Scientology

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And, if you wouldn’t mind…could you explain the copyright debate to me (I have never met a scientologist…sorry…but TAG…you’re it 🙂 ).

If most of your beliefs are hidden behind copyright laws, then how can you explain them? Like Xenu?

Thanks.
 
The JW’s have done the same thing regarding copyright on their materials.

Then, they wonder why people classify them as cults.:confused:
 
I didn’t know this thread was here…check this out
I opened the link and followed the Scientology trail. It is pretty scary stuff. Lisa Mc Pherson being a case in point. She had in her bank account $150,000,150. The articles and links suggest alleged ‘Church’ of Scientology took $150,000 leaving her $150, the she was taken into the care of a Scientology medical team and was soon after found dead, having died from malnutrician and mistreatment. Some care.

I have taken the article at face value. It is pretty scary stuff.:mad:
 
Thetan,

Catechumans may stay for an entire Mass if they wish.

Anyone is welcome to sit through an entire Mass, no matter what their religion.

We have no secrets in our Mass.

It is true that the Catechumens do leave after the Gospel, I am not sure why, but at my Parish, this is when they go off to their RCIA class, whilst the rest of Mass continues.

However they can sure go to any other Mass of the week.

I have read this thread entirely, and it all seems to be about “me”.

Scientology and Dianetics and how it can help “me”

There is no mention of worship and to whom you worship.

Who do you worship? And what is your belief on life after death?
And who created us?
kellie, I’m fully aware of the current practice of the Catholic and Orhtodox Churches on the Mass/Divine Liturgy. What I am referring to, and what was mentioned twice when I discussed this, is that in ancient times(and this was at a time when daily masses/divine liturgies were not offered. they aren’t even offered in the Orthodox Church today), catechumens were not allowed to see or partake in the Liturgy of the Eucharist b/c they were not, if you can say, “initiated”. It is a similar concept to Scientology.

Yes, it is about “you”, and “everyone”, because, as stated, Scientology is an “Applied Religious Philosophy”. Scientology is more in line with mystery religions and Eastern religions than the Western religions in that it is all about personal experiences, “gnosis”, etc. In Scientology, God is the “8th Dynamic”, the highest dynamic in Scientology. Scientology does not define who/what God is, as it is up to the practitioner to experience God for himself. As you move onto the 8th Dynamic, you will come to your own conclusions and experiences on/with the Divine. This also goes into creation, as that 8th Dynamic, God, Infinity, etc., played the role of Creator.

Scientology believes in reincarnation, specifically as humans. The goal of Scientology, as is the case in many Eastern and mystery religions, is to escape this cycle of rebirth.
 
And, if you wouldn’t mind…could you explain the copyright debate to me (I have never met a scientologist…sorry…but TAG…you’re it 🙂 ).

If most of your beliefs are hidden behind copyright laws, then how can you explain them? Like Xenu?

Thanks.
The Church of Scientology copyrights all of its religious symbols, technologies, and scriptures. This is to prevent the misuse and changing of our important documents. There have been many splinter groups from Scientology, typically called the “Freezone”, which have changed the original writings and technologies, and claimed them as “Scientology”. We believe that changing the essential parts of a religion makes it a completely different religion. The debate is not necessarily with copyrighting, but with the illegal use of certain parts of Scientology scripture, more specifically the “secret” Operating Thetan levels. When people take these documents and illegally distribute them, the Church takes action, b/c this violates the sacred nature that we ascribe to these documents. We don’t violate other people’s religious beliefs and practices, so why do that to us?

I’m not sure I understand your second question. Most religious documents in all religions are copyrighted. The “Good News Bible with Deuterocanonicals and Apocrypha-For Catholics” that I’m looking at right now is copyrighted. The “Catechism of the Catholic Church” that I’m looking at right now is copyrighted. Yet that doesn’t prevent us from talking about it. What we don’t talk about are the Operating Thetan levels, which we believe, in the spirit of mystery religions, you must be spiritually prepared for before experiencing them. And again, the VAST majority of our beliefs are widely available in Church publications, websites, videos, taped lectures, etc. Xenu plays no role in the Church of Scientology. As stated before, people have taken our documents, changed them, and presented them as the original.
 
