<p>That story is in the book Bare-Faced Messiah. Also his involvement with a charlatan “satanist”, his relief from duty for mental illness, his hysterical blindness (not real wounds as claimed), and, delightfully, his escapades depth charging a non-existent German submarine for days while violating the territorial waters of Mexico. If not for what Scientology has become, it would be a laugh riot of a book, something worthy of a screwball comedy. A true fantasist who made it work by upping the stakes to involve, as the Scientology literature says, your immortal soul.</p>
<p>Here’s a link to part one of the AC 360 series on Scientology. It is really scary stuff. Of course, the Scientologists are suing, and they’ve brought at least some of the legal actions in the UK, which has legal standards regarding defamation which are more favorable to the “victim.” </p>
<p>[Scientology:</a> A history of violence – Part One – Anderson Cooper 360 - CNN.com Blogs](<a href=“http://ac360.blogs.cnn.com/2010/03/29/video-scientology-a-history-of-violence/]Scientology:”>http://ac360.blogs.cnn.com/2010/03/29/video-scientology-a-history-of-violence/)</p>
<p>So can someone who understands these things better than I do explain why Scientology is recognized as a religion? I am not religious myself, but I think of religion as having to do with - you know, God, or gods, or goddesses, or deities of some kind. No?</p>
<p>^^ Americans don’t like being told what is and isn’t a religion. There’s some weird stuff in Mormonism, but no one questions it as a legitimate faith. OTOH, Scientology isn’t considered a religion in some places - like Germany, for example, where it’s considered a cult.</p>
<p>Who gets custody of the Beckhams?</p>
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<p>That’s an interesting thought…</p>
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<p>Made me laugh.</p>
<p>But seriously, as LDS, I try not to be quick to label a belief system as a cult–having been labeled as such by some for years. But everything that I’ve read about Scientology does give me pause…</p>
<p>“Scientology: A History of Violence…” Hmmm… I could also replace Scientology with Catholicism ([The</a> Horrors of The Church and its Holy Inquisition](<a href=“http://www.bibliotecapleyades.net/vatican/esp_vatican29.htm]The”>The Horrors of The Church and its Holy Inquisition)). I’m a Catholic but I don’t want to start throwing stones at a religion I know so little of since we certainly don’t have a clean record.</p>
<p>When I asked why Scientology is considered a religion, it was because, as far as I can tell from some brief readings, I don’t see a god or deity in it. Is there one? It’s a genuine question - I’m curious.</p>
<p>Obviously Catholics and LDS members worship a deity. In my ignorance, I always supposed that that defined religion.</p>
<p>Thank you, Dad07. I’m still somewhat confused by the third paragraph. I’d have thought that a “set dogma concerning God” would define a particular religion. And “Scientology does not ask individuals to accept anything on faith alone” is certainly an unusual religious concept (for me) as well. I appreciate the information.</p>
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<p>If you look into this you may be surprised how many religions work.</p>
<p>At one time the Unification Church had its religious tax exemption challenged by the IRS. If I recall correctly all the major religions came to their defense. I think denying one religions authenticity concerns them all. The Unification Church or Moonies were thought to be a cult also.</p>
<p>cult</p>
<p>noun
- a particular system of religious worship, especially with reference to its rites and ceremonies. </p>
<ol>
<li><p>an instance of great veneration of a person, ideal, or thing, especially as manifested by a body of admirers: the physical fitness cult. </p></li>
<li><p>the object of such devotion. </p></li>
<li><p>a group or sect bound together by veneration of the same thing, person, ideal, etc. </p></li>
<li><p>Sociology . a group having a sacred ideology and a set of rites centering around their sacred symbols.</p>
<hr></li>
</ol>
<p>ALL religions started as cults. The only reason religion X and religion Y (fill in the blanks) are no longer considered cults is because they now number in the millions of followers.</p>
<p>^^^^Not sure i would drink the kool-aid^^^</p>
<p>Oh I know I wouldn’t qdogpa. I’m a freethinker and do not subscribe to supernatural theories of any sort. However there was a Scientology storefront near my college, somehow I got dragged in one day (this is going back decades)…the spiel was especially ludicrous.</p>
<p>No, i disagree that other religions started as cults…most religions, as others have noted, have a type of God they worship…Scientology is vastly different</p>
<p>Post 210 which shows the steps of scientology shows why its a cult.
When someone first comes into scientology it is presented as courses and pseudo-science to cure what ails you. The further up the ladder you go (after they’ve sucked you in and taken all your money) they spring the Xenu and volcanoes on you. By then, after years of defending something it’s difficult to get out. They are secretive about what they believe which is cult-like. The major religions are anything but secretive about their beliefs. You know what you’re getting into BEFORE you sign up.</p>
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<p>Somewhat like conducting rites/ceremonies in Latin? Major religions have changed some of their beliefs over time. I am old enough to recall when last rites were denied a Catholic who committed suicide (thereby being condemned to hell). Not so now.</p>
<p>Clerical celibacy is not a Catholic doctrine, it is only a discipline which is subject to change. Heck, the Books of the Bible were determined by a vote of men.</p>
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<p>Scientology is considered a religion after a multi-decade dispute with the IRS wound up in their favor. I seem to remember there being a massive investigation (which, at one point, I think wound up uncovering [Operation</a> Snow White](<a href=“http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Snow_White]Operation”>Operation Snow White - Wikipedia), the largest case of domestic espionage ever) where all signs pointed to Scientology being a business and not a religion. At the eleventh hour, however, the guy in charge of the investigation (his name escapes me at the moment) ignored basically everyone he was working with and abruptly granted Scientology exempt status and thereby eliminating the need for Scientology, and its members, to pay the hundreds of millions of dollars owed in property taxes, revenue, and charitable donation tax credits. There’s a lot of suspicion over the decision since it’s known all of the lead investigators were heavily pressured by Scientology with very gray-area techniques, such as unnecessary lawsuits, anonymous phone calls to personal residences at all hours of the night, pets “mysteriously” dying, personal information being leaked, and so on. The guy that made the ruling on granting Scientology tax free status has never talked publicly about his decision.</p>
<p>If you’re interested in another instance where Scientology has tried to get their way through other, more absurd, means, check out [Operation</a> Freakout](<a href=“http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Freakout]Operation”>Operation Freakout - Wikipedia). It has to do with their battle against bad publicity and attempts to frame a journalist for bomb threats.</p>
<p>Interesting: [Katie</a> Holmes talks about her ‘new phase’](<a href=“Katie Holmes talks about her 'new phase'”>Katie Holmes talks about her 'new phase')
*** I bolded the above portion of the article****</p>
<p>Obviously, Katie has been planning her split for some time. </p>
<p>If there are other members who would like to break away from the church I think now would be a smart time to do it.</p>
<p>Wow, RacinReaver. Thats really, really scary.</p>