Scientology Kills

[The Chairman]

My main problem with Scientology isn't the fact that it's killed (certainly no more than any other religion, and certainly a lot less than the two major ones), but it really just confuses me that people followed it when it is by far the most easily disprovable and blatantly untrue of any world religion. Christianity, Buddhism, Judaism, Hinduism and Islam as well as many others have legititimate historical backing to them even if the more supernatural elements have yet to be proven.

Scientology, however, was based off a sci-fi novel (and from what I've heard, not a very good one) written I think in the mid-1950s', that became the basis for a religion. Not only that, but the owner admitted that it was essentially a Get Rich Quick scheme. I have no problem with Scientologists themselves (I love John Travolta movies, and I used to really love Cruise until he became the Pat Robertson of Scientology), but I just have a bit of a hard time understanding how people can willingly follow it despite the fact nothing behind it has any proof whatsoever (not proof of just the supernatural elements, mind you), and the fact that its owner essentially admitted it's fake.

 

[Zenien]

It's clearly a front for illegal activity and a means of tax evasion. L. Ron Hubbard HIMSELF stole $200 million from his own church, and then died in hiding, hunted down by his own followers. Others have died for trying to leave/threatening to expose a wrongdoing.

Look in the ORIGINAL thread for more info.

We could always merge them or have the info from the old thread transplanted to this one.

 

[WhatsHisFace]

My main problem with Scientology isn't the fact that it's killed (certainly no more than any other religion, and certainly a lot less than the two major ones), but it really just confuses me that people followed it when it is by far the most easily disprovable and blatantly untrue of any world religion. Christianity, Buddhism, Judaism, Hinduism and Islam as well as many others have legititimate historical backing to them even if the more supernatural elements have yet to be proven.

Scientology, however, was based off a sci-fi novel (and from what I've heard, not a very good one) written I think in the mid-1950s', that became the basis for a religion. Not only that, but the owner admitted that it was essentially a Get Rich Quick scheme. I have no problem with Scientologists themselves (I love John Travolta movies, and I used to really love Cruise until he became the Pat Robertson of Scientology), but I just have a bit of a hard time understanding how people can willingly follow it despite the fact nothing behind it has any proof whatsoever (not proof of just the supernatural elements, mind you), and the fact that its owner essentially admitted it's fake.

It likely works as a pyramid scheme. Get more recruits bringing in money, get them to recruit more who then bring in more money, etc. etc.

 

[The Lizard]

Scientology, however, was based off a sci-fi novel (and from what I've heard, not a very good one) written I think in the mid-1950s', that became the basis for a religion. Not only that, but the owner admitted that it was essentially a Get Rich Quick scheme. I have no problem with Scientologists themselves (I love John Travolta movies, and I used to really love Cruise until he became the Pat Robertson of Scientology), but I just have a bit of a hard time understanding how people can willingly follow it despite the fact nothing behind it has any proof whatsoever (not proof of just the supernatural elements, mind you), and the fact that its owner essentially admitted it's fake.

Allow me to clarify a few things if I may.

Despite that fact that L Ron Hubbard was a sci-fi writer, his 1950 book that formed the basis for Scientology was actually Dianetics, a self-help book and not a sci-fi book. The sci-fi elements of the higher levels of Scientology, like the Xenu story, were not introduced until the late 1960s.

Dianetics basically dealt with the concept that every incident over the course of your life, both positive and negative, are stored in the mind. The "reactive mind" (Hubbard's version of the unconscious mind), often causes us to react illogically and foolishly when we are confronted with sensory stimuli that remind us of past bad events. The purpose of Dianetics was to get people to regress their memories and pinpoint events that created negative "engrams" (associative memories), and thus clear their minds of illogical reactive behavior.

This is the starting level of self-help that Scientology presents to people who walk in off the street or stop to take "personality tests" in malls. The most basic levels of Scientology courses deal with self-help issues that mostly involve common sense (clearing the reactive mind, learning to communicate better, dealing with negative people, etc). However, in delivering these basic-level courses, the "pre-clear" (newbie client) is also subtly indoctrinated into L. Ron Hubbard's particular jargon and philosophy. To them, it just seems like part of their process of self-improvement.

Scientologists also portray the late L. Ron Hubbard (he died in 1986) as a victim of various conspiracies involving "suppressive organizations" like the US military, the IRS, and psychiatry. Thus, if you ask Scientologists about things like LRH's comments about starting a religion to become a millionaire, they will dismiss it as either false propaganda or a misunderstanding of "Ron's" sense of humor. Lower level Scientologists aren't told anything about Xenu or the weirder stuff in the higher OT ("Operating Thetan") levels, so they don't believe any of that stuff if told by a non-Scientologist.

