Scientology?

[Rockstar135]

murphee said:

I also think that quite a bit of psychiatry is hogwash ie: Freud.

Freudian theory (aka psychodynamic theory) is now a greatly marginalized part of modern psychiatry due to its lack of empiricism. Freud is more celebrated today for his break with contemporary methodology rather than for his theories.

[murphee]

I think that Freud was especially off-base about sexuality.
I do consider much of the modern practice of psychotherapy to be valid and useful. ('Talk therapy' where the therapist works with a troubled client to help examine current problems and help guide to insights on changing behavior and attitudes).

[Crimson Guard]

Basically too much of anything could be harmful for you.

Drug Companies are nothing more than Corporate Conglomerates,that are far to rooted in the Governments and other bodies of self interests groups...They should be broken up,as they have far to much say and control. Their a major problem as is always Human Corruption.

But medicine and Hospitals and such have been with us since atleast 2-3 thousands years. Most of the Medicine is found naturally in the environment..

What Tom Cruise says is basically true to certain extent yes,but one most remember he's pushing his own religion,he's already a Mega Multi-Millionaire..and he talks like an idiot without a script laid before him.

And I dont need Cruise or some Science fiction writer telling me his made up quack religion is the path to enlightenment and emptyness..

[Rockstar135]

murphee said:

I think that Freud was especially off-base about sexuality.

I agree. Even his own followers modified this aspect of psychodynamic theory. For example, a particularly noted follower of his, Erik Erikson, agreed with the idea of early conflict shaping the psyche but differed with Freud in that he believed the conflicts to be based in social context (relationships with family, friends, etc.) as opposed to a sexual one. Also Freud seem to suffer from a huge degree of phallocentrism that female adoptees of his theory later pointed out and corrected.

[murphee]

I agree. I am also of the belief that early childhood experiences very often affect a person's psyche over the span of a lifetime. I see it in myself.
Using the example of a person who has not been sexually abused in childhood, I view sexuality as having little or no importance until puberty, in direct opposition to Freud's theories.

[Wadaad]

are there scientologists outside the US? arent they like the Mormons, some kind of American cult/pseudo religion?

[murphee]

They are in many countries besides the US, same with Mormons.

[Ponto Hardbottle]

They exist in Australia, scientology and the Mormons. Scientology got around the laws here apparently by being class as a religion, a church. Odd eh! The Mormons have large churches here, and sponsor lots of American boys to do missionary work.

[nockwasright]

rockstar135 said:

Scientology has really come to the forefront as it has been popularized by major celebs (most notably Tom Cruise). Ironically, it has been Cruise's crusade that has turned me off from scientology.

The idea that he is propagating (and scientology advocates) is downright dangerous: that major mental illness can be managed by diet and exersize as opposed to psychopharmaceuticals and psychotherapy. I don't know if Tom has had any major contact with someone suffering from severe mental illness, but tell someone who is so depressed they are suffering from major catatonia (unable to move and stiffly rigid) or someone who thinks people on their television are talking directly to them to alter their diet and see what happens. These drugs, which he is so ardently against, have an important role in managing people's illness and helping them to function in society because they are now able to maintain their jobs and raise their kids.

And his arrogance astounds me. Here is someone who didn't even graduate high school thinking that he has some particular insight to the history of psychiatry that no one else seems to have. He apparently thought nothing of calling a long-time friend of his (Brooke Shields) "irresponsible" for publishing her account of post-partum depression in which antidepressants lifted her out of a state so severe she couldn't even look at or touch her own child.

He isn't entirely wrong, I do agree that perhaps Ritalin is overprescribed and that there are not enough studies that demonstrate the efficacy of antidepressant use in children (particularly that of SSRIs). However, the blanket statements that he is making are grossly irresponsible and I worry converts to scientology are being hugely misinformed.

I agree completely on this.
Drugs are the most/only effective way to cure mental illness.
IMO the confusion is caused by the fact that the line between mental illness and normal human discomfort is blurred.
Many of the "problems" that bring people to the shrink/scientologist/ assorted religions are just inability to accept that life is at it is, unhappyness and frustration are part of it, and nothing is going to cure this.

[Igu]

scientologists use ampermeters and voltmeters to measure your Karma (or some other bullshit), If any one here believes in that: YOU ARE RETARDED.

[Wadaad]

well thats why its a religion, you gotta have "faith" with some things and believe it unconditionally

[jrj26]

lol well more appropriately, they use an "E-meter" or electropsychometer. It works like a cross between a lie detector and an ammeter, which measures current.

At least for me, I wouldn't discount Scientology because of its beliefs(or at least the mainstream ones, besides the Star Wars cosmic battle that sent our souls to Earth 75 million years ago or so). Most other religions have "weird" beliefs as well. My problem with Scientology(the Church of Scientology specifically) is that it charges WAY too much for its services. Most of the people involved are not doctors, lawyers, CEOs, celebrities, etc., who can afford to pay $5000 for a service. I've heard that they encourage members to use credit cards, ask for money from friends and relatives, etc. I still don't understand why the services would cost so much.

www.xenu.net/archive/prices.html

[Ponto Hardbottle]

All you have to know about scientology is L. Ron Hubbard. Know who and what that man was will tell you all you need to know about the veracity, sanity and bona fides of scientology.
jrj26 brought up a good point. Scientology extracts money out of people and provides them with no benefit.
L. Ron Hubbard proves that axiom of another American P.T. Barnum, there is a sucker born every minute. That is what I see when looking at Travolta and Cruise. Cruise wasn't using his scientology well when someone washed his face with water recently.

[Crimson Guard]

<<Scientology extracts money out of people and provides them with no benefit.>>

I think most religions do this(even the Catholic Church has done and no doubt still does,which one of the Reasons why protestants where born and splintered away).

Religions I have to say is a man made Construct,and another form of manipulation and Power over the mass's.Again Human corruption.

I just like to believe in Divine Destiny and natural laws.

[Anja]

Oh god, yeah, about Tom...the diet and excersize averting mental illness...

My dad's frikkin bipolar, and there is no way in hell he'd function properly without any meds...he runs, and eats as well as he can, but he has frikkin Celiac disease, so he can't eat wheat/gluten haha, so there goes half of his "diet/balance"...