Bjhn, I am with you. Toleration is all very well, but not when it concerns an organisation which behaves as badly as the Church of Scientology.
L Ron Hubbard was a charlatan of the first order. His philosophy does contain some useful knowledge (check out
www.trans4mind.com), but it also contains some dangerous fantasy. Hubbard was a lurid 'pulp fiction' writer and it shows.
The Ch of Sc is very interested in the rich. To cross the bridge in their parlance you need to be seriously 'well heeled'. There are no refunds if it does not work. If you are not rich you can always sign a contract with the 'Sea Org' which ties you to the organisation for a 'billion years'. (Wonder how that would hold up in a court of law). I took two of their basic courses twenty years ago;decided it was not for me and found it very difficult to shake them off. Officials from the movement harassed me at work and came unbidden to my home. I still recieve mailings from them at my parents home.
My local Ch of Sc was staffed by well meaning idealists who were paid a pittance, based on how many courses and books they sold. They were encouraged by higher officials in The Church to claim income and housing benefits. Not the behaviour of an honourable organisation. In the U.K. if you claim benefits you are declaring that you are available for work. As an organisation this is not very honourable behaviour. Using tax payers money to subsidise your staff.
Another strange thing the people in The Church acted like L Ron Hubbard was alive when in fact he had been dead for several years! By the way Hubbard chose to register his organisation as a Church so that earnings would be tax free.
Check out the book 'Bare Faced Messiah' and the weblinks above.
Charlatans and 'snake oil' salesman do not deserve to be treated with 'kidgloves'. Scientology has ruined lives and split families. It is a dangerous cult.
