digitalwanderer
Legend
I noticed in my readings it mentioned more than a couple of times that the Germans are totally against scientology (little "S", you're right they don't deserve it)......why is that?
Is it ok to think Scientologists are bonkers?
- Thread starter digitalwanderer
- Start date
digitalwanderer
Legend
That would definately explain it._xxx_ said:
digitalwanderer
Legend
One of the very, very few taped LRH interviews:
http://www.xenutv.com/int/shrinkingworld.htm
I guess he ain't exactly honest in it. :?
Dang it, I always go on a weird scientology kick every few months it seems....but each time I look into the subject it just keeps getting weirder and more fascinating for me.
People believe this shit!
http://www.xenutv.com/int/shrinkingworld.htm
I guess he ain't exactly honest in it. :?
Dang it, I always go on a weird scientology kick every few months it seems....but each time I look into the subject it just keeps getting weirder and more fascinating for me.
People believe this shit!
My wife's been in the inner nest in L.A.
There are a couple of interesting books on Hubbard, and I seem to recall that one of them has been made available on the net.
If you're interested in knowing a good chunk of the Scientologists enemy list and world-view on what's wrong with modern society and institutions, read Hubbards (well. . .this would get me into a whole different discussion, but I'll avoid it for now) 10 volume MISSION EARTH. It's all there. . .
There is a lot of societal and governmental resistance to getting a new religion recognized (not, mind you, that this is an entirely bad thing), and I will say that a goodly portion of some of the paranoid and weird sh*t their leadership did over a period of years was a direct result of being under assault by various forces. Sometimes they made bad decisions for sure.
But, y'know, pretty much every religion, if looked at objectively, asks you to swallow some pretty big "you're kidding me, right?" stuff if you're a new outsider being exposed for the first time. Whether it be the cannabilism of Roman Catholicism, the *symbolic* cannabilism of Protestantism, or the golden tablets and their contents of Mormonism.
Which is not to say that lots and lots of very fine folks haven't signed-on to these things, often raised into them and so deeply in their context that they really don't think about them all that much.
EDIT: Ah, here it is. Read the physical version of this, and a couple more, some years back. http://www.clambake.org/archive/books/mom/Messiah_or_Madman.txt
There are a couple of interesting books on Hubbard, and I seem to recall that one of them has been made available on the net.
If you're interested in knowing a good chunk of the Scientologists enemy list and world-view on what's wrong with modern society and institutions, read Hubbards (well. . .this would get me into a whole different discussion, but I'll avoid it for now) 10 volume MISSION EARTH. It's all there. . .
There is a lot of societal and governmental resistance to getting a new religion recognized (not, mind you, that this is an entirely bad thing), and I will say that a goodly portion of some of the paranoid and weird sh*t their leadership did over a period of years was a direct result of being under assault by various forces. Sometimes they made bad decisions for sure.
But, y'know, pretty much every religion, if looked at objectively, asks you to swallow some pretty big "you're kidding me, right?" stuff if you're a new outsider being exposed for the first time. Whether it be the cannabilism of Roman Catholicism, the *symbolic* cannabilism of Protestantism, or the golden tablets and their contents of Mormonism.
Which is not to say that lots and lots of very fine folks haven't signed-on to these things, often raised into them and so deeply in their context that they really don't think about them all that much.
EDIT: Ah, here it is. Read the physical version of this, and a couple more, some years back. http://www.clambake.org/archive/books/mom/Messiah_or_Madman.txt
digitalwanderer
Legend
I read the series before I learned anything about scientology, I was a huge "golden age" sci-fi nut in my youth.geo said:
Here in the UK, Jedi became recognised as an official religion after over 300,000 proclaimed themselves Jedi Knights in the national census. Fact. You need 100,000 to become an official religion or something like that.
But, it isn't because people believe it, I don't think, it's because they thought it was a good idea at the time.
But, it isn't because people believe it, I don't think, it's because they thought it was a good idea at the time.
digitalwanderer
Legend
I don't mind the Jedi as much, I don't think they take it as seriously or try and recruit thru the same means as the scientologists or use the same black-ops tactics on their enemies.Geoff321 said:
Besides, how can you not sort of feel sorry for/like someone who declares their religion "Jedi"....I mean it's the light side of the force!
caboosemoose
Regular
Well, Scientology is no more bonkers than any other religion. The only reasons why I don't consider believers in other religions as being as bonkers as scientology believers is because:
a. Not many people in Western society, for instance, can have grown up in an environemnt that was free from the idea that there is a God of some sort and that many people believe in him/it whatever, givng the idea legitimacy. Quite apart from those people who are brought up in religious families and essentially brainwashed from a young age, even those who we brought up in secular homes probably start off life being exposed to the powerful idea of God. So, though i find it depressing that intelligent, well adjusted people cna be believers, I dont think it makes them bonkers.
b. damn, i forgot the second reason!
Anyway, for me I quite like having idiocy like Scientology around, it puts the more traditional religions into context. My only worry is that I don't think it's very helpful in America where the whole idea of faith seems to be getting out of control.
