Church of Scientology

M

Mr.Bill

New Member
What do you think of the Church of Scientology? I believe it is the largest cult if you don't count Mormonism..and they believe in reincarnation. But my knowledge ends there. One question I have is how it got so big?
 
BAsed in California, based on some Hindu thoughts.

It is so large because L Ron Hubbard is a sci-fi writer who pushed Scientology. Throw in a few movie stars al la tom cruise and john travolta and it seems bigger than it really is.

Definately a cult and not the second largest.

Has about a bajillion splinter groups.

all i have with limited knowledge.
 
Hmm.  Question: What's the difference between a cult and a religion?  I used to think it had to do with a cult being small and disorganized, but Scientology certainly is not that.

EDIT: Dictionary.com says the following: A religion or religious sect generally considered to be extremist or false, with its followers often living in an unconventional manner under the guidance of an authoritarian, charismatic leader

Hmm. Butbut, so, the Scientologists all follow Hubbard...but this is at such a grand scale. Why is it a cult and not a religion?
 
[b said:
Quote[/b] ]A cult is a religion with no political power.
Tom Wolfe (1931 - )
Click to expand...

Mormons is not a cult its a religion.A weird one, but still a religion.

I looked it up on their website and this is how they answered the question.

[b said:
Quote[/b] ]Why is Scientology called a religion?

Scientology certainly meets all three criteria generally used by religious scholars around the world to determine religiosity: (1) a belief in some Ultimate Reality, such as the Supreme or eternal truth that transcends the here and now of the secular world; (2) religious practices directed toward understanding, attaining or communing with this Ultimate Reality; and (3) a community of believers who join together in pursuing this Ultimate Reality.

Scientology’s beliefs in an Ultimate Reality that transcends the material world include its concepts of the thetan, the spiritual world (the seventh dynamic) and the Supreme Being (the eighth dynamic). The second element can be found in Scientology’s life-rite ceremonies such as naming, marriage and funeral services, but predominantly in the religious services of auditing and training, through which Scientologists increase their spiritual awareness of themselves and attain an understanding of the spiritual world and, ultimately, their relationship with the Supreme Being. As to the third element, a very vital community of believers can be found at any Church of Scientology at almost any time of the day.

Scientology is thus a religion in the most traditional sense of the term. Scientology helps man become more aware of God, more aware of his own spiritual nature and that of those around him. Scientology scripture recognizes that there is an entire dynamic (urge or motivation in life) devoted to the Supreme Being (the eighth dynamic), and another dynamic that deals solely with one’s urge toward existence as a spirit (the seventh dynamic). Acknowledgment of these aspects of life is a traditional characteristic of religions.

Scientology holds in common with all great religions the dream of peace on Earth and salvation for man. What is new about Scientology is that it offers a precise path for bringing about spiritual improvement in the here and now and a way to accomplish it with absolute certainty.
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I want to read some of is books, Tom Cruse said that he was dislexic when he was younger, and he used to have trouble memorizing, and reading scripts. But some of the lessons in scientology helped him with the probllem. He says u don't have to folow the teachings but, the lessons will help if u have the same problem.

It seems pretty big since it has churches all over the world. And I'm not sure if its based in california, I think just the first church was started by followers in california.
 
[b said:
Quote[/b] (JoBlow @ July 15 2004,2:54)]
[b said:
Quote[/b] ]A cult is a religion with no political power.
   Tom Wolfe (1931 - )
Click to expand...

Mormons is not a cult its a religion.A weird one, but still a religion.

I looked it up on their website and this is how they answered the question.

[b said:
Quote[/b] ]Why is Scientology called a religion?

Scientology certainly meets all three criteria generally used by religious scholars around the world to determine religiosity: (1) a belief in some Ultimate Reality, such as the Supreme or eternal truth that transcends the here and now of the secular world; (2) religious practices directed toward understanding, attaining or communing with this Ultimate Reality; and (3) a community of believers who join together in pursuing this Ultimate Reality.