The JW’s have done the same thing regarding copyright on their materials.

Then, they wonder why people classify them as cults.:confused:
Yes, and Catholics worship Mary, pray to statues, attribute special status to a man, believe in apparitions of dead people, etc., and they wonder why some people classify them as cults :confused:

Please refrain from calling us a cult, b/c we are not, and I’m sure you wouldn’t like it if your beliefs were misrepresented to categorize your religion as a cult.
 
I opened the link and followed the Scientology trail. It is pretty scary stuff. Lisa Mc Pherson being a case in point. She had in her bank account $150,000,150. The articles and links suggest alleged ‘Church’ of Scientology took $150,000 leaving her $150, the she was taken into the care of a Scientology medical team and was soon after found dead, having died from malnutrician and mistreatment. Some care.

I have taken the article at face value. It is pretty scary stuff.:mad:
I’m not sure how we get that $150,000,150-$150,000=$150…

The Lisa McPherson case is a very complicated one, judging from the many documents and websites on it. The Church of Scientology did not nor does it take money from the bank accounts of parishoners, nor does it have access to them. According to official medical reports, she died of a pulmonary embolism, deemed accidental. There are tragedies and problems in all religions. Do we need to talk about the priest sex scandals and cover ups in the Catholic Church? These issues are a small portion of our respective religions. The tragedy of Lisa was horrible, and I definitely partially blame the Scientologists that bypassed the closest hospitals to go to one with a Scientologist physician, b/c, according to reports, these were Lisa’s wishes. I would have taken her to the closest hospital no matter what. However, this has nothing to do with the religion of Scientology.
 
Cos vs. Fishman papers
(( from: vs. Internet ))

Some nifty info

Uh,… what!?

Xenu TV,… what a concept!

Scientology & Me!

Space Opera
…including those all time favorites:
“Alastair Crowley was my friend”
“…there was no Christ!” … “Just an R6”
I feel like I’ve discussed this many a time on this thread. I’ve seen every single video on Xenu TV, read the entire Operation Clambake site, seen the Fishman papers, etc. As I said before, the interesting thing about the Fishman papers is that he had the supposed “secret” information on the OT levels of Scientology. Yet the supposed OT VIII papers were thrown out as not being real or somewhat real. The Church did not sue over those papers. However, our position, as stated before, is that those other papers were altered and presented as the actual documents, when they only had partial truths(of which I cannot discuss). Why would I trust someone who already lied about part of his evidence presentation?

Funny how you go to anti-Scientology websites to make claims about us. Guess I’ll have to start going to anti-Catholic websites and read Chick Tracts to find out what you REALLY believe…Not even worth responding to.
 
kellie, I’m fully aware of the current practice of the Catholic and Orhtodox Churches on the Mass/Divine Liturgy. What I am referring to, and what was mentioned twice when I discussed this, is that in ancient times(and this was at a time when daily masses/divine liturgies were not offered. they aren’t even offered in the Orthodox Church today), catechumens were not allowed to see or partake in the Liturgy of the Eucharist b/c they were not, if you can say, “initiated”. It is a similar concept to Scientology.

Yes, it is about “you”, and “everyone”, because, as stated, Scientology is an “Applied Religious Philosophy”. Scientology is more in line with mystery religions and Eastern religions than the Western religions in that it is all about personal experiences, “gnosis”, etc. In Scientology, God is the “8th Dynamic”, the highest dynamic in Scientology. Scientology does not define who/what God is, as it is up to the practitioner to experience God for himself. As you move onto the 8th Dynamic, you will come to your own conclusions and experiences on/with the Divine. This also goes into creation, as that 8th Dynamic, God, Infinity, etc., played the role of Creator.

