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Church of scientology cult beliefs
Scientology religious movement
Scientology religious movements
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When I think about Scientology I visualize the faces of that religion, specifically Tom Cruise, John Travolta and Leah Remini. John Travolta was in the news about ten years ago about the treatment he refused to give to his autistic son due to the fact that it was against the beliefs of scientology. Leah Remini has recently been in the news bashing her once beloved religion. Scientology is a very controversial religion, being the youngest of the religions being twenty years old. So what makes scientology so controversial? Could it be the secrecy around the religion or the many people now leaving Scientology, and speaking out so publicly about the religion?
According to www.religionfacts.com, Scientology was founded in 1954 by Ron L Hubbard. Scientology, “is a way to lead their followers to true spiritual release and freedom” (Para 3). Scientology is founded on important beliefs, one that you are an immortal spiritual being, two your life extends beyond this lifetime, and that humans are relatively good; in which their survival depends on unity with the universe (www.scientology.org Para 3-4). Scientologists are focused on the personal self, and the Human as a whole. At first view of their beliefs, Scientology shares a similarity with Buddhism. In that they both work on the self improvement as a way to salvation. Both religions are more philosophies to live your life by. The two religions separate when you learn more about Scientology. For example one difference is that Scientologist are expected to pay cash to gain self visualization. Also a main difference is that Scientologist believe in Aliens. After reading www.religionfacts.com/scientology/beliefs.htm, “Xenu, who was a galactic ruler who brought people to earth, blew t...
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...Para 3). To gain full disclosure it would take years within the religion to learn them. That means spending thousands of dollars to obtain this information. People need to see this religion for what it really is, which is a scam. It is a way to mind control people to hand over money. Since this religion has the same basis for Buddhism, why not try that religion? Buddhism has been around for centuries.
After reading numerous articles about Scientology, none of them shed the religion in the light of good. This religion seems like science fiction, very fitting seeing that the founder was a science fiction writer and most of the followers are actors, who themselves play fictional characters. It is hard to believe that any sane person would join a religion based off the doctrine that they preach. As Ebert and Roeper would say, “I give this religion two thumbs down.”
Mystery cults greatly influenced the development of Pythagoreanism as Pythagoreans adopted many of their traditions, behaviors and beliefs. Pythagoras, the founder of the Pythagoreans, established a school in which he developed and taught these adopted cultural behaviors and beliefs. "The nature of daily living in the school, both its moral and its intellectual disciplines, can perhaps best be understood as an intellectualized development from earlier mystery cults such as the Eleusinian" (Wheelwright 201). The Pythagoreans and the mystery cults were not identical, but they shared many similar beliefs on subjects such as the soul, transmigration and reincarnation, and they practiced many of the traditions of initiation, ritual and secrecy. Pythagoreans combined the mystery cults' views on these subjects with philosophical thought as a foundation to develop their own unique beliefs.
The history of Scientology shows its persistence to keep their members with the promise of spiritual enlightenment. Scientology was founded in the mid-twentieth century by renowned science-fiction author L Ron Hubbard. (Sweeney) The basic foundation of the church stems from the ideas of his best-selling book, Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health. (Anderson) Dianetics was published on May 9, 1950, and the date would become recognized among Scientologists as a religious holiday. Hubbard claimed that the discovery of the science of dianetics is “a milestone for Man comparable to his discovery of fire and superior to his inventions of the wheel and the arch” (Reitman 58). The book’s ideas encourage humanity to rid the individual of any of their mental weaknesses (18). It went on to make its way up the bestseller list by the summer o...
As previously stated, most major religions go through a period where they bring in a level of portability, which helps the religion be accessible to a higher number of people. Most religions just want their message to reach as far as it can, so as to save as many people as possible but Scientology prefers to control its message and image more so then the other world religions, so it makes sense in a way that they would take such measures to protect themselves. Though of course, this approach does present an issue with their public image, as they are now seen as being law suit
A man of noble birth, living in the time before the Common Era, preached a way to extinguish the fire of self-centered delusion. This state of Nirvana can be achieved by understanding The Four Noble Truths, suffering in life, he explains can be avoided by following an Eightfold Path. Sounds simple? This must have been an awaking for people of his time seeking a more personal religion, away from the rigidities of a priest-dominated Hinduism of India. The man, the Buddha, spent the rest of his life teaching the religion he discovered and its doctrine based upon his Dharma (cosmic law and order). The first written evidence of the existence of Buddhism is found over 400 years ago after the life of the Buddha. (Kozak) Historians pose the
Merriam Webster’s Collegiate dictionary defines cult as: 1 : formal religious veneration : Worship. 2 : a system of religious beliefs and ritual; also : its body of adherents. 3 : a religion regarded as unorthodox or spurious; also : its body of adherents. 4 : a system for the cure of disease based on dogma set forth by its promulgator <health cults>. 5 a : great devotion to a person, idea, object, movement, or work (as a film or book); especially : such devotion regarded as a literary or intellectual fad b : a usually small group of people characterized by such devotion.
