Comments (67)

"Please don't put Baptists in the same sentence with Tom Cruise.."

I never would, because Baptists are much scarier than Scientologists. They have a set of equally ridiculous ideas and a repressive agenda. The major difference is that Baptists actually have enough political power to attempt implementing their agenda.

How quickly we forget. The snake in the mailbox was a Synanon action. Synanon was a renegade AA organization that served drug addicts, mainly in Santa Monica. They had some "issues" with attacks on foes and departing members that led to the group's devolution in the 1980s. Led by Chuck Dederich, this group was entirely independent of Scientology.

I live in the Tampa Bay area, and these are some of the creepiest people you will ever deal with. Walking around the Clearwater area in their little sailor suits in packs of 5 or more, looking for all the world like a group of Nazi Youth in brighter colors. They have an arrogant swagger about them as bad as any thuggish group of drug-pushing gangbangers in East L.A. or Chicago, except they use lawsuits and drive-by character assassinations as their preferred method of shutting anyone up who disagrees with them or their methods.

L. Ron Hubbard (or LRH in their group-speak) was very public and outspoken in his desire to establish a "religion" that would line his pockets and set about purposefully to fleece as many people as he could. I mean really, come on...Thetans infesting our bodies, volcanoes, black holes and holding two phallic symbols with wires on them? Cheap ideas from a lousy sci-fi writer, and yet people STILL think this guy was legit? His "flock" is being fleeced on a daily basis, reaching for "levels" they pay more and more, but still falling short of the ultimate heights. Each and everyone of these people that pay for the privilage of reaching their version of Nirvana only perpetuates LRH's belief that people are suckers. They can quest all they want for whatever they think will make their lives better, even working together as a large self-help group, but calling themselves a "religion" is a farce.

Oh, and as a non-believer in ANY organized religion, I think people like me who don't have a dog in this fight are the only people who can actually make clear judgements about what organizations should be judged as a "religion" or as not. The Abrahamic religions have their own points of absurdity, as does Hinduism, Buddism and other deist based religions, but they have the advantage of longevity shaking out the meaner aspects of their "religions" (don't lump extremist into the greater mass of believers), and honest servants who actively fight against the baser elements trying to use the religion for personal gain. Scientology seems to mainly be based on members increasing personal power and wealth, while actively attempting to silence and destroy those who speak out agains them (especially disillusioned former devotees). Sounds closer to a gang of self-involved Ponzi-schemers than a religion to me. Don't talk to me about the excesses of the extreme members of established religions, they are not the same as the core beliefs of Scientology in destroying anyone who disagrees with them.

oooppssa; Excuse Typo,

"Late 1940's"

"Late 1940's" and or very early 1950's

In late 1940'2, OUR Prophet of many , Mr. Albert Einstein [pbuh] knew them folks to be as some kind of 'Mishigginas" hoaksters.

In late 1940'2, OUR Prophet of many , Mr. Albert Einstein [pbuh] knew them folks to be as some kind of 'Mishigginas" hoaksters.

In late 1940'2, OUR Prophet of many , Mr. Albert Einstein [pbuh] knew them folks to be as some kind of 'Mishigginas" hoaksters.

In late 1940'2, OUR Prophet of many , Mr. Albert Einstein [pbuh] knew them folks to be as some kind of 'Mishigginas" hoaksters.

In late 1940'2, OUR Prophet of many , Mr. Albert Einstein [pbuh] knew them folks to be as some kind of 'Mishigginas" hoaksters.

In late 1940'2, OUR Prophet of many , Mr. Albert Einstein [pbuh] knew them folks to be as some kind of 'Mishigginas" hoaksters.

In late 1940'2, OUR Prophet of many , Mr. Albert Einstein [pbuh] knew them folks to be as some kind of 'Mishigginas" hoaksters.

Mr. Mathison denounced Hubbard as a fraud and a Hypnotist!! and this was in 1954!!

Mr. Mathison denounced Hubbard as a fraud and a Hypnotist!! and this was in 1954!!

Mr. Mathison denounced Hubbard as a fraud and a Hypnotist!! and this was in 1954!!

Mr. Mathison denounced Hubbard as a fraud and a Hypnotist!! and this was in 1954!!

Mr. Mathison denounced Hubbard as a fraud and a Hypnotist!! and this was in 1954!!

