The Church of Scientology is a cult created by L Ron Hubbard (Elron) in 1952 as an outgrowth of his earlier self-help system called Dianetics. Unfortunately there are some problems with the organisation and with Hubbard as a person. This is the top 10 problems with Scientology.
1. Hubbard was a drug abuser
L Ron Hubbard was a drug abuser, which is ironic considering the organisation is very anti-drugs and even runs an organisation called Narconon to help people get off drugs. This from the Narconon website: Narconon is a non-profit drug rehab program dedicated to eliminating drug abuse and drug addiction through drug prevention, education and rehabilitation. I am not sure how much you can trust an organisation to help you with the very problem its founder suffered until his death.
Here is a quote from Hubbard’s son Ronald deWolf:
“I have personal knowledge that my father regularly used illegal drugs including amphetamines, barbituates and hallucinogens. He regularly used cocaine, peyote, and mescaline.” — Ronald DeWolf a.k.a. L. Ron Hubbard, Jr. Affadavit in Schaick v. Church of Scientology, US District Court Mass., No. 79-2491
When Hubbard was in Las Palmas during 1967 he wrote a letter to his wife. In it Hubbard tells his wife: “I’m drinking lots of rum and popping pinks and greys.” See the decision by Judge Paul G. Breckenridge, Jr. in Scientology v. Armstrong, Los Angeles Superior Court, Case No. C 420153.
2. Hubbard was a liar
Mr Hubbard told his followers that he was Nuclear Physicist:
Developed by L. Ron Hubbard, C.E., Ph.D., a nuclear physicist, Scientology has demonstrably achieved this long-sought goal. Doctor Hubbard, educated in advanced physics and higher mathematics and also a student of Sigmund Freud and others, began his present researches thirty years ago at George Washington University.
[Hubbard, "P.E. Handout", HCO Information Letter of 14 April 1961]
In fact, Hubbard had no scientific degrees. In February 1953 he decided to obtain a “degree” from Sequoia University, a notorious “degree mill” in Los Angeles that was eventually shut down by the Californian state government in 1958. [Quoted in Russell Miller, Bare-Faced Messiah, page 212].
Hubbard also claimed to being a war hero – this was not true. In an eighteen month period, Hubbard was relieved of duty three times.
3. Hubbard was dishonest in his marriage
When Ron’s wife Sara filed for divorce in 1951, she claimed that Ron was married when he married her. You can view the court document here.
That in the early part of 1946, plaintiff, then age 21 and unmarried, resided with her family in Pasadena, and at the University of Southern California, that at said time, defendant L. Ron Hubbard, hereinafter referred to as “Hubbard”, was a married man, age 35, he being then married to Margaret Grubb Hubbard of Bremerton, Washington, they having two children; that said Hubbard represented to plaintiff that he was single and unmarried. [Stamped: FILED Apr 23 1951, Harold Cecily, County Clerk]
4. Hubbard was a criminal
In 1979, whilst not living in France, was found guilty of fraud and sentenced to four years in prison. You can read sections of the court record translated into English here.
“… the french group of scientology was presenting itself falsely, as it sells services … and never its leaders did indicate that there was any possibility of failures…”
Even more telling is this quote from the same court record:
“Whereas it is proven fact that that method’s application was unable , used alone, to ensure the success in trade or in job, that it was in fact a mere hope of chimerical events, fallacious promises, those having done such promises being very aware that they could not be done…”
5. Scientology uses dirty tricks
The worst of these tricks is called Fair Game. The organisation claims to have ceased using fair game but many people have experienced harassment since that claim was made. What is fair game?
“May be deprived of property or injured by any means by any Scientologist without any discipline of the Scientologist. May be tricked, sued or lied to or destroyed.” Hubbard
As part of this fair game, Scientology members have created and distributed pamphlets full of lies and slander against people who have publicly protested against them.
In the recent panorama documentary you can actually see one of the leaders of the organisation in Florida slandering a man who is speaking to a reporter about the group. You can see part 1 of the documentary here.
6. Scientology has killed
Wikipedia explains this the best: Lisa McPherson (February 10, 1959–December 5, 1995) was a Scientologist who died of a pulmonary embolism while under the care of the Flag Service Organization (FSO), a branch of the Church of Scientology.
