scientology
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- scarabin
any scientologists here?
know anyone personally?
- brooke0
I would like to know why people 'need' religion. (I am geniunely curious - not being critical.)
- brooke0
Religion = religious structure
- emokid0
it gives people a purpose.
- scarabin0
i think that beyond purpose, it gives people a sense of belonging, a vital human need.
- brooke0
But -
For example, I find purpose in what I do every day, in my job, in how I interact with people around me, in how I treat people, in my family, etc.
Why religion?
- scarabin0
...and beyond that, people need to have some sort of [belief] system in place in order to 'understand' the world around them.
- emokid0
what scarabin said. and the purpose i mention is not a worldly purpose like making a pretty logo. the purpose associated with religion is for the afterlife and eternity.
- scarabin0
just for the record, i don't care either way, and have no interest in religion outside personal curiousity.
over the years i have developed my own way of understanding the world.
i'm just really curious about scientology lately.
so nobody knows any scientology initiates here?
- pepe0
I know a few here in LA. I dont disagree with certain points, but the area relating to aliens and such seems far fetched.
- Point50
I agree with everything everyone asid in this thread. It seems to me that religion is an just another option of answers for people not willing to accept answers provided by other beliefs or sciences. Where do we come from? Why do people die? etc., etc.... All that "need to to know" + answers + a large support group = religion.
my opinion. I'm not a tad bit religious, so I'm looking from the outside in.
- Point50
...but the area relating to aliens and such seems far fetched.
pepe
(Jul 2 05, 12:42)
----------------I've never read one thing about scientology; what does it say about aliens?
- scarabin0
this is my understanding so far...
scientologists assert that 75 million years ago an alien warlord named xenu rounded up the inhabitants of several planets and killed them. he then transported the bodies to earth, where he triggered a series of cataclysmic volcano eruptions which buried the souls of some of them [called 'thetans'] into the bodies of man. these thetans were once all-powerful, but have become so bogged down by the material world that they have lost their abilities. they say thetans are in every one of us, and that by a series of counseling-style sessions called 'audits' performed by a higher ranking member, one can rid himself of these problems and issues that have suppressed us. these are called 'engrams' and are basically bad associations people have with things that make them fear and hate. the initiate seeks to regain his thetan abilities and gain the state of 'clear'.
- Rand0
discipler?
- scarabin0
...which at first seems like bullshit, but when you think about it so does christianity. we're just more used to hearing the mythology of christianity because it's been around longer.
- Rand0
maybe some metaphorical truth within the bullshit
- ScottTheRobot0
religion is all too poorly represented these days
it should be all about self-denial - humbling yourself and realizing your lowliness in the scheme of things. there is a lot of peace and good that comes out of that.
- 3rr0r4040
We need religion to have a structure in life. To have a "way" of life that we can emulate... that we see as perfect. We take those lives and name them our Prophets...
A religion also defines wat is right or wrong. It was basically the law enforcement system when there wasnt such a thing. Within a historical context it all makes sense.
- scarabin0
um... that seems like a pretty horrible existence to me.
- scarabin0
[in response to scotttherobot]
- PonyBoy0
Enter response:
how about something so simple as prophecy and truth? My reason for my religion is that it's the truth to me. It's the truth about how we were created, why were put on this earth, why we suffer, why we continue to be faithful even though we suffer... and most importantly to my physical existense - a hope for the future.
I don't need to connect to a God - but I desire to be close and have an understanding of the one who created me. For me - it's a simple desire to worship the one whom gave me life... and who eventually will give me eternal life.