Comments on: Allegations against Scientology are ‘bullshit’ says cult representative http://freethinker.co.uk/2009/05/23/allegations-against-scientology-are-%e2%80%98bullshit%e2%80%99-says-cult-representative/ The voice of atheism since 1881 Thu, 18 Mar 2010 12:31:52 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Malone http://freethinker.co.uk/2009/05/23/allegations-against-scientology-are-%e2%80%98bullshit%e2%80%99-says-cult-representative/comment-page-1/#comment-17346 Malone Mon, 08 Jun 2009 00:52:41 +0000 http://freethinker.co.uk/?p=6451#comment-17346 no it doesn't because you choose to buy the product perhaps. In the catholic church they kinda force(and advertisement isn't forcing you to buy it,it just lets you know that product exists) it on you like they did to my generation. Thankfully My parents raised me to be an individual thinker no it doesn't because you choose to buy the product perhaps. In the catholic church they kinda force(and advertisement isn't forcing you to buy it,it just lets you know that product exists) it on you like they did to my generation. Thankfully My parents raised me to be an individual thinker

]]> By: Dave http://freethinker.co.uk/2009/05/23/allegations-against-scientology-are-%e2%80%98bullshit%e2%80%99-says-cult-representative/comment-page-1/#comment-17228 Dave Wed, 03 Jun 2009 22:09:50 +0000 http://freethinker.co.uk/?p=6451#comment-17228 Scientology is an evil money making, brain taking, CULT!! Jesus blood was tested!!! <a href="http://www.arkdiscovery.com/videos.htm" target="_blank">http://www.arkdiscovery.com/videos.htm</a> Scientology is an evil money making, brain taking, CULT!! Jesus blood was tested!!!
http://www.arkdiscovery.com/videos.htm

]]> By: uzza http://freethinker.co.uk/2009/05/23/allegations-against-scientology-are-%e2%80%98bullshit%e2%80%99-says-cult-representative/comment-page-1/#comment-17004 uzza Tue, 26 May 2009 22:12:32 +0000 http://freethinker.co.uk/?p=6451#comment-17004 According to this article, the woman paid money and got in return books, tapes, and medicine. Now she is experiencing buyer's remorse. Scientology's racket is well-known, and although I didn't watch the video, there is nothing in the article indicating other than a normal legitimate business practice. The court case is about fraud and illegal practice of pharmacy, neither of which the article even mentions. According to this article, the woman paid money and got in return books, tapes, and medicine. Now she is experiencing buyer's remorse. Scientology's racket is well-known, and although I didn't watch the video, there is nothing in the article indicating other than a normal legitimate business practice. The court case is about fraud and illegal practice of pharmacy, neither of which the article even mentions.

]]> By: Stonyground http://freethinker.co.uk/2009/05/23/allegations-against-scientology-are-%e2%80%98bullshit%e2%80%99-says-cult-representative/comment-page-1/#comment-16997 Stonyground Tue, 26 May 2009 19:34:42 +0000 http://freethinker.co.uk/?p=6451#comment-16997 The point being that comparing Scientology with a legitamate business is nonsensical. The point being that comparing Scientology with a legitamate business is nonsensical.

]]> By: uzza http://freethinker.co.uk/2009/05/23/allegations-against-scientology-are-%e2%80%98bullshit%e2%80%99-says-cult-representative/comment-page-1/#comment-16976 uzza Tue, 26 May 2009 07:40:12 +0000 http://freethinker.co.uk/?p=6451#comment-16976 Stonyground: your point being ...? Stonyground: your point being …?

]]> By: Stonyground http://freethinker.co.uk/2009/05/23/allegations-against-scientology-are-%e2%80%98bullshit%e2%80%99-says-cult-representative/comment-page-1/#comment-16959 Stonyground Mon, 25 May 2009 19:06:09 +0000 http://freethinker.co.uk/?p=6451#comment-16959 Uzza, normal legitimate business practice is usually that you pay your money and get something useful in return. How much you pay and what you get for your money is usually known up front. Businesses that don't abide by this rule generally have a limited shelf life as word gets around that they are dishonest and not good people to do business with. I don't think any of this applies to Scientology's racket. Uzza, normal legitimate business practice is usually that you pay your money and get something useful in return. How much you pay and what you get for your money is usually known up front. Businesses that don't abide by this rule generally have a limited shelf life as word gets around that they are dishonest and not good people to do business with. I don't think any of this applies to Scientology's racket.

