The church of science-fiction
Mar 7th, 2008 | By Editorial Team | Category: Features
A protester at the ‘Anonymous’ protest against the Church of Scientology in Dublin on February 10. (Photo: CG/tBP)
There has been much controversy surrounding the religion of
Scientology. Many have dismissed it, calling it nothing more than a
money-making cult. Lauren Halligan investigates the
faith whose founder was widely rumoured to have said “The way to make
a million dollars is to start a religion.”
We all had a hearty chuckle at the expense of Tom Cruise a few weeks
ago
Looks like the person who put this together doesn’t understand the
word investigate. What she has done is piece together complete lies and
repackaged this as research.
Seems like Aldi wasn’t employing the day you went for career advice.
Pity you didn’t mention the case of the local kid who is drug
rehabed now because of the programs run by some of the Scientologists.
Here is how some one can do some investigation. It’s called reading a book.
If you want to learn about Judaism, you’d look at their texts in a
holistic sense and speak with actual Jewish people. I wouldn’t put much
belief in some one who just read Mein Kampt and The Protocols of Zion
and spoke with Anti-Semites.
http://www.scientology-victims-testimonies.com
in b4 terryeo, bgodley, etc.
Thanks for the accurate and informative article c: Posting some links if people want more information might be helpful, though
http://www.xenu.net
http://www.whyaretheydead.com
http://www.exscientologykids.com
http://www.xenutv.com
http://www.torymagoo.org
Other than the direct quote form Hubbard, this is a very poor
description of the theology of Scientology, of which I’ve been a member
for over 3 decades. The actual description is in the book “What is
Scientology” or easily found at the website, http://www.scientology.org. You
didn’t even get the “creation myth” right, which is actually something
called the “Factors”. The entire “disconnection” thing is a tiny point
in over 30 million words and was cancelled long ago. If you did a
theology study of Judaism you’d go to their source materials, not the
newspapers and blogs.
I’m not a Scientologist but to me it sounds like the critics just
plug their ears and chant “nah,nah,nah” like brainwashed cult members
when confronted with the facts about all the great things Scientology
is doing for the world.
I’M BROKE and I’VE BEEN DISCONNECTED FROM MY FAMILY.
I’VE GIVEN UP ALL AUTHORITY OF MY LIFE AND MY MIND.
I NEED AUDITING LIKE A JUNKIE NEEDS HEROIN.
THANK YOU, SCIENTOLOGY.
Psychiatry is an evil cult and should be eliminated.
http://whyaretheydead.net
is a good spot to read up on some of these cases. Google is your
friend. Try http://www.xenu.net , http://www.exscientologykids.com/ are good spots
too. Just to be fair, feel free to compare these sites with the Sci
sites.
Scientology is cult of greed and lies. Thankfully the media is
beginning to take a stand and bravely confront this litageous beast.
03.15.08
Expect Us
There is much false information in this piece that is obviously defamatory.
One. The quote about “making a million dollars” was written by a
Readers Digest journalist in an article published in the 70s. That
quote was proven to be false by the testimony of other individuals
including non-scienotlogists.
Two. The video piece is highly edited to make Cruise’s statements
seem incongrous. It is a bash job at best. Yet it is touted as truth
and gospel to how Tom Cruise acts.
Three. The term Science Fiction writer is often used to try and
malign Scientology philosophy. Hubbard did write Science Fiction but it
was about 2% of all the things he wrote and lectured about. He used
funds from his Science Fiction novels to fund his research into the
human mind which is all well documented and written.
Four. This Xenu, space alien thing is some level of highly twisted material to make Scientology and Scientologists look bad.
Five. The author’s description of disconnection to people who
disagree with Scientology is fantasy. This idea of deeming people
suppressive because you are moody is an ultimate in hogwash. I got a
good laugh from this.
Scientology not only addresses problems of life, communication it
deals with ethics. This is to aid individuals to be more ethical and
thus live a happier existence. As a part of of the suggested policy,
which is not enforced(everyone has a right to ultimatley do as they
desire), when someone is severely upsetting you and causing much
trouble in life than you can disconnect. This is a last ditch
suggestion after all other attempts are made to handle a situation.
