what is scientology?

Scientology is a cult created in the 1950's by a science-fiction. You can find a detailed overview here: http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=200808...

As for controversy... There are multitudes of people who have suffered tragic experiences during their involvement with Scientology. Read about them here:

http://www.lermanet.com/persecution/

http://www.whyaretheydead.net/krasel/

http://xenu.net/archive/personal_story/cheryl_s

http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~dst/Library/Shelf/xenu/xenu...

Here are more "bad experiences" with the cult including an illegal plot to infiltrate the government, brainwashing techniques, mind control camps, attacks on critics, and DEATHS caused by Scientology doctrine and members:

● Operation Snow White – Under this official program, Scientology operatives committed infiltration, wiretapping, & theft of documents in government offices. This program constituted the single largest infiltration of the United States government in history. Among the 11 prominent Scientologists convicted of this conspiracy was Mary Sue Hubbard, the wife of Scientology’s “prophet”.

http://lisatrust.freewinds.cx/scientology/snow-whi...

http://en.allexperts.com/e/o/op/operation_snow_whi...

http://www.lermanet.com/reference/77Granjurypart1....

● Operation Freakout - Their campaign of sabotage & intimidation against Paulette Cooper, the writer who published her research & findings on several cults, including Scientology. Scientology’s official plan: to frame Paulette for “bomb threats”, ruin her career & reputation & get her either incarcerated or locked up in psychiatric confinement.

The official plan: http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~dst/Krasel/cooper/frk1.html

Her book: http://holysmoke.org/cos/books/scandal-of-scientol...

More info: http://www.holysmoke.org/pc/pc.htm

http://www.xenu-directory.net/critics/cooper1.html

● Fair Game - the Scientology policy detailing how the organization may confront & handle critics & perceived enemies. Here is a direct quote: "Enemies may be deprived of property or injured by any means by any Scientologist without any discipline of the Scientologist. May be tricked, sued or lied to or destroyed.” Though they claim this policy is no longer in effect, Scientology still goes to great lengths to bully all known critics, opponents, “enemies”, etc, often through malicious litigation & character assassination, even going so far as to falsely accuse them of crimes.

http://www.xenu.net/archive/disk/fairgame.htm

http://www.planetkc.com/sloth/sci/Fair_game_ord.ht...

http://www.fairgamed.org/

http://www.solitarytrees.net/racism/harass.htm#sta...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ocw90W44Boc

● Physical & psychological punishment - Scientologists who "break the rules" while members of the "Sea Org" must subject themselves to the Rehabilitation Project Force (RPF), which includes regimes of harsh physical punishment, forced self-confessions, social isolation, hard labor and intensive ideological indoctrination.

http://www.xenu-directory.net/practices/rpf.html

http://www.lermanet2.com/scientology/gulags/Brainw...

http://www.scientology-lies.com/birgitta.html

http://www.xs4all.nl/~kspaink/cos/rpf/escape_2.htm

● Brainwashing & mind control - Scientology exerts control over its members by means of typical cult tactics, including but not limited to controlling information about internal doctrine & criticism of the organization, severely restricting social contact outside the cult (including the practice of “disconnecting” from family, friends & ex-members who question the credibility & trustworthiness of the cult & are therefore considered “suppressive persons” by Scientology), creating an “us against them” mentality by villainizing a specific out-group (for Scientology, it’s psychiatrists), & claiming all those outside the cult are dangerously unenlightened.

http://www.scientologydisconnection.com/

http://www.sptimes.com/2006/06/24/Tampabay/The_unp...

http://www.factnet.org/Books/SocialControl/scs.htm...

http://www.freedomofmind.com/resourcecenter/groups...

http://xenu.net/archive/personal_story/funkydonny....

● Tax Fraud - One of the only reasons they enjoy "tax exempt status" on religious ground in the United States is because they bullied the IRS into a "deal" through extremely aggressive barratry (which is the offense of persistently instigating groundless lawsuits) against said government agency and its officials, and arranged to drop all 2,500 frivolous lawsuits only when an "agreement" was reached. In addition, Scientology's lawyers hired private investigators to dig up any "dirt" on IRS agents which was then used to blackmail or publicly smear all "vulnerable" agents.

http://legalminds.lp.findlaw.com/list/fedtax-l/msg...

http://www.lermanet.com/scientologynews/nytimes/ny...

http://www.factnet.org/headlines/give-away.htm

http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~dst/Cowen/essays/irs.html

● Violent Kidnapping - Lisa McPherson was a Scientologist, was involved in a car accident & resultantly became mentally unstable. She was kidnapped from the hospital by agents of Scientology, held against her will, refused proper psychiatric treatment & allowed to STARVE TO DEATH.

