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Old 09-09-2012, 09:49 AM   #21
johndallman
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Default Re: [GURPS IST] Scientology in the IST Universe?

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Originally Posted by Fred Brackin View Post
Probably a lot of con games there involving the secret ways to gain magic that you don't now have.
Does Technomancer have a testing-and-licensing system for magicians? That has the potential to cut down on abuse a lot.
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Old 09-09-2012, 11:28 AM   #22
sir_pudding
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Default Re: [GURPS IST] Scientology in the IST Universe?

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Originally Posted by Flyndaran View Post
Comic books aren't known for rigid adherence to mythology. I mean come on, comic Thor has blonde hair. ;)
Thor is still Thor.

Xenu is often called the "Scientology devil" but it's really weirder than that (of course it is it's Scientology). For one thing they don't even learn about "Incident II" until they've achieved OT status. Knowing about "Incident II" prior to that will supposedly kill you with pneumonia. Secondly unlike the Christian devil, Xenu isn't still active but died a long time ago. He's more like Space Hitler, than Space Satan.

Besides IST is a little bit more like Watchmen than four-color in terms of real world fidelity.
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Old 09-09-2012, 11:56 AM   #23
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Default Re: [GURPS IST] Scientology in the IST Universe?

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Originally Posted by sir_pudding View Post
That doesn't actually make a lot of sense in the context of their theology. It would be more likely that he'd just believe that he was manifesting OT abilities.
True, in terms of their theology. However, the situation isn't entirely what it seems. As with any religion, there's a certain aspect I'm playing up involving what Scientologists "thought they knew" and what is the truth behind the curtain.

I need to write the whole thing up as time permits, but my main purpose behind the whole thing was to set up the big threats to the post-millennial IST world, a world that had to deal with a very traumatic Y2K event and a lot of other bad stuff.

But suffice to say, Tom Cruise/Sovereign Xemu isn't exactly what he claims to be and Scientology isn't quite either.
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Old 09-09-2012, 11:58 AM   #24
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Default Re: [GURPS IST] Scientology in the IST Universe?

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Originally Posted by sir_pudding View Post
Thor is still Thor.

Xenu is often called the "Scientology devil" but it's really weirder than that (of course it is it's Scientology). For one thing they don't even learn about "Incident II" until they've achieved OT status. Knowing about "Incident II" prior to that will supposedly kill you with pneumonia. Secondly unlike the Christian devil, Xenu isn't still active but died a long time ago. He's more like Space Hitler, than Space Satan.

Besides IST is a little bit more like Watchmen than four-color in terms of real world fidelity.
Yeah, from all the reading I've done on Xemu, his relation with Scientology is...complicated. I'm mostly making it more complicated. There are a couple of elements to the Xemu story (taken with a grain of salt) seem to indicate that rather than being dead, Xemu is sleeping and imprisoned like a post-modern Cthulhu.
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Old 09-09-2012, 12:22 PM   #25
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Default Re: [GURPS IST] Scientology in the IST Universe?

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Originally Posted by johndallman View Post
Does Technomancer have a testing-and-licensing system for magicians? That has the potential to cut down on abuse a lot.
I'm not sure about licensing and I supect the potential is lless than a lot. The real World has licensing for MDs and other professionals and we still have plenty of medical/health fads adn fakes.
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Old 09-09-2012, 12:51 PM   #26
vierasmarius
 
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Default Re: [GURPS IST] Scientology in the IST Universe?

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Originally Posted by Fred Brackin View Post
I'm not sure about licensing and I supect the potential is lless than a lot. The real World has licensing for MDs and other professionals and we still have plenty of medical/health fads adn fakes.
Right. There are plenty of folks who trumpet the healing power of their water / aura / gold needles / whatever, alongside our fortune tellers and assorted mystics. Most of them have in fine print something along the lines of "for entertainment purposes only" or similar disclaimers. As long as their claims don't grow too extravagant they are left alone. And if their claims do become overblown, they'll often be "the next big breakthrough in alternative medicine" in the entertainment media for the weeks it takes their scam to be exposed.
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Old 09-09-2012, 03:23 PM   #27
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Default Re: [GURPS IST] Scientology in the IST Universe?

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Originally Posted by johndallman View Post
He'd feel absolutely certain that he had it. He had managed to impress Jack Parsons with his skill and knowledge, after all.
Or rather with Hubbard's high Fast-Talk skill.
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Old 09-09-2012, 04:52 PM   #28
johndallman
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Default Re: [GURPS IST] Scientology in the IST Universe?

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Or rather with Hubbard's high Fast-Talk skill.
Absolutely, but did he see it that way?
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Old 09-12-2012, 05:48 AM   #29
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Default Re: [GURPS IST] Scientology in the IST Universe?

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Originally Posted by vierasmarius View Post
Right. There are plenty of folks who trumpet the healing power of their water / aura / gold needles / whatever, alongside our fortune tellers and assorted mystics. Most of them have in fine print something along the lines of "for entertainment purposes only" or similar disclaimers.
The alternative health specific version has come to be known as the "Quack Miranda."
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