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  1. #21
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    Quote Originally Posted by Maxxthepenguin View Post
    My question is this: Why not come up with something less insane for an origin story? I mean, when making this religion, Hubbard actually could have tried to be plausible.
    Hubbard was a science fiction writer, there was nothing subdued about the stuff he wrote. Plus, mundane, plausible stories don't inspire religions, because if they are bound by physical laws, people will likely start asking logical questions. But if it's batshit insane to begin with, people who eventually come to believe it will adopt to the new reality. It begs the question of why people believe it, knowing how insane it sounds and is.

  2. #22
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    Quote Originally Posted by TacoTaru View Post
    And the Garden of Eden and the talking snake are?
    Absolutely. When you understand the frame of reference where it came from, why such allegorical stories were made, and what they're actually talking about, then yes, they are plausible. 1950 is very different from 500 BCE.

  3. #23
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    Quote Originally Posted by Maxxthepenguin View Post
    Absolutely. When you understand the frame of reference where it came from, why such allegorical stories were made, and what they're actually talking about, then yes, they are plausible. 1950 is very different from 500 BCE.
    They're both made up silly bullshit meant to entertain those whom it doesn't ensnare. Being old doesn't make it any less ridiculous. The people who believe it do that.

  4. #24
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    Quote Originally Posted by 0ni0n View Post
    I am baffled as to why people are actually believing this BS. Do they believe in scientology instead of the regular ones for sake of being nonconformist? The main religions are at least backed by pedigree and traditions. How does Scientology retain celebrity members when they are already married and filthy rich?
    Quote Originally Posted by Tristam View Post
    Catering to their egos.
    ^ There is a bit of truth to this I think.

    Scientology is heavily based on money for the audits/techs/whatever else they make members pay for. Also, the whole thing starts as a stress relief course more or less. So you get a celebrity that does the stress thing, likes it, and can afford to continue paying for it without worry. If they buy into the program helping them, there is little doubt they will continue. It isn't like they will run out of the cash anytime soon, so they don't have the "holy shit, how much money are they taking from me?" light bulb ever go off in their head. It is worth it to them, they can afford it and they are in the public spotlight -- easy poster-child IMO.

    I also think there is a bit of allure to the secrets of the higher OT levels. Hell, even my curious nature wants to know what they are even though I think it is all BS. Maybe you start to waiver in one of the lower levels, but that promise of something better at a higher level can keep you working and paying. There is probably also a decent bit of satisfaction of achieving something over some one else as well.

    Either that or they are all bat-shit insane. Take your pick.

  5. #25
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    They're living in Ocala? What? Why the hell would anyone want to live there? I mean, I have family there, and I don't know why they live there either. Unless you like to frequently visit Orlando, there's not much point.

  6. #26
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    Quote Originally Posted by Alleya View Post
    They're both made up silly bullshit meant to entertain those whom it doesn't ensnare. Being old doesn't make it any less ridiculous. The people who believe it do that.

    ^ 100%

  7. #27
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    Quote Originally Posted by Alleya View Post
    They're both made up silly bullshit meant to entertain those whom it doesn't ensnare. Being old doesn't make it any less ridiculous. The people who believe it do that.
    When talking about why the stories were made, then the time period does fucking matter. Don't be retarded.

  8. #28
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mizango View Post
    ^ 100%
    Trust me, I know that most people on this board (that care to post about it) are vehemently angry that religion exists.

  9. #29
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    http://www.eonline.com/uberblog/ask_...ocala_fla.html

    Glad to know that someone else had the same question.

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    NECROMORPHS

  11. #31
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    Quote Originally Posted by Maxxthepenguin View Post
    Trust me, I know that most people on this board (that care to post about it) are vehemently angry that religion exists.
    I don't think you do Maxx, I am going to call Neo just to be sure.

  12. #32

    Quote Originally Posted by Kohan View Post
    They're living in Ocala? What? Why the hell would anyone want to live there? I mean, I have family there, and I don't know why they live there either. Unless you like to frequently visit Orlando, there's not much point.
    I believe they have a better private airstrip for their plane in Ocala. According to news reports here in Orlando over the last week, they moved to Ocala because their previous residence received complaints about the jet noise or some nonsene.


