The subject of this article is controversial and content may be in dispute. When updating the article, be bold, but not reckless. Feel free to try to improve the article, but don't take it personally if your changes are reversed; instead, come here to the talk page to discuss them. Content must be written from a neutral point of view. Include citations when adding content and consider tagging or removing unsourced information.
Error: The code letter sci for the topic area in this contentious topics talk notice is not recognised or declared. Please check the documentation.
Template:Article probation
This page is not a forum for general discussion about Scientology, or anything not directly related to improving the Wikipedia article. Any such comments may be removed or refactored. Please limit discussion to improvement of this article. You may wish to ask factual questions about Scientology, or anything not directly related to improving the Wikipedia article at the Reference desk.
This article is written in American English, which has its own spelling conventions (color, defense, traveled) and some terms that are used in it may be different or absent from other varieties of English. According to the relevant style guide, this should not be changed without broad consensus.
Scientology is a former featured article candidate. Please view the links under Article milestones below to see why the nomination failed. For older candidates, please check the archive.
This article is within the scope of WikiProject United States, a collaborative effort to improve the coverage of topics relating to the United States of America on Wikipedia. If you would like to participate, please visit the project page, where you can join the ongoing discussions.
This article is within the scope of WikiProject Religion, a project to improve Wikipedia's articles on Religion-related subjects. Please participate by editing the article, and help us assess and improve articles to good and 1.0 standards, or visit the wikiproject page for more details.ReligionWikipedia:WikiProject ReligionTemplate:WikiProject ReligionReligion articles
This article is within the scope of WikiProject Skepticism, a collaborative effort to improve the coverage of science, pseudoscience, pseudohistory and skepticism related articles on Wikipedia. If you would like to participate, please visit the project page, where you can join the discussion and see a list of open tasks.SkepticismWikipedia:WikiProject SkepticismTemplate:WikiProject SkepticismSkepticism articles
An Arbitration Committee ruling related to this article was passed in May 2009 with the following editors topic-banned. Click [show] for further details.
This article is substantially duplicated by a piece in an external publication. Please do not flag this article as a copyright violation of the following source:
Book uses parts of the lead and beliefs section of this article, apparently copied some time in 2009, without attribution
This article is substantially duplicated by a piece in an external publication. Please do not flag this article as a copyright violation of the following source:
Description of Scientologist beliefs is largely plagiarised from this article
The 20th Century is Over
current:
Scientology is one of the most controversial new religious movements to have arisen in the 20th century.
better, since the 20th Century is over:
Scientology is one of the most controversial new religious movements that arose in the 20th century.
Historical basis for Scientology
If there is any basis in historical fact for the teaching and belief system of Scientology, then I think there is desirable that information were included in this article, preferable near the beginning. Or have I missed something? P0mbal (talk) 11:59, 8 April 2014 (UTC)[reply]
In what way? Hubbard started Scientology in the fifties. Laval (talk) 13:36, 14 April 2014 (UTC)[reply]
Derivation of the word Scientology
There is a need for a definition of the word "Scientology", which I expect to mention the Latin SCIENTIA and the Ancient Greek logos. P0mbal (talk) 12:14, 8 April 2014 (UTC)[reply]
Scientology teaches that people are immortal beings who have forgotten their true nature
If this is so fundamental, being near the beginning of the article, is there any evidence that the first assertion of this sentence is true? I would expect this to be discussed. The truth of the second part of the statement is based on the truth of the first part, which remains to be proved. I would like to know if Scientology has some basis in truth, and it's up to the founders to demonstrate this. P0mbal (talk) 13:18, 8 April 2014 (UTC)
Maybe I shouldn't question it. If it's a belief system then it does not have to be based on facts, which worries me, because then anything can be stated! P0mbal (talk) 13:23, 8 April 2014 (UTC)[reply]
Disconnect between articles
Scientology beliefs and practices is reading more like an advertisement and this one is really slowly becoming like that too. The tone throughout both articles doesn't jive well as WP:NPOV -- some parts are becoming way too promotional, other parts too negative or confused. Might be easier to edit this article toward NPOV by moving more chunks to their respective subarticles and delegate from there? There are a bunch of subarticles that are virtually empty and lacking sources. Just my 2 cents FWIW. Laval (talk) 13:35, 14 April 2014 (UTC)[reply]
Semi-protected edit request on 17 April 2014
This edit request has been answered. Set the |answered= or |ans= parameter to no to reactivate your request.
Extremely Dysfunctional - Only the ric and famous benefit Horrific abuse and disgusting behavious against the law - child abuse etc - whoever follows this religion is a pycho and crazed lunatic
Not done: it's not clear what changes you want made. Please mention the specific changes in a "change X to Y" format. (t) Josve05a (c) 23:15, 17 April 2014 (UTC)[reply]
Cult?
This has probably been discussed ad nauseam. Regardless, I was curious as to whether or not there was any particular reason that Scientology is not referred to as a cult? JDiala (talk) 01:11, 6 May 2014 (UTC)[reply]
I would also imagine it has previously been discussed, but it does seem a strange omission. Under the "Scientology status by country" section it does state that some religions "continue to view it as a pseudoreligion or cult." It gives two sources for the use of that term. It is rather conspicuously absent from the contoversy section, especially when it describes how Scientology "brutally exploits its members," "that survives by intimidating members and critics in a Mafia-like manner," and "in which members are encouraged to cut off all contact with friends or family members who are "antagonistic" to Scientology." These are such classic cult behaviors that it is almost as if this section is describing it as a cult while deliberately avoiding the word? That seems rather un-encyclopaedic to me. -Lciaccio (talk) 16:56, 28 May 2014 (UTC)[reply]
There are basically three reasons, so far as I know. One is our guideline WP:W2W. The word "cult" in this context is both somewhat vague, as there is so far as I can tell no specific clearly agreed upon definition of the term, and because, at least in this content, the use of the term tends to prompt more heat than light. Poorly defined language is at best dubiously encyclopedic, and so is rather unnecessarily inflammatory language. Lastly, the academic community has stopped using the word lately, replacing it with new religious movement, so we use the currently used academic language instead. John Carter (talk) 17:23, 28 May 2014 (UTC)[reply]
Not done: it's not clear what changes you want made. Please mention the specific changes in a "change X to Y" format. (t) Josve05a (c) 23:15, 17 April 2014 (UTC)