BBC Panorama on Scientology

[Tao_Equus]

In this program BBC reporter John Sweeny tries to do an investigation into scientology on top of its push to be recognised as a religion in the UK.

Well he has no trouble finding them, quite the opposite in fact, everywhere he goes they have an uncanny habit of popping up. This one member of this cult, Tommy Davis, acts like he has seen 'the matrix' one too many times and I am sure he even now uses 'sleep tutorials' to learn ninjitsu. Crazy crazy stuff!!

You can watch the whole show (for a week I think) here:

BBC NEWS | Programmes | Panorama

It also contains links to Scientologists rebuff to the program. They are even more disturbing.

[17th Angel]

Here is also a thread aboot that...

lmfao....

[bananabrain]

i saw it last night. fascinating stuff. what scary, scary, scary people. and so clever. they’ve really thought this out well, they’ve covered every angle - it has such a perfectly *designed* look and feel to it. i’d almost admire them if they weren’t so scary. the bbc guy was clearly out of his depth, although the chap he interviewed on the roof during which the chief chappie arrived with the guy’s police record to rubbish him looked quite amused by the technique, which i suppose he must be used to by now. i was quite surprised when the chap gave him the “freedom of religion guaranteed by the constitution, you are insulting my faith” rant he didn’t answer with the “freedom of speech and therefore to insult religion if i see fit is also guaranteed by the constitution, this is a private meeting”. a particularly interesting bit was when all the celebrities (trained actors, remember) denied the stuff about xenu, the evil intergalactic warlord, hur hur hur. a perfect example of another lifted techique - inner “hidden” doctrines protected by professionally trained experts in taqqiyah, if that’s the word. and a particularly scary bit was when the bbc team were all hiding in the bathroom in order to get some privacy, with the scary chap yelling at them “you all right in there?” every five seconds. textbook brainwashing techniques and unbelievably aggressive. i personally recommend people watch the episode of “south park” which made isaac hayes leave the show. how terribly, terribly funny. that’s really the only thing you can do with these people other than avoid them like the plague. and listen to the song “a token of my extreme” on the frank zappa album “joe’s garage”.

b’shalom

bananabrain

[17th Angel]

All south parks that joke and poke at all religions are fun.. Specially the Mormon episode... The scientology one isn't tooooooo bad I MISSED THE SHOW! I had to go to my mothers and introduce her to a thing called ther intranet..... or something.... Something about surfing... They going to show the show again?

What I don't get... From my understanding, the scientologist... Or whatever you call them peoples.... He got upset cause they said it wasn't a religion? Didn't eerrr L ron "I am all there" Hubbard say himself it wasn't a religion? And also didn't he say the best way to make money is create a religion..... ;/

[Tao_Equus]

Yeh he did. The story goes he invented the religion for a bet.

I think the people of London should be asking for an inquiry into why this cult has been given special discounts and priveliges.

I'm now waiting for the knock at the door

[Vajradhara]

Namaste all,

here's two interesting links for those that are curious:

Scientology's Salman Rushdie

Gerry Armstrong--

Lisa McPherson Memorial Page: killed by the Church of Scientology



metta,

~v

[Dondi]

Good night! I though ex-JWs had it rough. Is this kind of persecution and harrassment real? In America? Where is our freedom of speech? Could this type of thing happen in other organizations?

[Postmaster]

Although Scientology is not my cup of tea, I think the only thing it's useful for is showing that it's possible that every religion in the world works in the same mechanistic way, scary thought.

[17th Angel]

Originally Posted by Dondi

Good night! I though ex-JWs had it rough.

*blink* *blink*

How so?

