What are your views on Scientology?

I don't really know much about Scientology but if it makes you as crazy and neurotic as Tom Cruise that's all I want to know!

This about sums it up:

A former Scientologist tells his story:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Piece_of_Blue_Sky
The Story:
http://www.clambake.org/archive/books/apobs/contents.htm
Another former Scientologist with links to her site:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tory_Christman
Kids who grew up in Scientology and now speak out:
http://www.exscientologykids.com/index.html
Arnie Lerma, Early Scientologist:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arnaldo_Lerma
Gerry Armstrong, Former Scientologist
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerry_Armstrong_(activist)
Co$ vs. Gerry Armstrong
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_of_Scientology_v._Gerald_Armstrong
Gerry Armstrong Site
http://www.gerryarmstrong.org/50grand/introduction.html
More unethical and illegal Scientology activities:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Freakout
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_of_Scientology#Illegal_activities
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientology_controversies
http://www.youtube.com/user/xenutv1
http://www.hollywoodinterrupted.com/.../...scientology.phtml
More Scientology Shit Deep Sixed Long Ago:
http://www.xenu.net/archive/go/legal/legal.htm
Scientology Agents, including LR Hubbard's wife, break into Federal offices in Wahsington, DC., get caught and do time, afterwhich the "church" gets tax exemption:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Snow_White
http://www.lermanet.com/scientologynews/washingtonpost/raids-070977.htm
http://www.xenu-directory.net/news/clearwatersun19820509.html
http://www.skepticfiles.org/mys2/fear.htm
http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~dst/Cowen/essays/nytimes.html
Scientology Murders:
http://www.whyaretheydead.net/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lisa_McPherson

Footnotes
1Suppressive Person Order, aka SP Declare (Co$ Internal Documents):
http://www.xenu-directory.net/practices/sp.html
An Actual SP Declare:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YPLbKky8hko
2Co$ Fair Game Policy (Co$ Internal Documents)
http://www.xenu-directory.net/practices/fairgame.html
http://www.fairgamed.org/fairgame.htm
Fair Game Related: The Purpose of a Lawsuit (Co$ Internal Documents)
http://www.fairgamed.org/lawsuit.htm
Co$ Fair Game in Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fair_Game_(Scientology)
Fair Gamed: Wollersheim, Anderson and Armstrong:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fair_Game_(Scientology)#Lawrence_Wollersheim.2C_1980
Michael Flynn gets Fair Gamed
http://www.gerryarmstrong.org/50grand/cult/scientology-fair-games-flynn.html
Paulette Cooper gets Fair Gamed
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Freakout
Lawrence Wollersheim gets Fair Gamed
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lawrence_Wollersheim
3Sea Organization (Sea Org)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sea_Org
4Flag Land Base, Clearwater
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_of_Scientology#Flag_Land_Base.2C_Clearwater.2C_Florida
5PAC (Pacific Area Command) Base, Los Angeles
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_of_Scientology#PAC_Base.2C_Hollywood.2C_California
6Gold Base
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_of_Scientology#Gold_Base.2C_Gilman_Hot_Springs.2C_California
7Rehabilitation Project Force (RPF)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rehabilitation_Project_Force
http://www.xenu-directory.net/practices/rpf.html
http://www.lermanet.com/cos/enggulag.html
http://www.solitarytrees.net/pubs/skent/brain.htm
http://www.lermanet.com/scientologyscandals/sobobaescape.htm
http://www.lermanet.com/exit/gold-base-captives.htm
Children’s RPF
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kW8ZqGSkXjI
An Ex-Scientologist Message Board: Anonymous can’t think all this shit up, folks!
http://www.forum.exscn.net/showthread.php?t=622
Office of Special Affairs (OSA):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Office_of_Special_Affairs

Film Footage:
1. The Un-funny Truth about Scientology
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rCGP-0545EU
2. Co$ Core Beliefs (This is NOT a Joke):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4bzcGK9xqEU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOdF_3RIXJ4
Short Version:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cm9UKw1TkuU
Why Scientologists Can’t Talk About It: Former Scientologist Steven Fishman Talks About Scientology.
Part I:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-6812164614976718979&hl=en
Part II:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UtXDYH0PSK0
Part III:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=4563367674902062954&hl=en
Part IV:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=1839870989487824169&hl=en
Part V:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-777802371238427975&hl=en
Part VI:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-1123139866401185152&hl=en
Part VII:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6634315750150016620&hl=en
From A Mainstream News Source (The good stuff starts around marker 3:30):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fB87IJT78M8
A Third Generation Scientologist Speaks Out:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SuSEC8g03vY
3. Co$ Commandeers the Cult Awareness Network (CAN):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5mehdjwaS48
4. Anonymous Global Protests (Soundtrack is 404 due to copyright violation):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UOyA787_7cI
5. Investigative Reporter Gets Inside the Co$ (25 min.):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rD9bCdHqU3s
One Result of the Co$ Recruiting Technique (The Co$ “Personality Test“):
http://glosslip.com/2008/04/15/breaking-daughter-of-norwegian-parliment-took-life-after-taking-scientology-personality-tests/
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation News Clip On Scientology, 1968:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pjwD7UbZhso
6. Son of Co$ Founder Accuses Father of Fraud:
Part I
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jyp37GuFDyk&feature=related
Part II
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jy4SxZJu8nE&feature=related

