Core tenents of Scientology?

[Shroom Man 777]

I've heard a lot about how crazy Scientology is, how nutty they are, how nutty its founder is/was, how Tom Cruise is a moron for believing in all of this, and everything else. But I was wondering, what are their beliefs? Because from what I've heard, they're just about as nutty as any other religion.

And what's that martial arts exercise meditation thing some Chinese folks do? You can see 'em do it in the mornings, an entire group of them, slowly and calmly move their arms, legs and bodies around and stuff. Tai chi?

[Shroom Man 777]

Oh, and I forgot to mention:

Aside from being curious, I plan on putting (modified) Scientology in my sci-fi universe. Sure, most people in my future are going to be atheists, agnostics, deists, hedonists, but I'm going to have the religious people comprised primarily of Buddhists, pagans and Scientologists. With Christianity occupying only 1% of the population.

Cool, huh?

[Sir Sirius]

Go here:
http://www.xenu.net/

Read this in particular.

[Lord Zentei]

And what's that martial arts exercise meditation thing some Chinese folks do? You can see 'em do it in the mornings, an entire group of them, slowly and calmly move their arms, legs and bodies around and stuff. Tai chi?

It's probably Falun Gong. Sort of a pell-mell af miscellaneous mumbo jumbo mysticisms.

[Shroom Man 777]

It's probably Falun Gong. Sort of a pell-mell af miscellaneous mumbo jumbo mysticisms.

No, not one of 'em obscure cults. It's more of a popular New Age thinggy lots of Americans and other guys are doing.

[Firefox]

And what's that martial arts exercise meditation thing some Chinese folks do? You can see 'em do it in the mornings, an entire group of them, slowly and calmly move their arms, legs and bodies around and stuff. Tai chi?

Yoga?

[Lord Zentei]

It's probably Falun Gong. Sort of a pell-mell af miscellaneous mumbo jumbo mysticisms.

No, not one of 'em obscure cults. It's more of a popular New Age thinggy lots of Americans and other guys are doing.

Falun Gong is not an obscure cult - at least not anymore. And it is gaining popularity in the west. From your description, it sounds like that is what you saw. People standing together on a lawn quietly waving their arms and legs around to channel the flow of their chi-lifeforce-bollocksenergy-whatever.

[Surlethe]

And what's that martial arts exercise meditation thing some Chinese folks do? You can see 'em do it in the mornings, an entire group of them, slowly and calmly move their arms, legs and bodies around and stuff. Tai chi?

Yep. Tai Chi. It's pretty much slowed down defense moves, done to meditate and concentrate -- basically like going for a morning run, just helps to clear the mind.

[Shroom Man 777]

Here's what I cooked up. Thanks guys!

[Nephtys]

Falun Gong is not an obscure cult - at least not anymore. And it is gaining popularity in the west. From your description, it sounds like that is what you saw. People standing together on a lawn quietly waving their arms and legs around to channel the flow of their chi-lifeforce-bollocksenergy-whatever.

It's worse than that. I know a few people who were personally involved.. (anectotal, yeah. But there's other stuff, like a short book out on the matter that I read through). Falun Gong is pretty much a nutbar cult. Their leader is the uneducated charisma-guy like most cult leaders, and some tenents include that all things are powered by invisible wheels, and that if you're holy enough, you can see these wheels. Mankind today is the result of 42 generations of previous civilizations, all crushed and signs washed away by floods, storms, whatever. Also, computers are alien devices that control your mind, and a light-year is a measure of time. No, I'm most certainly NOT joking. It's not quite as evil as scientology mind you, but it's certainly crazy and with a political agenda and appeal to ignorant people.

I've heard a lot about how crazy Scientology is, how nutty they are, how nutty its founder is/was, how Tom Cruise is a moron for believing in all of this, and everything else. But I was wondering, what are their beliefs? Because from what I've heard, they're just about as nutty as any other religion.

Scientology is the definition of crazy cult basically. I hate them with a passion. Worse than the fundie Mormons, pretty much. I again, know friends involved. Xenu.net is a great place that shows their faults. Beliefs basically are like this. By using technobabble science called the 'tech', scientologists can achieve greater awareness and purge their bodies of alien spirits called 'thetans' that are to blame for all of your problems. They make use of extensive brainwashing, including multipe 9-12 hour long 'treatment' sessions that are really forms of conditioning. Like a bad sci-fi novel (or novelist, as it's leader was), it uses slowly rising steps to ease the transition of bullshit in, throwing technobabble to make it sound real. They use 'E-Meters', a kinda holy multimeter that reads your possession level, and is really a device of no actual merit, like if someone scanned you with a toy tricorder.

