Teenager faces prosecution for calling Scientology 'cult'

Originally Posted by frogstamper

Looking at BBKs statement logically and dispassionately, how can any intelligent person honestly disagree? Without going into the whole is there isn't there a god thing, this is what I truly have a problem with, as written above a text written down 2000 years ago by people who certainly had an agenda which wasn't solely about "spreading the word". None of us believe in the Greek gods anymore, its patently absurd, so why should any of the three main Abrahamic faiths be any different?

imho, that statement is up there with "It's common sense" as an ad hominem argument, as the proponent appears to be stating if you don't agree, you can't be intelligent or must be dishonest

And once again, people are confusing logic with faith - I know quite a few scientists and other very bright people with strong religious beliefs, and they see no conflict - they obviously must be liars and/or stupid

Originally Posted by frogstamper

Looking at BBKs statement logically and dispassionately, how can any intelligent person honestly disagree? Without going into the whole is there isn't there a god thing, this is what I truly have a problem with, as written above a text written down 2000 years ago by people who certainly had an agenda which wasn't solely about "spreading the word". None of us believe in the Greek gods anymore, its patently absurd, so why should any of the three main Abrahamic faiths be any different?

drifting off topic, perhaps, but the 'people of the book' should be a concept which unites, rather than divides, though, shouldn't it?

However, I'm not 'taking sides' in any shape or form, but i did find this article interesting ....

http://www.renaissance.com.pk/junref95.html

?

[Matth]

Beats me how Scientology can claim to be a religion, it is based on the copyrighted writings of a Sci-Fi author, while genuine religions are based on unreliable translations of ancient texts.

There is no more religious legitimacy in Scientology than there is in FSM http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flying_Spaghetti_Monster

[Tezcatlipoca]

How dare you say the FSM is not legitimate!

[BBKing]

drifting off topic, perhaps, but the 'people of the book' should be a concept which unites, rather than divides, though, shouldn't it?

As, indeed, is expressed in the Iranian Constitution, where the three faiths plus Zoroastrianism are officially recognised*. Not that this means they're actually treated properly, but you need strong, independent courts and a tradition of respecting human rights for that sort of thing, as we have here*

A number of key Israeli military men and IIRC politicians are actually Persians. Dan Halutz, IDF Chief of Staff during the 2006 Lebanon War, if memory serves. Yes, it does.

* But not Baha'i, which suffers from a lot of discrimination as a result. It's as important not to name actual religions that the State approves of as it is to enshrine the principle of being free to criticise them. In fact, in a free society, the one implies the other.
** Despite the best efforts of various tabloid morlocks. See why that's important?

[frogstamper]

Originally Posted by foreverwar

imho, that statement is up there with "It's common sense" as an ad hominem argument, as the proponent appears to be stating if you don't agree, you can't be intelligent or must be dishonest

And once again, people are confusing logic with faith - I know quite a few scientists and other very bright people with strong religious beliefs, and they see no conflict - they obviously must be liars and/or stupid

In all honesty I could have worded my post a little better I'm not trying to say people of faith are unintelligent, because obviously they are not. It's just as I said earlier, when you take an unbiased look at any of the main religions it seems incomprehensible that in this day and age people can accept what was written two thousand years ago as truth.

Those of us who do not believe in god and all that religious stuff will never really understand the believers anymore then they will understand us if they are honest but end of the day we don't have to dislike each other or not get on. Religion is such a mess being honest and i think it has been made that way deliberately by some in the past and present for their own reasons so your either in one group or the other with agnostics hedging their bets lol.

[frogstamper]

Originally Posted by RizzyKing

with agnostics hedging their bets lol.

The Liberal party of the religious, eh.

RK

totally agree with your first sentence, but not so sure about the second.

Let's agree to disagree.....

[downquark1]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QqgojaACv5Y&eurl=

Scientology is a dangerous C*L*

[downquark1]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008...ights.religion

Originally Posted by downquark1

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008...ights.religion

Interesting..I hope we get some kind of definitive answer though I doubt it.

[downquark1]

It continues

Anonymous vs Scientology : arrests & harrassments on C4 News

"the act is not there to prevent people being offending, it's to protect public order"

[Matth]

Another good anti site - http://www.enturbulation.org/ - the mockup presentation is great.

There must be some mechanism by which the status of Scientology as a "religion" can be challenged, what actually defines a religion?

If anything can be a religion because they say so, then I want to have my own religion, based on free love, free software, and free anything I can get - everything else, I'll make my followers pay for.