Mr. Mathison denounced Hubbard as a fraud and a Hypnotist!! and this was in 1954!!

Mr. Mathison denounced Hubbard as a fraud and a Hypnotist!! and this was in 1954!!

Mr. Mathison denounced Hubbard as a fraud and a Hypnotist!! and this was in 1954!!

I'm not sure whether Scientology is a religion (the apparent absence of any God leads me to think not) but I am sure it is a totalitarian system of thought that posits that only "clear" Scientologists know what the rest of us should do. This is a bold claim coming from folks whose founding principles are based on science fiction. Those of us who bumped into Scientology for the first time in the '70s recognize it as the same nonsense, but now it's being spouted by celebrities like Cruise and Travolta. The "church" is simply trying to exploit the current obsession with celebrity to sell auditing sessions.

Our media/host should inform their readership-

How to identify Totalitarian/Brainwashing Principles and Techniques used by cult leaders.

Scientology is science fiction.

JMK wrote:

"Of the 12 apostles, only one was not violently murdered for their hope in Christ."
.
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Martyrs to the Cause: Those "Suffering Disciples" by Ken Humphries

"Would the disciples have suffered and died for a fabricated saviour?"

One of the reeds of straw holding up the shabby edifice of Christendom is the alleged suffering and cruel fate of his original apostles, the 12 disciples chosen by the Lord himself. By their heroic, cheek-turning sacrifice, these worthies earned their martyr's crown and joined their Lord in Heaven. In so-doing, they inspired generations of noble Christians, who ultimately taught the blood-thirsty Romans the Christian values of compassion and brotherly love. Well, that's the myth.

Though cruelty and human suffering have ever been integral to the history of the Church the fanatics of Christ have rarely been the victimized innocents. Rather it has been the Christians who have bathed their faith in the blood of others.

There is NO corroborating evidence for the existence of the 12 Apostles and absolutely NO evidence for the colourful variety of martyrs' deaths they supposedly experienced. The Bible itself actually mentions the death of only two apostles, a James who was put to death by Herod Agrippa (see James for a discussion of this tricky character) and the nasty Judas Iscariot, who gets several deaths because he's the bad guy.

Legend and tradition alone, dreamed up by the early churches in their bid for legitimacy and authority, provided the uplifting fables of heroics and martyrdom. The plethora of conflicting claims and alternative deaths stand eloquent testimony to wholesale fabrication of the non-existent godman's non-existent companions.

The Fabricated Deaths of the Apostles

1. Peter (aka Simon, Cephas).

"Beheaded by Nero?" No, not really. This legend was dreamed up by the mid-2nd century pope Anicetus (156-166) when he became locked in a conflict with the venerable Polycarp of Smyrna. Polycarp had tried to win the argument (over the dating of Easter) by insisting that he spoke with the authority of the apostle John. In response, Anicetus staked a claim to Peter, and Peter, "Prince of the Apostles", trumps John.

2nd century texts known as the "Clementines" had made Peter the "first Bishop of Rome" and 3rd century invention gave him a 25-year pontificate – which made it a tad tricky for him to have died at the hands of Nero but, hey, this is "tradition."

3rd century Church Father Origen dreamed up a colourful flourish: Peter, feeling himself unworthy to be crucified the same way as his Lord, chose option 'B' – crucifixion upside down!

2. James, son of Zebedee.

Acts 12.1,2 says simply:

"Now about that time Herod the king stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the church. And he killed James the brother of John with the sword."

Later legend adds the truly extraordinary nonsense that the Roman officer guarding James converted on the spot and elected to be beheaded beside him! Even later fabrication has James traipsing around northern Spain before he dashes back to Judaea for martyrdom.

3. John, son of Zebedee.

This guy has to be kept alive long enough to take care of Mary, lead the church in Ephesus, write the Book of Revelation and write his own gospel. He even survives being boiled in oil and is given a natural death!

4. Andrew, brother of Peter.

Pious invention gives Andrew a wonderful career covering everywhere from Scythia to Greece, from Asia Minor to Thrace. This guy, it seems, took option 'C' on the crucifixion menu: on an x-shaped cross. Apparently this allowed him to continue preaching for 2 days.

5. Philip.

Fable places this guy in Phrygia, Carthage and Asia Minor. The fairy tale has a proconsul crucifying him for converting his wife. Perhaps the love feast got a bit out of hand.

