The Church of Scientology

Okay kiddies, now for something other than the world's most well-known and widely practiced religions. Recently, an amazing multi-media artist (and a very good friend of mine) in my area created a piece he likes to call "Brainwashing 101" This piece, which... may or may not have been graffiti-like in nature, somehow found it's way onto the wall of a local branch of the Church of Scientology. Needless to say, it was destroyed almost instantaneously, and just as MYSTERIOUSLY as it appeared .

The following is directly and indirectly quoted from various sources, along with the information I already had on this particular topic; perhaps the most ridiculous and sickening scams in the past hundred years.

The Church of Scientology is a rich and vengeful religious cult, or as one critic puts it, "a cross between the Moonies and the Mafia." But it would be a mistake to dismiss its underlying technology as harmless or ineffective. Scientologists know a great deal about thought control, social control, rhetorical judo (defeat by misdirection, deft use of logical fallacies) and high pressure sales, though as victims of their own technology, they wouldn't characterize it that way.

Scientology draws its members from a broad cross-section of society, and uses a sophisticated combination of deceptive recruiting methods, false promises, hypnosis, behavior modification, sleep deprivation, dietary manipulation, information control, phobia indoctrination and other mind control techniques to entice and control its members. There is no shame in having been seduced into a group like Scientology.

There are over two dozen allegations that Scientology has held individuals against their will. These illegal acts were not committed by rogue Scientologists - they were in accordance with Scientology policy.

Scientology held Lisa McPherson against her will for 17 days, according to Scientology's own logs. She died in their custody. The state of Florida decided not to prosecute the two felony charges filed against Scientology in her death after Scientology used relentless pressure to get the medical examiner to make a partial change in the cause of death. Her estate sued Scientology for wrongful death and false imprisonment; the suit was settled in May 2004, with all details kept confidential..

Despite its extensive advertising campaign, including half-hour TV Infomercials for Dianetics, the Church has been careful to maintain a veil of mystery about its teachings, in part by outlawing any meaningful discussion or analysis of them. To learn the inner secrets of the cult requires years of strict obedience and large monetary donations. Scientology extorts money from its members, telling them it's scientifically proven that their lives will become worse if they don't pay for expensive auditing. People have been known to spend every penny on this addictive mind-game of a "religion", which keeps promising more and more to them. What is auditing?

Auditing according to Scientology: Auditing is a unique form of personal spiritual counseling which helps people look at their own existence and improves their ability to confront what they are and where they are.

Scientology auditing can bring any person from a condition of spiritual blindness to the brilliant joy of spiritual existence.

The truth: Auditing is done using a device called the e-meter, a "lie-detecting/truth-revealing" machine yet to be scientifically proven. It is said to have anywhere from the basic abilities of a lie-detector to memory-revealing and body- thetan-smothering powers. We will get to thetans later..

Basically, auditing is a load of crap, and it costs more and more money every time you do it.

"If a man really wants to make a million dollars, the best way would be to start his own religion." - L. Ron Hubbard, science fiction writer/ founder of the Church of Scientology and Dianetics.

Lying to people to get their money isn't just unethical - it's illegal.

It's called fraud.

Here is a brief summary of the origin of Scientologist beliefs:
According to Scientology teachings, prince Xenu once ruled over
the Glactic Federation. 75,000,000 years ago, Xenu solved the
overpopulation in his realm by eliminating people and banishing their
souls (thetans) to Teegeeack (Earth). Xenu put the theans in
vulcanoes on Las Palmas and Hawaii, and then bombed them with atoic weapons. After that, the thetans floated in the athmosphere.
A thetan occupies a body and moves to another when the body dies. But when a thetan has done too many harmful things and is keeping too many secrets, he can't face up to life anymore and clings to the old body. This is how he becomes a 'body thetan.' To become healthy and happy, these body thetans have to be removed.

For more detail on Scientology and L. Ron Hubbard, please view this educational video:
(not sure how to post animations on here)
http://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/263120

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Lying to people to get their money isn't just unethical - it's illegal.

It's called fraud.

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Unless it's a religion doing it. Religion has the unique right to lie about whatever it wants, and people are aloud to claim belief in it, and give money to it.

Obviously, or esle this statement would not be true...

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"If a man really wants to make a million dollars, the best way would be to start his own religion." - L. Ron Hubbard, science fiction writer/ founder of the Church of Scientology and Dianetics.

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Worried about cults swindling money, check the Vatican's checkbook and vaults. Maybe Pat Robertson's account. I hear he has plans for an amusement park or something in Israel.

Or are you just going after the new kid on the block? Oh wait, lemme guess, your a faithful believer in some OTHER religion...

I am agnostic, although that has hardly anything to do with why I started this thread.

Nahh.. not going after the new kid. I am going after the guy who is telling me that alien invaders threw my ancestors into volcanoes. Well.. and the guy who thinks that if I hold his big metal rod, my mind will be set free .

