[Kosh]

http://yro.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/12/20/2239255

"Two ex-employees have sued Diskeeper Corporation in Los Angeles Superior Court after being fired, alleging that the company makes Scientology training a mandatory condition of employment (complaint, PDF). Diskeeper founder and CEO Craig Jensen is a high level, publicly avowed Scientologist who has given millions to his Church. Diskeeper's surprising response to the lawsuit (PDF) appears to be that religious instruction in a place of employment is protected by the First Amendment." The blogger at RealityBasedCommunity.net believes that the legal mechanism that Diskeeper is using to advance this argument ("motion to strike") is inappropriate and will be disallowed, but that the company will eventually be permitted to present its novel legal theory.

Damn these guys are everywhere now........

[DeepSpace9er]

Maybe they are hoping in 1000 years to be just as popular and blindly accepted as Christianity.

[BengalTiger]

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

Which part gives a company the right to religous instruction?

And why don't reporters ever quote the stuff people refer to, just to show the whole story?

[Bobboau]

actually these guys have been everywhere for the last few decades, this is an example of a WISE business, basically a front franchise, that is run by a scientologist, the church gets a cut of there profits and they use the work force as a source of new membership.

I believe earthlink and pandasoft are, or at least were, other companies like this.

most large businesses have had some run in with the 'tech' as well, as you will end up with a scientologist in some position of authority. and of course the only one's who can do anything other than just bumble around and make grunting noises are scientologists, so they MUST apply there super powerful tech to EVERY thing they do and you end up with them recruiting from the department that they run, firing anyone they see as 'suppressive' getting sued and fired (unless the own the company).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Institute_of_Scientology_Enterprises
http://stop-wise.biz/

P.S. you might want to check up on your dentist

[Kosh]

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

Which part gives a company the right to religous instruction?

And why don't reporters ever quote the stuff people refer to, just to show the whole story?

None of it, which is why the case is not going to get thrown out.


It's also possible they are trying to latch onto the US the way Christianity did with Rome.

[Nuclear1]

Yeah

Thanks for the conspiracy theory entertainment guys.

[Kosh]

Scientology is hardly a conspiracy theory, they are a cult with a checkered past, questionable ethics and practices, and a growing amount of influence. It's no secret they are trying to grow their ranks.

[Nuclear1]

I know the Church of Scientology is filled with douchebags but until they start getting seats in Congress then I couldn't give two ****s about yet another group of religious nutjobs. I'm not willing to bet that in two or hundred years Scientology will ever be looked on as a legitimate religion other than by a few washed-up actors and people who have no hopes of financial responsibility coupled with low levels of self-esteem. Anyone who's stupid enough to believe in thetans and intergalactic spaceships exactly resembling modern airlines deserves to have their every penny lost anyway.

I am willing to bet, however, that the Church of Scientology will do something highly illegal, more so than Operation Snow White, and quite possibly bordering on hate crime or terrorism, and be shut down by the federal government. Scientology is no more legitimate a religion than the once-per-decade suicide cults.

EDIT:  Bad parts go bye bye.

[Bobboau]

I know the Church of Scientology is filled with douchebags but until they start getting seats in Congress then I couldn't give two ****s about yet another group of religious nutjobs.

ha

but really, they have a lot of money and a very powerful intelligence gathering apparatus. they might not be able to get there people into office with the general population (in the cities they 'own' this is a different story), but they certainly can blackmail and bribe people in power. this is exactly what a lot of people think led to there receiving of federal tax exempt status in 1993.

and what the hell are you talking about? all that has been mentioned in this thread thus far is that the C of S has an business management program that they use for recruitment and income.
and that they suck.
who has consitered them more than a more than a powerful criminal organization?

[Hellstryker]

Kosh always brings the most interesting news.

[Nuclear1]

Alright, I posted in the heat of anger over a number of different issues, and the CoS hit top of the list here.  I then saw it mentioned with "Christianity" in the same sentence twice in this thread as if to make a comparison between the two in their infant stages, which made me furious.  Not a religious fervour, as I honestly couldn't bring myself to be affiliated with any religious sect, but rather anger over the thought of fairly reasonable people making completely illegitimate comparisons between the two groups.

Hence the post.  The caustic parts have been edited out.

I agree wholeheartedly that Scientology and the CoS both suck, and I would frankly be only really happy if the entire "Church" was dismantled, its assets seized and sold, and all of its leadership put on trial and convicted for domestic terrorism, bribery, and a multitude of other crimes that would put the illegitimate sons of *****es behind bars for the rest of their natural lives.

But in the end, the Church of Scientology is nothing more than the Mafia with a set of beliefs.  Not the 21st Century's Christianity, or even remotely close.  Their time will come.  And I only pray it comes sooner than later.

[Mars]

Hmm... in the strictest sense, I don't think Scientology and Christianity were being compared at anything more than a political level, but it breaks down a bit sooner than that even.

Christians really were tormented in Rome, Scientology probably isn't hampered enough by US law.

[Kosh]

Alright, I posted in the heat of anger over a number of different issues, and the CoS hit top of the list here.  I then saw it mentioned with "Christianity" in the same sentence twice in this thread as if to make a comparison between the two in their infant stages, which made me furious.

Why? They both preyed on ignorance and the desire to "believe" in something "bigger" amoung. They are both just as superstitious and nonsensical.

[Stormkeeper]

Why? They both preyed on ignorance and the desire to "believe" in something "bigger" amoung. They are both just as superstitious and nonsensical.

Then all religions must be the same to you since the basis in most religions is to belive in something bigger.

I personally find that the comparison between the 21st century Christianity and the CoS to be quite insulting for the Christians. I see no similarity in the way the Christians and the Scientologists conduct their businesses.

[Black Wolf]

Not now, no. The comparison was made to how christianity worked back in Ancient Rome to spread its influence and gain the prominence that allowed it to be declared the imperial state religion, not a comparison of beliefs or modern practices.

[Kosh]

Believing in thetans and super duper alien space ships is not much different from believing in people who walk on water and angels.

I personally find that the comparison between the 21st century Christianity and the CoS to be quite insulting for the Christians. I see no similarity in the way the Christians and the Scientologists conduct their businesses.

I'm not comparing it with 21st century christianity, I am  comparing it with what it was. Besides there still are christians who conduct their business in an ethically questionable way, just watch Jesus Camp.

Not now, no. The comparison was made to how christianity worked back in Ancient Rome to spread its influence and gain the prominence that allowed it to be declared the imperial state religion, not a comparison of beliefs or modern practices

Yes.

[achtung]

This case will not be thrown out and the business will be fined.  Nothing else will be heard, and the practice will continue under the radar.

[Kosh]

This case will not be thrown out and the business will be fined.  Nothing else will be heard, and the practice will continue under the radar.

Probably.

[NGTM-1R]

Believing in thetans and super duper alien space ships is not much different from believing in people who walk on water and angels.

I don't think that's true. It's a frame of reference issue. Walking on water and angels, are familar enough to be believeable, yet fantastic enough to easily inspire the belief that there is a supernatural being of great power behind them. Rocket-powered intergalatic DC-9s, while also familar, is not totally fantastic in such a way as to make you believe this is the doing of a supernatural being...maybe a Sufficently Advanced Alien with a ****ed-up sense of humor, in which case Scientology's setting of the story renders the whole thing broken because it's the distant past and there'd be nothing humorous about it.

[Kosh]

I don't think that's true. It's a frame of reference issue. Walking on water and angels, are familar enough to be believeable,

How so? Back when christianity was invented there was no concept of spacecraft, imagined or otherwise.