This is what Scientologists actually believe

Actually, I'm willing to bet that most of the rank-and-file Scientologists don't believe most of that at all.  Just the ones who have paid enough to earn this "Advanced Technology" secret information. 

I'd love to hear from a low-level Scientologist to get their take on the whole Xenu thing.  From what I understand they won't talk about it since they've been admonished to cover their ears and hum loudly whenever anyone says "Xenu" to them.  They probably think the story is just lies unbelievers tell about their church.

Dirckman wrote:

Scientology is just as believable as any other religion.  The only reason it stands out is that it has only been around for a few decades now rather than a few centuries or millenia.  Religion of any kind is a form of mental retardation in my mind.

Oh, I'd say it's more retarded than most.  It's one thing to believe that God has magical powers, the thing that makes this extra retarded is the inclusion of things that are supposedly not magical, yet completely disprovable, like L. Ron Hubbard saying he went to Mars and was almost run over by a train, or that people evolved from clams.

tojo2000 wrote:

. . . like L. Ron Hubbard saying he went to Mars and was almost run over by a train, or that people evolved from clams.

Thanks for the remider of one of my favorite qoutes (Now, added to the main page - At least until CO$ sues the fuck out of of Choad).

"People will tell you that there are no trains on Venus; But, let me tell you, I was all-most run over by one.  That's the funny thing about trains - They're all-ways trying to run you over." ~ L. Ron Hubbard

Johnny_Rotten wrote:

I have been attending church regularly all year and let me tell you, the things that are said as gospel in there are as bat shit crazy as anything scientologists could ever dream to come up with.

I endured something similar when I first moved back here and whether she knew it or not, George helped me see the light. Still have that exchange here somewhere.

It's all bunk, Johnny, every last bleeding word of it... marching as to war.

Further!

With creationism and intelligent design proponents like the Discovery Institute and Ken Hamm trying to force their ideologies on everyone, Christianity has turned extremely dangerous.  The Texas school system is their latest target and they are winning many battles there.  They knowingly do whatever they can to destroy critical thinking skills and knowledge of the scientific method, dumbing down as many people as they can in the process.  These people are setting our society back decades of scientific progress and no matter how much they are exposed to be frauds they never seem to lose their reputations.  Scientology has its share of morons that choose to believe their comic book ideologies, but they aren't a major threat to a free thinking society like Chistianity and Islam are.  I'm all for letting people believe whatever it is they want to believe until they become a threat to a free society.  The major religions have been and remain a threat.

choad wrote:

whether she knew it or not, George helped me see the light.

I didn't know it, and can't guess what exchange you are referring to; but I am delighted to have been of service.  Today's been one of the shittier days in recent memory* so it was nice to have a little light peep in.

*Nobody died or anything.  It'll be OK in the long run.