FSB raids 14 Scientology offices in Russia in money laundering probe

a reply to: AugustusMasonicus

If I had to choose between Scientology and the spaghetti monster. I would choose the spaghetti monster. At least they have beer.

a reply to: TerryDon79

Forget either of those options. Join us.

Nothing like one religion hating on another, too.

That HBO special is worth watching folks...

originally posted by: TerryDon79
What a are they going to do? Strap me to an e-meter and ask me stupid questions?

Hooks him to BS-Meter and asks away...

Do you make thoughtless remarks or accusations which later you regret?
When asked to make a decision, would you be swayed by your like or dislike of the personality involved?
Do you get occasional twitches of your muscles, when there is no logical reason for it?
Would you prefer to be in a position where you did not have the responsibilities of making decisions?
Do other people interest you very much?
Do you normally let the other person start the conversation?
Are you readily interested in other people's conversations?
Are you often impulsive in your behavior?
Does an unexpected action cause your muscles to twitch?
Is it normaly hard for you to 'own up and take the blame'?
Are you sometimes considered by others a "spoilsport"?
Do you consider there are other people who are definitely unfriendly toward you and work against you?
Would you admit you were wrong just to "keep the peace"?
Are you rarely happy, unless you have a special reason?
Are you 'always getting into trouble'?
Do you find it easy to be impartial?
Do you consider the good of all concerned rather than your own personal advantages?
When hearing a lecturer, do you sometimes experience the idea that the speaker is referring entirely to you?
When you criticize - do you at the same time try to encourage?
Are your opinions insufficiently important to tell other people?
Are you so self-assured that it sometimes annoys others?
Do you completely condemn a person because he is a rival or opponent in some aspect of your relations with him?
Would you criticize faults and point out the bad points on someone else's character or handiwork?
Are you likely to be jealous?
Do you bite your fingernails or chew the end of your pencil?

...the BS-Meter explodes!

a reply to: intrptr

edit: nevermind lol

a reply to: AugustusMasonicus

But dude! Beeeeeeeeeeeeer!!!

It has to be THE best reason to join a "religion".

a reply to: TerryDon79

Masons have beer. And whiskey. And goats.

The old triple treat.

originally posted by: AugustusMasonicus
a reply to: TerryDon79

Masons have beer. And whiskey. And goats.

The old triple treat.

But masons aren't a religion.

Or are they?! *gasp*

a reply to: TerryDon79

You got me on that. Sign me up for the spaghetti and beer thing.

a reply to: AugustusMasonicus

Beer? Whiskey?! & GOATS?!!!



I want to be a mason! Will you sponsor me Augustus?

a reply to: AugustusMasonicus

I'll sign you up through PMs

Now, back to the Scientology bashing!

originally posted by: ColdWisdom
I want to be a mason! Will you sponsor me Augustus?

Sure. Repeat after me: Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn.

a reply to: AugustusMasonicus

Cthulhu is all I understood in that sentence.

originally posted by: TerryDon79
Now, back to the Scientology bashing!

I still do not understand why the United States government has not made a similar ruling. All of the ponzi scams uncovered around this slime ball organization make it clear that it is not a religion.

originally posted by: AugustusMasonicus

originally posted by: TerryDon79
When are people going to realise that Scientology is nothing but a con?

Be nice Terrance, they even have their own Navy:

So we sink the dinghy with that dingbat still on it , then revoke their tax-exempt status.

originally posted by: AugustusMasonicus

originally posted by: TerryDon79
Now, back to the Scientology bashing!

I still do not understand why the United States government has not made a similar ruling. All of the ponzi scams uncovered around this slime ball organization make it clear that it is not a religion.

Maybe the bribes are really good? Or they have some dirt on someone?
Who knows.

But you're right. They've been caught numerous times doing criminal activities, yet they're still a "religion". And I thought the Catholics were bad lol.

a reply to: TerryDon79

I think it was mentioned at one point that they inundated the justice system with an overwhelming number of civil suits and that the Justice Department agreed to not to pursue litigation due to the huge costs. I will try to find that.

a reply to: AugustusMasonicus

I still do not understand why the United States government has not made a similar ruling. All of the ponzi scams uncovered around this slime ball organization make it clear that it is not a religion.

Terry was on the right track.

Their tax exemption status in the US has been the subject of long speculation. Personally I believe that with the secrets they had acquired about the CIA, NSA, & IRS in combination with vicious stalking and bribery is what allowed them their exemption.

I really think it all boiled down to the church threatening to blackmail someone in the shadow government with something truly heinous. They obtained a lot of dirt on the intelligence agencies through Swann & Puthoff.

a reply to: ColdWisdom

It was the IRS lawsuits, I found this blurb on Wikipedia which has links at the bottom to the actual suits/articles:

From the time its tax exemption was removed by the IRS in 1967 to the reinstatement of the tax exemption in 1993, Scientologists filed approximately 2,500 lawsuits against the IRS. Over fifty lawsuits were still active against the IRS in 1993, although these were settled after the church negotiated a tax exemption with the government. Source

a reply to: AugustusMasonicus

Yes that was a nice front to distract us from the real reason why they obtained their exemption.

Seriously though, the overwhelming amount of lawsuits definitely contributed but there had to be something much larger at play.