Yes and no. Organized religions are scams in the sense that their message is false, so all the money, time and energy spent on the church is ultimately a waste. Classic definition of a scam. But when you talk about religious scams it has to naturally have a slightly different meaning. Since we agree that organized religion isfalse, we have to look at other aspects of relgions to determine if they are indeed a scam. So usually you look at how they make people feel and how they have helped to improve their lives. If the vast majority of people say "it's terrible, has ruined my life and is an all around bad experience", then one can only conclude that the religion is a scam. Such is not the case with scientology though. The majority of its members are perfectly happy with it and claim it does all sorts of things like improve their relationships, make them perform better at their careers, give them more focus, and much more. I'm telling you, after I read testimony after testimony(no it wasn't from scientogy's website, my professor forbade me to use their official website for information) of how it has drastically improved peoples lives I was left with nothing else but to respect it as a legitimate religion. All my talk about wanting to become a scientologist is just fun and games, but my real message is that it saves lives(just like many other religions save lives). Some people need religion to get through life, and scientology is not an exception. Remember, I started the research project just like everyone else, thinking its just a ridiculous scam, and I left it realizing while it may be a little out there it actually is helping people get through life and that's all one can ask from a religion.
This week's New Yorker magazine has a very interesting, investigative article about Scientology and film director Paul Haggis, a prominent long-term member who recently quit the church. The allegations of wrongdoing and fraud on the part of this cult are backed up with substantial evidence. Paul Haggis Vs. the Church of Scientology : The New Yorker
About the teenage girl? Hell yes. This is fucked up shit. These muslim extremists (i.e. true muslims) are a threat to our society. Or are you talking about the scientology part? I was obviously joking(or at least I tried to make it obvious) about wanting to become a scientologist but I am serious in that it is a real religion that helps people cope with life and contributes to society, and should be acknowledged as such. Here is what Scientology has contributed. And much more.. fucking bigots. Tell me what the hell has Islam done except inflict pain, misery, and death to its followers? Especially their women.
Part of the problem with adopting an ethnocentric perspective like this is that you are being self-assertive in that your cultural practices should be the standard the rest of the world should be measured against. You can find instances of lunacy in any society. You don't think we have problems at home in America? We may not be stoning girls to death for running away from arranged marriages, but we're pushing Native Americans to the brink of extinction through our totally legal and inarguably corrupt system. You're right, he is a psychopathic religious muslim nut branwashed into thinking he's doing gods work. However, that doesn't speak to the religion itself. More people have died in the name of the Christian god than any others - so are all Christians psychopathic religious nutjobs who are brainwashed and conditioned into thinking they are doing gods work? Following your logic, the answer is yes.
I'm sorry, but some cultural practices are not excusable. I'm not pro-intervention but there is no doubt that wife burning, female genital mutilation (no anesthesia), and muslim honor killings, are not acceptable cultural practice. that kind of cultural relativism really compromises your own integrity, in a sense that you are finding excuses for practices which you yourself hopefully abhor. You gotta be careful with dismissing legitimate criticism with accusations of "ethnocentrism." Some shit is wrong dude.