what is scientology?

[JaneDead]

to continue on from head wreck's question "what is scientology"

taken from this site: http://www.scientology.org

Introduction to Scientology

The word Scientology literally means "the study of truth." It comes from the Latin word "scio" meaning "knowing in the fullest sense of the word" and the Greek word "logos" meaning "study of."

Scientology is the study and handling of the spirit in relationship to itself, others and all of life. The religion comprises a body of knowledge extending from certain fundamental truths. Prime among these:

Man is an immortal, spiritual being. His experience extends well beyond a single lifetime. His capabilities are unlimited, even if not presently realized — and those capabilities can be realized. He is able to not only solve his own problems, accomplish his goals and gain lasting happiness, but also achieve new, higher states of awareness and ability.

In Scientology no one is asked to accept anything as belief or on faith. That which is true for you is what you have observed to be true. An individual discovers for himself that Scientology works by personally applying its principles and observing or experiencing results.

Through Scientology, people all over the world are achieving the long-sought goal of true spiritual release and freedom.

The Parts of Man

Man consists of three parts. The first of these is the spririt, called in Scientology the thetan (from the Greek letter theta, meaning "thought" or "spirit"), which is the individual himself.

The second of these parts is the mind. The thetan uses his mind as a communication and control system between himself and his environment.

The third of these parts is the body. The body is not the person.

The most important of the three parts of man is the thetan, which is the spirit, or you.

The Dynamics of Existence

The basic command followed by all life, "Survive!" is subdivided into eight dynamics (dynamic meaning urge, drive or impulse). All activities in one's varied life can be inspected, understood and harmonized with all others to increase survival.

8th Dynamic INFINITY, also commonly called God, the Supreme Being or Creator.

7th Dynamic SPIRITUAL dynamic — anything spiritual with or without identity, life source.

6th Dynamic PHYSICAL UNIVERSE with its four components of matter, energy, space and time.

5th Dynamic LIFE FORMS including all plant and animal life.

4th Dynamic MANKIND as a species.

3rd Dynamic GROUP SURVIVAL whether friends, a club, company, nation or race.

2nd Dynamic FAMILY and children and all other creativity.

1st Dynamic SELF — the individual, including his body, mind and immediate possessions.

Through Scientology, a person realizes that his life and influence extend far beyond himself. By understanding each of these dynamics and their relationship, one to the other, he is able to do so, and thus increase survival on all of these dynamics.

ARC Triangle and Tone Scale

A principle of considerable importance in Scientology, and one that greatly assists interpersonal relationships, is that of affinity, reality and communication. The three form an interdependent triangle and add up to understanding.

The Tone Scale

The Tone Scale is a tool used in everyday life to understand what is occurring with individuals and how best to communicate with them. One can find himself or any individual on the Tone Scale and thus know how, using Scientology, he may best be moved up to the higher tones — and thus increased competence, self-esteem, honesty, well-being, happiness and other desirable attributes.

40.0 Serenity of Beingness

30.0 Postulates

22.0 Games

20.0 Action

8.0 Exhilaration

6.0 Aesthetics

4.0 Enthusiasm

3.5 Cheerfulness

3.3 Strong Interest

3.0 Conservatism

2.9 Mild Interest

2.8 Contented

2.6 Disinterested

2.5 Boredom

2.4 Monotony

2.0 Antagonism

1.9 Hostility

1.8 Pain

1.5 Anger

1.4 Hate

1.3 Resentment

1.2 No Sympathy

1.15 Unexpressed Resentment

1.1 Covert Hostility

1.02 Anxiety

1.0 Fear

0.98 Despair

0.96 Terror

0.94 Numb

0.9 Sympathy

0.8 Propitiation

0.5 Grief

0.375 Making Amends

0.3 Undeserving

0.2 Self-Abasement

0.1 Victim

0.07 Hopeless

0.05 Apathy

0.03 Useless

0.01 Dying

0.0 Body Death

The Effects of Drugs and Chemicals

We live in a chemical-oriented society. The past century's technological advances have produced many damaging by-products that threaten well-being — from the smog in the air we breathe to the thousands of chemical additives in the food we eat. Moreover, the use of street drugs has proliferated since the mid-20th century at all levels of society, as well as prescription of mind and mood-altering drugs.

