Caravelle From Norway, joined Aug 2000, 666 posts, RR: 1 Reply 1, posted (8 years 7 months 2 weeks 4 days 20 hours ago) and read 886 times:
If you're willing to spend loads of money, I suggest bingo or horse racing as the better alternative to attaining wisdom and new levels of spirituality. Or you may twiddle your thumbs. Much cheaper.
QANTASFOREVER From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 3, posted (8 years 7 months 2 weeks 4 days 20 hours ago) and read 881 times:
Caravelle, I understand there is a Scientology cruise ship and everything - I'm aware of the more bizarre aspects of this "religion" but I'm yet to fully understand what it is.
I have no intention to sign up, I just was inquiring about info.
Ybacpa From United States of America, joined Feb 2001, 1108 posts, RR: 1 Reply 4, posted (8 years 7 months 2 weeks 4 days 19 hours ago) and read 877 times:
Mr Spaceman From Canada, joined Mar 2001, 2780 posts, RR: 15 Reply 5, posted (8 years 7 months 2 weeks 4 days 19 hours ago) and read 870 times:
Hello QANTASFOREVER.
One of my Aunts was thinking of becoming a member of the Church of Scientology back in the mid 70's. She was always getting letters in the mail from them. She explained to me one day that the Church of Scientology teaches people how to reach many different levels of a state of mind (if you want to call it that), and that there was a level where a person was considered "CLEAR".
My Aunt told me she learned from the letters that if you were at the "CLEAR" level, you could walk infront of a moving car ....... and it wouldn't hit you! Go figure?
A few famous actors are members of this Church ....... such as John Travolta and Tom Cruise. I saw Tom Cruise on a TV talk show a year ago, and he mentioned that the most important thing Scientology had taught him was how to really enjoy meeting people who were complete strangers. That sounds cool to me.
My parents own a small home down in the USA near Clearwater, Florida, and about a fifteen minute drive from their place through the neighbourhood streets is a large Church (of Scientology - which doesn't even look like a Church), that John Travolta had built....... according to my Dad.
Luv2fly From United States of America, joined May 2003, 11957 posts, RR: 51 Reply 7, posted (8 years 7 months 2 weeks 4 days 19 hours ago) and read 858 times:
In big cities when you get approached to take a free personality test that is the Scienctologist in action....
Smithfly114 From United States of America, joined Mar 2004, 232 posts, RR: 1 Reply 8, posted (8 years 7 months 2 weeks 4 days 18 hours ago) and read 840 times:
I am a Christian Scientist, not a Scientologist
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.
.
People often get them confused, but they are entirely different
PROSA From United States of America, joined Oct 2001, 5439 posts, RR: 5 Reply 9, posted (8 years 7 months 2 weeks 4 days 17 hours ago) and read 834 times:
In big cities when you get approached to take a free personality test that is the Scienctologist in action....
I did that, just once, almost 30 years ago. It got me onto the Mother of All Mailing Lists. Believe it or not, I got junk mail from the Scientologists until five or six years ago -- in other words, almost a quarter-century after taking the "free" test!
"Let me think about it" = the coward's way of saying "no"
SMITHFLY114 From United States of America, joined Mar 2004, 232 posts, RR: 1 Reply 11, posted (8 years 7 months 2 weeks 4 days 16 hours ago) and read 800 times:
Excuse me? Can you tell me anything accurate that you know about the religion?
Didnt think so
Shut up
Klaus From Germany, joined Jul 2001, 20861 posts, RR: 55 Reply 12, posted (8 years 7 months 2 weeks 4 days 15 hours ago) and read 792 times:
It´s a pretty standard cult that preys on people´s insecurities and complexes by extracting huge amounts of money for basically telling them that this money bought them the right to look down on non-cult-members.
Brainwashing and conditioning are a large part of their activities.
They´re obsessed with money and power and get very vicious when people try to escape or even just criticize them. They are openly aiming to dismantle democratic institutions and to install their authoritarian structure instead.
German authorities have classified them as a profit-oriented business and have denied them the status of a religious community.
Csavel From United States of America, joined Jan 2001, 1332 posts, RR: 5 Reply 13, posted (8 years 7 months 2 weeks 4 days 15 hours ago) and read 784 times:
At the risk of starting a flame war, one man's cult is another man's prophecy. Aren't all religions cults to those outside it, especially when they begin? I mean Christianity was a cult to mainstream Jews of the Roman era. Baha'i was (and still is I think, given that I hear reports of persecution of Baha'is) a dangerous cult in Iran. Lots of more secular Jews think the Hasidim veer into cultish la-la land, lots of Christians say the same about the Mormons (and the funny underwear doesn't help their cause!)
So what is a cult?
I know Scientology is a cult. I don't think Hasidism or Mormonism is, although they both seem outside the mainstream to me, but so does Rastafarianism and I don't think that's a cult - so what is a cult?
I may be ugly. I may be an American. But don't call me an ugly American.
PROSA From United States of America, joined Oct 2001, 5439 posts, RR: 5 Reply 14, posted (8 years 7 months 2 weeks 4 days 15 hours ago) and read 774 times:
So what is a cult?
