Scientology
by
May 26. 2022
나는 성실하지만 또 그렇지 못하기도 하다. 하하 무슨 말이냐. 난 대부분 하루하루에 매우 성실하다. 그런데 벌려놓은 게 참 많다. 전화 영어도 그중 하나이고 중국어 수업도 그중 하나이고 영어 수업도 그중 하나이다. 너무 많이 벌려놓으니 아주 성실하게 모두 참석할 수는 없다. 한 달에 한 번이고 두 번이고 내가 할 수 있는 때 만 한다. 그러니 성실하지 못하기도 한 것이다. 그러나 난 결코 아주 끝내지는 않는다. 대부분 이번엔 바빠서 못할 거 같다면서 한 텀만 쉬겠다고 끝내버린다. 그리고 다시 등장하는 분은 보지 못했다. 난 그냥 세월 가는 대로 갈 수 있으면 가고 못 가면 또 못 가는 대로 길게 이어오고 있다. 그렇게 백화점에서 하는 원어민 영어도 그 맥을 이어오고 있다.
오늘은 참으로 헷갈렸던 agnostic과 atheist를 확실히 알게 된 날이라고 할까. 그러니까 agnostic 은 신이 있는지 없는지 모르겠다는 자이고 atheist는 신이 없다고 믿는 자이다. 확실하게 다른 것인데 그게 무슨 차이지? 했던 기억이다. 이젠 확실히 알겠다. agnostic은 신이 있는지 없는지 모르겠다는 자. atheist는 신은 없다고 믿는 자. 하하 이렇게 문득 알아지는 것들이 있다. 촤악 벌려놓고 한 달에 단 한 번이라도 참석하며 맥을 이어가는 나의 방식. 하하 어떠냐 내 삶인 걸. 푸하하하
Madison, I'd like to invite you to my church. We're having a special series of services.
Well, Chung-Ho, thank you for the inviatation, but I'm afraid that I'm not a suitable person to invite.
What do you mean?
Well, I decided a long time ago that I am an agnostic when it comes to religion.
Is that the same thing as an atheist?
No, it's not. An atheist believes that God does not exist; an agnostic simply doesn't know if there is a God.
Yes, that's right. I believe in science, and you can neither prove nor disprove the existence of God through scientific evidence.
Okay. So you just don't have a religion?
No, I don't. I respect all religions, and many people believe their religion helps them, but it's not for me.
Okay. I understand your position.
agnostic 불가지론자
atheist 무신론자
If I play God saying, "I'm the messenger of God, " people seem to believe it. They respect me and give me a lot of money. Scientology is the purest religion in the world! Don't you know Tom Cruise is a scientology enthusiast? And he is both famous and rich!
Ridiculous! I don't have to play God and shout "I'm the messenger of God." I just sit here, and people give me money. I know they regard me as a representative of God. Why else would they give me money?
People call me a pet dog. But I think I'm actually their god. They feed me when I'm hungry, bathe me when I'm dirty, treat me when I'm sick, and always love me unconditionally. What name can I call myself except god? Furthermore, if pjeople treated me badly they would go to jail for animal cruelty!
Scientology 사이언탈러지 (미국인 L. Ron Hubbard가 1952년에 시작한 종교 운동, 지상(至上)의 존재를 부정하고 심리 요법·자기 수양 따위를 설득함)
What is the Church of Scientology? Its celebrity members Tom Cruise and John Travalta might give you an answer. However, another type of answer comes from a former member, Jenna Miscavige Hill, who is also a niece of the current leader of the Church of Scientology, David Miscavige. Jenna's grandfather joined Scientology in the late 1960's, only a short time after L. Ron Hubbard had founded the organization in 1953.
Jenna's father was a member of a group of Scientologists referred to as "the Sea Org." This group is composed of the most dedicated and elite members of the church, who are entrusted with the international management of Scientology. Joining the Sea Org requires a lifetime commitment to the church.
Early in her life, Jenna became accustomed top rarely seeing her parents, both of whom worked incredibly long hours for the Sea Org. On one occasion, when Jenna was four years old, she caught her leg in a parking gate, leaving her with a broken knee. However, her parents were still expected to report for work, and they could not ask for time off. They could only give her a bandage and leave for work. At age five, she was moved to a ranch in the california desert, where a workforce of children was remodeling the place, often working 14-hour dayhs to complete the task.
Eventually, Jenna's parents became fed up with Scientology and left the church. However, Jenna remained. In due time, Jenna came to the conclusion that the church was all about indoctrination and control. In 2013, she published a tell-all book about her yhears spent in the religion. The full title of the book is revealing: "To me, the Church is a dangerous organization whose beliefs allow it to commit crimes against humanity and voilate basic human rights. It remains a mystery to me how, in our current society, this can go on unchecked." With other ex-church members, she launched the website exscientologykids.com.
launched 시작하다.
What do you think?
1. Are you familliar with the Church of Scientology? Do you think that it is a cult?
2. Are there any religious cults in your country? What are they?
3. What are the characteristics of a religious cult?
4. Are you a member of any orginized religion? How oftern do you participate in religious services?
5. How would you respond if your children joined a religious cult?
6. Would you ever marry someone who ha a different religion than you?
7. What are the best ways that religion can help society?
cult 사이비 종교 집단
(사진: 꽃 뜰)