I can’t take issue with the “I’m a dick to everyone” argument as it is often my bread and butter.
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Please keep this discussion on-topic. This is not a generic religion topic (but you are welcome to create one if you wish!). In all cases, please keep the discussion respectful.
Thanks!
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what was the topic again?
But were the Scientologists German or American?
Actually, before the article I wasn’t aware Germany was quite so angsty about Scientology - I’d always assumed it was more or less a US-centric thing.
The IRS largely publicly settled many of their issues long ago and the big US scandals have largely been forgotten. The Russians and the Germans have both been worked up about Scientology at various points. I think the Germans are the most active. In the UK, a bunch of the early anonymous actions were against Scientology and then there are things like Neil Gaiman and Amanda Palmer.
As far as I’m concerned, we should be having grand juries around the stuff that they’ve done but it gets ignored.
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I think that the real concern with Scientology, and why so many people have such a visceral reaction to it is indeed that it’s new and small, but particularly virulent and aggressive. There’s a real “Holy crap! we’d better do our damnedest to keep this under control” to the situation.
Trust me, scientology would love to be as big as the other religions you’ve named, but I doubt (even considering the harm that the established and larger others do) that it would be so benign an overlord if it were…
If they had the same numbers as other groups I’d rank them much higher, but I’m looking at it based on total global negative influence.
I related them to osteogenesis imperfecta (my niece and nephew both have this) Vs. cancer. OI can be much more untreatable than many forms of cancer but it affects so few people.
And, of course, I keep noticing theists or people who cling to hooey of one particular brand being all in favor of going after Zenu because it’s obvious malarkey but then they also believe obvious malarkey. The veracity of bullshit should be completely off the table.
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There’s a difference between giving someone a pass and going in on them instead of other people also behaving badly.
I can’t speak for other people, but I don’t give other groups a pass. (My site.)
Mainly because people seem to pick Scientology specifically because it’s new or smaller and less established than the other “big three”
I think that’s more that Scientology manages to be at the leading edge of so many things, annoying far above their weight class in members, but with roughly $3B in reserves, they can afford to.
That’s usually a symptom of a bully coward who is fond of rationalizing. “I need to hit someone but I need to hit someone with the popular support of others because I don’t like getting hit back.”
If someone doesn’t like being hit, I’d suggest tackling another group. Trust me on that. I don’t know of any critic or ex-member who could be described as a bully. I’m afraid that’s all on Scientology’s side. They’ve managed to scare off the FDA, IRS, too much work for most sections of the FBI, made friends in politics, and can get shielding by established groups who’d fear a thin edge of the wedge if Scientology went down. I don’t see many bullies left. Russia, of course. Germany is a little strict on totalitarian groups, but they have their historical reasons for that.
Also Scientology isn’t compulsory anywhere I can think of, nor does one have to claim affiliation to Scientology to hold elected office in any place I can think of.
It isn’t compulsory unless you work for a Scientologist company which uses Hubbard Management Tech.
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I don’t mean legitimate “squirrels”/clambakers, etc. Who have public identities. I’m referring to anonymous people online who dogpile on whenever the CoS comes up but don’t ever go against “the big three”. Obviously this is subjective observation, but that’s how it looks. I have a great deal of respect for the 'bakers goals and courage. I follow and am friends with a couple of former CoS members online and in life.
Islam in much of Africa and the Arabian peninsula, Christianity and the RCC in most of the 3rd world (my own uncle who is a born again xtian minister has an orphanage in Kenya, which is dope, but he also has mandatory church. Not really “optional” if it’s staver or pray)
And the thing nobody in the US will EVER discuss: Every kid in the world with religious parents.
All theism is malarkey and a step away from reason and thus bad.
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I like his humor, I’ll have to watch more later (added to my YT WL list).
This is my friend Dan Webber, much more casual and intentionally funny and not investigative but just irreverant (he’s a comic):
There are other videos, there was a group reading right before he left for Chicago that has some other friends, all of them are fun.
Thanks, Dawkins.
Oh sheiße, I’ve been there, once in 2009 and again in 2014.
This explains so much now.
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