Scientology’s beliefs in an Ultimate Reality that transcends the material world include its concepts of the thetan, the spiritual world (the seventh dynamic) and the Supreme Being (the eighth dynamic). The second element can be found in Scientology’s life-rite ceremonies such as naming, marriage and funeral services, but predominantly in the religious services of auditing and training, through which Scientologists increase their spiritual awareness of themselves and attain an understanding of the spiritual world and, ultimately, their relationship with the Supreme Being. As to the third element, a very vital community of believers can be found at any Church of Scientology at almost any time of the day.

Scientology is thus a religion in the most traditional sense of the term. Scientology helps man become more aware of God, more aware of his own spiritual nature and that of those around him. Scientology scripture recognizes that there is an entire dynamic (urge or motivation in life) devoted to the Supreme Being (the eighth dynamic), and another dynamic that deals solely with one’s urge toward existence as a spirit (the seventh dynamic). Acknowledgment of these aspects of life is a traditional characteristic of religions.

Scientology holds in common with all great religions the dream of peace on Earth and salvation for man. What is new about Scientology is that it offers a precise path for bringing about spiritual improvement in the here and now and a way to accomplish it with absolute certainty.
Click to expand...

I want to read some of is books, Tom Cruse said that he was dislexic when he was younger, and he used to have trouble memorizing, and reading scripts. But some of the lessons in scientology helped him with the probllem. He says u don't have to folow the teachings but, the lessons will help if u have the same problem.

It seems pretty big since it has churches all over the world. And I'm not sure if its based in california, I think just the first church was started by followers in california.
Click to expand...
Oh I know Mormonism is technically not a cult...I call it that anyway tho, becuase their teachings bother me greatly. As for the Scientologists' explanation...I think we need an unbiased view on their 'religion-ness,' since of course they are going to want to be called a religion and not a cult, as cult is a very negative term. The border between the two are still pretty fuzzy for me..
 
is there really a difference between a cult and a religion.
I think they're the same. We tend to put religions that we don't like or understand into a catagory of cult.
 
[b said:
Quote[/b] (JoBlow @ July 15 2004,5:17)]is there really a difference between a cult and a religion.
I think they're the same. We tend to put religions that we don't like or understand into a catagory of cult.
Click to expand...
You may have hit it on the money JoBlow...you just may have.
 
In Christian Theology,a cult is a pseudo-Christian sect that denies or modifies one of the primary, foundational beliefs of Christianity that all denominations (Lutheran, Methodist, Baptist, Pentecostal, etc.) are in agreement with.

For instance, Catholicism and Presbyterianism are denominations. Mormonism and Seventh-day Adventism are cults.
 
I saw a website that said any denomination that didn't believe jesus was their lord and savior was a cult. Thats just dumb.

Do u think Christianity fall in to these def.

A system or community of religious worship and ritual.

The formal means of expressing religious reverence; religious ceremony and ritual
 
kraniac - that's not Christian theology, rather that is common usage. any organized religion is, and can be considered, a cult.

It's just in the past 50ish years that the term cult has picked up it's negative connotations, and began to mean folks like the Branch Dividians, and those UFO folks.
 
a cult i think is a group of people/person that created a belief and the person was born in this cerntury im not sure mormension was started in utah and it is a religon
 
a cult i think is a group of people/person that created a belief and the person was born in this cerntury im not sure mormension was started in utah and it is a religon
 
Hmmmz. Seems like everyone has a slightly different understanding of the difference between a religion and a cult.. I guess interperet that to mean that there isn't much of a difference between them, at least not on the practical level.
 
If you ask me about my Christian faith. I wouldn't call it a religion either. I would call it a relationship.
 
[b said:
Quote[/b] (Plankeye @ July 16 2004,7:37)]If you ask me about my Christian faith.  I wouldn't call it a religion either.  I would call it a relationship.
Click to expand...
What's the difference?
 
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