Scientology - and the rich and famous

[naomi24]

What draws highly successful, and apparently rational, people like Tom Cruise and John Travolta to Scientology?

[Goonermatt]

Rational? Nope.

Nuts? Totally.

[flip_flop]

Despite the beliefs of scientologists being completely nuts, I think it is fair to say that people who believe a virgin giving birth to the son of god who he sent to earth to die for our sins, and then rose three days later ascend to heaven, are equally nuts.

The only difference between one form of nuttery and the other is 2000 years.

[beso]

The leaders of Scientology claimed that there were "many tens of thousands if not hundreds of thousands" of Scientologists in Australia.

However we just had a census. 2100 (0.01 %) is the official figure. They are vastly outnumbered by Wiccans and even more so by Jedi's (65,000).

[sir.prize]

Ironic that Tiny Tom encouraged Katie to change religions and join the Scientologists. Now that exact 'organisation' is the cause of failure of his third marriage.
But who are we to criticise? He is his own destroyer. Thicko!

[chakka35]

Yes, naomi, I agree with the general view that the words 'apparently rational' were unjustified. The origins of Scientology are laughable.

[keyplus90]

Same thing that draws few highly intelligent and rational people to atheism, or any other religion. AKA search for the truth and inner peace. And it is good sign that person is still thinking.

Because lack of knowledge is not as dangerous as believing that I know about everything is. And I think Stephen Hawking once said something like that. If not then I am sure I would be corrected by someone who knows better than I do.

[beso]

Belief in religious myths is not a sign that a person is thinking but quite the opposite.

[naomi24]

Keyplus, once again, Atheism is not a religion, and Atheists are not searching for anything in a spiritual sense.

//Because lack of knowledge is not as dangerous as believing that I know about everything is. And I think Stephen Hawking once said something like that. If not then I am sure I would be corrected by someone who knows better than I do.//

Perhaps you mean me – and perhaps you mean this:

“The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance, it is the illusion of knowledge”.... Stephen Hawking

You are your own worst enemy.

[TOWIE]

Everytime I see this mentioned in the press I think of Stepford Wives {:o(

[emmie]

everytime i see them i think crikey or words to that effect, me give them all that money, i should coco

[mikey4444]

Because they have lots of money, which is the real reason Scientology exists !

If we ignore them, they will just go away.

[jomifl]

L. Ron Hubbard, the founder of scientology and very bad science fiction writer admitted to inventing scientology as he thought there were enough gullible fools that he would get a decent income and not have to write novels any more. He wasn't wrong. This is a beautiful example of how once people commit themselves to a belief they go into a state of denial of the truth even when the events that led to the 'religion' are within living memory. Now that it is run by a bunch of greedy gangsters there is no holding it back other than the limited supply of rich fools (who are easily parted from their money)

[Canary42]

Let's face it, Hollywood Celebs hardly get there through intellectual merit, so are easy prey for unscrupulous manipulators.

[mibn2cweus]

//↑ It actually gives religion *a* bad name...//

And science. 'Scientology' . . . blastfamous!

[keyplus90]

How would you describe illusion of knowledge then Naomi?

////You are your own worst enemy./////

I never thought about that. I always thought that I never had an enemy.

By the way congratulations. Few of the people you believe in has found something they are calling “god particle”. Although I would rather call it God’s particle as he created it. However one step closer in believing God.

[jomifl]

Keyplus, To save Naomi the trouble of replying, religion is the illusion of knowledge. I'm surprised that you didn't know that.