Following her death the Church of Scientology was indicted on two felony charges “abuse and/or neglect of a disabled adult and practicing medicine without a license”,[source] putting under trial the nature of Scientology beliefs and practices.[source] The heated controversy included regular pickets outside Scientology offices on or around the anniversary of her death until the year 2000. [source]
The charges against the Church of Scientology were dropped after the state’s medical examiner changed the cause of death from “undetermined” to an “accident” on June 13, 2000. [source]
A civil suit brought by her family against the Church was settled on May 28, 2004. [source]
7. Scientology is a rip off
When you first start out in Scientology, you pay about $15 dollars per course. You get about sixteen hours of “treatment” for that price. It sounds like a bargain. However, this is the last time you will see such a low price at the organisation.
The first series on the Hubbard hierarchy, auditing or processing, consists of several courses or grades, which enable a “preclear” to become a “clear.” If each course is taken separately, it costs approximately (the prices are always changing) $750 just to go from O-IV grade, $500 for the next one, $1,200 for Grade V (“Power Processes”), $775 for Grade VI, $600 for “Solo” (in which you audit yourself) and finally $800 for the final “clear” or a total of approximately $4,625, although package deals bring the price down a bit lower. For an extra $2,850 you can go on to OT level VIII. Interestingly, the group are planning to release a new OT IX very soon, which will no doubt cost a great deal more.
8. Scientology is anti-psychiatry
The Church of Scientology is opposed to psychiatry in a big way. The offer an alternative to psychiatry which has no founding in science whatsoever. The organisation has this to say in its psychiatry FAQ (This is the URL – I do not want to link it so you should copy and paste it if you want to have a look: http://faq.scientology.org/psychtry.htm).
“What the Church opposes are brutal, inhumane psychiatric treatments. It does so for three principal reasons: 1) procedures such as electro-shock, drugs and lobotomy injure, maim and destroy people in the guise of help; 2) psychiatry is not a science and has no proven methods to justify the billions of dollars of government funds that are poured into it; and 3) psychiatric theories that man is a mere animal have been used to rationalize, for example, the wholesale slaughter of human beings in World Wars I and II.
A number of psychiatrists have strongly spoken out against the Church of Scientology. After Hubbard’s book, Dianetics: the Modern Science of Mental Health was published, the American Psychological Association advised its members against using Hubbard’s techniques with their patients. Hubbard came to believe that psychiatrists were behind a worldwide conspiracy to attack Scientology and create a “world government” run by psychiatrists on behalf of the USSR.
Hubbard also decided that psychiatrists were an ancient evil that had been a problem for billions of years. He cast them in the role of assisting Xenu’s genocide 75 million years ago.
9. Scientology is un-scientific
Scientology is entirely man made. It is the invention of one man: L Ron Hubbard, science fiction writer. It has no basis in reality and teaches such concepts of aliens attaching “thetans” to human bodies by means of nuclear bombs in various mountains around the world.
When questions about Xenu (the evil overlord that comitted this act) Scientologists deny it, but leaked documentation verifies that it is, indeed, a part of their belief system.
Scientology, through its narconon organisation and auditing, tricks people into believing that they are getting help. They instruct people not to take psychiatric medicine (even in the case of sufferers of schizophrenia or other physically based mental disorders).
10. Scientology is a secret organisation
The Church of Scientology closes guards its secrets. On the few occasions that they have managed to leak on to the internet, the organisation quickly follows with lawsuits and threats. If you search for the OT level documents now, you will not find a copy (except for the first two which are available as court records). The swift and calculated responses from the group have managed to do what no other organisation or government has done – censor certain information from the internet. You can find out how to make a bomb on the internet, but you can not find out what you have to do to pass OT level VIII in the Church of Scientology.
Ironically, considering they are so secretive, it does not stop them using information taken from people they audit against them if they turn on the group. This would be the same as a person confessing to a priest, leaving the Church, and having the priest publish their confession on the internet and hand out fliers.
At all costs, avoid the Church of Scientology.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=rCGP-0545EU
here’s a video that explains alot about fair game and whatever
Phil: thanks for that – it is very revealing. It does contain some rather nasty graphic images of some of the murders committed by the Church of Scientology. Disgusting.
“He cast them in the role of assisting Xenu’s genocide 75 million years ago”. out of all the things i have heard about Scientology this *****ed me off the most.Heaven’s Gate ring a bell to anyone
mix2323: I remember heavensgate – I guess Hale Bop wasn’t the answer after all! If I can find the video clips of them saying goodbye to their families while they murder themselves I will post another list of bizarre videos (taking us to 40 bizarre clips!)
cool
I couldn’t agree more. Scientology makes absolutely no sense. I’m glad I don’t know any personally because I question the sanity and the I.Q. level of anyone who truly believes this crap.