Drugs, pollutants and other chemicals are essentially poisons and take their toll on a person's body by depleting its stores of vitamins and minerals, leading to susceptibility to other health problems.

Quite in addition to physiological damage, drugs and toxins decrease mental alertness and perception and can contribute to many undesirable states, from unfeeling to hostile. This biochemical factor is a barrier to spiritual freedom.

The Solution

L. Ron Hubbard discovered that drug and chemical residues are stored and trapped in the fatty tissues of the body and remain long after a person has been off drugs. As long as the person has these residues in his body, his awareness, abilities and attitudes can remain suppressed, adversely affecting his ability to succeed to his full potential in life.

The Purification Rundown includes exercise to dislodge toxic residues.

Followed immediately by sweating in a sauna, these toxins are flushed from the system. Mega-vitamin and mineral dosages and extra oil are vital factors in helping to repair the body.

Good nutrition and adequate rest are vital to the success of the program.

The Auditing Session

The primary way that Scientology's principles are applied to an individual is called auditing — from the Latin word "audire," meaning "to listen."

It is the central practice of Scientology, and is delivered by an auditor, "one who listens."

In an auditing session, the auditor helps another examine specific areas of their existence so they can rid themselves of unwanted spiritual conditions and increase awareness and ability.

The E-Meter

The Electropsychometer, or E-Meter measures the mental state or change of state of a person, helping the auditor locate areas of spiritual distress or travail so they can be addressed and handled in a session. The E-Meter does not in itself do anything to a person. It is a highly sensitive instrument that reacts to changes in mental activity.

The States of Existence

Man is so visibly MAN that he overlooked in most of his philosophies and all of his sciences that there is more than one state of existence attainable by man. There are many states of existence besides that of man. This has been touched on by earlier philosophies. What is new about Scientology is that one being can attain several different states of existence in just one lifetime. Some savants amongst the Himalayas have worked in this direction. Gautama Siddhartha (Buddha) spoke of it. Fifteen or twenty years of hard work were said to result in a nebulous conclusion. With Scientology, there are no such uncertainties. These higher states can be attained through Dianetics and Scientology auditing.

Communication

We instinctively revere the great artist, painter or musician and society as a whole looks upon them as not quite ordinary beings. And they are not. They are a cut above man. He who can truly communicate to others is a higher being who builds new worlds.

Problems

What distinguishes civilized man as MAN is that he is mired into PROBLEMS which just get worse the more he "solves" them. The being who can recognize the actual source of problems and so see them vanish is too rare to be easily comprehended. When a being can do this — make problems vanish with a glance — he certainly is no longer "man."

Relief

Man has never known, except in some of the rare miracle workers he regarded as saints, how to bring relief to various ills. The secret was that one is connecting oneself to what he abhors. To be able to easily bring relief to oneself and others from the hostilities and sufferings of life is a skill man has seen only in healers.

Freedom

Man is chained to the upsets in his past. He has never understood why he felt so upset and misunderstood about his family or people or situations. Most men dwell perpetually on troubles they have had. They lead sad lives. Freedom from the upsets of the past with the ability to face the future is almost an unknown condition to man.

Ability

Man's abilities tend to be individually specialized. He is so intent upon some action that he is clumsy in performing others. When one moves out of fixed conditions, he can experience a huge resurgence in the ability to choose, partake in and enjoy new activities.

Power

Man can seldom handle POWER. He retreats from it or abuses it. When he has it he often misdirects it. One can, in Scientology, acquire the ability to stably handle power.

Clear

Here is a being who has forever vanquished his own reactive mind, the source of man's misery. He has a very high degree of personal integrity and honesty, and is a living proof that man is basically good. His own basic beingness returns and his own personality flourishes.

