Would comparing L. Ron Hubbard and the Pope be Catholic bashing?

[Boojatta]

Poll question: Would comparing L. Ron Hubbard and the Pope be Catholic bashing?

[aquart]

1. Are you comparing the way they make French toast?

The underwear they prefer? Whether they're left or right handed? WHAT are you comparing? One's alive and one's dead? What's the context?

[fenriswolf]

2. L ron hubbard started scientology

he is the father/founder of the "religion". the pope is gods right hand man on earth and the only person with whom he communes with. I personally think both are either snake oil sales men or lunatics but you decide.

*edit

i prefer to follow the doctrine of the FSM, pastafarian pirates unite!!

[davidinalameda]

17. Hubbard isn't dead

he's living with Tom Cruise

[hlthe2b]

3. Depends on if you are comparing to Ratzinger, or the institution

(Pope)... Frankly, with this current Pope* (asterik intended), the late John Paul II is starting to look so dramatically better, despite his rather regressive views on women, homosexuals, contraception, and so many other areas. As a 'somewhat' (and very former) Catholic, I won't deign to speak for currently observant Catholics, but in my mind, Ratzinger will never be anything but a poseur.

There is much to vehemently criticize in the history of Catholicism, as there is with most forms of institutionalized religion, including all institutionalized brands of Christianity, but I continue to see much good in the form of the many individual observers of the religion. To compare a negative contrast to THEM, would be very very wrong, in my view.

[Boojatta]

6. Good answer, in my opinion.

I copied your signature line, but modified it a bit.

[hlthe2b]

9. re:

LOL.... That modification fits me to a tee~! I think even Santayana would see the humor nowadays! :rofl:

[Buzz Clik]

4. The Pope has cooler clothes. Hubbard was nuts.

Exactly what are we comparing?

[Sarah Ibarruri]

5. I'm the first one that voted "YES"

L Ron Hubbard was the head of an organization now banned (I think) in Germany and on the way to being banned in other countries. It is considered a profit-making, mafia-like organization that has actually murdered people who were previously in the organization and tried to divulge information about it. I was raised half Catholic, half Jewish. I never encountered that in the Catholic religion tho I am currently more of a Jewish-Buddhist compbination in my beliefs. I don't like this Pope but really, it's a bit of a stretch to compare him to L Ron Hubbard. He may not be likable, but he's not an out-and-out mega-millionaire thug killer.

Now, if you want to discuss HISTORY of religion, we can start naming religions and the deaths they caused, from the Jewish religion on down to the Catholic crusades and Inquisition, and Muslim murders of Buddhists, etc. etc. ad infinitum. Religions can do a lot of damage to humanity if they aren't kept in check.

Just my opinion. :)

[Democrats_win]

7. LRH actually created his own religion, which is pretty impressive.

Even Mohammad didn't completely create his own religion--its roots were in Judaism. Likewise Brigham Young borrowed from Christianity and Satan. (In the Adam & Eve story Satan said people could be just gods if they ate the forbidden fruit. It was the first lie and Mormonism continues it.)

The history of the papacy makes one ask if a truly pious man would ever follow in that tradition. Martin Luther's studies of the Bible made it clear that people do not need a priest or a pope to ask God for help.

[Boojatta]

11. "people do not need a priest or a pope to ask God for help."

Don't be ridiculous. People need a priest or pope to translate from the vernacular into Latin so that God will understand. They also need to make a gesture of crossing themselves so that God will recognize that they're Christians. Otherwise, God might not figure it out, which would be a real drag if they're at death's door and don't want to spend eternity in hellfire.
;-)

[lips]

14. I don't know.

If religion wasn't doing what you describe people would be fine. It's the religion that would topple and misunderstand what people get from religion. I hope your stance on misinformed adherents takes into account the broader brush your using in detailing them.

[TZ]

8. I dunno

Would comparing the Pope to Tom Cruise be scientology bashing?
:rofl:

[Boojatta]

10. Isn't Tom Cruise just an ordinary adherent of Scientology?

You might want to change that to a hypothetical comparison of Tony Blair and Tom Cruise.

[TZ]

12. Nope--there is now a story that he's no.2 in the chain of command

So I guess if you want to be accurate it would be him and whomever is just beneath the Pope.
However, I WAS just making a joke, really...:)

[Dorian Gray]

13. Not Catholic bashing...

just a really really really bad comparison.

The Pope in no way founded a religion.

[varkam]

15. And I bet the pope couldn't write a good sci-fi novel to save his life. eom

:rofl:

[Dorian Gray]

16. True...

but he can do encyclicals like nobody else can! ;)

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

18. Neither did LRH. -nt