OK, so I know it was founded by L. Ron Hubbard, a science fiction novelist. I know some famous folks are amongst its members... but what is it really all about? Does anybody know what this religion is all about?
The Church of Scientology
- Thread starter BabaOReilly
- Start date
forensicsgirl
Captain
Uh, Madonna isn't a Scientologist. She practices Kabbalah, which is a form of Jewish Mysticism and has nothing in common with Scientology.
According to Wikipedia, the core beliefs of Scientology are as follows:
-A person is an immortal spiritual being (termed a thetan) who possesses a mind and a body.
-Through the Scientology process of "auditing", one can free oneself of "engrams" and "implants" to reach the state of "Clear", and after that, the state of "Operating Thetan". Each state is said to represent recovering the native spiritual abilities of the individual, and to confer dramatic mental and physical benefits.
-The thetan has lived through many past lives and will continue to live beyond the death of the body.
-A person is basically good, but becomes "aberrated" by moments of pain and unconsciousness in his or her life.
-What is true for you is what you have observed yourself. No beliefs should be forced as "true" on anyone. Thus, the tenets of Scientology are expected to be tested and seen to either be true or not by Scientology practitioners.
-Psychiatry and psychology are evil and abusive. [23]
-Humans retain many emotional problems caused by early stages of evolution
More details can be found here
I'm extremely open-minded - being a Wiccan, I am pretty firm in my beliefs of not forcing your own faith onto others or telling people that their religion is wrong - We all have our own paths. But... Scientology irks the crap out of me. So I'm going to bite my tongue...
According to Wikipedia, the core beliefs of Scientology are as follows:
-A person is an immortal spiritual being (termed a thetan) who possesses a mind and a body.
-Through the Scientology process of "auditing", one can free oneself of "engrams" and "implants" to reach the state of "Clear", and after that, the state of "Operating Thetan". Each state is said to represent recovering the native spiritual abilities of the individual, and to confer dramatic mental and physical benefits.
-The thetan has lived through many past lives and will continue to live beyond the death of the body.
-A person is basically good, but becomes "aberrated" by moments of pain and unconsciousness in his or her life.
-What is true for you is what you have observed yourself. No beliefs should be forced as "true" on anyone. Thus, the tenets of Scientology are expected to be tested and seen to either be true or not by Scientology practitioners.
-Psychiatry and psychology are evil and abusive. [23]
-Humans retain many emotional problems caused by early stages of evolution
More details can be found here
I'm extremely open-minded - being a Wiccan, I am pretty firm in my beliefs of not forcing your own faith onto others or telling people that their religion is wrong - We all have our own paths. But... Scientology irks the crap out of me. So I'm going to bite my tongue...
Hmm... thanks. Although I still don't totally get what they're all about. Anybody have any specific experience with the church, or with anyone from the church?
Umm... *shifts eyes* There is that South Park episode that they wouldn't air where Tom Cruise hid in Stan's closet. That actually has a whole segement on what Scientologists believe and it probably the only kinda-but-not-really education on the subject to people who aren't in that religion.
-Scientology literally means the Study of Truth. It's based on a body of knowledge, prime aspects being this:
2. One's experience extends beyond one single lifetime. He is capable of everything, even if the capabilities have not yet been realized. He can solve his own problems, accomplish his goals, gain lasting happiness and achieve a higher state of awareness and ability.
3. One consists of three parts: thetan (the spirit), mind, and body. The body is not the person, the thetan is.
-Survival is broken into eight dynamics.
8. INFINITY: AKA God, The creator, The Supreme Being
7. SPIRITUAL: anything spiritual without identity or life source.
6. PHYSICAL UNIVERSE: The four components of matter, space, engery and time.
5. LIFE FORMS: all animal and plant life
4. MANKIND as a species
3. GROUP SURVIVAL (whether friends, a club, race, nation, etc.)
2. FAMILY
1. SELF, including body, mind and possesions.
Through scientology, one realizes their life is not only theirs. By understanding each dynamic and its relations to the others, he is able to increase survival on all parts.
-Arc Triangle:
Therefore, Communication + Reality + Affinity = Understanding.
-Tone Scale: "A Tool used in everyday life to understand what is occurring with individuals and how best to communicate with them."
40.0 Serenity of Beingness
30.0 Postulates
22.0 Games
20.0 Action
8.0 Exhilaration
6.0 Aesthetics
4.0 Enthusiasm
3.5 Cheerfulness
3.3 Strong Interest
3.0 Conservatism
2.9 Mild Interest
2.8 Contented
2.6 Disinterested
2.5 Boredom
2.4 Monotony
2.0 Antagonism
1.9 Hostility
1.8 Pain
1.5 Anger
1.4 Hate
1.3 Resentment
1.2 No Sympathy
1.15 Unexpressed Resentment
1.1 Covert Hostility
1.02 Anxiety
1.0 Fear
0.98 Despair
0.96 Terror
0.94 Numb
0.9 Sympathy
0.8 Propitiation
0.5 Grief
0.375 Making Amends
0.3 Undeserving
0.2 Self-Abasement
0.1 Victim
0.07 Hopeless
0.05 Apathy
0.03 Useless
0.01 Dying
0.0 Body Death
-Drugs and Chemicals: Reduce one's potential in life, even long after the drug was taken. Drugs and toxins not only decrease mental awareness but contribute to undesirable states. "This biochemical factor is a barrier to spiritual freedom."
