Ugh. Cruise uses learning disablily to recruit for Scientology....

[anti_shrub]

I saw this on imdb.com, he's claiming his learning problems were helped by L. Ron Hubbard's studies which is a crock since everything the man touched is a fraud. The idea that parents of children with LD might see this and thing Scientology and its cult of brainwashing could help their kids is sickening.

[thermodynamic]

1. Tom Cruise, the overpaid hype who thinks he's a good actor?!

I think that's suspect as well.

Isn't Scientology a cult?

[anti_shrub]

3. Yes to both questions

www.xenu.net has the scoop on how bad it can get. A while back I was researching religions for a personal project and the more I dug up on Scientology the more cultish it became.

[Az]

6. James Randi was speaking at a anticult convention

They had invited him due to his work on helping debunk some cults. After his speech he had a question and answer period. Someone asked him how he differentiated a cult from a religion. His reply was "I don't".

How do you differentiate between a cult and a religion?

[anti_shrub]

7. I don't differentiate either

but it seems that once something has over a million believers it crosses the line from cult to religion.

[Az]

10. Cults and religions

Its an interesting mix. I am not sure this is the right venue to discuss such matters but it is interesting how society treats cults. The opinion of the matter is swayed by ones point of view.

Fortunately or unfortunately (depending on point of view) one must treat cults as religions (particularly if they have filed the proper papers). There is both good and bad within freedom of religion. But it is a tricky balance.

[mitchum]

8. Tax-exempt status

[laconicsax]

15. The Xtians I know

See Mormonism as a cult, whereas I see it as a religion. Their attitude is since the parts of the Mormon religion dealing with death and the afterlife are bizarre to them, then it's a cult.

To me, the difference is only in connotation. A religion is a group of people who share the same or very similar set of beliefs dealing with spirituality and existence (religious beliefs). A cult is a group of people with the same or similar religious beliefs.

In connotation, Religion=Good, Cult=Bad. That's really the only difference that I see.

[MoonGod]

17. I've heard some things about LDS...

... that sound very cult-like. And I'm not referring to bizarre belief systems or anything else. I'm talking about cases where people were placed under significant duress over a decision to leave the LDS church. Also instances where relationships were ended or strained because one person was Mormon and the other wasn't.

I can't claim to have enough information about the LDS church to know whether or not it is a cult, but there is certainly more evidence to support that possibility than a few unusual beliefs. Either way, I don't like the church, although many of its members seem like fine people to me.

As far as the original question goes. To me cults and religions are neither mutual exclusive or inclusive. Something can be one or the other, or both, or neither.

The defining characteristic of a cult to me is that it essentially removes you from any support structure that exists outside of the cult (family, friends, etc.) and makes you dependent upon people that are also in the cult or the cult itself. Various religions or religious organizations may or may not do this.

[Rhiannon12866]

12. Of course it's a cult

They will stop at nothing to recruit new members who can generate additional income for them. I just don't understand the allure for members like Cruise or John Travolta. I always thought that cults were the refuge for the unintelligent or the desperately lonely. I had a friend who hooked up with the Scientologists in California. He ended up committing suicide at 26. I believe that such groups should be outlawed, but they do have a lot of power. I read that Travolta blackmailed Bill Clinton into blocking anti-Scientologist legislation by agreeing to play him sympathetically in ``Primary Colors.'' These people are pure evil, as far as I can tell.
:scared:

[Az]

13. The hook

First contact with a Scientology group typically comes from a set of personality tests. These will of course indicate that you need to consider one of their communication classes. It does not start out nutty sounding and in fact the first classes are little more than selfconfidence building classes. But that is the name of the game. A con game sells you confidence. One you are hooked on it they have to continue to set the hook. Eventually it gets a bit nutty (aliens blowing up people to solve a population crisis). But by that time you are so far into it that you usually cannot tell the difference anymore.

Individuals like Travolta and Cruise are on a different path. Scientology needs populist appeal that star lend. So they do not pull Hollywood types in as far. They keep them tracked on the selfconfidence programs and away from things like SeaOrg.

Check out www.xenu.com for more info.

[Rhiannon12866]

14. Thank you. I will pass this on to someone who also mourns the death

of our mutual friend, a very bright and talented young guy.

I was stunned by this, since I cannot see the attraction of cults. When I was in college, Hare Krishna visited my campus. I bought a paperback from this one young kid, because I felt sorry for him, and sent it to my grandmother, who was eternally curious. This was a fairly elite school and no one would give these folks the time of day.

Thanks for the explanation. I just had no clue what would attract anyone to a group like this.:shrug:

[mitchum]

2. More likely that the Scientologists used Cruise's learning disability

to recruit him.

Also: Kirstie Alley credits Scientology with kicking her cocaine problem. Odd that they can't help her with that overeating problem...

[anti_shrub]

4. I'm not sure about her cocaine problem either.... n/t

[roguevalley]

5. I remember a story I read, some investigative reporter

in Florida who learned that they tell EVERYTHING they
ever did and it tends to keep them in the group. Especially
the big timers. It has always be hinted that Tom Cruise
told them he's gay and now he's stuck.

Interesting buncha people. They are responsible for bilking
people and are said to have killed a lady in Florida. But
that was a long time ago and I'm hazy on details.

[soleft]

9. How do you know she has an over eating problem

Many people gain weight as they grow older and it has nothing to do with what they eat.

[mitchum]

11. Growing older generally encompasses a longer period of time

than 9-10 months. It was reported that this was a major concern of the producers and network during her wretched sitcom.

[sam sarrha]

16. i met some sci'ntals with a friend 20 yrs ago

they wanted to give us a training, i was investigating Rebirth America at the time, so my friend took them to check out..we were from a thousand miles away visiting his father he hadnt seen in 16 yrs, he gave them a false name and address, 3 days later he got a letter at his fathers house addresed to his actual name, ....they taught him to astral project, but didnt tell him what was going on..IMMEDIATLY afterwards when he was still really excited and shocked they wanted him to sign a hard and fast contract for SEVERAL thousand dollars and showed him a list of 'important impressive' people who were members, but each rung up the ladder costs a lot in training. i have heard people got into debt to them REALLY deep, really quick!!