Theist vs Dianetics
Posted on: April 5, 2011 - 3:22pm
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Theist vs Dianetics
I had a christian acquaintance I was discussing religion with. I let her know I did not believe in God, but we were actually discussing Dianetics. I told her about some of the strange things they think are true.
She got this considering look on her face. "Isn't it interesting the things people will do trying to get a relationship with God?" She said to me pointedly.
I howled with laughter. Conversation over. Hilarious. It may have been the first time a fundamental Christian defended a Scientologist. Do you get the subtext? She was saying, basically, yes, Tom Cruise is strange, but at least he isn't an atheist!
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As far as religions are concerned, Scientology I'm most puzzled by because of the contemporary level of knowledge available. It shows that one dimensionally blaming contemporary scientific ignorance for the success of religion is oversimplifying the issue. The basic drive to mystify the seemingly unexplained is inherent in all religions. It should not come as a surprise that they find common fundamental ground.
I have read Battlefield Earth as I was learning English and that was my first experience with good ole' Hubbard. When I've heard of Scientology I thought it to be a joke, knowing only of the one poorly written book by said founder of the religion. Looking back on the whole thing now, it is no more or less idiotic than most religions, it only stands out because of, or perhaps in spite of the contemporary memes. That being said, I don't think I have ever encountered any noteworthy apologetics of Scientology.
I particularly like the Southpark episode on Scientology, it's funny on many levels, most of all superficially
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"Don't seek these laws to understand. Only the mad can comprehend..." -- George Cosbuc
Well, scientology may well have been a joke as originally set up. Robert A. Heinlien maintained that the whole idea was a a bar bet between him and Hubbard. However, the number of people who have come forward as witnesses to that bet is on the large side. Now if the idea was something that had been kicking around in that group at the time, then perhaps there is a grain of truth that several people ran with and general imperfect memory would account for what each of them thinks they remember but who knows at this point.
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