How do people get sucked into Scientology?

[Pekka]

I mean sure, we have some Jesus hating people here who would say how can you get suck into any religion, but this is NOT about other religions, this is about _scientology_, so flame wars about other stuff are not welcome in here.

But we know the 'story' behind scientology and the belief of.. aliens in our bodies, that can be .. taken out in scientology. And how the aliens got there, that's even more of a wonderful story.

But how do people.. I mean, how do you get into this whole thing and.. go along with it? I mean, you take Hubbard as your messenger?

They hold audits, right? As in, let's see your stress level or something, and then the recruiting starts 'ohh you have very much stress... yes...we can help you..balblblbalbal'..

But really, why are there so many hooked into it, because my understanding is that it's quite expensive too.

[VetLegion]

I think that there was this guy in Finland who had an anonymous remailer service. He stepped on scientology's toes and was never seen again, and his pet polar bear died from sorrow.

Watch it Pekka. They're everywhere.

[Q Classic]

Well, for one thing, you pay them money, which, when you're famous, you don't need so much of.

But then they turn around and do something special, something that your stunted but demanding ego desires--you want someone to tell you grand things about yourself, say that you're a wonderful person, that these alien things are holding you back!

It's beguiling, I suppose, if you're small-minded.

Like Tom Cruise or John Travolta.

As to why others fall for it? Same as any other cult.

[Blake]

Maybe it makes sense to people with "aliens" in their head .
.

Funny story. My Mum naively bought me the book "Dianetics" I guess because the guy behind the counter was either a scientologist or just wanted to get rid of the stupid book to anyone stupid enough to buy it. (*cough* sorry mum).

I hadn't heard of Scientology and naively read some of "Dianetics". Some of it actually kinda makes sense. About a third of the way through my "this is horsecrap" detector started firing, until reading the book started feeling like wading through crap. I felt compelled to put the book down (feeling slightly queasy), I then went to the interweb and discovered the shocking truth (okay it wasn't that shocking...)

To be a scientologist you need two things:
1) To be slightly insane, the more insane the better.
2) To be lacking in sense, common and otherwise.

The latter is probably more important.

[VetLegion]

I find the idea that I am controlled by an alien Thetan fairly convincing. I'd sign up if they can get me a US green card. I don't want to be a scientologist in this place.

[Pekka]

VetLegion, Helsingius? Oh, he works in here http://www.basen.net/ .. I think he is one of the founders.

[Ari Rahikkala]

Poor little clams!
Snap, snap, snap!

[Verto]

Re: How do people get sucked into Scientology?

Originally posted by Pekka
But how do people.. I mean, how do you get into this whole thing and.. go along with it? I mean, you take Hubbard as your messenger?

How is this any different from people believing Jesus to be God, or the Son of God, or both at the same time? Only in that you look at Jesus through a mythos 2000 years old (and more, counting other religions that Christianity took ideas from), while Hubbard is a man who up until fairly recently was still alive; thus there is no mystique around him, and people view him as just a sci-fi writer.

[Pekka]

Verto, this issue has been already dealt in the very first sentence in the OP.

[Verto]

I'm sorry, but I don't see how you can separate Scientology from everything else. You have a religion with beliefs that are no more outrageous than all the other religions.

[Solly]

They think they're being clever.

[Pekka]

ROMA VICTOR!

[Odin]

Re: How do people get sucked into Scientology?

Originally posted by Pekka
How do people get sucked into Scientology?

For the same reason people get sucked into Astrology and New Age woowoo.

[DaShi]

They're looking for answers in a world that doesn't make sense.

[FrostyBoy]

But the world DOES make sense!

But to simple minded people, it won't.