What is the Church of Scientology?

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Lily, I’m not sure I understand what you mean. Could you elaborate?

Anyone can progress in Scientology. Attaining the various states/levels is not something that is done “to” you. It is something that you do yourself. In auditing, the auditor doesn’t do anything “to” you. This is what many people fail to realize. An auditor literally does what the root of the word means-“to listen”.

Money should never be an issue in Scientology, yet anti-Scientologists like to make claims about it. Once again, I literally am the stereotypical poor college student. I don’t even have credit cards. Yet I have been a member of the Church for quite a while(years), and I know where I stand on the “Bridge”. You can do co-auditing, or training to be an auditor. You will receive your own auditing when you audit yourself. Scientology focuses on helping each other progress in this life. That is one of the goals of Scientology.
 
From what I have learned in Scientology one must be at a certail level to be considered worthy of life. Handicapped and brain damaged people are not at that level.
I maybe wrong about this, but since you are in you can explain it better.
 
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TarAshly:
Does anyone know anything about this religion? i am just curious. I know a lot of celebrities believe in their stuff, but celebrities tend to be wacky anyway! :whacky: can anyone explain to me about their beliefs? their history? i would appreciate it. i have been trying to google it all morning but i just keep coming up with the same stuff “scientology kills its a cult” or “scientology will save you life its the best thing ever” but nothing on history or beliefs. can you clear it up for me!?
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Honestly, the reason why I think some(and I repeat some) celebrities are attracted to Scientology is that it has many services that focus on bettering the self, moving away from drugs, etc. There are specific services for these various areas, and, at least in my opinion, some celebrities have used drugs or lived a life that put them in certain situations that they want to better. For example, we have services such as the Purification Rundown; Clear Body, Clear Mind; Drug Rundown;Life Orientation;etc. However, I’m sure this isn’t the case in all situations obviously.

Also, Scientology does cater to the performer,athlete, politician,etc. with the Celebrity Centres. These Centres have specific services dedicated to people in these professions. Scientology realizes that the artist/celebrity/politican/etc. have a great influence on the lives of a people. Thus Celebrity Centres(noting that not all Scientologists that attend them are celebrities). Celebrity Centres give the same services as other Scientology churches.

Of course there are quite a number of people that are anti-Scientologists. I’ve seen all of those sites that claim that the Church of Scientology is a cult, its members are brainwashed, it kills its members, L. Ron Hubbard is a fraud, the Church forces its members to pay for certain services that some can’t afford, etc. lol. These claims couldn’t be further from the truth. Also, please don’t believe everything that you see on Anti-Scientology websites. Would I go to an anti-Catholic website to find out what the Catholic Church “really” teaches and does? In the same way that you googled Scientology and came up with sites about how its a cult, kills its members, etc., I can also google Catholicism, Catholic Church, Roman Catholic Church, etc., and come up with some sites that say that Catholics practice Mariolatry, invented new beliefs, changed original Christianity, worship statues, etc. Just like how you’ll find sites about “former Scientologists” and read about their “escape out of Scientology”, you can also read about books such as “50 Years in the ‘Church’ of Rome”, “Understanding Roman Catholicism”, etc. Therefore, in the same way that you wouldn’t want me to go to these sites and books to find out about “real” Catholicism, don’t go to anti-Scientology sites and books to find out about “real” Scientology.

Church of Scientology Website
Dianetics Main Page
Excerpts from the book(which I recommend) What is Scientology?
L. Ron Hubbard, founder of the Church of Scientology
Frequently asked questions about Scientology
About Auditing Training in Scientology
Clear Body, Clear Mind
Freedom Magazine

Enjoy!
 
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Lilyofthevalley:
From what I have learned in Scientology one must be at a certail level to be considered worthy of life. Handicapped and brain damaged people are not at that level.
I maybe wrong about this, but since you are in you can explain it better.
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I haven’t really experienced that to be true. If anything, Scientology helps people reach their highest potential, as well as better their everyday lives. There are a number of people that are handicapped to various degrees at my Churches(I go to the New York City Church when I’m home, and the Washington,DC Church when I’m at school).

