They are masters of brainwashing.

Veep,

Katie Holmes enrolled her daughter in a catholic school last week, Tom wanted her taught by Scientologist.  

I haven't read Hubbard's book "Dyanetics," but I understand it has an element of "faith healing." I guess some come to it for a cure and bring their entire families.

I think for celebrities, the initial attraction is networking... Young celebrities want meet more season celebrities, rub elbows... And then there are those who want to copywhat celebrities do so they join. 

They offer a lot of classes on how to handle stress and they believe We are reincarnated aliens from other planets....

I know you ask us atheist to put aside the idea that Scientology is the same as all other religions, but that is impossible to do.

At least for me it is.

I really, honestly, un-sarcastically can't understand why any intelligent person would fall for any of it. However, I see it all the time. In my opinion ALL religion is about money and the control of it. At least at the very core. The only difference I see in Scientology and other main stream religions is that Scientology is very new. It is no secret that the whole thing was a science fiction concept made up by L. Ron Hubbard. The ability of people to completely disregard and suspend all logic and reason is beyond me.

I saw where O No mentioned you were Catholic. Do you know how much money the Catholic church has? How can you seem so disturbed by the money changing hands within the religion of Scientology and not see the same thing going on within your own religion?

Not all that money goes to waste.... We are the largest charitable organzation in the world...

Then I guess my answer would be....

Those who believe in Scientology are attracted to it the same way you are to Catholicism. Search inside yourself and see if you can figure out what makes you follow your chosen religion and I am sure you will be able to understand how Tom Cruise feels about his.

Obviously intelligence does not play a part in it. Many intelligent people are completely caught up in religion. When I hear Xenu gathered up a million frozen souls and stacked them on the mouth of a volcano, then proceeded to blow them up with bombs, sending the souls in every direction, I am no more taken back then when I hear God made man from dirt and woman from the man's rib. Much later he impregnated a young virgin with himself, then sacrificed himself to himself. To save us all from the sin he created to begin with.

I know that there is so much more to both religions, but you get the picture.

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Since they are the richest church in the world I would expect no less. However, what they spend on charity is a drop in the bucket to what they actually have.

Brings to mind one of the stories from the bible...

(Mark 12:41-44)

41 And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much. 42 And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing. 43 And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury: 44 For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living.

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Actually from what I understand and it is not much, they are trying to rid themselves of alien souls that were set loose on earth by Xenu during the explosion. These alien souls cause a person all kinds of problems. They make them sick by giving them cancer, aches and pains, etc..... so they are not paying for spiritual enlightenment, they are paying for cleansing treatments.

VP,

I have been lurking and this made me want to respond. I agree that Scientology is wackadoodle. I just don't understand how so many people are falling for this. I mean they know it was a religion made up by L. Ron Hubbard and yet they still dedicate themselves to it. What gives with that? I had to look up what you were talking about with the 400 million year contract!!! Wow One of the stories I read said that kids as young as 12 were signing these contracts and working in camps that resembled concentration camps. Leveling up cost hundreds of thousands of dollars and they are doing it to learn more of the secrets of Xenu. I thought they worshipped this alien dude but they don't. They think he was a evil guy. Sorta like a really bad bounty hunter in space I think.

vp,
You're right to anticipate our natural response. The incredulity you feel as to how otherwise normal and intelligent people are willing to believe (sometimes fervently) what is obviously silly nonsense, is how I (we) feel about all religious beliefs. The main difference that Scientology has going against it (versus other much more established religions) is how modern it is. We know the full history of it's founding and know the full biography of its founders. Give it one to three thousand years of maturation, growing influence and power and we'll see where we're at. To those of us outside of religion, it's fully conceivable that one day Scientology (Mormonism, etc.) could look upon Christianity as Christianity now looks upon Ancient Norse, Greek & Egyptian mythologies.

I'm also glad to hear that you understand why it's important and ethical not to financially support the Catholic church.

....disclaimer- I do have the foresight to know that some atheists will say that Scientology is just as "messed up" as mainstream religion- but, put that aside if you will, and I'd like to know your thoughts as to how these people buy in, and what the attraction is. 
Curious....

