So I was talking to my mommy...

My mom is a theologian, that is just what she does with her life, studies religion. Anyways, I was telling her a bit about $cientology and all their crazy happenings. She told me about how her uncle was a Scientologist way back when, when it first got going. She knew about the Jett Travolta situation, and she knew some of the "church" practices. When I told her that people across the world protest the Co$, she said, "You can never really understand something until you are a part of it." And that got me thinking. At that last raid at the Co$ in San Diego, all those entering the building seemed like the same damn people, in just different bodies. They all ignored us, they never made eye contact, they never second guessed their church, or their faith. Sure, we shook up those kids who had never been in the building before, but they weren't part of the Co$...
Anyways, what I'm wondering is, how and why do people become Scientologists? Scientology doesn't really draw off of previously established beliefs; it isn't like Unitarian Universalism, that does its best to explain things logically and morally.
Scientology is anti-logic. It's anti-science. It is fiction that its followers believe in stride. Maybe Scientology just says something they would like to hear, so they follow its practices.
Most everyone knows that all religion is silly if you reduce it to its basic components, like I find myself doing with Scientology, but often, religion is part of your heritage, and Scientology is just too young to passed along like Christianity.
So why would my uncle join a church that had just been established? why would anyone?
How can John Travolta, who seems like a pretty intelligent guy join up with a cult like the Co$?
My heart broke when I saw the video of Will Smith more or less standing up for the Co$, and that really made me wonder if all those over 9000 Scientologists are just seeing something that We (Anonymous) don't. Are We smarter than them?
How can so many people buy into something that is basically a pyramid scheme? All on their own volition too... I don't believe that We are just capable of seeing something they don't. Something must be very attractive about a "religion" that can bring in members even when they publicly admit to believing in something as crazy as "The Tone Scale"
Do We have any reformed Scientologists among Us? Are there articles about an unusual correlation between brain tumors and a belief in "Dianetics?"

first of all, you need to read more, there are tons of people that have gotten out and written about their experiences including joining. most people that are bated in have never learned about religions or felt harmed by a previous religion, but scientology isn't sold as a religion from the beginning. Most people that join are first sold on the stress test/ personality tests, that are designed to fail 99% of everyone that tries them. They then sell you a copy of dianetics and some courses if they can as well. they usually do not tell you its scientology from the beginning because most people instantly will shut it out, with good reason. they get you to believe that there are things mentally wrong with you that they have an easy method of fixing. They claim that they can fix almost any mental and physical ailment with the tech. If you have been guilable thus far, then you'll probably next be spending money on more books and more courses and some auditing and yada yada yada...... but everyone has their own reasons for joining. just remember there is no science in scientology. if you really want to do a lot of reading, heres a nice torrent that will give you LOTS of information http://thepiratebay.org/torrent/4540599/Scientology_Leaked_Files

ANOthersandiegaN wrote:

first of all, you need to read more

That's a bit of an unnecessary judgment....

The Archbishop wrote:

ANOthersandiegaN wrote:

first of all, you need to read more

That's a bit of an unnecessary judgment....

^^ WUT?

I love my Mommy.... n.n

There is a lot out there about scientology, Archbishop. If you can't take someone responding to your ill informed question with "lurk moar" then you should really... lurk moar.

It sells itself as self help. It draws people in just like diets draw people. By making people feel like they are fixing their life etc.

ANONdur wrote:

There is a lot out there about scientology, Archbishop. If you can't take someone responding to your ill informed question with "lurk moar" then you should really... lurk moar.

It sells itself as self help. It draws people in just like diets draw people. By making people feel like they are fixing their life etc.

