Is Scientology a religion, philosophy or a cult? - Page 4

Bonnie · #46 Jul 20, '12, 11:21 am

It doesn't just "seem" like a scam - it IS a scam. Hubbard famously said (I paraphrase), the easiest way to make money is to start a religion. He took his own advice & did. I grew up next door to a family of Scientologists & I'm convinced that many of the members don't really believe - the father of the family didn't, but he made money with the e-meters. (That isn't conjecture - he told my mother that.He also told her about the qutoe from Hubbard. This was in the mid-60s) The daughter was one of my best friends. Note "was." The true belevers have a hard time relating to those of us who aren't.

The only good thing I took away from the Scientology reading I did was the advice to define terms before starting a discussion, especially about religion!

pgnat1 · #47 Jul 20, '12, 2:02 pm

I wonder if there are any Scientologists on the Forums

Gudrun72 · #48 Aug 1, '12, 11:13 pm

Cult

Lion of Narnia · #49 Aug 3, '12, 2:48 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheRealJuliane

It's both a cult and a scam. Started by a hack sci-fi writer in order to make money. If you think about it, it's pretty funny that anyone really believed the junk Ron Hubbard made up.

Harlan Ellison said he was a young fan in the pro-suite when L. Sprague Decamp essentialy "provoked" Hubbard on the Dianetics/Scientology path to riches--though Hubbard already was deeply involved with Occultism, via Jack Parsons (a Crowley devotee)

Lion of Narnia · #50 Aug 3, '12, 5:19 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lion of Narnia

Harlan Ellison said he was a young fan in the pro-suite when L. Sprague Decamp essentialy "provoked" Hubbard on the Dianetics/Scientology path to riches--though Hubbard already was deeply involved with Occultism, via Jack Parsons (a Crowley devotee)

Let me clarify, "Spragie" was anything but an occultist himself. A secular humanist and skeptic, according to his friends Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle, Sprague was a moral absolutist who definelty believed in good and evil--which is why those two writers placed him in the "circle of virtuous pagans" in Escape From Hell

kbwall · #51 Aug 3, '12, 9:58 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by mexolic

What ever it is, it sure attracts celebrities just like kabbalah. Are the rich and famous searching for happiness in a world that's probably more lonely than we think?

I think the reason that scientology attracts so many rich people is the fact that it's one of the few religions that validates their money. Many of these rich and famous have little in the way of a family life of any kind, and the only thing that has value in their emoty, shallow lives, is money. And scientology is one of the few religions that gives their money worth since money lets them grow in the church.

tqualey · #52 Aug 6, '12, 8:57 pm

Hi, Kbwall,

It is really a shame that the group can not be busted under RICO http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rackete...anizations_Act but, I guess it is too late for that.

The real disaster is what it does to its followers.

I met a Scientologist a couple of times - and each time made me more fearful for this person's soul!

God bless

Quote:

Originally Posted by kbwall

I think the reason that scientology attracts so many rich people is the fact that it's one of the few religions that validates their money. Many of these rich and famous have little in the way of a family life of any kind, and the only thing that has value in their emoty, shallow lives, is money. And scientology is one of the few religions that gives their money worth since money lets them grow in the church.

Erasmus 1 · #53 Sep 19, '12, 3:30 am

It's founder Ron L. Hubbard was a student of Anton LaVey master satanist. That speaks volumes!

tqualey · #54 Sep 19, '12, 4:03 am

Hi, Erasmus 1,

Welcome to CAF!

I really do not know anything about LaVey - what do you know?

Actually, you may be giving Hubbard too much credit - I think he was always a guy looking for a tax dodge - found it and then started working the various angles to beat the IRS. Where he is now ... well ... let's say paper money would not last long!

God bless

Quote:

Originally Posted by Erasmus 1

It's founder Ron L. Hubbard was a student of Anton LaVey master satanist. That speaks volumes!

Hunter24 · #55 Sep 19, '12, 1:25 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Erasmus 1

It's founder Ron L. Hubbard was a student of Anton LaVey master satanist. That speaks volumes!

LaVey isnt a true satanist nor is the Laverian church really satanist, they are just athiests who want shock value and orgys. they dont worship Satan, they dont even believe hes real, they just like scaring the s*%$ out of Christians and wearing black.

tabycat · #56 Sep 19, '12, 1:46 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheRealJuliane

It's both a cult and a scam. Started by a hack sci-fi writer in order to make money. If you think about it, it's pretty funny that anyone really believed the junk Ron Hubbard made up.

Cult, scam, and money making scheam.

tqualey · #57 Sep 19, '12, 5:41 pm

Hi, Hunter24,

There is no substitute for an expert opinion...

God bless

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hunter24

LaVey isnt a true satanist nor is the Laverian church really satanist, they are just athiests who want shock value and orgys. they dont worship Satan, they dont even believe hes real, they just like scaring the s*%$ out of Christians and wearing black.

Hunter24 · #58 Sep 19, '12, 5:49 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by tqualey

Hi, Hunter24,

There is no substitute for an expert opinion...

God bless

haha, because im sucha satanist

ThatOrthodoxGuy · #59 Sep 19, '12, 5:50 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheRealJuliane

It's both a cult and a scam. Started by a hack sci-fi writer in order to make money. If you think about it, it's pretty funny that anyone really believed the junk Ron Hubbard made up.

Amen