Well this kind of goes back to my question. Would you consider Scientologists creation story (xenu and the "suppression" of thetans via brain washing) to have similarities with the other major religious stories? ...
Not actually a 'creation story'. If anything it would be
hubbard's explanation for why things are as they are here on earth.
... Would you consider xenu to be the lucifer / fall of mankind event? ...
No, although both are mythical events posited by their believers to explain the presence of 'evil' in the world; on the one hand
earth, on the other the
universe.
... That is assuming we are now equating OTIII to Genesis (Buddhist / Judeo-Christian-Muslim / Hindu) which all share some commonalities. I don't see the commonality between the Xenu story and the others. ...
I just listed one such commonality. See above.
Many others exist. Notably the auditing of 'entities' is in some ways parallel to gnostic practices involving influencing spirits (the root of later concepts of mysticism & magic) and traditional shamanistic practices from disparate cultures dealing with spiritual influences.
... My opinion of course. That OTIII is hidden from most scientologists until they are "ready" to hear it also breaks that similarity with most major religions where the origin story is the basis not the conclusion for peoples faith. ...
That assumption depends very much on times and places. Given a modern day western centric viewpoint that may be predominantly true, but even now there are exceptions; note the mormon church in the u.s. is quite secretive about it's rituals and only elect groups within the mormon congregation are
fully admitted into the rites and practices of their temple.
Mystery religions which do not reveal their secrets beyond the inner most initiates are common throughout history. The classical greeks had several such. The christian church started out as one such
mystery religion but their mystical secrets became common place with the
enforced expansion of christianity as a universal church of the western world. For a thousand years the secrets have been a commonplace due to the forced conversion of the west, but that was not always true.
... Any ways, I would bet most if not all practicing scientoligists fall into the Baker camp of it's a philosophy not a religion and would probably look askance at equivocating the two. ..
It's not a matter of equivocation, but rather one of difference in perspective. The distinction between philosophy or religion is one of the attitude taken in examining the principles involved rather than of the doctrines embraced. A philosophic approach entails a fundamental & personal basis in applied reason. A religious approach entails a willingness to suspend reason in preference to faith or cohesion of religious community.
Buddhism and various other eastern traditions are often variably thought of as either a religion or a philosophy dependent on the cultural context in which they are taught; philosophic school or religious institution. A similar distinction can reasonably be applied to scientology depending upon whether the individual scientologist is motivated principally by the ideas embodied in the discipline (philosophy) or adherence to 'source' and the group (religion).
What too often occurs is that individuals interested in the ideas embodied in the subject are lured into involvement with the religious cult of hubbard through concepts of
loyalty to the group.
... I could be wrong though but at it's core, the religious cloaking, would seem to be counter to the tenets of how you "evolve" your thetan.
Religion is a phenomena of social institution. Social institutions inherently are impediments for personal spiritual development. At some point each individual either grows beyond the limits of the culture in which he exists or stagnates as a spiritual being. Ultimately religion hampers spiritual development, whatever the religion.
... This is the way I have taught Dhamma, for crossing, not for keeping. Cast aside even right states of mind, monks, let alone wrong ones, and remember to leave the raft behind. ...
The Dhammapada, P.Lal trans.
... But Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead. ... Matthew 8:22
Mark A. Baker