Scientology believes in reincarnation, specifically as humans. The goal of Scientology, as is the case in many Eastern and mystery religions, is to escape this cycle of rebirth.
There is a difference though - the catechumens would leave during the Liturgy of the Eucharist, not during the Liturgy of the Word. The latter is where the reading of Sacred Scripture is done, as well as teaching on it by the priest, so if any beliefs or writings of Christianity were being kept secret from catechumens, this is the part of the Mass that they would not have been able to attend. The reason they left during the LIturgy of the Eucharist was to go and receive lessons on the Faith to learn MORE, not less about it during this time, since the LIturgy of the Eucharist follows a pretty standard formula (only a few of the prayers change from day to day) and they would already have been taught about what happens during this LIturgy. Since they couldn’t receive the Eucharist anyway until they were baptized, it made more sense to spend this Liturgy teaching them about the Faith. In Catholicism there are restrictions on who can receive Communion, but all information is free and accessible - no “secret” material here.
 
Yes, and Catholics worship Mary, pray to statues, attribute special status to a man, believe in apparitions of dead people, etc., and they wonder why some people classify them as cults :confused:

Please refrain from calling us a cult, b/c we are not, and I’m sure you wouldn’t like it if your beliefs were misrepresented to categorize your religion as a cult.
All of our beliefs are out in the open ad explained by Catholics (until we’re blue in the face sometimes). If someone chooses to believe that we believe something other than what we’re saying, then that’s their problem.

I think just about any religion that keeps secret information, no matter how small the percentage of all information about a faith is kept secret, should expect that people will find it suspicious. If there’s nothing dangerous, harmful, or otherwise fishy in Scientology, why isn’t EVERYTHING that’s taught by Scientology revealed to the public, or at least to all of its members? It could very well be that Scientology is perfectly safe and innocent, but how can you expect people to just take that for granted when it keeps secrets from us?
 
I feel like I’ve discussed this many a time on this thread. I’ve seen every single video on Xenu TV, read the entire Operation Clambake site, seen the Fishman papers, etc. As I said before, the interesting thing about the Fishman papers is that he had the supposed “secret” information on the OT levels of Scientology. Yet the supposed OT VIII papers were thrown out as not being real or somewhat real. The Church did not sue over those papers. However, our position, as stated before, is that those other papers were altered and presented as the actual documents, when they only had partial truths(of which I cannot discuss). Why would I trust someone who already lied about part of his evidence presentation?
Was does “…the supposed OT VIII papers were thrown out as not being real or somewhat real” mean?

Somewhat real? 🙂

You folks are funny…
Funny how you go to anti-Scientology websites to make claims about us. Guess I’ll have to start going to anti-Catholic websites and read Chick Tracts to find out what you REALLY believe…Not even worth responding to.
Go for it…!

I’m not interested in what you say about yourselves. The weight of info about the “weirdness” of the CoS is what it is.

Huge.

Have fun with your fascinating little gnostic sect.

Still prayin’ for 'ya…! 😃

Mahalo ke Akua…!
E pili mau na pomaikai ia oe. Aloha nui.
 
There is a difference though - the catechumens would leave during the Liturgy of the Eucharist, not during the Liturgy of the Word. The latter is where the reading of Sacred Scripture is done, as well as teaching on it by the priest, so if any beliefs or writings of Christianity were being kept secret from catechumens, this is the part of the Mass that they would not have been able to attend. The reason they left during the LIturgy of the Eucharist was to go and receive lessons on the Faith to learn MORE, not less about it during this time, since the LIturgy of the Eucharist follows a pretty standard formula (only a few of the prayers change from day to day) and they would already have been taught about what happens during this LIturgy. Since they couldn’t receive the Eucharist anyway until they were baptized, it made more sense to spend this Liturgy teaching them about the Faith. In Catholicism there are restrictions on who can receive Communion, but all information is free and accessible - no “secret” material here.
thank you for your views. I agree. Scientology is definitely different on this view, though it is a slightly similar ancient practice of Christianity of no divulging everything at the beginning.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mystery_religion
 
I have heard that it possible to be both a Catholic and a practitioner of Scientology? From the perspective of a practicing Scientologist is this true, or does someone have to renounce the religion in which they were brought up if they become a practioner of Scientology?
 
Yes, and Catholics worship Mary, pray to statues, attribute special status to a man, believe in apparitions of dead people, etc., and they wonder why some people classify them as cults :confused:
Let’s see,… wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, and I don’t know how to qualify “etc”.

Catholic doctrine is freely publicized.

