Tom Cruise: Scientology is the sh*t, man!

[conjur]

http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story?id=6420217&rnd=1092364818611&has-player=true&version=6.0.11.847



Words fail me.

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

As far as I can see, Scientology is more a self-help program than a religion, and it works well for plenty of talented-but-not-bright folks, like Cruise and Travolta. Whatever floats your boat, I guess . . .

 

[viivo]

I see it as a cult. But then again what mass gathering of people shoveling their own money into the fire isn't?

If they want to believe there are evil aliens on planets in our solar sytem, more power to them.

 

[alchemize]

Nothing but a religion for people who want to worship themselves.

 

[Perknose]

HAHA, the scam that never dies. Thirty years ago when I was on the West Coast I had lemming like friends.

It went this way. You pay and pay and pay for courses, seminars and books trying to become "clear".

Then, one day, you finally realize you've been taken.

Volia! You're "clear".

 

[Drift3r]

Scientology is nothing but a scam designed to milk money from weak minded suckers.

 

[Pliablemoose]

The way that Scientology demonizes Psychiatry/Psychology & psych drugs frightens me...

 

[thuper]

Why is this in the news section?

Cruise joined Scientology, the controversial church of religion and life philosophy started by L. Ron Hubbard, after church courses helped him overcome his dyslexia in the Eighties

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

Originally posted by: Pliablemoose
The way that Scientology demonizes Psychiatry/Psychology & psych drugs frightens me...

Yeah, it is creepy. I gather they're afraid if people with mental illnesses are cured through psychiatry, they won't be interested in Scientology.

 

[LordMagnusKain]

It?s a sad cult.

I don?t know of many that have truly come of a negative place because of it, but I know a good number of people that have gotten to a very negative bank-balance because of it.

 

[Yo Ma Ma]

They take care of their own.

http://www.lisamcpherson.org/

 

[0roo0roo]

It?s a sad cult.

says the hipocrite.

 

[LordMagnusKain]

Originally posted by: 0roo0roo

It?s a sad cult.

I don?t know of many that have truly come of a negative place because of it, but I know a good number of people that have gotten to a very negative bank-balance because of it.

says the hipocrite.

I've seen many people end up in a much better place because of most sorts of following after Christ and few that find in their particular religion something that they are required to go into debt in order to learn about.

can you please explain the hypocrisy of observing the relative functional differences between a cult such as scientology and a spirituality that doesn't require you believe or give money to any particular church like Christianity?

 

[kylebisme]

Originally posted by: DonVito
As far as I can see, Scientology is more a self-help program than a religion, and it works well for plenty of talented-but-not-bright folks, like Cruise and Travolta. Whatever floats your boat, I guess . . .

it is a religioin within a "self-help" program. they help eachother break free from the control of the evil lava demons who tourture our very souls; at least that is the jist of it.

 

[cpumaster]

Is scientology an atheist or agnostic religion? Or does it believe in God in different way? If you are a Christian, can you become a scientologist without losing your faith in Christianity?
Seems like Cruise's mom is going through that sort of phase in life.

 

[chuckywang]

I refer you to http://www.xenu.net

The Church of Scientology exists to make money. Period. Scientologists believe that the evil alien Xenu brought the population of a sector of the galaxy to Earth and exterminated them with H-bombs. The souls of these exterminated beings are called "body thetans" and they inhabit us, causing all our faults. At a high level of Scientology, scientologists have to telepathically communicate to them to make them go away. Once they rid themselves of body thetans, they are "Clear" and become "Operating Thetans." Of course, the only way to get to such a level is to spend a lot of money.

 

[kage69]

Just a crutch of a different stripe. If he's happy with it, no skin off our backs...

 

[chuckywang]

Originally posted by: kage69
Just a crutch of a different stripe. If he's happy with it, no skin off our backs...

And if millions of people are happy being addicted to drugs and alcohol, it's no skin of your back either, right? Maybe I'm more altruistic than others, but I think evil should be fought regardless of how it applies to you.

 

[kage69]

And if millions of people are happy being addicted to drugs and alcohol, it's no skin of your back either, right? Maybe I'm more altruistic than others, but I think evil should be fought regardless of how it applies to you.

Yes, you're more altruistic than others. Who are you to dictate what gods or philosophies other adults worship, or what they put into their own bodies? (not that the two are a particulary good comparison)

 

[chuckywang]

Originally posted by: kage69

And if millions of people are happy being addicted to drugs and alcohol, it's no skin of your back either, right? Maybe I'm more altruistic than others, but I think evil should be fought regardless of how it applies to you.

Yes, you're more altruistic than others. Who are you to dictate what gods or philosophies other adults worship, or what they put into their own bodies? (not that the two are a particulary good comparison)

Check out the link, it's the Church of Scientology that I have problems with.

 

[Kadarin]

Some years ago I actually tried to read the book Dianetics, by L. Ron Hubbard.. I could never get through it as it literally made no sense whatsoever.

 

[kage69]

Check out the link, it's the Church of Scientology that I have problems with.

Yeah, it's pretty wacked out. I think Ron was crazier than an outhouse rat. It just amuses me to hear one sheep berate another over which cult is more valid. In the end, it's a free country and people will live their lives the way they want. What can you do? I try to take at least a little comfort knowing that they are happy with their chosen subscription.

 

[Caminetto]

Give me a break; I don't know anyone who can't use some help in some area of his or her life. I could care less whether they get it from a spouse or friends, psychologists, scientology, the mormons, or the american atheists. At least they recognize a problem or need and attempt to address it. Better than the "look at all the losers" crowd.

 

[MoFunk]

When I lived in Seattle, everyday to school I walked by a scientology office. So one day I went in and talked to the people, just to form my own opinion. I walked out of there thinking less of them then when I walked in. It was comical. They were telling me all kinds of stuff, and one actually said, well Travolta believes. Uh, OK. Funny stuff!

 

[Perknose]

Originally posted by: Perknose
HAHA, the scam that never dies. Thirty years ago when I was on the West Coast I had lemming like friends.

It went this way. You pay and pay and pay for courses, seminars and books trying to become "clear".

Then, one day, you finally realize you've been taken.

Volia! You're "clear".

Originally posted by: chuckywang
I refer you to http://www.xenu.net

The Church of Scientology exists to make money. Period. Scientologists believe that the evil alien Xenu brought the population of a sector of the galaxy to Earth and exterminated them with H-bombs. The souls of these exterminated beings are called "body thetans" and they inhabit us, causing all our faults. At a high level of Scientology, scientologists have to telepathically communicate to them to make them go away. Once they rid themselves of body thetans, they are "Clear" and become "Operating Thetans." Of course, the only way to get to such a level is to spend a lot of money.

Quoting myself, and the estimable chuckywang, just so we're all "clear" here.

I agree with those who say (more or less) that the road to self realization can be a meandering path and that anything that can help an individual along the way without doing any great harm to themselves or others is OK.

I also agree with those who say that Scientology has high, high levels of "whack" and that the bureaucracy of Scientology seems to exist primarily to part the gullible from large amounts of their money.

But, hey, back in the day I got picked up hitchhiking in LA by a pretty damn good looking blonde babe who almost instantly took a shine to me because I made good "eye contact", which was apparently something she'd learned about in Scientology. And to think, I achieved this exalted state without spending a dime on their on Scientology crapola!

Anyway, it got me laid, so I have a personal soft spot for the whole crazy program. Any 'religion" that can enable a good looking woman to appreciate what a swell and self realized fellow I am can't be all bad.