A Mormon's Visit to the Church of Scientology


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Have you ever been to the religious service of a church other than your own? I grew up as a Latter-day Saint and always found the prospect of encountering other religions quite daunting. What do I do if they challenge my beliefs? Would my testimony be strong enough?

I’ve since overcome those fears and really enjoy learning about other religions. This article is about one of those learning experiences. Take it for what it’s worth.

 

https://mormonhub.com/blog/life/scientologist-sunday-service/

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This paragraph:

"Mormon missionaries often teach that if you have questions about Mormonism, you should ask a Mormon. That makes sense. The same principle applies to most everything you might have questions about. If you want to know more about archaeology, talk to an archaeologist, if you want to know more about leadership, talk to a leader, and if you want to know more about Scientology, talk to a Scientologist."

Isn't exactly accurate in its implication. We do tend, as a people, to be somewhat defensive on this point since there is so much mis-information out there concerning Mormonism. And therefore we well understand that trying to learn about Mormonism by asking outside of it means that said misinformation is likely to be the result. That being said, the reality is that asking a Mormon about Mormonism is as likely as not to get your mis-information as well.

Regardless, my thought is this (please excuse the Reductio ad Hitlerum): if you wanted to learn the truth about Nazism would the best course really be to have asked an SS officer? Would you really expect to get truth from someone who has either bought into lies or embraced evil?

Clearly you would also want to ask Nazis as part of the research. But the idea that the best way to learn about a lying, evil organization is to ask them doesn't ring true. PLEASE NOTE: I'm not accusing Scientology of being a lying, evil organization. That may or may not be true. I'm simply pointing out that there is a possibility that this is true with any organization, and that puts the whole "the best way to learn about blah is to ask blah" into a state of being suspect.

For what it's worth, the best way to learn about truth is to go to the source of truth. If you really want to know about Mormonism the key is to ask God. This should be true of all things as God's truth is the only truth. The idea of asking a Mormon is not guidance based on "Mormons know their stuff and can fill you in on the details!" ideology (though some who make such a suggestion may think that is the case). Rather, it is based on the concept that asking a Mormon about Mormonism will ultimately lead to guidance to ask God about the truth of these things.

When you take God out of the mix, particularly in the case of religion, truth, and "knowledge", then you're pretty much doomed to deception.

My thoughts, for what it's worth, aren't meant as a criticism of the article or the idea of checking out a church to find out what they believe or the like. Just sharing a thought I had by way of discussion.

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I appreciate the article's message that we should try and open dialogue with members of other faiths, as well as the bravery of the author.

That said, my mom always told me that, if I don't have something nice to say, I shouldn't say anything at all.  Unlike just about any other religion, I don't have a lot of nice things to say about the particular organization that is the subject of the article.  So I simply won't say anything at all.

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Guest MormonGator
8 minutes ago, DoctorLemon said:

I appreciate the article's message that we should try and open dialogue with members of other faiths

For sure! In 2017 there seems to be an atheist onslaught. More and more people are leaving organized religion (sorry, it's true. Look at Europe). But Christians are often too busy fighting with one another to understand that we need each other now more than ever. My biggest fear is that all churches will keep arguing about deck chairs on the Titanic while atheism will continue to rise. 
 

 

Edited by MormonGator
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6 minutes ago, DoctorLemon said:

I appreciate the article's message that we should try and open dialogue with members of other faiths, as well as the bravery of the author.

That said, my mom always told me that, if I don't have something nice to say, I shouldn't say anything at all.  Unlike just about any other religion, I don't have a lot of nice things to say about the particular organization that is the subject of the article.  So I simply won't say anything at all.

I read the book Dianetics.  It was very instrumental in my self-training to overcome my IED without meds.  So, yes, there is something good in that religion.

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26 minutes ago, The Folk Prophet said:

This paragraph:

"Mormon missionaries often teach that if you have questions about Mormonism, you should ask a Mormon. That makes sense. The same principle applies to most everything you might have questions about. If you want to know more about archaeology, talk to an archaeologist, if you want to know more about leadership, talk to a leader, and if you want to know more about Scientology, talk to a Scientologist."

Isn't exactly accurate in its implication. We do tend, as a people, to be somewhat defensive on this point since there is so much mis-information out there concerning Mormonism. And therefore we well understand that trying to learn about Mormonism by asking outside of it means that said misinformation is likely to be the result. That being said, the reality is that asking a Mormon about Mormonism is as likely as not to get your mis-information as well.

Regardless, my thought is this (please excuse the Reductio ad Hitlerum): if you wanted to learn the truth about Nazism would the best course really be to have asked an SS officer? Would you really expect to get truth from someone who has either bought into lies or embraced evil?