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I guess I'm in the same boat as dark. I don't understand the attraction of any of them, and one "wild story" is not any worse than any other. When people need something to believe in they will justify it in any way possible. When I was a believer there were so many times I had to "ignore the elephant in the room" to hold on to that belief. Finally MY common sense won out. I stress the word my because again, like dark posted, atheists are always accused of thinking they're smarter than believers. Makes no difference that I have said over and over that I know some very intelligent people that believe in god, and some very intelligent people that don't believe in god, plenty of dumb people that believe and plenty of dumb people that don't believe. When you start "arguing" with christians they will toss that at you, "you think you're sooooooo smart and we're so dumb, but IF you were really smart you'd KNOW there is a god". No, not at all. I think when confronted with some of the "problems" with religion that a person HAS to overlook to keep their religion, it makes them FEEL dumb on some level and they think people see that in them. So I guess what I was trying to say, I don't see any reason to single out scientology to "run down" any more than any other religion. 

Jank, It is so good to see you back. Rram and Buffalo says 'Hey'!! There are a couple more calves around Buffalo's prairie since he last talked to you.

I agree but having never been brainwashed I can only imagine how that takes place. Scientists are somewhat certain it has to-do-with the head rather than the foot. 

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Same here!!

Vplee there is nothing wrong with your questioning authority of any religious body government nor making sure for yourself where any money you donate is being used properly, in your mind.

   There is the need of caution when listening to dark ,or any other atheist for that matter, who criticizes your religion. Bear in mind , what dark said  was without substance; just statements to insult your intelligence.

  Rram refers to this as the ‘superficial dilemma’. Dark for instance bases her advice to you on having a superficial understanding of your relationship with God and your religion. The dilemma is: you may base your understanding of her assessment based on the assumption alone that she has a personal understanding of God as do you.  Naaat ganna happen

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One thing I can tell you about my friend, vplee. She's a thinker & a seeker. Some Christians will swear by all that's holy that the way they believe is it & there's no discussing it. No room that they could have part or all of it wrong. vplee is one of those people that will hear what you say w/o judging you & getting angry. She's always willing to learn, never insisting that she knows it all & there's no room to learn anything else.

vega, I'm still waiting to hear why you think deep (or any Atheist) has captured my soul.

dead reckoning semi

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Do you even know what that means? I don't think you do.

Really? I must have missed that- I didn't feel at all insulted by anything that Dark said. 

I think that we can have differing opinions, radically different belief systems, and still "get" eachother...(including most of us on here). But if I missed something, I guess I'll be blissfully ignorant.  

Cheers!  

Great to "see" all you guys too! I check in here quite frequently and when I saw a few old faces come back and some new and interesting ones I decided to chit chat with you guys. I was way too caught up in this place at one time and I don't want that to happen again, so I might be in and out a lot.

VP: I cannot help you understand if you take away the one tool that will allow you to understand. The manner in which you are skeptical of Scientology? That how we feel about all religions. The difference is that atheists are universally hated for saying the emperor has no clothes. 

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Howdy Ho! Nothing like new calves. I would take a pasture full!

yes dear, I am a licensed pilot

LOL!!

The evil of Scientology is a matter of degree, with regard to other religions.  Scientology stands out in the facile transparency of its fraud.  You'll seldom hear Mormons criticize Scientology for much the same reason.  Ironically, you will, from time to time, hear Megachurch preachers rail against Scientology.  That's funny, I don't care who you are.

As wicked as the Catholic Church can be, sincere people within it can be found.  Takes some time, and one should not go too far near the top of its structure, but yeah.  Scientology is a money-making operation from top to bottom.  It uses sophisticated brainwashing techniques (sensory deprivation, love-bombing, family disconnection for apostates, etc.) to effect its ends.

I would refer you to XenuTV.com.

DF

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love-bombing???? I don't know what that means and I'm to afraid to google it! 

HoD,

Good to speak with you again.  Go ahead, look it up.  It's pretty scary to watch, though, and the results are gruesome.

DF

That would be the attitude Billie has toward the Catholic Church.

Billie the love bomber

Just wondering, didn't katie know tom's beliefs BEFORE they got married?

Best, the CoS is insidious in several ways, one of which is that they snare recruits by saying it's a self-help technique that accommodates any religion.  Shockingly, they lie!

I'm glad Katie is out.  The CoS is having quite a hard time keeping high profile members these days, given its stance on certain issues and the whole platform of weird tenets on which it's built (Xenu, lie detectors, homophobia, anti-psychiatry, body thetans, etc.).

Next time you see Tom Cruise, middle-aged actor, remember this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFBZ_uAbxS0

Oh, btw, that's their music.

DF

Apparently they aren't that sneaky since everyone seems to know "what they're up to". I don't give crusie any thought, but I do like kirstie alley.