[bananabrain]

Originally Posted by Postmaster

Although Scientology is not my cup of tea, I think the only thing it's useful for is showing that it's possible that every religion in the world works in the same mechanistic way, scary thought.

it's a cynic's view of religion. it's religion as richard dawkins would understand it - unfortunately it is also an example of how brilliantly a religion can be run as a business; if it were a supermarket, it would be very, very successful, but very unpopular. it's a very centralised, mechanistic organisation, true, but you can hardly compare that to "every religion in the world" - not all religions are centralised, nor are all religions so rigidly conformist. certainly judaism, islam and christianity aren't, to say nothing of judaism. certain sects within them may be, which may be your point, but that's not the same thing as "every religion in the world". i can imagine, say, ex-members of a chasidic sect or the yeshiva world getting intimidated and refused service, but there would still always be other communities and streams who would welcome them without punishing them for "deviance". nor would they be pursued and persecutd in the same way for leaving the "fold".

b'shalom

bananabrain

[Postmaster]

Originally Posted by bananabrain

it's a cynic's view of religion. it's religion as richard dawkins would understand it - unfortunately it is also an example of how brilliantly a religion can be run as a business; if it were a supermarket, it would be very, very successful, but very unpopular. it's a very centralised, mechanistic organisation, true, but you can hardly compare that to "every religion in the world" - not all religions are centralised, nor are all religions so rigidly conformist. certainly judaism, islam and christianity aren't, to say nothing of judaism. certain sects within them may be, which may be your point, but that's not the same thing as "every religion in the world". i can imagine, say, ex-members of a chasidic sect or the yeshiva world getting intimidated and refused service, but there would still always be other communities and streams who would welcome them without punishing them for "deviance". nor would they be pursued and persecutd in the same way for leaving the "fold".

b'shalom

bananabrain

Ah Bananabrain... don't mistake me as a Cynic, some of mankind’s greatest ideas and developments have come from this mechanism. Absorbing ideas and culture is what makes us human. I'm not disputing what is divine, or what is a good or bad religion, I'm just saying that there is a mechanism (a capcity for religion) and afraid to say that even mainstream religions have and do use this loophole in the mind to feed poison and take advantage of people.

[17th Angel]

Hey kids!

Take the scientology test and see how depressed you really are...

Personality test - Church of Scientology=

Ah You have to go to one of their "churches" to pick up your results.... Screw that.... Some of those questions are so freaking stupid....


182. Do people criticize you to others?

HOW THE HELL! DO I KNOW!?

And do people think this about you and think that about you and this and that... ASK THEM!

Also one like Do you criticize films/books/shows you watch...

Oh no not poor lil me... I have no personal opinion, I just watch it and then that's it....

[Dondi]

Originally Posted by 17th Angel

*blink* *blink*

How so?

Is it not generally true that when a member leaves the Watchtower Organization they are ostracized by their family? Are there not concerted efforts to get the ex-JW back into the organization?

[Dondi]

Originally Posted by 17th Angel

Hey kids!

Take the scientology test and see how depressed you really are...

Personality test - Church of Scientology=

Ah You have to go to one of their "churches" to pick up your results.... Screw that.... Some of those questions are so freaking stupid....

No thanks, I'll pass. I don't feel like feeding all my personal information to an organization that keeps such close tabs on their members.

[17th Angel]

Originally Posted by Dondi

Is it not generally true that when a member leaves the Watchtower Organization they are ostracized by their family? Are there not concerted efforts to get the ex-JW back into the organization?

I see what you are saying... I would say it is -harder- for an ex-JW when his family(household) is also JW's..... That can indeed be a hard time... I'm sorry I was looking at it from my experience where I was the only one of my family that was a JW... The most you will find is this "shame on you" gentle pressure being placed on your head.... And indeed in some cases their have been break ups of marriages/families.... in that situation... I guess I was lucky then that my family was not JW's... I also am not that social... I was a JW for god... Not for the JW's.... I do not mingle and make friends... BUT! If I was that sort of person I guess that could have been harder... As I then wouldn't be able to talk to my friends anymore... The only contact I would have would be an Elder coming for say a monthly check up to see If I had realised the error of my ways... I find there is a lack of pressure or presence, they do not even knock on my door when they are going door to door.. Infact they kind of avoid my area... My neighbours are not bothered either by them.... It's good.

Originally Posted by Dondi

No thanks, I'll pass. I don't feel like feeding all my personal information to an organization that keeps such close tabs on their members.

Fair enough, perhaps a wise choice there are over 200 questions and most cannot be answered yes, no or maybe... The questions are to bland and there can be a series of yes or no answers to them....

Such as one was (not word for word); Would you bother someone when they are trying to finnish the last answer on a crossword?

Yes or no?

Well urm... Is it to ask them what they are doing? Then no....

Is it to tell them their grandmother is on fire? Then yes....