----- Original Message ----- From: "William T Goodall" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "Killer Bs (David Brin et al) Discussion" <brin-l@mccmedia.com> Sent: Sunday, January 27, 2008 7:55 PM Subject: Re: CoS in the news
> > On 28 Jan 2008, at 01:19, Doug Pensinger wrote: > >> William wrote: >> >>> >>> On 27 Jan 2008, at 21:49, Julia Thompson wrote: >>> >>>> >>>> If the Scientologists have a schism, each side's lawyers will be >>>> so >>>> busy >>>> suing the other side that it'll all collapse sooner rather than >>>> later, and >>>> that will be the end of that. >>> >>> >>> Or they could be like the Sunni and Shi'a. >>> >>> Same but different Maru. >>> >> >>> From Wiki: >> >> Although "Scientology" is most often used as shorthand for the >> Church of >> Scientology <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_of_Scientology>, a >> number >> of groups practice Scientology and Dianetics outside of the >> official >> Church. >> Some groups are breakaways from the original Church while others >> have >> started up independently. The Church labels these as >> "apostates<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apostasy>" >> (or "squirrels" in Scientology >> jargon<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientology_terminology>) >> and often subjects them to considerable legal and social pressure. >> These >> groups avoid the name "Scientology" so as to keep from being >> sued<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lawsuit>, >> instead referring to themselves collectively as the Free >> Zone<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_Zone_%28Scientology%29>. >> Such groups include Ron's Org and the International Freezone >> Association, >> among others. > > > Clearly these schismatic groups can't be termed fake religions under > the criteria Rob was suggesting and yet they share most of the > beliefs > of the original group. To some degree I would agree here, but even that is dependent on how the splinter groups conduct their business. Still, any flavor of Scientology is more of a philosophical movement than an actual religion in the traditional sense even though it might satisfy a clinical definition say.....the way a cargo cult would. From: http://www.modemac.com/cgi-bin/wiki.pl/Is_Scientology_a_religion "The actions of the Church of Scientology have brought a storm of criticism upon the organization. Scientologists frequently compare the criticism of Scientology to the persecution of members of the Jewish faith, but the many actions of the organization have been decidedly non-religious in nature. However, there are people who believe in the power of Dianetics. These people, who categorize themselves as the Free Zone, have broken away from the fascist control of Scientology; instead, they are applying the "tech" of Hubbard's writings to their own beliefs, transforming it into a philosophy of their own. The "official" Church of Scientology is terrified of the Free Zone and its appeal, for they believe that if knowledge of the Free Zone were to spread through the ranks of the Church, many people would break away from Scientology and form their own individual factions of Scientology. These denominations would be independent of Scientology's controlÂ…and this means that the Church of Scientology would not receive any money from the Free Zone. This concept contrasts with Hubbard's official policy, so the Church of Scientology is doing everything it can to wipe out the Free Zone. But as with its attempts to silence its critics, the Church of Scientology is failing. The Free Zone is expanding, and despite the best efforts of the "official" Church of Scientology to present itself as a religion, the Free Zone may well be the true source for the religion of Scientology." I think this points to the difference in our opinions on the subject. You see Scientology as a religion first and as a steaming pile of totalitarian crap second. I see Scientology as a totalitarian mind-control/pyramid-scheme first and any expectations of a religious nature only at the fringes of their concern, and that only to the purpose of the preservation of their tax-exempt status here in the US. >How could a law protect these genuine religions > and also ban the original Scientologists at the same time? > Easily! You take away the COSI's tax-exempt status away and give it to the splinter groups. That would do more to damage the COS and enhance a measure of justice than just about anything else. BTW, that is basically what Anonymous is trying to achieve by causing *exposure*. xponent About Money Maru rob
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