Nightline has been running a fascinating investigation into the Church of Scientology. This investigation includes this video of a walk-out of the spokesman for Scientology when asked simply about the beliefs of the church. According to the spokesman, it is “offensive” to be asked about what Scientologists specifically believe about the origins of man.
This is akin to the spokesman of the Vatican storming out when asked about Genesis.
The spokesman was specifically asked the “volcano” question. A volcano is often shown in advertisements for Dianetics. According to documents and former members, Hubbard (a failed science fiction writer) told followers that a galactic being named Xenu or Xemu had taken over as the rule of the “Galactic Confederacy.” Then, about 75 million years ago, he brought billions of people to Earth in spacecraft that looked remarkably like Douglas DC-8 airliners. Once here he put them in or around volcanos stuffed with H-bombs and then blew them up.
Hubbard wrote:
Simultaneously, the planted charges erupted. Atomic blasts ballooned from the craters of Loa, Vesuvius, Shasta, Washington, Fujiyama, Etna, and many, many others. Arching higher and higher, up and outwards, towering clouds mushroomed, shot through with flashes of flame, waste and fission. Great winds raced tumultuously across the face of Earth, spreading tales of destruction…
This released the famed “thetans” that stuck to survivors and are the subject of continual auditing. Now that is not so offensive is it? It could be worse, you could be blown up with H-bombs in a volcano by a crazed galactic warrior.
By the way, Xenu was eventually locked him away in “an electronic mountain trap” and still exists — possibly in the Pyrenees (where he can apparently be tormented by the Tour de France each year).
Well that as interesting. i have been a Scientologist for 38 years now. When I read the Zenu story I was taken a back but the only thing that i stated is an incident the supposedly happened It is called Incident 2 You never hear those who posted the material talk about Incident 1. Do I believe it of course I do but I studied ALL of the data not just the Paraphrased pieces you can find on the internet. That is like asking a Christian does he believe in Satin. I may seem incredible or even stupid but it is what Christians have believed for thousands of years. One of the reasons they do not talk about it is before they are allowed to view the material they must sign very expensive “Non disclosure bonds” which can be quite costly. In the early 1970’s L Ron Hubbard wrote a story about the Zenu incident. IT WAS CALLED “revolt in the stars”. They were going to make a movie about it. He wanted everyone to know so that threw the concept about never talking about it right out the window. Some how it never got done. Should they charge those prices for the data? Of course not! On the bond thing I never signed one on that subject so they can not sue me for it. I stil practice Scientology everyday. It has greatly helped me in business and in my personal life a s well. The current leader of the church is a mad man and needs to be taken out.
Since it had gotten there anyways, I was born into the christian faith(no evidence=faith, no matter what the subject is) and like any child I had believed it, even tried to get my friends to come too, now that I am an adult though, I see it for what it really is. Provided the bible is real, every single grammar mark and every letter held within those pages, the longest ship made was smaller than the ark, and needed steel bindings to hold it together. So how did it stay afloat without falling apart? And even if you want to be like all the other oh so faithful people I’ve asked and turn your back on that question, what about termites? Evolution doesn’t exist right? So termites had to have been on the ark. Every time I wonder about the ark it seems to turn into more and more of a conundrum if I want anything other than it’s false. so we should know by now that there are insects that eat wood, why? the only dry land was wood, how the hell did they survive??? and wasnt it like 150 days that the water was on the earth??? 150 days??? really??? honestly??? even if the termites couldn’t make it sink on their own in 150 days, what about the weight of all these animals? 7 of the clean, and 2 of the unclean, or was it pairs? im not sure, they changed that part of the bible while i was still learning it. first our measurements, now our holy scriptures, whats next? although, magic mushrooms apparently were a big part of their diet then, could that have something to do with the fact that slavery is ok to the bible? it even tells you what to look for and everything! i have a life given to me by my parents, and if a man were to rape me is it then my fault? could i have done something to deserve it? maybe, if i was walking down the street nude with a sex toy strapped to me… shit happens though, and you should never, EVER tell yourself it’s your fault for someone else royally fucking your life up. any religion that deems slavery, homosexuality, working on sundays, driving a mercury, wearing cotton and polyester in the same garment, etc in it, some of which are perfectly fine, while others are immoral in society, CANNOT be the one true word of an ALL-LOVING, ALL-FORGIVING god, and therefore cannot be true. for everyone out there searching for the meaning of life, it’s either there or it’s not, but what is more important? why are we here? or what can we do while we are here? in my opinion, religion has outgrown it’s time and has no place left in a world where humans adapt and change daily. ill even go out on a limb and say that again, in my opinion, feel free to disagree with me, religion has NEVER had a place in this world, and has destroyed every life it has touched. religion is about breaking you down and giving you a delusional world to live in, making you happy when really, you’re not. should priests get away with breaking the law? it doesn’t matter what one, they are all valid, and it should be the same punishment a wiccan gets, or a muslim, or anyone else on this planet. we are all human and even though we may not look the same, or act the same, we may even disagree with each other from time to time, but we are all HUMAN! it doesn’t matter to me what you believe, as long as you aren’t breaking any laws or forcing it on people that disagree. with that being said, why should you hate a person? because someone told you to? if someone told you to jump off the cn tower, would you? the only good reason for hating someone is if they had wronged you and did nothing to repair the damage they caused.
If the behaviour of Scientology’s hierarchy is a demonstration of their “personal philosophy”, one can only surmise their philosophy is to never listen to other points of view (or give others an opportunity to express them), never respond to innocuous questions that attempt to clarify their beliefs, and seek to control others through intimidation – not a new philosophy, but a familiar one.
When science fiction writer Ron L. Hubbard expressed, back in (I think it was) the ‘50’s, that the best way to make lots and lots of money was to “start your own church”, he knew what-of he spoke. It’s a sad commentary on the human condition that he was dead right. As PT Barnum (originator of “The Greatest Show on Earth”) so tellingly observed: “There’s a sucker born every minute.
Is the Church of Scientology becoming a church persecuted? Why? And! For what reasons?
From a short paragraph introducing Scientology comes a great example of Religious Freedom…As left to the individual.
“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.”
Concept Complex? No! A clear paragraph…Yes.
With the violence in the Middle East and the confusion of all formal and Conservative views of Faith that must be followed and the “Make your money my Money” paradigm; Formal Religion is most sick from inside to outside and now to the Sexual Abuse scandal Rocking and Rolling thru the Catholic Church. (I wonder if the Pontiff’s yes-men would or have walked out on an interview)?
Narrow minds and stupidity are persecuting Scientology. Why? And! May Respect and Understanding and Peace and Love be with all of us?
Vinnie B:
“So pointing out the more outlandish tenets of Religion X to disprove its veracity is a (IMHO) weak argument. One could make not believing in (a) god sound just as outlandish, as many try to do.”
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We call that rational discourse. Proving the falsehood of one’s assertions or assumptions is a classical way of disproving his/herconclusions. Perhaps you know a better way to disprove a false claim, but the rest of us haven’t stumbled across it yet. Tell me what stock what you put in a person who seriously tried to convince you that talking snakes once ruled the land.
Mr. Bushir dropped the ball… he should have asked WHAT THERE WAS ABOUT THE QUESTION THAT WAS OFFENSIVE – ie: was it offensive because it was suggesting an untruth, or was it offensive because it attempted clarification on a subject that Scientology considers private.
it’s just as weird as any other religion…. or for that matter, belief system