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Scientology
Scientology is a religion founded by L. Ron Hubbard in 1952. Questions about Scientology can be directed here.
282 Questions
Why do people criticize Scientology?
Because Scientologists are expected to sever all ties with non-believers, which means isolating them from their families and close friends. They are also expected to turn over nearly all of their money to the "church" as donations, and payment for courses. Members are pressured to deny themselves and their families traditional medical/psychological treatments, and rely on the organizations dubious "therapies", which have caused deaths in the past.
Scientology also conducts campaigns of bullying and harassment against those who criticize it's practices, and has been prosecuted in the past for defrauding it's own members, and planting spies in the IRS.
The Scientology religion provides answers to many questions about life and death. It encompasses an exact, precisely mapped-out path. In developing Scientology, L. Ron Hubbard discovered a technology to free the human spirit and thereby allow Man to really know himself. He thoroughly tested all procedures and recorded those that proved most workable in bringing about uniformly predictable results. These comprise standard Scientology technology.
Through application of Scientology principles and technology in an auditing session, a person is able to remove barriers and unwanted conditions and so become more himself. As a person progresses, he reaches out to help others in the ways he has been helped.
That which is real to the person is all one is asked to accept of Scientology. No beliefs are forced upon him. By training and processing, he finds out for himself the answers he is searching for in life.
This is a good question. I am an ordained minister who has been a Scientologist for over 20 years. When I came into Scientology I was looking to know about myself. I was not "looking for a religion". I wanted to improve myself. I read Scientology books and they worked. I seemed to get better. My business got better and I applied what I learned about life from Scientology. And as my life improved, I learned to improve the life of others. It made me really feel good. I worked a lot in down trodden areas of Asia. I helped people learn and study better, get them off drugs, and raise their IQ. I especially worked hard in helping those in disaster areas. Then I heard a senior Scientologist one day say that he most definitely believed in God. He was so emphatic. The concept of God was written about by Mr. Hubbard in several books but I never gave it much thought. You see, Mr. Hubbard (who founded Scientology) was a man, not a messenger from God. So he did not speak of God for God. He spoke or wrote of God as only a man might. He did write that man would demise once he gave up the belief in God. (Science of Survival, 1951) Obviously to me then Mr. Hubbard was a very Godly person. But he did not bring the subject of God heavily into his own teachings, other than to mention that God most definitely was apparent. So I thought about this. He said that God existed. He did not teach about it as a Christian might. In the Ministers Course - which I undertook - I read holy texts. I read what others had written about God; the entire Holy Bible, the Holy Koran, the four Vedas, books on Hinduism, and Buddhism, Shinto and more. Then the penny dropped. I got it. We were not speaking of the same thing between religions. Words have meanings, but the word religion is different for different people. I use the religion definitions from the Chambers dictionary 1949. There is a Natural Religion, as is Scientology, Hinduism, and Buddhism, and there are Revealed Religions, such as Christianity, Islam, and Judaism. So, to answer the question, yes, Scientology does have a God. but for some like me, it takes a while to recognize what God might be. However, in saying that, Scientology does not worship God or Gods as Revealed Religions may. Alternatively, it enables an individual to come to his own understanding as to what God is and his own companion with God. The Scientology term for God I like best, is the Allness Of All.
They have a thing for Mr. Hubbard
They believe in Xenu, the dictator of the galactic confederacy 75 million years ago. Seriously, check out xenu.net.
Do Scientologists believe in the after life?
The vast majority of the world's population believes in reincarnation and only in the last few hundred years, with the rise of the physical sciences, did a strictly materialistic view begin to eclipse the spiritual.
More recently, the traditional definition of reincarnation has been altered from its original meaning. The word has come to mean "to be born again in different life forms" (such as an animal, an insect, etc.) whereas its actual definition is "to be born again into the flesh or into another body." So what is commonly thought of as reincarnation is a definite system and is not part of Scientology. Rather, the Church ascribes to the latter, original definition.
Today in Scientology, many people have certainty that they have lived lives prior to their current one. These are referred to as past lives, not as reincarnation. Past lives is not a dogma in Scientology, but generally Scientologists, during their auditing, experience a past life and then know for themselves that they have lived before. To believe one had a physical or other existence prior to the identity of the current body is not a new concept-but it is an exciting one.
It is a fact that unless one begins to handle aberration built up in past lives, he doesn't progress. In Scientology, one is given the tools to handle upsets and aberrations from past lives that adversely affect the individual in the present, thus freeing one to live a much happier life.
