Scientology

rischott · Post by **rischott** » Thu 13 Apr 2006 18:47

I just read a lot about this 'mysterious' religion or cult. What is everyone's take? Does anyone know what kind of diet they promote?
From what i understand, they are against the use of drugs/chemicals. Some interesting points on Mind and Body.......until they start talking about volcanoes and hydrogen bombs and galactic space teams, they just threw me off.

Cairidh · Post by **Cairidh** » Thu 13 Apr 2006 19:05

I don't know anything about it.

and I used to think it was a very scary dangerous cult
but now I know John Travolta is "one" I don't think of it like that
"Oh Scientology, baby, someday
When High School is done
Somehow someway
Our two worlds will be one
In heaven forever
And ever we will be
Oh please say you'll stay
Oh Scientology"

Post by **Oscar** » Thu 13 Apr 2006 19:07

Not much...founded by L. Ron Hubbard, who wrote Battlefield Earth (Sci-fi series), which got made into a(n even worse?) movie. For a while they were actively recruiting members on the streets here. Members got to do all kinds of written tests, and then got to do all kinds of courses. I believe Tom Cruise (the actor) is/was a member of them.

dadasarah · Post by **dadasarah** » Thu 13 Apr 2006 19:34

Scientology's pretty big out here, but it's always scared me. I've done some research, and the basic theories seem helpful to some degree, but the organization seems to demand a decent bit of money. And they have lots of secrets. I don't like secretive religions. Nobody who's trying to help people should have anything to hide. Or have any reason to disuade members from being around people who disagree with them. I've also heard firsthand that the personality test they give is a sham and is simply to make you think you need Scientology.

I found this online:

In the late 1940s, pulp writer L. Ron Hubbard declared:

"Writing for a penny a word is ridiculous. If a man really wants to make a million dollars, the best way would be to start his own religion"

Reader's Digest reprint, May 1980, p.1

Hubbard later created the Church of Scientology...

YouTube · Post by **RRM** » Thu 13 Apr 2006 19:37

In the late 1940s, pulp writer L. Ron Hubbard declared:

"Writing for a penny a word is ridiculous. If a man really wants to make a million dollars, the best way would be to start his own religion"

Reader's Digest reprint, May 1980, p.1

Hubbard later created the Church of Scientology...

Wow, didnt know that...
Very interesting!

huntress · Post by **huntress** » Sun 16 Apr 2006 23:47

I just watched an episode on Southpark about it. Made me laughed till I cried.

Who would have thought about aliens? The whole ideology of the Church of Scientology sounds like another conspiracy theory.
Any ideas?

Corinne · Post by **Corinne** » Mon 17 Apr 2006 10:10

interesting...

CurlyGirl · Post by **CurlyGirl** » Mon 17 Apr 2006 18:57

See this: http://www.scientology-lies.com/faq/soc ... erous.html
(Dangers of Scientology)

To me, all organised religion is an act of ventriloquism - i.e. it evolved in human history as a means of bestowing 'divine' power on a king who would otherwise have been rejected by strong-willed masses unless there was a reason to fear a horrible afterlife, far worse than any earthly punishment. So, the king becomes a kind of puppet of the gods - the gods ventriloquise 'their' message to humankind through this monarchic arbiter. It's like modern gatekeeper regimes in the poor world - the powerful rich countries use these corrupt 'Compradors' (i.e. president of Kenya, or Uganda, or Chad, or whatever) as the messenger of rich-world strategies to the poor masses. That is how harmful structural adjustment programmes get implemented in Africa and elsewhere, which only serve to enrich the Western countries even more. But I am getting off track - the point is, in my view, that organised religion is a way of pacifying large human populations by teaching them a code of morality, which they should follow on pain of eternal suffering and unspeakable torment to come after death. There is, therefore, a need to inspire fear in the masses by building up an iconic image of the divine King (who supposedly did not ask for his divine privilege, after all he is just a 'messenger' of the gods). [Note that I am talking more about pre-industrial monarchies than today's withered versions.] In my view, L. Ron Hubbard is a similar kind of Gatekeeper. He has created a popular religion to cater for the needs of the masses seeking some kind of spiritual enlightenment (especially in the morally-depraved atmosphere of U.S. and global politics), who like to have 'celebrities' to follow, since they have no other hope of salvation. Perhaps that is also why the culture of Celebrity is so closely related to the Church of Scientology...

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/13042006/46/ph ... april.html (photo of Scientology Celebrity Centre in Hollywood, CA)

huntress · Post by **huntress** » Mon 17 Apr 2006 20:48

That is an interesting insight CG. So it seems like L Ron Hubbard is establishing this religion in a modern way i.e through the likes of popular icons and using them to spread the words.

So all this while having Scientology inspired actors like Tom Cruise and John Travolta to act in movies that are in line with the idea of Scientology (War of the Worlds, Battlefield Earth), they are indirectly spreading the words of Scientology to the people.

