why is he so whack? why is his indoctrination video considered 'really scary'?

to me he looks like a guy who is happy with his life and all it embodies. he looks like a guy who truly believes in what he's doing and as far as i can tell that doesn't hurt anyone.
i've seen christians and catholics and muslims that look scarier and actually do hurt people in their every day actions. i'm more distrustful of most christians and catholics than i would be of him and his cronies. they've stolen more money from their followers than there is money now.
i haven't seen a single article that has anything to do with the scientologists hoarding cash from unsuspecting people who actually need that cash.

yeh

Because he's crazy.

Gawker vid

have you seen jesus camp?
yikes!!
it's a camp for neo-conservative christians to train kids to become leaders of new government.
for christ's sakes, just let them be kids!

i just watched the much talked about gawker vid and saw nothing wrong with it. seriously. what's so scary about it?

I don't recall many Christians requiring their followers to give up money to follow that faith.

You sound like a Scientologist.

Yeah, I watched this just the other day. Frightening.

Evad. Scientologists trick you into joining, and then brainwash you into giving up your ENTIRE ASSETS. EVERYTHING. House, car, savings, stocks, you lose it all. Where's all that money go? I can tell you it sure as hell doesn't go into charity.

It's a friggin cult, not a religion.

Wow. What a strange religion...

Maybe it goes to Tom Cruise.

http://whyaretheydead.net/

Flyers posted in the washrooms at school with this URL on it.

I wasn't aware that Catholics and Christians are two different groups.

Also, these videos provide some insane insight into Scientology. They're pretty entertaining as well.

whats even worse than yanky scientologists? YOU BROUGHT IT OVER HERE NOW!

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Eh? You could say that about anyone. Everyone raises their kids according to their beliefs. When they come of age they'll have plenty of opportunity to reexamine them if they desire. I've been to a summer camp kind of like that (probably not as extreme) a couple of years ago. For the most part it's exactly like any other camp, except it has a bit of a christian/charismatic theme to it. Really, they're just a bunch of mystics who like to get all fired up and emotional about things every once in awhile, but not so much that they have to drastically change their whole lifestyle. The most extreme tend to be a bit obnoxious and have *really* dumb political opinions, but they're harmless for the most part, even if they are a bit crazy.

I can guarantee you that 90% of the kids who go to that camp won't give a flip about anything they were taught there by the time they're teenagers.

I agree with the thread. He isint about to drive a plane into a building. He just likes his religion. Whats wrong with him talking about it?

Its ok to laugh, but to yell "be gone devil" and smack somone on the head with bathroom water, thats totally ok right?

There's a difference between worshipping a religion fiercely and worshipping a cult.

Meh, the only reason miserable christians don't commit suicide more often is because they're taught the boogey man will get them if they do.

My ex was a non-denominational Christian. Her church required weekly "tithes and offerings" that were a set percentage of your income.

Most churches suggest a certain percentage of your income to donate, but I've never heard of a church requiring that percentage be given.

the key word there is "non-denominational", which means that the church can pick and choose which bits of the bible that they want to concentrate on, instead of just going with what a particular demonination does.

Large churces need money to operate. Why is this surprising? It's not like the clergy is rolling around in a giant vault of gold coins.

That's messed up. I've never heard of such a thing.
Most churches just whip round the collection plate. Most people tend to chuck in a little silver, and that's it.
To 'require' a weekly percentage of your income? Seriously, what kind of church is that.

Yeah, I've never heard of a church requiring you to tithe either. They recommend it, and usuallly a percentage of your income, but I've never seen it required

hence my comment reffering to the non denominationalness of it, which means that it may well have ALSO been a cult.

The LDS/Mormons do though don't they? I've had the impression that to be a confirmed Mormon you're required to tithe 10%? It'd certainly explain how they afford giant shiny temples and sending so many people off on missions. A lot of European countries tithe people via taxes. Claim you're Catholic in Austria and part of your wages will go to the Catholic church.

Evad, scientology sucks for all the reasons already stated. It also sucks because it picks on the most vulnerable members of society:

People who need psychiatric help? Well scientology teaches them that psychiatry is an evil level with the Nazis. It takes people in with self-help style books and their auditing sessions which mostly amount to therapy. These people with their own personal issues, low self-confidence etc are then convinced that Scientology is the only way to get better. Jack up the bills for further "auditing sessions" and offer them ways to improve without ever placing an end goal in sight and you have a sucker paying you everything they've got. Encourage them not to trust their families, not to trust doctors, to listen to and obey slavishly the higher members of the heirarchy and they'll never escape. Then use the information gleaned from auditing sessions to smear any of those who do leave. Scientology also attacks any critics, with smear campaigns, lawyer bombing them, harassing them, attacking them etc. It was in fact official church policy known as the "Fair Game Doctrine" (see also R2-45) and in many cases appears to continue although the church denies it completely. Finally, they butter it all up with a slightly different, more benign and pleasant version for celebrity adherents to gain a lot of famous endorsements and the cult gains some air of legitimacy.

It's possible that it wasn't "required" in the most strict form of the word. I don't think they would have kicked her out if she didn't pay (though I don't know for sure, I tried to get involved as little as possible to avoid fights).

However, being raised in that church all her life, she felt personally obligated to donate. She'd still donate even if it meant not having enough money for gas for the week. Pretty ridiculous.