Do scientology people celebrate christmass?
There are several holidays celebrated by Scientologists: L. Ron Hubbard's birthday in March, the Anniversary of the first publication of Dianetics in May, and Auditor's Day in September. Most official celebrations are scheduled on weekends as a convenience to members.
Scientologists also celebrate religious holidays depending on other religious beliefs, as Scientologists very often retain their original affiliations with faiths in which they were raised from.
So basically they would celebrate Christmas if and only if they were raised in a religion that recognized Christmas.
How do you become a member of Scientology?
Joining a Church of Scientology is perhaps a misleading term. Joining one of our Churches is not the correct way to look at things. Scientology is a body of knowledge that when correctly applied raises a person's ability. One does not need to join a group to gain this knowledge. Obviously there is participation but it is not the necessary component of Scientology.
Scientology is about knowledge. And while we would love you inside our church we would respect you a lot more if you read one of our books and found out for yourself that it helped you in life. I am the director of the Church of Scientology of Canberra. I know what it is like when someone comes in and says they read a book and would like to find another title to read. People often ask me how they should join. My answer is always the same. Find a book and go home and read it. If it makes sense then read another, and then another. Libraries have them. So do bookshops. So do we. The knowledge in the books helps you and if a book reader can tell this, that person will make a lot of gain in Scientology.
Of course there is fellowship in Scientology as there is in any religion or groups. That is expected. But if you have read a book and found it helped you, then perhaps you can help another with it. That is true fellowship.
Scientologists come from all walks of life. They are executives at their jobs, some are plumbers, some artists, some house wives. Their work choices all differ. But they all enjoy helping someone with the knowledge they have learned.
So, the reason for joining the Church of Scientology is for the knowledge you would learn. That will be the knowledge of life, the knowledge of why you are the way you are. There is also the reason for helping to get yourself better and for many this is a fundamental reason and legitimate one. Scientology does help you. For many it has raised their IQ significantly. For me, when I was a construction manager, it helped me better understand people and gave me better control over the work force. For the various companies I worked for it meant a more peaceful work place. It helped my career.
For some it is what they seek in helping to raise children. For some it's how to solve problems of the work. For me personally, I wanted to take the chains off from what I felt was holding me back in life, and I felt from reading books, Scientology had the answer. It did that with me, and i am now helping others realize the same benefits for themselves. For me that is fantastic.
So there are many reasons for joining the Church of Scientology.
How do you get off scientology's mailing list?
The only way to get off the Scientology mailing list is to move somewhere there is no mail delivery like Antarctica. You will still technically be on the list but if you can't get mail it won't bother you. There is no other way.
What are some good points of Scientology?
Implicit in the Scientology worldview is a mandate to employ the truths of Scientology to uplift Mankind. Consequently, as Scientology grows, so too the humanitarian programs Scientologists support. Those programs now include:
- The world's largest nongovernmental anti-drug campaign, reaching tens of millions of at-risk youth each year;
- The establishment of drug rehabilitation centers in more than 40 nations;
- The world's largest nongovernmental human rights public information campaign, broadly promoting the 30 Articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights;
- Global education programs bringing the gift of literacy to tens of millions of students in America, Europe, Asia and Africa;
- A Way to Happiness movement spanning 135 nations, uplifting populations and restoring the brotherhood of Man.
- The ScientologyVolunteer Ministerprogram bringing emergency relief to more than 10 million people at every major disaster site through the last twenty years.
Additionally, through the Citizens Commission on Human Rights Scientologists have further spotlighted and worked to outlaw the enforced drugging of schoolchildren, the psychiatric brutalities of electric shock and lobotomy, and biological warfare experiments.
Finally, the Church was among the original champions of the Freedom of Information Act and other access laws to protect the public interest and end government human rights abuses.
In conclusion, then, the Church of Scientology and Scientologists work in alignment with the Aims of Scientology and the dream of 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."
What are the Holy Days and Religious celebrations of Scientology?
There's not an holy day in Scientology, but there are celebrations for marriage and funeral.
Is there a dresscode in scientology?
No, there is no specific dress code. Being respectful of yourself and others is an important element of Scientology, so I personally like to reflect that in my style of dress.
A Church of Scientology is run much like a professional university, such as a law school, and therefore encourages a professional demeanor.
Staff members have a dress code and sometimes a uniform to wear. This seems to vary by location.
