Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 20 of 34

Thread: *** OFFICIAL SCIENTOLOGY THREAD ***

  1. #1
    Platinum
    Reputation
    997
    Join Date
    Jul 2012
    Posts
    4,184
    Load Metric
    65666977

    *** OFFICIAL SCIENTOLOGY THREAD ***

    I could swear there was another scientology thread somewhere here but nothing came up in the search results (so forgive me if there is one).

    Anyway, f you've been following this disaster of a cult, you've probably already heard about Leah Rimini's crusade and series exposing this ridiculous and downright dangerous "religion". If you haven't yet, you definitely need to give it a watch.

    That being said, recently, I stumbled upon a youtuber who was literally able to get video footage via hidden cameras (fyi, this is EXTREMELY rare)...and apparently he is still alive.

    He has an entire YT series and it looks like he posts one video per week (it looks like there are 5 videos out so far). I only watched a portion of part 2 so far, but intend to watch the rest soon. I think there are several more coming out soon.

    If you are into this type of stuff, it might be worth a look. There is alot of commentary, so it will probably be kind of annoying when you just want to watch the raw footage, but so far I still think it might be worth a watch especially if you consider how rare it is to get footage and are hooked on learning as much as possible of this fucked up organization.


    Here is a link to ep 1 (again, I didn't watch this one yet so forgive me if its crap):


     
    Comments
      
      SPIT this: Thank you! I'm addicted to scientology stuff
      
      blake: i'm fascinated by these guys too

  2. #2
    Gold SPIT this's Avatar
    Reputation
    346
    Join Date
    May 2018
    Posts
    1,755
    Load Metric
    65666977
    If Trump took away their tax exempt status, I'd consider voting for him

     
    Comments
      
      blake: yep
      
      Gordman: This

  3. #3
    Gold SPIT this's Avatar
    Reputation
    346
    Join Date
    May 2018
    Posts
    1,755
    Load Metric
    65666977
    Scientology could easily be eradicated in my lifetime. It's a dying organization. There's only about 25,000 members now. The internet really killed it. But a few whales are keeping it afloat, and they have significant real estate holdings. If they lost tax exempt status it would really crush them as they'd have to pay property taxes on all their holdings.

     
    Comments
      
      ftpjesus: 9mm between that power hungry fuck Miscaviages eyeballs would cure everything with Scientology ;)

  4. #4
    Canadrunk limitles's Avatar
    Reputation
    1653
    Join Date
    Mar 2012
    Location
    In Todd's head
    Posts
    17,638
    Blog Entries
    1
    Load Metric
    65666977
    Quote Originally Posted by SPIT this View Post
    Scientology could easily be eradicated in my lifetime. It's a dying organization. There's only about 25,000 members now. The internet really killed it. But a few whales are keeping it afloat, and they have significant real estate holdings. If they lost tax exempt status it would really crush them as they'd have to pay property taxes on all their holdings.
    All churches are equally tax exempt, I believe, so all would be negatively affected
    and that's not going to happen anytime soon.

    And that would have a trickle down effect for political contributions.
    Only fairly recently the maximum individual campaign contribution was
    around $2,500 abut has been changed to infinity.

    What could go wrong?
    Last edited by limitles; 01-23-2020 at 11:02 PM.

  5. #5
    Diamond TheXFactor's Avatar
    Reputation
    1199
    Join Date
    Jun 2012
    Posts
    6,934
    Load Metric
    65666977



     
    Comments
      
      blake: i'm always mesmerized by these videos

  6. #6
    Gold SPIT this's Avatar
    Reputation
    346
    Join Date
    May 2018
    Posts
    1,755
    Load Metric
    65666977
    Quote Originally Posted by limitles View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by SPIT this View Post
    Scientology could easily be eradicated in my lifetime. It's a dying organization. There's only about 25,000 members now. The internet really killed it. But a few whales are keeping it afloat, and they have significant real estate holdings. If they lost tax exempt status it would really crush them as they'd have to pay property taxes on all their holdings.
    All churches are equally tax exempt, I believe, so all would be negatively affected
    and that's not going to happen anytime soon.
    This is... not true. The IRS doesn't just give tax exempt status to anyone claiming to have a religious organization. For a long time Scientology wasn't taxed exempt. Look into the history of how Scientology got tax exempt status. Scientology objectively isn't a religion. Just because they claim they are, doesn't mean the IRS has to go along with it. Plenty of other pseudo-religions are not tax exempt. In fact many other countries that give tax exempt status to religious organizations, and don't give it to Scientology.