CoS “Double Super Secret Dangerous to Handle” information is, for the reason that it’s secret because it’s dangerous, most likely, not freely publicized.

That seems sensible on your part, actually.

I applaud you on your keeping dangerously harmful secrets from hurting people.

But of course, that’s the whole point of a gnostic sect. Selling the “powerful” SECRETS for money, and maintaining the “neopytes” as slaves, for their use by the Upper Classmen.

Nothing new to see here. You guys are just like the gnostics of old.
Please refrain from calling us a cult, b/c we are not, and I’m sure you wouldn’t like it if your beliefs were misrepresented to categorize your religion as a cult.
You can categorize my religion as anything you like.

Do you classify my religion (Catholic) as a cult?

If I chose to classify your religion as a cult, will you, simply as a retort, call mine a cult?

That would be a bit “childish” wouldn’t it?

So,… firstly, do you call the Catholic Church a cult?

Secondly, why do you care if I classify your religion as a cult?

Sometimes cults can be fun. Like the cult of “let’s go down to the pub at 6 and be silly” instituted by Bob and Cuthbert from Dilling Street South (apt#'s 106 and 259).

If your cult helps you accomplish things in your life, go for it.

If your cult has a BAD reputation in various aspects of existing within a free society, deal with it.

I have seen NOTHING but simple denials by CoS cultists that the CoS is not a cult.

Convince me, dearheart…! 🙂
 
I have heard that it possible to be both a Catholic and a practitioner of Scientology? From the perspective of a practicing Scientologist is this true, or does someone have to renounce the religion in which they were brought up if they become a practioner of Scientology?
Only if you can, rather cleverly, deny all the Churches teaching and still believe all the Churches teaching.

You can be a so-called-Catholic Scientologist,… but you can’t be a Scientological Catholic.

Check out the various “anti-CoS” links above for clarification.
 
Was does “…the supposed OT VIII papers were thrown out as not being real or somewhat real” mean?

Somewhat real? 🙂

You folks are funny…

Go for it…!

I’m not interested in what you say about yourselves. The weight of info about the “weirdness” of the CoS is what it is.

Huge.

Have fun with your fascinating little gnostic sect.

Still prayin’ for 'ya…! 😃

Mahalo ke Akua…!
E pili mau na pomaikai ia oe. Aloha nui.
K, if you read more about the Fishman Affidavit, you will see that he presented the supposed information from Church documents on the 8 Operating Thetan levels. He threw out the 8th level documents, and the Church did not sue over that one, because it did not contain any copyrighted information. The other documents did contain copyrighted information, however it was not the entire amount of such information contained on the respective levels. However, anti and ex Scientologists like to claim that the Xenu story is central to the Church of Scientology when it definitely is not.

Thank you for not being interested in what we say about ourselves. That is really a contradiction. I have perused these boards for years, even though I rarely post unless my religion comes up. Time and time again, on these and other boards such as Beliefnet, I see Catholics say that non-Catholics should not ask others what their beliefs are, and that we shouldn’t go to anti-Catholic websites, read Chick Tracts, listen to what fundamentalist Christians say, etc. You say that the weight of info on the"weirdness" about the Church of Scientology is huge, but I’d say it is no bigger than that of the Catholic Church, except that your religion has been around longer, and has entered into mainstream religion. Ours is a new religion, and therefore doesn’t have that privilege. How many sites have I read that talk about how the Catholic Church(usually called Romanism, Papism, Mariolatry, etc.) is a cult. That you worship statues, Mary, angels, saints, wafers, etc. That you’ve invented beliefs recently. That you’ve added books to the Bible. That you believe that priests have powers to turn bread into the body of Jesus. Do I think these are your actual beliefs? No, b/c I’ve read what actual Catholics believe, not what anti or ex-Catholics believe. Some of your actual beliefs can seem “weird” too, such as bleeding statues, statues that cry, Mary appearing to people after she’s dead, priests can exorcise demons, Heaven, Hell, Purgatory, etc, etc. All religions have some “weirdness” factor, so please don’t make fun of Scientology or call it a cult, when the same can be said about your religion.

And yes, Scientology is in the same group as Gnosticism and other mystery religions. Doesn’t really bother us. We are a non-Christian religion.
 
