Good afternoon,

I'm looking for some questions I have regarding Scientology. I was raised a Christian, and I'm currently studying many different religions and their world views. I'm really trying to make an informed decision regarding my faith and a response would be appreciated.  

1. What is the purpose of life?
1 / 22. Who is Jesus Christ to you?
3. What happens when you die?
4. Does suffering have a purpose? If so, what? If not, why not?
5. Who is God to you?
6. What is your view of the Christian Bible?
7. If you could only state one thing, what is the most important thing in your
life?

Thank you! 

 

May 22, 2012 -- 4:05PM, ndg4 wrote:

Good afternoon,

I'm looking for some questions I have regarding Scientology. I was raised a Christian, and I'm currently studying many different religions and their world views. I'm really trying to make an informed decision regarding my faith and a response would be appreciated.  

1. What is the purpose of life?
1 / 22. Who is Jesus Christ to you?
3. What happens when you die?
4. Does suffering have a purpose? If so, what? If not, why not?
5. Who is God to you?
6. What is your view of the Christian Bible?
7. If you could only state one thing, what is the most important thing in your
life?

Thank you! 

 

Hello, ndg - 

Maybe I can help you?  I see you have asked these same questions of others as well.     It looks like you are asking opinion.  To me that means based upon personal experience.  

For the Scientology religion you would want to read a book called "What is Scientology" or go to their own website at www.scientology.org.  Those sources answer all your questions about the religion.

If you want the opinion of an individual who is a Scientologist,  then I can answer a few of them from my own point of view, from many years of living and having studied Scientology for over 20 years.   

1. Purpose of life is to survive, in the best way we know how - personally, with our families, with our groups like church and friends, with the world of nature, and on up the line to God or the Supreme Being.  I would hope that everyone agrees we should make the best of our future and are willing to help others achieve the same.   That is a big purpose in my life, for sure. 

2. Jesus as a person is so personal to me, that it would take a while to tell.  I am planning to blog it one of these days.  If it helps you to decide anything, I believe he was a real person, and he was telling the truth.  His friends and followers wrote everything they could about him so his words would not be forgotten, and they stored their writings in many different locations so at least some of it would survive the elements.   

3. I can't answer that for you, but it sure is a good question.   The Scientology site has a search where you can find more on that subject.   

4. Not sure about suffering that has a purpose - I think some people feel they have to suffer for a while in order to understand something.   For them, suffering is really real.  I've known one or two folks who thought they had to suffer in order to survive.  

5. God is up to what the individual believes.   My Grandmother told me God was watching everything I did, which kept me looking constantly and when I was a Lutheran Bible camp youth counselor, God was "everywhere" as someone you could talk to when there was nobody else.  That was important to so many kids.  Of course, they had questions about that which they were told to find out by reading scripture they didn't understand.    

6. My view of the Bible is that it has so many truths that have been altered and/or wiped out, as well as parables and word plays, but if you read with your heart and knowing in your own mind what is true, you will learn enough about where to look for more.  My favorite is the King James version, due to it being a direct translation from the Greek.  But remember meanings can be lost in translations.  There are so many concepts that just can not be translated into English no matter how many descriptions you use.  

7. Helping people to help themselves.

Sorry so late in responding but I just recently joined this site and am still looking.