(April 16, 2015 at 12:07 pm)DeistPaladin Wrote: Was Hubbard crazy or a con man?
I agree with Min - they're not mutually exclusive.
(April 16, 2015 at 12:12 pm)DeistPaladin Wrote: To paraphrase the ancient Greek observation: Crazy people think their religion is true. Con artists think their religion is useful. There is a difference, however academic it may be.
Again, not necessarily mutually exclusive. For example, you could begin with the intention to con people, and then after years of conning them and having them tell you that you're prophesies are true and that you're the true leader of the true religion, etc. you start to believe it.
Crazier things have happened.
(April 16, 2015 at 1:18 pm)Rhythm Wrote: is why the ground was fertile for scientology. Was it just the wave of batshit health books floating around when Dianetics came out? Why were people looking, what were they looking for...and what does scientology offer to it's adherents (obviously noting that it does not actually do what it claims to do) that puts it in a positively valued place for them?
Why is the ground fertile for any cult? It's something that give you a structure to work within, a set of rules to follow, a set of doctrines to believe, if gives you an explanation for events in your life, or in the universe, why people are bad or good and how you can be one of the Good People (according to the cult's standards) and when you're feeling vulnerable or you're at an emotional low those kinds of offers can be tempting.
As for people who seem to have their wits about them and still choose to join: mind control techniques can be powerful.
Teenaged X-Files obsession + Bermuda Triangle episode + Self-led school research project = Atheist.
