Scientology and the Internet

[licketysplit]

 

Scientology. Weird ****.

You have have encapsulated the concept of religion.

Although Scientology sounds more like a Sci Fi comic than a religion

 

 

Well Hubbard basically came out and said he invented this ridiculous thing, this weird religious self help movement. It doesn't exist beyond his own warped imagination, and yet it's still going strong. A testament to the strength of cultism. Oh, and Tom Cruise is a nut job. Just have to say that whenever Scientology comes up.

Edited July 21, 2013 by licketysplit

[licketysplit]

 

 

 

Those recent outbursts are just spill-overs from the 4chan/anonymous fighting removal of some compromising videos from the web.

 

That and scientology aggressively combats it's opponents unlike most other religions that are just punching-bags for militant atheists.

 

 

What is a militant atheist? Do they go door to door and say "Have you welcomed science into your life?"

Or wave guns at you telling you not to pray?

Well, I suppose that's ONE way to describe the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. Seeng as the official 'religion' of the USSR was atheism.

 

No. The official religion was a dictatorship, with one supreme leader. Very much like religion. There is no such thing as militant atheism. Atheists don't conspire and spread their ideology through force. That has never happened.

[Calax]

Query: The interwebz seems pretty united against Scientology. But why? It's not as if anyone acting in their name has shot any schoolgirls for wanting to learn to read.

 

My personal view is that yes, they are a cult, not a religion. But I find it fascinating that we get all conflicted and debate-y about just about every other issue. But Tom Cruise rallied everybody at once.

Well, beyond the censorship etc already mentioned, I think it's how the church reacts if anything REMOTELY against them pops up. Basically they will go through everything they can to harass, annoy, and deconstruct you and your life if you go against them. I mean the reason they're a religion in the eyes of the law is because they basically twisted the IRS arm by blackmailing it's employees.

 

Unfortunately for them, progress is marching on and the "Hactivisist" have made the church a favored target. If the church gets to out of line, then you're probably going to be facing a pretty intense opposition campaign from the internet. I mean, Blizzard attempted to force people to post using their account name (as in, your billing name), and the internet made one of their QA teams life a hell until Blizz rolled it back (they'd released his name to say "See? Nobody can find out where he lives!" and the internet found where he lives and everything about him in less than 2 hours).

[alanschu]

No. The official religion was a dictatorship, with one supreme leader. Very much like religion. There is no such thing as militant atheism. Atheists don't conspire and spread their ideology through force. That has never happened.

 

 

The official religion of the Soviet Union was indeed atheism.  That the government was structured as a dictatorship is irrelevant.

 

Although I wouldn't call the Soviet-Afghan war an example of militant atheism either.  Unless the definition of "militant atheism" is simply "An atheist government that happens to be at war."  It's important to note that the Soviets got involved at the request of the Afghan government at the time.

 

 

The Soviet Union did have the goal, however, of eliminating religion.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion_in_the_Soviet_Union

 

While the Soviets did do a lot of things against religions, in practice they couldn't outright persecute it as so many people were religious believers at the time.  It would have been too difficult to attempt to completely remove it.

[licketysplit]

Atheism is not the eradication of a belief system. It's simply non belief. I'd be baffled if anyone tells me inculcation of traditional religion improves any aspect of society. Traditional Islam and Christianity helping much? I don't think so.

 

Militant atheism has become a popular rebuttal against modern skeptics like Dawkins and Hitchens. In your face, yes. Militant, never.

Edited July 21, 2013 by licketysplit

[Calax]

Atheism is not the eradication of a belief system. It's simply non belief. I'd be baffled if anyone tells me inculcation of traditional religion improves any aspect of society. Traditional Islam and Christianity helping much? I don't think so.

 

Militant atheism has become a popular rebuttal against modern skeptics like Dawkins and Hitchens. In your face, yes. Militant, never.

Actually the "Militant" side of things are the types who go out of their way to explain to people how they're such fools to even think about believing in any higher power, and instead should be looking to their own devices for explanations. Regardless of if that person is actually using their higher power to explain the unexplained instead of just as a nebulous concept.

[licketysplit]

Well, I spent the last 20 minutes channeling a higher power, trying to gain some insight on how to answer in this thread. I got nothing from the almighty sky gods. I guess the answer is: 'You're on your own'. I'll proceed accordingly. 

Edited July 21, 2013 by licketysplit

[alanschu]

Atheism is not the eradication of a belief system. It's simply non belief. I'd be baffled if anyone tells me inculcation of traditional religion improves any aspect of society. Traditional Islam and Christianity helping much? I don't think so.

 

Militant atheism has become a popular rebuttal against modern skeptics like Dawkins and Hitchens. In your face, yes. Militant, never.

 

No one here put forth that Atheism is the eradication of a belief system.  Although we're starting to argue semantics, as you could argue that not believing in gods is equivalent to believing that there are no gods (and as such, it's a belief system in and of itself).  Atheists also include antitheists, since an antitheist must not believe in any deity by definition.  They're just more proactive about being against organized religion (such as yourself).

 

As for the impacts of "traditional" Islam and Christianity, you can still see it all over the secular world as well.  As an agnostic, it's pretty trivial to see the influences that religion has in my neck of the woods.  Are you of the mind that none of these influences?

 

 

It should also be noted that the definition of the word militant, does not require physical violence:

 

 

From Wikipedia

 

 

Militant is usually used to describe a person engaged in aggressive verbal or physical combat (e.g. an activist, revolutionary, terrorist or insurgent).

 

If you feel that an atheist are never engaged in aggressive verbal exchanges, then you have your eyes closed and your fingers in your ears.

