I’ve been planning a bit of an anti-scientology rant ever since I read about a kid getting charged by the cops in England for holding a banner that had the slogan I used for the title of this post. This article suggests a pretty disturbing scenario with the cops involved possibly owing more alliegence to scientology than they laws they’re supposed to uphold.
Then I found this article that gives details of the secret scientology paid 8 million dollars to try and cover up. If you weren’t sure if scientology was actually dangerous, read this article. If it doesn;t freak you right the fuck out, there’s something wrong with you.
Angry 365 Days a Year 
I don’t know what to make of Scientology, to be honest. Some of their beliefs kind of make sense, and if one subscribes to them freely, then what’s the harm. Other stuff that it does is positively fucking warped, and the vengeful attitude towards people who leave the “Church” is one such bit of stuff.
I dunno, like I wrote about Shrub and Bin Liner: anybody who needs to get things done by coercion has a problem with their ideology, I think, because if theirs was the best way to conduct one’s life, then surely everybody would see the sense in it? And why the secrecy? Again, if Scientology is so fucking great, then let’s all take a look, and decide for ourselves, without having to expose ourselves to any indoctrination rituals.
Matt
Hmmm.. adding more fuel to what’s already been written by you, the link is a 404…
I have friends who were mixed up in Scientology and I can tell you when you want out – and the sane ones always do – they give you a helluva time getting out. It’s scary, cult, obsessive shit.
I have no time for it and I consider myself to be very tolerant of most people’s choices, so…
Matt: They are scary people
Kim: I also reject the idea that one is required to be tolerant of someone whose sole purpose is to manipulate and/or hurt another.
Kim wrote:
“Hmmm.. adding more fuel to what’s already been written by you, the link is a 404…”
Whoah! That’s weird – it was there, yesterday, when I clicked.
Matt
Actually, despite Shami Chakrabarti’s claim (in the Guardian piece, cited by AA, above), the UK’s reputation for tolerance when it comes to free speech appears to be on shaky ground. Bob Fiddaman, a prominent activist in the ongoing war of words with Glaxo Smithkline, over its, erm, “dubious” antidepressant medication, Seroxat (Aropax in Oz; Paxil in the US), got hit with legal threats from GSK’s lawyers (eg, allegations of libel and harassment), for a video/comments he put together, which appeared to demonstrate that one of GSK’s mouthpieces was a liar and a charlatan (that was GSK’s lawyers interpretation, anyway – and they’d know best!!!!!!). One may say anything that one wants, as long as one does not disturb a vested interest – that’s the message that I take, from these two examples of intimidation.
Matt
The 404 scared me, as does everything related to Scientology. Their stealth in keeping everything a secret is too nefarious. I’m old enough to remember L. Ron Hubbard’s TV ads for his self-published science fiction novels when I was a kid. Then the next thing you know he’s telling us it was all true. I’m all for free speech, but what bothers me the most about Scientology is the money connection, that if you keep paying millions of dollars you will eventually be able to levitate and/or fly.
“…I’m all for free speech, but what bothers me the most about Scientology is the money connection, that if you keep paying millions of dollars you will eventually be able to levitate and/or fly.”
LOL. This is the age of cheap air travel. I can get from Luton to Madrid for quids50, and these silly fuckers are willing to give away all their worldlies?!!! Send them my way – I’ve got a bridge or two they could buy, and a big steel tower, which I’ve stored in Paris, for convenience!
Matt
Matt: The UK is also the place where a couple of protested were successfully sued by McDonald’s for libel.
AA wrote:
“The UK is also the place where a couple of protested were successfully sued by McDonald’s for libel.”
Weeeeeeeeell, yes and no. I looked at this case, when I was reading Law, and I had cause to look again, on behalf of a friend:
http://itsquiteanexperience.blogspot.com/2008/04/mclibel-revisited-or-dont-look-back-in.html
The ubiquitous burger chain put the goat up its own arse, and did a bunch of activists, throughout the UK, a big favour, in the process.
Matt
Years ago I worked for a Scientology owned and operated manufacturing company. My firsthand experience with them over a span of several months was very, very strange indeed. Since I’m too tired to share the story right now I’ll summarize: you’re as sick as your secrets.
Several times in my life can say I’ve felt a palpable sense of “darkness”–those several months can be summed up perfectly by use of that adjective.
Oooh, what you could do, however, is wear the T’s in your video and then action them off on ebay. Dumb thought? If I had money (I’d) buy one.
Matt: Nicely researched. I was doing the “it’s how I choose to interpret a situation to meet my purposes”. Although the fact Macca’s was stupid enough to do it and any court was willing to find ANYTHING in their favour given the context is scary.
Gap: I like the foreboding. And your idea re auctions is a possibility.
I’ve always been amazed at the degree to which Scientology is able to intimidate any critic who dares to speak publicly with countless law suits and other forms of harassment.
That article I linked to showed the scary lengths they will go to in order to get someone.
i think that that police headquarters and all its scientology followers should be shot
@Davross
That’s a very unwise thing to say. Legally it puts you in a dangerous position. If there is wrong occuring, then let the guilty in an party be dealt with by the laws of a country or society.
You may want to ask this question to yourself. What is it in society that makes such cults develop in the first place?
I’m, i may have taken some points of Angry’s argument too seriously and not have taken into account other perspectives on the issue, btw I’m not blaming Angry for my own ignorance, but sorry to anyone i have offended, and especially Alan
@Davross
That’s OK, it’s cool.
Remember it’s the cults of religion, the cults of personally that is the danger in this world. Within each and everyone of us is a spark, a light of divinity, a light of genius, a light of compassion, a light of courage. Nurture this light and you can conquer everything and achieve anything. The only limits you will face are those that are self created.
You are either your own master or your own slave and you make the choice of who you are. You are on a stage in life in which you play the parts of the actor, the spectator, and the director. You have many entrances and many exits in the stage of life. By your very words, thoughts and imagination, you create your life.
Davross: I think they point is you shouldn’t say things like that even in jest. If nothing else, there are some scary laws in place that could see you prosecuted just for typing those words.