NationStates Jolt Archive

Warren Jeffs' Colorado City, AZ is a small potato shack compared to this:

Uneasy Neighbors in Scientology 'Mecca' (http://news.aol.com/story/_a/uneasy-neighbors-in-scientology-mecca/20070924162709990001?ncid=NWS00010000000001)

If Clearwater had been simply a plain old Mecca, there'd probably be a 24/7 armed rapid-response team waiting for the slighest sign of disturbance to come storming in. Ah but hey, Scientologists don't chop people's head off, they just dig inside their dumpsters and file lawsuits.

well at least there clustering together, can we build a big wall around Clearwater?

i just don't get those scientologists,

ron hubbard even ADMITTED he just wanted to start a religion to make money.

he admitted this!

well at least there clustering together, can we build a big wall around Clearwater?

Won't help. That's just a hub. Isolate or burn the center of the cancer, and the remaining cells will just spread out.

i just don't get those scientologists,

ron hubbard even ADMITTED he just wanted to start a religion to make money.

he admitted this!

Problem is that he said that starting a religion is a good way to make money. He never said he was going to do it, and when you've been brainwashed I dare say that's more than enough.

And here's the bit where I throw up in my mouth a little:

"The empire's thumbprint on the downtown corridor is considerable and conspicuous, from the uniformed church workers on the streets every day to the two dozen or so Scientology-owned buildings and other properties in the low-slung skyline, many of them fully or partially exempt from property taxes."

Good thing we're a "civilized" nation, and we believe that organizations which profess literal belief in nutty mythologies should be allowed to avoid paying taxes so they can make more money off defrauding the public!

And here's the bit where I throw up in my mouth a little:

"The empire's thumbprint on the downtown corridor is considerable and conspicuous, from the uniformed church workers on the streets every day to the two dozen or so Scientology-owned buildings and other properties in the low-slung skyline, many of them fully or partially exempt from property taxes."

Good thing we're a "civilized" nation, and we believe that organizations which profess literal belief in nutty mythologies should be allowed to avoid paying taxes so they can make more money off defrauding the public!

Xenu bless America.

And here's the bit where I throw up in my mouth a little:

"The empire's thumbprint on the downtown corridor is considerable and conspicuous, from the uniformed church workers on the streets every day to the two dozen or so Scientology-owned buildings and other properties in the low-slung skyline, many of them fully or partially exempt from property taxes."

Good thing we're a "civilized" nation, and we believe that organizations which profess literal belief in nutty mythologies should be allowed to avoid paying taxes so they can make more money off defrauding the public!
Yeah, the fucking cult is passing itself off as a religion to get out of taxes. They do this in every country - they register as whatever gets them out as taxes. They arn't a church in one of the European countries because churches are taxed, they are something else that dodges taxes.

Yeah, the fucking cult is passing itself off as a religion to get out of taxes. They do this in every country - they register as whatever gets them out as taxes. They arn't a church in one of the European countries because churches are taxed, they are something else that dodges taxes.

Maybe in an alternate reality, allowing them to get away with this is actually a super sting operation that would catch them on tax evasion charges like Al Capone.

One can wish can't they?

They arn't a church in one of the European countries because churches are taxed, they are something else that dodges taxes.
I think some European countries (Such as Germany, which I think gives religions tax exempt status) just refuse to even recognise Scientology as a religion, which I think is definitely the right idea!

I view the story of Scientology in the exact same way i view the story of Mormons and the story of Jews and the story of Christians and Buddists and Satanists. With bemused bewilderment that so many people buy into that bullshit.

I go to Clearwater frequently. The situation isn't as bad as it seems in the article.

Nice religious intolerance on this thread.

Nice religious intolerance on this thread.

You remind me a lot of Ralph Nader. Once upon a time you were a loud voice speaking up for a group that needed to be spoken up for, but now a sad, hollow wreck that's trying to do anything to get that next fix of Attention.

Only a Scientologist or a complete tool believes it to be a religion. Which one are you?

You remind me a lot of Ralph Nader. Once upon a time you were a loud voice speaking up for a group that needed to be spoken up for, but now a sad, hollow wreck that's trying to do anything to get that next fix of Attention.

Only a Scientologist or a complete tool believes it to be a religion. Which one are you?

Christianity isn't a religion because I said it isn't. Only a Christian or a complete tool believes it to be a religion. Which one are you?

Christianity isn't a religion because I said it isn't. Only a Christian or a complete tool believes it to be a religion. Which one are you?

And here you are trying to dodge the question with a Relativist Fallacy and the equivalent of "I Know You Are But What Am I?" Pathetic and true to form for you.

:rolleyes:

And here you are trying to dodge the question with a Relativist Fallacy and the equivalent of "I Know You Are But What Am I?" Pathetic and true to form for you.

:rolleyes:

Scientology is a recognized religion. As far as I am concerned any talk to the contrary is more Christian tools trying to tell us what qualifies as a religion and what doesn't.

Scientology is a recognized religion. As far as I am concerned any talk to the contrary is more Christian tools trying to tell us what qualifies as a religion and what doesn't.

Germany does not recognize Scientology as a religion. Are you actually going to agree with your favorite Great Satan by saying it is?

Germany does not recognize Scientology as a religion. Are you actually going to agree with your favorite Great Satan by saying it is?

Germany is the heart of religious intolerance.

Christianity isn't a religion because I said it isn't. Only a Christian or a complete tool believes it to be a religion. Which one are you?

Christianity can't be proven false or true. Scientology can be proven false, because one guy made it all up. See the difference?

Germany is the heart of religious intolerance.That's one way to see it. Or the Germans just don't follow every crap that comes from America.

