From: kurtzman@pollux.usc.edu (Stephen Kurtzman) Newsgroups: alt.religion.scientology Subject: Re: religion?? Message-ID: <34464@usc.edu> Date: 22 Jul 91 06:45:21 GMT References: <17112@life.ai.mit.edu> <34446@usc.edu> <17123@life.ai.mit.edu> Sender: news@usc.edu Distribution: alt Organization: University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA Lines: 31 Nntp-Posting-Host: pollux.usc.eduIn article <17123@life.ai.mit.edu> whatis@pogo.gnu.ai.mit.edu (....What Is?....) writes: >In article <34446@usc.edu> kurtzman@pollux.usc.edu (Stephen Kurtzman) writes:
>>If it helps you, >>then that is also fine. But don't mistake this stuff for Truth(tm).
>I don't, and neither does LRH. Many times in his writings he says >flat out that what he just said may not be true, but it IS workable >and so it is what he uses. Just because it works doesn't mean it has >to be The Truth(TM), and vice versa, but pursuing The Truth(TM) >while ignoring what works seems pointless to me.
If LRH admitted that Dianetics/Scientology may not be true then why use "science" in the name Scientology and why call it religion. As I understand the enterprises of science and religion, they are both aimed at finding (objective) Truth -- science being based on methodologies for finding independently verifiable Truth and religion concerning certain universal truths which may transcend scientific analysis.
Regardless of what LRH may have said, what is more important is what the Church of Scientology teachs. Does it teach these theories of engrams, etc. as truth or conjecture? Does it make attempts to correct members who uncritically believe this stuff? My guess would be no. Otherwise, it would seem that Scientology does not fit the mold of a religion -- i.e. a system of beliefs about certain types of Truth. -- Stephen Kurtzman | "I would like to be a person who does not judge kurtzman@pollux.usc.edu | Free to be me whatever that might be | I don't want to hold a position, | don't want to hold a grudge" -- Terre Roche
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