religion too

         replyreport
2. 59

   SomewayOuttaHereposted 14 years ago

   ...oh yea...it is definitely a money making venture....rescued (or intervened) a young guy from the deception years ago....long story, but within an extremely short period of time (a few hours) he was handing over money to them...money he didn't have...his money for his education.  He was living with me while he was in school...i only got involved in helping him because he gave them my phone no. and address....so of course I couldn't help but get involved...and got involved I did...

   replyreport
   1. 61

      libby101aposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      That's sad!!!!

      replyreport
      1. 59

         SomewayOuttaHereposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         ...i don't know a lot about it...and am not really interested in knowing....but it had the feel of a cult for me...not a religion but a cult...just speaking from my experience with helping this guy...and then the quick work i had to do to help him get them out of his life....otherwise he would have given them money he didn't have and who knows...he  might have 'kissed his education money goodbye'....it took a few weeks to get rid of them....luckily!
         
         I'm sure there are other experiences that may be good or bad...mine wasn't good unfortunately.

         replyreport
3. 64

   Timstownposted 14 years ago

   Yes, and it almost makes me want to try and start a religion.. just for kicks.   I'd just need to study a little psychology and delve specifically into human manipulation techniques.

   replyreport
   1. 64

      Timstownposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      If you do some searching on Youtube, there's a video where someone decided to join the Church of Scientology undercover to gain an understanding of how it worked.   It was some pretty scary stuff... manipulation techniques at their best.

      replyreport
      1. 59

         SomewayOuttaHereposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         ..interesting....glad i'm not the only one with those opinions in relation to manipulation techniques!...and how 'scary' it can look...

         replyreport
         1. 64

            Timstownposted 14 years agoin reply to this

            Oh, definitely not.   It's very scary stuff, and I think anyone that watched the video would agree.   Let me see if I can find it...
            
            http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rD9bCdHqU3s
            It's a little long... 25 minutes... I don't necessarily expect anyone to actually watch it.  But if you want to see what I'm talking about, there it is.

            replyreport
4. 72

   raisingmeposted 14 years ago

   It is pretty much bogus, pretty much a cult and pretty much worth staying well away from!  What 'help' it does offer is negated tenfold by the practice and demands of an organization operating under the cloak of a 'religion'.  If you are not free to come and go from something without fear of harassment, abuse or prosecution and persecution then you've pretty much landed yourself in a not so good place!

   replyreport
5. 71

   Kangaroo_Jaseposted 14 years ago

   The long answer is yes.

   replyreport
6. 72

   raisingmeposted 14 years ago

   P.S.  Equally bogus are the many offshoots of Scientology - same thing dressed in a different suit.  Hint - charge an arm and one leg and make demands one might expect of Rumpelstiltskin.

   replyreport
7. 64

   Beaksposted 14 years ago

   It meets the criteria of being a cult- it forces you to separate form anyone not in the cult, forces you to get rid of any past outside of the cult, it isolates you, it takes your money, etc. I guess in the very loosest sense it could be considered a religion since there is a belief system that goes along with it. However, I don't believe that most Scientologists believe in it for long.
   
   It gets weirder and more ridiculous the further into it you go, but if you try to get out you are blackmailed with all of the secrets you confessed during your early auditing sessions. You are also sued and harassed by the group and cut off from any family and friends who are still in the cult. It's a scary organization, but perhaps not as scary as they intend it to be. As long as you stay away from it, there is little they can do to you. It's when you first go for auditing sessions that you can fall into trouble.

   replyreport
8. 83

   CMHypnoposted 14 years ago

   Any religion that has a 'celebrity centre' has to be suspect!

   replyreport
9. 59

   Paul Wingertposted 14 years ago

   ALL religions are bogus!

   replyreport
10. 52

    wordspiritposted 13 years ago

    It's an amazing spiritual philosophy that helps an enormous number of people when applied properly.  A small sampling of Mr. Hubbard's articles in a book called a New Slant on Life should adequately put to rest anyone's uncertainty on whether or not this philosophy is wise and beneficial.
    Finding out for oneself is the surest way to know anything, which is a basic tenet of the philosophy.  So if you put it to that test - which is only fair - you can decide for yourself.  Detractors and haters - a very, very small percentage - fuel the controversy, but the religion keeps growing like wildfire, because its people do an incredible amount of good, even when they've learned just a fraction of the philosophy.  And heartfelt, good deeds win a lot of friends.  The small group of detractors is quite vocal, but I hope we're all intelligent enough to go to the source, the writer himself.  In my opinion, Mr. Hubbard compares with all great religious leaders of the past in terms of wisdom and compassion, but he also found a method - auditing - to improve awareness and ability rather quickly.  It works very well on the majority of people, and certainly on anyone who actually wants to improve and isn't burdened by negative people.