6. Bartholomew (Nathanael)

What a traveller – India, Persia, Armenia, Ethiopia and southern Arabia! Miraculously he managed to get himself crucified (flayed alive and beheaded!) in both India and Armenia. Pretty impressive stuff. Even when dead his bits got about: a church in Rome claimed most of his corpse but 11th century Canterbury did a roaring trade with his arm! His emblem is the flaying knife. Cool.

7. Matthew (Levi)

This guy has to be kept alive long enough to write his gospel – at least 20 years after the supposed death of Christ. Credited with 15 years in Jerusalem, then missions to Persia and Ethiopia and, of course, martyrdom in both places. According to Medieval iconography he wore spectacles, the better to count his tax money.

8. Thomas Didymus (the Twin)

Another grand traveller, seen everywhere from Parthia to Kerala in south India. 4th century invention, appropriately enough, gives this 'twin' 2 martyrdoms, one in Persia and one in India. He even gets a burial in Syria to boot! Yet another resting place, Mylapore, was claimed by the Portuguese in 16th century. Most famous for his "doubt", Thomas inspired a whole raft of pious flimflam: the Acts of Thomas (he built a palace for an Indian king, would you believe), the Apocalypse of Thomas, the Gospel of Thomas, and the Infant Gospel of Thomas.

Now, have you still got any doubts ...?

9. James son of Aphaeus.

The myth-makers really go to town for this guy. Thrown down over 100 feet from the pinnacle of the Temple by "scribes and Pharisees", he actually survived only to be stoned, have his brains dashed out with a fuller’s club and have his body "sawn asunder" – all this at the age of 90!

10. Jude/Thaddeus /Lebbaeus /Daddaeus

Either a serious clubbing or crucifixion for this mixed up guy in the city of Edessa or Persia. Apparently his fan-club suffered because his name sounded too much like Judas.

11. Simon the Canaanite/ the Zealot.

Invention came late for this guy. When it did, it was a beauty – crucifixion in Persia and also crucifixion thousands of miles away in Britain. He also managed to preach in Africa. Quite an act to follow.

12. Matthias.

Fantasy sends this guy to Syria, Cappadocia, the shores of the Caspian and the "City of Cannibals" (Acts of Andrew and Matthias). Death by burning. Also death in Jerusalem by stoning – and beheading. Really just makes up the numbers, sometimes merging with Matthew and sometimes swapped out to let Paul into "the twelve."

13. Judas, son of James.

Nothing yet. Feeling inspired?

14. Levi, son of Alphæus.

Not yet.

Mark (John Mark).

Though neither Clement of Alexandria (?153-215), nor Origen of Alexandria (182-251) seem to have noticed, Eusebius of Caesarea (c.263-339) relays the news that the apostle Mark had been "first bishop" of Alexandria and had suffered martyrdom in the "eighth year of Nero." This would have been 61 AD – rendering the apostle dead before the death of Peter whose memoirs Mark supposedly wrote up as the Gospel of Mark. "Dragged to death", or maybe not. His bones – well, someone's bones – turned up in 9th century Venice.

Luke.

"Hanged on an olive tree." Or, "lived to the age of 84 and died unmarried." Body parts claimed by both Padua and Constantinople.

Paul.

"Beheaded by Nero." No, not really, but legend tells us he shared the same fate as Peter, even dying on the same day. Pious romances scribbled between the 2nd and 4th centuries – Acts of Paul, the Apocalypse of Paul, the Martyrdom of Paul and the Acts of Paul and Thecla – provide all the fabulous nonsense you could ever wish for.

http://tinyurl.com/yrpf5a

;)

"You guys are right that say it's whacky to believe in any God. It's much easier to believe the Planet "Big Banged" it's way in to existance. After all, this computer I am typing on didn't have a builder or creator."

Actually, it's even easier than that to simply admit that you just plain don't know. But that's not what we get. Oh no, the religious are never caught without an Answer. So we get books and books full of secret knowledge that can never be substantiated, and we're supposed to swallow all of it. All of this because the yokels are unable to imagine the effects of a billion years passing, or any cosmology more nuanced than "God did it."

So, Scientology is Hunky Dory because, a while back, Christians burned witches and did other noxious things.

True enough. Like most major religious institutions, Christianity has some repenting to do.

However, it seems interesting to me that you cannot distinguish between a hierarchy managing idiot adherents to perform anti-social acts in the here and now, vs. entities that did it awhile back.

