Religion or Cult - Scientology Has Big Enough Profits to Advertise on Super Bowl 2015

Why the government ever gave Scientology status as a "religion" is totally beyond my comprehension. They are creepy and are just extortionists, they sucked thousands of dollars out of a former high school buddy of mine. When I was attending community collage, the Scientology recruiters would strike up a conversation with you, be all friendly and smiles and would invite you to attend their meeting. However, if you declined the offer, the smiles would disappear and they would get pretty ugly.
 

If you want to know the facts, read the books about them, lots in the library, which all tell the same or similar things about how underhanded they are. Someone I know is trapped in Scientology, they have a ton of dirt on him and he has paid them tons of money, which makes it very hard for him to leave.
 
That's terrible Cookie, they really seem to strip down your self esteem and hold you captive with blackmail...while draining your bank account. I'm amazed they're still going so strong.
 
If you look at the premise of what their beliefs are and what they are founded on... one really has to wonder how in the world ANYONE joins them.. Seriously Aliens and spaceships?
 
They said they don't reveal any of that, they keep things more of a mystery until the follower is a couple of months into it. I think if they knew that from the getgo, there would be less people joining. They need to see some of these documentaries and read some of the articles, and wake up. Tom Cruise is a hopeless case.
 
QuickSilver said:
If you look at the premise of what their beliefs are and what they are founded on... one really has to wonder how in the world ANYONE joins them.. Seriously Aliens and spaceships?
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They had/have a very powerful strategy, but now since all the media exposes, it's no longer secret. They reveal their alien/spaceship malarky later on after their recruit is deeply entrenched and has paid big, then it is impossible to get out. They are incredibly wealthy with many members who are lawyers. Cults are very clever and anyone can get caught in one, it's not about intelligence. They have techniques which work very well.

As I said in a previous post, there are loads of books out now (Going Clear by Lawrence Wright; Cults in our Midst; Combating Cult Mind Control; and Beyond Belief by Jenna Miscavige Hill, the leader's niece, who escaped). Nowadays since there have been so many publications and they have a very bad reputation, I doubt that they are doing so well.
 
QuickSilver said:
If you look at the premise of what their beliefs are and what they are founded on... one really has to wonder how in the world ANYONE joins them.. Seriously Aliens and spaceships?
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I'm O.K. with aliens and spaceships LOL.png !

it's the Earthly money-grabbing thuggery that bothers me.
 
QuickSilver said:
If you look at the premise of what their beliefs are and what they are founded on... one really has to wonder how in the world ANYONE joins them.. Seriously Aliens and spaceships?
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Yes, because that's far less believable than someone who died, came back to life and lives up in the clouds, all the while listening to everything that everyone says, watching everything they do and performing miracles on a daily basis.
 
Don M. said:
Scientology is the creation of L. Ron Hubbard....a noted Science Fiction writer. A few years ago, I looked up the info on this Sect, and it appears that it all started with a barroom bet with Robert Heinlein...another Sci Fi writer, when Hubbard bet Heinlein that he could get rich by starting a "religion". If you look up Scientology on the Internet, there is gobs of info on it...but the basic seems to be that humans came to Earth from a planet called OZ on a vessel that strongly resembled a Boeing 707...which at that time was the most sophisticated form of human transport. It gets even more bizarre, the more you read. The fact that people are gullible enough to believe this nonsense shows just how dumb some people really are.
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Well, I can't fault them for using a B-707, if it may have been that. The 707 was a very good plane that was considered ahead of it's time at that time.
 
Just caught the Going Clear documentary on utube today, and it's very scary how truly evil this organization is. I recommend this should be seen.
 
I recall the Hale-Bopp cult which claimed that there was a spacecraft following the comet. I believe that there were more than 30 cult followers that took their own lives. Seem to remember it was on Art Bells coast to coast radio program.
 
It has religion status over here too, tnthomas. I think they should be more properly registered as a corporation.
The latter would ensure that they had to operate according to much stricter laws.
 
Pappy said:
I recall the Hale-Bopp cult which claimed that there was a spacecraft following the comet. I believe that there were more than 30 cult followers that took their own lives. Seem to remember it was on Art Bells coast to coast radio program.
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Yes, Heaven's Gate - the biggest mass suicide ever on American soil.

