I suppose the turning point came while watching that horrifically bad Louis Theroux documentary entitled My Scientology Movie. It came across as not only a poorly made, and cringingly trite English Public Schoolboy level smug fest, but just plain old shitty. A nasty polemic in which he could impress the audience in an extremely patronising manner.
If
it were any other religion or group, it would be considered just
vicious bigotry and little else. Because it is Scientology, it's ok.
There was a time in the USA when Catholicism was the 'anti-semitism' of
the Liberals and the chattering classes. Now, it is Scientology. Yet, what is Scientology's great crime against humanity?
Com'on...I'm waiting...?
The Cathars were the Scientology of the Middle Ages in Some Respects
"When Bram fell in 1210, 100 prisoners had their noses cropped, their lips cut off and their eyes gauged out. One man was left with one eye so that he could guide the others away. With a hand on the shoulder of the one in front, and the one-eyed man at their head, a file of blind prisoners wound its way to Lastours (Cabaret), a visible demonstration of the ineffable mercy of God's Christian Army."
"When Bram fell in 1210, 100 prisoners had their noses cropped, their lips cut off and their eyes gauged out. One man was left with one eye so that he could guide the others away. With a hand on the shoulder of the one in front, and the one-eyed man at their head, a file of blind prisoners wound its way to Lastours (Cabaret), a visible demonstration of the ineffable mercy of God's Christian Army."
As
a Pagan, I am acutely aware that just below the shim of Christian
civilisation and tolerance, is a murderous and genocidal nature
profoundly vicious to anything outside the accepted orthodoxy of Christian
dogma. After watching the Louis Theroux
documentary, I had to ask myself. "Is what I am seeing any different
than the Swedish Crusades which exterminated the last of the Pagans of
Eastern Prussia? Is this any different than the Albigensians Crusade which exterminated the Cathars of Southern France with ferocious murderous bigotry and hatred?"
The only answer I could come up with - when honestly asking myself this question is - "No, there is no difference." Why is one religious organisation worthy of hatred and endless ridicule and another is not?
Further to this. Where are the Scientology suicide bombers and knife killers? There are none. Did Scientology folks slaughter over a hundred young people in the Bataclan? Did Scientology people nail bomb children in the Manchester Arena? Is Scientology throwing Gay men off buildings for public sport?
So why am I expected to attack a religion who is not attacking me, my ancestors, or the society I live in?
Sorry, I am not buying this 'Scientology is the ultimate evil' mantra anymore. I also like Tom Cruise as an actor and all the man has ever done is entertain us. Yet, I am expected to hate him because of the spiritual path he has taken in life? Really?
There was a time I fell for this 'Scientology is the root of all evil' crap. But not anymore. There are real religious monsters walking this earth and they are not trying to 'Go Clear', they are looking for 72 virgins in heaven.
Deal with it.
The only answer I could come up with - when honestly asking myself this question is - "No, there is no difference." Why is one religious organisation worthy of hatred and endless ridicule and another is not?
Further to this. Where are the Scientology suicide bombers and knife killers? There are none. Did Scientology folks slaughter over a hundred young people in the Bataclan? Did Scientology people nail bomb children in the Manchester Arena? Is Scientology throwing Gay men off buildings for public sport?
So why am I expected to attack a religion who is not attacking me, my ancestors, or the society I live in?
Sorry, I am not buying this 'Scientology is the ultimate evil' mantra anymore. I also like Tom Cruise as an actor and all the man has ever done is entertain us. Yet, I am expected to hate him because of the spiritual path he has taken in life? Really?
There was a time I fell for this 'Scientology is the root of all evil' crap. But not anymore. There are real religious monsters walking this earth and they are not trying to 'Go Clear', they are looking for 72 virgins in heaven.
Deal with it.
ReplyDeleteSomeone once told me that Scientology cured their schizophrenia
yikes, can't believe how crap this article is. you justify scientology by taking a nice big ignorant swipe at Islam. As though because islam has extremists, that makes scientology OK.. i know, i know... the check is in the mail.
ReplyDeleteThere being plenty of other religious monsters out there doesn't give this mob a pass. Anything which causes otherwise good folk to offer up their children to slave labour camps, physical abuse and starvation deserves a raised eyebrow. People aren't free to leave without being hunted down via relentless smear campaigns. Some have even been framed for crimes they didn't commit.They may not be harming the rest of us but they harm their kids and that's not ok. They're every bit as much a cult as the Christian dead guy worship cult and Allah Akbar Boom brigade. As an aside, I thought most American protestants still consder that Catholics aren't Christian and it's still a mainstream idea over there that Catholicism is a cult - which it probably is but no more or less than all these others. Nope, Scientology doesn't get a pass from me more than any other cult.
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