Scientology IS a religion

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I for one am getting sick of all these religious exceptionalists who like to pretend that there's some sort of deep distinction between a "true religion" and a "racket". Almost all religions had cultish elements in their origins - Jesus Christ believed in the immediate end of the world and told his followers to hate their families and give up all their possessions, for instance.

Scientology resembles numerous nascent religions and I'm sure a few hundred years in the future (if civilization is still intact) people will be developing a hagiographic history of scientology, emphasizing the "humane" elements of it and scorning the "literalism" of some of its future followers in favour of a "liberal or living" interpretation of the texts that take "the times into account". All the BS that occurs in contemporary theology, in short.

So, why would Jesus tell his disciples that not even He knows the day or the hour, but that it would be as a thief in the night? That it will be when people are all saying "peace and safety" and "where is the promise of His coming". And the hating family part is not a command to hate, but that of prioritization if you actually consider the passage in context rather than a snippet of a phrase alone.

A religion is just a cult with more people in it.

I see the argument you want to make that Christians, Muslims, whatever believe in weird stuff too but the weird stuff isn't why Scientology isn't a religion. Most Scientologists don't even think of it as a real religion, that's why they say it's compatible Christianity or whatever else. It's like a weird self help sorta thing that they pay for. it's straight up a business. Members get paid 10% commission for bringing in new members.The only reason it's regarded as a religion is for tax reasons.

Various religions give a congregational member increased social capital for recruiting new members. How come when it suddenly becomes monetary capital you consider it illegitimate?

Are you some type of anti-money socialist?! !

I feel sorry for you. You should do biblical research before espousing such beliefs.

All religion that takes money is a racket.

No, it is therapy.

Any religion that isn't at least 2,011 years old is a cult.

(with apologies to Tony Kushner)

What about Islam?

Well...

All that is required is that the cult outlive its founder.

Judaism, for example, happened because the monotheistic cult of Abraham outlived not only its founder but several generations of his sons.

ruveyn

Technically, a religion has to have a system of worship, which Scientology does not. That's why it isn't registered as a religion officially in the UK AFAIK.

"MAKE MONEY. MAKE MORE MONEY. MAKE OTHER PEOPLE PRODUCE SO AS TO MAKE MORE MONEY." - L. Ron Hubbard, Hubbard Communications Office Policy Letter, 9 March 1972, MS OEC 384

"Then Jesus said to his disciples, 'I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven." -- Matthew 19:23

"There are only two answers for the handling of people from 2.0 down on the Tone Scale, neither one of which has anything to do with reasoning with them or listening to their justification of their acts. The first is to raise them on the Tone Scale by un-enturbulating some of their theta by any one of the three valid processes. The other is to dispose of them quietly and without sorrow." - L. Ron Hubbard, SCIENCE OF SURVIVAL, p. 170

"But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners." -- Jesus, Matthew 9:13

See the difference?


Really?


I doubt that there is enough good in scientology to make anything resembling a respectable religion. If I were wrong, and they actually did make a respectable religion out of it, I could respect such a thing, but it would no longer be scientology in the current sense.

That makes Christianity a racket then. Think of the "collection plate".

Religion - a system of worship that has general acceptance and political power
Cult - a system of worship that doesn't have those things
Some religions are just set up more wisely than others - more integrated in the society they're placed, provide for longevity, a solid power structure - others don't so they die off - very much like businesses. Scientology seems like the kind that appeals to people who have too much money and time on their hands and too little intelligence to put those to good use.