Teenager faces prosecution for calling Scientology 'cult'

[Cobbydaler]

Originally Posted by foreverwar

Does that mean that The Southern Death Cult were offensive?

(aka Death Cult, aka The Cult).

I know Ian Astbury is/was annoying, but offensive?

This may be an appropriate track, or perhaps this...

[danielf]

Originally Posted by Cobbydaler

This may be an appropriate track, or perhaps this...

I was thinking of this

[Cobbydaler]

Originally Posted by danielf

I was thinking of this

Now that is a great track...

[Tezcatlipoca]

Originally Posted by frogstamper

One day soon Rizzy a big flying-saucer will take all the followers, and the leader, off to the planet Blisstonia.

Na na na na na na na na Leader!

------------------------------------------------

South Park covered Scientology quite well, nice explanation of Xenu, alien souls, volcanoes, etc.

The clip is probably still on YouTube...

[Niles Crane]

As much as Scientology is mocked and discredited, i have to wonder; is it really any less feasible than any other religion? The major difference with Scientology is that it's an extremely recent practice. In a few thousand years is it going to be taken as seriously as Christianity, Islam, Judaism etc?

[Raistlin]

Scientology?

Cults?

Sorry, I wandered into the wrong thread, I thought I'd misplaced an 'n'

[frogstamper]

Originally Posted by Ezenden

As much as Scientology is mocked and discredited, i have to wonder; is it really any less feasible than any other religion? The major difference with Scientology is that it's an extremely recent practice. In a few thousand years is it going to be taken as seriously as Christianity, Islam, Judaism etc?

Good point, imagine how many people would follow any of the world's religions if they had only occurred in the last one hundred years. From my view point they are all as absurd as Scientology, I mean look what happened when David Icke went all religious, the vast majority thought he was nuts. If anyone popped up claiming to be Jesus or Mohammed most people would think, "oh no not another nutter". But in the grand scheme of things I suppose I would prefer warping off to a new planet, than being stuck for an eternity with the Abrahamic god. Or if I get to choose I think I'd opt for ascension, like in Stargate.

[Russ]

The problem with David Icke is he was too nice. Cult followers like their leaders to have a bit of a 'burst blood vessel in the eye' edge to them.

[downquark1]

Originally Posted by Ezenden

As much as Scientology is mocked and discredited, i have to wonder; is it really any less feasible than any other religion? The major difference with Scientology is that it's an extremely recent practice. In a few thousand years is it going to be taken as seriously as Christianity, Islam, Judaism etc?

The objections to scientology (at least mine and the protesters) are not the believes but the actions of the "church", which is run more like an aggressive corporation than a church. Do you know any church that owns a cruise line company?

I never cease to be amazed at how quickly the established religions will jump down on newer religions and dismiss them. Yes if religion was a new thing on little planet earth i somehow doubt it would have quite the following it does. But while i personally don't indulge in the greatest imaginary friend routine of all time if it makes those that do happy then all power to them.

[Saaf_laandon_mo]

Originally Posted by downquark1

The objections to scientology (at least mine and the protesters) are not the believes but the actions of the "church", which is run more like an aggressive corporation than a church. Do you know any church that owns a cruise line company?

I think RozzingKing and Ezenden.... have a valid point. Everytime there is a new religion many following those before will not jump to the newer one and discredit it.

I'm a muslim, I would find it extremely hard, if not impossible, to jump ship as such because my faith in my religion is so strong. Maybe calling them a cult, or discrediting them for being a aggressive corporation is unfair (if you follow another religion that is) and instead we could say they are "misguided".

[downquark1]

Originally Posted by Saaf_laandon_mo

I think RozzingKing and Ezenden.... have a valid point. Everytime there is a new religion many following those before will not jump to the newer one and discredit it.

I'm a muslim, I would find it extremely hard, if not impossible, to jump ship as such because my faith in my religion is so strong. Maybe calling them a cult, or discrediting them for being a aggressive corporation is unfair (if you follow another religion that is) and instead we could say they are "misguided".

I am not attacking the beliefs, I am attacking the church. Islam is a system of beliefs (that are in the public domain) with no single authority or single "bank account", if there is a privately owned mosque with radical preachers you could protest that without protesting the teachings of Islam as a whole. You can protest the actions of some catholic priests without being anti-catholic.

The teachings of scientology are copyrighted and you must spend a huge amount of money and assessed before you are given access to the higher teachings. They also claim to be an alternative to professional psychiatry and that you need not leave your previous religion to join.

They are a church when it suits them, a business when it suits them, and a pseudo-science when it suits them.

Originally Posted by downquark1

I am not attacking the beliefs, I am attacking the church. Islam is a system of beliefs (that are in the public domain) with no single authority or single "bank account", if there is a privately owned mosque with radical preachers you could protest that without protesting the teachings of Islam as a whole. You can protest the actions of some catholic priests without being anti-catholic.

The teachings of scientology are copyrighted and you must spend a huge amount of money and assessed before you are given access to the higher teachings. They also claim to be an alternative to professional psychiatry and that you need not leave your previous religion to join.

They are a church when it suits them, a business when it suits them, and a pseudo-science when it suits them.

A very good post.

[BBKing]

Another example of City of London police in action:

A police raid at the home of Portsmouth Football Club boss Harry Redknapp was unlawful, High Court judges have ruled.

The City of London Police, who carried out the raid, have also been ordered to pay £1,000 damages to Mr Redknapp and part of his legal costs.
...
The couple's solicitor, Mark Spragg, said after the hearing: "This was an outrageous abuse of power by the police who ignored the rule book and executed an unlawful search warrant at 6am in the full glare of media coverage which they no doubt organised or at least did not discourage."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/h...re/7416117.stm

Time for some police reform, perhaps?

[Russ]

Any chance we can keep this on-topic?

---------- Post added at 13:02 ---------- Previous post was at 12:40 ----------

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/7416425.stm

It's a non-story now anyway.