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Neil DeGrasse Tyson: Christians have no right to call Scientologists crazy
Business Insider ^ | 04/01/2015 | PAMELA ENGEL AND MICHAEL B KELLEY

Posted on 04/01/2015 7:33:10 AM PDT by SeekAndFind

Astrophysicist and cosmologist Neil DeGrasse Tyson is defending Scientology in light of HBO's highly critical documentary on the church.

HBO's documentary "Going Clear" did not show the church in an entirely positive light — Scientology has a built a reputation for tormenting members who leave it either by surveillance or harassment.

The film highlights the celebrities who made the religion intriguing to the world as well as the horrific stories of abuse from former members.

But Tyson, in an interview with The Daily Beast, declined to bash the controversial church, saying people are free to believe whatever they want.

"So, you have people who are certain that a man in a robe transforms a cracker into the literal body of Jesus saying that what goes on in Scientology is crazy? Let’s realize this. What matters is not who says who’s crazy, what matters is we live in a free country," Tyson, known for his skeptical views of Christianity, said. "You can believe whatever you want, otherwise it’s not a free country—it’s something else. If we start controlling what people think and why they think it, we have case studies where that became the norm. I don’t care what the tenets are of Scientology. They don’t distract me. I don’t judge them, and I don’t criticize them."

There is dispute, however, about whether or not Scientology is a legitimate religion.

(Excerpt) Read more at businessinsider.com ...


TOPICS: History; Religion; Science; Society; Weird Stuff
KEYWORDS: 2016election; abortion; aliencult; antichristian; antitheism; arkansas; atheistsupremacist; benghazi; blackkk; bush41; christians; clintonlegacy; cosmos; dailybeast; deathpanels; demagogicparty; election2016; fundamentalatheism; georgehwbush; hillaryclinton; hitlery; hollyweird; homosexualagenda; indiana; liberalbigot; libertarians; libya; louisfarrakhan; lronhubbard; medicalmarijuana; memebuilding; mikepence; nationofislam; neildegrassetyson; obamacare; partisanmediashill; partisanmediashills; rfra; scientologists; scientology; scififan; southcarolina; thedailybeast; treygowdy; waronchristianity; waronreligion; zerocare
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1 posted on 04/01/2015 7:33:10 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
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To: SeekAndFind

I liked the Southpark episode on Scientology where Tom Cruise was locked in the closet.


2 posted on 04/01/2015 7:35:25 AM PDT by Zuben Elgenubi (NOPe to GOPe)
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To: SeekAndFind

So sayeth the documented lier?


3 posted on 04/01/2015 7:35:32 AM PDT by Da Coyote
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To: SeekAndFind

Neil DeGrasse Tyson

4 posted on 04/01/2015 7:35:57 AM PDT by Dr. Thorne (The night is far spent, the day is at hand.- Romans 13:12)
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To: SeekAndFind

Oh yes we do. We also have a right to judge people as being Christians or enemies of Christ.


5 posted on 04/01/2015 7:37:16 AM PDT by DungeonMaster (Is a Republican who won't call Obama a Muslim worthy of your vote?)
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To: SeekAndFind

6 posted on 04/01/2015 7:38:57 AM PDT by JPG (The GOPe will always find a way to surrender)
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To: Zuben Elgenubi

That South Park episode was awesome. There was a follow on, I remember. Something about a fruity little club.


7 posted on 04/01/2015 7:40:39 AM PDT by NEWwoman (God Bless America)
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To: SeekAndFind

Says the man who believes that matter can spring into existence from nothing.


8 posted on 04/01/2015 7:40:41 AM PDT by AHerald ("Do not fear, only believe." - Mark 5:36)
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To: SeekAndFind
Hey a-hole, one question for you, if l ron blubber denied the existence of Christ why is the churches symbol a cross? Go become a Jedi you moron and less people will make fun of you. There are no xenu action figures.
9 posted on 04/01/2015 7:40:42 AM PDT by longfellow (Bill Maher, the 21st hijacker.)
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To: SeekAndFind; GeronL

Can I consider this guy cray cray?


10 posted on 04/01/2015 7:41:14 AM PDT by a fool in paradise (Shickl-Gruber's Big Lie gave us Hussein's Un-Affordable Care act (HUAC).)
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To: SeekAndFind

He’s so above it all- being the Master of the Universe and such. Neil is in for a rude awakening.


11 posted on 04/01/2015 7:43:00 AM PDT by TADSLOS (A Ted Cruz Happy Warrior! GO TED!)
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To: SeekAndFind
What matters is not who says who’s crazy, what matters is we live in a free country," Tyson, known for his skeptical views of Christianity, said.

If we live in a free country, don't we have the right to call something crazy ... like it's a First Amendment thing?

For a scientist, he isn't very logical. Just saying ...

12 posted on 04/01/2015 7:43:19 AM PDT by NEWwoman (God Bless America)
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To: SeekAndFind

WE are not free to believe, however, that Obama hates America, or there is no such thing as man made global climate change or that there isn’t an epidemic of white racism in this country. Regardless of the evidence at hand.


13 posted on 04/01/2015 7:43:31 AM PDT by skeeter
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To: DungeonMaster

It’s a cult. but a rich cult. If you are ever here in the Hollywood area, they have the biggest block of buildings non-studio and I’m sure you can;t miss these clowns as they have full uniforms asking if you are depressed and willing to take their stress test. One of the most successful scams ever orchestrated.


14 posted on 04/01/2015 7:44:49 AM PDT by max americana (fired liberals in our company last election, and I laughed while they cried (true story))
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To: SeekAndFind

Dear Mr. Degas,

I would like to inform you that in America I have the right to even call you a degenerate, incompetent, fat, ugly, ignorant, demented, idiot scientologist. You are also full of crap and the proof is your eyes are brown.

Now, it’s your turn.


15 posted on 04/01/2015 7:46:01 AM PDT by biff (Et Tu Boeh-ner)
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To: SeekAndFind

Tyson is a schmuck, it is easy to leave most any christian church, you just don’t go any more, try leaving L. Ron’s Cult and you better invest in a new identity.....


16 posted on 04/01/2015 7:47:25 AM PDT by GraceG (Protect the Border from Illegal Aliens, Don't Protect Illegal Alien Boarders...)
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To: SeekAndFind

what does one have to do to earn or gain the free speech right of calling anyone “crazy”?


17 posted on 04/01/2015 7:49:21 AM PDT by silverleaf (Age takes a toll: Please have exact change)
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To: SeekAndFind

Future historians will label this chapter in our history as “the tyranny of the clown negros”.


18 posted on 04/01/2015 7:49:26 AM PDT by exPBRrat
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To: GraceG
Leave it to Tyson to debate the point that no one is debating.

It's not what they believe that makes Scientology dangerous, it's what they do to prevent people from leaving that makes them dangerous.

Tyson completely misses the point, and thinks he's a genius.

19 posted on 04/01/2015 7:51:03 AM PDT by Repealthe17thAmendment
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To: max americana
One of the most successful scams ever orchestrated.

That's the key differentiator. Scientology isn't a religion, it's a cult expressly designed to extract money out of gullible people.

L. Ron Hubbard created it, on a bet with Robert Heinlein:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientology_controversies#L._Ron_Hubbard_and_starting_a_religion_for_money

While there are people that promote traditional religion for profit, they are a relatively minor side-show.

20 posted on 04/01/2015 7:51:03 AM PDT by justlurking (tagline removed, as demanded by Admin Moderator)
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