Reciprocating Bill
Posts: 4265
Joined: Oct. 2006
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| Quote (Louis @ Feb. 12 2008,08:27) | | Quote (Reciprocating Bill @ Feb. 12 2008,13:11) | | Quote (Mister DNA @ Feb. 12 2008,00:43) | | I'm even less tolerant of Scientologists... |
I wonder if it even makes sense to mention Scientology in the context of a discussion about religion, so obviously and ridiculously fraudulent and cultish it is.
But then Front Line last night presented two hours on... |
Sorry Bill, but I'd feel bad if I didn't say it:
Scientology is an obvious piece of fraudulence and (to take an example at {cough} randomn) the foundational religion behind a series of diverse sects pretty much all of whom believe that the eternal intelligent entity, who supposedly created the entire awesome expanse of the universe and every creature in it, sent one part of his threefold yet singular self disguised as an ape to this insignificant planet in a "remote" part of the galaxy to be born to a female ape who'd never had sex, and for who's species there was little to no evidence of parthenogenesis, live like a tit and die nailed to a bit of dead tree two-ish thousand years ago just so some apes could feel good about cornholing their neighbour's wife and coveting a golden calf ISN'T an obvious piece of fraudulence?
Add the "send me your money" organisations and you have the greatest scam ever sold! Tom Cruise would cream his oh-so-heterosexual shorts for their budget.
Don't get me started on non-existant global floods, winged fiery chariots, the evils of shellfish, reincarnation, anti-reason, paedophile prophets, wee-wee chopping, the universe being formed out of some milk, a deity for every hobby, human sacrifice, fucking unicorns, and the Dream Time. The amount of starkly obvious bollocks devised by those people professing religion of one type or another is hardly subtle or small.
The only reason we particularly have a beef with Hubbardology is because we actually have a record of the conversation where one advocate of the relgion scam said to his friend "Hey, watch how much money I can make from THESE bozos". It's more modern than all the usual crapola we're treated too.
Louis
P.S. WARNING TO CERTAIN PEOPLE (NOT R. BILL. I'm looking at YOU FTK): The above post may contain an attempt at humour. Tongue may have been applied to cheek and salt may have to be pinched. Some of the sentiments are serious however. Caution: May involve thinking. |
Louis, there are VERY IMPORTANT DISTINCTIONS to be made here. I just can't think of any of them.
Frontline ran a two hour history of Mormonism (with more to come) last night, which also suffers from the recency of it's obviously contrived invention. Joseph Smith was a very interesting character, however, seized as a teen by raptures he likely experienced as genuine but progressively presented with with increasing overlays of fiction. I find it plausible that the genesis of the system he created was more gradual and less cynically deceptive than Hubbard's consciously contrived scam. Mormons certainly endured repeated violent persecutions and tragic dislocations for their troubles and Smith himself was thrown out a window and killed. Now Mormons are compelled to cling to assertions of the reality of Smith being visited by angels and digging up the golden tablets. Like you, in reaction to commentary that distinguished these assertions, the Book or Mormon and Mormon practice from "real" Christianity I wondered, "What's the difference?"
ETA: I live about 30 minutes from the Kirtland Temple, and pass by it from time to time.
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Myth: Something that never was true, and always will be.
"The truth will set you free. But not until it is finished with you."
- David Foster Wallace
"Here’s a clue. Snarky banalities are not a substitute for saying something intelligent. Write that down."
- Barry Arrington
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