Clearwater’s Cult: Scientology“There is a cancer at the core of Scientology and that has notchanged.”(Childs, 2009) That was an editorial quote from the Truth Rundown, St.Petersburg Times series. The Church of Scientology is protected in the US by the 1
st
amendment giving them the legal immunity they need to be considered a religion,but Scientology should not be considered a religion because Scientology is adangerous cult designed to scam people out of their money and break up families. The Definition of a religion is a specific fundamental set of beliefs andpractices generally agreed upon by a number of persons. The term “Religion” canbe used when referring to the individual or group practices and goes by severaldifferent names, such as “faith” or “belief system”. As Americans citizens canbelieve in what they want to believe in and this is how Scientology was formed andprotected under the first amendment. The first amendment states “Congress shallmake no laws respecting the establishment of religion.” This grants a new religionthe legal immunity to create and establish their set of beliefs. (Convention, 2008)“If you want to make a little money, write a book. If you want to make a lot of money, create a religion,” that was a quote from the founder of Scientology L. RonHubbard. Scientology should not be considered a religion because Scientology is ascam designed to take money from innocent families. Scientology is not designedfor the financially weak, with costs ranging from $16.95 for the
Dianetics
handbook,to $220,000 required donation to take a two-year, 16-course upper-level trainingprogram called the Saint Hill Special Briefing Course. Another example of whyScientology should not be considered a religion is the cost per week to take theirbeginning auditing sessions on Dianetics through the church. The cost of a week of beginning auditing sessions comes with a price tag of $200 (Tobin, 2009) The most important reason Scientology should not be considered a religion isbecause Scientology is a dangerous cult. According to the Scientology doctrine,people who criticize the Church of Scientology practices or policy are criminals.Critics of these policies, former members, or people in the church who fall out of favor with the church are declared “Suppressive Persons” (SP). The following is anexcerpt regarding SPs from
HUBBARD COMMUNICATIONS OFFICE POLIC LETTER-October 18, 1967ENEMYSP Order. Fair game. May be deprived of property or injured by any means by any Scientologist without any discipline of the Scientologist. May betricked, sued or lied to or destroyed.LRH:jpCopyright ©1967by L. Ron Hubbard
Leave a Comment