BobToday
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Scientologists have a unique but potentially beneficially set of beliefs. This religion is best known for its many celebrity adherents, but it is also well known for its air of mystery. A large group of dissidents and anti-Scientologists has sprung up in the last decade with crazy stories about brainwashing and belief in aliens. The truth, as always, lies somewhere in-between the reports from Scientology officials and the lynch mob out to get them.
Scientology is an officially recognized religion started by the science-fiction writer/adventurer turned self-help guru L. Ron Hubbard. The beginnings of Scientology were in a book published by Hubbard in 1950 – Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health. It was on the best-seller list for over 6 months, and was a self-help system that was supposed to be a new type of psychotherapy.
Two years later, Hubbard wrote a new work – Scientology, a religious philosophy. In order to expound his ideas he purchases and amalgamated three churches based on science and spiritual engineering into the Church of Scientology. At first, the church was not granted religion status. That only came in 1993. Since then, the church has grown into an expansive and powerful organization that attracts some of the best and brightest.
The core of the Scientology belief system is that experiences from the past, that may include experiences from past lives, are embedded in the brain. These so-called engrams cause us to repeat negative behavior. Scientology is a process that can rid a person of their engrams, causing them to become more self-aware, and as a result a better person.
Scientology does not rely on a belief in God. It rather focuses attention on individual consciousness, which is improved through one-on-one counseling sessions called audits. Through the use of electronic energy-reading devices called e-meters, auditors are able to help others achieve ever greater states of being until they are Pre-Clear. When a Scientologist is completely rid of all engrams, his or her thetan, or true spirit, can begin to awaken in a state called Clear. The ultimate goal is to become an Operating Thetan, or a spirit being with the power to control all forces of time, matter and space.
The top-level Scientologists keep secret information that is deemed too daunting for lower-level members. It is claimed that among the secret teachings is the belief that evil aliens were sent to Earth long ago by a galactic ruler, and it is their spirits that became our current engrams. However, Scientologist spokespeople claim that there is no truth in these rumors.
 Posted 4837 day ago
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