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• What all religions go through... (Score:2)

  by Matts (1087)

  In their early days I suspect all religions have to go through this sort of thing. I suspect in 50 years there will be people trying to debunk the flying spaghetti monster too. All religion has to do though is wait a couple of thousand years and it becomes the absolute truth, and not under such attack. Scientologists just need to be a bit more patient.
  • Re: (Score:1)

    by sigzero (5768)

    In their early days I suspect all religions have to go through this sort of thing.

    Scientology isn't a religion. It is a cult, period. I also don't agree with the general principal of your statement either. I sense however you weren't trying to be truthful but baiting. Er, rats!
    • Re: (Score:2)

      by Matts (1087)

      The only difference between a religion and a cult is age and adoption levels.
      • Re: (Score:1)

        by chromatic (983)

        I take it you've never actually known anyone in a cult then. It brings to mind the quote "Many people who dream mistake them for visions, but no one who has a vision mistakes it for a dream."
        • Re: (Score:2)

          by Matts (1087)

          The point is that those who aren't in the "religion" consider it a cult, while those who are in it consider it a religion (though I have no idea what Scientologists call Scientology).
          
          The classic example being the Mormons - many people consider them a cult (because they exhibit some of the classic insular and strange properties of what one would traditionally call a cult), but those within the church certainly don't. And now that the church of latter day saints is "old", it is considered quite mainstream.
          
          Fra
          • Re: (Score:1)

            by chromatic (983)

            I restate then, that if you've ever seen genuine brainwashing and mind-control, you'll never mistake it for anything else. To me, that is the genuine hallmark of a cult, not however much I or anyone else disagrees with them.

            (Now if you want to talk about Christianity and cults, judge the belief system and the related practices based on genuine transformation of character of the adherents. Are they becoming more loving, more generous, more compassionate, and more peaceful over time? I assume that they c
            • Re:What all religions go through... (Score:2)

              by Matts (1087) on 2006.12.03 0:12 (#52052) Journal

              I restate then, that if you've ever seen genuine brainwashing and mind-control, you'll never mistake it for anything else. To me, that is the genuine hallmark of a cult, not however much I or anyone else disagrees with them.
              
              Well, then I'm not entirely sure Scientology fits. Much less so than say the Moonies and the Heaven's Gate cults.
              
              It's clear to me from history that a religion/cult becomes much less cultish over time. Christianity being the perfect example of this - no longer are people stoned for blasphemy, but there are people who are still still ostracized from the church for various stupid reasons (gay romance for one). Religions become more peaceful over time I guess, as people begin to recognise their flaws and rewrite history so that the flaws become less relevant (e.g. the New Testament vs the Old Testament).
              
              I seriously think if you could travel back in time to the early days of Christianity you would see exactly the same kind of brainwashing as you see today for the modern "cults" of today. Unfortunately since History is written by those who succeed (and the church certainly did) we'll never truly know the truth.

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