OKAY .. I will be the first

[Grundy]

[Grundy]

[Grundy]

religion has played a huge part in my life. it has taught me better ways to deal with other people, and to deal with the world. that stuff is external.

"internal" things, like shyness, or awkwardness, you have to conquer on your own. you have to decide for yourself to try to reach happiness. i think you can try to use religion for that inner peace, but that more often than not thats destined to fail.

its as if you have to "train" yourself to get over learned, reinforced reactions to something. like speaking in public, for example.

now not to bash on anti-scientology or nothing... nor do i wanna bash on kendo.
or anyone who loves a good artform now and then.....
but scientology has brought people together in ways that is world wide. albiet through backhanded deadlings and other means. yet they took on a core root that struck alot of people.
they posed that they had a solution to problems of today.
they helped people understand in ways that others didnt see.
they helped the lives of many and yes they destroyed the lives of many.
for many who join, they answered the problems and gave people hope for a better tomorow. they gave the people a seed of hope.

call it brainwashing call it whatever you like but they got the job done in many ways than we can thnk of. simply because they were highly organised and they had a planned structure that they could rely on.
yes like a military operation they performed their duties and gathered the masses.
they gather supporters from around the world.
they utilize basic phsycology. heh odd but its true.

now im putting my tin hat back on.

[Grundy]