Should Scientology Be Banned?

I don't know what it is exactly?

 

Wiki link

 

Yeah you're right... I hate anyone who is not like me!! :tongue:

I know you are are not saying ALL Christians, but most is still pretty big and to be fair I'm sure you haven't personally spoken to most Christians to find out what their beliefs are.

Churches vary just as people and.... yes Chrsitians do. I have spoken to many Christians and vicars about sexuality issues for one and I found that they didn't say I was going to hell or get out the holy water and start exorcisms, they actually said that it is ok.

But I agree that there are many churches that stick very closely to the bible will not like any belief or activity that deviates from it, but it's not all christians and I don't like it when generalisations take hold and cover everyone under a religion umbrella.

But anyway back to the topic....... I don't think I can say whether or not something should be banned without having first experienced it. It's like saying ban this or that, I have never tried it but I have heard it's not that good!

 

i think if you look, moonbeam i said MOST will NOT hurt you. but that there are SOME that will.


.... and just for benefit of where i come from again - i've been in churches since i was born until i was about 21. i think my family and i have belonged to about 12 different churches, my mom still works as a church secretary and is activly involved in her own church.

not to mention the fact that when i was in 5th grade onwards i was taught at home and for 'group classes' we spent loads of time with people that were very 'legalistic' Christians (ie girls could only wear skirts down to their ankles).

then i went on to a Christian college for a year before i had a nervous breakdown due to stress.

so yeah, i've talked personally to hundreds and hundreds of Christians.

 

Christianity and people acting in the name of Christianity have been directly and indirectly responsible for more deaths than Scientology. By a factor of millions. Whilst I'm sure some people take comfort from their religion, and whilst I accept, appreciate and applaud acts of Christian inspired charity, in terms of overall impact, Christianity has been a much wider and much more negative social force....

 

I don't understand why people, in general, who don't believe in God love to criticise religion. If you don't believe in God fine but why keep going on about how detrimental, bad and wrong it might be? If it is something that is harming people then of course something needs to be spoken about, but in general Christianity, for one, is a peaceful loving religion. Yes there are extreme members, which are likely to be found in all religions, but surprisingly they are not the majority.

I don't like preaching about what I believe and I guess I don't like always seeing people go on about how they have a better life with no religion, or how faith is damaging or stupid.

I'm not saying this in response to a specific reply, but has been something that people keep going on at me about in the past few months.

 

same!! It bugs me. Religon really helps sometimes...

 

I criticise religion because it is a totalising system of belief that offers answers to fundamental questions and governs ideology, much like a political party. Just as I criticise political parties where I disagree with them, I criticise religions where I disagree with them. Just as I hope science will seek to prove the answers it offers, I challenge religions to do the same and criticise them where they fail to do so. You believe in God. I accept that. People have the right to believe in what they want. But they do not have the right not to have their beliefs challenged. Indeed I like having my own opinions challenged. It helps me to hone, refine and re-define them. It would be a very sad world indeed where people just accepted one another's beliefs without criticising them....

 

That would be the old opium of the masses argument. The promise of salvation, of a better afterlife, of Heaven, is often a powerful influence in people accepting their lot in life and not struggling for change. That's not always the case. Liberation theology in Latin America has contributed directly to social struggles for the poor. But at it's most conservative, religion has frequently been used to benefit the rich and keep the poor in line....

 

You say that, but what would you do if I came round and began preaching at you about God and how you should believe in him? You have the right to disagree but then most people will get angry if someone from any religion tried to convert people.

If I was to go and preach evangelism or something I should be prepared to meet negative attitudes, but from what I have seen, and that is all I can speak on, is that "non-believers" then become more defensive and then criticise others for trying to "convert" them.

It's a two way thing. I guess this is aimed at people who will just criticise and not listen.

 

What would I do? I'd have a debate with you. I'm not interested in being converted, but I am interested in hearing what you have to say and then debating it. I'm not interested in a monologue. I am interested in a dialogue....

