Scientology- Cult or Religion?

Scientology- an interesting concept. Endorsed by once respected celebrities such as Tom Cruise and John Travolta, this Religion has become a source of controversy across the globe. Personally, I think it's an absolute joke. Although my personal opinion may come on a little strong, you may find that I am not the only one who thinks so. My website this week is the official Scientology website, but it gives us an insight into one of the most news worthy Religion's in the United States today.



http://www.scientology.org/



Founded by Science Fiction writer L. Ron Hubbard, Scientology was established in 1953. It was basically considered to be a new form of psychotherapy as a technique known as Auditing was used to help council individuals. Auditing in lamens terms is digging up your traumatic memories of the past in order to be released from the damage to your life that it has caused. Often mocked for it's outrageous claims that psychiatry kills and that we have little alien spirits living inside us, it is sometimes debated as to whether this is a real Religion. Seen as a cult, some considerable donations have to be made should you become a member of this 'church' and it is well know that the more advanced in the the church you are, the more privy you are to the secrets that are unknown to the lower levels. Across the website it emphasizes happiness and what you have to do to achieve it, but without giving you any concrete information, it plays you videos with some relaxing spa like music and soothing images....it's almost hypnotic.



Now if this isn't ringing alarm bells with you, I'm not sure what will! If you were to compare this to Christianity, I suppose you could say that the closer you are to God and the Messiah, the more secrets are unlocked from the Bible. Now doesn't that sound a little strange to you?! It seems to me that only in America would you find a a Religion like this. Freedom to worship who and what you want, which I suppose is what faith is all about. Just because I think it's wrong, doesn't make it so. Atheist's don't believe in anything, but it doesn't make them wrong. I suppose America is more prone to producing gimmicky things like this and you start to associate the country and it's citizens with the weird and wonderful. I think Scientology is a great representation of America. It's become the new Kabbalah thanks to all the celebrities and all the news stories. It embodies how anything is possible and in the land of opportunity, almost anything can be successful. Even an alien cult that made Tom Cruise do this.....