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Inside Scientology (Rolling Stone expose of $cientology a must read!)
Rolling Stone ^ | 2-23-06 | JANET REITMAN

Posted on 02/24/2006 11:05:41 AM PST by Central Scrutiniser

Inside Scientology

Unlocking the complex code of America's most mysterious religion

The faded little downtown area of Clearwater, Florida, has a beauty salon, a pizza parlor and one or two run-down bars, as well as a bunch of withered bungalows and some old storefronts that look as if they haven't seen customers in years. There are few cars and almost no pedestrians. There are, however, buses -- a fleet of gleaming white and blue ones that slowly crawl through town, stopping at regular intervals to discharge a small army of tightly organized, young, almost exclusively white men and women, all clad in uniform preppy attire: khaki, black or navy-blue trousers and crisp white, blue or yellow dress shirts. Some wear pagers on their belts; others carry briefcases. The men have short hair, and the women keep theirs pulled back or tucked under headbands that match their outfits. No one crosses against the light, and everybody calls everybody else "sir" -- even when the "sir" is a woman. They move throughout the center of Clearwater in tight clusters, from corner to corner, building to building.

This regimented mass represents the "Sea Organization," the most dedicated and elite members of the Church of Scientology. For the past thirty years, Scientology has made the city of Clearwater its worldwide spiritual headquarters -- its Mecca, or its Temple Square. There are 8,300 or so Scientologists living and working in Clearwater -- more than in any other city in the world outside of Los Angeles. Scientologists own more than 200 businesses in Clearwater. Members of the church run schools and private tutoring programs, day-care centers and a drug-rehab clinic. They sit on the boards of the Rotary Club, the Chamber of Commerce and the Boy Scouts.

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


TOPICS: Philosophy
KEYWORDS: 2creepy2breligion; cult; flakes; flimflam; notareligion; nuts; scam; scientology
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To: augggh

Calling a follower of Aleister "The Beast" Crowley not a Satanist is a distinction with little difference.

Satanist (or Black Magik practicioners) also take Christian constructs and pervert them, as you surely must know. Crowley took "The Beast" and Babalon from Christian references.

As to whether Crowley, Hubbard or Parsons were Satanists, I'm not sure it's a distinction worth arguing over, like debating whether Crowley was sick or just very twisted.

However, you are aware of Parson and The Church of Thelema, yes? And the moonchild? And Parson's "The Book of Babalon"?


81 posted on 02/24/2006 12:18:24 PM PST by D-fendr
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To: wideawake
Good info here: http://www.xenu.net/

There's a download of South Park episode! :)

82 posted on 02/24/2006 12:20:11 PM PST by BossLady ($cientology: Paying Xenu Since 1950)
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To: Tribune7
Ahhhhhhhhhhhh, Now I see the co-relation.

An "Exemption-for-Votes" scandal

83 posted on 02/24/2006 12:21:50 PM PST by ExcursionGuy84 ("Jesus, Your Love takes my breath away.")
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To: PetroniusMaximus
WTF does any of this have to do with Satanism???

Scientology is a total weirdo cult. Satanists are just militant atheists. They don't worship ANYTHING (except maybe the freedom to be who they want to be). They enjoy ticking Christians off by revelling in their atheism and holding fake "Satanic rituals" that are specifically designed to go against the grain of Christianity. That's all there is to it. Heck, even the Satanism name is used because of the negative effect it has on Christians.

I was amazed by the Satanic Bible. I thought it was gonna be weird and cultish, too, but it turned out to be VERY conservative and preached self reliance and freedom above everyting else.

84 posted on 02/24/2006 12:22:12 PM PST by America_Right (Superman wears Jack Bauer jammies.)
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To: D-fendr
However, you are aware of Parson and The Church of Thelema, yes? And the moonchild? And Parson's "The Book of Babalon"?

Aware of all the above (because as I mentioned, I've actually read the book).

And as I've said repeatedly, none of the above points to Parsons being a Satanist, unless you know nothing of Crowley, Thelema, or Satanism. It's an erroneous label that only clouds discussion of the individual in question.
85 posted on 02/24/2006 12:22:17 PM PST by augggh (Falsehood is invariably the child of fear in one form or another. - AC)
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To: Central Scrutiniser

Xenu? Now I know what Robert A. Heinlein meant when he wrote "One man's religion is another man's belly laugh." He was talking about L.Ron!


86 posted on 02/24/2006 12:29:29 PM PST by magslinger (Cry Havoc and let slip the yobos of war!)
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To: pepsionice
Give L.Ron some credit...he was a science fiction writer above all other things.