 

 

 

 

 

Well, I spent the last 20 minutes channeling a higher power, trying to gain some insight on how to answer in this thread. I got nothing from the almighty sky gods. I guess the answer is: 'You're on your own'. I'll proceed accordingly.

 

That you do not know how to perceive, or are unable to perceive, uniquely divine influence, does not preclude them from actually existing.  Definitively stating any proof of a deity not existing through your little exercise is on part with those that do believe in that sort of stuff.  I'm certainly skeptical since I doubt it'd be possible to ever employ any sort of empirical test to verify it.  As such, I consider it a discussion for philosophy, rather than science.  My own personal belief is that I don't bother with the existence of any divine being, since I do not believe I will ever be able to differentiate any actions as being divine.  There could be one, there could not be one.  Regardless of the answer to that question, it doesn't appear to have much influence on our reality.

 

 

Given your last response, however, you actually are coming across as decidedly militant as far as I'm concerned.

Edited July 21, 2013 by alanschu

[Walsingham]

Well, I spent the last 20 minutes channeling a higher power, trying to gain some insight on how to answer in this thread. I got nothing from the almighty sky gods. I guess the answer is: 'You're on your own'. I'll proceed accordingly. 

 

I have it on good authority that they must be propitiated with a sacrifice. If I were a sky god I'd enjoy a good cup of tea.

[Nonek]

Scientology. Weird ****.

 

Indeed, but then again astrological readings appear in every daily newspaper over here, despite that being just as weird and spurious. The television has ghost hunters letting their imaginations get the better of them in darkened old houses, garnering audiences of millions. Many frequently attend the stageshows of corrupt frauds who prey on grief with their clumsy guesswork, we allow these ghoulish clairvoyants free reign. Crystal healing and all manner of new age fakery can be trumpeted as alternatives to tried and tested medical advances, without even a shadow of control or proof needed.

 

One of the prices of freedom is that people are allowed to embrace the utterly ludicrous and downright childish, obviously this is a slap in the face to rational thought and truth, but perhaps people need their choice of lies.

 

Edit: I have it on good authority that Allfather Odin is partial to a snifter of brandy before bedtime.

Edited July 21, 2013 by Nonek

[Blarghagh]

Atheism is not the eradication of a belief system. It's simply non belief.

 

I'd say Atheism is a very strong belief - belief that there are no gods. Non belief would be agnosticism, if I'm not mistaken.

 

Anyway, this thread is highly lacking in worship for the holy flying spaghetti monsters, so I take my leave from this unholy place. *flies away*

[Bos_hybrid]

My personal view is that yes, they are a cult, not a religion.

 

All religions were considered a cult a sometime in there history. Those that last long enough and gain enough members become a religion.

 

[PK htiw klaw eriF]

Well, I spent the last 20 minutes channeling a higher power, trying to gain some insight on how to answer in this thread. I got nothing from the almighty sky gods. I guess the answer is: 'You're on your own'. I'll proceed accordingly.

 

I spent the last 20 minutes smoking a joint as well. I just got high. Edited July 21, 2013 by KaineParker

[Walsingham]

 

My personal view is that yes, they are a cult, not a religion.

 

All religions were considered a cult a sometime in there history. Those that last long enough and gain enough members become a religion.

 

 

 

Actually, the slightly more rigorous definition I was applying is that:

- A religion makes its scriptures and doctrine freely available.

- A cult constrains access to information dependent on rank and (in the case of people like Aum Shinrikyo and Scientology) cash payments.

[Raithe]

 

as my colleage Wals says.

 

m'colleague

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wdol18SVS7A

 

(note: 'the future' was 2010)

 

 

I'm still trying to figure out if Wals is Fry and I'm Laurie...

[Walsingham]

Well, which one of us has a broken nose, went to public school and is the host of a popular chat show?

[Raithe]

Well, which one of us has a broken nose, went to public school and is the host of a popular chat show?

 

For some strange reason people who meet me keep thinking I must have gone to a public school. I have no frelling idea why.

[Walsingham]

 

Well, which one of us has a broken nose, went to public school and is the host of a popular chat show?

 

For some strange reason people who meet me keep thinking I must have gone to a public school. I have no frelling idea why.

 

 

Is it because you can't sit down?

[Raithe]

 

 

Well, which one of us has a broken nose, went to public school and is the host of a popular chat show?

 

For some strange reason people who meet me keep thinking I must have gone to a public school. I have no frelling idea why.

 

 

Is it because you can't sit down?

 

 

I think it's a mix of the accent and always wearing a jacket....

[Walsingham]

Have you ever strangled a fox? That's probably an indicator.

[Raithe]

Have you ever strangled a fox? That's probably an indicator.

 

Does choking a classmate unconscious count?

[Calax]

Does one of you have a Taxi as your main car?

[Walsingham]

 

Have you ever strangled a fox? That's probably an indicator.

 

Does choking a classmate unconscious count?

 

 

Were they foxy?

 

EDIT: Anywhere I can't walk I go by taxi.

Edited July 22, 2013 by Walsingham

[Raithe]

 

 

 

 

Does choking a classmate unconscious count?

 

 

Were they foxy?

 

EDIT: Anywhere I can't walk I go by taxi.

 

 

Maybe a touch ferret-faced...

[Walsingham]

 

 

 

 

 

Does choking a classmate unconscious count?

 

 

Were they foxy?

 

EDIT: Anywhere I can't walk I go by taxi.

 

 

Maybe a touch ferret-faced...

 

 

Why were you touching his face with a ferret?