Operating Thetan

By "operating" is meant "able to act and handle things" and by "thetan" is meant the spiritual being that is the basic self. "Theta" is Greek for thought or life or the spirit. An Operating Thetan then is one who can handle things without having to use a body of physical means. Basically one is oneself, can handle things and exist without physical support and assistance. It doesn't mean one becomes God. It means one becomes wholly oneself.

The Aims of Scientology

A civilization without insanity, without criminals and without war, where the able can prosper and honest beings can have rights, and where man is free to rise to greater heights, are the aims of Scientology.

First announced to an enturbulated world in 1950, these aims are well within the grasp of our technology.

Nonpolitical in nature, Scientology welcomes any individual of any creed, race or nation.

We seek no revolution. We seek only evolution to higher states of being for the individual and for society. We are achieving our aims.

After endless millennia of ignorance about himself, his mind and the universe, a breakthrough has been made for man.

Other efforts man has made have been surpassed.

The combined truths of fifty thousand years of thinking men, distilled and amplified by new discoveries about man, have made for this success.

We welcome you to Scientology. We only expect of you your help in achieving our aims and helping others. We expect you to be helped.

Scientology is the most vital movement on Earth today.

In a turbulent world, the job is not easy. But then, if it were, we wouldn't have to be doing it.

We respect man and believe he is worthy of help. We respect you and believe you, too, can help.

Scientology does not owe its help. We have done nothing to cause us to propitiate. Had we done so, we would not now be bright enough to do what we are doing.

Man suspects all offers of help. He has often been betrayed, his confidence shattered. Too frequently he has given his trust and been betrayed. We may err, for we build a world with broken straws. But we will never betray your faith in us so long as you are one of us.

The sun never sets on Scientology.

And may a new day dawn for you, for those you love and for man.

Our aims are simple, if great.

And we will succeed, and are succeeding at each new revolution of the Earth.

Your help is acceptable to us.

Our help is yours.

L. Ron Hubbard

[JaneDead]

and to find out more about dianetics: http://www.scientology.org/en_US/religion/...tion/index.html

from that same site

[The_Dark]

Or to translate....

CRAP

[Msterbeau]

Or to translate....

CRAP

I like your definition better.

[JaneDead]

well "crap" just isn't as descriptive now is it.

[kellygrrrrrl]

yup...crap

[Wounds Within]

indeed

[Hellion]

:devil crap it is.

[Msterbeau]

well "crap" just isn't as descriptive now is it.

It has a certain elegance.

[torn asunder]

i disagree - while it may not be perfect, i see a bit of turth in it, especially this part - (and no, i haven't read the article much further, but i have done mild research about it in the past)

Man is an immortal, spiritual being. His experience extends well beyond a single lifetime. His capabilities are unlimited, even if not presently realized — and those capabilities can be realized. He is able to not only solve his own problems, accomplish his goals and gain lasting happiness, but also achieve new, higher states of awareness and ability.

In Scientology no one is asked to accept anything as belief or on faith. That which is true for you is what you have observed to be true. An individual discovers for himself that Scientology works by personally applying its principles and observing or experiencing results.

i don't believe deity is external, and that you must "petition" said deity to heap favor upon you as special treatment for being a "believer". personally, i think that idea is crap. separation from unity is the root of all trouble on this planet, and the sooner we can see that we're all one, regardless of beliefs, the sooner our strife will lessen, and eventually fade away.

"you may say i'm a dreamer, but i'm not the only one"...

[Msterbeau]

i don't believe deity is external, and that you must "petition" said deity to heap favor upon you as special treatment for being a "believer". personally, i think that idea is crap. separation from unity is the root of all trouble on this planet, and the sooner we can see that we're all one, regardless of beliefs, the sooner our strife will lessen, and eventually fade away.

"you may say i'm a dreamer, but i'm not the only one"...

Word.

[JaneDead]

i agree with torn. i don't think it is "crap" but i don't think any religions are really crap. if i did then i might as well just say they are ALL crap because they are all started by people who have a belief of *something* no matter what that something is with no real *proof*. that's how i see it.

doesn't mean i believe in scientology or any religion for that matter. but i think they all have their place in this world and i am thankful we are not all of the SAME religion/beliefs/thought process.

