This Week in God, 11-20-05

This past week, South Park finally got around to making fun of Scientology. It's been eight years, so what took Trey Parker and Matt Stone so long?
(Before I go on, let me say I am not the Zane Thomas that claims that scientologist imprisoned people at the bottom of an elevator shaft and fed them bread and water.)
After doing a little research, I discovered that fifty years ago, L. Ron Hubbard came up with the basic concepts of the religion. Yes, it's a religion. Anything that is engaged in by more than five people and pisses off millions is a religion.
In the past ten years or so, Scientology has gotten a big boost from some of its members, Kirstie Alley, John Travolta, and Tom Cruise. I've heard some people call it a Hollywood religion. Well, anything to get those Jews from taking over Hollywood is fine by me, hey, hey. Just kidding.
In the episode, South Park depicts scientology as basically a lot of bad vibes that roam around the world, due in part to lost souls from aliens that were frozen and then incinerated by earths many volcanoes. At the bottom of the screen is a caption that reads: This is what Scientologist actually believe.
If it is or if it isn't is beside the point. Try explaining Christianity to people who have no concept of it. Try to get people to believe that some super being up in the sky had one of His angels implant his semen into a virgin woman, which would bring forth His only son. The son, Jesus Christ, would bring up the Jewish people against their Roman oppressors and endure 12 hours or pain and torture before dying. After His death, he would go to Hell and take with him the lost souls up to Heaven three days later. Yes, He would be resurrected.
Now, if you had never read a Bible or seen any of those Charlton Heston movies, wouldn't you just want to take a few steps back from people who believe in this.
Religion rather it is Christianity, Scientology, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, or whatever is only effective because people believe it in, regardless of what the naysayers think.
Scientology isn't the religion for me. Yet, I don't think mine's better. I was raised a Baptist before the Age of Reason and now, I'm nothing. I don't think it's important to put labels on people's beliefs, because two people can't believe everything 100% the same.
However, a lot of people will tell you that their religion is the one true religion and that's fine with me. You got a strong conviction and you shouldn't change that.
In the end, it's not about what the people around you think, it's about what you think about yourself and your spiritual leader, because that's really what a personal religion is.
It's no one else's business.