Anyway, spare a thought for poor old Tom Cruise, he is clearly going heading towards a second half of his life where his ridiculous faith causes him to be seen as a crank and a madman and where he will be increasingly ridiculed. I suspect Scientology is going to backfire on him badly and it's going to end up making him more and more miserable the older he gets. I think we can all imagine a 70 year old Tom Cruise being wheeled out for a good laugh with the interviewer pretending to respect his faith, but really just cashing in on the freakshow value. A little like Charlton heston in the 9/11 movie, you can't help but feel a bit sorry for someone so deeply flawed.
a. Not many people in Western society, for instance, can have grown up in an environemnt that was free from the idea that there is a God of some sort and that many people believe in him/it whatever, givng the idea legitimacy. Quite apart from those people who are brought up in religious families and essentially brainwashed from a young age, even those who we brought up in secular homes probably start off life being exposed to the powerful idea of God. So, though i find it depressing that intelligent, well adjusted people cna be believers, I dont think it makes them bonkers.
b. damn, i forgot the second reason!
Anyway, for me I quite like having idiocy like Scientology around, it puts the more traditional religions into context. My only worry is that I don't think it's very helpful in America where the whole idea of faith seems to be getting out of control.
Anyway, spare a thought for poor old Tom Cruise, he is clearly going heading towards a second half of his life where his ridiculous faith causes him to be seen as a crank and a madman and where he will be increasingly ridiculed. I suspect Scientology is going to backfire on him badly and it's going to end up making him more and more miserable the older he gets. I think we can all imagine a 70 year old Tom Cruise being wheeled out for a good laugh with the interviewer pretending to respect his faith, but really just cashing in on the freakshow value. A little like Charlton heston in the 9/11 movie, you can't help but feel a bit sorry for someone so deeply flawed.
Wait , I thought we were supposed to feel sorry for Moore ?
Anyway I believe in the right to own a gun. I own many guns and they are locked away untill we go hunting . If you want to take guns away then I think i should start making a big deal about tv and going around shoving camera's in front of people blaming them for deaths
Kanyamagufa
Regular
They really are just out of their minds...
I feel sorry for them.
I feel sorry for them.
Every person who clings strongly to a religion thinks that all others are absurd and with a smug of self righteousness looks down on them.
What they don't realise is that some islamic, buddist and hindu followers look upon christianity with just as much hilarious contempt as we do with $cientology.
So what if Xenu is the ruler of the Galaxy and entraps our souls to be reincarnated again and again? Its just as valid a story as a guy building an ark and sailing around with animals while the world is flooded.
Any religion can be made to look wacko. Its all a matter of perspective
What they don't realise is that some islamic, buddist and hindu followers look upon christianity with just as much hilarious contempt as we do with $cientology.
So what if Xenu is the ruler of the Galaxy and entraps our souls to be reincarnated again and again? Its just as valid a story as a guy building an ark and sailing around with animals while the world is flooded.
Any religion can be made to look wacko. Its all a matter of perspective
Scientology is in some ways more dangerous than other religions due to the fact that it operates like a Mafia when it is challenged.
Consider the case of Keith Henson, Scientology protester, who made a joke on USENET about a "Tom Cruise Missile" The result? The Cult got him convicted and sentenced to a year in jail. He is now a fugitive of the US in Canada.
Now the Cult is after his wife, and his wife's house.
Try this: Look up "Scientology" and "Fair Game"
Consider the case of Keith Henson, Scientology protester, who made a joke on USENET about a "Tom Cruise Missile" The result? The Cult got him convicted and sentenced to a year in jail. He is now a fugitive of the US in Canada.
Now the Cult is after his wife, and his wife's house.
Try this: Look up "Scientology" and "Fair Game"
DemoCoder said:
Sorry to hear they are still doing this crap. Around 1993 I attended a session by L. Sprague de Camp and his wife Catherine (one of the great sweetie-pies of all time). These people actually knew "Ron" before and during the war. Someone asked about him. Sprague gave a long, rambling (and characteristically) amusing answer. . .that said nothing. He explained that he had come to terms with the Church --he would no longer talk about Ron, and they'd leave him the hell alone. At the end he said, "So I can't say anything about Ron. . .Catherine, however, can tell you everything!" Followed by her pixie smile (okay, you had to be there to get just how hilarious that was).
Agisthos said:
Amongst others. It was at a Worldcon in San Francisco. Got a chance to shake his hand and receive a smile from Catherine, so it was all good.
Then there was the time Fred Pohl directed me to the beer at a suite party --that was a beautiful moment, particularly since I didn't know he was there until just then; I did a classic double-take. None of these folks are close friends, I've just been lucky to rub shoulders from time to time.
Geoff321 said:
no it didnt.. but if you believe that ,i've a very nice bridge for sale in brooklyn... oh and a big tower i own in paris
http://www.snopes.com/religion/jedi.htm
btw,, the OED is removing the word gullible from the dictionary as well
-dave-
when i was a student, during freshers week, the uni would be full of people trying to recruit students.. some of em well meaning and friendly , some of them from cults... since then they did clamp down a lot ..