For many years, cult leaders always had a psychological hold on their followers' minds. Whether it was to kill other people or to kill themselves, they did it without question. Some cult leaders used fear, violence and guilt as a means of a weapon to control the minds of their followers. Other cult leaders used persuasive and spiritual speeches that made their followers believe they were doing good and fulfilling God's plan. Because cult leaders are powerful through psychological offenses, the people that belong to their cults are brainwashed into doing things they wouldn't normally do in their right state of mind.
According to the New Oxford American Dictionary the definition of Scientology is “a religious system based on the seeking of self-knowledge and spiritual fulfillment through graded courses of study and training.” In addition, Scientology claims to comprise the remedies used to deliver people from drugs and alcohol abuse, as well as, therapeutic solutions to help others recover from serious injuries at an astonishing progressive rate. In essence, this movement’s main agenda is to bring order to a world of chaos through spreading its teachings, improving environmental conditions on planet earth, and developing the holistic being through using different methodologies and technologies.
Cult activity has been on the rise over the past few decades. With it there has been an increase in the fear surrounding it. From this fear, society has learned much about cults, how they get members and what to look out for as far as cult recruiters go. Society as a whole has also learned what can be done to deal with cults.
... they created or helped start and that helps keep them happy with themselves and with other cult members. Cults are basicly the same thing as churches in my mind. The only difference is that people do not really agree with the cult’s beliefs or actions. The cults are often just ridiculed for the fact that they are different than most of the average people that do the ridiculing. Cults are often used to help drunks, addicts, and now recovering drunks and addicts. The strict rules of the cult keep the cult member out of drugs and out of all forms of alcohol. The cult provide a steady home for cult members that can not keep up a good home.I think cults are a good place for the poor people that need some support to maintain their life and the lives of their families. You get new friends that watch your back. Joining a cult is a lot like joining a new second family.
Robinson, B.A. "About the Church of Scientology A Religion Founded by L. Ron Hubbard." http://www.religioustolerance.org/scientol.htm
Cults are different from other groups. According to the American Journal of Psychotherapy, two factors distinguish how cults are different from other social groups. First, the ...
The word “ Awareness” is talked heavily all through this book. For Buddhists, this is probably the most important aspect in their religion. Unlike the other books I have read, this book left out a lot of elements like ritual, prayer, clothing, and all of the trappings of religion. I really do not agree with this part of the book. I find this part of religion interesting
Cults entice people whom by nature want to belong to a group and make it hard for them to leave by altering their thought processes. Those in the psychology field have defined what makes up a cult, have determined what draws individuals in and have recognized the effects that a cult can have on
Although cults have become a very common practice in our society, not many people actually know what a cult is. A cult is a group that demonstrates an excessive dedication to an idea, person or thing. Cults will conduct manipulative and persuasive behavior to advance the goals of the leader (Langone). There are many different types of cults, but they usually fall into four categories: Religious, Commercial, Self Help and Counselling or Political. Many people mistake religions as cults, but that is not the case. Religious cults are cults that center around a belief system as many common religions do, but they are categorized as a cult because of their practices and mind control. Common religions do not practice these techniques. Commercial cults are those that are interested in gaining money. These cults use their scare tactics and mind control techniques to get members to give them money and even work for them. Self Help and Counselling cults are centered around a business that has programs designed to help people by counselling them. By taking their courses, members are told they will become better people. This of course is not the case and these cults are inte...
The word cult, as defined by Webster’s New Collegiate Dictionary denotes “a usually small circle of persons united by devotion or allegiance to an artistic or intellectual movement or figure.” According to this interpretation, all religious groups can be classified as having this characteristic. However, due largely in part to stereotypes portrayed in the media, much of society perceives the word cult as definable by “a close-knit, unorthodox religious movement in which members, or potential members are enticed by means of deception and indoctrination.” It is in accordance with this explanation that one can separately distinguish the hundreds of religious groups fitting this description, from the much larger number of orthodox religions, or religions deemed conventional.