The Solution - The Purification Rundown. Exercise and sweating in Suanas help flush the toxins. Mega-vitamin, mineral dosages and extra oil are vital in repairing the body.
-Auditing - listening "helps another examine specific areas of their existence so they can rid themselves of unwanted spiritual conditions and increase awareness and ability."
-States of Existance - The lowest being Man, the heighest being Operating Thetan.
-Aims of Scientology
"A civilization without insanity, without criminals and without war, where the able can prosper and honest beings can have rights, and where man is free to rise to greater heights, are the aims of Scientology"
"We seek no revolution. We seek only evolution to higher states of being for the individual and for society. We are achieving our aims."
All summerized and taken from http://www.scientology.org/
2. One's experience extends beyond one single lifetime. He is capable of everything, even if the capabilities have not yet been realized. He can solve his own problems, accomplish his goals, gain lasting happiness and achieve a higher state of awareness and ability.
3. One consists of three parts: thetan (the spirit), mind, and body. The body is not the person, the thetan is.
-Survival is broken into eight dynamics.
8. INFINITY: AKA God, The creator, The Supreme Being
7. SPIRITUAL: anything spiritual without identity or life source.
6. PHYSICAL UNIVERSE: The four components of matter, space, engery and time.
5. LIFE FORMS: all animal and plant life
4. MANKIND as a species
3. GROUP SURVIVAL (whether friends, a club, race, nation, etc.)
2. FAMILY
1. SELF, including body, mind and possesions.
Through scientology, one realizes their life is not only theirs. By understanding each dynamic and its relations to the others, he is able to increase survival on all parts.
-Arc Triangle:
Therefore, Communication + Reality + Affinity = Understanding.
-Tone Scale: "A Tool used in everyday life to understand what is occurring with individuals and how best to communicate with them."
40.0 Serenity of Beingness
30.0 Postulates
22.0 Games
20.0 Action
8.0 Exhilaration
6.0 Aesthetics
4.0 Enthusiasm
3.5 Cheerfulness
3.3 Strong Interest
3.0 Conservatism
2.9 Mild Interest
2.8 Contented
2.6 Disinterested
2.5 Boredom
2.4 Monotony
2.0 Antagonism
1.9 Hostility
1.8 Pain
1.5 Anger
1.4 Hate
1.3 Resentment
1.2 No Sympathy
1.15 Unexpressed Resentment
1.1 Covert Hostility
1.02 Anxiety
1.0 Fear
0.98 Despair
0.96 Terror
0.94 Numb
0.9 Sympathy
0.8 Propitiation
0.5 Grief
0.375 Making Amends
0.3 Undeserving
0.2 Self-Abasement
0.1 Victim
0.07 Hopeless
0.05 Apathy
0.03 Useless
0.01 Dying
0.0 Body Death
-Drugs and Chemicals: Reduce one's potential in life, even long after the drug was taken. Drugs and toxins not only decrease mental awareness but contribute to undesirable states. "This biochemical factor is a barrier to spiritual freedom."
The Solution - The Purification Rundown. Exercise and sweating in Suanas help flush the toxins. Mega-vitamin, mineral dosages and extra oil are vital in repairing the body.
-Auditing - listening "helps another examine specific areas of their existence so they can rid themselves of unwanted spiritual conditions and increase awareness and ability."
-States of Existance - The lowest being Man, the heighest being Operating Thetan.
-Aims of Scientology
"A civilization without insanity, without criminals and without war, where the able can prosper and honest beings can have rights, and where man is free to rise to greater heights, are the aims of Scientology"
"We seek no revolution. We seek only evolution to higher states of being for the individual and for society. We are achieving our aims."
All summerized and taken from http://www.scientology.org/
Hmmm... Interesting! Thanks so much.
Now I wonder, do scientologists, like people in other religions, act more lax than others? You know what I mean, right? Like, "Yeah, I'm a catholic, but I rarely go to Church- just on holidays and stuff."
I wonder if Scientology has people like that or if, since it's sort of considered as "intense" by others, that rarely if ever happens in its members? And my other question is this- do you almost really have to be wealthy/rich and/or a celebrity to be a good Scientologist? It seems like there's a large "donation" factor to this Church, and I'm wondering whether your average Joe could afford it... not to mention the truckloads of expensive vitamins?
Now I wonder, do scientologists, like people in other religions, act more lax than others? You know what I mean, right? Like, "Yeah, I'm a catholic, but I rarely go to Church- just on holidays and stuff."
I wonder if Scientology has people like that or if, since it's sort of considered as "intense" by others, that rarely if ever happens in its members? And my other question is this- do you almost really have to be wealthy/rich and/or a celebrity to be a good Scientologist? It seems like there's a large "donation" factor to this Church, and I'm wondering whether your average Joe could afford it... not to mention the truckloads of expensive vitamins?
I found this list of celebrities who are Scientologists, to be honest number 5 and 90 really surprised me. If you can't already tell this is from one of my favorite websites. Otherwise I don't know much about the religion, really the only thing I know is that the book which the religion is based on is titled Dianetics.