Is scientology cult or religion?

In the UK, scientology is not (and won't be for the foreseeable future) a recognised religion.
The main core of this seems to be that scientology "adds nothing to the public good".
I don't claim to know much about scientology, but what I have seen in a recent documentary shocked me quite a lot.
This documentary led me to find out a bit about scientology and it's core beliefs (thetans, intergalactic wars etc) and to do some research into the founder.

At this point I have to say that I quite enjoyed L.Ron Hubbards "Invasion Earth" decology, and found it to be witty and entertaining - although debate continues as to how much he actually wrote.

What shocked me about the documentary was just how vehement the "church" was in it's condemnation of anyone who disagreed or was critical, especially it's spokesman Tommy Davis.
I have also been shocked at the level of harrassment aimed at people who are in any way critical, not to mention some of the underhand tactics used.

www.whyaretheydead.net...

cosmedia.freewinds.cx...

www.telegraph.co.uk.../news/2007/05/13/nbbc113.xml

I was also shocked by how the "church" used the holocaust as a vehicle for it's own agenda against psychiatry - claiming that psychiatrists were the driving force behind the slaughter of millions.

www.rickross.com...

I submit that if an organisation exists in the public domain, it is the right of people to investigate it and report on their findings, especially if the organisation in question purports to be a religion.

The tactics used by scientology are more in keeping with a cult that has something to hide than a religious movement.

It seems to me that the main tactic is to be as insidious as possible in furthering the aims of the movement, and whilst all movements (and religions) may be guilty of this to a greater or lesser degree, it is hard to find a movement that has been as underhanded in the modern age.

Scientology is a cult, full stop. Theres not much more i can add to that.. the only people who buy into it are ones stupid enough to believe it in the first place. Tom Cruise being a prime example

"Fine. Go on then, sue me!" - Stan Marsh/Southpark

Its a B grade science fiction plot turned into a cult... a good friend of mine is a science fiction writer and she tells the story about the science fiction convention in 1948 when L. Ron Hubbard got up and gave a talk on how to turn science fiction into a religion and was booed and hissed off the stage... a couple years later Scientology was created.

Besides all that it has all the hallmarks of a cult including increasing financial demands on its followers and harassment of people who try and lead. I have no respect for them at all.

cult, no doubt about it.
dianettics was the book Hubbard wrote, full of cow pies, and ya Cruz
is bonkers

I saw the documentary last night too, and was surprised at how defensive they were . Every time the BBC reporter had a meeting with someone who was opposed to/ex members of the cult , this guy Tommy turned up with his cameraman to discredit the interviewee .

The scientologists have released a video of the BBC reporter going ballistic at this guy Tommy , and have tried to discredit him as a reporter , with this outburst . Having watched the programme in full I can fully sympathise with the reporter in behaving the way he did, after four or five times of being fronted agressively by the scientologists .

IMO the 'religion'/'cult' did themselves no favours in that docu , although the BBC had the chance to present quite a biased opinion , it seemed they let the scientologists dig their own hole . Let them lie in it .

hmm,
according to the wikipedia, scientology would seem to conform to the definition of a religion.

en.wikipedia.org...

Thoughts?

ok, I found the program, albeit in 3 parts

part 1

www.youtube.com...

part 2

www.youtube.com...

part 3

www.youtube.com...

enjoy!

I seen that Program on BBC last night too.

But how do you actually join Scientology? Do you have to be invited? Do you have to be famous and rich?

Does anyone know?

Mikey

Originally posted by Mikey84
I seen that Program on BBC last night too.

But how do you actually join Scientology? Do you have to be invited? Do you have to be famous and rich?

Does anyone know?

Mikey

Go along to a scientology meeting then try to get away

They will want your money.....

LOL

I don't want to join. I was just curious if you have to be invited or be pretty wealthy.

Mikey

Originally posted by Mikey84
LOL

I don't want to join. I was just curious if you have to be invited or be pretty wealthy.

Mikey

No, neither,
it's got some cult like qualities in its recruiting methods.

And wasn't joking about the money

These people sound worse then the Mormons on how they treat their members, i.e. wanting to leave and the financial demands.

Good link to find out more is Here

They have lots of links, I havent been there in ages, but read alot of it awhile ago

Originally posted by budski
Is scientology cult or religion

techinically - both.

ALL religions are cults. (I did a paper on this a looooong while back). It's just the modern use of the word has taken on negative meanings.

You should check out the Operation Clambake website. It is a cult I suspect. Religion is about spirituallity, not money.

Originally posted by ChrisJr03
These people sound worse then the Mormons on how they treat their members, i.e. wanting to leave and the financial demands.

The 'Mormons' do not treat there members in that manner, there is however a split-off
cult that does, I believe the leader of it was captured a few months ago.



As to the topic, I consider Scientology to be a cult of the worst kind, and think it should be
at the most banned, and at the least be forced to provide all truthful records it has
and not harass people.

well i need to know two simple things before i comment: how are we going to define "cult" and how are we going to define "religion"?

Originally posted by madnessinmysoul
well i need to know two simple things before i comment: how are we going to define "cult" and how are we going to define "religion"?

For the purposes of this thread, can we use the wikipedia definitions?

I understand that there is at least a modicum of ambiguity when defining the differences, but at least it gives us a base to start from

en.wikipedia.org...

en.wikipedia.org...

There appears to be some crossover in definition, but the salient points are there.

Originally posted by Mikey84
I seen that Program on BBC last night too.

But how do you actually join Scientology? Do you have to be invited? Do you have to be famous and rich?

Does anyone know?

Mikey

No, you don't have to be rich or famous. All you need to join is to fill out a dianetics personality test, and they will invite you right in.

Im serious. They recruit via very subtle and tricky means. They either slip "personality tests" that you fill out and send in, after which they call you and set up an "appointment" for your "evaluation" of the results. Or, they set up personality/stress test booths here and there that look legit. They arent advertised as Scientology type re cruitment things, most people think they legit medical type questionaires or medical devices for monitoring health. Ater they test you, you will always be way below normal by their standards, and they will always suggest you meet with a consultant of theres. When you show up with the "consultant" thats when you discover you they are scientologists trying to sell you their crappy religon. And I do mean sell. Your first meeting they will try and coerce you into buying Dianetics and stuff.

Anyway thats how they recruit, through seemingly innocous little tests and crap designed to lure you to their "church" to batter you with their sales pitch.

No, I was never into scientology. I found a personality test of theirs in the mail, and for the hell of it, filled it out and sent it in. At this time, I knew little of Scientology or Dianetics, thinking it just another self help program. I recieved a phone call saying that they wopuld like me to come in and discuss the results of my test, and gave me the address. It was a scientology center. Curious, I went, and it was after 2 hours I realized these people were up to no good. The woman who was discussing the personality test had that glazed, wild look in her eyes of a fanatic cult member speaking toned down and cheerfully. The people walking around the place were a bunch of space cadets grinning. I eventually slipped out a back window after she brought me to the library (bookstore more like it, everything you need in scientology costs money, and the woman spent a half hour trying to make me buy dianetics).

After that, I searched more into scientology and discovered I was right: they really are a cult of sadistic fascist mind-freaks.

its a cult plain and simple . a church , at least one that i would go to , does not want to rule every move and every relationship in a persons life .
and america needs to follow england's lead and take their " church "
status away . england says " what they charge for does not amount to
worship " and " they cannot be proved to work for any public good " . and do you know that in every building they have theres a fully furnished
office for their child molesting founder for when he " returns " .. that's a
cult ! and thats creepy .

[edit on 15-5-2007 by gen.disaray]