rwbeagles-Tom Cruise can save you!

rwbeagles

same thing no? LOL...

I saw Will Smith is now one...that was depressing.

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Not the Fresh Prince of Bel Aire!!!!!

Wow....Will Smith.....I had real respect for the man.....

Just remember the South Park episode.

Please come out of the closet Tom Cruise,  come out of the closet.  It's ok Tom we understand please come out of the closet!!!!

someone elsewhere recommended I check youtube for the clips from a BBC production called Scientology & Me....doing a search on that, can bring it up in 4 parts. It was something to watch lemme tell ya...there are some scary folks in this world...that guy in the dark glasses was like a Tom Cruise impersonator LOL.

Part One.

I’m not defending what Tom Cruise is doing. I hate it! But…

I LOVE Tom Cruise as an actor. I wish he’d stayed an actor and not become a preacher. Ugh! I don’t, however see much difference at all in him and most other televangelists and many regular old preachers. Millions of people push their religion on other people… They think it’s “the way” to enlightenment. If we took a film of what goes on in a lot of churches, it would come off the way this guy does.

And the teachings of Scientology don’t sound any more far-fetched to me than any other religion.

I’m anti-psychiatry, too. I totally believe this country is not only drugging our population for every itch, twinge, sneeze ache and pain, but they’re pushing ADHD drugs on every child every time they get bored or have a nightmare. It’s VERY possible some side effects of these drugs include impeding the ability to learn. And it could well be on purpose.

Will Smith…. RIP

I just think that some of their methods...up to and including the investigating that is obviously going on before during and after one becomes a member and esp after...is a bit scary.

They are more than welcome and I am indeed, happy they can do what they do, free of persecution from the gov't....but they like all other religions (if you consider them one) are going to take their lumps from non believers....that's also as it should be...IMO.

I don’t, however see much difference at all in him and most other televangelists and many regular old preachers. Millions of people push their religion on other people… They think it’s “the way” to enlightenment. If we took a film of what goes on in a lot of churches, it would come off the way this guy does.

And the teachings of Scientology don’t sound any more far-fetched to me than any other religion.

I agree.

Are you actually anti-psychiatry or are you just against/concerned about the over-prescription of psychotropic medication?   Because I also think there's overzealous diagnosis and prescription, especially in the US, and that there have been enormous problems with who and what is considered "ill" since the advent of psychiatry.   At the same time, I think that psychiatry and psychotropic medicine can be fantastic and life-saving if well-practiced and I think it is absolutely irresponsible of Scientology to tell people that niacin and treadmills will help them, that their PPD, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression, PTSD, etc. isn't real.  It does not have to be one or the other - I can recognize that some of the most amazing people I know wouldn't be here if it wasn't for psychiatry and that at the same time there are some big problems with how it is used.

inne

Are you actually anti-psychiatry or are you just against/concerned about the over-prescription of psychotropic medication?  

Sorry, just the over medication of the populous. I agree that many times these meds are useful and helpful.

Check this out. My husband always brings up the fact that L Ron Hubbard was a science fiction writer before he invented Scientology and that it was supposedly the result of a bet.

The easiest way to make a lot of money is to found a new religion.
-Attributed to L Ron Hubbard

Scientology was founded by Layafette Ron Hubbard (1911 - 86), a journeyman science-fiction writer who was most prolific in the 1940s. Accounts of his early life are mired in the controversy common to most areas of Scientology; the church's official view of their founder claims that Hubbard possessed two doctorate degrees, was a distinguished naval commander and war hero and was a noted international explorer. In contrast, critics claim that the degrees were of the mail-order variety; he was only ever in command of a small naval escort vessel and tales of his exploring exploits were much exaggerated. There are also reports that Hubbard was involved with 'The Beast' Aleister Crowley, and that the major impetus for Scientology was a bet between Hubbard and a fellow sci-fi writer that Hubbard couldn't found a new religion. These last accounts are, understandably, hotly disputed by the Church.

Tellingly, Gerry Armstrong, a Scientologist tasked with writing an authorised biography of Hubbard in the 1980s, found such a discrepancy between the Church's version of events and the documentary evidence that he left the Church.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A6084353 

I think pretty much all religions are fairly far-fetched, but what Scientology does to members who try to leave is extremely troubling.  The difference between a religion and a cult are not what they believe, but how they go about their business.

yeah...the whole "disconnect" thing kinda bothered me...

houndlove

I think pretty much all religions are fairly far-fetched, but what Scientology does to members who try to leave is extremely troubling.  The difference between a religion and a cult are not what they believe, but how they go about their business.

But consider what Christian churches, for example, have historically done to members who try to leave, who go against the teachings of the church or who don't believe.  It has been far bloodier.

inne

But consider what Christian churches, for example, have historically done to members who try to leave, who go against the teachings of the church or who don't believe.  It has been far bloodier.

But we are not in the middle ages anymore.  I don't think that it is fair to try to draw a parallel to thing that happened hundreds of years ago. 

Yes I am fairly certain I can leave a Baptist church today, and not have them look into my past and smear campaign me out of jobs, relationships, etc. This group has some nasty methods of hurting people "today"

timsdat

But we are not in the middle ages anymore.  I don't think that it is fair to try to draw a parallel to thing that happened hundreds of years ago. 

Why not?   That is the history of many Christian organizations, including the Catholic church, and while it may not be a contemporaneous practice, I think it is relevant.   If behaviour is what makes a cult, was the Catholic church a cult at that time?   And when did it revert to being a non-cult?    And there certainly are contemporary divisions of Christian belief that advocate punishment for those who violate their beliefs and some who leave are still tried for heresy, including in the US.   I mean, the Catholic League has issued statements personally attacking Catholic writers who are interested in His Dark Materials and some are scared of being shunned or harmed as a result - I think that's a pretty big deal.

"Christianity" is a mighty big category. There are Christian cults, today and in the past. Some Christian sects have gone from more cult-like behavior to more mainstream behavior. Some have gone the other direction. The fact that Jim Jones was a Christian does not mean that "Christianity" is a cult. 

For my money, today, any religious organization that tries to destroy your entire life should you attempt to leave it is a cult. Today. Not 500 years ago. Today. My husband has left the Catholic church, as has pretty much his entire immediate family. Last time I checked, the Pope was not issuing orders for their systematic persecution.