PROJECT CHANOLOGY

[BenKenobi88]

superchunk said:
ok, that video did nothing to prove their point. I want some simple facts that can show scientology as a cult vs a regular religious group like any other far out sect.

It's a little hard to give a definition of cults even, because unless you take a lot of things into context, you could almost write off any cult as a regular religious group.

Looking at it from another religion's point of a view, it's rather simple to distinguish a cult from denomination of a religion...if they're not consistent with the basis of beliefs that religion, they're simply not the same.

Looking at it secularly, I guess a big tip-off would be how power and control are exercised inside the group. Manipulation and mind control are big hints.

Also, if it's a religion, ask "Who are they worshipping?"  Be it God, yourself, whatever, if you're religious you worship something.  You can have the religion of the Television, where it is your belief that the TV is God, and it's your right to think so. 

But what are Scientologists doing?  All it seems to be, all it IS, is a group of elites with special information, that you need to work for to earn...you need to pay for to learn...you need to follow a set of rituals...just to find this information.  It's called manipulation, and it screams cult.  When you hear "Scientology" you don't think of a group of people worshipping something, following a set of beliefs, a moral code...you think of a group of elites that are hiding "secret knowledge" from lower members until they are deemed worthy to know.