Scientology
Through the advancement of science and technology the world has changed from a huge place to a very small one which can be navigated by simply logging in. Computers, the World Wide Web, and Cellular services are just a few of the technologies responsible for this change as billions of people can now access anything under the sun from just about anywhere under the sun. Along with these changes brought on by the technology era, a new religion has begun sweeping the world, and that religion is Scientology. Although Scientology has recently found itself under frequent media and legal scrutiny, many celebrities and public figures have chosen this new religious path over traditional religions, making the frenzy even greater. What is Scientology? Could it be the modern alternative to older, out of date religious beliefs? And more so, why are millions of people all over the world converting at such a quick rate? These questions will be answered as we take a journey into the world of Scientology and the mind of Scientologists.
What is Scientology? According to The Church of Scientology, in their book, “What is Scientology?” It states, “Scientology is [simply] an applied religious philosophy,” created by American philosopher, science fiction writer, and humanitarian, Lafayette Ronald Hubbard, or, L. Ron Hubbard (9). After 16 years of research into the human condition Hubbard wrote a manuscript which was at the time entitled “The Original Thesis”, but now published under the title “The Dynamics of Life” or more commonly known as “Dianetics.” It was the hand to hand passing of this manuscript that introduced the world to Hubbard’s theories and prompted an influx of letters to Hubbard requesting more information (125). L. Ron Hub...
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Feesh calmly replied, “Listen to me. That new president has just announced that the government has been completely taken over by the Church of Scientology. That could mean the end of the world as we know it.”
forefront of time, never waning and never dying out. It has evolved overtime to include interesting ways of worship and faith basis. From the standard worship of God, or he who is all powerful, to the ideological notion that our bodies are occupied by alien spirits who were brought to earth long ago and killed off due to overpopulation of their planet, religion has definitely come a long way. One such interesting religious practice that I’d like to discuss, is the snake-handling Pentecostal Christians of the Appalachian Mountains. Furthermore, I will discuss the relevancy to the groups’ stereotype and attempt to showcase how it’s virtually nonexistent in today’s society as it used to be by comparing and contrasting Mary Lee Daugherty’s piece
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Sabina Magliocco, in her book Witching Culture, takes her readers into the culture of the Neo-Pagan cults in America and focus upon what it reveals about identity and belief in 21st century America. Through her careful employment of ethnographic techniques, Magliocco allows both the Neo-Pagan cult to be represented accurately, and likewise, scientifically. I argue that Magliocco's ethnographic approach is the correct way to go about this type of research involving religions.
For many decades, the cult phenomenon has fascinated the masses. A cult is an organization with deviant beliefs and practices, and is characterized by the apparent life-time membership of its participants. It seems to be very popular among troubled teenagers and adults. The psychology behind why some people are more susceptible to the charms and the lure of being in a cult is not very widely researched or understood. Many people are concerned with cultist behavior and the effect that they have on the individuals involved, believing that they have been “brainwashed” into this lifestyle. This paper deals with cult mentality and how people become involved in certain religious and secular cults. It will explore the personality traits of current and ex-cult members as well as look at case studies of members of particular cults. The format of this paper will first look at some preexisting dispositions, the psychological effects while in the cult, and any short term or long term effects upon leaving the cult, as well as some treatment options.
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Cults have existed throughout history since the beginning of time. A cult is defined in Webster’s dictionary as a “system of religious worship with a devoted attachment to a person, principle, etc.” Over the past thirty years numerous religious cults have caused “ tens of thousands to abandon their families, friends, education’s, and careers to follow the teaching of a leader they will never meet”(Beck 78).
Fine lines proceed to subsequently blur the separation between a religion and a cult. Throughout history, the label cult has consistently succeeded in disparaging numerous religions including Christianity. To bring a standstill to the confusion amidst all personages, the narrow slash between these two matters need to be entirely divulged and established. Distinctions separating a religion and a cult are elucidated primarily by their treatment of individuals and relations. Variances can be seen through examples of behaviors, the “Moonies” cult, and the works of the Christian religion.
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