By that logic, it would be OK to cut off your head because --hey, 10,000 years ago people did it all the time.

I can assure you that --in the here and now --I wouldn't like people cutting off your head, OR burning witches -or the reported behavior of the Scientology Hierarchy.

"In response to FZDYBEL; Christians in the past haven't put snakes in mailboxes, they've just hung 'witches', participated in the Inquisition and in the Crusades; certainly far worse than any other religious groups, even Moslems."

That's true, and all religion is a complete crock, but the last I heard the Baptists had pretty much laid off all that violent stuff. Scientology, on the other hand, wanted to muscle scoffers and people who might spill the beans on all the big ticket revelations. And it wasn't just an individual doing these hits either, it was an organized response.

When I see them doing a bake sale to raise money, I'll agree they're approximately equivalent to Baptists.

Wow, everybody's worried about LRH loonies taking over the world. Anybody bothered by a certain republican candidate who wants to rewrite the constitution to be in accordance with his religion's beliefs about a "living god"? As far as I know, Cruise hasn't won a caucus yet. The other guy has.

Theocracy is nigh upon us, and it isn't coming from L. Ron Hoover's Appliantologists.

Anonymous:
Can people really believe aliens control our emotions?! I bet if Charles Manson where still alive he would be a scientologist.

Uh, Charles Manson *is* still alive.

Why, this is ALMOST as intelligent as what the bleached-blonde wrote:

"Give credit to the Scientologists on one find: space, which other religions called the heavens, became a contemplatible experience in this century."

It seems some people think Scientology is the same thing as Science.

Sort of like truthiness and truth?

Yes, Virginia, there was astronomy before L.Ron Hubbard.

Scientology, like many of the pop '-isms', tends to substitute mindless sheep-following (and paying through the nose for what amounts to nothing but a rather tacky clubbish thing) for education. I'm sure no Scientologists have read any Plato or Aristotle, not to mention Deleuze or anybody 20th century--that would disrupt their concentration and burst their little Bubble of Ignorance. Operating Thetan Level 5, indeed. What utter rubbish. You ought to see there garish Xmas display, I think this is across the street from the internat'l headquarters, but also on Hollywood Blvd. They have more real estate in that area than they should and are always looking for LA's runaways from the Midwest and Southwest. But they really get going in places like Clearwater, Florida. Time Magazine's piece from way back in the early 90's is what people should look up. Has a lot of attitude and doesn't write mealy-mouthed garbage like Ms. Hoffman, who actually got PAID for her li'l essay, which is nothing more than an oblique tribute from a FAN to HER MOVIE STAR HERO. And so the WaPo has a Slum Section now...Brava, Brava, Madame. I think even the blogs sections of the NYTimes wouldn't allow this kind of garbage, but in 2 years time, who knows how low we can expect the papers to go. Simon's op-ed in WaPo yesterday about print journalism and the
Baltimore Sun tells why even the big-city papers are going tabloid, so at this point WaPo just allows it to happen as a little adjunct sewer, like Ms. Hoffman's sweet l'il feature 'bout Mistah Tom Cruise. Weird that he's sometimes good in movies like 'Eyes Wide Shut' and plays his Scientology self in 'Magnolia'. Oh yeah, he was just perfect for that kind of evangelist.

There is a lot of nonsense spouted by Scientology shills about how it is just like any other religion.

Last time I checked, a Christian minister isn't presenting himself as anything other than a Christian minister. No lies, no phoniness, no pretense. He isn't offering "free stress tests" or operating through front organizations or phony "drug clinics". You can tell a cult from a religion in that the recruiting methods of a cult are shot through with deceit and an utter contempt for the truth.

Scientology was founded as a result of a bet that LRH made that he could create a religion. He and his wife narrowly escaped imprisonment for tax fraud; the whole thing is a ponzi scheme.

It is true that many other "religions" are founded on what could be described as psychotic notions. But few are as self-centered and as self-absorbed as scientology (whatever THAT means).

What I want to know is Why does the Federal Government through the IRS recognize this "cult" as a religion and give it tax-free status? Think of all the revenue we might use to improve the lives of people if only the wealthy Scientology organization paid its share of taxes?

Scientology, smientology!