Stephen – that makes two of us!
Fe – I can think of a large number that don’t hate psychiatry.
Very informative. I can’t understand why anyone actually believes in this sort of thing. Anyone ever see the South Park episode trapped in the closet? Pretty Good episode.
yea r-kelly comes out in that one
Not to be difficult, but with minor changes, this list could be about any organized religion. Oh, wait, that's why I don't like organized religion! Never mind and keep up the good work.
Agree.
That Xenu SOB scared the ***** out of me when I scrolled down!
jfrater, the fact that most religions will tell people with mental illnesses to ‘trust in the lord’ and downgrade the viability of therapy or a drug regimen to try and control mental illness is along the same lines as scientologies hatred of psychiatry.
Sorry, but confessing your sins to a priest isn’t the same as getting help from a professional, not everyone can meditate to relieve inner turmoil and being possessed by the holy spirit does nothing for me.
There are too many cases of people being left to flounder in their own minds, instead of being helped, because of some notion that god and the church will miraculously heal them.
Fe: I think that scientology is almost totally unique in its hatred of psychiatry. Confession to a priest has nothing to do with your mind – it is to do with sins.
jfrater: A person who has sinned, or who percieves that they have transgressed against another feels guilt, yes? For a person who is already mentally unbalanced, that guilt can send them over the edge. Confessing to a priest and being absolved is nice, but it does nothing for the root problem – a mental illness that is being untreated and with time will become worse.
Scientology is unique in the extent of it’s prejudice against psychiatry, but I can’t think of a religion off the top of my head that embraces the mind in the same way it embraces the soul. One’s soul might be pure, but the mind is a messy place and since most religions are based around absolutes, messy is pretty much anathema to them.
Fe – confession is not meant to solve psychological problems – it is meant to sacramentally forgive a person of their sins. If the guilt of a sin makes you mentally unstable, you need to see a therapist – not just the priest. Confession has only ever been about forgiveness – not psychological healing. The fact remains, Scientology is the only religion that spews such vitriol against psychiatry.
jfrater, I’m aware of the reasoning behind confession. My point is, people are told that confessing ones sins to a priest will solve their problems. They are not encouraged to go to therapy because their god is supposed to cure them, their faith is supposed to support them. By going to therapy they are no longer putting their faith in god and that in itself is a sin.
I agree, Scientology is the only religion that is so overtly anti-psychiatry. I’m also saying that while most religions are not so hateful about it, none of them are real supportive of it, either.
Which is ironic, because what else is religion but the psychological need to understand the universe?
Fe: people are not told that confession will solve their problems – they are told that confession will remove their sins. They are not discouraged from going to therapy because confession doesn’t fix mental illness. You have a big misconception about the theology of confession and are arguing against something that is just not true.
I recommend you read this – it will help you understand what the actual teachings are on confession.
jfrater, there is the actual teaching of confession and then there is how people percieve it. My mom’s family is Catholic and whether or not that is how it is taught doesn’t really matter when compared to how people view it.
I admit, I am prejudiced against it, especially after my aunt was confined to a sanitarium. Her priest had told her repeatedly that if she just trusted in her lord, all her problems would be solved. She did and her problems went away, all right, into the ER for wounds afflicted by their mother.
I don’t like organized religion, I think it’s a willful delusion. Scientology is really no better or worse than any other religion, from my point of view. Religion is a sad game, played by people who really should know better.
Fe – okay. It is not worth continuing to argue the matter. I have no problem with your beliefs. We just have to make sure we are arguing from facts not fiction. I am sorry to hear about your aunt.
Fe: One religion that takes into account the Connection to the Mind and Soul. Buddism. Transendence is the epitome of embracing the mind. There would be nothing I would like more than to become so “clear” in my thoughts that my body no longer mattered. In my Opinion, Scintology is nothing short of, as Mix put it, Cult. The last thing I would want in my religion is a blatent similarity to known organizations like Heavens Gate…
…Iv’e read these postings four times and Im not quite sure what the argument is…
Crimanon: thanks for the comments – I must confess to be a little confused myself
Nearly 4 decades ago I met up with a gal who had recently left the Church of Scientology. She’d been declared and expelled from Scientology for something she had done. She talked with me at length about it and how she had found peace through Scientology auditing. I loved the clean, easy way she had learned to communicate. Her beef was with the people who had been running the church where she had been taking services. It seemed to me like she had given up a very good thing because she was unwilling to take responsibility for what she’d done. She could have cleared it up if she’d put a minor amount of effort into it.
