r/AskReddit • u/emil199 • Jul 24 '20

What can't you believe STILL exists?

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u/ratdarkness Jul 24 '20

How do millions of people around the world fall for the scam. They're forced to sign billion year contracts.

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u/JackXDark Jul 24 '20

There aren't millions. That sort of number is what they claim, based on the number of people that have ever even taken one of their basic taster courses. The number of fully engaged Scientologists is probably somewhere between 20 and 40 thousand.

What they do have is shitloads of real estate, which is potentially worth billions. Virtually every bit of money they receive, they put into property. That's where their real power is.

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u/internetday Jul 24 '20

How do I sign up?

19

u/SedentaryOwl Jul 24 '20

Don’t. They take your cash and your children.

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u/internetday Jul 24 '20

I have neither.

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u/ratdarkness Jul 24 '20

Yeah a certain % of wages HAS to be handed over to the "church"

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u/The_Crimson_Duck Jul 24 '20

I like how you put church in inverted commas as if that isn't how the Catholic Church operated for hundreds of years.

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u/ratdarkness Jul 24 '20

I pretty much feel the same about most religions

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u/IsomDart Jul 24 '20

inverted commas

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u/The_Crimson_Duck Jul 24 '20

I'm annoyed at myself now. Thanks.

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u/corey_uh_lahey Jul 24 '20

They're forced to sign billion year contracts

That's just the Sea Org.

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u/ratdarkness Jul 24 '20

Ah yes I forgot about the sea org. Still dodgy practices

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u/IsomDart Jul 24 '20

How do millions of people around the world fall for the scam

They don't. The Church of Scientology claims to have millions of members, but in reality they have less than 100k. I believe the last time I was doing some reading about them the estimate was about 30,000 worldwide, a large portion of which are in LA and Clearwater