Tom Cruise is the new Elvis; although far less talented

There are a number of comments which equate the scare tactics of the Church of Scientology to the dark times of the Christian Church, when non-christians were killed or hounded, as during the Crusades or various witch hunts. If you want to talk about true Christianity - about what would be Christianity in its purest form - then you should look to the church as described in the New Testament. From this, and from non-biblical texts, it's clear that the earliest form of the Christian church was not involved in such violence, but rather, that Christians were the ones being killed. Of the 12 apostles, only one was not violently murdered for their hope in Christ. Nero famously held parties in which he would torch Christians and use them as lamps.

The roles were switched when Christianity became dominant, and corrupt people found their way into the church and abused everything, not caring one whit for what the New Testament really taught. This was one of the greatest tragedies in all of history. Nothing has been so discrediting as this. But that was not biblical Christianity.

This is what Christ taught, and what the life of a true Christian should reflect:
You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven.

I have no doubt that to those that were involved in the "church's" foul and villianous persecution of others, Christ said, "I never knew you."

There are a number of comments which equate the scare tactics of the Church of Scientology to the dark times of the Christian Church, when non-christians were killed or hounded, as during the Crusades or various witch hunts. If you want to talk about true Christianity - about what would be Christianity in its purest form - then you should look to the church as described in the New Testament. From this, and from non-biblical texts, it's clear that the earliest form of the Christian church was not involved in such violence, but rather, that Christians were the ones being killed. Of the 12 apostles, only one was not violently murdered for their hope in Christ. Nero famously held parties in which he would torch Christians and use them as lamps.

The roles were switched when Christianity became dominant, and corrupt people found their way into the church and abused everything, not caring one whit for what the New Testament really taught. This was one of the greatest tragedies in all of history. Nothing has been so discrediting as this. But that was not biblical Christianity.

This is what Christ taught, and what the life of a true Christian should look like:
You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven.

Both situations were horrific and ought never to have happened.

Lady, are you out of your bleach-blonde mind? Cruise's nonsensical babbling constitutes "engrossing testimony"? Yeah, I guess so, in a Charlie Manson parole board hearing kind of way...

http://gawker.com/5002269/the-cruise-indoctrination-video-scientology-tried-to-suppress

On the video, when Mr. Cruise says "There are a lot of people sitting in the arena. It's time for them to either get on the field or get out" I envisioned a mass exodus through the doors.

bye, Tom! I'm gettin' out!

The Catholic Church is a massive centralized business...a global spiritual McDonald's.

Televangelists? Self-Help gurus like Tony Robbins?

The pharma companies selling Prozac?

There is a lot of money to be made helping people adjust the way they feel.

So the criticism is real, but I'm not sure that makes Scientologists much different than many others.

Give credit to the Scientologists on one find: space, which other religions called the heavens, became a contemplatible experience in this century.

One could and can actully think of travelling there.

What human being hasn't looked at the night sky in a rural place and been totally overwhelmed by the reality and apparent infinity of space.

This 'authentic, real life acid trip' of gazing on the infinite heavens inspired sci-fi writers, who gave birth to LRon.

Amongst all the ways that humans seek to know the divine and the sublime, I give relative credit to these sci-fi heads who seek the 'clear' vastness of space in their own psychology.

A very interesting trip as these things go.

For me, it's a house of cards like the rest of them. So I'll continue to enjoy the richness of life content to say that I just don't, and likely never will, know the meaning of it all and how/why it truly works.

It's pretty cool that we have scientology on the list of incessant human attempts to penetrate through our non-understanding of life and live more richly by being in the know.

This is America, where one is free to believe as one chooses. Ultimately if someone gives over their hard earned money to a religious organization, hard sell or not, that is their choice to do so.

However: I have a problem with any organization where a woman is held against her will for over two weeks in a Florida hotel and denied medical care.

I have a problem with someone who really needed it being taken off anti psychotic medication and killing his mother as a result. I have a problem with people who need treatment to get off of drugs being advised to take lots of 'vitamins', usually dangerous amounts of niacin, and 'exercise'.

I have a problem with any organization who uses 'Fair game' tactics, including but not limited to intimidation, attempted murder, and blackmail of all kinds just to force members to be part of the fold.

Tom Cruise probably doesn't have a clue about a lot of this because he's a celebrity. LRH himself called them 'opinion movers' or something like that and said that they should never be permitted to see what actually goes on inside such an organization.