Cruise and Travolta and Kidman buy into this stuff for god knows what, but they get the 'nut-free' version and act as traveling PR people really for this garbage. People usually pay upwards of a few hundred thousand dollars in 'treatment' and books and so on. It's a pyramid sceme more than a religion, and enforces conformity. People have died during these 'treatments'.

Sorry for the rant. But all that stuff just steams me up. People and their stupidity.. ugh. Anyone who believes they're a real religion doesn't know the facts.

Fixed a few quote tags~Bean

[Lord Zentei]

It's worse than that. I know a few people who were personally involved.. (anectotal, yeah. But there's other stuff, like a short book out on the matter that I read through). Falun Gong is pretty much a nutbar cult. Their leader is the uneducated charisma-guy like most cult leaders, and some tenents include that all things are powered by invisible wheels, and that if you're holy enough, you can see these wheels. Mankind today is the result of 42 generations of previous civilizations, all crushed and signs washed away by floods, storms, whatever. Also, computers are alien devices that control your mind, and a light-year is a measure of time. No, I'm most certainly NOT joking. It's not quite as evil as scientology mind you, but it's certainly crazy and with a political agenda and appeal to ignorant people.

I was unaware that it was that bad. And I agree with you about scientology. Such groups as these need as much exposure as possible - and by that I mean exposure of the kind www.xenu.net does.

[Montcalm]

I don't remember exactly on which program it was,maybe NBC Dateline or ABC 20/20 but some ex-members of Scientology said that non celebrities were treated like shit,and the basicaly were the servants of the rich ones.

so Scientology is Hollywood's religion.

[spikenigma]

... how Tom Cruise is a moron for believing in all of this, and everything else....

awww, not Cruise

[The Spartan]

Yes, Cruise. He's one of Scientology's most vocal proponents.

[Jalinth]

Aside from being curious, I plan on putting (modified) Scientology in my sci-fi universe. Sure, most people in my future are going to be atheists, agnostics, deists, hedonists, but I'm going to have the religious people comprised primarily of Buddhists, pagans and Scientologists. With Christianity occupying only 1% of the population.

What have the people in this universe done to you to deserve this fate? I could see Buddhism faring well, but Scientology - yikes. This must be dystopian universe (or scientology has changed alot)

[salm]

Also John Travolta.

[Shroom Man 777]

What have the people in this universe done to you to deserve this fate? I could see Buddhism faring well, but Scientology - yikes. This must be dystopian universe (or scientology has changed alot)

Well...let's just say it got some reconstructive surgery. Click the link in my previous post to see

[Lord Zentei]

Also John Travolta.

Yes: his support for the writings of Hubbard was what motivated him to do that awful, awful adaption of Battlefield: Earth.

[Shroom Man 777]

Gah! Maybe I should've chose Raelianism instead! That Battlefield Earth was because of scientology? Holy crap...gah!

[Nephtys]

Travolta and the rest of the scientologist bunch need to sit down, get slapped in the face, and think. Science Fiction Writer + Science Fiction Religion has fiction in common. Quite obvious stuff, especailly with 'Space Emperor Xenu'. Oh well. They tell you the crazy Xenu Emperor part after you've already ditched $150,000 on them...

[Jalinth]

Yes: his support for the writings of Hubbard was what motivated him to do that awful, awful adaption of Battlefield: Earth.

I wouldn't say an awful adaption - the book stunk to high heaven (or low hell - your preference). It was the last thing I ever read from Hubbard before I understood what "Scientology" was all about and that I was effectively supporting it

[Lord Zentei]

I meant that the movie (which happened to be an adaption) was waful, not that the adaption itself was bad per se. Couldn't say, because I didn't read the book, and have no plans to do so.

[Pint0 Xtreme]

This reminds me of Maynard's angry lyrics towards Hubbard... I suspect he had every reason for them.

[Crown]

Cruise and Travolta and Kidman buy into this stuff for god knows what, but they get the 'nut-free' version and act as traveling PR people really for this garbage.

Very minor point, but I'm not sure that Kidman is part of the cult. I heard the reason why Cruise devocred her was because of his beliefs (that and he wasn't 100% sterile and basically thought Nicole cheated on him when she was pregnant, but turned out the unborn fetus was his)?

[wolveraptor]

... how Tom Cruise is a moron for believing in all of this, and everything else....

awww, not Cruise

I'd be REALLY crushed the Governator was buying into this stuff.