[The_Dark]

I'll say it. It's Crap. CRAP CRAP CRAP.

He wrote a Sci-Fi novel. It was a damn good book. So good that people liked the made up religion he created for the book. So he wrote a book about the religion and started taking peoples cash. CRAP! Crap on a stick.

[JaneDead]

I'll say it. It's Crap. CRAP CRAP CRAP.

He wrote a Sci-Fi novel. It was a damn good book. So good that people liked the made up religion he created for the book. So he wrote a book about the religion and started taking peoples cash. CRAP! Crap on a stick.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

don't you mean fried crap on a stick? i think that is worse for you.

[torn asunder]

no matter the motive, or the money, i see some truth in it - besides, how much money do you think x-tianity has raked in with their 2000yr old story!?

i don't understand how anyone can reject a belief system that encourages making judgements on one's experince, and not blindly accepting religious dogma without having an open mind.

gah, i don't think i have the energy for this... i'll stop now.

edited for one more thing - does anyone know a scientologist? if so, are they happy with their faith? does it work for them, without bringing harm to others? if so, who cares where it came from!?

[ZhukovCodeslinger]

how about this, it is more fake than other religions and more crappy than other religions. Atleast other religions have a "being" (jesus, budda, zoroastra, rastafari, brahma etc) that is supposed to be better than most people (because of X) and he tries to help everyone get along better.

In scientology, their "being" was a psychotic alcoholic that ranted about aliens using the earth as a mass grave for surplus aliens who were dumped around volcanos which were subsequently blown up by hydrogen bombs. All the dead alien spirits were trapped on the earth and those thaetons (spirits) are what prevent us from being what we want to be or doing what we want to do. To get rid of the thaetons, you give the scientologists money...

in other religions you donate money to help out others (or the guy giving you the sermons so he does not have to work). I have never heard of someone in any other religion giving money so that they can receive "treatments" from their church (did you know that with enough money, scientology can cure "gay" (just look at how well it is working for Tom Cruise and John Travolta).

Mosts religions will ask for money or try and guilt trip you into it... but in the case of scientology, handing them everything you own is the standard mode of operation with regards to salvation.

[torn asunder]

how about this, it is more fake than other religions and more crappy than other religions.  Atleast other religions have a "being" (jesus, budda, zoroastra, rastafari, brahma etc) that is supposed to be better than most people (because of X) and he tries to help everyone get along better. 

actually, that's one of my biggest problems with organized religions... thinking that one is better than another - sure different people are at different levels, (and people like jesus or the buddha are much farther than most) but that in no way means that you can't do exactly the same, when you finally understand & have faith. (and not faith in externals - faith in your own divinity) but i digress...

In scientology, their "being" was a psychotic alcoholic that ranted about aliens using the earth as a mass grave for surplus aliens who were dumped around volcanos which were subsequently blown up by hydrogen bombs.  All the dead alien spirits were trapped on the earth and those thaetons (spirits) are what prevent us from being what we want to be or doing what we want to do.  To get rid of the thaetons, you give the scientologists money...

in other religions you donate money to help out others (or the guy giving you the sermons so he does not have to work).  I have never heard of someone in any other religion giving money so that they can receive "treatments" from their church (did you know that with enough money, scientology can cure "gay" (just look at how well it is working for Tom Cruise and John Travolta).

Mosts religions will ask for money or try and guilt trip you into it... but in the case of scientology, handing them everything you own is the standard mode of operation with regards to salvation.

thank you for the cliff-notes lesson on this, zhuk - i was unaware of that aspect, (hadn't run across it in my readings) and i can definitely see the crap argument now. (i do still think a few of their thoughts can be useful, but i do have a much different take on them now)

[JaneDead]

the only knowledge i have on this is what i had copied and pasted here. i didn't even read anything else on the site, or elsewhere. i had *heard* a long time ago they were all about "brainwashing" and "taking your money" but i was not really sure about that as it is only what i heard. i still feel to each his own really. if this is the path you want to follow, so be it. i will never be involved in it but i would never really care if anyone i knew was into it. unless they tried to force it on me. but i don't like any religion/beliefs forced on me anyways.