    replyreport
    1. 58

       Beelzedadposted 13 years agoin reply to this

       And, how much does it cost to do those tests? 

       replyreport
       1. 52

          wordspiritposted 13 years agoin reply to this

          Well... the cost of a book, really, and then putting some of the ideas into practice.  By doing that, most people find that the ideas work incredibly well.  Of course, you can always pay more and buy some courses or some auditing, but most of that is pretty inexpensive.  I personally think it's worth its weight in gold to actually truly better yourself, and be able to really effectively help the people you care about.

          replyreport
          1. 58

             Beelzedadposted 13 years agoin reply to this

             My understanding is that the "auditing" and "processing" courses can each run from around $500 - $1200 each bringing the grand total up to near $5000 or more. For example, $750 just to go from O-IV grade, $500 for the next one, $1,200 for Grade V ("Power Processes"), $775 for Grade VI, $600 for "Solo" (in which you audit yourself) and finally $800 for the final "clear".
             
             Seems like a lot of cash to put out. Funny how this is one of the few or only "churches" with a cashiers booth.
             
             
             
             Well, that would be cause for a discussion unto itself as it seems "gold" is what they're actually after.

             replyreport
    2. 60

       Pierre Savoieposted 13 years agoin reply to this

       Too many shills for Scientology here.  Hubbard's crap is NOT of any effect.  The only parts of it that might be effective are copied from other mundane self-help stuff that already existed, and that comes MUCH more cheaply.  Hubbard was so severely deluded he was caught on tape saying he astral-travelled to the planet Venus where (get this!) he was nearly run over by a freight-train.  Carrying those juicy Venus melons, no doubt...

       replyreport
11. 76

    DoubleScorpionposted 13 years ago

    I must say that most "religions" are interested in money. If you follow the Bible you are to give 10% of all you own...not to mention the price of silver it cost each person to even be recognized by the God of the Bible "Leviticus 27". And have you ever looks at what it cost to get a degree in a religious field (Christian) St. Leo University, for example, charges $382 per credit hour for a degree in thier Masters program and $465 per Credit hour for Undergraduate studies. And you can argue all you want about getting a recognized degree is helpful.. but to be honest it all depends on the "boss" who is doing the hiring. And the funny thing about religious degrees...depending on where you get your "christian" degree greatly influences or disqualifies your chances at getting the minister position you are applying for. But yet the Claim is that all Christians are the same...they all believe in the same "god" or "trinity (gods)". Organized Religion = Money and manipulation. Faith in a set of core beliefs costs you nothing.

    replyreport
12. 49

    paarsurreyposted 13 years ago

    Is Scientology Bogus?
    
    I think Scientology is man-made and not truthful as it has neither any basis in the Work of the Creator-God, which could be Science, nor in the Word of the Creator-God which is Quran in the pristine form it was revealed while other revealed books got changed with the passage of time.

    replyreport
    1. 60

       Pierre Savoieposted 13 years agoin reply to this

       Wellll, since Muhammad was said with no sense of shame to have married a little girl A'isha when she was six, and "consummated" the marriage when she was NINE, he and his religion are hardly a role-model.  (Bukhari hadith, Vol. 5, verses 234-236).

       replyreport
13. 73

    earnestshubposted 13 years ago

    In short, yes it is well bogus!
    Scientology is a mixture of sci fi babble and recycled low grade pop psychology from the sixties.
    
    Hubbard who was a second rate sci fi writer has been dead for many years. He left behind a huge money making machine supported by such intellectual giants as Travolta.

    replyreport
    1. 49

       paarsurreyposted 13 years agoin reply to this

       replyreport
14. 77

    Garrett Mickleyposted 13 years ago

    "You don't get rich writing science fiction. If you want to get rich, you start a religion." - L. Ron Hubbard at an Eastern Science Fiction Association meeting on November 11, 1948

    replyreport
15. 0

    Sherlock221bposted 13 years ago

    Of course it is bogus, but then so is all religion.  It is a way of having control over people and of making a great amount of money.  Scientology seeks converts amongst the richest in society.  A religion based upon a science-fiction book though is as valid as any other.

    replyreport