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New York, 9:23 AM
Mon Nov 23
15 posts in the last 24 hours
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11/17/09
11/17/09
Just asking. #newyorkpost
11/17/09
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11/17/09
10/27/09
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10/28/09
10/27/09
10/26/09
There will be no vanilla sky for Paul, only days of thunder. A few good men have attempted to disgrace the mighty church of scientology and all have found the mission impossible.
When all is said and done it’s risky business opposing the mighty church and for Paul all that he can hope for is for mercy from the Last Samurai of death, before the young guns of revenge play taps at his funeral #scientology
10/26/09
10/26/09
Haggis has clearly had difficulties with his church for some time, and even stated that he refused to cut off his in-laws. The support of Prop 8 by religious groups (not just Scientologist, LDS, and Catholics, but also some Jewish groups, among others) was heartbreaking for many people in those organizations. But any thinking person with a religion will have difficulty at times reconciling their personal beliefs with that of their religion.
And please, can we stop calling it a cult? As an athiest, all religions seem nutty to me, but it's pure bigotry to single out Scientology. I thought we were better than that here. #scientology
10/26/09
10/26/09
I've certainly read a lot about Scientology that gives me pause, especially the cutting off of non-members (which from what I've read is a better indicator of a cult than mind control is). I do know, however, that Scientology is recognized formally by the US and many other countries as a religion. #scientology
10/26/09
(From a legal standpoint, I think the Scientologists were correct -- if you're going to treat Yom Kippur seat fees -- which are really just payments for good Temple real estate -- as charitable contributions to a religious organization for tax purposes, it's hard to distinguish payments to Scientology for "cleansing" -- again, really just payment for services -- as being substantively different. But that's neither here nor there.)
Also, you have some logical fallacies there. "A system of belief or ritual" is ONE definition of "cult". It's not the one that springs to mind when most people hear or use it, however. And usage of mind control is absolutely relevant to the common definition of "cult" -- which is, as Benny said, a religious group that is potentially non-voluntary with respect to its belief system. #scientology
10/26/09
Almost. #scientology
10/26/09
10/26/09
10/26/09
10/26/09
10/26/09
Personal sidenote: My mom told me this story. During the 50s or so, my late grandfather was trying to get control of his terrible rages. He was a good man, and a brilliant one, but he had belted the crap out of my mother and some of my aunts and uncles and he wanted to stop. He and a few other men in their 30s started getting together and studying something L. Ron Hubbard came up with. I don't remember what my mom told me it was called, if anything, but they were all big sci fi guys and thought Hubbard was onto something. I assume it was some kind of proto-"clearing." My mom said it mostly seemed to involve meditating and intensely working through...something. I dunno. I heard this second hand!
Anyway, time goes by, and my mother clearly remembers this: One day she came across her father holding a book and shaking his head. "Hubbard's going to turn this into a damn religion, and the minute he does, I'm out."
My mom says my grandfather really did get his shit together, helped in part by this very very very early version of Scientology. I find the story so strange. #scientology
10/26/09