[The_Dark]

well... CRAP

[JaneDead]

well... CRAP

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[Onyx]

I'll say it. It's Crap. CRAP CRAP CRAP.

He wrote a Sci-Fi novel. It was a damn good book. So good that people liked the made up religion he created for the book. So he wrote a book about the religion and started taking peoples cash. CRAP! Crap on a stick.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I remember reading he actually admitted to this and bragged to friends that the fastest and best way to become rich is starting your own religion.

[Msterbeau]

actually, that's one of my biggest problems with organized religions... thinking that one is better than another - sure different people are at different levels, (and people like jesus or the buddha are much farther than most) but that in no way means that you can't do exactly the same, when you finally understand & have faith. (and not faith in externals - faith in your own divinity) but i digress...

thank you for the cliff-notes lesson on this, zhuk - i was unaware of that aspect, (hadn't run across it in my readings) and i can definitely see the crap argument now. (i do still think a few of their thoughts can be useful, but i do have a much different take on them now)

Having thought on this a while this afternoon. I think your arguement is valid TA... but mainly in the abstract - as evidenced by Zhuk's short lesson on Scientology proves. The word's in their dogma are as valid as any other that I've read... It's the reality of how they go about practicing their religion that leaves a lot to be desired. Which of course could be said of other religions too, depending on your point of view. I think it's helpful to try and imagine any religion during the time it first concieved. How was it recieved then? How has it evolved?

In any case... you will not ever see me near one of their churches in my current lifetime. :whistling

[The_Dark]

Thats the thaetons in you talking.

CRAP

[Onyx]

Wow. This is weirder than I thought.

(These are snips from an article from Time magazine, 1976).

A Sci-Fi Faith

Apr. 5, 1976

The mystery began to unfold last fall in sleepy, sun-drenched Clearwater, Fla. The Southern Land Development and Leasing Corp. decided to buy the 270-room Fort Harrison Hotel, a downtown landmark, and a nearby bank building.

<snip>

The purchaser, it turned out, was the rich, mysterious Church of Scientology, an international cult that for two decades has specialized in a unique form of psychological counseling, often against hysterical opposition.

<snip>

Until now the courses have been offered aboard the 3,300-ton yacht Apollo, the roving residence of Scientology's founder, L. (for Lafayette) Ron Hubbard, 65. Rarely photographed or seen by outsiders, Hubbard turned up briefly in Clearwater last month, portly, in apparent good health and decked out in a khaki jumpsuit and matching tam-o'-shanter. Flamboyant and authoritative, Hubbard barked out orders to a crew of young people, opened a five-figure checking account and paid a tailor $2,800 for some new clothes.

A brilliant and eccentric man, who, despite disclaimers, still controls the cult, Hubbard was once a successful science-fiction writer. In 1949, he seemed to predict his own future in a jocular speech to a convention of fellow authors: "Writing for a penny a word is ridiculous. If a man really wanted to make a million dollars, the best way would be to start his own religion."

The next year Hubbard expounded his psychological theories in Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health, which later became Scientology's scripture.

<snip>

Dianetics was secular, but subsequently Hubbard's "research" discovered the existence of the soul or, in his terminology, the "Thetan," the conscious being that inhabits a human body. Embroidering on Hinduism and Buddhism, Hubbard announced that Thetans are reincarnated over trillions of years, which meant that there were aeons of engrams to be erased. For Scientologists, truth became stranger than science fiction. Hubbard's explanation of why someone might have difficulty crying: he was once a primordial clam whose water ducts had been clogged with sand.

==========

More here:

http://time-proxy.yaga.com/time/archive/pr...?internalid=ACA

[JaneDead]

my friend started a religion based off an attractive blue lighter. i am a member ... but... i have already said too much :fear