I have heard that it possible to be both a Catholic and a practitioner of Scientology? From the perspective of a practicing Scientologist is this true, or does someone have to renounce the religion in which they were brought up if they become a practioner of Scientology?
I’d say that it is possible to be Catholic and practice “Dianetics”, which is the first part of Scientology. This concerns the mind, and other related ideas. However, once you go into the part of the religion called “Scientology”, you will deal with things like past lives, which many deem incompatible with Christianity. Scientology’s view is that you don’t have to renounce your religion, but the other religion might view that you have to.
 
Let’s see,… wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, and I don’t know how to qualify “etc”.

Catholic doctrine is freely publicized.

CoS “Double Super Secret Dangerous to Handle” information is, for the reason that it’s secret because it’s dangerous, most likely, not freely publicized.

That seems sensible on your part, actually.

I applaud you on your keeping dangerously harmful secrets from hurting people.

But of course, that’s the whole point of a gnostic sect. Selling the “powerful” SECRETS for money, and maintaining the “neopytes” as slaves, for their use by the Upper Classmen.

Nothing new to see here. You guys are just like the gnostics of old.

You can categorize my religion as anything you like.

Do you classify my religion (Catholic) as a cult?

If I chose to classify your religion as a cult, will you, simply as a retort, call mine a cult?

That would be a bit “childish” wouldn’t it?

So,… firstly, do you call the Catholic Church a cult?

Secondly, why do you care if I classify your religion as a cult?

Sometimes cults can be fun. Like the cult of “let’s go down to the pub at 6 and be silly” instituted by Bob and Cuthbert from Dilling Street South (apt#'s 106 and 259).

If your cult helps you accomplish things in your life, go for it.

Ifyour cult has a BAD reputation in various aspects of existing within a free society, deal with it.

I have seen NOTHING but simple denials by CoS cultists that the CoS is not a cult.

Convince me, dearheart…! 🙂
K, please see my above response. I KNOW that those are not the beliefs of the Catholic Church. I’ve researched it extensively. Religion is one of my favorite topics. My point is that this is what anti and ex-Catholics WANT you to believe, therefore if I went to such websites to learn about Catholicism, this is what I’d learn. The VAST majority of Scientology beliefs are publicized, and you can learn about the core beliefs freely. Start with the book What is Scientology? It is an introductory book that is 655 pages of information. It includes such things as:

-The History of Scientology
-Basic Books, Films, Lectures and courses on Scientology and Dianetics
-Lists of every introductory service
-Services and Technologies to better various aspects of your life
-The Grade Chart-every level in Scientology
-Auditor Training Services
-Chaplain and Ministerial Services
-Structure of the Church of Scientology
-Volunteer Ministers
-Statistics on Scientology
-FAQ
-The Creed of the Church of Scientology
-The Auditor’s Code
-The Code of Honor
-Code of a Scientologist
-The Axioms of Dianetics and Scientology
-The Logics
-The Dianetic Axioms
-The Prelogics
-The Scientology Axioms
-The Factors
and much more.

I feel that you really haven’t read my posts. You don’t HAVE to pay to receive Scientology services. There are two ways up the Bridge in Scientology. Most do a mix of both.

I do not categorize the Catholic Church as a cult. It is a religion. Yet you classify mine as a cult. My point is that whenever I see a fundamentalist come onto Catholic boards here and elsewhere, there is a whole debate about how they are wrong, and that the Catholic Church is not a cult, etc. I’m sure you know that the word cult has a very negative stigma to it. We are not involved in the classical practices of a cult, including worshipping some man and brainwashing. Neither is the Catholic Church. Yet some consider your Church a cult. I do not. That is my point. We care if people call our religion a cult b/c it is NOT. It is a misrepresentation and disrespect of our religion. Yes, we have different beliefs. ALL religions can seem weird and outrageous to non-practitioners. Does that make them a cult? no. If a religion keeps some practices secret, does that make them a cult? no. Mystery religions go back to the beginnings of man. There are many different ways to practice a religion. The Christian, Western way is but one. The Church of Scientology does not have a bad reputation. Both of our Churches have problems. That doesn’t make them cults.
 
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