Church of Scientology II

Meowster · Sat 09/06/2007 12:23:43

Alright then let's try again.

Are there any Church of Scientology members out there who want to share a bit of their faith with us? I'm very interested. I'm not going to pretend I think good things about your church at the moment, but I accept that the only things I have heard about it come from biased media sources. I would actually like to hear the opinion of some real person who actually is a member of Scientology, because I'm not the type of person who likes to spout back everything they hear on TV like it's fact.

I've often wanted to go into my local Church of Scientology to see what it's all about (I don't think I have any intention of becoming a Scientologist but I'm interested in peoples religions), but from what I've heard on TV and in the news, it could be a "dangerous" thing to do. Because apparently Scientologists stalk you and murder you and stuff. Okay that's an exaggeration but you get the idea - everyone hates Scientologists without a lot of real knowledge about the religion, just going by what they've heard from other people.

So I just want to hear what actual real Scientologists have to say.

Not a bunch of people saying how shit Scientology is, because everyone does that all the time anyway.

scotch · Sat 09/06/2007 12:53:05

If you want an insight into what a Scientologist thinks about their organisation perhaps you could post on a Scientology board or find one on myspace and MSN them... do you really think it's likely there's a Scientologist member here? Perhaps you're overestimating how many there are... most estimates put it at around half a million worldwide.

It's certainly not dangerous to go into the Church and have a chat to them, as long as you understand basically how they operate and aren't desperate for a solution to an emotional problem. They only hassle people that go to cause trouble, picket, investigate, or leave the church.

Meowster · Sat 09/06/2007 12:57:18

There is a Scientologist here, Scotch.

scotch · Sat 09/06/2007 13:02:52

Really? How lucky. PM them

Oh you mean Jesus Juice... I assumed they were trolling...

SSH · Sat 09/06/2007 13:05:08

A scientologist! A scientologist! A scientologist! A scientologist! We've found a scientologist! A scientologist! A scientologist! A scientologist! A scientologist! We've got a scientologist! A scientologist! A scientologist! Burn her! Burn her! Burn her! We've found a scientologist! We've found a scientologist! A scientologist! A scientologist! A scientologist!

We have found a scientologist. May we burn her?
Burn her! Burn! Burn her! Burn her!

How do you know she is a scientologist?

She looks like one.

Bring her forward.

I'm not a scientologist. I'm not a scientologist.

Uh, but you are dressed as one.

They dressed me up like this.

Augh, we didn't! We didn't...

And this isn't my nose. It's a false one.

Well?

Well, we did do the nose.

The nose?

And the hat, but she is a scientologist!

Ghost · Sat 09/06/2007 13:11:49

Hah, yes. Gimme the Holy Grail again! Sums it all up I guess.

Nacho · Sat 09/06/2007 14:49:59

Why two posts with the same topic in a few days of difference?

scotch · Sat 09/06/2007 14:57:13

The last one became a discussion about Scientology's operations from people that aren't in the church, and I suppose Yufster doesn't think that a real scientologist will take part in that. Jesus Juice claimed to be a scientologist, but didn't want to take part. However I've had to remove Jesus Juice posts before that were clearly just trying to stir shit up, so I took it with a pinch of salt.

Harvester · Sat 09/06/2007 15:38:05

Quote from: Nacho on Sat 09/06/2007 14:49:59
Why two posts with the same topic in a few days of difference?

Judging by the title, I guess this is the sequel!

Creed Malay · Sat 09/06/2007 17:07:50

There is a Church of Scientology in Sunderland, right near where I live. Spleen went in at Bonfirittens. I don't mind calling in and reporting back here on what they do to me. They seemed happy enough to talk about their deal when we were there, though the woman we spoke to was *very* serious and po faced - no sense of humour about her at all. I think I'd be safe enough so long as I don't give them my address or nothing.

Dunno if they'll be open on Sundays, but I could go investigating on Monday for sure.

