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Old 10-23-2019, 07:24 AM
 
8,005 posts, read 7,211,328 times
Reputation: 18170

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I enjoy going to the Capital Theater for concerts. That particular two blocks or so of that street has quite a bit of hip non-church activity and businesses. Heading north it gets weird really quick. Absent Scientology, the whole downtown could be like that I suppose.
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Old 10-23-2019, 07:39 AM
 
Location: South Tampa, Maui, Paris
4,475 posts, read 3,842,069 times
Reputation: 5323
Quote:
Originally Posted by JMatl View Post
I personally don't consider them a legitimate religious organization by any stretch, it's an extremely odd cult in my opinion.
Anyone can create a religion. What makes Scientology more of a cult than Christianity or Islam or Buddhism?

All religions are cults.
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Old 10-23-2019, 09:25 AM
 
Location: Atlanta
9,818 posts, read 7,919,548 times
Reputation: 9986
Quote:
Originally Posted by sinatras View Post
Anyone can create a religion. What makes Scientology more of a cult than Christianity or Islam or Buddhism?

All religions are cults.
If you haven't figured it out by now, nothing I could say will matter will it?

Perhaps it's their strong aversion to designer French butter.
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Old 10-23-2019, 12:58 PM
 
Location: South Tampa, Maui, Paris
4,475 posts, read 3,842,069 times
Reputation: 5323
Quote:
Originally Posted by JMatl View Post
If you haven't figured it out by now, nothing I could say will matter will it?

Perhaps it's their strong aversion to designer French butter.

What a fantastic idea! I will create a religion in which we all worship a stick of designer French butter. Makes about as much sense as worshiping zombie Jesus (Christianity), aliens (Scientology) or the archangel Gabriel (Islam). I'm sure we would get tax exempt status in a snap. Praise be to French butter!

Last edited by sinatras; 10-23-2019 at 01:33 PM..
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Old 10-23-2019, 04:33 PM
 
Location: tampa bay
7,126 posts, read 8,647,422 times
Reputation: 11771
Any situation in which you find yourself giving up autonomy over your own life becomes unhealthy...all religions whether it be the big three (Judaism, Christianity, Islam) or smaller such as Scientology are guilty of this...it isn't necessary to mock any one of them!
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Old 10-23-2019, 07:17 PM
 
65 posts, read 44,158 times
Reputation: 101
They just placed a magazine on my doorstep today. It was titled Freedom: I am a citizen of Clearwater. I am a scientologist.
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Old 10-23-2019, 10:47 PM
 
282 posts, read 247,783 times
Reputation: 666
It is creepy as hell. Anyone opening a new business, isn't very business savvy. The so called "church"has bought up so many of the properties. (church properties are not paying taxes). Many of those new businesses are either affiliated with the church or supporting it with the leases they hold. Not something I personally would feel comfortable contributing to in any way. To each his own I guess. I don't find it to be a credible religion. May as well support the old "moonies"...from back in the day. Very sad. Clearwater shot themselves in the foot allowing this to happen.
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Old 10-23-2019, 10:55 PM
 
65 posts, read 44,158 times
Reputation: 101
Quote:
Originally Posted by srq57 View Post
It is creepy as hell. Anyone opening a new business, isn't very business savvy. The so called "church"has bought up so many of the properties. (church properties are not paying taxes). Many of those new businesses are either affiliated with the church or supporting it with the leases they hold. Not something I personally would feel comfortable contributing to in any way. To each his own I guess. I don't find it to be a credible religion. May as well support the old "moonies"...from back in the day. Very sad. Clearwater shot themselves in the foot allowing this to happen.
Yes they did. Nobody goes to downtown Clearwater to "hangout", we go to the beach. Thankfully that haven't invaded that yet. I'm sure they want to....
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Old 10-24-2019, 05:30 PM
 
2,576 posts, read 1,747,929 times
Reputation: 1785
The Mom and Pop businesses are trying to make a living in downtown. I really don't think their going to try to recruit a customer into becoming a member of The Church of Scientology.

The TB Times article is more of a hate of any Religious group that get's Tax exempt status.
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Old 10-24-2019, 06:10 PM
 
Location: NC But Soon, The Desert
1,045 posts, read 758,228 times
Reputation: 2715
Quote:
Originally Posted by sinatras View Post
Anyone can create a religion. What makes Scientology more of a cult than Christianity or Islam or Buddhism?

All religions are cults.
Agreed. I once created a religion & had a couple hundred followers on social media before I tired of the game.
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