Scientology Is A Business NOT A Religion

Discussion in 'Off Topic Area' started by aikiwolfie, Feb 3, 2012.

  1. aikiwolfie

    aikiwolfie ... Supporter

  2. robertmap

    robertmap Valued Member

    Now if only that was extended to all the other religions out there maybe we would be growing up as a species...
     
  3. Knight_Errant

    Knight_Errant Banned Banned

    Yes. Mind you, all religions involve economic relationships to some extent, and really it's no more ridiculous than...
    No, sod that, it is more ridiculous than believing the world was created in seven days. I don't know how they've managed it but they have. How anyone can persuade themselves to believe in the plot of a bad science fiction novel I have no idea, and frankly they deserve to be fleeced. Shoot them all.
     
  4. aikiwolfie

    aikiwolfie ... Supporter

    Are we talking about Scientology, Star Trek, Star Wars or Stargate? Keep in mind, Frodo sometimes has a really bad day ;)

    I don't think organisations should be allowed to exploit the vulnerable. Which is what they have been accused of doing in this ruling in France.
     
  5. Knight_Errant

    Knight_Errant Banned Banned

    Personally, the only part about taking money away from idiots that bothers me is that the money goes to even less deserving people.
    That and the sheer offence generated by people believing in what is self-evidently a load of cobblers.
    Bear in mind I'm not saying they shouldn't be ruled against- I'm just saying that this ruling doesn't go far enough. They should all be shot as an embarrassment to the species.
     
    Last edited: Feb 3, 2012
  6. aikiwolfie

    aikiwolfie ... Supporter

    Taking money from "idiots" is not the issue. If it were then every business and major corporation operating in France and the world over would be just as guilty. Taking money from people who are vulnerable because life has basically chewed them up and spat them back out as a psychological dribbling mess is the issue. And the accusation so far as I can gather is that Scientology seems to deliberately target such people.
     
  7. Hannibal

    Hannibal Cry HAVOC and let slip the Dogs of War!!! Supporter

    Scientology also has inbuilt doctrine that allows it's followers to pursue and ruin those who are not in the fold or who have left

    They are all worthless scum
     
  8. holyheadjch

    holyheadjch Valued Member

    It's no weirder than any other religion, it's just newer.
     
  9. Knight_Errant

    Knight_Errant Banned Banned

    No, no, I think it's worse because it's newer. Buying into a load of old phooey because your parents did is one thing- it's what you would expect, given that one's parents are an important part of one's early upbringing. But deliberately going out and buying into a load of self-evident cobblers entirely of your own accord is quite another.
    Besides, real religions actually do good work as well. Take christianity. I personally volunteer for a christian charity that does important work in the community.
     
  10. Hannibal

    Hannibal Cry HAVOC and let slip the Dogs of War!!! Supporter

    Oh yes it is - it is MUCH weirder. If you doubt it you should look at their doctrine. Pastafarianism is more convincing
     
  11. aikiwolfie

    aikiwolfie ... Supporter

    It does seem to have a more ruthless approach to taking peoples money though. Which also seems to be their whole reason for existing.
     
  12. Knight_Errant

    Knight_Errant Banned Banned

    Yes, and the cobblers it is based on is (incredibly) much more bizarre than that of most organised religion. Now, I'm sniping at the rest of organised religion here as well, and really, I shouldn't be. I'm sure real anglicans despise scientologists even more than I do. I'd also have no problem with a new religion that seemed coherent with the facts, didn't victimise people and take their money, etc. For me, the serious problems with scientology are
    1: It's sheer fartechedness
    2: The way it funds itself
    3. The way it victimises people who have 'left the fold'.
    I mean, I'm not a big fan of stupidity even when it isn't evil, but scientology is just beyond the pale. They ought to be burned.
     
  13. Pretty In Pink

    Pretty In Pink Moved on MAP 2017 Gold Award

    It's a bit of a joke, like a lot of religions it has a crazy story, only Scientology has less morals, and more "take peoples money" thing going on.
     
  14. Knight_Errant

    Knight_Errant Banned Banned

    the other issue is, it's taken thousands of years to tame the existing religions into a form that's more or less socially, legally and politically acceptable and we don't want any more of the buggers springing up and ruining everything
     
  15. aikiMac

    aikiMac aikido + boxing = very good Moderator Supporter

    I would agree with that.
    I have been known to attend to church with some regularity, but I like to think that I still have a brain. The subject of philosophy of religion totally fascinates me. However, I can not, even to save my life, come up with any argument in support of Scientology. None. It's complete fiction. It's completely made up, and everyone knows that. It was made up in my life time even! Come on!

    I think I'm pretty good at defending religions generally, but literally I cannot form a single argument in defense of Scientology. Yes, I do find Pastafarianism more convincing than Scientology -- and that says something about Scientology! :eek: :dunno:
     
  16. holyheadjch

    holyheadjch Valued Member

    It is no less strange than worshiping zombies or mutant elephants or flammable foliage.
     
  17. Pretty In Pink

    Pretty In Pink Moved on MAP 2017 Gold Award

    Or Jesus Christ. Remember, that he too was undead.

    EDIT: Ah, I see you made a funny and I didn't catch on, gutted.
     
  18. Hannibal

    Hannibal Cry HAVOC and let slip the Dogs of War!!! Supporter

    There is a difference between the avatar/personification aspect of beings such as "mutant elephants" and an entire religion that sprang out of the mind of an embezzler and sci-fi writer

    The problem is that you are saying "all religions" yet do not define your parameters. Christianity is not Buddhism is not Paganism is not Thelemic is not Chaos Magick is not Taosim is not Shintoism is not Norse is not OTO is not Wiccan is not Judaism.....

    "Religion" is a sloppy term bandied around by anti-establishment type thinkers far to loosely
     
  19. Mitlov

    Mitlov Shiny

    I think you should finish that thought. Say what you're going to say about people who are not raised religious but come to religion. I'm curious exactly what you think of them and why.

    Context: I was raised atheist, was a self-declared atheist until I was about 21, identified as a Reform Jew for several years, and currently am headed towards identifying as a Soto Zen Buddhist.
     
  20. Knight_Errant

    Knight_Errant Banned Banned

    No, I don't think I should to be honest. It was more intended to be a statement against the more fruitcake-ish 'religions' such as scientology rather than being directed against people who, for whatever reason, have 'found faith' as it were. I've been taking a rather hardline stance on these matters recently because of several things I read which riled me, so it's probably best that I pedal back from it a big now :D
     

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