Seriously though, I am getting sick of the repetetiveness on this religion forum.

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I am agnostic

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People capable of being honest with themselves tend to be.

I just don't know where people get off claiming, not just to know things they can't, but that what other's are claiming to be true is true.

They'll call everyone in the rest of the entire world who dissagrees with them that they are just wrong, even manipulated by evil. Accept for this handful, not that they've ever met, but ya know, whatever right, technicalities schmecticalities eh?

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I am getting sick of the repetetiveness on this religion forum.

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What do you expect, they only read one book. And usually only parts.

this forum does get a bit repetative, due to the fact we have a few christians and a number of devout atheists. and a middle group of agnostics.

as for only having read one book, we may have read two between us, there is at least one person whos read the book of mormon.

lying to people to get their money, seems to be acceptable if its a donation rather than payment.

Ok, it isnt how much the Vatican has...but what is done with it.

For instance, the Vatican doesnt have men living high off the hog.
They dont sport huge pools, gold and diamonds. They dont dress fancy and attend ritsy parties.

They have simple clothing, and the most any wear, are religious items including the ring with a Papal signet.

They dont buy mansions everywhere, and they live more simply than you imagine.

The money is used for building the Churches, and promoting health care services in third world countries.
Even without being Catholic, any poor person can receive aid from the Church in the poorest of countries.

So, its a culfer used to help others..not a vast fortune used by the ppl in the Vatican.
OR trust me, you would have heard how much they spend the money lavishly.

AND scientology is a rip off these ppl's money because it used for self serving purposes.

Pat Robertson invested in some scheme, and pulled out while not returning $7,000 to an elderly woman.

I have an article I put in a Christian forum, but I am waiting for their return as they are doing massive changes.

Then I can retrieve it.

But the fruits are the proof.
The Catholic Church has helped in every nation the poorest of ppl.

AND what has anyone else ever done?

The closest to charity would be the Peace Corps...but does anyone cry about how much money they have??

I beg to differ.

Scientology and Catholicism....both are corrupt, but at least Scientology doesn't hide it.

(Minor note going off topic:
"Even without being Catholic, any poor person can receive aid from the Church in the poorest of countries."

Of course...in return for what? Oh right...land and money!
An African man said this during the time Europe was colonizing Africa: "We had the land and they had the Bible. Now we have the BIble and they have the land."

Maybe the concept...poor doesnt get thru to you.

They do NOT take the land for friggin crying out loud...the poor dont own land. Does that help?

The only land the Church has is either willed to them by wealthy members, or they buy at the value.

You are seriously deluded in thinking they will give the poor food and health care...and then take their land.

Maybe the concept...POOR should give you guidance...as in they own NOTHING to begin with.

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So, its a culfer used to help others..not a vast fortune used by the ppl in the Vatican.

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Curious, that's just what Government book keepers say too. Claim absolutes all you like, but denying the existance or even possibility of corruption makes you sound silly.

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You are seriously deluded in thinking they will give the poor food and health care...and then take their land.

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Oh Pat. Not that I'd claim the vatican does, but by the admission of others that is exactly what many others do. Usually working through loans and interest rates.

Land is the only thing many poor people or countries have. Resources depending. And it is taken from them. Ya, I doubt the vatican would really have the opportunity, besides the land its founded on, because countries like the US are way ahead of that game.

I actually have a great aunt that is a missionary in I think its Kenya. She's a volunteer she doesn't make any money. As for the funding that comes from one of those Christian child things on TV. I've unfortunately never had the chance to meet her but I've read a few letters addressed to my grandma. She just does it out of the goodness of her heart, which is what the whole third world Catholicism relies on. Send someone else to do their dirty work.

firstly in attolias example, the people they are reffering to is westerners, in general, not just christians. they were invaded and had their land taken, and missionaries did come, but the missionaries gave them the bible, and the soldiers took their land. and the soldiers are not under the command of the church.

catholiscism is corrupt, but it does still give to the poor, and help the needy.

The Church is not corrupt........it is human beings who are corrupt.

People generally do not make that distinction.


Also, on the other hand the cult of scientologists, is another story. Thats another group that makes things up as they go.

Which is the normal pro quo of cults.

I thought the church was the people...But wait then you reply that it's jesus' teachings you follow...which is what the church is based on yet is still corrupt...obviously his teachings don't work as well as they use to.

Regardless of whether or not the Catholic Church is corrupt, who can vouch for a religious or secular group which hasn't made decisions contradictory to what they teach. Or, more importantly, who can prove that any widely-followed religion didn't begin with the same mind tricks known to be used in recruitment by Scientologists. I find the lengths at which a person is willing to go to prove him or herself "right" frightening. People would like to be followed/in power/praised, even if it means doing wrong, or what THEY themselves preach as "wrong," to get to that point.

religions may have begun using the same tricks as scientology has, but they no longer do, and therefore the issue is resolved, people now follow them of their own volition.