Again, though this is in extreme cases of turmoil. But it is common
sense. Similarly if you had someone beating you up every week and
nothing helped, you would need to get out of there. Critics use this
little utilized handling as a way to incite some level of malcontent.
Six. Their is one very true statement made by the author and that is
Scientology’s exception to Psychiatry as being a legitimate science.
Per interviews at the American Pyschiatric Association in 2005 and
2006, psychiatrists admit a) they do not know what causes mental
illness b) the chemical imbalance theory of the brain is just that, at
theory. c) none of them have ever cured a mental illness. Thus the fond
use of the term “treatment”. d) all mental illness is voted upon. There
is not one scientific test to prove a mental illness of any kind. You
can only observe reactions within individuals, but no test.
Yet despite this we see HUGE increases in labeling and drugging. All
the recent shootings in American schools have been linked to
psychotropic drugs yet there is no outcry. The industry has billions at
stake and has a vested interest in seeing Scientology get pummeled.
Lisa Mcpherson was a tragic death. But it had nothing to do with
Scientologists treating her badly as critics like to point out. She
died from a blood clot from the accident (this is on the official death
certificate). She was a Scientologist for years and was in an
organization near the time of her death. This tragic event is used as
some type of example of what Scientology is or how Scientologists act.
It is offensive in the extreme. The aunt in her family used this death
as means to try and sue the church for millions. She admitted to not
really ever having a relationship with Lisa. The coroner reversed her
initial decision about the cause of death as verified by three seperate
medical experts.
What is obviously missing in this “look” at Scientology is any level
of professionalism and unbiased treatment. The author is parroting
criticism and outright nonsense. He does not include any other content
relating to the million or so people who get benefit from the religion.
He does not include any of the accolades or recognitions the church has
garnered for it’s social betterment activities, from school districts,
to the NYC fire dept., to the United Nations. Thousands of them.
He doesn’t describe people who lived with depression or upset in for years and tell how the Church saved their lives.
He doesn’t describe other powerful activities like getting 6000
inmates off of drugs in the hard core prison of Tijuana Mexico or
helping the South African govt. crack down on mental slave camps that
killed many people.
He doesn’t describe the Volunteer Ministers who have aided in New
York City - 9/11, the Tsunami crisis, London bombings, Peruvian
earthquakes, New Orleans floods, Greek Fires, Uganda floods, Pakastani
bombings, on and on.
My story is that when I became a Scientologist I did not have a job
and had much trouble in life. Through Scientology I grew more ethical
and able. I am a business owner, active in my community including boy
scout programs, a father and more. I guarantee if I had not found
Scientology I would have been one of those trouble citizens that cause
so much difficulty for others, yet I am not.
The author knows little of my religion and I guess in a most
forgiving manner I could chalk this down to - he knows not what he
speaks of.
*BOYCOTT CELEBRITY SCIENTOLOGISTS*
TOM CRUISE
KATIE HOLMES
LISA MARIE PRESSLEY
JENNA & BODHI ELFMAN
JASON LEE
BECK
GIOVANNI RIBISI & FAMILY
JULIETTE LEWIS
ETHAN SUPLEE
KIRSTY ALLEY
JOHN TRAVOLTA
JENNIFER ASPEN
MARISOL NICHOLS
CATHERINE BELL
NANCY CARTWRIGHT
DANNY & CHRIS MASTERSON
LAURA PREPON
ERIKA CHRISTENSEN
SKY DAYTON/EARTHLINK.COM
ISAAC HAYES
LEAH REMINI
http://www.exscientologykids.com
A good summary. Cases such as Lisa’s, or the French woman who was
kidnapped and held captive in Sardinia, are why we continue this
struggle.