Video: http://theunfunnytruth.ytmnd.com/

News Coverage: http://www.factnet.org/Scientology/Lisa_McPherson_...

Websites: http://www.lisamcpherson.org/

http://www.whyaretheydead.net/room174.html

http://www.holysmoke.org/sdhok/lisa.htm

● Tragic Murder - A CBS “48 Hours” special on Jeremy Perkins, the mentally disturbed son of Scientologist parents who, because of the Scientology doctrine of opposing psychiatry, refused to put him on the anti-psychotic drugs that would have stabilized him & prevented him from killing his own mother.

Video: http://www.scientomogy.com/jeremy_perkins.php

CBS article: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/10/25/48hours/...

Website: http://perkinstragedy.org/

What is it?

Scientology is a weird belief system made up by L Ron Hubbard, a writer of bad science fiction. However scientology is almost indistinguishable from the cult corporation which controls the use of the weird belief system.

Every one of the links provided by the obvious scientologist go to the pages of scientology front groups, funded by scientology.

Contrary to what our scientology friend says, it is not generally of benefit to the surrounding society, because it is exceptionally hostile towards critics, because it is careless with its members safety and because it is harmful in particular to family involved in it. This is not just the view of ex-scientologists who have suffered, but of some of the finest judges in the world:

http://www.xenu.net/archive/judge_quotes.html

and for the ex-scientologist's accounts of familiest harmed:

http://exscientologykids.com/voicesinunison.html

Scotty the apparent scientologist gives you just about all you need know about the cult stance on psychiatry. I will only add that preventing members from seeking psychiatric treatment has been blamed for the deaths of scientologists.

Why is it Controversial?

The above may give you some idea of why. More than this scientology has a policy on dealing with critics that leads to serious conflict. For example in Woods v Scientology, scientology was found to have engaged in a libel campaign against a critic. Other cases involved a flood of essentially vexatious litigation or attempts to have a critic convicted of a criminal offence (famously framing a critical author in Operation Freakout).

This type of behaviour (amongst other things) has led some countries, particularly in Europe, to investigate scientology. Greece shut down the organisation. Germany is deeply suspicious of them. France is preparing for a massive fraud trial. Because scientologists are taught to attack rather than defend they respond, for example, by likening modern Germany to the nazi regime.

In other words, they bring controversy on themselves very effectively.

One reason for the high profile now is scientology v the internet, a conflict which as been raging for years, but has now taken a solid form - Anonymous, an internet group, which protests against scientology, all across the world, every month.

Something to Try:

As an example of their policy for dealing with critics, look through previous questions about scientology.

You will find that scientologists never give straight answers, concede any point, or defend their position, they will only make attacks - on their critics arguments or ad hominin on the critics themselves

Further research:

if you really want to know more have a look at www.Xenu.net . It's well documented stuff with links to other places.

Scientology is an evil genius`s attempt to take over the world.

It is controversial because as hard as Scientologists strive to achieve this,

there are brave individuals who are just as determined to thwart its plans.

In simple terms. It is the same story as "The wizard of OZ." The only difference is the humbug behind the curtain has, millions of dollars, a team of unscrupulous lawyers, an intelligence division, a private navy, sophisticated mind control techniques, gulags, spies, and a copy of 1984 as his inspiration.

Nothing to fear , unless you can think of course.

Scientology is information about life that people can use to improve their conditions.

It's controversial because specific people do not like it at all and heavily fund opposition to it. Drug companies and psychiatrists to name a couple of such groups.

Here’s a factual description for you (From an actual Scientologist):

Scientology is a new religion. It is an applied religious philosophy. By “applied” is meant that it is for use in life and living. You actually use it in your day to day life to change and improve existing conditions. It is a practical religion.

All religions if you study them have a basic philosophy, but they also have certain dogma, rituals and observances and a certain faith or belief is required. There is nothing wrong with this , but Scientology is not that kind of religion. It acknowledges the principle of God or the Supreme Being but does not try to define or describe this principle, leaving it up to the individual.

It is also not a messianic religion. This means there is no worship of prophets or messiahs or gods. It is not belief or faith based. In Scientology a truth is true for you according to your own observation and experience .

The dictionary definition that applies:

Religion: The spiritual or emotional attitude of one who recognises the existence of superhuman power or powers.

