I watched this video today- after a Guardian article revealing how hard the Church of Scientology had tried to suppress it’s general release–
I knew next to nothing about Scientology, apart from its association with some Hollywood stars and the controversy about the allegedly abusive way that its leaders behaved towards one another.
Then there was the way that BBC heavy weight correspondent John Sweeney got into conflict with the Scientologists– the famous panorama programme where faced with wierd wind up tactics, he lost it during an interview and shouted and bawled.
Read his account of how he was treated by Scientology thugs during the course of his investigation- it is difficult to imagine any other church being able to justify such behaviour, no matter how much pressure it feels itself to be under. They call it their ‘attack the attacker’ or ‘fair game’ policy, and involves using tactics that would make Peter Mandelson blush.
I do not like knocking other faiths. It is an easy hit- poking fun and finding fault with things you do not believe. The question is whether Scientology is a faith, or a manipulative cult, surviving through the misuse of power, money and legal process.
L Ron Hubbard, founder of Scientology was a science fiction writer who decided to start a religion- allegedly boasting that it was the best way to make a million.
He started with a self help book, where he pans psychiatry, and suggested an alternative way of dealing with life via a process of ‘auditing’. This from Wikipedia-
In the mid-sixties, the Church of Scientology was banned in several Australian states, starting with Victoria in 1965. The ban was based on the Anderson Report, which found that the auditing process involved “command” hypnosis, in which the hypnotist assumes “positive authoritative control” over the patient. On this point the report stated,
It is the firm conclusion of this Board that most scientology and dianetic techniques are those of authoritative hypnosis and as such are dangerous … the scientific evidence which the Board heard from several expert witnesses of the highest repute … leads to the inescapable conclusion that it is only in name that there is any difference between authoritative hypnosis and most of the techniques of scientology. Many scientology techniques are in fact hypnotic techniques, and Hubbard has not changed their nature by changing their names.
What do Scientologists believe? I spent some time trying to understand the basics, but I am afraid, in the end, I just did not care. Feel free to check it out yourself though.
Power, wealth, psychological pressure, manipulation and the American dream of success- all mixed up into a religion.
this fragile tent 
Doesn’t scare me a bit. I’ve been involved in Scientology for nearly 40 years. Your comment about not caring seems applicable to just about any religion:
What do Scientologists believe? I spent some time trying to understand the basics, but I am afraid, in the end, I just did not care. Feel free to check it out yourself though.
You could substitute the word “Scientologists” above with Buddhists, Jews, Muslims, or really the members of any other religion than your own, and it would still work.
Simply put, Scientologists believe that human beings are immortal spiritual beings, that the spirit alone can save or heal a body, and that using the tools provided by Scientology (there are many, I could send you a list but you don’t appear to be interested) anyone can live a better life. Personally I can tell you Scientology helped me overcome a drug addiction, shyness, depression, and an oppressive lack of ability to communicate.
Scientology is a much bigger subject than I’ve described it above, but that’s a simple explanation.
From a practical standpoint, Scientology provides many workable tools to live a better life, in one’s own estimation. Many of those are available for free from the Scientology Volunteer Minister website.
It’s up to the individual to apply them; when I have applied them, they’ve worked for me. I’ve seen and helped many other people do the same thing.
Any religion can be ridiculed for its beliefs.
My question to you is, are you sure you want to be one of those who ridicule others’ religious beliefs?
HI Jay
Thanks for your comment. Firstly, I have no desire to ridicule anyone- including you- for what you believe, or for what brings meaning and truth into your life. I am an outsider to Scientology.
But all religious organisations/institutions have the capacity to oppress, to manipulate and to use truth for their own purposes. I have experienced this within my own churches. There are some things that will always make this worse- centralised and secretive power structures, power and money wielded in ways that make others hungry, and a moral code that means that ‘our’ ends justify the means- even if this means your destruction.
Again, I have seen this way of living out faith in Christian churches, and believe that this is a terrible thing.
The faith that I have found to bring life is the one that is based on freedom, respect, justice and humility- and perhaps above all, is motivated not to overcome, but to take a path of powerlessness, so that the strong do not overcome the weak.
I am glad that the tools you have encountered through Scientology have helped you- there is a grace in all things.
Cheers
Chris