Scientology

Rolling Stone recently did an article on Scientology. With all of the hoopla it's been getting due to weirdo Tom Cruise and now with Isaac Hayes pulling out of South Park, I found it to be quite an interesting synopsis of the religion. People are free to believe what they want, but I do find it unsettling if it is true that this is a religion that cannot handle criticism or discussion. As with most things, I'm sure that you have to take this article with a grain of salt, but I'm sure that there is also truth to it, and it's pretty creepy.

If I got to a certain level in a religion and heard the story about Xenu, I'd laugh my ass off. I'd also be wary of a founder who's quoted as saying, "I'd like to start a religion. That's where the money is." Perhaps the most interesting thing was the information about L. Ron Hubbard's autopsy: "In Hubbard's system was the anti-anxiety drug hydroxyzine (Vistaril), which several of his assistants would later attest was only one of many psychiatric and pain medications Hubbard ingested over the years." That would be like being a Christian, and getting to heaven only to find out that Jesus has been up there sleeping around and murdering people. Ya know, the whole practice-what-you-preach thing.

I realize that all of the world religions have weird stories and corrupt people, but at least in most of them you can discuss and criticize without being turned away or sued. And most people can admit that certain things they believe in don't necessarily make sense, but they have faith so that's what they go on. Based on this article, it sounds like the people in the Scientology spotlight are unable to even admit that certain things about their belief system are odd. And that they don't really question where the things they believe in come from. I suppose that Scientology, like other belief systems, serves a purpose for the people who belong to it, but I can't figure out what the hook is on this one...