The most basic principle of Scientology is that YOU are your own immortal soul, that this is not a thing you have but what YOU actually are.

Scientology believes or considers that Man is basically good. This is different from many religions that promote that he his natively evil or bad unless “made” good.

The whole purpose of Scientology knowledge application and procedure is to increase an individual’s understanding and awareness of himself as a spiritual being and to rehabilitate his native abilities and potential.

When you do this there sphere and zones of his positive influence increases and moves outward into his life , his family and friends, his groups and Mankind of which he is part .

How this result is achieved is the “technology” of Scientology, which was developed by L Ron Hubbard from discoveries he made after extensive research into the field of the mind and the human spirit.

Some of this knowledge was already existing in the sacred lore of ancient texts like the Veda or Vedic Hymns going back 10,000 years. New and additional discoveries were made about the nature of the human spirit and fully recorded and codified .

Scientology’s closest spiritual ties with any other religion are with Orthodox (Hinayana ) Buddhism with which it shares an historical lineage. But even here the relationship is based mainly on friendship and the recognition of the being as a spirit rather than any organizational ties.

L.Ron Hubbard published 18 basic books from 1950 to 1955 to fully communicate the basic principles of Scientology, the path of his research and the technology that he developed from this.

He completed all his research before his death in 1986 and left all his materials and copyrights to the Church of Scientology’s Religious Technology Centre along with most of his personal estate when he died.

The Church of Scientology is currently established iand operating internationally in over 160 countries world wide. However it is still a new religion, less than 55 years old.

The true story of Scientology as a religion goes like this:

1. A philosopher developes a philosophy about life and death.

2. People find it interesting.

3. People find it works.

4. People pass it along to others.

5. It grows.

This is just an overview.

L.Ron Hubbard explained fully the theology and technologies of Scientology in more than 500,000 pages of writings, including dozens of books and over 3,000 tape recorded public lectures. So it’s not possible to fully answer your question on this forum, but I hope this helps.

As for contoversy....these days most things that appear "controversial" are deliberately created that way by media and the small minority who have a vested interest in making something that is good look bad. These few have a fear, no, terror. of anything that makes people more alert and aware and less able to be controlled.

This is a real threat to them and so they attack it by trying to make others afraid of it , so they won't actually look for themselves.

This kind of manipulation of humanity by a few is as old as humanity itself.

Scientology is a difficult religion to summarize. Scientology has gained popularity due to some Hollywood celebrities who have embraced it. Scientology was founded in 1953 by fiction author L. Ron Hubbard, just four years after he made the statement, “I'd like to start a religion—that's where the money is.” That is where he found wealth, also—Hubbard became a multi-millionaire.

Scientology teaches that mankind is an immortal being (called a Thetan) not originally from this planet, and that man is trapped by matter, energy, space, and time (MEST). Salvation for a scientologist comes through a process called ”auditing,” whereby ”engrams” (basically, memories of past pain and unconsciousness that create energy blockage) are removed. Auditing is a lengthy process and can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. When all engrams are finally removed, the Thetan can once again control MEST instead of being controlled by it. Until salvation, each Thetan is constantly reincarnated.

Scientology is a very expensive religion to pursue. Every aspect of Scientology has some sort of fee associated with it. This is why Scientology's “pews” are filled only with the wealthy. It is also a very strict religion and very punitive against those who would try to leave behind its teachings and membership. Its “scriptures” are limited solely to the writings and teachings of L. Ron Hubbard.

Though scientologists will claim that Scientology is compatible with Christianity, the Bible counters each and every belief they hold to. The Bible teaches that God is the sovereign and only creator of the universe (Genesis 1:1); mankind was created by God (Genesis 1:27); the only salvation available to man is by grace through faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ (Philippians 2:8); salvation is a free gift that mankind can do nothing to earn (Ephesians 2:8-9); and Jesus Christ is alive and well and is seated at the right hand of God the Father even now (Acts 2:33; Ephesians 1:20; Hebrews 1:3), awaiting the time when He will gather His people to Himself to reside with Him for eternity in heaven. Everyone else will be cast into a very real hell, separated from God for eternity (Revelation 20:15).

Scientology categorically denies the existence of the God of the Bible, heaven, and hell. To a scientologist, Jesus Christ was simply a good teacher who unfortunately was wrongfully put to death. Scientology differs from biblical Christianity on every important doctrine. Some of the most important differences are summarized below:

God: Scientology believes that there are multiple gods and that some gods are above other gods. Biblical Christianity, on the other hand, recognizes the one and only true God who revealed Himself to us in the Bible and through Jesus Christ. Those who believe in Him cannot believe the false concept of God as taught in Scientology.