Remember, there are 8 million Scientologists around the world, with Churches and missions in over 100 countries. Our books are published in many languages. It is supposed to be the fastest growing religion currently(but then, even I warily accept that statement, as many other religions make the same claim, including the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Islam, Wicca, etc.). Many people can attest to the experiences they have had in Scientology. Yes, there are people that didn’t have a great experience, however this is found in every religion. Many people are also Scientologists and other religions, because Scientology, more accurately defined, is an Applied Religious Philosophy. Of course, this might be more difficult or impossible in certain religions, such as Catholicism, which specifically forbid such practices. Many might accept certain elements of these religions, but not all. Anyway, I invite you to look at the above links I posted to learn about what Scientology really is. Enjoy!
 
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LSK:
I understood there is also some sort of belief in space aliens being the highest order of beings and people getting their own planet…?
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All I have to say is lol. I know this is late, but still. Scientology doesn’t say anything about getting your own planet, or that aliens are the highest order of beings(???). If anything, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints supposedly teaches the belief that you become a god after you die and get to rule over a planet/universe. They believe that God was once a man, and that we will become as God is. Scientology does not profess such a belief.
 
Hi Thetan,

Welcome to the forums. 🙂

I have a question for you: Do you agree with what Tom Cruise said, that women who suffer from severe post partum depression should not take medication? I think he also stated that others who suffer from mental illnesses shouldn’t be medicated - but we’ll stick to the post partum since that’s all over the news right now.
 
carol marie:
Hi Thetan,

Welcome to the forums. 🙂

I have a question for you: Do you agree with what Tom Cruise said, that women who suffer from severe post partum depression should not take medication? I think he also stated that others who suffer from mental illnesses shouldn’t be medicated - but we’ll stick to the post partum since that’s all over the news right now.
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Thanks for the welcome 🙂

No I don’t fully agree with Cruise on that. As a pre-med student in college minoring in psychology, I understand the value of drugs/medication in treating various diseases, illnesses, etc. I do think that medication can help in post partum depression. However, there are also other methods to deal with depression that don’t involve medication. Scientology, and many others, believe that drugs do not always have to be the answer, or at least the answer without even thinking about alternatives. So many people are quick to recommend medication without thinking about other avenues. Scientology does believe that prescription drugs can be used as part of a treatment for a disease. However, Scientology warily looks at psychotropic drugs, as there might be other underlying issues relating to the problem that can be better handled. Psychiatric drugs can decrease our awareness, thus creating other side effects. So, I’d say that before using psychiatric drugs, other avenues of treatment should be looked at.
 
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Thetan:
If anything, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints supposedly teaches the belief that you become a god after you die and get to rule over a planet/universe. They believe that God was once a man, and that we will become as God is. .
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The Mormon church certainly taught that when I was a member, and my husband and his family & friends all grew up with that teaching. It would appear, however, that there has been some serious back-pedaling on that issue in the past decade, at least from what I get from most of the Mormons here. Then again, most of them are not from Utah, and I know that things were different in the Land of the Saints.

Sorry for the thread hijacking. I’ll go back to my corner now.👋
 
Thetan,

Thanks for the reply… ok, now I have another question… I hope you don’t mind but I’ve never actually talked to a Scientologist before (although I did live near Clearwater, FL where there were lots - always dressed in white for some reason?) OK, so my question… what if you fell in love with a girl who said Scientology was so not for her. Suppose she looked into it briefly but then decided she wanted nothing to do with it and wanted to stay focused on her Chrisitan religion (and yes I know, supposedly Scientology is compatable with all faiths) but suppose she just wasn’t interested in the least. Would you still consider her girlfriend/possible wife material? And let’s also assume that she said her children would NOT be involoved w/ Scientology at all. Would that be OK with you?
 