The 'free personality test' they use to recruit people is designed for you to fail- and only a Scientology class can help.. for a small fee, of course.

Folks don't even get to find out about Xenu and the sci fi stuff until much later down the road. they're so hooked on the euphoria induced in their brains by all the conditioning they'll believe anything at that point.

How do I know? someone I cared about very deeply was looking into it. Thankfully they got out before too much damage was done.

"Scientology is not a religion, it is a pyramid scheme like the earlier post said. However it IS organized to be a religion for U.S. government tax exemption purposes. That is the only reason Hubbard changed his "Dianetics" into a "religion.""

Man I love these people who chose to be deity for the day so they can inform all us mere mortals what is a religion and what is not.

First one would have to go beyond merely surfing the net and actually read the actual texts on the subject which continually discuses one's spiritual nature.

The only difference there is instead of calling it the spirit or soul, they call it theta.

There is also the misrepresentation that Hubbard claimed that Dianetics ,which uses regression very similar to Freudian analysis to locate past lives that contain spiritual travails known in their terminology as engrams, was a religion.

All you have to do is study the actual writings to disprove this fallacy. Hubbard never called Dianetics a religion. In fact according to him the reason he developed Scientology was because he felt that through Dianetics he was moving into the field of religion with the discovery of the thetan or spirit through Dianetics.

Now of course you could say the above was a carefully contrived scam to gain religious recognition, but you could also say this about any religion as well.

However, fortunately for all us mere mortals again. The First Amendment precludes the god like tendencies of others to tell us what is a religion and what is not.

You guys are right that say it's whacky to believe in any God. It's much easier to believe the Planet "Big Banged" it's way in to existance. After all, this computer I am typing on didn't have a builder or creator. It's much easier to believe it just appeared out of no where. Nothing like a little scarcasm to sign off with. Have a great day.

"What is remarkable here is that what makes Tom Cruise such a magnetic movie star also makes him such a great witness to his religious beliefs. He is intimate, he draws us into his world with ease but once there, we know he is INTENSE."

This actually makes me wonder about the writer. The only things that I could relate the video to were two other clips I saw years ago. The first was a film clip of Ken Kesey from the '60s, clearly zoned out on a heavy dose of LSD. (A particularly weird echo was that Kesey, famously, coined the phrase "You're either on the bus, or off the bus.") The other was a television interview, probably filmed around 1980 with (yes) Charles Manson. In both cases there was that same feeling I got from the Cruise video of watching someone who existed in a world that was completely real to him, but clearly not connected with objective reality.

In truth I think Big Daddy L. Ron started this so called "religion" as a joke and then it got out of hand. He knew the stupidity and weakness of people and he played on it the same way any phoney fundamentalist preacher would. Sadly, there are those desperate suckers out there who really believe that the road to enlightenment is paved with greenbacks. Scientology requires a couple of thousand dollars to take each of their "courses". You pass, you're "enlightened". The higher the course level the more they charge. So some folks who have lots of money and no sense of who they are think they've become something special because they can afford to pay for it. Pathetic fools. You can't buy your way to enlightenment any more than you can buy your way out of dying. They aren't the first group of con artists nor will they be the last but their mafia methods of controlling people really do frighten me.

'government tax exemption purposes. That is the only reason Hubbard changed his "Dianetics" into a "religion."'

Maybe, but he died well in 1986, well before the appalling tax-exempt status was granted (around '93, I believe.) They're so pitiful I went into the big World Headquarters on Hollywood Blvd. in 2003, because I couldn't find the Kinko's I'd been given instructions to, and they actually told me without forcing the e-meter on me. I used to see them up on 46th Street here in NYC and these pauper-looking types would run out and try to solicit like crazy. Maybe they are looking for a more suave and understated style now...I certainly see why Ms. Kidman became somewhat stifled by what must have been the 'intellectual atmosphere' in the home..

Scientology is not a religion, it is a pyramid scheme like the earlier post said. However it IS organized to be a religion for U.S. government tax exemption purposes. That is the only reason Hubbard changed his "Dianetics" into a "religion."

'you can even see the e-meters without any '

should have finished 'without any of the recruiters knowing how to hound you, because they don't own NYC subways.'