My point is that a lot of people get drawn into the basic self-help aspects of the lower courses without really being concerned about the weird stuff. I suppose they really feel like they're learning something useful, and maybe they are -- at least for a while.

 

[Zenien]

It should also be pointed out that, time and time again, the tactics of his self help methods, and Dianetics, then Scientology, were shown to be a total fraud. You can learn a bit more about that by searching up LRH, for the Secret life of Ron L Hubbard, in Youtube.

"The real reason for their hatred of psychiatry can be traced to their dead leader. L Ron Hubbard had numerous run-ins with psychiatrists who diagnosed him as a nut after smacking his wife around and other escapades. Some people might accept that diagnosis, but Ron the wife beating, pathological liar, paranoid, self-important narcissist that he was chose to fold psychiatrists into the conspiracy against him.

Check here for more info.

http://www.ronthenut.org/

The result of course is that the cult is as paranoid and nuts as their dead leader.

*>> Paulette Cooper - CoS Critic - Target of "Operation Freakout"

*>> FBI Uncovered - CoS' Plan to takeover Clearwater, FL

*>> FBI Uncovered - CoS' Plan to make Paulette Cooper lose her mind / Frame for bomb threats / Humiliated

*>> FBI Uncovered - CoS' Infiltration of the US Gov't to destroy record on CoS

*>> Gabe Cazares Interview (Cazares was targeted, sued, and framed (for a hit n run) by the CoS) [[VIDEO]]

*>> Court Document - USA v [Scientology]

*>> FBI Uncovered CoS Document - 'Mayor Cazares Handling Project'

*>> FBI Uncovered CoS Document - 'SPEEDY GONZALEZ' (Referring to Clearwater Mayor Gabe Cazares)

*>> St. Peteresburg (FL) Times Article regarding CoS vs Gabe Cazares

*>> Clearwater (FL) Sun Article - Scientologists Plot City Takeover



"CoS" stands for Church of Scientology

Some information

 

[Zenien]

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,972865-1,00.html

Times Magazine- Scientology: The Thriving Cult of Greed and Power.

 

[Zenien]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QubW_LhiqDY

 

[The Lizard]

Another "Anonymous"- sponsored picket in front of a Scientology building in Orlando:




There's more of these coming over the next couple weeks, with February 10 supposedly being a big day to picket your local Scientology "Org". The guys in this video are really pretty clueless about Scientology, and they seem to just be looking to make trouble for laughs.

However, even this lowest-common-denominator stunt has its purpose. Since the higher-level Scientologist "OT's" are supposed to possess superhuman abilities of persuasion, communication, and control over the "MEST" universe (MEST= matter, energy, space and time), you'd think they'd be able to overcome a few obnoxious teenagers with picket signs. The very presence of the protesters is a pie in the face to the Scientologists' claims of mental superiority.

 

[WalterKovacs]

Another "Anonymous"- sponsored picket in front of a Scientology building in Orlando:




There's more of these coming over the next couple weeks, with February 10 supposedly being a big day to picket your local Scientology "Org". The guys in this video are really pretty clueless about Scientology, and they seem to just be looking to make trouble for laughs.

However, even this lowest-common-denominator stunt has its purpose. Since the higher-level Scientologist "OT's" are supposed to possess superhuman abilities of persuasion, communication, and control over the "MEST" universe (MEST= matter, energy, space and time), you'd think they'd be able to overcome a few obnoxious teenagers with picket signs. The very presence of the protesters is a pie in the face to the Scientologists' claims of mental superiority.

They dont really do it for laughs, they do it for the lulz, which is a corruption of the internet acronym, "LOL" which stands for "laughing out loud." It's like an internet hate machine.

 

[WalterKovacs]

Here's the way I look at it all: Scientologists look at psychiatry the way I look at them.

 

[Simon Phoenix]

Well, I went to google and found out it is illegal for anyone 16 and older to wear a mask in public in the clearwater/tampa bay area....i was actually thinkin of goin too...

 

[The Lizard]

Well, I went to google and found out it is illegal for anyone 16 and older to wear a mask in public in the clearwater/tampa bay area....i was actually thinkin of goin too...