What is the difference between scientology and atheism?
Scientology is a pseudo-religious construct founded by science-fiction writer L. Ron Hubbard.
Atheists have reached a conclusion about god that indicates that there is no god, This is not "rejecting" god any more than children reject the monster under he bed as they grow older - they just realize that there is no such thing.
Whether Scientology is good or bad that leads down to everyone's personal opinions. Either it works for you or it doesn't. However, people in particular that have never been involved with the Church should not criticize or hate on this religion by saying its bad when they haven't even been involved.
There is no doubt that the Church stands planted to the ground for good deeds the whole purpose is to do great things that everyone who is willing to join can grow in touch with their inner souls.
Note: I think the best way to find out is go to your local library and get a book. Who can give you opinions with a book? Try "the Problems of Work" by L. Ron Hubbard. Once read, form your own opinion. But dont listen to masked protestors too afraid to show their face when protesting about a subject they know not of.
A common belief amongst Scientologists is "What is true for you is true for you". So go by that rule and i dont think you will go wrong in forming an opinion.
Who is the founder of scientology?
L. Ron Hubbard, a writer of science fiction. He made it up as a joke. Really.
The Holy Scriptures written by The GOD L. Ron. Hubbard
The God Ron said "Never Defend, Always Attack". He "thought" and then "Doctrine of Fair Game" came into being into this Sinful World to control it.
He saw that people got sick and he claimed to all mankind. "That all illness in greater or lesser degree and all foul-ups stem directly and only from a PTS condition".
He saw that all real causes of illnesses and symptoms, had to be suppressed, hidden, erased from his Ronbots' brains, so he needed a way to keep the fraud secret. So he claimed to his slaves that all the REAL CAUSES of illnesses in the world were only an illusion and a deception created by psychiatrists to dominate the world in mental health and MDs in physical health.
"So long as a physiological phenomenon remains the knowledge of a few and is denied to the many it can be utilized to control the many." LRH (from Journal of Scientology Issue 4-G from Oct. 1952)
But the truth even though suppressed, has been exposed. I am the only living soul (outside of upper Sea Org staff) who knows exactly how his 72 hour delayed physiological reactions (restimulation) really work, and why it works and how to stop it from working or reverse it.
Scientology's God Ron has hidden this physiological phenomenon as their secret, of a human function so old that it came before mankind could walk. Even animals have physiological reactions, and the God RON claims that if your dog is sick, you had to suppress it by making it PTS to you.
The God Ron claims that 72 hours after being near a Suppressive Person you or your pet will get sick. He claims that all SPs restimulate and is the ONLY cause or source of ALL illnesses and accidents or foul-ups. But the cult also claims that ALL people that dislike and/or oppose Scientology are Suppressive Persons without exception.
Then God Ron ordered "Disconnection", "Fair Game", and also the prohibition and restriction of all Ronbots from reading, listening, studying or viewing certain channels or media, literature, or talking to us, to keep them ignorant.
The God called Ron observed the physiological reaction of the human body and brain and then invented a religion, after he discovered that study tech and auditing, comes from physiological reactions. Then he invented the fraud called PTS-SP tech, as a way to control people and encourage the suppression and victimization of humanity.
The greatest crime of all is that the knowledge of using Physiological reactions to find the real causes of all illnesses, has been denied and used as a tool to kill, harass, and abuse any that oppose them. God gave us symptoms of illnesses as a clue or tool to find the true cause in order to heal ourselves and not to hurt mankind.
The true power of Dianetics and Scientology is used for evil- but it will be exposed.
Always find the true and real source of all illnesses-The GOD RON lies.
THE RONBOT HUNTER
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
What did you call someone that believes in more than one god?
Polytheism: the belief in or worship of more than one god
origin:
French polytheisme, from Late Greek polytheospolytheistic, from Greek, of many gods, from poly- + theos god
How many scientologists are there?
There are about 10 million that ever took a course. However the number of active members is far below that. According to the CoS itself, there are millions of scientologists.
One frequently cited survey stated that there are less then 100.000 (55.000 in 2001), but the publisher of that survey retracted their results because the methodology was designed to measure adherents of major religious factions such as Christian, Muslim, Jewish, etc.
Attendance at Scientology events are very large in some parts of the world. The church has dozens or hundreds of facilities and churches around the world. Although the exact number of "Scientologists" is unknown, it is clearly well over 100,000 and is most likely in the millions.