She warned me away from Scientology several times, saying it was a cult and I’d be sorry. But I could see what it had done for her and I wanted that. So I started taking courses and getting auditing myself, despite her dire warnings. Now, all these years later, I’m very glad I did. I stuck with Scientology through some rocky years, and it has indeed made me a better person in my own estimation. If I hadn’t, I would be dead of drug abuse by now. If not, and I had turned out anything like the rest of my family I would be a neurotic alcoholic. Now I own my own business, I’m not hooked on drugs, and I’m happy. You do the math.
Max
Scientologist and proud of it.
There are a million ways to deal with drug abuse, and there are also countless people who have their own business, aren't hooked on drugs, and are happy, who didn't have to sully themselves by touching Scientology.
It's a total mind*****, and about as valid as Jonestown. It is designed for people who are either completely broken and thus vulnerable, or have one overlying, gigantic problem the organization knows they want to deal with — for instance, your drug abuse. They wheedled you out of your money for non-specialized, biased aid, because the entire organization is based around money and bizarre rules and confines.
If it helped you, great. Good for you. But theres no denying that the Church of Scientology is shady at the very best, and has destroyed many many lives. One good outcome does not change the lives ruined, and immoral practices of the church. I mean, slandering someone with pamphlets after they leave the church? Advising people with mental problems against seeking psychiatric help? That’s irresponsible and sick, and even if it did help you, i’d say you are less of a good person for giving such an organization your money and help.
You could have accomplished that all on your own because you *wanted* to. You weren’t letting yourself because you were weak and needed a hand to hold. You could have let anyone or anything be that hand, you chose Scientology. No one will argue that it may have done good things for you…but everyone will argue that it being good for you means it is actually good. You could have changed yourself but instead chose to let an outside influence change you. That is proof of nothing other than the fact that you needed help.
You were weak minded and weak willed and needed the help of an outside influence to make your life better. It sounds like you were replacing one crutch (drugs) with another (Scientology). This can happen with ANY religion and you aren’t giving Scientology a better name for it.
I went to college (by my own choice), got a degree (I passed, all while smoking pot and drinking beer), and own my own business. I am very interested in Psychology and I am a recreational drug and alcohol user (not abuser).
So let’s recap: I own my own business, I’m not hooked on drugs, and I’m happy. You do the math.
Lisa,
Me and proud of it.
somehow i doubt that Scientology deserves the credit for your success, Max. i think YOU were the determining factor, so give yourself a pat on the back.
i’ll never forget something Ravi Zacharias said in one of his radio broadcasts (it was the “Let My People Think” series), he said, “Never judge a philosophy by its abuse.” He had said that in response to atheist criticism of Christianity on the grounds that the Crusades had caused a lot of unwaranted bloodshed. I think that this maxim, “never judge a philosophy by its abuse” should not be forgotten.
some people in Scientology have used their authority to distort a good idea of helping people take control of there lives- this much is obvious. everything i hear about scientology involves claims of how they are all wackos. i personally don’t know what the overall character of the Church is like, but maybe Max is not the only person using the philosophy for good.
of course, there is always the possibility that Max is a propagandist working for the Church. how can we tell if he is sincere? i don’t know. everyone in america is so cynical and we don’t know who to trust or how far the tenticles of organisations’ powers extend.
philosophies are like samurai swords combined with the skill to use it. historically there were both beneficent samurai and vile, plundering samurai who victimized farming villages.
what determines how you use the sword is not who forged it or who trained you to use it. it is your OWN conscience.
maybe i am just an obsolete, old school humanist, but i believe that individuals are not corrupted/debilitated by a religious institution unwillingly.
a lot of people, maybe because of the growth of sociology, think that individuals are totally controlled by propaganda and cannot think for themselves.
the true answer- they are fooled not because they are unable to think for themselves but because they are naturally (sometimes genetically) unintelligent and inarticulate and naturally would believe a dumb idea.
not everyone is created equal.
so let’s all go to the Smart People party!!!!
WHEEEEEEE-YEAH!
A bit of an Ego, Eh Brennen. And thinking back On my rants, I remember there are actually Two main “Forms” of Scientology. Basic research and you’ll see that there are some people who have accepted the Scientology Doctrine without encumbrences of “The Church of”. Freezone Scientology has far more benifits. They arnt as likely to look down on you for seeking help from a psycologist, keep in mind they still don’t really approve. I still have my problems with some of the teachings, but hey, I still don’t like Catholisism either. Tom Cruse can kiss my *******************. John Q. from up the street, from Freezone Chapter Whatever is more than welcome at my parties.
