Scientolgy...

[max_tranmere]

I just watched a one hour programme about this 'religion' on BBC1. It was scary, this organisation was, rightly in my view, described as a 'cult' that tries to ruin the lives of people who leave it, harasses and spies on people who try and investigate it, and gets it members to sign a billion year contact (yes, that long) because you join for all your future lives aswell.

One guy who left has never seen his family again and probably never will, they are still in the organisation and he is outside. He was approched by his ex-wife and ex-kids a few years later and this incident was recorded as they apraoched him. The venom was incredible, they absolutely despised him. This issue of ostricising and loathing people you were once close to seems similar to how people were treated hundreds of years ago who were thought to be possessed by the devil.

This 'religion' was invented by a science fiction writer, which kind of makes sense. How all these fruitcakes who have joined it have been taken-in I do not know. But it is more sinister than a harmless load of cranks, it has almost mafia and masonic elements to it. I wonder how long it will be before people who leave begin to either mysteriously disapppear or 'meet with an accident'. The guy making the programme for the BBC was followed and filmed everywhere he went.

Here is a picture of L Ron Hubbard, the loon who started this 'religion':



and I would like to shake the hand of the person who came up with the idea for this:



What are other people's views on this thing called Scientology?

[Jonone]

I take it that having seen this programme you're not much interested in balanced or contrary views ?

Are you suggesting that it's one more thing to be terrified of in addition to Al Qaeda, the pension deficit and global pandemics ? I choose not to live in fear Max.

[andy at handiwork]

You sound like you've only just heard of the Hubardistas. People were seeing through them as long ago as 1950.

[bogwort]

All religion is nothing more than the following of superstitions.

Some of them are more nuts than others.

So long as they leave me alone I couldn't give a rats patootie what the fools who follow religions do.

[dynatech]

Very interesting programme yes, but I always try to bear in mind when watching these things that the programme-makers have a point of view they want to put across and that is what they incorporate into the show.

[The Last Word]

Pretty good follow-up doc.

I would've liked to have heard more about those that still follow scientology but don't believe in the church of it. The irony being that the closer you look at scientology's tightly controlled core, the more it resembles nothing more than a money making scheme. But that's another show I suppose.

Two things: Kirsty Alley has really let herself go, and Juliette Lewis isn't as smart as she thinks.

[spider]

I have a theory that L Ron Hubbard started Scientology as a joke down the pub.

He was having a drink with his Si Fi mates and one of them said to him ?hey Ron your latest book is shifting some copies isn?t it??

Ron says ?yes, I can write any old tosh and my fans will buy it. I bet I could invent a religion if I wanted and I?d get people to buy into it?.

Someone took him up on the bet and here we are today.

[RoddersUK]

So what are the Masonic elements then?

[Sam Slater]

Can anyone show where Scientology is any more madder than any of the three Abrahamic religions?

We just look upon Scientologists as a bit mental because it's not one of the religions we've been indoctrinated into automatically respecting, from childhood. I suppose the Jews and pagans of the time thought of Christianity just as we do Scientology, when it first appeared. Didn't Jesus warn his disciples they should expect to be mocked for their beliefs?