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submitted 3 weeks ago by gedaliyah@lemmy.world to c/news@lemmy.world

In case you’re still lost as to what the heck is going on, a Scientology Run is when people film themselves charging into a Church of Scientology building to see how far they can get before being caught and booted out. It’s a notoriously secretive religion, so it turns the whole place into an action-movie set piece where the protagonist is trying to infiltrate a compound while fending off its legion of foot soldiers, clad in terrifying white button-ups with black vests.

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[-] chunkystyles@sopuli.xyz 175 points 3 weeks ago

On the one hand, this is very funny. On the other hand, however, it’s still very funny, but also maybe we shouldn’t turn running full speed into a house of religion, no matter how hokey that religion may be, into a trend? Yes, the whole enterprise is shady at best, and they believe in some weird space alien magic. They also have a history of harassing former members and anyone who dares to pull back the veil on the secretive organization’s scare tactics.

Fuck off with this whitewashing. Scientology isn't "hokey" or "shady". It's outright evil.

[-] A_Random_Idiot@lemmy.world 56 points 3 weeks ago

and its not a religion.

It only has tax exempt status due to one of the largest infiltration and attacks against the US government in the entire history of America.

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[-] axx@slrpnk.net 17 points 3 weeks ago

And why does the journalist call it a religion? It's a cult.

Or a for profit company, under German law.

[-] NOT_RICK@lemmy.world 14 points 3 weeks ago

This reads like a guy afraid of getting sued

[-] khannie@lemmy.world 9 points 3 weeks ago

Yeah 100%. Also not a religion where I live thankfully.

[-] Skepticpunk@lemmy.world 9 points 3 weeks ago

They also have a history of harassing former members

Weird way to spell "do shit like boil them alive".

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[-] brave_lemmywinks@lemmy.world 137 points 3 weeks ago

This isn't a genz novelty, there were a lot of activism in the early 4chan days against Scientology. The whole guy fawks mask and anonymous thing started there.

[-] aldhissla@piefed.world 81 points 3 weeks ago

Came here for this. We had Project Chanology in my day. As long as there's Scientology, the youth will continue to milk them for lulz.

lol yeah, those were the days - the LA scene for that was interesting, and it also gave me my first real taste of opsec, because the CoS goons would absolutely dox and harass you and people close to you if you weren’t careful.

[-] neidu3@sh.itjust.works 91 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

Of all the brainrot fads I've seen come and go over the past few decades, I think this is the one I like the most. Anything that pisses off the CoS gets my seal of approval.

[-] lama@lemmy.world 64 points 3 weeks ago

But maybe a better use of Scientology infiltration tactics would be an investigative piece rather than a viral speed run.

The irony of the journalist writing this and missing that this is their job

[-] OldChicoAle@lemmy.world 20 points 3 weeks ago

Most journalists wouldn't know hard hitting journalism if it fucked them balls deep with no lube.

[-] Earthman_Jim@lemmy.zip 7 points 2 weeks ago

It's pretty common mentality among a lot of adults that the fucked up world will just have to be fixed by the kids. It's fucking absurd.

[-] adespoton@lemmy.ca 57 points 3 weeks ago

Seems to me if you did some research, came up with a cover story and dressed the part, you could walk in and get pretty far before being caught. Just pretend you’re on your mission year, and wear a nametag.

[-] TropicalDingdong@lemmy.world 53 points 3 weeks ago
[-] adespoton@lemmy.ca 13 points 3 weeks ago

Works for scientology too doesn’t it? Not just LDS?

[-] Reyali@lemmy.world 36 points 3 weeks ago

Pretty sure they don’t do missions. They’re all about recruiting people for money, not righteousness.

Jehovah’s Witness are another that’s big on missions and door-to-door converting. Maybe that’s what you’re thinking of?

[-] finallymadeanaccount@lemmy.world 13 points 3 weeks ago

Jehova's Witness: "Hello, we'd like to talk to you about Jesus".

Bernard Black: "Oh, I'd love to talk about Jesus! What's he been up to lately?"

[-] FishFace@piefed.social 9 points 3 weeks ago

I still often say "Jesus" the way that actor delivered that line

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[-] Sabata11792@ani.social 14 points 3 weeks ago

Seems to me if you did some research, came up with a cover story and dressed the part, you could walk in and get pretty far before being caught.

That's how you get organ farmed.