     
    Comments
      
      Gordman: Correct

  7. #7
    Owner Dan Druff's Avatar
    Reputation
    10110
    Join Date
    Mar 2012
    Posts
    54,626
    Blog Entries
    2
    Load Metric
    65666977
    The most famous celebrity scientologists are Tom Cruise and John Travolta.

    They also happen to both be dogged by longtime gay rumors.

    Travolta is for sure gay (or at least bi) and in the closet.

    With Cruise, it's less clear.

    Will Smith, another celebrity thought to be involved with scientology, is also thought to be secretly gay. However, he has (weakly) denied being a member.

    I always wondered if the devotion Cruise and Travolta had toward scientology was because the "church" had proof of their gay little secrets, or if these guys are just two lost souls who were taken in by the bullshit.

    Often celebrities can be easy targets for shit like this, because they have a hard time discerning between people genuinely liking/loving them and people who are just pretending in order to access their fame/fortune. So when they come across an organization which appears to understand them and care, they can be very susceptible.

  8. #8
    Gold SPIT this's Avatar
    Reputation
    346
    Join Date
    May 2018
    Posts
    1,755
    Load Metric
    65666977
    Quote Originally Posted by Dan Druff View Post
    I always wondered if the devotion Cruise and Travolta had toward scientology was because the "church" had proof of their gay little secrets, or if these guys are just two lost souls who were taken in by the bullshit.
    If you want to delve more into Scientology, you should check out the stuff Leah Remini has put out. Leah Remini, of King of Queens fame, was heavily involved in Scientology with her whole family before she got out.

    She directly addresses what you're asking here:

  9. #9
    Canadrunk limitles's Avatar
    Reputation
    1653
    Join Date
    Mar 2012
    Location
    In Todd's head
    Posts
    17,638
    Blog Entries
    1
    Load Metric
    65666977
    Quote Originally Posted by SPIT this View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by limitles View Post

    All churches are equally tax exempt, I believe, so all would be negatively affected
    and that's not going to happen anytime soon.
    This is... not true. The IRS doesn't just give tax exempt status to anyone claiming to have a religious organization. For a long time Scientology wasn't taxed exempt. Look into the history of how Scientology got tax exempt status. Scientology objectively isn't a religion. Just because they claim they are, doesn't mean the IRS has to go along with it. Plenty of other pseudo-religions are not tax exempt. In fact many other countries that give tax exempt status to religious organizations, and don't give it to Scientology.
    One hundred fifty-three "Scientology-related entities" in the United States were granted tax exemption.[102] As well as the Religious Technology Center and the Church of Scientology International, the "mother church", they included organizations such as Narconon and Applied Scholastics that usually claim to be secular and separate from Scientology. They even included two publishing houses, Bridge Publications and Author Services Inc., that published Hubbard's wholly non-religious science fiction books.[107]
    The IRS also gave the church the right to extend the tax exemption to future branches, effectively giving the church the ability to grant itself further tax exemptions and to decide which of its activities did not need to be taxed. The agency agreed to send foreign governments a "Description of the Scientology Religion", written by the church but printed under an IRS letterhead, to inform them that the US government had found Scientology to be "organized and operated exclusively for religious and charitable purposes."[107]
    In conjunction with the agreement, a limited amount of information about church finances was released, including details of the salaries of Miscavige and other high-ranking church officials, and the disclosure that the church was making about $300 million annually from a variety of sources.[14]
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tax_st..._the_agreement

     
    Comments
      
      Gordman: I'm going to green rep you here because you're at least being civil etc to the discussion. That aside, everything you rebutted doesn't have much to do with what your trying to rebut

  10. #10
    Platinum ftpjesus's Avatar
    Reputation
    588
    Join Date
    Mar 2012
    Location
    Mesa AZ
    Posts
    4,080
    Load Metric
    65666977
    Quote Originally Posted by SPIT this View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by limitles View Post

    All churches are equally tax exempt, I believe, so all would be negatively affected
    and that's not going to happen anytime soon.
    This is... not true. The IRS doesn't just give tax exempt status to anyone claiming to have a religious organization. For a long time Scientology wasn't taxed exempt. Look into the history of how Scientology got tax exempt status. Scientology objectively isn't a religion. Just because they claim they are, doesn't mean the IRS has to go along with it. Plenty of other pseudo-religions are not tax exempt. In fact many other countries that give tax exempt status to religious organizations, and don't give it to Scientology.
    Miscaviage got Scientology its tax exempt status the old fashioned way.. He bribed the fuck out of a bunch of powerful political assholes in DC who subsequently got some paper-pushers and ultimately Senior Executive Services types in the IRS (the SES folks are basically your political appointees in these federal agencies that run shit while the lifer government hacks stay in their cubicles) to sign off on the shit.. There was a massive party when this happened.. Honestly I suspect L Ron Hubbard is rolling over in his grave for what Miscaviage the little Nazi fuck has done to his organization.. Yes Scientology had its issues under Hubbard but it was when David Miscaviage got his hooks into Hubbard before he was even 18 and was deep into the power mantle at 21 and took over entirely the organization at 26.. He is the epitome of the charismatic absolute power hungry leader.. Its his way or the highway (or worse)

