Scientology, Cult or religion

Scientology is a body of beliefs and related practices initially created by American speculative fiction author L. Ron Hubbard. The major organization promoting Scientology is the Church of Scientology, a hierarchical organization founded by Hubbard, while independent groups using Hubbard's materials are collectively referred to as the Free Zone. Hubbard developed Scientology teachings in 1952 as a successor to his earlier self-help system, Dianetics.[1] Hubbard later characterized Scientology as an "applied religious philosophy" and the basis for a new religion.[1] Scientology encompasses "auditing", a spiritual rehabilitation philosophy and techniques,[1] and covers topics such as morals, ethics, Purification (a type of detoxification), education and management.

Scientology and the organizations that promote it have remained highly controversial since their inception. Journalists, courts and the governing bodies of several countries have described the Church of Scientology as a cult and an unscrupulous commercial enterprise, accusing it of harassing its critics and abusing the trust of its members. Scientology officials argue that most of the negative press is motivated by interest groups and that most of the controversy is in the past.

(source : Wikipedia) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientology


Well,as some of you may or may not know, Anonymous, a protest group that started out as an internet "terrorism" group of no-lifers, have been protesting fiercely against Scientology, claiming that Scientology is just out to make money (which in a certain way is true,you have to pay big money to become a member) and destroys families.

(more on anonymous here: http://www.goanonymous.org/ )

My question,where do you stand? And what is your opinion on Scientology? Religion or cult?

A religion is just a cult with more members. Most, if not all, big religions started off as cults. I think people should be free to belief in scientology, even though I think its nonsense.

I'm not sure if all the claims about how evil scientology is are correct. Almost every new religion will have to face a group of people who hate them enough to think up, or aggregate a couple of stories.

And besides, if people are stupid enough to give away their money to a science fiction writer, who talks about some alien god, then I’m not going to do anything to try and protect them from that. That’s their own business, and their own cash, and if they end up feeling cheated then they might thing about it a little better the next time.

I'm waiting till the day they all mass-suicide.
Yay.

I saw a church of scientology in London, right next to a big Christian church!

let them bond and all mass-suicide
yay

Mass suicide for...well the masses. YAYS!

Scientology is racist?