talkmagic.co.uk

Panorama
Mon 14 May, 8:30 pm - 9:00 pm 30mins

John Sweeney investigates the Church of Scientology, endorsed by some major Hollywood celebrities, but which continues to face the criticism that it is less of a religion and more of a cult. Some former members claim the Church uses a mind control technique to put opponents at a psychological disadvantage. During the course of his investigation, Sweeney is shouted at, spied on, visited in his hotel at midnight and chased around the streets of LA by strangers in hire cars.

Website: http://www.bbc.co.uk/panorama

sounds interesting!

I saw the trailer on TV this morning - one 'member' completely looses his cool with the reporter and continually shouts his head off rather than listen to any questioning. All very illuminating!

A lot of known showbiz 'names' are members and, for those of us who saw this spring up and develop out of Hubbard's SciFi books, it's quite scary at times. As are many other 'cults' where outsiders feel serious concern which insiders take as criticism or abuse of their faith.

not meaning to sound stupid but what actually is Scientology and what do they believe? I've heard lots about it but don't really know anything about it, I've just googled it but lot totally lost after the first few sentences.

Mandrake wrote:... - one 'member' completely looses his cool with the reporter and continually shouts his head off rather than listen to any questioning. All very illuminating!

Unfortunately, that 'member' is actually the reporter. John Sweeney has done great work in the past, but this is not his finest moment.

He knows he done wrong.

Isn't it something to do with the Galactic Overload Xenu millions of years ago having to deal with over population so froze millions of bodies, laid them out in front of volcanos on earth and the bodies were all vapourised. the spirits of those (called thetans) now whizz around and adhere themselves to us and block our mental pathways.

Something like that.....I suppose its just as viable as any other relgion out there

From what I've heard they believe that we were sent to Earth for our sins or wrong doing. If we follow their beleifs aliens will come to earth and take us away to the mother planet and thus save us.

I'm an open minded person and do not judge but......

Lady, one of the central beliefs of Scientology is that a Space Lord (I may not have his title quite right) called Xenu came to Earth 750 million years ago. He brought with him billions of prisoners who he deposited near volcanoes before blowing up the volcanoes with hydrogen bombs (which you wouldn't think would be the best technology available to interstellar space-farers, but maybe he was into retro). If I have it right, humanity is plagued by the souls of the dead.

It was all invented by L Ron Hubbard. Curiously none of it's followers seem to have noticed that Ron was (probably not coincidentally) a science-fiction writer. A third-rate one. Some years before he started pushing this as a belief system he had said to a reporter:
You can't make money as a writer (Well you couldn't, Ron). If you want to be rich then start a religion.
I'm paraphrasing, but gist is accurate.

Charles, In the excerpt I saw, both the reporter and the interviewee were shouting a lot - as you say, not good TV!

Lady of Mystery, Scientology was born out of L.Ron Hubbard's SciFi novels and has taken on a life if it's own.

Whichever way we look at Scientology, we should perhaps bear in mind that many people are deeply committed to this as their faith and our thoughts/comments should be suitably considerate.

Mandrake wrote:Whichever way we look at Scientology, we should perhaps bear in mind that many people are deeply committed to this as their faith and our thoughts/comments should be suitably considerate.

Indeed. No hydrogen bombs or volcanoes were harmed in the making of this sci-fi religion

Scientology is not legally recognised in the UK as a religion any more than being a Jedi is. CoSs attempt to be recognised as a charity was also rejected.

thanks for the explainations everyone, does sound rather odd to me but people have the right to believe what they want to believe. Don't think anyone can really say for sure what's false and what's not.

Lady of Mystery wrote:thanks for the explainations everyone, does sound rather odd to me but people have the right to believe what they want to believe. Don't think anyone can really say for sure what's false and what's not.

True. It's when party A tells party B, who don't believe what party A believes, that they must do as party A solely because of party A's belief that I have a serious problem.

By the way, don't you dare use cards in mentalism

It's only a few days since I was slapped down for suggesting that someone said that. Not so apparently.

South Park's depiction of scientology may have got them sued by a rather well known actor, however, it was quite accurate.
It was also one of their funniest episodes, I know people that can't stand South Park who loved that one!
It was called "In the closet" I think.

Looking forward to tonights show, cheers for letting us know about it

Charles Calthrop wrote:It's only a few days since I was slapped down for suggesting that someone said that. Not so apparently.

i think the search engine (here or google-wise) might show that you were right Charles...