The Truth About Scientology, from Janet Reitman

Comments

[Gadgetman]

03:25 AM on 09/09/2011

Scientology makes Madoff's Ponzi scam look legit.

[Gadgetman]

03:24 AM on 09/09/2011

"I'm tired of making a nickel a word writing science fiction. If you want to make the big money you have to start a religion." - L. Ron Hubbard

[David MacWilliams]

09:23 PM on 09/06/2011

Let me help you out with this one. IT'S A BUSINESS! Yes! A BUSINESS! I know, right? What a scam! If you don't believe me, try being a Scientologist without money. The "church" doors would get slammed in your face in a heartbeat if you couldn't pay the entrance fee...

[Anonisan]

08:47 AM on 09/05/2011

Anonymous to the rescue !!!

[ThinkCreeps]

06:55 AM on 09/05/2011

Running along at an excellent dollar-to-fact ratio, scientology is in a perfect position to join the pantheon of the world's superstitious scams.

[thorrsman]

10:06 PM on 09/04/2011

"The Truth about Scinetology"?

The short form is that it is a scam created by a hack writer.

A very good money-making scam, but still a scam, and one that has proven to be dangerous.

[ThinkCreeps]

06:51 AM on 09/05/2011

I'm not seeing any obvious distinction from mainstream religions.

[dschiff]

11:02 PM on 09/05/2011

Emphasis on aliens? ;)

[MrsFreeze]

11:59 AM on 09/06/2011

as a member of a mainstream religion i can tell you that i am asked for contributions to support the church and church outreach programs but my membership in the church does not depend on a donation of any kind. i can sit in the pew every week without ever having to put a single dollar in the collection basket. i am not cut off from people of different faiths. i am catholic, my husband is not. this is not a problem for my church. i understand that you feel that way based on all the garbage that can come out of my church and other mainstream religions, but i guarantee you that scientology has nothing to do with the kind of religion most of us are practicing.

[WmC]

05:46 PM on 09/04/2011

You have to pay out $100,000 to realize you've been scammed? Must consist of a lot of slow learners.

[mrkurtzhedead]

12:05 AM on 09/05/2011

Have you ever seen interviews with Tom Cruise and John Travolta? Not the brightest bulbs.

[MrsFreeze]

12:16 PM on 09/06/2011

especially since most of us have heard about this xenu business just from reading basic articles about scientology for years. can these people really spend all those years and all that money and then be totally shocked when they get to the xenu part? that's unbelievable!

[pakaal]

04:48 PM on 09/04/2011

The whole point of keeping Galactic Ruler Xenu a secret the same reason why Monty Python's Book Of The Month Club doesn't announce their "Dead Indian!" giveaway. Because it's bad for business!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZ4Yt3i1XHk

Monty Python. The answer to all questions (except the one that's answered "42").

[messy]

05:59 PM on 09/10/2011

Reitman said in her book that Cruise left the church when he got to Xenu, and Miscavage spent millions of other people's hard earned dollars to get him back.

[Tanrioldu]

04:23 PM on 09/04/2011

The fact that so people believe in this "religion" dashes my hopes for the future of humanity.

[thinkingwomanmillstone]

02:53 PM on 09/05/2011

the fact that so many people believe in any religion puts a cloud over the future of humanity.

[LoudGuitr]

09:00 AM on 09/08/2011

Couldn't agree more.

[Tequilatarian]

05:04 PM on 09/06/2011

That would be sad...if there were that many followers.
Based on polling data (as Census data on religious affiliation is no longer done), there are more Jedis or Zoroastrians than scientologists.
Probably less than 50,000 in the U.S., where most of them live.

[wheelzroller]

02:40 PM on 09/04/2011

A fool and his money are soon parted !

[LiberalLee]

02:08 PM on 09/04/2011

It's always amazed me that a mediocre sci-fi writer with recognized paranoia problems that once bet someone that he could CREATE a religion, and went on to do so, could actually find anyone gullible enough to BELIEVE his every-cheap-sci-fi-gambit-in-the-book hokum.

Barnum was sooooo right.
There is one born every minute.

[pakaal]

04:48 PM on 09/04/2011

This way to the egress! Fanned.

[SDLee]

05:55 PM on 09/04/2011

Suggestibility and it's cousin gullibility run deep in the blood; right down to your genes. People will believe anything because that's how they're hard-wired. It takes effort to be free.

[thunk]

01:57 PM on 09/04/2011

Who cares about Xenu. Just read their web site and tell me it's doesn't sound like a manipulative crock.

[Norcal2]

07:44 AM on 09/04/2011

the scientologists bought a building in my neighborhood and from the get go became bad neighbors....they don't speak to anyone...snarl when they walk past you in their black suits.....

.a very nasty crew for sure...they aren't making any friends by being nice thats for sure.

[Whitey Hackle]

10:39 PM on 09/03/2011

Putting this article under the religion section is an affront to religion.

[Tanrioldu]

04:00 PM on 09/04/2011

right, like your religion is any more valid.

[Whitey Hackle]

04:17 PM on 09/04/2011

Typical atheist forest-trees mentality.

Scientology isn't even a religion.

[MrsFreeze]

12:21 PM on 09/06/2011

my religion requires no money of me. sure, it asks, but i am free to be part of my church to my heart's content without handing over a single dollar. my religion does not try to cut me off from my husband, who is not of the same faith. the central message i hear week in and week out is to love my neighbor as myself, to help the sick and the poor however i can, to be kind and not to judge. i think that is a very valid way to live my life.

[OtayPanky]

06:08 AM on 09/03/2011

KSW!

Keep Scientologists Wanking