How do people get sucked into Scientology?

[Aeson]

The world doesn't make the right kind of sense often though...

[Dis]

the problem with these religions is they just aren't cool and have too many restrictions.

I'd join a religion that allowed me to participate in large gang bang orgies. I don't care how whacky their beliefs are.

[Dis]

There is something I've been wondering lately. How difficult would it be to create a new religion. Not just any religion, but one as popular as christianity or Islam? I really think it would be impossible to do in modern times. Modern religions are considered cults (LDS, jehova's witness) or just stupid (scientology).

[Dis]

Sometimes I think I want to create a religion myself and be the next Jesus Christ. Is this something to aspire to? . I think it'd be cool to be Jesus. Imagine how many hot chicks you could get. though I hear it didn't end well for him.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Originally posted by Dis
There is something I've been wondering lately. How difficult would it be to create a new religion. Not just any religion, but one as popular as christianity or Islam? I really think it would be impossible to do in modern times. Modern religions are considered cults (LDS, jehova's witness) or just stupid (scientology).

All religions are cults until they attract enough followers; then they're religions. LDS has already crossed that line.

[snoopy369]

This is something I've wondered myself. Just like I've wondered, how do the nigerian scammers actually make any money? Yet they do ... hand over fist ...

[Dis]

you send it to 200 million people, you are bound to get a few bites.

makes me wonder... If I ask 200 million women out, I might get a few gullible enough to go out with me.

[FrostyBoy]

Dis, you live in a country millions of beautiful asian girls would love to be in. I'm sure you can lure a few in.

[Proteus_MST]

Just like someone said,
it resembles the new age cults (like Baghwan or Hare Krsna) around, but is much more modern (with advanced technology and Science Fiction instead of gods and wonders).

This combined with the promise of the scientologists to make you a more efficient and successful person in this life (instead of the afterlife or one of your next reincarnations like new age religions normally promise) could make the cult seductive to those dumb enough.

[red_jon]

Originally posted by Dis
There is something I've been wondering lately. How difficult would it be to create a new religion. Not just any religion, but one as popular as christianity or Islam? I really think it would be impossible to do in modern times. Modern religions are considered cults (LDS, jehova's witness) or just stupid (scientology).

Neopaganism is essentially a 20th Century religion (though some people were toying with the idea in the 1790s). Mind, cosidering there are no prescribed doctrines and the only real core beliefs are worshipping nature (and nature deities) and that the universe is essentially neutral (no such thing as pure good or evil) it's probably going to be more popular than a religion with a strict code that is newer.

[Ming]

How do people get sucked into Scientology?

Because they are morons...

[DaShi]

Originally posted by Dis
There is something I've been wondering lately. How difficult would it be to create a new religion. Not just any religion, but one as popular as christianity or Islam? I really think it would be impossible to do in modern times. Modern religions are considered cults (LDS, jehova's witness) or just stupid (scientology).

It's a *****, let me tell you.

[lord of the mark]

Re: Re: How do people get sucked into Scientology?

Originally posted by Odin


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

Nah, its not the same. Astrology has been around for a couple of thousand years, and New Age is a consumerist blend most of whose ingredients have been around a long time.

L Ron Hubbard was just a sci-fi writer who made up the religion the way hed write a book. I mean you can say Joseph Smith did something like that, but Smith wasnt a published writer - its not like you could compare the book or Moroni to his published fiction. If theres anything really comparable to scientology, ive never heard of it.

[Verto]

Re: Re: Re: How do people get sucked into Scientology?

Originally posted by lord of the mark



Nah, its not the same. Astrology has been around for a couple of thousand years, and New Age is a consumerist blend most of whose ingredients have been around a long time.

L Ron Hubbard was just a sci-fi writer who made up the religion the way hed write a book. I mean you can say Joseph Smith did something like that, but Smith wasnt a published writer - its not like you could compare the book or Moroni to his published fiction. If theres anything really comparable to scientology, ive never heard of it.

Every religion was made up. Hubbard was "just a sci-fi writer", Jesus was "just a carpenter", etc. Like I said, the only difference between Hubbard and Jesus is the huge period of time in which a Christian mythos developed.

I think Scientology is bat**** crazy, BTW, I just don't think that there is that much difference between it and other religions, as far as its creation (and not in beliefs, practices, etc).

[lord of the mark]

Re: Re: Re: Re: How do people get sucked into Scientology?

Originally posted by Verto


Every religion was made up. Hubbard was "just a sci-fi writer", Jesus was "just a carpenter", etc. Like I said, the only difference between Hubbard and Jesus is the huge period of time in which a Christian mythos developed.

I think Scientology is bat**** crazy, BTW, I just don't think that there is that much difference between it and other religions, as far as its creation (and not in beliefs, practices, etc).

In my experience carpenters dont make up stories featuring space aliens for a living.