The Global Fight Against the Church of Scientology:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_Chanology
http://project-chanology.blogspot.com/

SUPPORT ANONYMOUS WHEREVER AND WHENEVER YOU CAN!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anonymous_(group )

I used to love being a member of the church of Scientology (aka CofS). Thought it was pretty special. I found too much predatory crap there and found that others had it much worse than I ever did. Plus, the cult wouldn't stay out of my business so I left. They expelled me a year later in a brilliant effort to lock the barn door after the horse got out. I still think there're a lot of wonderful things in the Scn ideology and methodology and that's still very much a part of my life. But there's also some stuff that just plain needs to be deleted from it. No two people are ever going to agree on all that so I recommend (for those who like Scn but not all the crap that goes iwth it) a heretical approach and also not just limiting oneself to Scn and Dianetics.

I respect religions i really do, but Scientology is a crock of shit.

However, the creator is a genius, look at all the money he is milking :D

for 15 years i got almost 4 first class letters from them a week ('72-'87) any time I got less than 2 for three weeks I would go down to a center and fill out some more forms and buy what ever was the cheapest piece of propaganda that they had put out ... more first class mail. I figured that I as up between 4 and 6 to one just on postage. I did buy the 8008 book; one of the more out there publications ... never saw it for sale to the lay people after that. Gota love Xenu

it scares me

It is somewhat crazy/dangerous. People have died, lost their life savings, lost their loved ones. It is brainwashing at it's worst.

A cult which literally sells it's teachings. You have to pay them to teach you their doctrines according to what I have heard. One of the few religions I have absolutely no respect for. I don't even consider it a religion.

Do you remember the reverend Leroy, and the Church of What's Happening Now? That was a comedy skit by Flip Wilson, and it made more sense than Scientology.

Would that everyone had enough money to purchase salvation, eh?

I don't know much about them but judging from a distance there seems to be some very successful people there so I think they must be SOMETHING right.

On the other hand all the secrecy and arcane practices makes people rightfully suspicious of them.

I don't know enough about Scientology to give an educated view of what I think about this group.Public opinion means little if it is not backed up in facts.I know little of this organization and have no interest in them for I have too many more important issues.

It's a business disguised as a religion.

One day, we'll find them all in bed wearing Nikes and covered in purple sheets.

cult w/ no faith.

its a load of hubbard dianetically speaking

L.Ron Hubbard as much as admitted that the religion was an invention to make money and evade taxes. There are thousands of gullible people willing to pay impressive sums to support the scam. I wish I had though of it.

I think it is interesting, but I am turned off that it costs lots of money to participate. I don't believe they know what they are talking about, but I would be curious to learn more about their program just out of curiosity.

I find it hard to take the doctrine seriously. The supposed origin of where people come from is too much like a sci-fi novel to me.

If you're into it, then all well and good. Everyone walks their religious road in different ways. I just know that it's not for me.

It was founded by L Ron Hubbard. Hubbard was psychotic

Depends on whether you're asking me how I feel about the philosphy and methodology or how I feel about the Church of Scientology. I left the cult years ago but still find much value in the underlying tenets, theories and practices.
_____________________________________________________
The Church of Scientology is a very problematic cult. It's abusive. Having successful members doesn't indicate anything as there are successful people and unsuccessful people (and those in between) in every single walk of life.

A bit more honest when it comes to scams.

it's a scam like all religions, only more so.

Just another side to the face of religion. They may sell their teachings, but they wouldn't sell anything if there weren't people dumb enough to buy it from them.

I can't help the existence of them and I certainly can't make stupid people smarter so I guess I just have to deal with it.

Makes me think of the late (great) comedian Flip Wilson and his "Reverend Leroy" character. Especially the "Church of What's Happening Now."

Way to take money from stupid and empty rich people.

BIG SCAM

It's a dangerous, money-hungry cult.

A scam, but no worse than many "religions".The hierarchy targets prominent people who may be vulnerable to their "pitch". The object is to separate people from their money, +5

Here's my short answer....

False teaching.

Fucked up and dangerous.
.
http://images.encyclopediadramatica.com/images/7/7f/Hubbard_Needs_Money.jpg
.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rD9bCdHqU3s
.
.
http://www.encyclopediadramatica.com/Scientology

I think your either into it or not, and if not you don't have any views.

To me they are more of a cult than a religion !
I was created by some nut pulling ideas of his @$$ !