Commentary from Catholic Online
Here is a comment that was posted on Catholic Online, In response to the Article that is OP of this thread....
Quote:
What does "anti-religious" even mean?
Heather G | 2/18/2010
Thank you for objectively covering this press conference and for your level-headed rebuttal of Tommy Davis's rant.
I find it ironic that Mr. Davis wraps his organization and its actions (ALL of its actions) in the mantle of religious freedom, while simultaneously trying to silence freedom of speech and freedom of the press with baseless accusations of religious bigotry and hate.
It's also interesting to note that one of the statements in the "Creed of Scientology" is "That all men have inalienable rights to think freely, to talk freely, to write freely their own opinions and to counter or utter or write upon the opinions of others;" and yet their spokesman finds the need to scream "antireligious bigot!" at anyone who might express their opinions about Scientology in anything less than glowing terms.
So, is Scientology a religion or a cult?
I have no doubt that rank and file Scientologists find faith and comfort and clarity within their church and in that sense, it is certainly a religion.
However, any thinking person who looks closely at the practices of corporate Scientology must question the motives of such a cynical profit-driven.
Food for thought in the ongoing debate:
What other religions place copyright on their sacred scriptures and sue people for sharing them or discussing them publicly. Can you imagine if Christians or Jews sued people for sharing or disseminating the bible? Or Muslims suing people for sharing the Koran?
Other religions keep the sanctity of confessional and pastoral counseling as confidential. Would a priest threaten a parishioner with information learned during confession? Scientology regularly uses this confidential information to silence or discredit former members who dare to criticize the church.
What other religions hire private investigators to follow and harass critics?
I am unaware of another religion that will physically restrains "clergy" (sea org members) who wish to leave.
I am unaware of another religion that demands to know an accounting of "crimes" of those who wish to depart.
I am unaware of another religion that requires departing members to sign legal papers that say they won't speak critically of the church or write a book about it.
Though tithing and donations are de rigeur in many religions, how many require parishioners to pay increasingly large sums of money up to hundreds of thousands of dollars in order to find salvation?
In my experience, actual religions and religious people can stand up to questions about their faith. Scientology is the only "relgion" I am aware of which will not tolerate any questions about their church and accuses anyone with questions of religious intolerance, bigotry and hatred.
What is that old adage -- if it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck and looks like a duck...
Scientology is quacking and I'm hearing CULT not religion, loud and clear!