What is Scientology?

[dizzy_dave]

I’m hearing a lot lately about this “New” religion called Scientology a lot of Hollywood stars are into it Tom Cruise, etc. I did a little research on it and to me seems like they have a “generic” God and it’s more like a self improvement group. Does anyone know more about it? Is it considered a new age religion?

 

[JimG]

L. Ron Hubbard thought starting his own religion was a better way to make money than just writing science fiction. Apparently, he was right. Don’t become a scientologist unless you are willing to part with some buck$.

 

[deaconswife]

Scientology is considered by many Christians to have cult like tendencies. Their beliefs are as following. Humans are immortal spiritual beings whose experience extends beyond a single lifetime (reincarnation), and whose capabilities are unlimited, though presently imprisoned by matter, energy, space, and time (MEST). Salvation is the recovery of spiritual freedom, ability, independence and serenity, including freedom from the endless cycle of birth and death (reincarnation), and full awareness and ability independent of the body, i.e., being “able to control matter, energy, space, and time.” These god-like powers are achieved through auditing, a process whereby “engrams,” (the mental recordings of past moments of pain and unconsciousness), and other barriers to such states are removed, abilities are regained, and greater awareness achieved. Auditing can last for years and may cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. It is definitely not in line with Christian beliefs. By the way, in their divorce there was quite a bit of dissention between Tom Cruise (Scientologist) and Nicole Kiddman (Catholic) because she did not want their children to be raised as Scientologists. She wanted them to be raised as Catholics instead.

 

[asteroid]

When he was just turned 16 my cousin and his girlfriend found a child was on the way.

She was a 2nd generation scientologist. They were married at Saint Hill “Castle” which became basically the World Centre of the movement after problems in America.

They were quite happy. He was quite happy as a scientologist. Life was going well and he bought into the movement wholeheartedly and they had 4 children all being raised in the movement.

Then he committed a grave scientology sin. He got ill. He got multiple sclerosis. And the movement leaders thus concluded he was a very bad scientologist. They threw him out and put continual heavy pressure on his wife to divorce and disown him. Eventually she succumbed to the pressure and divorced him - but stayed in contact, which the movement leaders were not happy about. My cousin was left with nothing. He returned to his mother, my aunt - who he had had almost nothing to do with for several years as ordered by his superiors in scientology. She of course took him in and cared for him. But his old friends from the movement disowned him totally. When he died, one of his sons attended the funeral - and even that was against the wishes of his fellow scientologists.

That’s my family’s experience of the “church”. I knew another man who literally had to escape from Saint Hill by running and climbing over the wall in the middle of the night. Eventually they found him and several years later he still received an average of 5 pieces of mail a day from them among other things but most certainly didn’t want to return or talk about his experiences much.

Living not far from Saint Hill as my family did and knowing about these events first hand we often kept an ear open for other worrying things - least of all the beliefs of the movement.

Scientology - avoid. For every reason going.

Blessings

Asteroid

 

[destrecht]

dizzy_dave:

I’m hearing a lot lately about this “New” religion called Scientology a lot of Hollywood stars are into it Tom Cruise, etc. I did a little research on it and to me seems like they have a “generic” God and it’s more like a self improvement group. Does anyone know more about it? Is it considered a new age religion?

STAY AWAY FROM IT!!

I used to be a member in my early twenties. It’s based not on Theology at all- but a concept of ‘fixing’ the brain from these flaws ‘engrams’ in it. But its true motivition is MONEY. They first thing is free, then $50 then two hundred, then thousands. People have lost their houses over it. And they WILL NOT LEAVE YOU ALONE! I left in 1990, in St. Louis, and they still know where I am. I’ve been all over the country since then- I’ve told them to leave me alone- And they ignore you and keep on sending.

 

[DeDe63]

Ah, the conflicted bivalve mollusk cult.

More than you will ever want to know about Scientology: Operation Clambake - The Inner Secrets of Scientology

L. Ron Hubbard (the founder of Scientology) was a seriously disturbed man. He was heavily into satanism. His mentor was Aleister Crowley.

Steer clear of this crowd. They have destroyed many lives and souls since their inception.

 

[Maccabees]

STAY AWAY FROM IT!!

I used to be a member in my early twenties. It’s based not on Theology at all- but a concept of ‘fixing’ the brain from these flaws ‘engrams’ in it. But its true motivition is MONEY. They first thing is free, then $50 then two hundred, then thousands. People have lost their houses over it. And they WILL NOT LEAVE YOU ALONE! I left in 1990, in St. Louis, and they still know where I am. I’ve been all over the country since then- I’ve told them to leave me alone- And they ignore you and keep on sending.

You make a good point I have never met a middle or lower middle class scientologist they all seem to be raking in the bucks.
Can’t trust a relgion when all its members happen to be rich. Jesus would want all the rich and the poor to be ministered to.

 

[dizzy_dave]

Don’t Get me wrong I have NOOOOOOOOOO interest in joining this group I was only curious if anyone knew about them. God bless you all.