What do you think of Scientology?

[Justinian2]

I don't mean the CHURCH OF Scientology. I mean SCIENTOLOGY, the philosophy/Religion.

We don't confuse Christianity with the Roman Catholic church, so let's not confuse Scientology with the Church of Scientology.

The problem with the CoS (Church of Scientology) is that it has some sales techniques that are similar to the sales Techniques of Timeshare sales. While both have good products, one wonders if paying the product is worth the big prices. Both Timeshare salespeople and Scientology salespeople assert that you can't put a price on happiness and that 'investing' in each is a great investment. However, have you ever tried to sell a timeshare deed? It's almost worthless. Have you ever tried to sell your Scientology training to an employer? That attempt will not be successful.

As a Lifelong Scientologist, all but one year spent outside of the Co$, I have found more to be cynical about in the non-Scientology world than in the world at large. As a degreed engineer I find only disagreement with the world at large and not with Scientology.

As a Scientologist I find no fault with dieties, spirits, the turn the other cheek attitude of Christ or the concept of a life after this one. Scientology isn't so dissimilar with Christianity of Buddhism. Scientology is just audacious enough to believe that with people helping other people, the goals of other religions can be attained on earth.

I believe that about 50% of the people have Scientology's Anti-Social Personality Characteristics whereas LRH claimed only 20% (called PTS people or Potential Trouble Sources) did. He claimed that 2.5% were real SPs. I differ with LRH in that I believe that these SPs are MORE than covertly hostile and are actually covert death lovers.

Anyway, what do you think of Scientology? Do you consider yourself a SP (Suppressive Person)?

 

[carlitos]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suppressive_Person

I only think of scientology when it comes up on South Park or Tom Cruise says/does something stupid.

 

[Loss Leader]

Frankly, your post is full of so many terms that have meaning only inside Scientology, I doubt most people will be able to follow it.

Whatever the original concept of people auditing each other was, Scientology has long ago become nothing other than a cult of worship of L. Ron Hubbard. His increasingly paranoid writings and obsessive reorganizations made Scientology a dangerous hole down which money and lives are thrown for no good reason.

I cannot find a redeeming aspect in the entire mess. And, of course, the current leader is dangerously unbalanced. Or did the Musical Chairs episode not happen?

 

[Manopolus]

Some of the role playing in "auditing" may have some value, I don't know. I bought some of the books and took a good look at some of the beginner's concepts in Scientology and found it quite fascinating, in a way.

However, it seems nothing more than a psuedo-science cult using fraud to sell itself as an alternative to psychiatry after further research.

 

[fishbait]

Complete bunk that has ruined many lives.

Show me a "clear" or an "OT" that can demonstrate the claimed end phenomenon and then we'll discuss it.

 

[roger]

I think it is all made up pseudoscience written by a megalomanic SF writer. I support that assertion by pointing out the utter lack of peer reviewed studies, our knowledge of how their meters work, and their denial of proven science and medicine.

 

[Justinian2]

Frankly, your post is full of so many terms that have meaning only inside Scientology, I doubt most people will be able to follow it.

Whatever the original concept of people auditing each other was, Scientology has long ago become nothing other than a cult of worship of L. Ron Hubbard. His increasingly paranoid writings and obsessive reorganizations made Scientology a dangerous hole down which money and lives are thrown for no good reason.

I cannot find a redeeming aspect in the entire mess. And, of course, the current leader is dangerously unbalanced. Or did the Musical Chairs episode not happen?

I am oviously not going to defend the Co$. I am talking about Scientology.

The cult I found most dangerous is government. They are the fundamental enforcers of the belief system known for punishment (revenge and taxation) and sacrifice (war).

As for your opinions about Scientology, without any fact or quotes, they are as worth as much as most mere opinions uttered by an unknown person.

 

[carlitos]

You asked "what do you think of Scientology" but you didn't want people's mere opinions?

 

[Metullus]

I am oviously not going to defend the Co$. I am talking about Scientology.

The cult I found most dangerous is government. They are the fundamental enforcers of the belief system known for punishment (revenge and taxation) and sacrifice (war).