However, I agree with the idea of opposing the threatment in psychiatry through drugs and electro shock. L Ron Hubbard deems it as 'denying human spirituality' but to me, it is simply disrupting the natural balance in the body, just like any other drugs would do.

Does anyone personally know anyone who is taking anti-psychotic drugs? I would like to know to what extend it is useful in curing psychological abnormalities. And if the results mostly yield poor results, then why are they still prescribing it? Yet another corruption from the pharmaceutical industry? Doctors, are you psychologically disabled too?

CurlyGirl · Post by **CurlyGirl** » Mon 17 Apr 2006 22:13

huntress wrote:So it seems like L Ron Hubbard is establishing this religion in a modern way i.e through the likes of popular icons and using them to spread the words.
So all this while having Scientology inspired actors like Tom Cruise and John Travolta to act in movies that are in line with the idea of Scientology (War of the Worlds, Battlefield Earth), they are indirectly spreading the words of Scientology to the people.

Precisely.

Though I must confess, I too tend to agree with Hubbard's opposition to drugs and electro-shock treatment. Not only dehumanising, but dangerous to the body indeed.

Don't know anyone on anti-psychotics, so can't give you any testimonials. But my personal opinion is that drugs are dispensed so frequently by psychiatrists because they have pharmaceutical quotas to fill. That way, they can go on their luxurious psychiatric conferences every year in Palm Springs or wherever, and can drive Mercedes-Benz cars indirectly funded by the makers of Prozac. Yes, many of them (in my experience) are greedy and sometimes, they are even crazier than their patients (but in a different way). Fortunately, I have also had experience with a wonderful therapist who restored my faith in humankind... but not in the entire profession of psychiatry. (Now don't call me a cynic, my fellow Waiians... you know CG always shoots straight from the hip. Isn't that why you like me?)

Post by **Oscar** » Tue 18 Apr 2006 01:24

Cynic!

Well, I agree.

YouTube · Post by **RRM** » Tue 18 Apr 2006 12:48

huntress wrote: Does anyone personally know anyone who is taking anti-psychotic drugs?

Yes, a few.
It numbs people, oppresses their personality, eliminates creativity and makes them listen to 'authority', which are seen as the desired effects by those who treat these people.
Physically, it also makes people gain weight and retain water.
The only reason why there is experimentation with different drugs is because many people get very agitated by specific drugs, or experience severe adverse/'allergic' reactions (hairloss, extreme weightgain, skin rashes, convulsions, tremor)

I would like to know to what extend it is useful in curing psychological abnormalities.

They dont cure. They just dominate your neurotransmitter metabolism, in different ways.

why are they still prescribing it?

1) because they dont see any alternatives
2) they need to adhere to the accepted doctrines
3) they get paid to do so
4) they dont want to know that what they have learned is useless
5) they like they to think they have authority and status
6)...
7)...

Doctors, are you psychologically disabled too?

Maybe 'just' without consciousness. They dont want to care, they just want that role of being a Dr.; status, money, security, and are therefore very willing to believe what they are told.

Post by **Oscar** » Tue 18 Apr 2006 12:57

To cut them a little bit of slack, we are generally educated in such a way, that we are not supposed to question the education/information we're getting.
Don't question, this is the (only) right way, and you're helping people!
Being in such a state of mind makes it very difficult to snap out of it, and start questioning the very truths that your life is built upon.

CurlyGirl · Post by **CurlyGirl** » Tue 18 Apr 2006 15:07

RRM wrote:It numbs people, oppresses their personality, eliminates creativity and makes them listen to 'authority', which are seen as the desired effects by those who treat these people

Indeed, society at large seems to consider these to be desirable characteristics in people... not just some psychiatrists. Certainly the mass media are fully engaged in numbing us to the world and to ourselves (i.e. our own emotions and inner creativity). It has become 'unfashionable' to have a cause, to be political, to be avant-garde, to be compassionate and selfless towards others...

Oscar...

I like the pic! Isn't that Lucky Luke?

Oscar wrote:To cut them a little bit of slack, we are generally educated in such a way, that we are not supposed to question the education/information we're getting.

Yes... in fact it's not just the media (as I described above), but the whole education system. This is perhaps why many concerned parents today are homeschooling their children. Something bad happens to many children's creativity and emotional balance between the ages of 5 and 18 ('coincidentally' also the precise years during which a child is at school). Hmmm.... anyone want to start a Wai-oriented school for children with me?

YouTube · Post by **RRM** » Tue 18 Apr 2006 16:34

CurlyGirl wrote:Isn't that Lucky Luke?

yeah... He shoots faster than his shaddow!

it's not just the media (as I described above), but the whole education system.

True. And education is also based an learning what you are told, instead of questioning what you are told.
How would your school teach questioning what you are told?