 

I would be happy to debate with someone willing to listen to both sides.

 

We have this assumption that matters of spiritual faith should be immune from criticism. I think that's fine - to a point. I have no desire to criticise someone's deeply held convictions if they want to keep them to themselves. But as soon as a belief of any kind starts to have real social consequences that's when it is - and should be - opened up to rigorous interrogation and criticism. As Peace ably pointed out, religions have very real social effects, provide a strong political lobby, and issues like the potential exploitation of vulnerable people (as in the case of scientology here) and the bringing up of children with ingrained prejudices - these are public, political matters, and no such matter of public consequence should be off limits to debate and criticism.

We would not expect politicians or scientists to be able to make claims about the nature of social or physical reality without having their claims analysed, criticised and contested. Religion makes precisely these kinds of claims - about the nature of social and physical reality - and so needs to be open to the same critical rigour of thought.

Yes, most religious people of whichever stripe are harmless - that doesn't stop the institutions themselves being capable of having negative social consequences on a larger scale.

 

It shouldn't be banned that would give its followers an air of rightousness they do not diserve. It should be debunked, ridiculed and discredited as any crazy religous cult should be.

 

Thanks for wiki link. I have not made my mind up. I think at the end of the day, in the darkness of life, the only book you can count on is, the Bible. Scientology? Open minded so haven't condemned it. In life, millions of religions exist, yet there is suppossdly one god. I do support science. It is essential for the human race. (Saw the lectures on BBC1 or 2 the other night while I ate a poptart and drank a cup of tea. Most interesting)

 

Not sure at all about how much or where it goes nor on whom it is spent but some is spent and not all is taken.

Opium of the masses sure, would you say its superior not to do drugs then ?

Girls are past the age of church schooling so no churches around this household, except maybe a christmas sing song. I don't think it unfair to request a philosophical discussion for a bowl of soup myself though, I will say I've never encountered the request either whilst I used to bum.

 

I was listening to Point of Inquiry, a podcast I regularly tune in to, and there was this quote that brilliantly sums up my attitude towards this issue:

This issue of science education is more apposite to the USA than the UK - except in the case of city academies like Emmanuel College in Gateshead which stretch the laws on teaching creationism as science - but the issue is the same wherever there is a crossover between personal belief and public life. People can believe what they like, but the truth is important, and in public life we need to safeguard it from claims which are plainly wrong

 

Im not an atheist, although my beliefs are complex and difficult to precisely define, but i have to say i think Jon has a perfectly sensible viewpoint here

I believe everyone should be able to believe in whatever they like...people can go to church and sing about Jesus or bow in Mosques and i really do respect those things greatly, and im even highly interested. If someone knocked on my door and spoke to me in a civil and respectful, non-preachy manner about religion, without using scare tactics, i would be more than happy to let them in for tea, biscuits, and a damn good in-depth conversation. I seriously enjoy talking and learning about these topics, and i would be grateful for the chance

The problem comes when religion causes harm, or interferes with other peoples lives or brainwashes children or the vulnerable. Because NO religion can prove all their theories about God as fact and saying they can causes conflict, sometimes devastingly so as we all know. Hammering one religion as truth into the mind of a child is wrong. I also look around and see many points about, say, the bible for example which do not fit together in my mind and i would expect to be able to ask a Christian about this without causing offence

Challenge, made tactfully and respectfully, will surely just open up opportunities for healthy debate and open up everyones mind to new possibilies. If someone criticises my lifestyle choices, aslong as i can see there was no cruel intent, i explain to them why i think the way i do. I welcome challenges to my beliefs...theyve saved me a few times

Closing yourself off to criticism however i believe is encouraging closed-mindedness

And the original question, i dont think scientology should be banned, for although it has the potential to be dangerous, as we all know so does almost every organised system of beliefs. Probably all

 

Yeah i joined the thread late and im probably not fitting in right I knew what i meant though

 

I don't really see the difference between Scientology or any other religion/cult. Anyone who says it should be banned because it's 'crazy' is an idiot.