[-] bedwyr@piefed.ca 12 points 3 weeks ago

Until they figure out you are an imposter and kidnap you. These people are rather known for retaliating against members that quit at least, and have been accused of kidnapping multiple times.

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[-] TheFlopster@lemmy.world 39 points 3 weeks ago
[-] ikidd@lemmy.dbzer0.com 29 points 3 weeks ago

Just need to look in David Miscavige's basement freezer.

[-] Manjushri@piefed.social 38 points 3 weeks ago

but also maybe we shouldn’t turn running full speed into a house of religion, no matter how hokey that religion may be, into a trend?

No. The whole thing was started by a bad sci-fi author who felt he could make a lot of money by inventing a fake religion. It's just a scam to rip off gullible people. Hopefully, enough mockery will make prospective joiners think twice before they get taken for all their money.

"You don't get rich writing science fiction. If you want to get rich, you start a religion.'" - L Ron Hubbard

[-] DillDough@lemmy.zip 23 points 3 weeks ago

Way worse than a scam, tons of human trafficking, torture, etc.

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[-] flandish@lemmy.world 34 points 3 weeks ago

it’s trespassing with the added benefit of a dice roll on the building security’s understanding of castle doctrine.

[-] GraniteM@lemmy.world 20 points 3 weeks ago

Or even just getting hit in the head by a well-meaning person who reasonably thinks they're trying to prevent a maniac from killing someone in the building.

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[-] GalacticGrapefruit@lemmy.world 33 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

Can they try Mormon temples next? Please? That would be so fucking funny.

I am crying at the mental image of a bunch of retirees in white suits and white dresses trying to politely shepherd a bunch of teenagers with phones out of their crystal-covered collection of big living rooms.

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[-] Lifecoach5000@lemmy.world 32 points 3 weeks ago

I dunno. These are cracking me up for some reason and even though this article is a bit shallow, I think a decent point was made at the end: power charging religious buildings is kinda bad taste I think - even if Scientology is full of complete asshole weirdos.

[-] Fusselwurm@feddit.org 76 points 3 weeks ago

Scientology is not a religion

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[-] magic_smoke 29 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

charging religious buildings is kind do bad taste

Fuck em they're an organization built on kidnapping and abuse.

[-] ieGod@lemmy.zip 25 points 3 weeks ago

On the other hand, all religions are complete weirdos and not a single one of them deserves special status or protections.

[-] reksas@sopuli.xyz 20 points 3 weeks ago

calling exploitative cult a religion is quite bad taste imo

[-] kbobabob@lemmy.dbzer0.com 9 points 3 weeks ago

Which religion isn't though?

They're all exploitive and cult-like in my opinion.

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[-] flandish@lemmy.world 13 points 3 weeks ago

reminder: scientology is not a religion.

[-] HugeNerd@lemmy.ca 11 points 3 weeks ago

Reminder: all religions are made up and mental illness adajcent.

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[-] betterdeadthanreddit@lemmy.world 27 points 3 weeks ago

Fight stupid with stupid. I dig it.

[-] itsjustachairmary@lemmy.world 25 points 3 weeks ago

'Gen Z is obsessed with'

Wat

[-] XeroxCool@lemmy.world 38 points 3 weeks ago

"some kids are doing something I haven't seen before, whole generation must be obsessed"

[-] VinegarChunks@lemmus.org 7 points 3 weeks ago

More like “I am obsessed with GenZ doing this”

[-] Dearth@lemmy.world 20 points 3 weeks ago

The author of the article calls scientology a religion because they are in a country where scientology can disappear them for saying the wrong thing

[-] TheReturnOfPEB@reddthat.com 19 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

they are channeling any number of Tom Cruise characters

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[-] ILikeBoobies@lemmy.ca 12 points 3 weeks ago

Surprised they weren't just shot.

[-] Evotech@lemmy.world 9 points 3 weeks ago
[-] YiddishMcSquidish@lemmy.today 9 points 3 weeks ago

Have there been any Naruto scientology runs?

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[-] SnarkoPolo@lemmy.world 9 points 3 weeks ago

Xenu isn't going to like this.

[-] DarkFuture@lemmy.world 8 points 3 weeks ago

Why are they obsessed with 67?

In this case, I don't really care why and I fully support them.

Fuck a scientology.

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this post was submitted on 28 Apr 2026
403 points (100.0% liked)

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