Hmm... But the instant someone says to me, "Hey, hold these cans and answer these personal questions," I'd be outta there.
And I wasn't worried about him telling me lurk moar. I lurk a lot. But no amount of reading explains it. Why do people even go in to do the personality test? I've read all about how they bait and switch, but not only is the bait sour and smelly, but there has to be a "ridiculous line," and I'll bet they cross it early on.
You know what? Moar people probably buy into homeopathic medicine, hell even acupuncture, than scientology. I guess it makes sense. Peoples are fools for charisma.
Also, of all the stupidity that is floating around on the net, why do yous guys (ANONdur) do your best to make me sound stupid at every turn? Save your bullying for /b/ please. And you get Dur? Lyme disease? Like the disease you can get, but deer can't, but you could get it if you were around deer...? I was just kidding. I apologize.

we give everyone a hard time, specially dur... and take a philosophy class, it will enlighten you as to why so many people are desperate and sheep like. most people are never actually taught critical thinking and tend to believe anything anyone tells them, its the cancer that kills society.

People in general are gullible. If something like a personality test catches their attention, they will more likely do it out of curiosity. From there, they are further lured in.

As for what Dur and Another said, they sell it as self-help to make it more appealing. Just imagine how many people browse through the self help section in a book store and those who go to see a therapist... EVERYONE has some sort of problem so if someone presents a 'solution', their going to look into it. They catch one little fishy (Tom Cruise), that little fishy is going to refer his little fishy friends (Will Smith) to it.

Dude, you guys are awesome.

ANOthersandiegaN wrote:

we give everyone a hard time, specially dur... and take a philosophy class, it will enlighten you as to why so many people are desperate and sheep like. most people are never actually taught critical thinking and tend to believe anything anyone tells them, its the cancer that kills society.

Agreed.
This was flippin' enlightening.
You too Sibyl.

I take all credit. I am awesome.

That is all.

Seven... at some point during today I am going to slap you...

Quote :

So why would my uncle join a church that had just been established?

He didn't. When it began, it was billed as a "scientific" self help group. It didn't become a religion until Ron realized the benefits of religious status.
1. You can practice medicine without a license. e.g. Purification Rundown
2. Tax exemption!
3. ??????
4. PROFIT!

Quote :

Hmm... But the instant someone says to me, "Hey, hold these cans and answer these personal questions," I'd be outta there.

Maybe you would. But if you believed these earnest and friendly people offering you the cans, and if you did not know what a skin galvanometer was, you might buy into the "pinch test."
You might, as Scilons do, believe that the E-Meter can "show you a thought."

When Dianetics was presented in 1950, science was all the rage. People believed that there was science behind Dianetics, a new breakthrough. This is how it was presented.

Today, Scientology often depends upon vulnerable people who aren't thinking straight to increase its numbers. Drug addicts who go through Narconon processing often wind up in Scientology. Volunteer Ministers prey on survivors of tragedy. Even the Free Stress Test can pick out the vulnerable who might buy into the scam.

Then there are the "social betterment" fronts; Drug Free Marshals, Youth for Human Rights, CCHR. These pluck out the gullible from a field of people for whom these are hot button issues, without ever acknowledging a link to Scientology until the person has been properly groomed to accept it.

It is complex, and it is simple. The complexity comes from the elaborate set up used to recruit. The simplicity is obvious, as I've outlined here.

It would be interesting to learn how those people going into the org were initially drawn into Scientology's web. But we have a snowball's chance in Hell of enticing them into conversation.

They're told we're terrorists and killers and they believe it, just as they believe all the other garbage the people they trust tell them. The only ones who come out to confront us are limited in the scope of conversation. Mostly they deliver the "you can't understand it until you do it" speech, or the "Scientology gives me tools I can use in day to day life" infomercial. And they think this is communication...

Sibyl wrote:

Seven... at some point during today I am going to slap you...

OH SHIT VIOLENCE HEY OSA OVER HERE

Sibyl wrote:

Seven... at some point during today I am going to slap you...

finally someone is layin down the law

"The Complex" by John Duignan. Read it.

Heh. I remember reading somewhere that its a habit/homework for psychology (I may be wrong on the psychology part) students go through the Encyclopedia of Mental Disorders to see how many disorders they have. Thats my two cents. Movie time.