Today I had something really weird happen. This afternoon there was a knock at the door my wife answered the door where she began to engage in a conversation with a middle aged Korean woman. They began to argue and I asked my wife what they are arguing about. I came to find out that the woman on our door was a Scientology recruiter trying to enlist my wife. My wife is a die hard Christian so she was getting worked up by the Scientology sales pitch.
The recruiter was happy to see me though because she must of realized she wasn’t getting anywhere with my wife and tried to convince me about the wonders if Scientology. One of her claims were that Scientologists were some of the first people on the scene in Taegu after the subway fire a few years back and they rescued many lives. I checked out her claim on the internet and she is slightly correct:
In the same month Church of Scientology Volunteer Ministers went to the aid of the Sakhalin victims, they also served in the aftermath of the huge explosion that rocked Taegu, a large city in southern South Korea. A construction site gas main had blown up, killing and injuring scores of people, including children.
One Scientologist and a student from the university where he teaches English were among the Volunteer Ministers who hurried to the scene of the accident to give assists. Dozens of children who were distraught at the start told the professor and his student after the assists that they were calmer, relieved and no longer afraid.
She also claimed that Scientologists were aiding with the tsunami disaster. Which I also found to be true. However, when I asked her if the Scientologists were just aiding the disaster victims to gain more members she just commented that if people in the region wanted to join after their aid efforts that is perfectly acceptable. I personally find it reprehensible that any religion would use the tsunami relief effort as a method to recruit more members to your religion.
So what exactly is Scientology? If you are interested you can clikck here to find out more about it, but it appears just to be nothing more than a cult based around teachings from the books by L. Ron Hubbard. I found a Fox News report about Scientology that also claims that the Scientology is a cult and brings up the names of many of the movie stars that practice Scientology such as Goldie Hawn, John Travolta, and Tom Cruise. Allegedly Scientology is what broke up his marriage to Nicole Kidman.
I was curious about Scientology in Korea and I asked the woman how many Koreans practice Scientology and she just told many are joining every day. I take that to mean not many. So I checked it out on the internet and found on a Scientology website that there is in fact 443 Scientologists in Korea. 401 of them are based out of Seoul.
During my research also found out that Hubbard had a connection to Korea. He was a military policeman here in 1946 and was discharged from the Navy following his tour here. While here in Korea he preached his Scientology philosophy and worked to create converts. It looks like they are still trying to create converts here. It just isn’t going to be me.
2:53 pm on January 6th, 2007 1
No rant about Scientology can be complete without a link to the best website out there bashing it: Operation Clambake http://www.xenu.net
There are many fun hours of reading to be found there, including the “upper level” “secrets” that people like Tom Cruise spent tens of thousands of dollars to learn.
[Reply]
2:55 pm on January 6th, 2007 2
Interesting cult-ural subject… aggressive sales tactics, high enthusiasm, celebrity members… just another proletysing, brain-washing, money stealing C.U.L.T.
Just so people don’t get things mixed up, Scientology is different from the Christian Science.
[Reply]
2:57 pm on January 6th, 2007 3
Let’s give the Devil (or L. Ron) his due: you can’t exactly blame Scientology for breaking up Travolta’s marriage if there’s anything to this:
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/gossip/story/296198p-253621c.html
http://www.eonline.com/News/Items/0,1,3424,00.html
[Reply]
6:39 pm on May 4th, 2008 4
[...] Brendon there are scientologists in Korea. I actually had one knocking on my door three years ago. [...]
8:56 pm on June 26th, 2008 5
[...] professor and his student after the assists that they were calmer, relieved and no longer afraid. http://rokdrop.com/2005/05/09/scientology-in-korea/ The’re [...]
8:07 pm on January 5th, 2009 6
Just a curious bit of info: Not sure if you’ve realized, but “freedommag.org” is a Magazine that is managed by Scientology organization and is published for Scientology promotional purposes.
They also tend to over-inflate numbers to seem more impressive in almost every possible situation (it is actually part of what they learn to do in Scientology to achieve more sales – the holy grail of Scientology), so its always a good idea to cross any facts taken from a Scientology owned website with a neutral one to make sure that these numbers and facts are indeed based in reality.
[Reply]
11:13 pm on February 4th, 2009 7
I’ve taken several courses and all I can say is that every course is spectacular and benefit from it every day. Scientology has the tools to effectively handle problems in all aspects of life. If you want to improve IQ, or be more self determined, this is the place to come. They charge for their classes, but worth every penny. There are lot of free seminars and films too. It’s great place to meet great energetic people and they are open to giving free tours. Also for those critics trashing Scientology on the WEB almost every negative linke I’ve seen is bogus and opposite from what I’ve experienced Scientology. I suggest critics walk into a Scienology center, take a tour or course to see that this stuff works and can help almost anyone. Be wary what you read on the WEB like the link that fools you with the bogus “you can microwave popcorn with your cell phone”, you will only find out the truth by checking it out for yourself.
[Reply]
8:01 am on February 7th, 2009 8
Get Scientology out of Korea!
[Reply]
10:15 pm on April 13th, 2009 9
personally was curious about this religion or cult
cause every famous influential human on earth(or just US) are part of it…but heard this cult take every penny from you if you try to leave…
and I did some research and the religion/cult has no sense(no offense)what do they believe!?!?!…that human being are immoral and we forgot our true nature???and we reincarnate???sorry but this thing mixes up every religion and has no sense…the auditing thing…I tried it and kinda works like a brainwash…it was horrible(telling you cause I got a master’s in clinical psychology)…just could think if they got license to try to brainwash people…
and that helps boost your IQ…a total lie…it confuses you…
and to make the matter worse I had to “donate” for it…
I got no religion and I almost tried every religion just cause I’m curious and I’m telling those guys are a bunch hypocrites greensuckers…no offense
KOREA is my homeland…sorry but I want them OUT of my homeland!!!
[Reply]
April 14th, 2009 at 6:03 am
Hi Lucy,
It is good that you found out about Scientology for yourself. Yes, Scientologists are hypocrites. They don’t like psychiatry and psychology. They don’t believe in serious mental conditions like schizophrenia and autism. They think that mentally ill people can be cured with massive doses of vitamins and long hours in steam rooms. John Travolta’s son had autism and he was denied the medication that he really needed and now he is dead.
Scientologists also don’t accept that there are certain medical conditions and will deny people the medication that they need. But then, when L. Ron Hubbard (the founder of Scientology) died they found a lot of drugs in his bloodstream. He was crazy. He was a pervert and a con artist. Anybody who thinks Scientology will make a person ‘clear’ and improve the IQ is very mistaken.
I’m not happy about Scientology in Korea. It seems to be a well-kept secret. I think Scientology wants it to be kept a secret so they can exploit the Korean people and take their money.
Right now, there are many people in the West who want to see the end of Scientology. Most of the information is in English, unfortunately. It would be good if some of the literature was translated into Korean. Please tell your friends and family and people in authority about Scientology.
Many people in the West have joined together to protest about Scientology. Maybe Korean people will have to do the same. The protests are working in the West. People are leaving the Church of Scientology and not so many people are joining.
But that is why I am concerned about Scientology in Korea. Scientology will fight back in a crazy way. I fear they will try to increase the number of Scientologists in Korea. They have to be stopped…not just in the West but eveywhere in the world.
[Reply]