Behavior of a Cult? Or not?

[Gerald Lively]

Well, the Scientology folks aren't taking too kindly to the negative press they're receiving as of late. From Yahoo News:
The message instructs followers to visit media sites, including Microsoft, Google or any other that requires users to agree to a code of conduct that prohibits comments that threaten, defame or degrade any group or individuals.
Followers should hunt for any comments about the Cruise-Holmes divorce, click the "Report" tag, and report the comments as violations of the site's code of conduct, the email instructs.
You can write something like "Violate Your Code of Conduct". 'defames or degrades a group for any reason including on the basis of religion.'
The author of the email notes that if only one person does it, the news site moderators won't act. Thus, the email says, "if you start to have 10 or 20 people reporting it , they are going to take this down."
Oh, okay. So if I were to say that Scientology made no sense, they would try to report me.
Or if I posted this video from South Park explaining what Scientologists actually believe...
 
...they would try to report me.
Or if I said that it seemed cultlike, they would try to report me.
Or if I said my thetan levels were through the roof and obviously I'm the next L Ron Hubbard, they would try to report me.
Good luck scrubbing the internet of comments that try to tarnish your super-stellar persona, guys. We'll totally stop talking about you.
//////////////////////////
Scientology made no sense, they suck!
Okay, turn me in!  Go ahead!  Do it, do it!!
gl

[jbeany]

 

[cariad]

L. Ron Hubbard threatened my father with, if I remember correctly, a libel suit back in the 1980s. I don't remember if it was just an empty threat to try to intimidate my father into paying him off to get rid of him or if L. Ron died before he could move forward with it. Either way, he was a bully and a monster and left that legacy behind him. And you can't libel the dead in America, so take your shots with no fear, everyone.

[willowtreewren]

It is a shame these nut jobs are so well organized! 

[jbeany]

I don't watch South Park, and since you didn't include the link, I had to google the clip.  Hysterical!

[Poppylicious]

When I was studying for my Religious Studies degree I contacted a range of 'religious' groups whilst trying to decide what to write my dissertation on.  The Scientologists were one of the many groups I contacted and the only group who spent the next year sending me invitations to learn more about their 'religion' by staying with them in East Grinstead (their HQ in the UK). These invitations came in both letters and via the phone.  They eventually got bored, but sometimes I wish I had taken them up on the offer (just for research purposes, obviously!) They actually had quite a prominent following (at least, they have a dianetics centre) in the town where I went to uni and only the worry of what my mum would say stopped me popping in to get tested!

In the end I went with the Latter-day Saints; Joseph Smith the Myth-maker.  If I had gone with Scientology I suspect that my dissertation never would have made it to the public viewing arena, plus it seemed like the (legally) safer option.

 

It is a shame these nut jobs are so well organized! 

I always think it's their wealth rather than their organisation which is the shame.

[cassandra]

I think its both. Through their organisation they are wealthy. The Latter-day Saints are not far off. They also have that 10% rule, and that women are subordinate, and inferior. I am more bemused of the followers though

[boswife]

Scientology made no sense, they suck!
Okay, turn me in!  Go ahead!  Do it, do it!!
gl

     

[jbeany]

I tend to think all organized religions have some wacky beliefs, but I do have to say I think Scientology is a pretty over the top.  Seriously, they're all reincarnated alien souls from other planets, trapped here on earth?  Ummm, sure. 

[Poppylicious]

I think its both. Through their organisation they are wealthy. The Latter-day Saints are not far off. They also have that 10% rule, and that women are subordinate, and inferior. I am more bemused of the followers though

True ... and through their wealth they are better organised.

My reasons for choosing Mormons were partly because my father and his second family follow the teachings of the LDSs (converted, not born) and I wanted to convince them of the error of their ways.  My step-sister got married at eighteen and has six children.  The eldest is now sixteen and I always joke that my step-sister will be a granny before I become a mummy (she's two years younger than me.) Her husband was born into the church, did his mission in the States and has always surprised me by being very accepting of us despite our sinful ways (my brother is gay and I've lived in sin with more than one man ...) but I know many wouldn't be so accepting (oddly, mostly those who have converted into Mormonism rather than those born and bred within the church.) I know my other step-sister used to dip in and out of the church whenever she needed money and was ex-communicated at one point for getting divorced and then proceding to give birth to a baby out of wedlock.  Despite then having another baby out of wedlock she then married the non-Mormon father of the second baby in the church and he has since converted.  I think they're a lot more forgiving than they used to be, but perhaps they need to be so in order to keep their numbers up!

I tend to think all organized religions have some wacky beliefs, but I do have to say I think Scientology is a pretty over the top.  Seriously, they're all reincarnated alien souls from other planets, trapped here on earth?  Ummm, sure. 

Morrmons aren't much different in their beliefs ... maybe there is some truth in it after all ...

 

[smcd23]

The Scientologists have a HQ in Clearwater, FL. My ex grew up down there and we traveled there frequently. He always warned me about how odd they all were, and after I saw them, I think it's a cult 110%. They all dress the same, look the same, act the same, especially around their HQ. And when I read about them, jeeze! Study material is only available to them if they pay for it, so the more you pay, the more spiritual healing you have access to? Sounds like some sort of messed up pyramid scheme to me! Last time I checked, making offerings at almost any other church is completely voluntary, and there was no limit on how much one could "rehabilitate" their spirituality...

I don't mind Mormons, though. Many of missionaries I've spoken with are quite kind and while they are there to speak with you about religion and the book of Mormon, they are not super pushy, and they are not afraid of having an open theological conversation, even if you have convicting views.

The Jehovah Witnesses on the other hand, make me nervous. They LOVE knocking on our door because Tony is almost always home. And somehow, they know our names. Tony said he has never told them our names, but when I was home before Christmas and they knocked, they asked for him by name. When I told him about it later, he said they come regularly and are always trying to help him. I also dated a guy who grew up JW and some of the stuff he told me made me roll my eyes because it seemed so absurd.

I guess every religion has it's quirks...

[Hober Mallow]

Stephen Colbert came up with a good test to find out if your religion is a cult: If you think your religion might be a cult, the answer is yes.

[paris]

In the past, IHD was accused of being a cult.   I don't mind being a part of that cult! 

[jbeany]

Wait, what?  We're a cult here?  As a moderator, I want my share of the donations from the gullible then!  And worshipers at my feet - where are those?