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sustain!
In response to a By Common Consent post about Scientology, a Scientologist discusses and rebuts several popular notions about what Scientologists actually believe, and how they are similar to Mormons.
comments
That is fair enough. I am not prone to sympathize with Scientologist doctrine and/or theories, but I will regard their views with respect.
Can I just renew my sheer grumpyness with fundamentalists of all stripes? There's just something about the nearness of the end times and exclusionary beliefs that turns people into violent raving lunatics.
I'm all for keeping tabs on groups who may be breaking the law, even it is politically incorrect. So, I don't oppose investigating scientology. I do oppose the use of stupid rumors and blatantly deceiving sources though, as any rational person ideally would.
And about 19th century Mormons, I'm willing to cut them all the necessary slack against the discriminatory, unconstitutional laws who chased them out of the country's limits, out into Indian territory. America is a great country, but its presidents and officers have not always been (Van Buren, Boggs et al.)
About violent raving lunatics, I agree. We especially need to keep an eye on radical liberals, they are by far the worst. They are the only wacko culture in the world who kill unborn babies.
Please educate yourself on the socioeconomic, racial and cultural elements that complicate the abortion debate. I'd suggest a book with first person accounts, incorporating both sides. It removes the idealistic 'ban everything' approach and introduces one to the people involved.
Having studied Scientology and found some good and applicable truth in some of their beliefs/practices, I found Ronan's initial 'scientology rule' to be ridiculous, smug, and even somewhat offensive.
had there been some real substance to this post in itself, by way of an overview of Scientology, Dianetics, or some of their more compelling world views (i.e. attitudes about psychiatry), I would have sustain'd it. As it is, and as I said above, it's just hollow 'nacle drama, and of little interest to anyone beyond the MA.