C.O.S.? Hm.

"We of the church believe that all men of whatever race, color, or creed were created with equal rights.

That all men have inalienable rights to their own religious practices and their performance.

That all men have inalienable rights to their own lives. That all men have inalienable rights to their sanity.

That all men have inalienable rights to their own defense.

That all men have inalienable rights to conceive, choose, assist or support their own organizations, churches, and governments.

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.

That all men have inalienable rights to the creation of their own kind. That the souls of men have the rights of men.

That the study of the mind and the healing of mentally caused ills should not be alienated from religion or condoned in nonreligious fields, and that no agency less than God has the power to suspend or set aside these rights, overtly or covertly.

And we of the church believe THAT MAN IS BASICALLY GOOD. That he is seeking to survive.

That his survival depends upon himself and upon his fellows, and his attainment of brotherhood with the universe.

And we of the church believe that the laws of god forbid man to destroy his own kind.

To destroy the sanity of another.

To destroy or enslave another's soul.

To destroy or reduce the survival of one's companions or one's group.

And we of the church believe that the spirit can be saved, and that the spirit alone may save or heal the body. "

- Creed of the Church of Scientology

It's difficult, in my quest to find out just what the hell is up with this strange religion and these strange people, to remember that there's different things to think about in my research.

The Church of Scientology is not the same as a Scientologist, and Scientology the belief. The Scientologists look extremely happy and proud to be part of their religion. It's difficult to see that the people who follow this religion are the same people who follow the Church of Scientology, and that the "Church" that gives so many people happiness has done so many crimes and bad things.

Looking at the Church's misgivings is enough to scare me out of not joining such a young religion, given its cultlike tendencies and crimes against its members and non-members, as well as society. Also, the first six months of Scientology is free, and then it costs $300 a year, or $2,000 lifetime. And every course costs thousands of dollars.

Of course, I suppose if you were just a scientologist, and had no real interest in moving up in the church, it would be a good religion. Still, $300 a year? YIKES.

I will admit, this whole Scientology buisness both scares and fascinates me. It's like a good book I can't put down. Just seeing Scientology thrive and become larger makes me feel like I'm part of some exciting Sci-fi novel where aliens try to take over the world.

Plus, as wierd as it is, Scientology is an absolutely fascinating religion. They contradict themselves in what their beliefs are many times on their website AND in their official documents, and in their actions they also contradict most things their creed states so strongly.

I do like their religious tolerance, though it seems a bit off that they are so intolerant to their members, yet say that anybody can follow whatever. They also actively recruit new members. But if they believe everyone has the right to their own religion, why actively recruit? THey have the right to their religion. Let's not try to convert.

It's hard to see both sides of the argument concerning Scientology when there is so much going against it. SO many things pointing to the fact that Scientology is a complete scam.

However, The Church of Scientology is on RipOffReport.com and many other scam sites, as though it was a COMMON scam, which it is NOT. Most of the people who put the Church of Scientology on Ripoff sites claim mind control, brainwashing, captivity, forced labor.

That sounds like a bit of a cult to me. It really doesn't help their reputation that they sued and slandered the Cult Awareness Network until they had to go out of buisness, and then took them over, so now if you call, a Scientologist picks up the phone.

So it's hard to figure out - why do the people of the Church of Scientology seem so HAPPY?

Odd.

I'd like to talk to a Scientologist in person, ask them about things in a non-judgemental way. I think that would be a truely enlightening experience, to hear what they have to say.

People who leave the Church of Scientology say that it was horrible and they're glad they got out, but members of the CHurch of Scientology seem genuinely HAPPY.

Who knows. Wicked confusing.