Throw away your Crosses and Stars of David
Posted on 07/07/2005 7:52:42 PM PDT by new cruelty
Tom Cruise's high-profile trashing of psychiatry should come as no shocker to anyone familiar with his religion. Scientology's position regarding most of psychiatry is comparable to official Catholic teachings about abortion.
Scientology says that all psychological ills are a result of a particular kind of psycho-spiritual wound, and that medications and other tools of modern psychiatry, notably electroshock therapy, are useless and harmful.
What kind of religion sets up a psychological theory as sacred doctrine? A thoroughly modern one. The Church of Scientology — no relation to Christian Science — is barely 50 years old. Founded in America, it stands as a particularly successful new religious movement.
Just how successful, however, is a matter of dispute. Scientologists count their worldwide numbers in the millions. Many religion sociologists say the real numbers are a tenth as large.
What can't be argued is that Scientology has some famous adherents: Cruise, John Travolta and Kirstie Alley among them. It's also clear that Cruise's plugging of "War of the Worlds" (which opened last week), not to mention his gushy wooing of actress Katie Holmes, has raised the level of public curiosity about the religion.
The following are some frequently asked questions and their answers:
Question: Where did Scientology come from?
Answer: It's the creation of one man: L. Ron Hubbard. Best known in the 1940s as a science-fiction author, he claimed to have discovered essential truths about human psychology, which he set forth in a 1950 book, "Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health." The book, which became the cornerstone of Scientology, was largely dismissed by psychologists.
Q: What did he say was his big discovery?
A: Hubbard said all psychological problems, and many physical ones, are caused by unresolved reactions to bad things that have happened to us. In an unconscious process, the "reactive mind" creates a permanent loop that ties up a bit of psychological energy.
These loops contain a perfect memory of the negative event and can be triggered by confronting seemingly irrelevant details associated with the original event. (If you get hit in the head by a baseball at a game, your reactive mind will also store the aroma of the ballpark hot dogs. Years later, the smell of a hot dog might give you a headache.)
Hubbard called those loops "engrams." He claimed that "clearing" the loops would improve psychological and physical health.
Q: Anything to it?
A: Mainstream psychology dismisses the concept of engrams. But the idea that past psychological stress can later affect health is now widely accepted.
Q: What was L. Ron Hubbard's background?
A: He wasn't a psychologist or psychiatrist. He was born in Tilden, Neb., in 1911 and served in the Navy during World War II. As a member of the New York Explorers Club, he was credited with participation in several scientific expeditions.
He was a friend of John Campbell, the editor of Astounding Science Fiction, one of the best-known magazines of the pulp era. Campbell, who became an enthusiastic advocate for Dianetics, published some of Hubbard's work in Astounding.
Hubbard died in 1986, "having accomplished," according to his official biography, "all he set out to do." He left thousands of pages of writings and hundreds of hours of recorded statements.
Q: What makes Scientology a religion?
A: Hubbard eventually claimed that engrams were not simply produced in this life, but that everyone carries the residue of billions of years of past lives. All people are said to have a "thetan," something like a soul in other religious traditions.
Scientology recognizes the existence of an impersonal supreme being, but one very different from the Judeo-Christian God believed to be actively involved in human affairs. Hubbard formally established the Church of Scientology in 1953.
The official Scientology Web site, in explaining the faith, says: "Man is an immortal spiritual being. His experience extends well beyond a single lifetime. His capabilities are unlimited, even if not presently realized. Scientology further holds man to be basically good, and that his spiritual salvation depends upon himself and his fellows and his attainment of brotherhood with the universe."
Q: Is there anything scientific about Scientology?
A: It is certainly "scientistic" — it uses jargon and gizmos that seem scientific.
For instance, there's the "e-meter," a sort of low-level lie detector. The person being examined — "audited" is the official term — holds two metal cans connected by a wire to the meter. Stress affects conductivity, so the auditor searches for words or situations that jiggle the needle. Scientologists believe that those jiggles are evidence of engrams.
Auditors focus on those areas, desensitizing the person through repetition, until the needle no longer jiggles. Scientologists believe that's evidence that the engram has been released. When they're all released, the person is considered "clear."
Scientologists pay to be audited and for many other classes and training sessions. Some news accounts estimate that Cruise, a Scientologist for decades, has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on his training.
Q: What's Scientology's beef with psychiatry?
A: Recall Scientology's origin — the claim of a perfect explanation for all psychological ailments. If all it takes to cure someone of these ills is a noninvasive procedure, then drugs and other tools of psychology, including electroshock therapy, just create needless suffering.
Q: What controversies has the Church of Scientology been involved in?
A: Some former members and others accuse the church of coercing people to join and punishing those who leave. Reporters who wrote critically about Scientology said they've been harassed with lawsuits and subjected to personal attacks.
There's no argument about the church's litigious history. Supporters say the many suits have been filed in self-defense.
