[searchandrecovery]

Riiiiiiiiiight.

By that I'll assume the answer is "No, I'm not a Scientologist". Approaching from a different way, if you could elaborate on your statement: "_Stranger in a Srange Land_ gives an interesting spin on this idea." it would be appreciated. Thanks.

[beavus]

The Stranger in all his genius finally discovers a way of finding acceptance among earth-born humans. He frames his mysterious (but not mystical) alien ways in the form of a religious cult, to which people then rally. Being a good-natured fella, he ensures his cult is benign, but gives people what they want in terms of the usual religious trappings of ceremony, mystery, and pat answers.

Instead of a genius raised on Mars, LRH was a psychopath. However, Scientologists, Moonies, Hare Krishnas, and any number of other cults, old and new, might be looked at as a blessing. Those who rally to them are of the mind to rally to something, and I would prefer it is something that doesn't tell them to kill me.

Better Moon than Manson. Better Joseph Smith than Jim Jones. And, as cold as it sounds, better Marshall Applewhite than Abdul Wahhab.

[TenthAmendmentChampion]

Interesting that one of the characters in Stranger in a Strange Land was a Muslim woman who was completely free to mix with infidels. Her job was to be a witness, I think, because of her native scepticism! I think she married a non-Muslim man later on (going back in memory 30-odd years here).