Amar?
“The topic of my sermon today is - Don’t Kill Bugs.” 
L. Ron McKenzie
Hmmm. I’ve been trying to look at this logically, and so far things are beginning to look a little startling… 
Christ… Anti-Christ
Son of God …Not the son of God
Crucified …Not Crucified
Christian …Not Christian
Never made…Loads of movies
a movie
Never shagged…Shagged many celebrities
a Celebrity
Not a Scientologist…Scientologist
Jewish… Not Jewish
Born in Bethlehem…Not born in Bethlehem
Not born in Syracuse…Born in Syracuse
I had to stop there… it was getting a bit scary…
My reaction was not against your specific views about Scientology, rather the link you made between weakness of mind and that which characterises the world’s great religions.
Unfortunately you are right. The Christian church has done some appalling things. Ghandi said everyone would be a Christian if it weren’t for Christians. I think he meant that Christians and their actions don’t match up to the teachings of Christ - and he’s right we don’t. That does not lessen the teachings of Christ and it emphasises the point (central to Christian teaching) that ALL have fallen short (Christian & non-Christian alike.)
If only the Christian church would recognise that the world needs actions from the church more than words and that you cannot convince somebody to have a relationship with God, only to show them whats its like and if they are impressed, help them to pursue it for themselves.
.
I just wanted to post to this thread so my avatar will be here.
Dale
Has anybody ever seen Dale and Tom in the same place -I think they might be one and the same!
No, no. Dale is much prettier and “all there,” too.
Here’s</a](http://www-2.cs.cmu.edu/~dst/Fishman/time-behar.html">Here’s</a)> a copy of the Time magazine article on Scientology from 1991. The scary part is the sidebar at the end where the reporter discusses what happened to him when he starting investinging them.
Cults and other religions have been around for a long time. Some have
become very good at “brain washing”(sic). They employ such things as
sensory deprivation, controlling the subjects environment, peer pressure,
etc. (much like basic training) to make a person believe in the group.
Given enough time and resources anyone could be conditioned into
belonging to one of these groups.
The thing is, the harder it is to convert some one, the harder it is for
others to condition them back and so they are the desired followers. The
wishy washy people that will convert in a day will convert back just as
quickly when something better comes along. To the group the
weak-minded are only good for quick money and the occasional small
task.
In a way the “weak minded” are more adaptable to their environment and
have a strong self-preservation streak (a kind of survival of the fittest).
This self-preservation is in direct conflict with group preservation that a
cult would seek.
Often the Lesser members of the group are the most vocal and are the
easiest to point at and say “see how stupid they are” while the real core of
these groups are more subtle.
Unfortunately, I have not read up on such things for years, and so I will
errors that others will be kind enough to point out.
Yep.
Thanks for link to article, Beo, it’s a concise summary of many things I learned in a book about it.
I have to say folks, that I just threw the anti-Christ thing in there as one of those fun threads about the ubiquitousness of Cruise-man the last week or so. Mebbe it will settle down after the movie premieres…unless it gets an OSCAR!
I like Tom Cruise as an actor, I just wish he didn’t do interviews.
He can act?! 
Wasn’t Christ a Jew?
Ethnically, yes. Theologically…it depends who you ask. I’m pretty sure Christ thought of himself as a Jew. His mother was Jewish, after all. If your mother is Jewish, then you are too. And, being the Messiah, he had to be a descendent of King David (also a Jew).
snicker
Majority](http://www.salon.com/comics/boll/2005/07/07/boll/index1.html%22%3EMajority) Retort (may have to watch an ad to enter).
Beowulf THAT is a FINE avatar.
“I need more cowbell.”
Thanks Dale! I actually missed the first run of this, I haven’t watched SNL in years. But I caught the skit on the web and laughed myself silly.
“Guess what… I got a fever. And the only prescription, is more cowbell.”
Almost as good as Kevin Spacey doing Christopher Walken doing Han Solo.
I’m surprised how big it’s become, the band loves it, you can buy products</a](http://www.cafepress.com/giftholiday/604678">products</a)> on the net, it’s crazy.
For those who haven’t seen it, here</a](http://www.milkandcookies.com/links/12491/">here</a)> you go.
I may be risking a lurch back on topic, but:
http://movies.msn.com/movies/article.aspx?news=196146
…During the W interview, the actress wouldn’t part from Jessica Rodriguez, who is described as her “Scientologist chaperone.” Rodriguez’s role in Holmes’ life remains vague, though Rodriguez says they’re “just best friends” since meeting around the time Holmes met Cruise.
“You adore him,” Rodriguez told Holmes when the actress was at a loss for words to describe her love. …
This does not seem to portend a healthy relationship. I could just say, “This chick is WHACK” but I wonder if Dr. Wisely might suggest a name of the disorder from which Katie cutie may be suffering.
Roger