Edit to say - Scotch just reminded me that I own a dictaphone, and so will be able to record what happens! I am a proper spy!

DeviantGent · Sat 09/06/2007 17:29:45

Ooo. Good luck.

LimpingFish · Sat 09/06/2007 18:11:34

No, Creed! Don't risk it!

They'll suck you in and devour your poet's brain!

...

Actually, I really don't think Meowster is on to a winner here. You can't start a discussion about Scientology (or any religion really) by saying "I think your religion sucks, but tell me about it." as any possible reply is going to begin from a defensive standpoint.

Real scientologists (including the actual flesh and blood one I talked to outside a small recruitment centre, which was actually little more than a doorway, on Liffey St. in Dublin's city centre way back when) are only seemingly interested in telling you how Scientology will benefit your life (which I suppose most other organized religions also do), and simply aren't willing to entertain the "Ah, right. But seriously, what's it all about?" questions.

The fact that they aggresively deny anything they might perceive as intrusive questioning of their faith is the reason most people are unwilling to see them in anything other than a negative light.

In other words, they bring on the mistrust of outsiders themselves. Which has to make you think; What is it they are so unwilling to share, that they would rather cultivate this false (?) aura of cultist behaviour?

Like I've said before, if it was possible to have a completely open discussion about just what the faith of Scientology contains, I would be more than happy to listen to the Scientologist point of view in a willingly unbaised state of mind.

TerranRich · Sun 10/06/2007 04:41:00

Church of Scientology II: Crazy Aliens Strike Back

Will there be a crappy prequel coming out? Perhaps a book?

SSH · Sun 10/06/2007 10:17:10

There are only 12 models of Scientologist. And they have a plan...

Sam. · Sun 10/06/2007 10:28:12

Scientologists are too aware of their public image, when we went in to the sunderland church, me and Steve, creed's flatmate, were talking, and I laughed at the fact that THIS was where spleen had vanished to, she got angry and asked why i was laughin, and what about her did I find funny?

I think tbh, Scientology forces ideas onto more impressionable people and teaches them that anyone who questions them is an enemy and as such can be mistreated. I think its a very dangerious organisation as they have such control over people with seemingly limited effort.

SSH · Sun 10/06/2007 10:49:52

Quote from: Zooty on Sun 10/06/2007 10:28:12
I think its a very dangerious organisation as they have such control over people with seemingly limited effort.

Well, you know, CJ hasn't been updating AGS much recently...

veryweirdguy · Sun 10/06/2007 19:23:49

I think if you express interest in scientology then your opinion on the matter is unlikely to be changed either way. If you research it expecting some kind of Godsend (not literally I suppose) or new ay of life, you'll find it. If you believe it to be a load of p'tosh, I guess you are unikely to be swayed much.

In fact, to go into a church of Scientology and not have a pre-existing opinion one way or the other would require some kind of objectivity held only robots.

I wonder what those robots would look like?

Meowster · Sun 10/06/2007 19:30:01

Teddy bears.

DeviantGent · Wed 13/06/2007 10:20:24

It's Wednesday, and there's no word yet from Creed. I am genuinly worried now. What if they discovered his bug, and put him to work in their underground Thetan mines?

Andail · Wed 13/06/2007 10:29:16

Considering that all their titles cost money, I'd be surprised if they could drag you very far into their cult, especially if you don't appear to be filthy rich.

Everyone should be careful not to bring attention from sects and religious extremists, but if you have just a modicum of common sense and integrity, you'll be fine. On the other hand, people who are lonely, lost and desperate should be ware.
I have a friend who used to see 'agents' from Jehova's witnesses just because he was curious, basically. We warned him about getting involved with such creepiness, but he was pretty cool about it. They visited him regularly for a year or so, and they'd sometimes bring young attractive females to sway him. In the end, they were the ones who got tired listening to all his weird ideas and philosophical theses and they let him alone.

Church of Scientology II

Ghost