]]> By: Stonyground http://freethinker.co.uk/2009/05/23/allegations-against-scientology-are-%e2%80%98bullshit%e2%80%99-says-cult-representative/comment-page-1/#comment-16958 Stonyground Mon, 25 May 2009 19:00:00 +0000 http://freethinker.co.uk/?p=6451#comment-16958 If you are right Dr. Harwood, that sort of pulls the rug from under my comment about longer established religions below. But I'm not convinced that religion can be that clearly defined. Doesn't Buddhism qualify as a religion despite not recognising a higher power? In fact I would define Buddhism as more of a philosophy similar to Confusionism were it not for the beleif in unsubstantiated nonsense such as reincarnation which to me makes it a religion. On the other hand it is fairly obvious that Scientology is cynically posing as a religion rather than actually being one. If you are right Dr. Harwood, that sort of pulls the rug from under my comment about longer established religions below. But I'm not convinced that religion can be that clearly defined. Doesn't Buddhism qualify as a religion despite not recognising a higher power? In fact I would define Buddhism as more of a philosophy similar to Confusionism were it not for the beleif in unsubstantiated nonsense such as reincarnation which to me makes it a religion. On the other hand it is fairly obvious that Scientology is cynically posing as a religion rather than actually being one.

]]> By: Deborah http://freethinker.co.uk/2009/05/23/allegations-against-scientology-are-%e2%80%98bullshit%e2%80%99-says-cult-representative/comment-page-1/#comment-16937 Deborah Mon, 25 May 2009 07:05:24 +0000 http://freethinker.co.uk/?p=6451#comment-16937 Our surname is Hubbard. We live in a big city with many roads. One such road, where we live, also contains a Scientology outpost. For what it's worth, we got there first! One day a stranger phoned my husband. She was unhappy, insecure and vulnerable, and had the notion that Scientology might be able to help her, but misdirected herself to our phone number instead of theirs. He took a deep breath ... and when he'd finished, she thanked him for explaining about Scientologists and helping her to avoid them. Let's chalk up a minor success ... Our surname is Hubbard. We live in a big city with many roads. One such road, where we live, also contains a Scientology outpost. For what it's worth, we got there first!

One day a stranger phoned my husband. She was unhappy, insecure and vulnerable, and had the notion that Scientology might be able to help her, but misdirected herself to our phone number instead of theirs. He took a deep breath … and when he'd finished, she thanked him for explaining about Scientologists and helping her to avoid them.

Let's chalk up a minor success …

]]> By: uzza http://freethinker.co.uk/2009/05/23/allegations-against-scientology-are-%e2%80%98bullshit%e2%80%99-says-cult-representative/comment-page-1/#comment-16935 uzza Mon, 25 May 2009 01:31:36 +0000 http://freethinker.co.uk/?p=6451#comment-16935 Since when is it a crime to “target vulnerable people in order to take money from them”, and how does this not apply to pretty much every business enterprise in existence? Since when is it a crime to “target vulnerable people in order to take money from them”, and how does this not apply to pretty much every business enterprise in existence?

]]> By: William Harwood http://freethinker.co.uk/2009/05/23/allegations-against-scientology-are-%e2%80%98bullshit%e2%80%99-says-cult-representative/comment-page-1/#comment-16930 William Harwood Sun, 24 May 2009 20:37:52 +0000 http://freethinker.co.uk/?p=6451#comment-16930 You make the mistake of accepting the pretence that Scientology is a religion. Scientology is no more a religion than Marxism, psychoanalysis and UFOlogy are religions. Certainly Karl Marx, Sigmund Freud and J. Allen Hynek employed the trappings of religion in perpetrating their mind-crippling hoaxes. But they did not pretend that they were conduits for a metaphysical higher power -- and neither did L. Ron Hubbard. Hubbard did claim to have communicated with intelligent aliens, and that made him the same kind of liar as Ellen White, Charles Russell, Mary Baker Eddy and Joseph Smith. But all of those humbugs claimed to be speaking for entities that cannot exist because their abilities to violate the laws of biophysics cannot exist. Hubbard's aliens are as nonexistent as gods, angels or ghosts, but they do not constitute the "[s]he who must be obeyed" that is the definitive requirement of a religion. Catholicism and Scientology are confidence swindles, and anyone who does not know which is the greater evil has been living on another planet. But Catholicism conforms to the definition of a religion. Scientology does not. You make the mistake of accepting the pretence that Scientology is a religion. Scientology is no more a religion than Marxism, psychoanalysis and UFOlogy are religions. Certainly Karl Marx, Sigmund Freud and J. Allen Hynek employed the trappings of religion in perpetrating their mind-crippling hoaxes. But they did not pretend that they were conduits for a metaphysical higher power — and neither did L. Ron Hubbard. Hubbard did claim to have communicated with intelligent aliens, and that made him the same kind of liar as Ellen White, Charles Russell, Mary Baker Eddy and Joseph Smith. But all of those humbugs claimed to be speaking for entities that cannot exist because their abilities to violate the laws of biophysics cannot exist. Hubbard's aliens are as nonexistent as gods, angels or ghosts, but they do not constitute the "[s]he who must be obeyed" that is the definitive requirement of a religion. Catholicism and Scientology are confidence swindles, and anyone who does not know which is the greater evil has been living on another planet. But Catholicism conforms to the definition of a religion. Scientology does not.

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