The internet has hyped up the "evils" of scientology by its enemies and the tabloids love to use "the occult" in reference to this religion all the time. Scientology is said to be the "study of truth" which I suppose can be related to the word occult meaning knowledge of what is secret or hidden. L. Ron Hubbard is the founder of scientology and he was part of the OTO and studied Aleister Crowley, The Beast. This is a major reason why people dub Scientology a demonic "cult". This religion using a practice called "auditing". The whole purpose of auditing and training is to graduate individuals to a higher state of spiritual existence. Furthermore, Crowley's religion was all about reaching your "higher self". These two ideas are very similar and that is why people "hate" scientology. Since Crowley is linked with 666, people assume he is satanic and the get the idea that scientology is satanic because of its practices and that Hubbard was involved with Crowley.However, Crowley had been asked about black magic and devil worshipping and he has been quoted as saying "To practice black magic you have to violate every principle of science, decency and intelligence. You must be obsessed with an insane idea of the importance of the petty object of your wretched and selfish desires. I have been accused of being a "black magician". No more foolish statement was ever made about me. I despise the thing to such an extent that I can hardly believe in the existence of people so debased and idiotic as to practice it." I think people see scientology having a relationship around the occult and assume its bad.
I did not know much about scientology before reading about it recently and I can see similarities in Crowley's religion and this one. They both are just about reaching the best spiritual self you can be.
Additonally, I think that people get the word occult and cult confused when they say that scientology has to do with the occult. Yes, some people do correlate the two for reasons such a Hubbards past, but, many people think the religion is actually a CULT which has nothing to do with the occult at all.
http://www.bonafidescientology.org/
Here is a link to you tube. It is a series of videos talking about Scientology as cult. However, the title of the videos is "Scinetology and the occult", just another example of how people misuse the occult in exchange for the word cult.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dztMg-lERLM&feature=related
3 comments:
I've personally never heard Scientology being related to occult, and can see that as one reason Scientology is hated.
Hopefully though, you are aware of the more sinister side of Scientology? Its the way the church of Scientology acts now that is the main reason it is hyped as an evil. In fact, various European nations have called Scientology nothing more than a criminal organization. It has blatantly used brainwashing techniques to induct members, it abuses its status as a 'religion,' while frequently going out of its way to destroy peoples lives...both financially and eternally.
The 'evil' of Scientology extends well beyond it just being related to 'cults.'
Yea, I do know about those aspects of it. I read all sorts of things talking about how it brainwashes people and that people will donate all their money to the "religion" leaving them with nothing.
Interesting points, TJ. The topic of Scientology is increasingly relevant as it continues to have its adherents and continues its aggressive modes of recruitment. As far as NRMs (New Religious Movements) are concerned, this is one that has perhaps had a larger social impact than many people realize. In terms of cults, it is the largest and most successful one (if one does not count Christianity or paganism).
I attended an academic conference on the New Age in England a few years ago and ended up staying at a B&B with a couple of Scientologists from the Church's "London office" who were attending (they were not presenters, they were just observing). Very interesting, ask me about it sometime.
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