As for the “they are naturally (sometimes genetically) unintelligent and inarticulate”. That was Uncalled for and Shows Yourself to be one of the Uneducated. Genetic deficientcies are not an excuse. Poor raising of children, lack of focus on the public education of said children, and people, call me a cynic, being crude and unjust. I don’t like pointing fingers but it’s that type of attitude that only furthers the Idealisms you where bashing.
JF: odd thing about the time stamp on your pages, I’m posting this at 6:25pm.
i take pleasure stating things eloquently even when they are uncalled for. stiring people to thought is more important to me than being uncontroversial. i am also a lighthearted jackass generally. nice to meet you.
There is stirring thought and then there’s lack of tact. I tend to sway more to the thets discuss this over a beer. I’m a professional *****, like wise.
both “poor raising of children” and “lack of focus on the public education” are excuses that reflect the extent to which Sociology has invaded the consciousness of Americans.
it has not always been the case that these parenting/education-excuses were widespread. children have not always been idealized as perfect tabula rasas fundamentally different from adults. universal public education is relatively new in history. parents used to treat their children like mini-adults and send them to work at a young age. then there came to be a so-to-speak Cult of the Child in industrial nations were children were thought to be fundamentally different like friggin’ pixies or faerie creatures.
my point: every excuse/explaination reflects a historical bias. every concept/prinicple which seems common sense to us is ultimately only common to the historical/national epoch that we were born into.
this is why i find it impossible to take refutations of my airy assertions or appeals to objectivity seriously.
Bren: Because people are “Born to be Stupid”?
is it true that the nature vs. nurture debate ends in a standstill?
there are other ways to naturally be unintelligent and inarticulate besides the genetic route (if you’re in the market i can tell you a good dealer).
Bren:to me there is no debate, definately not one against the other. Nature is only a step, lack of mental conditions helps a great deal with this. But no matter how much “good nature” a person has, you can still Screw them mentally. Conversly, Nurturing some one who is “Deficient”, can have possitives (ie; teaching good manners and how to act, with in there abilities, to be Atleast respectful in their manners.
I’m good, Pablo and I had a pretty bad falling out.
my father’s name is Pablo.
Um… About that…
Crimanon: the timestamp thing – I hadn’t noticed that – I will look into it – I suspect it is using the server time to determine the timestamp.
Great comments from you all btw, I enjoyed reading them.
Duh, time zones I get it. Nevermind. In my haste I forgot that even though I’m American, it doesn’t mean the world revloves around me.
After Random searches online, I find that my User name is also used as a rehabilitative organization, by The Church of Scientology. On that note:
Disclaimer: This user name is in no way affiliated with The Church of Scientology. Any Similiarities to this or any other Organization is completely coincedental. Please forward any comments to Yo Mama.
Have a nice day and Get Stuffed.
Christianity has killed A LOT more people than Scientology…..
As far as I can tell, Christianity has never killed anyone. The abuse of Christianity has killed, though. It was skewed beliefs and biased interpretation of religion that led to atrocities like the Crusades and the Inquisition.
Brennan,
The nature vs. nurture debate is pretty outdated. Most psychologists and psychiatrists have come to the realization that nature and nurture work together. Both a person’s genetics and the way they are raised have an impact on how they develop.
A random comment… I thought it was interesting that L. Ron Hubbard regularly used cocaine. So did Freud.
Crimanon: I did wonder about your nickname but figured it was a coincidence because of your comments which were clearly not pro-scientology
Unfortunate really. My memory is so bad I forgot that I had gone out and wrote a few rants on the “New Cult Mentality” and “Tommy and the Watergun”. Anti-Scientology doesn’t have quite the Contempt that I feel is necissary. It helps to spit while you say it.
Crimanon: haha – I was spitting the whole time I wrote the article
Great list! I would love to see one about the Top 10 Problems with Christianity (or any other religion for that matter). I do not believe Scientology, but come on, you can’t just pick on one religion and not the others. When you strip it down all religions seem crazy.
anesb: I did a top 10 wicked Popes one and was hoping to eventually do a top 10 relating to all the major religions. It is just that Scientology was one I had recently been reading about so it made sense to go with that first
Check your grammar and spelling. A few mistakes distracts the impact of your statements.
