Is Scientology A Religion Now ?

[mikey4444]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-26311316

Does this ruling mean that Scientology is a real religion now, rather than a ludicrous cult, made up by a science fiction writer ?

[ToraToraTora]

Scientology is the result of a bar room bet between sci fi writers Ron Hubbard and Robert Heinlein and as such does have some sci fi themed BS in it but really it's no more fanciful than any of the standard religions, all a load of old pony if you ask me.

[mikey4444]

The version I heard was that it a result of a bet between Hubbard and Arthur C Clark. Hubbard said that to be really wealthy, you would need to invent a religion. Well, he wasn't wrong there was he ?

[andy-hughes]

The only difference between Scientology and any other faith is the time-line involved.

Because Scientology was invented within the living memory of a lot of its practictioners, it is seen as fanciful nonsense, but in fact, that's precisely the same set-up as Christianity, give or take a couple of millenia.

So, pop back in 2214 and you will probably find that Mr Hubbard is as revered and believed as Mathew Mark Luke and John.

Don't forget the important difference - if it's a religion, you 'believe', if it's a cult, you 'dabble'.

[mikey4444]

Andy...in an earlier post I made the point that there is a world of difference between a religion that was invented 2000 years ago, and one that was invented in the 1950's, and the clue lies in the time difference between the two.

Its not difficult to see how a religion can be invented and then taken up by the masses when those masses are uneducated and illiterate. One of those religions is still doing its best to ensure that people remain uneducated and illiterate, as can be seen by what is going on in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Lets not forget that little girl who was shot in the head because she wanted to go to school.

But what I find much more difficult to understand is that Scientology was invented when people were highly educated, and America is a country where education is universal. So why would anyone who is educated believe in such errant nonsense ? Its clearly bonkers ! Almost all the "new" religions have been invented in modern America, not in a fly-blown area of the middle east in ancient times.

I wish there was a Scientology supporter on AB, or even a trained Psychiatrist that could explain this.

[andy-hughes]

mikey - you are quite correct that the United States is a highly educated nation, but never confuse education with common sense - the two are mutually exclusive - religion is a prime example.

[mikey4444]

Alas...the answer may indeed be that simple andy ! But it still amazes me.
But in a country where millions of its citizens think that ancient man chased dinosaurs for lunch, and the Grand Canyon is only 6000 years old, perhaps its not so amazing after all.

[LazyGun]

Scientology claims 8 million supporters worldwide, but later the President of Scientology was forced to admit that this number included everyone anywhere to whom some scientology literature had been sent :)

US census figures show a figure of around 55,000 active, declared Scientologists, so in a country of 300 million, that's a pretty small figure. The main reason they continue to attract headlines and publicity is because they have a few high profile celebrities, and coffers absolutely swimming in cash.