     
    Comments
      
      Gordman:
    Last edited by ftpjesus; 01-24-2020 at 01:52 AM.

  11. #11
    Diamond blake's Avatar
    Reputation
    1440
    Join Date
    Apr 2012
    Posts
    5,950
    Load Metric
    65666977
    Quote Originally Posted by SPIT this View Post
    If Trump took away their tax exempt status, I'd consider voting for him

    i didn't want to add trump to another thread but i was thinking of posting the exact same thing.

    if you guys haven't seen it, you should immediately go watch "Going Clear", the hbo documentary on scientology

    it's fucking crazy that scientology has tax exempt status and trump should go to war with these people. i'd legit donate to his re-election campaign

     
    Comments
      
      Gordman:

  12. #12
    Diamond blake's Avatar
    Reputation
    1440
    Join Date
    Apr 2012
    Posts
    5,950
    Load Metric
    65666977



    amazing documentary

     
    Comments
      
      Gordman: I watched Going Clear a while back. Definitely worth the watch and it should be a mandatory watch for anyone even remotely interested in scientology. This shit is beyond crazy.

  13. #13
    Gold SPIT this's Avatar
    Reputation
    346
    Join Date
    May 2018
    Posts
    1,755
    Load Metric
    65666977

  14. #14
    PFA Emeritus Crowe Diddly's Avatar
    Reputation
    1954
    Join Date
    Mar 2012
    Posts
    6,682
    Load Metric
    65666977
    Directv channel 320 is the Scientology Channel. Would love to know how much they pay AT&T to carry the station.

  15. #15
    Platinum
    Reputation
    414
    Join Date
    Mar 2012
    Posts
    3,271
    Load Metric
    65666977
    I used to read autobiographies of famous people that I’d check out at the library while my kids were at catechism....read one by Kirstie Allie another Scientologist, was introduced to it by Travolta when the two became friends after those terrible Look who’s talking movies.

    She said it really helped her get her life in order after being addicted to drugs and whoring around, so I guess if you really have no direction it can help, kinda like choice center...but for normal people it’s just dumb.

  16. #16
    Plutonium sonatine's Avatar
    Reputation
    7369
    Join Date
    Mar 2012
    Posts
    33,371
    Load Metric
    65666977
    its a control system. some people benefit from control systems. scientology hates AA/NA/psychiatrists because they are the competition. also there was a brief period where the CIA and hubbard were both researching the exact same mind control techniques, make of that what you will.

    google william burroughs flirtations with scientology for a lot of interesting takes.

    but yeah whatever it was then, its a pretty straight forward cult at this point.
    "Birds born in a cage think flying is an illness." - Alejandro Jodorowsky

    "America is not so much a nightmare as a non-dream. The American non-dream is precisely a move to wipe the dream out of existence. The dream is a spontaneous happening and therefore dangerous to a control system set up by the non-dreamers." -- William S. Burroughs

  17. #17
    Master of Props Daly's Avatar
    Reputation
    2671
    Join Date
    Mar 2013
    Posts
    10,305
    Load Metric
    65666977
    Quote Originally Posted by Texter View Post
    I used to read autobiographies of famous people that I’d check out at the library while my kids were at catechism....read one by Kirstie Allie another Scientologist, was introduced to it by Travolta when the two became friends after those terrible Look who’s talking movies.

    She said it really helped her get her life in order after being addicted to drugs and whoring around, so I guess if you really have no direction it can help, kinda like choice center...but for normal people it’s just dumb.

    Some of the teachings are actualy really really great. The whole reactive mind stuff and how it ties into anxiety. Getting into “clear”..... it’s all good stuff found in other disciplines...... it’s when they start talking about how all this shit pivots from outer space Gods, it’s literaly a really bad science fiction novel. Then again Adam and Eve and the snake and Apple are all kind of out there too.

    I’m sure some people wanted to help others and then took it too far.