Germany is the heart of religious intolerance.

No it isn't. Germany is one of the most tolerant nations on Earth, comparatively. Nations like Saudi Arabia and China deserve that title much more.

Stop talking out of your ass.

I'd rather not pay tax to a state religion thanks.

I'd rather not pay tax to a state religion thanks.

Then don't live in Saudi Arabia or Iran.

Oh, you're referring to Germany? You know that only applies if you FOLLOW the religion, right? I think some of my relatives left the church for that reason. Although most of my relatives are Lutheran, and I thought it was for Catholicism...

EDIT: Looked it up; apparently any church can institute a tax, and then have the state collect it for them.

Ummm...well, to add to this debate, I must say that, while I don't have a religion, the First Amendment gives people here in the good ole U.S.of A. the right to freedom of religion. The government has no place in recognizing a "real" religion. People are able to worship as they see fit, so long as they don't break the law. And while I agree that Scientology is a money-making Ponzi scheme with quasi-psychological and religious overtones, it is not against the law to bilk your followers under the guise of religion. The Catholic Church has been doing it for a couple of millenia.

Germany is the heart of religious intolerance.

This coming from a guy who espouses Soviet Marxists doctrine which also included killing anyone (or putting them in gulags) who believed in anything other than that the Communist Manifesto.

The irony. It burns.

Nice religious intolerance on this thread.

If Scientology acted more like a religion and less like a money hungry cult then maybe it would be more tolerated.

Nice religious intolerance on this thread.
Actually, you are seeing glowing examples of religious TOLERANCE.

See, you're witnessing how a whole lot of people think religion is bullshit, yet you'll notice that precisely none of us are actually arguing for the oppression of the religious. In fact, I specifically was annoyed because religion is given special treatment rather than equal treatment.

This thread provides superb examples of people tolerating religion. Remember that it doesn't really count as "tolerating" something if you happen to really really love that something and think it's awesome. To tolerate means to endure something, to permit it to be done. Tolerance doesn't require that you like that something, that you speak nicely about it, or that you provide it with special rights which are denied to others.

It's not "intolerance" when people dislike religion and say so. Quit whining.

Nice religious intolerance on this thread.

Aren't you the same guy who says that all religious people are irrational raving idiots?

Christianity can't be proven false or true. Scientology can be proven false, because one guy made it all up. See the difference?
Nothing can be proven false, as one cannot prove a negative.

You cannot prove that one guy was not inspired by a magical supernatural force when he "made up" Scientology. For all you know, Zeus himself reached down to whisper in his ear and tell him that it was the will of the Gods for Scientology to be the One True Faith.

Proof is irrelevant to religion.

I BEFRIEND CHESTNUTS;13081319']I think some European countries (Such as Germany, which I think gives religions tax exempt status) just refuse to even recognise Scientology as a religion, which I think is definitely the right idea!

Germany refuses to give them any status as religion the Church of Scientology in Germany is a 'eingetragener Verein' and thus has the same status as dachshund clubs and the like :)

However they advertised in Berlin. I saw them there and just for fun decided to do the test. Well, later in the discussion it ended very soon when I pointed out that the person apparently had a reactive mind interfering with a little test I added in-discussion (I used something as example which is a little cognitive trick most people fall for).

Nothing can be proven false, as one cannot prove a negative.

You cannot prove that one guy was not inspired by a magical supernatural force when he "made up" Scientology. For all you know, Zeus himself reached down to whisper in his ear and tell him that it was the will of the Gods for Scientology to be the One True Faith.

Proof is irrelevant to religion.

well, you can prove whether clears get colds (which according to COS propaganda they would not), are more logical, more sane and so on. the church makes some very specific claims about the possibilities for Clears and OTs.

The HURD;13083726']well, you can prove whether clears get colds (which according to COS propaganda they would not),

A person who has a cold was obviously not clear (according to their dogma).

The HURD;13083726']
are more logical, more sane and so on.

Sanity is completely relative. And I'm not saying that in philosophical terms. I mean, our standards for defining "sanity," both medically and legally, are relative.

As for logic, again, we're talking about religion.

Nothing can be proven false, as one cannot prove a negative.

You cannot prove that one guy was not inspired by a magical supernatural force when he "made up" Scientology. For all you know, Zeus himself reached down to whisper in his ear and tell him that it was the will of the Gods for Scientology to be the One True Faith.

Proof is irrelevant to religion.

Still, anyone with a functional brain and set of eyeballs can observe that for better or worse established religions like Christianity have influenced culture and history from the earliest days of humanity. All Scientology has contributed so far are materials for South Park episodes.

Still, anyone with a functional brain and set of eyeballs can observe that for better or worse established religions like Christianity have influenced culture and history from the earliest days of humanity. All Scientology has contributed so far are materials for South Park episodes.

how long has christianity been around? and scientology?


not to mention Christianity itself has given nothing. Christians on the other hand have given may things....for better or worse.

Still, anyone with a functional brain and set of eyeballs can observe that for better or worse established religions like Christianity have influenced culture and history from the earliest days of humanity. All Scientology has contributed so far are materials for South Park episodes.
Then, by your own admission, Scientology has already influenced culture and history. Considering that it's been around for barely one generation, I'd say it's doing fine as far as the "influencing history" thing. After all, Scientology has lead to a lot of heated debates over the definition of "religion" and the legal status of religions, it's been a major factor in countless pop-culture spheres, and carries significant weight with many of our nation's top entertainers.

The joys of a religion started on a bar bet. :rolleyes:

Nice religious intolerance on this thread.

scientology isn't a religion.