Several governments have investigated the church on allegations of cult activities. Germany, France, the United Kingdom and Canada, among others, have taken official positions against Scientology. Some of those have been reversed, and the church is trying to overturn other critical rulings.
Q: Why are so many celebrities Scientologists?
A: It's an optical illusion. In truth, no more than a half-dozen or so celebrities have been publicly associated with Scientology. In addition to Cruise, Travolta and Alley, you have Kelly Preston (Travolta's wife), Isaac Hayes, Chick Corea, Greta Van Susteren.
We hear about celebrities following any religious movement because they're celebrities: Buddhism has Richard Gere, Phil Jackson and Tina Turner. Madonna, Britney Spears and Demi Moore are famously associated with Kabbalah.
Q: Where can I get more information?
A: The official Web site is www.scientology.org. Of the many sites critical of Scientology, one of the most popular is www.xenu.net.
Did you know Cruise used to be extremely religious and aspired to be a catholic priest until Scientology got him.
I read one once. OK, half of one.
(C'mon, let's sing) "We're in the money, we're in the money..." I mean we're just here to help people. No really... (still, send money...) : )
Actually, I know Jeff - having corresponded with him in the past. IMO, he's actually a very decent guy and strives to be accurate in his reporting.
He's just protecting his butt against the inevitable lawsuit and harassment by Scientologists if he blatantly said it is all a crock. He did word the piece in a manner that gave the implication there are some problems with it - just look at his referencing an anti-Scientology website. Think the Co$ is happy with that?
Minor point, a thetan isn't something you have, it's something you are.
Throw away your Crosses and Stars of David
I thought all it involved was Tom Cruise jumping on a couch.
Tell us more - Null.
I know you know.
Did you see the video of the comedian reenacting Tom Cruise's insanity on Oprah?!
It was on the Jimmy Kimmel Show - I laughed for ten minutes.
Let me see if I can find the link.
"Scientology's position regarding most of psychiatry is comparable to official Catholic teachings about abortion."
Outrageous!
See http://www.xenu.net/ for the real story!
FOUND IT!!!
Okay - this is Dane Cook - "re-enacting" the Tom Cruise goes nuts on Oprah show.
It's four minutes + long and adult content is available on this website - so, if you are concerned - don't go.
But - this is the funniest darn thing I've seen in a while.
If you saw the original "episode" you will LOVE this.
http://www.extremefunnypictures.com/funnypic951.htm
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OK, OK, here's my home DD temple.
"Getting Chicks To Say Yes: L. Ron Answers the Booty Call"
"Hey, If It's In a Bestseller, It MUST Be True!" "Travolta 3:16"
"Making Your Own E-meter With Dixie Cups And Duct Tape"
"Chapter 26: In Which Luke Discovers that L. Ron Vader is His Real Father"
"Chapter 5: Rush Limbaugh Is A Big Fat Idiot"
"'Old Mother' Hubbard -- L. Ron, the Transvestite Years"
"Chapter 12: Geez, You're Still Buying This, Aren't You?"
"The Human Mind: That Vast Realm Half an Inch Behind the Forehead (Two Inches Back for Scott Hamilton)"
"When a Lawsuit Hits Your Eye, Like a Big Pizza Pie, That's Scientology"
"He's NOT the Telescope Guy!"
"Chapter 11 - How To File For It"
"Movie Stars -- Are They Gullible, or What?"
"Chapter 3: Post This on the Internet and We'll Sue Your Ass!"
and the Number 1 Least Known Chapter in "Dianetics"...
"Commandment Number One: 'Show Me the Money!'"
No one is going to defend Scientology?!? No one?!?
Ok, so I'm the Devil's advocate.
1)Why is Scientology a scam and Christianity is not?
2)Why are Scientology beliefs (Xenu et al) any more wacky than water-to-wine parlor tricks?
3)There are also Catholic Hollywood celebrities. Shouldn't they be mocked for their religion as well?
4)Isn't the whole Scientology organization set up to work as an intelligence gathering apparatus (PC folders as recorded confessionals, emeter as lie detector, training the Scientologist to lie convincingly)?
5)What drugs were found in LRH's system by his coroner?
I seem to have been unable to stay on track. My sincere apologies.
I'm starting to like you more and more.
Thank you for putting me in my rightful place.
Now, go get me a martini.
I know you know.
As a former member of that, ummmm, organization, I have a standing offer to any FReeper to answer any questions, either in open forum, or via FReepmail.
Fire away.
I was under the impression that humans evolved from clams. Also our bodies are infested by hundreds of these lost souls (Thetans) that give us all our bad vibes. After investing about 20 grand for courses your are finally able to telepathically rid yourself of these things. Of course if your not properly brainwashed by then it won't work so they kick you out but alas you can get back in for only 30 grand more and start from scratch.
I've read a few horror stories.
But you'll have to eat quite a few boxes to match his volume of crap writing. A friend talked me into reading Battlefield Earth. Talk about a short story's worth of plot poorly stretched into a thousand page novel.
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