My understanding is that Scientology is based on a basic-level form of abreactive hypnotherapy. This therapy is useful to many people in the beginning and can lead to common hypnotic phenomenon. In later levels I believe the same "tech" is applied to past lives. Hubbard, for all the popular quotes about creating religions, seems to have believed strongly in the process and based his higher teachers on his own self-exploration.

The organization, as opposed to the teachings, seems to be paranoid, power-hungry and selective to psychos at the higher levels.

I don't think there is any relation to NLP historically and, while there may be some crossover in terms of techniques, I really don't see much there either.

...I'll have to re-read the thread (it's been a while), but aside from a presentational ploy I don't see any relationship to mentalism.

The ULC has never charged for ordination. Even today you can go to ulc.org and get ordainied gratis.

I found an interesting editorial about Scientology's tax exempt status: http://www.tampabay.com/opinion/editoria....../1202497

A technique vs a sect
NLP = a technique that can easily be learned (you pay for some classes and once you know it, that's it)
Scientology = the Borg (try their view on mental health and be afraid)

Yes, NLP has become the piggy bank of wellbeing techniques and most of its supernatural glamour was spawned by the insane claims shrewd NLP 'masters' (HA!) made in order to cash in.

Scientology is something else altogether. In many countries (and most of them are playing the soccer world cup) it is a forbidden sect. And that is a label which is not given lightly.

But if it works for Tom, John and Laura... hey who am I to say anything against it. Just that I've seen a family disintegrate because a daughter joined them and wanted to leave: they were destroyed! Awful!

So for me: no comparison. And beyond anything Penny stands for!

The book Mind Control 101 by Dantalion Jones has some excellent discussions on NLP and Scientology. Also some fun techniques for the mentalists.

*gets a helmet and popcorn to enjoy the show*

Both are pseudoscience.