"What is remarkable here is that what makes Tom Cruise such a magnetic movie star also makes him such a great witness to his religious beliefs. He is intimate, he draws us into his world with ease but once there, we know he is INTENSE. "My opinion is, you're either on board, or you're not on board," he says in the video. "Now is the time. It is being a Scientologist, people are turning to you. So you better know it. You better know it."

And THIS is REMARKABLE? And Cruise is INTENSE? The quotes here show him barely able to speak an English sentence, the idiot. To wit, 'It is being a Scientologist.' Is he referring to himself when he uses the neutered pronoun? 'So you better know it. You better know it.' This is so eloquent I could just swoon. WOW! I mean--he doesn't sound as though he's had an emotion in 10 years, and Ms. Hoffman is happy enough to sit in front of whatever TV screen has something moving on it. Gawd. Oh yeah, that was Susan Jacoby, about 6 months ago--she was Pulitzer Prize material compared to this. Unbelievable. Can hardly wait to hear the Q & A tomorrow! Geniuses all! What a cliff-hanger Ms. Hoffman placed!

Mind-boggling.

TBoner makes a good point.

I defend the right of Cruise or anyone else to believe whatever they will. That doesn't mean that I must also defend their beliefs as having even a shred of truth to them. And the last I looked, I am in no way prohibited from echoing many of our Founders when I tell believers that I think their religion is a steaming pile of crap.

That's life in these United States.

I agree with everything that was said about all religions being whacky. Tentacles in the government??!! Have you noticed all the born agains in the Justice Department?

It seems that religions get their legitimacy from being old. Evidently, God spoke directly to people in ancient times so that we have to get our beliefs from the uneducated superstitious prophets of a time when the world was poorly understood. Religions seem to have no understanding that man has the capacity to learn and understand things progressively. The more we understand through science, the less we have to rely on superstitions that some people call religions. I would like to have a scale of whackiness among the various religions, but, in fact the differences are insignificant. While Scientology scares a lot of people (including me) does it scare me more than fundamentalist Islam, Christianity or Judaism? I would only hope that the rise of Scientology would scare religious people enough to make them want to protect the separation of church and state. It seems that they only want to separate the churches that they do not adhere to. The only religions that do not scare me are the pacifist ones, Quakers, Buddhists, Bahai and Bokanonism.

Scientology is well-known to everybody by now, and this article proves there was nothing else to write about it except some faux-provocative thing. This is not really even an article, barely more than old movie magazine features--except somehow even less. There's that other one who wrote about Mother Teresa almost as boringly, so I guess you get to work on this blog if you write these pale things that are far more shocking than any new revelation about Scientology. So WaPo lets more or less anybody write on this religious blog, one assumes? Because this is without any substance at all. Even Suzy Knickerbocker column of yore said more, or even now, almost any tabloid or NYPost gossip column about Joyce Wildenstein or Paris Hilton.

In New York,I've recently seen Scientology recruiters in subway stations for the first time, which probably means they're desperate; you can even see the e-meters without any . I wonder if you can get one for the home off eBay. Too soon for Antiques Roadshow. I think nobody was ever told after an e-meter test that they didn't need to take Scientology. In tne meantime, I wonder if the WaPo uses Survivor or Amazing Race contestants to write their blog posts on religion. 'Kicking anti-Scientology butt' is just sooooo hot as journalism. I wonder if there is a course called 'How to Learn to Write in the Excessively Poor Styles so You Can Get Paid by the Washington Post'.

You know that saying about being unconcerned when they came for the Jews because you weren't Jewish?

Pay attention. It's worse than you think. Scientology may be a blip on your radar, but I've actually studied it in depth for nearly ten years now, and I have met literally hundreds of people whose lives were negatively impacted by this nasty cult.

Granted, it's not the Eevil Axis, but it's bad enough. And it's still small enough that a group of dedicated people can have an impact on it, unlike the corporate, religious and other 'ocracies' plaguing society today.

Please don't put Baptists in the same sentence with Tom Cruise.. For more information on Scientology try looking up Sea Org. The more you read the more scarey it gets.

Please don't put Baptists in the same sentence with Tom Cruise.. For more information on Scientology try looking up Sea Org. The more you read the more scarey it gets.

Why is it that so many people are willing to jump on the "remember the Crusades" bandwagon (true - horrible events occurred) as a reason to trash religion, especially Christianity, yet overlook every faith-operated social service - food for the homeless, funding of physicians and nurses, etc. - that exist everyday in this nation and around the world and the countless lives, particularly children, that these efforts touch?

