Comparison of Scientology and Christianity

This assignment compares Scientology and Christianity in terms of their similarities and differences. It discusses how the faiths are practiced and perceived by those outside of the faiths.

REL/134 v6
Religion Analysis
Select one alternative religion (e.g., Church of Scientology, Transcendental Meditation, Wicca, Druidry)
and one traditional Western religion (e.g., Judaism, Christianity, Islam) to research and compare in this
assignment.
Alternative Religion Church of Scientology
Western Religion Christianity
Complete Parts 1 and 2 below.
Part 1: Similarities and Differences
In the table below, list at least two similarities and two differences between the religions you selected.
Some categories to consider include holy days, symbols, rituals, core beliefs, ethics, and the role of
women.
Similarities Differences
1. Both religions believe in the existence of
Jesus Christ
2. Both Religions use the church as their place
of worship
3. Both religion believe in the ethics of doing
good to others and being kind to others
4. Claims by both religion about the actual age
of the universe have been disproven by
science
(Urban, 2016; Urban, 2017a; 2017b)
1. Women can become a minister in the
Church of Scientology but not in a
Christian church
2. Scientology does not consider Jesus as
the son of God
3. Scientology does not abide by or believe
in the Bible
4. Scientology does not have a set dogma
about God that is imposed upon the
members
5. Scientology does not ask its followers to
accept anything blindly ‘by faith’
6. Bother religions have separate holydays
7. Christianity is older religion
(Wolfe, 2017; Regev, 2016; O'Donnell,
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Religion Analysis
REL/134 v6
Page 2 of 3
Similarities Differences
2016)
Part 2: Analysis
Write a 350- to 525-word analysis of the similarities and differences between the two religions you
selected. Discuss how the faiths are practiced and how they are perceived by those outside of the faiths
in terms of the similarities and differences you noted.
Analysis
Scientology and Christianity are quite distinct religions having more differences than similarities
between them. While Christianity is more than 2000 years old and based on the beliefs of the
Abrahamic God of the Old Testament and Jesus Christ as the Son of God. The 10 commandments
plays a vital role in the religion, along with the Gospels which are the teachings of Christ as told by his
disciples. The religion also believes that the path to eternal life is through Jesus (Bruce, 2017). On the
other hand, Scientology believes that every human has the potential to be an immortal being residing
inside a physical form and are descendants of extraterrestrial aliens. The religion suggests that by the
process of dianetic auditing we can enhance our abilities. Scientology is not yet well understood in the
popular culture and a lot of confusions exist regarding the central concepts of the religion (Luck, 2016).
Christianity on the other hand is a very old and very popular religion with a major number of people
following it. Moreover, scientology does not entail the necessity to follow a code of dogma, unlike in
Christianity in which certain dogma about the concept of God and Jesus has to be followed and
respected by every Christian. Many even consider Scientology to be less restrictive than Christianity
and does not bind people’s actions with the concept of sins (Urban, 2017a, 2017b; Urban, 2016).
Christianity and scientology on the other hand believes in the concept of helping people and
doing good to others. In Christianity, one of the commandments is to avoid harming the neighbors and
helping them whenever possible, in Scientology too it is a noble duty of every follower to help others to
attain their true potential (O'Donnell, 2016). According to Christianity, the age of the Universe is less
than 10 thousand years old, while according to Scientology it is 76 trillion years while the scientific
evidence places the age of the universe at about 5 billion years, proving both the claims wrong (Bruce,
2017). Moreover, the existence of Jesus Christ is acknowledged in both Christianity and Scientology
and in both religion, the place of their worship is called the Church (Luck, 2016).
Include references formatted according to APA guidelines. You may find helpful resources for formatting
citations in the Center for Writing Excellence in the University Library.
References
Bruce, S. (2017). The demise of Christianity in Britain. In Predicting Religion (pp. 53-63). Routledge.
Luck, M. (2016). Scientology: What Is the Relationship between the Supreme Being, Thetans and the
Cosmos?. In Philosophical Explorations of New and Alternative Religious Movements (pp. 109-
122). Routledge.
O'Donnell, S. J. (2016). Secularizing Demons: Fundamentalist Navigations In Religion And Secularity:
with Sebastian Musch,“The Atomic Priesthood and Nuclear Waste Management: Religion, Sci‐
Copyright© 2018 by University of Phoenix. All rights reserved.

Religion Analysis
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Page 3 of 3
References
Fi Literature, and the End of Our Civilization”; S. Jonathon O'Donnell,“Secularizing Demons:
Fundamentalist Navigations in Religion and Secularity”; and Stefano Bigliardi,“New Religious
Movements, Technology, and Science: The Conceptualization of the E‐Meter in Scientology
Teachings.”. Zygon®, 51(3), 640-660.
Regev, E. (2016). Early Christianity in Light of New Religious Movements. Numen, 63(5-6), 483-510.
Urban, H. B. (2016). The Church of Scientology. In Revisionism and Diversification in New Religious
Movements (pp. 79-91). Routledge.
Urban, H. B. (2017a). Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief written and directed by Alex
Gibney.
Urban, H. B. (2017b). “Secrets, secrets, SECRETS!” Concealment, Surveillance, and Information-
Control in the Church of Scientology. Handbook of Scientology, 279.
Wolfe, J. (2017). Personality Testing in the Church of Scientology: Implications for Outcome Research.
Copyright© 2018 by University of Phoenix. All rights reserved.