    *edit* and about the whole Scientology thing, it's also a HUGE pyramid scam. They make you feel better about yourself, then you feel more motivated to succeed, then when your new work ethic results in more motivation which results in more money, they hit you with more courses, more classes, buy new books, etc. etc. etc. You continue learning, growing, spending, and for a while, you feel actual results. THAT's when they hit you with the OT3 shit, the Xenu story and the DC-9 planes and the volcano-killed aliens and all that. And quick as a wink after, you're charged with the mission of "clearing the planet" where it becomes your DUTY to help everyone else see the truth. You become a spokesperson, a recruiter. At this point, the cult-tactics switch, and your handlers and your test administrators start to see "blips" on your own sheet. Doubts, follies, negative success (you can't grow forever without stalling at times), and then it becomes a sick mind game of paying money to "re-clear" your problems. Problems that didn't exist until after you got better (irony). From there they keep you paying money, half of it to better yourself, and half of it to just stay in their fucking good graces of "normal".

  13. #33
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    Quote Originally Posted by Maxxthepenguin View Post
    When talking about why the stories were made, then the time period does fucking matter. Don't be retarded.
    I could write a creation story now to satisfy my own curiosity and explain the things I don't understand, without the underlying motive of creating a money-sucking religion that people ascribe to Hubbard (hay everyone, church of the great rapist, who remembers that!). I don't see why doing this a couple thousand years ago is any different, except in an academic sense that only has value to people who have modern context--not to the original authors.

  14. #34
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    YTMND - An Illustrated History of Scientology

    I know some hate YTMNDs, but this is funny and has a good song.

  15. #35
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    Quote Originally Posted by Alleya View Post
    I could write a creation story now to satisfy my own curiosity and explain the things I don't understand, without the underlying motive of creating a money-sucking religion that people ascribe to Hubbard (hay everyone, church of the great rapist, who remembers that!). I don't see why doing this a couple thousand years ago is any different, except in an academic sense that only has value to people who have modern context--not to the original authors.
    ...Religion isn't only about the creation story. Just because people are all up in arms about a stupid war over evolution vs creationism doesn't mean that it's all that religion has ever been about. You seriously can't see how mythologies and religions could have been created simply by people who wanted their own questions answered? I mean, by now, we know better. You know more than just the world within a couple miles within your home. Your life extends past your own culture. If it didn't though, it would be hard as fuck to explain certain things. The earth seeming flat is fucking plausible if you and your culture haven't seen part of it. I'm not sure what your point is here. Mine was that L Ron Hubbard clearly was making up his shit for power and profit, making his insane story less related to what we see and now understand make little sense (other than to induce paranoia when people say the followers are crazy).

  16. #36
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    Quote Originally Posted by Maxxthepenguin View Post
    The earth seeming flat is fucking plausible if you and your culture haven't seen part of it. .
    I BELIEVE!!!!!!!
    http://www.topsocialite.com/wp-conte...pherd-vote.jpg

  17. #37
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    2000 years ago it was perfectly reasonable to live inside whales.

  18. #38
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    Quote Originally Posted by Blarg View Post
    2000 years ago it was perfectly reasonable to live inside whales.
    i love swimming in stomach acid too!

    Vore lovers do as well, only of women, not whales.

  19. #39
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    To be fair, whales' stomach acid is fairly weak considering they use it to digest planktons.

  20. #40
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    Quote Originally Posted by Maxxthepenguin View Post
    I'm not sure what your point is here. Mine was that L Ron Hubbard clearly was making up his shit for power and profit, making his insane story less related to what we see and now understand make little sense (other than to induce paranoia when people say the followers are crazy).
    The time spam is still irrelevant because any logical person should understand there aren't talking snakes, one guy didn't round up two of every animal on earth and people just don't live in a fucking whale in the year 2009; but they do. Major religions are just as stupid read at face value as Scientology is and people make obscene and asinine amounts of money profiting off it. It's the same shit, different story.