by havanagilla » Tue Aug 29, 2006 9:12 am
Gouda, judging from popularity in Israel, its a serious business/movement/whatever. Lots of money, influence, established and popular, media etc.<br><br>I can't judge the influence, in terms of value judgment, don't know enough, it is certainly a "spiritual back up" to the economic takeover, and the anti islamic sentiment the US wishes to encourage.<br><br>As for personal advantage, i can see them taking the vacuum of social services, many joiners are former underclass (or "low class" in terms of social standing and money) who are getting a better outlet than drugs (the other american religion). <br><br>Its easy to be perfectionist when you live in a normal, stable economy. Here, people are thrown to the dogs, and so scientology is way up compared to drugs/crime, or military slavery, or fundamentalist judaism. The new scientologists all have those fake smiles and "positive thinking" phrases, very pushy and aggressive marketting (hooking); its something like the NGO's fashion we imported from the USA to replace politics, party politics, labor unions and social rights and services. Certainly, it is american. I am not a buyer, because I am not "spiritual" i guess, but people seem to need all those reincarnation/immortality things, and so, it works. Much easier to recruit for scientology than get people to attend a "labor rights" meeting in the neighborhood. its much more flashy and "winnerish". I kind of suspend disbelief and do not poke the believers with news about Hubbard eating embrios with crowly in an intel elite pedo-orgy...why bother.<br>--<br><br><br> <p></p><i></i>