Clearly you would also want to ask Nazis as part of the research. But the idea that the best way to learn about a lying, evil organization is to ask them doesn't ring true. PLEASE NOTE: I'm not accusing Scientology of being a lying, evil organization. That may or may not be true. I'm simply pointing out that there is a possibility that this is true with any organization, and that puts the whole "the best way to learn about blah is to ask blah" into a state of being suspect.

For what it's worth, the best way to learn about truth is to go to the source of truth. If you really want to know about Mormonism the key is to ask God. This should be true of all things as God's truth is the only truth. The idea of asking a Mormon is not guidance based on "Mormons know their stuff and can fill you in on the details!" ideology (though some who make such a suggestion may think that is the case). Rather, it is based on the concept that asking a Mormon about Mormonism will ultimately lead to guidance to ask God about the truth of these things.

When you take God out of the mix, particularly in the case of religion, truth, and "knowledge", then you're pretty much doomed to deception.

My thoughts, for what it's worth, aren't meant as a criticism of the article or the idea of checking out a church to find out what they believe or the like. Just sharing a thought I had by way of discussion.

I think the statement in the article is not clearly defined.  The better qualification is... If you want to know what Mormons believe, ask many Mormons.  If you want to know what non-Mormons think about Mormons, ask many non-Mormons.  Ditto for Nazis. 

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52 minutes ago, The Folk Prophet said:

This paragraph:

"Mormon missionaries often teach that if you have questions about Mormonism, you should ask a Mormon. That makes sense. The same principle applies to most everything you might have questions about. If you want to know more about archaeology, talk to an archaeologist, if you want to know more about leadership, talk to a leader, and if you want to know more about Scientology, talk to a Scientologist."

Isn't exactly accurate in its implication. We do tend, as a people, to be somewhat defensive on this point since there is so much mis-information out there concerning Mormonism. And therefore we well understand that trying to learn about Mormonism by asking outside of it means that said misinformation is likely to be the result. That being said, the reality is that asking a Mormon about Mormonism is as likely as not to get your mis-information as well.

The truth is that it doesn't have to be an evil, lying organization to make your position correct. How many people don't have enough self-awareness to accurately describe even, themselves?

And if you're going to ask a Mormon, who do you ask?  Rob?  Traveler?  Zarahemla?

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30 minutes ago, Carborendum said:

The truth is that it doesn't have to be an evil, lying organization to make your position correct. How many people don't have enough self-awareness to accurately describe even, themselves?

And if you're going to ask a Mormon, who do you ask?  Rob?  Traveler?  Zarahemla?

Me!  Ask me!!!

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 My visit did not enable me to dispel the rumors you may see online from questionable sources about aliens and implants and cults, etc.

Best dang sentence in the whole article.  

For two decades, I've immersed myself in LDS apologetics.  I've learned the criticisms and the responses.  I've encountered arguments and videos critical of my church and faith, and I've discovered the responses.  From what I can tell, it's a little different with Scientology.

Standard cycle of LDS apologetics:
Criticism: You mormons believe X!
Response: Yes we do, and here's why/No we don't, here's what we belive.

Standard cycle of Scientology apologetics:
Criticism: Here's a video we took from the other side of the street across from the Scientology building.  You can see how they send their thugs out to intimidate us.  
Response: Lawsuit, stalking, attempts at intimidation, attempts to attack the character of the critic.

If you go to YouTube and search "Scientology thugs", you see critics picking fights and finding them.  You see Scientologists bringing angry confrontation, threats, violating rights, committing assault, stalking, blocking public streets, being nasty.
If you search for "Mormon thugs", your results are starkly and humorously different.  

Go to lds.org and search for 'blacks and the priesthood' or 'polygamy' or 'mountain meadows massacre', and you get lots and lots of relevant, direct results. 
I went to scientology.org , and found zero results for 'xenu' or 'attack the attacker' or 'Lisa McPherson' - nothing.

Ask yourself what we teach and believe about former Mormons who are out being critical.  Then take a look at what Scientology says about former Scientologists who are out being critical: http://www.scientology.org/faq/scientology-attitudes-and-practices/what-is-a-suppressive-person.html

Think about what we teach and believe about how to react to family members who are critical of our faith or church.  Then take a look at what Scientology says: http://www.scientology.org/faq/scientology-attitudes-and-practices/what-is-disconnection.html

 

Yeah, there are some pretty stark differences from where I'm standing.  Glad to hear they do good charitable works though.

Edited by NeuroTypical
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