The RPF is why:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZ-3JQGwps4
Kendra, Jenna, and Astra are why:
http://www.exscientologykids.com
This is why we protest:
The Officers of Scientology encourage child abuse and neglect.
http://www.taxexemptchildabuse.net
And this is why:
The policies of the Church of Scientology destroys families:
http://www.scientologydisconnection.com/
This is why:
The Church of Scientology enjoys special treatment over all other
religions by the IRS - Only Scientology can claim a tax deduction for
their “religious training.”
http://www.lermanet.com/scientologynews/nytimes/nyt-irs-030997.htm
http://www.youfoundthecard.com
Scientology helped me overcome a depression more than 20 years ago
and since then, they have helped me improve my life in every aspect I
wanted. Everytime I went to the Church I got help. They have also
helped my mother and many of my friends. They have a technology that
works, based in solid wise principles about life, the mind and the
spirit. I find it very sad that some people attack a movement that
makes so much good in the world instead of helping it expand and help
more people. Really sad…
Excellent article, to few are actually looking into this organization.
If scientology’s beliefs about mental and physical illness were
correct then would members such as Lisa McPherson have died in their
care.
Join us on March 15th
youfoundthecard.com
or
xenu.net
Interesting article. Party Hard!
Yes, scientology is crazy, dangerous, and its founder Hubbard got 4 years jail in France for fraud in 1978.
Here some parts of the ruling in english:
http://www.antisectes.net/jugt78eng.htm
Are all the poor Scientologists being told to find one anti
scientology article each day and fill it with their propaganda? Did
Xenu give you this assignment for today?
Who knows, maybe tomorrow you’ll get to fly to the mooooooooon!
“I find it very sad that some people attack a movement that makes so
much good in the world instead of helping it expand and help more
people. Really sad…”
I really want Scientologists to understand that we are only
attacking the bad parts, the parts that are wrong. If Scientology has
helped you to beat depression then I am very glad for you and I
wouldn’t take that from you - it is the bad things that I want to stop
- and you should want them to stop too, they are giving your faith a
bad name.
So much good in the world?
Like what? Picketing hospitals against mental health?
Hijacking the holocaust?
Forcing abortions?
Disconnecting families?
Ignorance is bliss for some I see.
Shrinks aren’t “evil Nazis” as you claim them to be, and to say so is contrary to the millions of people helped by them.
Oh wow. Scientologists from the OSA trying to speak good things about their cult and hide the truth.
Well written and fantastic Article. Lets hope more people in the media speak out about this dangerous, killing, lying cult.
As a Scientologist, I once considered these protests to be the
hubris of youth, misdirected by the seedy side of an internet culture.
But now I know better.
After reading the information gathered some anti-Scientology sites I
now understand why they consider the Church to be an evil tyrannical
organization that fleeces it’s parishoners. If it weren’t for what this
little campaign has turned me onto, I would just be another sad
commentator on the, I am sorry to say, gullibility of the people of my
Church. However, this organization has taken on a much brighter side no
matter what is professed by some of those in my Church. I was
interested in finding out where some of these kids got their info so I
visited the sites including the partyvan site where their
“organization” started from.
I must say I was impressed at the profound and thoughtful overtones
of the discussion boards. Most were actively calling for peaceful, law
abiding behavior at the protests, and they swiftly rejected any
ridiculous calls for burning things, overturning cars, etc. In this age
where we as Americans are being constantly reminded of how insecure our
way of life is in the world. Where we seem to have lost some of the
sanctity of personal freedom and the joy of pursuit of our way of life
as we see fit, this campaign seems to be exactly what Scientology and
our country needs, right now!
These individuals know the Church is involved in some nefarious
activity, and they have been very active in gathering any evidence of
it, which they have promptly given to authorities.
I have seen proof that the Church is fleecing people for profit and
run as a pyramid scheme type of business, and I encourage everyone to
contact the IRS, your representatives in Congress, and all other
authorities and bring them your claims.
Now I clearly understand that what the spokespeople of the Church of
Scientology are doing is inciting malice and prejudice. Make no mistake
not all in Scientology are the same and some probably just don’t know
what they are doing. However, they are some pretty nasty characters in
there, I have seen it.
It is unfortunate that the leaders of Scientology feed off of our
youth to pursue their personal agendas of acquiring wealth and power.
Quite despicable really.