definitely. One of my girlfriends wasn’t a Scientologist. Honestly, I believe that people should be open to believe what they want when it comes to religion. Of course, I do believe that certain things are wrong, objectively speaking. If someone wants to practice Scientology, then great! However, if they decide that it isn’t for him/her, I’ll admit that I wish they’d practice it b/c I believe it benefits all people, but that’s their choice. With children, I believe that children, when they’re at the right age, should be able to examine various religions to see what matches their beliefs. Of course, Catholics(and Orthodox for that matter) would believe that the truths held in their religions are objective truths, so children should be brought up in them. I think that it’s better for an adequate person to research religions to make sure it is what they believe to prevent future problems, confusion, etc.

On the people wearing white in and around Clearwater, well the Flag Service Organization is located there. It is the largest church in Scientology in the world. You can complete some of the highest levels of auditing there, as well as auditor training. People come from around the world to study there.

I don’t mind the questions, ask as many as you like 🙂
 
OK, you said you don’t mind so here goes… next question… on another thread I think you said you were raised Orthodox & still are? Do you go to mass? And if so, how do you reconcile what L.Ron Hubbard said about Jesus (“no man on the cross…”) with what you must know to be true about our Lord?
 
great question. Well, I haven’t heard of that quote of Hubbard’s before. I’d greatly appreciate it if you could point me in the right direction.

However, we must remember that Hubbard isn’t a god. He isn’t a messiah, the chosen one, etc. He simply discovered methods that work to advance humanity in many amazing ways, and I can attest to the efficacy of the Scientology and Dianetics. If Hubbard made such a comment, that wouldn’t bother me, b/c I know that he isn’t infallible, and never said what Scientologists should believe about Christianity or any other religion. The Church of Scientology makes no comment on who Christ really was or if he existed, etc.

I do attend Divine Liturgy, and find it very fulfilling. There are a number of Scientologists that are able to practice Scientology and be another religion. Many people find it easier than others, especially Hindus, Buddhists, etc., as Scientology is more similar to Eastern religions than Western ones. Of course, I’d also say that most people that become Scientologist don’t continue in their former religions.
 
Thetan,

Thanks so much for answering my questions. I have read that quote by L.Ron Hubbard on several counter-Scientology websites. Here is one that compares Scientology to Christianity. Scroll down to “Hubbard on Christianity” and you’ll see several quotes. Needless to say, Mr. Hubbard was not fond of Jesus.

ezlink.com/~perry/Co$/Christian/

I do hope you’ll stick around and visit some of the other forums on this website. I agree - people should investigate other religions because it will either reinforce in our minds that our beliefs are correct - or it may just show us what we’re missing out on?

God bless you,
CM 🙂
 
i definitely will browse around the rest of the forum. I always enjoy reading and learning about other religions, and I agree that we can see what we’re “missing out” on, as well as reinforcing our own beliefs.

If you have any other questions, feel free to ask:)
 
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Thetan:
If you have any other questions, feel free to ask:)
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Hi Thetan,
Me again… back with another question… 🙂 OK, so as Catholics you probably know that part our “moral code” so to speak would be obeying the 10 Commandments - I’m wondering what the moral code would be for a Scientologist and what is it based on? For example, Catholics are supposed to stay married - for better or for worse & divorce is not supposed to be an option also no cheating on your spouse, & no killing, which would include abortion. Oh, and no birth control…

So I’m not going to even suggest that all or even most 😦 Catholics follow all of those rules - but still, they are the rules & they are, we believe, God’s rules - based on the Bible & the traditions of the Church. So do Scientologists have some sort of written rules that you have to obey to be a good Scientologist? And if so, do you believe they came from God? (And specifically - is it ok to divorce, get an abortion, use b/c, etc. or are those no-nos?)