This is a terrific compiliation of the factual problems with Scientology. I wish I’d read this before I lost almost 3 decades to the church’s mental mindset of indoctrinated propaganda that made it so difficult to see the forest from the trees. Of those 3 decades, only 2 were actually spent as a member, the 3rd spent trying to reconcile myself back to the real world without thinking about scientology . It really took me 10 years to garner the courage to finally search the word Scientology on internet in order to get the facts about these very problems you listed here. And I am not one who scares easily.
There are some essential truths taught in scientology which Hubbard plagerized by calling them his own. Giving bits of truthful information with lots of misleading data is what trips up young curious minds in joining. The problem is that once you are in, to leave is like a death sentence. Friends and family must disconnect from you if they too are members and visa versa. The church’s Fair Game policy is real. Read about it over at wiki.
Lies are Scientology’s only commodity, fear is it’s trade. Money and free labor are the the main objectives and global power is the ultimate goal. Don’t believe otherwise.
Mary: thanks for your comments – I am glad you finally found your way out and in to real life!
Mary: Welcome back, Great site but the font is messing with me. I wish I could read it all in one sitting.
Scientology is not worse or more false that any other religion. Most of the problems of the world are and always have been caused by religion. While Scientology is working hard to catch up, its disgraceful actions have a long way to go to catch up with Christianity, Islam, and other older religions.
49. jfrater, thanks! Great site, by the way
50. Crimanon, thanks and I do understand about my blog layout being difficult because of the fonts and background. My hope is to redo it once and get it right without losing anything. I am very slow at html and graphics but I’m hopeful I can find another layout that is easier on the eyes. Just have to do it without my kids around distracting me
51.James Smith, sorry you see things that way but you’re entitled to your opinion and I never allow myself to get caught up in disagreements about religion. Scientology is really a business masquerading as a church. It was set up as a church so as to get tax-exempt status. I was around during the days whenno one thought or considered it a church or a religion. It was a religious philosophy back then. It’s also a cult and far more dangerous than any other religion with the exception of the extremist of Islamics.
Read this policy letter and plan and you’ll see what I mean.
HUBBARD COMMUNICATIONS OFFICE
Saint Hill Manor, East Grinstead, Sus*****
HCO POLICY LETTER OF 16 FEBRUARY 1969
Issue IV
REISSUED 24 SEPTEMBER 1987
Reissued with updated distribution.)
Confidential
TARGETS, DEFENSE
[...]
“Experience has shown that defense is only effective when one sorties or attacks. ”
http://www.suppressiveperson.org/hate/pubs/pl-1969-02-16-reiss-87-targets-defense-txt.html
Some religion, heh?
“Scientology is really a business masquerading as a church.” Exactly how does that make it different from any other religion? If you think it is more dangerous than other religions, perhaps you might consider abortion clinic bombings, protests against gay rights, and preaching hate and intolerance. All of those things have been going on for hundreds of years in Christianity.
Other religions have their distasteful aspects, too. Right now, Islam and the Christian Reich are just getting the most press.
Only when people learn to think for themselves will they be free of the yoke of religion.
This was great, you should do one about Mormonism, too. It’s VERY similar.
Amy is right. I would like to see that, too. Keep up the good work, please.
Amy and James: I plan to do that, and the Jehovah’s Witnesses too.
I like your approach. No “evangelizing” just put forth facts and allow them to speak for themselves. No wonder no one of any religion is disputing you. They can have nothing to say. But then, theists cannot stand facts. They disrupt everything they purport to believe. LMAO
James: I was pretty surprised not to be attacked by Scientologists after this and the other post
Great article. There would be a number 11 I would add to the list: (11) Scientology runs labor camps. Out in the desert of California is piece of land called Gold Base. On Gold Base the barbed wire surrounding the land faces inwards!, not to stop outsiders getting in but preventing their followers from leaving. There are similar camps in England and Copenhagen (Denmark). Scientology is a dangerous cult.
The biggest mistake we as a free people can make about Scientology is to say that it is “no worse than any other religion.” This is absolutely untrue. No other ‘religion’ engages in systematic thought-reform programs like Scientology does. No other religion has a business plan like Scientology does. No other religion bullies its members the way Scientology does. No other religion is as controlling of its members, is as litigious, is as decpetive, is as anti-democratic, is as emotionally and psychologically abusive to its own members, or is as brutal to members that wish to leave as Scientology is. This controlling, greedy cult is trying to become mainstream, and we can NOT let their actions and tactics be thought of as OK for even a second.
I’d like to point out though, that those perpetrating the crimes of Scientology are also its victims. Falling prey to it has little to do with one’s intelligence or stupidity, it has to do with being wise to their deceptive practices.