I'm not a believer in any of this crap, but the last time I checked Tom Cruise was an American living in America, which also the last time I checked, allows anyone to believe in whatever the f they want to believe in as long as it doesn't hurt someone else. We have laws to deal with anyone who wants to push it beyond that.

Dear Barb -

Is the world in imminent danger of being converted to Scientology? Are Scientologists poised to take over the reigns of power around the world?

Didn't think so.

Last I looked, Dr Evil had the same ambitions.

Don't give anybody more credit than they're worth. It's enabling.

Believe it or not, I did read that Charles Manson dabbled in Scientology before he lorded over the Tate killings.

There is nothing worse than being a killed plastic rock (with no lationship to the father, others, or Christ). There is nothing worse than people fighting over literal or figurative rocks.

Practice heaven on earth.

The thing a lot of you people are getting hung up on is exactly as Ron planned; the religious angle.

The issue is not whether or not Scientology is a whacky space opera. It is not whether or not Scientology is a bona fide religion.

What you are all totally ignoring is the fact that Scientology does in fact have an agenda to Try To Take Over The World!

This would be funny, except they actually are influencing opinion leaders, legislators and other politicians. States are wasting money on Scientology front groups like Criminon and Narconon, the core of which is their Purification Rundown. Dangerous, unscientific claptrap that your tax dollars are being wasted on. (lookin at you, Utah and New Mexico!)

It's not funny that the head of their "anti-psychiatry" front group, Citizens Commission on Human Rights, is the treasurer of the National Foundation of Women Legislators, some of whom are buying the line of bull Bruce Wiseman supports as a Scientologist.

It's not funny that Lisa McPherson died at the hands of Scientologists who were practicing medicine without a license, treating her with vitamins and protein shakes as they held her against her will in Florida.

If they had their way, you would not receive psychiatric treatment because it would be unavailable. And Scientology won't take people in need of mental health therapy.

If they had their way, they would exterminate everyone on earth who resisted being recruited into the Church of Scientology. It's all written down. It's all there, laid out by L. Ron Hubbard, whose word is Source and immutable.

That video brags about Tom Cruise being able to access "the corridors of power."

They are the Authorities.
They don't ask Permission.
They are a Totalitarian Organization.
You people who dismiss them as simply another whack religion don't know jack about Scientology.

And you'd better learn it, before you cross paths with Narconon, Second Chance, CCHR, Youth For Human Rights, Dianetics or Scientology.

In the long run, you'll be glad you did.

Back in my college days, my brother, two friends and I had a Very Bad recruitment experience at the hands of Scientologists, right in D.C.

They are not a religion. Scientologists worship nothing. Unlike Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, any other actual religion, their philosophy cannot be explained in a couple of sentences. Scientology is a pyramid scheme.

Then to top it off, they are behind most of the stigma against psychiatric drugs. This is where it gets personal with me. Tom Cruise and his lot have never been there to help my family with our struggles, and they never will be, so to heck with them all.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xenu

thats all I have to add.

"Scientology isn't a religion and has nothing to do with religion. It's a cult, and a commercial enterprise."

In what ways are other religions not cults and not commercial enterprises?

Dear Kilia -

The story of Xenu only seems weird when viewed through the lens of rationality. The story of any supernatural god also seems weird when viewed through the same lens. The difference lies only in the details of the story.

What's the diff between Xenu dropping people off on earth and vaporizing them into some essence and the idea of an eternal soul? What's so diff about being dropped off on earth and ascending into heaven? Direction?

Chino - last I heard, Charles Manson is very much alive.

Why is Scientology being mentioned in a religious segment? Scientology isn't a religion and has nothing to do with religion. It's a cult, and a commercial enterprise. At least there are some European countries with enough sense to recognize this.

For posters here that don't think that the CoS is any different than the other mainstream religions, should check out www.xenu.net. Read..and after that, go over to www.xenutv.com and watch the videos.

Can people really believe aliens control our emotions?! I bet if Charles Manson where still alive he would be a scientologist.

Can people really believe aliens control our emotions?! I bet if Charles Manson where still alive he would be a scientologist.

"My opinion is, you're either on board, or you're not on board," he says in the video. "Now is the time. It is being a Scientologist, people are turning to you. So you better know it. You better know it."

Those words, plus that totally rad background music, make me want to ho