Scientology-My View
Submitted by Chris on 4/20/07
Scientology certainly isn't the first religion to end up in court a lot (see, for example, the Catholic Church's pedophile priest scandal). The difference I see here is WHAT Scientology sues over. For example, they managed to force a person who'd posted their texts online to take them down, because they were copyrighted. Most, if not all, other religions make their texts available to anyone who wants to read them, whether or not those people are "spiritually prepared" to understand the texts. From what I've read, Scientology doesn't make most texts available to people until they've paid a LOT of money for them. Compare that to most Christian churches, that will generally GIVE you a Bible, or sell you one at close to what it cost them (or leave one in your hotel room nightstand ;-).
Scientology has sued people who've called it a "cult." Most churches or other organizations (think Weight Watchers or any 12-step program based on A.A.) who've been tarred with the "cult" label just kind of shrug it off. That doesn't seem to be the case with Scientology.
I recall reading an interview with Tom Cruise in "The Wave" (that free San Jose-based entertainment magazine you can find in downtown SF and also in SJ, I suppose), where he talked about the Scientology "Narconon" being the "most successful drug rehabilitation program." It's a shame that Scientology teaches ridiculous fables about drugs being a greasy residue that leave the body during their detox process, which is something no medical drug expert believes is true. Unfortunately, according to an SF Chronicle article I read, some public schools actually allowed a Scientology person to spread this myth (you can look on SFgate.com if you don't believe me - I'm sure you can search and find it there). I'm sure it's also a mere coincidence that the name "Narconon" sounds like a combination "Narcotics Anonymous" and "Al-Anon," the support group for people with alcoholics in their families (I'm not sure, but there probably is a corresponding "Nar-Anon" for families of drug addicts). I'm sure "Narconon" wasn't so named in order to hoodwink addicts and their families in the same way "crisis pregnancy centers" are so named to trick young women who want to get an abortion into heading to a place where they'll be lectured about how abortion is murder. ;-)
If you want to be a Scientologist; great, go for it. But you should know you're in a cult designed to rob you of your money and your consciousness, more so than most organized religions (which I believe also mostly just want your money and your consciousness).
Scientology certainly isn't the first religion to end up in court a lot (see, for example, the Catholic Church's pedophile priest scandal). The difference I see here is WHAT Scientology sues over. For example, they managed to force a person who'd posted their texts online to take them down, because they were copyrighted. Most, if not all, other religions make their texts available to anyone who wants to read them, whether or not those people are "spiritually prepared" to understand the texts. From what I've read, Scientology doesn't make most texts available to people until they've paid a LOT of money for them. Compare that to most Christian churches, that will generally GIVE you a Bible, or sell you one at close to what it cost them (or leave one in your hotel room nightstand ;-).
Scientology has sued people who've called it a "cult." Most churches or other organizations (think Weight Watchers or any 12-step program based on A.A.) who've been tarred with the "cult" label just kind of shrug it off. That doesn't seem to be the case with Scientology.
I recall reading an interview with Tom Cruise in "The Wave" (that free San Jose-based entertainment magazine you can find in downtown SF and also in SJ, I suppose), where he talked about the Scientology "Narconon" being the "most successful drug rehabilitation program." It's a shame that Scientology teaches ridiculous fables about drugs being a greasy residue that leave the body during their detox process, which is something no medical drug expert believes is true. Unfortunately, according to an SF Chronicle article I read, some public schools actually allowed a Scientology person to spread this myth (you can look on SFgate.com if you don't believe me - I'm sure you can search and find it there). I'm sure it's also a mere coincidence that the name "Narconon" sounds like a combination "Narcotics Anonymous" and "Al-Anon," the support group for people with alcoholics in their families (I'm not sure, but there probably is a corresponding "Nar-Anon" for families of drug addicts). I'm sure "Narconon" wasn't so named in order to hoodwink addicts and their families in the same way "crisis pregnancy centers" are so named to trick young women who want to get an abortion into heading to a place where they'll be lectured about how abortion is murder. ;-)
If you want to be a Scientologist; great, go for it. But you should know you're in a cult designed to rob you of your money and your consciousness, more so than most organized religions (which I believe also mostly just want your money and your consciousness).
posted by Charlotte Rose at 9:58 AM
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