Yup! Favorite sci-fi book of all time is Battlefield Earth, and I have read hundreds (thousands?) of sci-fi novels. Still, the fact that he came up with such a scam is mind-boggling.

87 posted on 02/24/2006 12:30:56 PM PST by America_Right (Superman wears Jack Bauer jammies.)
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To: Central Scrutiniser

I got out almost FORTY years ago and I STILL get solicitation mail from those idiots!


88 posted on 02/24/2006 12:32:30 PM PST by Riverman94610
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To: Central Scrutiniser

The big neon sign on top of their worldwide headquarters says it all.


89 posted on 02/24/2006 12:34:45 PM PST by Aquinasfan (Isaiah 22:22, Rev 3:7, Mat 16:19)
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To: America_Right

Here's what it has to do with it:

Satanism is about personal power. Particularly power over others.

Black Magik is quite similar and the two are often found together. So we can consider them together for purposes of comparison.

In these, philosophies lets call them, it is ok to gain power over others for your selfish desires, and methods for gaining power over others are taught and practiced.

It is not without reason that Hubbard's son said his father's religion was Black Magik, very slowly done Black Magik.

The purpose of both is power over others for your gain.


90 posted on 02/24/2006 12:35:11 PM PST by D-fendr
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To: D-fendr
Satanism is about personal power.

Actually it's about worshipping Satan.

Which is why I make the distinction.
91 posted on 02/24/2006 12:36:46 PM PST by augggh (Falsehood is invariably the child of fear in one form or another. - AC)
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To: D-fendr

From the RS article: "Parsons was also a follower of the English occultist Aleister Crowley. Parsons befriended Hubbard and invited him to move onto his estate. In one of the stranger chapters in Hubbard's life, recorded in detail by several biographers, the soon-to-be founder of Dianetics became Parsons' assistant -- helping him with a variety of black-magic and sex rituals, including one in which Parsons attempted to conjure a literal "whore of Babalon [sic]," with Hubbard serving as apprentice."

Doesn't matter what you call them ('Satanist' or 'Black majik')-- Parsons, Crowley and Hubbard were deeply disturbed men.


92 posted on 02/24/2006 12:39:48 PM PST by reagandemocrat
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To: augggh

Granted it can cloud the discussion. However to not see the references would likewise lead to a large gap in the discussion.

For example, what was the purpose of The Babalon Working and what does Babalon refer to?


93 posted on 02/24/2006 12:40:27 PM PST by D-fendr
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To: SuziQ
I can't get over how much the group in "The 4400" sounds like Scientology

The folks on "The 4400" were actually abuducted in the past and returned to the present. If that isn't enough to start a religion, I don't know what is.

94 posted on 02/24/2006 12:42:33 PM PST by America_Right (Superman wears Jack Bauer jammies.)
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To: TheClintons-STILLAnti-American

Scientology has used all kinds of violence and intimidation before. (www.clambake.org)

Rather than the out in the open burn, rape and pillage violence that Islam uses, they us a more insideous form of personal destruction targetted at speific people who dare speak out against the colt. There are similarties in the reasons and motives, but big differences in the methods, but people have certainly died at the hands of Scientologists, as well ahs had (more commonly) their financial, social, and personal lives utterly and systematically destroyed.

All for holding 1 Campbell's soup can in each hand and calling it a Religion.


95 posted on 02/24/2006 12:46:30 PM PST by Bones75
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To: D-fendr

I can't argue that. Point taken!


96 posted on 02/24/2006 12:46:45 PM PST by America_Right (Superman wears Jack Bauer jammies.)
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To: reagandemocrat

>>> Parsons, Crowley and Hubbard were deeply disturbed men.<<<

Make that 'sick bastards'


97 posted on 02/24/2006 12:46:51 PM PST by reagandemocrat
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To: Bones75

Um.. thats cult, not colt.... bah.. when is FR getting an "edit" featuer?


98 posted on 02/24/2006 12:47:20 PM PST by Bones75
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To: augggh
Actually it's about worshipping Satan.

From reading your other posts, I thought you would actually know something about Satanism. I was wrong, you obviously have no clue.

99 posted on 02/24/2006 12:49:13 PM PST by America_Right (Superman wears Jack Bauer jammies.)
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To: Central Scrutiniser

"But some people, the officials admit, refuse to be handled. What happens to them? "Then I guess not believing in Scientology means more to them than not seeing their family," Davis says."

This Davis guy is in dire need of a swift kick to the n*ts.


100 posted on 02/24/2006 12:54:29 PM PST by Constantine XIII
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