As for your opinions about Scientology, without any fact or quotes, they are as worth as much as most mere opinions uttered by an unknown person.

And yet you sought our opinions.

My own opinion is that Scientology makes mainstream religions look downright reasonable...

 

[Justinian2]

Some of the role playing in "auditing" may have some value, I don't know. I bought some of the books and took a good look at some of the beginner's concepts in Scientology and found it quite fascinating, in a way.

However, it seems nothing more than a psuedo-science cult using fraud to sell itself as an alternative to psychiatry after further research.

em·pir·i·cal
   [em-pir-i-kuhl] Show IPA

adjective
1.
derived from or guided by experience or experiment.

2.
depending upon experience or observation alone, without using scientific method or theory, especially as in medicine.

3.
provable or verifiable by experience or experiment.

I wouldn't call it a pseudo scientific cult. I would call it a philosophy that is empirical. Do you feel better after auditing? Did auditing make your cold go away? Did your life improve after auditing? Those are empirical results.

 

[slingblade]

I wouldn't call it a pseudo scientific cult. I would call it a philosophy that is empirical. Do you feel better after auditing? Did auditing make your cold go away? Did your life improve after auditing? Those are empirical results.

No, they're not. They're anecdotes. Anecdotes aren't evidence, and aren't empirical.

 

[Justinian2]

And yet you sought our opinions.

My own opinion is that Scientology makes mainstream religions look downright reasonable...

I can't argue with that as it is too large a topic for one post. Pick a point to illustrate what you mean.

 

[Justinian2]

No, they're not. They're anecdotes. Anecdotes aren't evidence, and aren't empirical.

So we have a disagreement on the meaning of the words anecdote and empirical?

 

[roger]

So we have a disagreement on the meaning of the words anecdote and empirical?

Your descriptions are of how medicine used to be done - you know, when we did trepanning, bleeding, burning, all that jazz. Plenty of people got better after those treatments, after all.

 

[Trent Wray]

Anyway, what do you think of Scientology? Do you consider yourself a SP (Suppressive Person)?

As for your opinions about Scientology, without any fact or quotes, they are as worth as much as most mere opinions uttered by an unknown person.

Trolling. Feel better ?

 

[Jack by the hedge]

What do I think about Scientology?

On the rare occasions I think about it at all, I think it's a recently-made-up religion based on some hilariously silly science fiction. I read occasional stories about suggestible young people being drawn in and turning their backs on family and friends, which makes me think it's creepy. I have no knowledge of nor interest in what scientologists actually do.

That's about all.

PS Do I consider myself an SP? No, I don't. Possibly because I don't know what that is. Probably something to do with dead aliens, but I don't really care.

 

[slingblade]

So we have a disagreement on the meaning of the words anecdote and empirical?

Not really. I know what they mean. That you don't, I couldn't care less about arguing.

 

[hgc]

So we have a disagreement on the meaning of the words anecdote and empirical?

It seems that disagreement about the meanings of words is a common problem between Scientologists and the rest of us. I know that the Scientology indoctrination process is real big on getting people to "agree" with Hubbard's interpretation of things, but you're not going to get much of that agreement around here, I suspect.

 

[Justinian2]

Trolling. Feel better ?

Be Fishers of Men – Not of Fish (John 21:1-17).

I'm a fisher of men. Just because you don't believe in what a poster says doesn't mean that person is a troll.

In Internet slang, a troll is someone who posts inflammatory,[2] extraneous, or off-topic messages in an online community, such as an online discussion forum, chat room, or blog, with the primary intent of provoking readers into an emotional response[3] or of otherwise disrupting normal on-topic discussion.[4] The noun troll may refer to the provocative message itself, as in: "That was an excellent troll you posted".

Are you saying that Scientology makes you upset?

 

[Justinian2]

It seems that disagreement about the meanings of words is a common problem between Scientologists and the rest of us. I know that the Scientology indoctrination process is real big on getting people to "agree" with Hubbard's interpretation of things, but you're not going to get much of that agreement around here, I suspect.

The truth is really facts about which everybody agrees. If you quote the dictionary definitions of anecdote and empirical, I'm sure we will both agree on the definitions.