All great spiritual teachings could be termed "ripoffs" then, SINSULL, because they do all emphasize the same basic principles, I've found. (like, Duh!) Combine common sense, good morals, good rules of bodily health, being kind, being truthful, not stealing, the Golden Rule, and various stuff like that and PRESTO! ...you have the basic essential teachings that underlie virtually every major faith and most of the minor ones. It would be incredible if they did NOT appear in L. Ron Hubbard's books.

It's the political authority structures that gloss over that stuff, pay it lip service, and go around conquering and enslaving. That is not the fault of the original teachings, it just shows that greedy people can take ANY teaching and rapidly turn it to evil ends if they want to.

As for the remark someone made about "apologists" for Scientoloy...that was particularly nasty, in that it makes the automatic assumption that there must BE something to apologize for. There might not be anything to apologize for.

It's like saying, "Have you stopped beating your wife yet?" and requiring only a "yes" or "no" answer in reply.

There's never been anyone who joined any offbeat spiritual organization who wasn't accused by some @sshole of being in a "cult". Matter of fact, even people who change into another major religion are usually accused of the same thing, in different words.

People have a 100% right to freely join any darned religion they want to, and be left alone, and not be pre-judged or condemned for it. Judge them by what happens afterward if you wish to judge them. Judge them by their fruits...their attitude and their works, not their religious label.

I have found excellent people and jerks in most religions...although...I don't think I've ever met a Buddhist who was a jerk. (but I'm sure there's one out there somewhere...I just haven't met him yet, that's all)