I'd image that there will be a lot of activity over in the Clearwater/St Pete area on that day. Anyone who pickets a Scientology building will get photos/video of them taken by the Scientologists for purposes of intimidation, but you could always just wear a hat, sunglasses and a fake beard. t:

 

[bullets]

Well, I went to google and found out it is illegal for anyone 16 and older to wear a mask in public in the clearwater/tampa bay area....i was actually thinkin of goin too...

Be careful . You don't want to get kidnapped and brainwashed.

 

[Simon Phoenix]

those guys are pretty intense...there's a video on youtube of them harrassing a guy with a camera...i would put a link..but i'm at school and they have youtube blocked...but search for like "Crazy Scientology Followers"...the guy gets into a confrontation with an OT8(high ranking scientologist)

 

[The Lizard]

^ Yep, according to the writings of L. Ron Hubbard, anyone and EVERYONE who criticizes Scientology is guilty of crimes that they are trying to hide.

How convenient when you can just claim that all your critics are criminals and suppressive psychopaths, eh?

 

[Spider-Man Luvr28]

LOS ANGELES – Authorities Thursday were trying to determine who sent envelopes containing apparently harmless powder to Church of Scientology locations, prompting street closings and evacuations.
Envelopes containing the mysterious white powder were mailed to at least 19 church addresses in Los Angeles and Orange counties, FBI spokeswoman Laura Eimiller said.
The letters began showing up Wednesday. Glendale police shut down a street for two hours and Tustin authorities evacuated 60 people from buildings as hazardous materials teams were called in.
Initial tests indicated the powder was harmless but more tests were being conducted, Eimiller said.
The church declined immediate comment and referred questions to police.

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/state/20080131-1335-ca-scientologyhoax.html

 

[turtlefocker]

LOS ANGELES – Authorities Thursday were trying to determine who sent envelopes containing apparently harmless powder to Church of Scientology locations, prompting street closings and evacuations.
Envelopes containing the mysterious white powder were mailed to at least 19 church addresses in Los Angeles and Orange counties, FBI spokeswoman Laura Eimiller said.
The letters began showing up Wednesday. Glendale police shut down a street for two hours and Tustin authorities evacuated 60 people from buildings as hazardous materials teams were called in.
Initial tests indicated the powder was harmless but more tests were being conducted, Eimiller said.
The church declined immediate comment and referred questions to police.

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/state/20080131-1335-ca-scientologyhoax.html

guess the sender will remain Anonymous.

 

[The Lizard]

LOS ANGELES – Authorities Thursday were trying to determine who sent envelopes containing apparently harmless powder to Church of Scientology locations, prompting street closings and evacuations.
Envelopes containing the mysterious white powder were mailed to at least 19 church addresses in Los Angeles and Orange counties, FBI spokeswoman Laura Eimiller said.

That was a really stupid thing to do.

If some Anon member did that, it's just going to be used by the CoS to play the persecution card and claim that all their critics are criminals.

Of course, there is always the possibility that the Scientologists mailed those envelopes to themselves to create the impression that they are under illegal attack. The CoS has manufactured fake bomb threats against itself before to try to frame its critics, so who knows....

 

[The Lizard]

Forum guide to February 10 protests at Church of Scientology buildings in various cities: http://forums.enturbulation.org/viewforum.php?f=2

 

[Kmack]

This is getting ridiculous.

http://blog.wired.com/27bstroke6/2008/01/anonymous-hac-1.html

 

[hippy fascist]

Scientology is not a religion, and Christianity doesn't promote brainwashing and charging money for their teachings. They don't have a strong arm slimy legal team, or organize operations to infiltrate the US government, etc.

If you're mistakenly equating them on equal footing, that's a mistake. Scientology is the definition of a cult.

Religions at least have transparency, for one.

The other way to look at it, if you really want to equate them, is that these tactics can actually have some effect on Scientology, and at worst it's fun.

They do have a habit of enabling paedophile priests and then covering things up when the ****s eventually get caught though

 

[The Lizard]

Soon to be deleted, just like all the other religious threads (I assume).

 

[Jerry!]

Hopefully.

 

[Warhammer]

My main problem with Scientology isn't the fact that it's killed (certainly no more than any other religion, and certainly a lot less than the two major ones), but it really just confuses me that people followed it when it is by far the most easily disprovable and blatantly untrue of any world religion. Christianity, Buddhism, Judaism, Hinduism and Islam as well as many others have legititimate historical backing to them even if the more supernatural elements have yet to be proven.

Exactly.

The religious threads are being closed? Why are all of the religious threads being closed?

 

[hippy fascist]

because the mods are afraid of confrontation