Is Scientology a religion or cult? Well I believe it is the worst aspects of both, with strange doctrine and nearly fanatical followers it definitely crosses the lines on both sides.
It seems to be based on the ideals of one man; L. Ron Hubbard. L .Ron Hubbard was an accomplished science fiction writer, adventurer, and explorer; at least that's what is written about him on the back of many of his novels. I am familiar with his writings but not on his adventuring and to my knowledge there is no discernible proof to back up the claims of his publishers.
However, he was a talented writer with a Hugo award and credited with one of the most read and respected science fiction novels of modern times, Battlefield Earth. An epic that I read a few times and thoroughly enjoyed on each occasion. All that aside, I must ask how that qualified him to become a religious founder? Great writer of a wonderful book? Yes. New messiah? I am afraid not. I feel he may have been guilty of believing his own press to the point of becoming totally enamored of himself.
In Battlefield Earth he gave an idea of his belief system during the rebuilding of human society near the end. However, with the novel Dianetics he laid the foundation for Scientology and began to formulate his religion. I don't believe he was the first to do so, nor sadly will he be the last, but the fact he just out of the blue deemed himself able to create an entire religion out of his own mind tells me how much he thought of himself.
We are talking about a guy who wore a cravat in 1984. That's right a cravat, one of those handkerchiefs worn by literary types of old. Sorry but that's just like getting a painting done of yourself in a Napoleon-like pose. He might as well have changed his name to a ridiculous unpronounceable symbol or something ("The writer formerly known as L. Ron Hubbard").
It seems to be based on the ideals of one man; L. Ron Hubbard. L .Ron Hubbard was an accomplished science fiction writer, adventurer, and explorer; at least that's what is written about him on the back of many of his novels. I am familiar with his writings but not on his adventuring and to my knowledge there is no discernible proof to back up the claims of his publishers.
However, he was a talented writer with a Hugo award and credited with one of the most read and respected science fiction novels of modern times, Battlefield Earth. An epic that I read a few times and thoroughly enjoyed on each occasion. All that aside, I must ask how that qualified him to become a religious founder? Great writer of a wonderful book? Yes. New messiah? I am afraid not. I feel he may have been guilty of believing his own press to the point of becoming totally enamored of himself.
In Battlefield Earth he gave an idea of his belief system during the rebuilding of human society near the end. However, with the novel Dianetics he laid the foundation for Scientology and began to formulate his religion. I don't believe he was the first to do so, nor sadly will he be the last, but the fact he just out of the blue deemed himself able to create an entire religion out of his own mind tells me how much he thought of himself.
We are talking about a guy who wore a cravat in 1984. That's right a cravat, one of those handkerchiefs worn by literary types of old. Sorry but that's just like getting a painting done of yourself in a Napoleon-like pose. He might as well have changed his name to a ridiculous unpronounceable symbol or something ("The writer formerly known as L. Ron Hubbard").
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