And of course the founder - Applewhite, I think his name was - died of cancer years later.
 
I think Travolta and Cruise are very trapped and very brainwashed too and the 'church' must have a lot of dirt on these guys from their early years that they would not hesitate to expose, which would ruin their lives. One of the things that the church discourages is reading - like prohibiting reading anything that's not church approved, as is the case with many cults. Not allowed to see or know anyone that would be an 'enemy' of the church. Anyone who criticizes the church is considered a subversive person and has to be disconnected from. Both Cruise and Travolta don't exactly seem like the sharpest knives in the drawer anyway.
 
I agree with everything you've said Cookie, I suppose he had no choice to view the documentary even if he wanted to.
 
Debby said:
I seriously don't think SDA's are a glorified cult. It is Bible based except for the dietary stuff, although even there, the Bible has a story and other OT teachings that support their premise. Just curious why you would say that? What has been your experience if you don't mind my asking?
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I do... because of the fact that the founder Ellen White claimed to have visionary experiences and the gift of prophecy. IMO when a modern day person claims to be seeing and speaking to God... It's wandered over into the realm of cult.
 
QuickSilver said:
I do... because of the fact that the founder Ellen White claimed to have visionary experiences and the gift of prophecy. IMO when a modern day person claims to be seeing and speaking to God... It's wandered over into the realm of cult.
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Oh so the criteria is that the person who has the 'vision' is from ancient times rather than current? Is that the difference between a prophet and a scammer? Because the OT is full of prophets or would you call them scammers too?
 
Debby said:
Oh so the criteria is that the person who has the 'vision' is from ancient times rather than current? Is that the difference between a prophet and a scammer? Because the OT is full of prophets or would you call them scammers too?
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No... I don't believe that people in ancient times had visions either.. I think it was probably some really good vegetation... smoked or chewed.

Not sure if Ellen was smoking, chewing or scamming... but she certainly didn't talk to God..

On the other hand... hallmark signs of classic schizophrenia are visual and auditory hallucinations.. So it doesn't always have to be scamming I guess.
 
I came across the following definitions that bring up a couple of interesting points that today move the SDA Church away from your understanding I think. First of all, the SDA Church doesn't have a limited number of followers (67,000 approximately world wide) and it's practises are neither mysterious nor unsavoury. In fact the practises mirror those of most of the other churches. Nor does it brainwash members into engaging in anything that is obscene or harmful for anyone's sake but instead always points the members to go to the Bible for understanding. I think the worst that could be said of the SDA Church is that you won't be accepted into membership if you smoke, drink or wear jewellery and they strongly encourage you to forgo the consumption of meat (based on the story of Daniel in the lions den where he and his friends fared better on a veg. diet than did the soldiers of the king who were able to consume all manner of things).

Actually, I think the definition of religion as given below, pretty much says it all about the SDA Church.



Traditional Definition of Cult and Religion
Cult ‘“ a new religious movement that has a limited number of followers and whose practices may or may not be mysterious and possible unsavory.
Religion ‘“ a method of thought that is meant to give meaning to man’s life by putting him in communion with a higher power through stories, rituals, and beliefs.
Modern Definition of Cult and Religion
Cult ‘“ a secretive group that brainwashes its members into engaging in obscene and harmful practices for the sake of a charismatic leader.
Religion ‘“ see above.

Read more: Difference Between Cult and Religion | Difference Between | Cult vs Religion http://www.differencebetween.net/miscellaneous/difference-between-cult-and-religion/#ixzz3WeH8wO50
 
Oh alright.. SDA isn't a "cult" in the true definition... but you've got to admit.. a lady claiming to have visions and the gift of prophecy is a tad suspect.. sanity wise. Let alone people who actually believe she did.

Some of the SDA dietary rules almost remind me of keeping kosher. Pork is a definite no no.. Modern SDAs do eat meat though.. I remember back to when black pepper wasn't allowed as it was though to be an unnatural stimulant. No coffee or any sort of caffeine either. THAT in itself makes me suspicious... lol!! OK.. debby.. for the record that was a joke..
 

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