AMosely

Exactly. Let's get to work on this debate, sandbox!

P8riot

OK, but wait a minute. All through that video TC is reiterating that Scientologists are "do-er's" and active particpants in their environment and thier world.. he repeats how important it is to be 'involved' and 'doing' in the community or whathaveyou.

But I ask, "Doing What"? What is it that 'they' are doing that is so superior to anyone such as I do in the my community and environment?

I mean - the HUB of Scientology is right here 20 miles north of me and I can't think of anything any member has done for anything anywhere at all.

TC: There's somethin' wrong wit dat boi.

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TheFatKidDeath

Living in Los Angeles I see a bit of Scientology. Occasionally I'll ride my bicycle past the Celebrity Center, mentioned in the article. Beautiful building. The other two big centers - (minus celebrity) is on Hollywood Blvd, which I guess is a testing center as they are always out on the sidewalk with books and those testing meters and on Sunset Blvd which has a massive sign which can change messages. Those centers alone are on some very pricey real state. The Church has alot of other holdings in the city as well.

I've never knowingly met a Scientologist so hard for me to form an opinion. I'd admit it is sort of an odd religion (if it can be classified as such) but really no much more than some of the odd rituals and customs found in the dominant religions: drinking symbolic blood, a savior nailed to pieces of wood, animals (cattle,monkeys,etc) considered sacred, the wearing of head to toe vails, on and on......

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ScratchMonkey

I prefer these guys:

http://www.churchofreality.org/

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Sir-Nerd

First One NSFW for a lot of swearing

Here's is a one from the Atheist department and it pretty odd.

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Gambit7

What always makes me laugh is people think that the major religions are actually Original Ideas. Each religion is just a raping and pillaging of an older one, with twisted prophetic messages thrown in to make it "original." And Martyrdom may be the gateway to great religions, but I seriously doubt in today's world Martyrdom will work (unless you're a muslim extremist, and look at where that's getting them).

Martyrdom is a function of relativity. I feel Scientologists may be in fact "martyring" themselves moreso then other religions, simply because they try to work within a system for the future; rather than simply using old crusty texts and arbitrary ethical values to "get things done." Missionaries arent martyr's, they're virus' - noble virus', but virus' nonetheless. Food banks, religious schools, etc... never seem to get at the root of what ails the world. This is the problem with "the big 5" religions... they're just too damned old to be useful aside from moderating morals, being "kind" to people, and networking their members. Not to mention the obvious racial divides the older religions create.

Now, I'm not defending Scientology... but being a "modern" religion (if it is a religion, i dont think it is personally) it does have its advantages. If we could just get the older ones to think a bit more clearly these days I think we'd be a lot better off though.

Screw all this anyways... I wanna be a Jedi:

p.s.
Do we not have any Scientologists in TG?? I'd like to hear from them...

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Sir-Nerd

I don't care what or who you are, black, white, asian, middle-eastern, Indian, Christian, Islam, Scientology, Hindu, Buddhists, Voodoo, Male or Female. JUST DON'T TRY TO CHANGE WHO I AM!!!

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Atomic Dog

Nobody claims that the big 5 are original...they all descend from Zorastrianism is some form...the original religion in the land of Caanan. But its a pretty naive assumption to say all religious ideas come from "raping and pillaging" older religions. It lacks any understanding of the cultures they came out of. Not to mention that Judaism and Hinduism are about as old as they get as far as religions still in existence goes.

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Atomic Dog

After considering the question I went googling the internet to see if there were answers to be had. I stumbled upon this article:

http://www.crosscurrents.org/whatisreligion.htm

I don't agree with a few of the assertions made, but there are some things I did find insightful, such as this:

This article looks as good a place as any other to start off this debate that is sure to prove even more epic than the super epic and super new Global Warming debate!

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CingularDuality

What kind of culture is our society putting out? Hollywood is our main source of "culture" these days and I think it's fair to say that Scientology has cultural origins.
Time will tell.
Pffft.... L. Ron prophesized, but that's not the nature of this religion...
Well, if their geographic and economic growth is any indication, Scientology will be close behind Mormanism in terms of how quick it grows.

Scientology is as much a cult as any of the other religions...

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P8riot

I like a particular quote by a Rabbi I heard, I wish I could remember who it was but it was during an interview on WMNF.

The host asked the Rabbi what he would do if Jesus legitimately set foot on earth as the son of God.

Rabbi, "Well, I would ask him, 'So, been here before?'", and if he replies,'No', I will welcome him and show him around. If he says 'Yes, a long time ago', I'll say WELCOME BACK!"

Simple statement - Good attitude.

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Age of Conan: Tharashk (Taxiarchos), Thaumiel (alt), guild Ars Tactika - Cimmeria
XBox360 GamerTag: P8riotOne (but it might also be my son playing - he can game with TG tho!)

Gambit7

Now ask him what he'd say/do if God himself did the same thing.

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P8riot

Well in my world.. it is the same thing.. Holy Trinity and all that stuff. I imagine he'd (and I) would have the same response if Thor showed up (see SG1).

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Age of Conan: Tharashk (Taxiarchos), Thaumiel (alt), guild Ars Tactika - Cimmeria
XBox360 GamerTag: P8riotOne (but it might also be my son playing - he can game with TG tho!)

Gambit7

Good point. But, post-arrival... would you follow him? (Thor)

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Hambergler

Scientology is the original Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster. Many people have a vacancy for some sort of spiritual practice in thier lives. Being dissatisfied with the big 5 L. Ron Hubbard created his own. It's all tongue and cheek. Do you really think this sh** is to be taken literally. It would be the same as if Mentholated created a religion and had followers.
\/

In the materials for OT III (Operating Thetan level 3), L. Ron Hubbard writes that, 75 million years ago, the head of the Galactic Federation, made up of 76 planets, was a being named Xenu. Faced with an overpopulation problem, he brought beings to this planet, blew them up with hydrogen bombs, and packaged them. Their spirits now infest our bodies: he says "One's body is a mass of individual thetans stuck to oneself or to the body." Scientologists at this level try to rid themselves of these thetans (spirits) by helping each one to remember the painful experiences of being blown up like that.

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