Jesus Christ: Like other cults, Scientology denies the deity of Christ. Instead of having a biblical view of who Christ is and what He did, they assign to Him the characteristics of some sort of lesser god who has obtained legendary status over the years. The Bible clearly teaches that Jesus was God in the flesh and through His incarnation He could act as a sacrifice for our sins. It is through Christ’s death and resurrection that we can have the hope of eternal life with God (John 3:16).

Sin: Scientology believes in the inherent goodness of man and teaches that it is despicable and utterly beneath contempt to tell a man he must repent or that he is evil. On the other hand, the Bible teaches that man is a sinner and the only hope for him is that he receive Christ as his Lord and Savior (Romans 6:23).

Salvation: Scientology believes in reincarnation and that personal salvation in one's lifetime is freedom from the cycle of birth and death associated with reincarnation. They believe that religious practice of all faiths is the universal way to wisdom, understanding, and salvation. In contrast, the Bible teaches that there is only one way of salvation and that is through Jesus Christ. Jesus Himself said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life, no man comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6).

Comparing the teachings of Scientology with the Bible, we see that the two have very little, if anything, in common. Scientology only leads away from God and eternal life. Scientology, while sometimes disguising its beliefs in Christian-sounding language, in fact diametrically opposes Christianity on every core belief. Scientology is clearly, and most definitely, not Christian.

Kingdom of the Cults, rev. and updated ed.

Edited By: Ravi Zacharias

http://www.christianbook.com/kingdom-the-cults-rev...

Scientology is about the individual man or woman. Its goal is to bring an individual to a sufficient understanding of himself and his life and free him to improve conditions in the way that he sees fit.

The word Scientology literally means "the study of truth." It comes from the Latin word "scio" meaning "knowing in the fullest sense of the word" and the Greek word "logos" meaning "study of."

Scientology is the study and handling of the spirit in relationship to itself, others and all of life. The Scientology religion comprises a body of knowledge extending from certain fundamental truths. Prime among these:

Man is an immortal, spiritual being. His experience extends well beyond a single lifetime. His capabilities are unlimited, even if not presently realized — and those capabilities can be realized. He is able to not only solve his own problems, accomplish his goals and gain lasting happiness, but also achieve new, higher states of awareness and ability.

The Scientology religious philosophy contains a precise system of axioms, laws and techniques, exhaustively researched and documented as workable. As such, it provides the individual with the ability to dramatically improve conditions, not only in his own life but in the world around him.

In a word, Scientology works.

And this is why millions of people the world over use its principles in their daily lives, why a growing number of people find such relevance in Scientology for themselves, their families, their organizations, their nations and this entire civilization.

All Scientologists are drug-free, and spearhead effective actions in countries around the world to get others off drugs. Scientologists have helped millions of underprivileged children to dramatically improve their reading level, vocabulary and comprehension, and the record of Scientology’s fight for human rights is unparalleled. Scientology’s commitment to social betterment activities also includes rehabilitating criminals and teaching people right from wrong.

The aims of Scientology are a civilization without war, without insanity and without criminals, where the able can prosper and honest beings can have rights and man is free to rise to greater heights.

Scientology is not authoritarian. There is no enforced belief. Rather, a maxim in Scientology is that only those things which one finds true for himself are true. In Scientology one learns to think for himself – it is a voyage of self-discovery.

The true story of Scientology is simple, concise and direct. It is quickly told:

1. A philosopher develops a philosophy about life and death.

2. People find it interesting.

3. People find it works.

4. People pass it along to others.

5. It grows.

As for why Scientology is controversial, you have to understand that Scientology entered a world where psychiatric abuse was rampant. A world where psychiatry was entrenched among the US intelligence services, living off the fat of government grants, and experimenting-with the help of ex-Nazi scientists-on an oblivious public. A world where their critics were simply labeled insane and “in need of psychiatric help.”

Thus the battle lines were drawn. Dianetics offered a means to happiness, stability and success. It provided a solution to psychosomatic illnesses. It created an interest in the workings of the mind among people of all classes and ages. And it gave the man in the street a method that, for the first time, he himself could utilize to improve his own condition. Additionally, it should be kept in mind that L. Ron Hubbard achieved something that psychiatrists have long been attempting to achieve: to write a book about the mind that was genuinely popular, that people actually wanted to read, that was both understandable and applicable.

A religious made by a science fiction writer... go figure

http://www.whatisscientology.org/