People still want to belong to Scientology?

[Azure]

Probably. I believe the Catholic church has some aspects to it like this. Is the whole church corrupt? Naw. Is there someone somewhere in the catholic church using it to hide money. Very likely. Same goes for scientology. Not all scientologists are crazy (ok ok this is a stretch). Some are just interested in the ideas of Dianetics or whatever else it is they do. Lets call these scientoligists "researchers" or "explorers" who are exploring the faith rather than blindly following it.

[Ahldagor]

Originally Posted by Azure [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

Probably. I believe the Catholic church has some aspects to it like this. Is the whole church corrupt? Naw. Is there someone somewhere in the catholic church using it to hide money. Very likely. Same goes for scientology. Not all scientologists are crazy (ok ok this is a stretch). Some are just interested in the ideas of Dianetics or whatever else it is they do. Lets call these scientoligists "researchers" or "explorers" who are exploring the faith rather than blindly following it.

really i just want all churches to pay taxes.

[BigHurb]

They use the Sea Org to maintain non-profit status, buy up real estate, and then get away with tax evasion... the upper tier gets to do whatever they want supported by the lower tier.


When i put it that way, its no different from everything else. Kudos to these LARPers

[Raavak]

Originally Posted by myriverse [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

And Scientology differs greatly from religions. It lacks doctrine, ritual, culture, and praxis.

But it does have doctrine, ritual, culture, and praxis? Very different than any Abrahamic religion, but it has them nonetheless.

[Ahldagor]

Originally Posted by BigHurb [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

They use the Sea Org to maintain non-profit status, buy up real estate, and then get away with tax evasion... the upper tier gets to do whatever they want supported by the lower tier.


When i put it that way, its no different from everything else. Kudos to these LARPers

check out that new yorker article i linked. they have re-education work camps

[Raavak]

Originally Posted by Ahldagor [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

check out that new yorker article i linked. they have re-education work camps

I recently read an old story by a female ex-member who was sent to those "work camps" several times as punishment for various things she did. I wish I knew the link, it was a great read.

[moklianne]

Originally Posted by BigHurb [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

They use the Sea Org to maintain non-profit status, buy up real estate, and then get away with tax evasion... the upper tier gets to do whatever they want supported by the lower tier.


When i put it that way, its no different from everything else. Kudos to these LARPers

Sounds like the Orthodox/Hasidim Jews or Catholicism

[Ahldagor]

Originally Posted by moklianne [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

Sounds like the Orthodox/Hasidim Jews or Catholicism

they all use it. pro sports leagues are nonprofit organizations too. odd parallel between sports teams and religious institutions in a public sphere tho.

[BigHurb]

the big difference though? the CoS may be the biggest latent domestic terrorist threat in the world by virtue of members access to govt positions while maintaining absolute loyalty to the "church"

its not like it hasnt happened before

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Snow_White

[myriverse]

Originally Posted by Raavak [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

But it does have doctrine, ritual, culture, and praxis? Very different than any Abrahamic religion, but it has them nonetheless.

No, it does not, not any more than Amway. It's all scam to avoid taxes. All. In some countries they are even still adamant about not having any of these things and not being a religion, because it suits their purpose there.