As I understand it...
The official Scientology organization is composed of a number of “levels�. One begins as a “preclear� & works their way up. One must purchase virtually every service crucial to advancement directly from the "church" & at staggering prices. "Auditing", for example, is purchased in 12½ hour blocks, costing anywhere from $200-$750 for introductory sessions to between $8,000 & $9,000 for advanced sessions. Basically, Scientology claims to possess exclusive knowledge of the path to religious redemption & then charges obscene amounts of money for every tiny incremental step towards this end. $380,000 is a conservative estimate for the total cost of moving all the way up the Scientology hierarchal ladder.
At level OT III (Operating Thetan Level 3), some very strange & fiercely guarded secrets are imparted upon worthy members who have paid enough money to advance to such a level (and no, this isn't a joke): The evil alien ruler Xenu killed millions of aliens (Thetans) from around the universe by kidnapping them, bringing them to earth in golden DC-8 “space-planes�, stacking them around volcanoes & blowing them up by dropping “h-bombs� into the volcanoes. Scientologists believe the souls of these aliens (these souls are "Body Thetans") were captured, brainwashed & released; they then attached themselves to our ancestors (and according to Scientology’s belief in Thetan immortality, they also attached to us during “past lives�) & cause many of our mental & physical ills to this day. Auditing is said to “clear� us of these Body Thetans as well as the “mental implants� they supposedly impose on our minds.
The purpose of achieving the highest level is to be able to view the final document, because our feeble human brains can not read it without proper preparation without exploding...interesting thing is, it is on the internet, and I posted the synapsis above....I read it, and my brain didnt explode thankfully.
This has quite a healthy financial business model. But I wonder how the community at large views it? Cult, or religion?
Is scientology a cult or religion?
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goodwithoutgod
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cnorman18
Re: L. Ron Hubbard has been making thoughts on Ethics... Who
Post #21[Replying to post 19 by Aetixintro]
Your last post is an example of a tactic that is called "handwaving" in debate. That is, a total sidestepping and ducking of an issue or an argument that is very clearly on the table, without attempting to rebut or respond to it in any way. In fact, I'm not sure that it even rises to the level of a "handwave," since you haven't even acknowledged that these documented quotations exist, which you would have to do before you can dismiss them.
The only thing you've said that could be construed as an actual response to those quotes remains this:
"'Bye."
If you aren't going to address the existence, the clear meaning, and the significance of those direct and documented quotes, you might as well stick with "'Bye."
Your last post is an example of a tactic that is called "handwaving" in debate. That is, a total sidestepping and ducking of an issue or an argument that is very clearly on the table, without attempting to rebut or respond to it in any way. In fact, I'm not sure that it even rises to the level of a "handwave," since you haven't even acknowledged that these documented quotations exist, which you would have to do before you can dismiss them.
The only thing you've said that could be construed as an actual response to those quotes remains this:
"'Bye."
If you aren't going to address the existence, the clear meaning, and the significance of those direct and documented quotes, you might as well stick with "'Bye."
Post #22
OP
I would agree that "cult" and "religion" are often just different terms designated by time and the number of members. That said, Scientology's status as a cult or religion legally depends on where you are.
In America it is a religion. I'm fairly sure that in most of Europe, Scientology is considered a cult and is occasionally prosecuted.
I would agree that "cult" and "religion" are often just different terms designated by time and the number of members. That said, Scientology's status as a cult or religion legally depends on where you are.
In America it is a religion. I'm fairly sure that in most of Europe, Scientology is considered a cult and is occasionally prosecuted.
Re: Is scientology a cult or religion?
Post #23"Cult" is a disparaging term that big religions apply to little religions when the little religions are recruiting members from the big religionsgoodwithoutgod wrote: Is scientology a cult or religion?