  18. #18
    Platinum
    Reputation
    997
    Join Date
    Jul 2012
    Posts
    4,184
    Load Metric
    65666977

    Exclamation

    Quote Originally Posted by Daly View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by Texter View Post
    I used to read autobiographies of famous people that I’d check out at the library while my kids were at catechism....read one by Kirstie Allie another Scientologist, was introduced to it by Travolta when the two became friends after those terrible Look who’s talking movies.

    She said it really helped her get her life in order after being addicted to drugs and whoring around, so I guess if you really have no direction it can help, kinda like choice center...but for normal people it’s just dumb.

    Some of the teachings are actualy really really great. The whole reactive mind stuff and how it ties into anxiety. Getting into “clear”..... it’s all good stuff found in other disciplines...... it’s when they start talking about how all this shit pivots from outer space Gods, it’s literaly a really bad science fiction novel. Then again Adam and Eve and the snake and Apple are all kind of out there too.

    I’m sure some people wanted to help others and then took it too far.

    No offense, but this is a perfect example as to why a monumentally fucked up organization like Scientology is thriving, despite the fact that it is the year 2020, right in the midst of the most powerful information age in the history of the planet. Make no mistake though, I'm not trying to pick on you or anything.

    Yes, I get what you're saying about Adam and Eve etc. However, you can not even remotely lump Christianity or most other religions in the same category as Scientology. It's not even close.

    They are truly in a category all by themselves.

    I'm not sure if you've watched Leah's series at all, but if you haven't, really sit and listen to the testimonials of regular people who were one way or another sucked into this cult and have had almost every ounce of their being drained from them until there was nothing left. I watched 2 seasons so far last year and am going to dive into the 3rd soon. This shit is mind blowing. Its surreal - especially when it's happening right under our noses in America.

    It's also mind blowing how through all of this, they have somehow dodged having anyone arrested and put up on federal charges. I'm always waiting for the day that the FBI announces indictments, but that is merely a pipe dream at this juncture.

    If they can threaten the freaking IRS into submission, who really knows what else they are really capable of.

     
    Comments
      
      SPIT this: so true

  19. #19
    Plutonium sonatine's Avatar
    Reputation
    7369
    Join Date
    Mar 2012
    Posts
    33,371
    Load Metric
    65666977
    what he means is that the framework they provide for 'self auditing' and stuff like that is actually very effective for self change. but very quickly people move beyond that phase and end up blackmailed/gaslit/compromised, because they want more stability, more self awareness, and those become the bait on the hook.
    "Birds born in a cage think flying is an illness." - Alejandro Jodorowsky

    "America is not so much a nightmare as a non-dream. The American non-dream is precisely a move to wipe the dream out of existence. The dream is a spontaneous happening and therefore dangerous to a control system set up by the non-dreamers." -- William S. Burroughs

  20. #20
    Platinum ftpjesus's Avatar
    Reputation
    588
    Join Date
    Mar 2012
    Location
    Mesa AZ
    Posts
    4,080
    Load Metric
    65666977
    Quote Originally Posted by Crowe Diddly View Post
    Directv channel 320 is the Scientology Channel. Would love to know how much they pay AT&T to carry the station.
    Oh its on the ATTNOW streaming service also.. Its kinda amusing to see the shit they (Scientology) put on the air (Had DTV for a few yrs and then dumped it back early 2019). Sad thing is decades ago they actually were doing some good under Narcanon with the really severe drug addicts.. In fact like any good thing there used to be some reasonable positive sides to Scientology as far as a deep rooted psychological tool (as it relates to dealing with internal strife and conflict) but the whole alien theta shit went off the deep end and Miscaviage found ways to fuck with the whole thing to generate more money.. The whole thing turned into literally a real life Facebook game with having to achieve a massive hierarchy of levels like fucking Farmville (which never seemed to end and an excuse to suck more money from followers).. I mean literally Miscavige should've taken this shit to FB he likely could've created the first virtual religion on Facebook akin to Zynga Poker..


     
    Comments
      
      Daly: FarmVille

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Similar Threads

  1. *** Official topless women with male nipples thread *** OFFICIAL
    By SrslySirius in forum Flying Stupidity
    Replies: 11
    Last Post: 07-09-2015, 11:21 AM
  2. Replies: 21
    Last Post: 03-22-2015, 09:45 AM
  3. Replies: 6
    Last Post: 10-03-2014, 10:26 PM
  4. Replies: 5
    Last Post: 03-29-2013, 02:14 PM
  5. Replies: 12
    Last Post: 03-13-2013, 05:47 PM