I know Scientology is a cult. I don't think Hasidism or Mormonism is, although they both seem outside the mainstream to me, but so does Rastafarianism and I don't think that's a cult - so what is a cult?
One definition I've heard, which sounds as reasonable as any else, is that while a true religion is happy to share its beliefs with anyone who asks, a cult reveals little to those making casual inquiries, disclosing its belief system in bits and pieces only as people become more deeply involved. Quite typically it's claimed that the full belief system is somehow too overwhelming for people to handle unless they've been with the group for some time.
"Let me think about it" = the coward's way of saying "no"
Smithfly114 From United States of America, joined Mar 2004, 232 posts, RR: 1 Reply 15, posted (8 years 7 months 2 weeks 4 days 15 hours ago) and read 769 times:
That is a very good deff. and by that deff. Christian Science is for sure not a cult
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CCS
Klaus From Germany, joined Jul 2001, 20861 posts, RR: 55 Reply 16, posted (8 years 7 months 2 weeks 4 days 14 hours ago) and read 765 times:
Smithfly114: That is a very good deff. and by that deff. Christian Science is for sure not a cult
It should just drop the "science" label (same with "Scientology") unless it was ready to accept the basic rules every science has to follow. Unless that is done, it´s merely a misappropriated label with no substance to back it up, however nice it may feel for its members personally.
Blackbird1331 From United States of America, joined Apr 2004, 1892 posts, RR: 0 Reply 17, posted (8 years 7 months 2 weeks 4 days 14 hours ago) and read 756 times:
Is there a perfect circle? Then there is a perfect religion. L.Ron Hubbard was out to make money, not to save souls. If you want to save your soul, you must first understand that the perfect religion is you. Just do the right thing. No one can make you do evil things except yourself. "To thy own self be true."
Cameras shoot pictures. Guns shoot people. They have the guns.
PROSA From United States of America, joined Oct 2001, 5439 posts, RR: 5 Reply 18, posted (8 years 7 months 2 weeks 4 days 7 hours ago) and read 711 times:
Another characteristic of a cult is that it may have one charismatic leader who claims to be the sole source of doctrine and moral authority. This can be a bit difficult to determine in practice, if for no other reason than many normal religions are distinctly non-democratic and may at times have had an unquestioned leader. Even so, a cult's leader is usually pretty hard to overlook.
"Let me think about it" = the coward's way of saying "no"
MaverickM11 From United States of America, joined Apr 2000, 15742 posts, RR: 48 Reply 19, posted (8 years 7 months 2 weeks 4 days 6 hours ago) and read 699 times:
"Its a made-up religion, catering to the same that send money to the likes of Jimmy Steward & the Bakers.
JGPH1A From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 20, posted (8 years 7 months 2 weeks 3 days 22 hours ago) and read 670 times:
I read Battlefield Earth, I don't remember there being anything about religion in it (it was still crap). All organised religion is a money-making scam, so from that point of view, Scientology is probably no worse. I still wouldn't touch it with a 10 foot bargepole though.
Ybacpa From United States of America, joined Feb 2001, 1108 posts, RR: 1 Reply 22, posted (8 years 7 months 2 weeks 3 days 20 hours ago) and read 645 times:
What religion is NOT a cult? or made up?
Any 'religion' that requires you to pay to be a member is a cult.
As for being "made up", you've missed the point... Scientology was specifically created to make money, not to improve the lives of its believers.
SkyTeam: The alliance for third rate airlines finally getting their act together!
Tbar220 From United States of America, joined Feb 2000, 7011 posts, RR: 28 Reply 23, posted (8 years 7 months 2 weeks 3 days 20 hours ago) and read 635 times:
Smithfly,
Don't get annoyed or bothered by what 777 says. He makes a living on this forum (wouldn't be surprised if he gets paid for it) by being difficult. That's all his posts ever are.
ArmitageShanks From UK - England, joined Dec 2003, 3362 posts, RR: 16 Reply 24, posted (8 years 7 months 2 weeks 3 days 20 hours ago) and read 626 times:
I think John Travolta is a Scientologist.
Check your bags, check your brain.
25 Klaus: Travolta is indeed one of their figureheads. I´d define a cult by how they react when you´re trying to get out: If they leave it at "Oh, we´re sorr
26 MaverickM11: "Any 'religion' that requires you to pay to be a member is a cult." That would make Christianity and Islam cults, and I wouldn't disagree. "As for bei
27 Ybacpa: "Any 'religion' that requires you to pay to be a member is a cult." That would make Christianity and Islam cults, and I wouldn't disagree. Neither do.
28 Tristarenvy: Come visit scenic Clearwater FL, and watch the "Scieno's" at work!
29 BN747: Hollywood Blvd is littered with the Scientology Hq., buildings and the drones sworn to devotion. You can tell the 'low-level' members are most despera
30 Jessman: I too wonder... how the hell does the US gov allows this kind of crap to persist. The First Amendment to the Constitution Congress shall make no law r
31 BN747: Jessman, God and science doesn't mix. Many like yourself attempt feverishly to join them but they are completely antithetical to one another. Fine, yo
32 Johnboy: That online link to the Wikipedia article on Scientology gave a good background but little insight into the "religion." Probably because the Scientolo
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