AIBU to think that there are no Scientologists on MN?

[amarone]

Just wondering... If there are, please tell me how you justify your believes as a religion?!

This makes entertaining reading. They're not deranged, you understand.

"Actually, they appear to form a disproportionately large part of the membership. A brave sociologist needs to go "under cover" and find out what makes bright people more likely, not less, to be taken in."

Not sure I agree (as on another thread) that more intelligent people are likely to be taken in - would need evidence of this, and the exact correlation of intelligence (however measured) to numbers, and not, say, social class/background being the influencing factor. However, the journalist William Shaw - www.bloomsbury.com/Authors/details.aspx?tpid=740 - has done work undercover with cults, including time spent with Scientologists, and wrote the book Spying in Guruland, about the subject.

lol @ Riven ! .

intresting links .... now i understand why my former friend believed in aliens , (was convinced they visited her .

.i just thought she was a bit whaky now and then.

still think ron was an arsehole though .

is is true they stalk anyone who critisises scientology ?

The stalking is mainly confined to the US. They tend to only go after the people who have a notable audience for their views. Eg, the repeated and intense efforts of Scientology to shut down the Operation Clambake site that stores voluminous information about the realities of Scientology, their hilarious beliefs and their underhand practises.

Think it sounds abusive.
And dangerous...

There is a very interesting video which shows exactly how some cults use mind control to recruit and control members.
Take a look at

I did their personality test on Tottenham Court Road once - they said I needed 're-programming' but I didn't take them up on their kind offer

I feel very sorry for people taken in by these types of organisations (I won't go into detail about which ones, suffice to say that religions aren't for me!)

Exploitative, dangerous, isolating.. the list goes on.

I think anything like this that doesn't stand up to scrutiny has something to hide, TBH.

Some of the telly programmes about Scientology have appeared quite terrifying.

John Sweeney's documentaries for the BBC were really interesting.

Anne Archer's son is quite high up in the Scientology hierarchy. When John Sweeney asks a few celebrity followers about aliens, it's hilarious watching them squirm.

dont Muslims also belive in Aliens?
I remember reading something about a passage in the Koran which mentions Allah being the god of all worlds or something alien related

Have just come across this thread and found all this talk about Cults fascinating!

I also recently came across this website which seem to quickly explains how Cults work.

Essential reading for responsible Mums I think!

www.cultavoidancesociety.org/

They are weirdos though, no doubt. Not a religion. Not anything, just a postbox for cheques. I know that.

BlackSwan - no, you can't

Yeah, I thought not.

I think Blackswan may have replied to my message, but I didnt see it in time before Mumsnet deleted it.

Well the thought police are out in force. Some people do use their religion to justify killing. Fact.

It wasn't a reply to you rr, don't worry

I reported you, BS.

Yes, I worked that out.

Give me 100 weirdos touting a cult which steals your money any day.

The Cult Avoidance Society calims to be a charity on its website.

THere is no record of a charity by this name on the Charity Commission site.