thanks!
CM
 
carol marie:
Hi Thetan,
Me again… back with another question… 🙂 OK, so as Catholics you probably know that part our “moral code” so to speak would be obeying the 10 Commandments - I’m wondering what the moral code would be for a Scientologist and what is it based on? For example, Catholics are supposed to stay married - for better or for worse & divorce is not supposed to be an option also no cheating on your spouse, & no killing, which would include abortion. Oh, and no birth control…

So I’m not going to even suggest that all or even most 😦 Catholics follow all of those rules - but still, they are the rules & they are, we believe, God’s rules - based on the Bible & the traditions of the Church. So do Scientologists have some sort of written rules that you have to obey to be a good Scientologist? And if so, do you believe they came from God? (And specifically - is it ok to divorce, get an abortion, use b/c, etc. or are those no-nos?)

thanks!
CM
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hi:)
Yes, there are various “rules”/codes/creeds/etc. that one should follow to be a Scientologist.
-The Code of a Scientologist.
scientology.org/p_jpg/wis/wiseng/33/33-scn.htm
-The Auditor’s Code. This code is not only for Auditors, but for others as well.
scientology.org/en_US/religion/auditing/pg004a.html
-The Code of Honor.
codeofhonor.org/
-There is also the Eight Dynamics, which we use throughout our lives.
----1. Self
----2. Creativity
----3. Group Survival
----4. Species
----5. Life Forms
----6. Physical Universe
----7. Spiritual Dynamic
----8. Infinity/God/Supreme Being/etc.
-There is also the ARC Triangle. The ARC triangle represents the components of understanding-Communication, Affinity, and reality. Scientologists use these aspects to properly understand situations in life.
Scientology bases its system of ethics on reason, which we believe was given to us by God.
Honestly, I’m not certain of Scientology’s views on abortion, divorce, etc. Scientology values life and the individual to the highest degree. If I were to guess, I’d say that Scientology allows for divorce in certain situations where the marriage can no longer be true or held together, especially in cases of adultery, etc.(as in Orthodoxy).
I’ll see if I can get an answer to your question about abortion, divorce, etc.
 
i do believe that the Church of Scientology regards same sex marriages to be disordered, or, in our terminology, “aberrated”.
 
Thetan,

Please consider the story of my dear cousin. At the age of 16 his girlfried became pregnant so, being a decent guy, he married her.

She was a 2nd generation scientologist from an enthusiastic scientology family. The wedding service took place at Saint Hill, only a few miles from where I grew up.

After a while my cousin became devoted to scientology and he and his wife moved to Saint Hill.

sidetrack - the family of an ex-girlfriend of mine had a lodger who had been an active scientologist, living at Saint Hill. He became disillusioned with the movement and eventually decided to leave. The people at Saint Hill would not let him leave and put all sorts of pressures (and more) on him to get him to stay. Eventually he escaped with just the clothes he was in, by climbing over a wall and fleeing to start a new life. 6 months after becoming a lodger in that house the scientology movement found out where he was. For years after that he was receiving several pieces of mail a day, phone calls several times a day and constant pressure to return.

Back to my cousin. My cousin had four children and was actually happy at Saint Hill. However, he had been forced by the scientology leaders to cut all contact with and disown his unbelieving family.

Then he contracted multiple sclerosis.

The Scientology movement then literally threw him out. His wife did not want to but after great pressures from scientology leaders she divorced him and disowned him.

My cousin lost everything.

Fortunately his mother forgave him for disowning her and he was therefore able to find help and support during his final years of illness, which eventually killed him.

That is the sort of organisation Scientology is. That is some of what happens at Saint Hill. You can make your own mind up as to whether this is a fantastic organisation to be so devoted so, an organisation that would cut all ties with a sick man and force his wife to divorce him.

There are other horror stories that people in East Grinstead, Crawley and the surrounding area could tell. But I just give the story of a close family member.
 
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