Scientology

Disclaimer: I am not preaching to be a certain kind of religion nor am I slashing the religions that I am researching. I am seeking to understand. I am searching for my own path.

There are some out there that say Scientology may be a mind control cult, a anti-Christ movement, or even foolish. On lookers who may see websites usually have the same response "oh my gosh, how can they believe this?" or even "how can people fall for this?" Although, that may be said about your religion as well. I gathered some facts and figures that I thought was interesting. Maybe this will help you as well debunk some thoughts and ideas you had about Scientology.

We all have heard about Tom Cruise being a scientologist, but what is it exactly. There are many speculations, but I want to find out more.
The Scientology religion is an expanding new religion, founded by American author and humanitarian L. Ron Hubbard. The word Scientology means the "study of knowledge or truth" and addresses the rehabilitation and salvation of the human spirit. According to Scientology, the individual is not a body but a spirit. However there have been so many different concepts of the term soul through the ages that a new term was needed. The term chosen by Mr. Hubbard was "thetan" from the Greek letter theta, the traditional symbol for thought and life. The thetan is the person himself, not his body, his name, the physical universe or anything else. It is that which is aware of being aware; the identity that IS the individual.

According to a Scientology website: http://www.religioustolerance.org/
"Today its more than 6,000 churches, missions, related organizations, groups and activities span the globe and minister the religion to more than eight million people in 159 countries in over 66 languages."
Additionally, Churches of Scientology support more than a thousand social betterment groups, which utilize L. Ron Hubbard's methods in the fields of education, drug and criminal rehabilitation, and moral rejuvenation.
The total number of Scientologists in the world is extremely difficult to estimate, for a variety of reasons. Estimates range from 100 thousand to 10 million.
The Church has expanded more in the last five years than in the preceding fifty. In the last year alone, new Scientology groups, missions and churches have opened at the rate of three per day.

This same website also stated this:

Scientology directly addresses an individuals spiritual nature with answers to the age-old questions — Who am I? What do I consist of? Where do I come from? Where am I going? This spiritual enlightenment leads to personal understanding of oneself, others and one’s relationship to the Universe.

This last part really made me think. We all ask these questions to ourselves. I like this aspect of Scientology. Overall, the power of the mind is phenomenal I will not deny that. Dianetics, which Hubbard (who founded Scientology) also coined is the power of the mind to overcome any pain, unwanted sensations and unwanted emotions. Most of us take for granted how powerful our mind truly is.

Scientology also has triangles that are very similar to YIN-YANG. The three corners of the triangles represent Affinity, Reality and communication. The main concept is that if one side of the triangle goes down the other must go up. This is a balance. Same with Yin and Yang its a balance of summer and winter, or shade and sun.

Like most of us, we attend church or some kind religious practices once or twice a week. However, with Scientology they have something called AUDITING. Which is where a counselor actually audits you with a machine to see where there is spirituality stress. A serious of questions is asked from the counselor to the audited to see what trips the machine from your brain waves. I can understand that, but I am literally shaking in my boots knowing that someone could actually be in my brain like that.

Something i did find interesting... Is that many Scientologist may actually deny when being asked if they are a scientologist. Some may still follow another religion on top of being a scientologist. That is interesting to me that we can possibly be 2 religions. I feel as if that is a double standard or an oxymoron. Weird but interesting.
there is also a blurb saying how Muslims,Jews and other religions actually use Scientology without really knowing it.

Overall, what it comes down to is that this so called religion is so new- As of the 90s it was more publicized than before. This religion is definitely a new age kind of thing. The Church of Scientology is capable of uniting two people in marriage which has just happened in the last 10 years. This religion is something that most people are not open to. It really goes into the deep dark holes of your life leading to heal and move forward towards a 'higher being' if you will. Once you have reached your goals you are more likely to move onto helping someone else and its goes into the domino effect. Don't get me wrong the people of the Church have worked very hard to get where they are today. and yes, there is still attacks from the Anti-Cult Groups which they fight. All over the world Scientology is being newly recognized as a religion and it continues to do so.

Much of this information was found at http://www.xenu.net/- a website that battles this enormous controversy called Scientology.