Part of the uncertainty arises from the fact that there is no "membership" program in most countries, and that current polling methods for religious affiliation are not suited for determining numbers of Scientologists.
What makes Scientology different from other religions?
First, Scientology is not considered a religion in the UK and by many other countries and denominations around the world. It has been recognized as a religion in the US, its country of origin, as a non-profit charitable organization for tax purposes since 1993. There are some significant differences when compared to mainstream religions.
Some differences:
- It has no set dogma concerning God that it imposes on its members.
- It seeks to take individuals to new levels of spiritual awareness where one can reach their own conclusion regarding the nature of God.
- It is pantheistic in nature and the individual is semi-divine.
- It teaches a belief in psychic powers, past lives and the immortality of humans.
- It teaches that humankind is basically good and offers salvation now rather than in a next life.
- Members aren't allowed to engage in psychiatric treatments.
Quotes from Suzanne Vega excerpted from articles on suzannevega.com
"I've been a Buddhist since I was 16 - the Nichiren Shoshu sect. So every morning I chant and burn incense..."
''I was 16 when my father came home and said he'd gone to a Buddhist meeting,'' Miss Vega recalled. ''There hadn't been any religion in the family until that time. I decided to give it a try, and one by one the whole family became involved.
''The discipline revolves around chanting and the recitation of morning and evening prayers that are supposed to change your character. Chanting also may have had an effect on my songwriting, since it's repetitive - a rhythm that goes around and around - and a lot of my songs have striking, circular rhythms.''
From other comments she's made I gather she's not as "religious" about practicing Buddhism these days, but still occasionally chants in times of stress, etc.
Does science have anything to do with Scientology?
Scientology deals with all knowledge, and that includes all knowledge of the physical world. Science deals with knowledge of the physical world only, and then only a portion of what is observable. (What is provable and what is acceptable to others. Example: A man by the name of Aristarchus wrote about the Earth revolving around the Sun in 200 BC. He was punished by the state religion of his day and his works were nearly destroyed. See Archimedes' book 'The Sand Reckoner.' Galileo had the same problem with the Catholic Church in the 14th century. Nevertheless the Earth did rotate around the Sun in 200 BC, in 1400 and still does today.)
One definition of science goes like this: 'the study and knowledge of the physical world and its behavior that is based on experiments and facts that can be proved, and is organized into a system.' When one looks at science one sees very little of these topics: God, Spiritual Beings, the Humanities, Ethics, Aesthetics and any aspect of the mind that can be observed directly by the person as an individual. It is not that these areas of Life do not exist and cannot be observed, more likely, they are not currently popular with the powers that be.
To my knowledge, science does not address all the areas of Life that a philosophy, a religion, or that might be included in the Humanities. Scientology does address all these areas of Life, not just the physical world around us that is acceptable to a Science; Journal, an Association or an Institute or a Foundation.
So a key point here is that Scientology, as a body of knowledge, is free of influence from all such political, religious, social and monetary special interests. It is free. Science is not.
Some people consider that Francis Bacon is the Father of Science. He wrote down what it was for the first time and his book 'The New Atlantis' describes a field of knowledge that does include the Humanities. Somewhere between 1620 and now, something got left out of it.
In terms of Answers.com, it means anyone is also free to comment on it and express opposing views. Right? Example: one time I pointed out test results from a scientific study of Dianetics at Wikipedia. In Sept 1950 88 new people off the street read the Dianetics book for the first time, trained on it for 40 hours and then gave and received 40 hours of Dianetic processing. The result was an average of 10 points IQ gain, based on the certifications of three psychology professionals in such testing. The results were published in early editions of a book called 'Science of Survival.' This 'science' was shunned at Wikipedia (by people with a vested interest) and instead the 'research' of a boy attempting to satisfy his teaching degree, and a single doctor treating one patient was accepted as representing 'the proof' that was acceptable.
L. Ron Hubbard discovered the single source of nightmares, unreasonable fears, upsets, insecurities and psychosomatic illness-the reactive mind. In his book Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health he described the reactive mind in detail and laid out a simple, practical, easily taught technology to overcome it and reach the state of Clear. Dianetics is that technology.
The word Dianetics is derived from the Greek dia, meaning "through," and nous, "mind or soul." Dianetics is further defined as "what the soul is doing to the body." When the mind adversely affects the body, it is described as a psychosomatic condition. Psycho refers to "mind or soul" and somatic refers to "body." Thus, psychosomatic illnesses are physical illnesses caused by the soul.
