The Salt Lake Church of Scientology By: Cindy

March 18th, 2009

This Sunday we attended Sunday Services at the Salt Lake Church of Scientology in Sugarhouse. We thought it would be a fascinating, an adventure, a time that we would be able to reflect and have great memories. This was not the case. 

I feel a bit lied to from going there, not because of what they believe but because of what happened. 

We all woke up early and met up at the high school to go to Church because services were at 10 am. We get there just before 10 am and walk in the building and a sweet lady behind a desk merely asks us if we're here for Sunday services, which we politely affirmed. She then told us that services weren't until 11 am. Which I felt lied to. The Internet, being the main source for finding places of worship for Religathon, said SUNDAY SERVICES 10 AM . I don't know what date the site had been updated on, but I don't understand how in the age of information you wouldn't change it to be correct. I think what they didn't understand is that even though this is Utah there still is sufficient interest in the unknown denominations around here. The lady proceeds to tell us that we may either come back in an hour (yeah, like that was going to happen, we just drove from Utah Valley) or watch some Scientology Videos. So we opted for the videos. 

We went into this little room that was FILLED with books from the founder of Scientology, L. Ron Hubbard. There were dvds, books bound like old school giant books, and pamphlets. One of us looked at the pamphlets and said that all that was in it was advertisements. It was very colorful in there, but it reminded me of Central Elementary in Pleasant Grove, which if you don't know, has a Star Trek school in it. There are simulations of space travel there, it is a load of fun!! But this room just reminded me of Star Trek, there were 4 comfy chairs and a little TV in front of giant windows that faced the street, but we were half under ground. They were very very sweet people though, they had hot chocolate and coffee for guests and members in this room, and it was very sweet. We all had a drink and sat down to watch some films. 

The first film was about the founder, L. Ron Hubbard. This film was beautifully done!!! We learned that L. Ron could fly planes, captain boats, and did services projects for unfortunate people all around the world. He came off as such a perfect person. Too Perfect, that is. Once we got home we did a bit of research on our own. We already knew he was a science fiction writer before he started Dianetics but that was all. What we found was that even though the Church of Scientology frowns upon drug use, he himself had had a problem. There was even a quote from him on the sites we checked (I know it's a bias but all the sites that we found that were pro Scientology were Scientology run websites and all others were out to debunk it.) It said something along the lines (I'll come back later to make sure I quote it right, but I'm at school right now) "If you want to make money, start a religion."  So it made me feel that he had only started a religion for personal gain and not to enlighten and help those around him. Some people in Scientology I feel may not be getting all the facts and that this religion is preying upon the need of people to be saved and have something after death. 

We watched a bunch of videos but didn't honestly pay attention them all after the L. Ron video merely because we were getting restless of having to be there. We had planned Sunday services from 10 am to maybe 11:15 and then we'd be on our way home, but we still were there......and it had not yet begun. 

In Scientology the leaders of the congregation are known as volunteer ministers, and so obviously it's a volunteer position. Our volunteer minister was a very nice older lady. The service was simple. She merely read us poems out of a giant book that were written by L. Ron. They weren't very interesting and it was hard to focus on them. But she was a nice lady so we tried as hard as we could. Then she decided that she was going to do a Group Auditing session. And, I immediately thought, SWEET! finally we're going to see some awesome Scientology stuff, but I was wrong. This Auditing session merely went like this 

find your right hand, good, find your left hand, good, find the right wall, good, find the ceiling, alright, find the floor, good, find the chair, good, find your right hand, good, find your left hand, alright, find your right hand, good, find your left hand, good, find your right hand, good, find your left hand, good, find your head, good, find your chair good, find the right wall, good, find your space, alright, find you head, good, find your body, good, try to let go of something in this room, good, think of something you're not going to do tomorrow, alright, think of something you are going to do tomorrow, good, imagine you're the opposite sex and try to make an effect on your own sex, good, now be your own sex and try to make an effect on the opposite sex, alright, now try to make an effect on the same sex, good...................

That went on and on and on and on and on for like 30 minutes......about 10 minutes into it, it was just getting irritating. I knew where all the walls were, there was nothing I could think of that I would for sure not do tomorrow, because tomorrow is unknown. It was really boring me so I began to think things like I wonder what Shaun is thinking or Sharece, or if Heather's paying attention. 

After wards we asked her some questions about the religion and then we left. 

I don't think I'll be going back there, merely because I was not so enlightened as I thought I would be, nor was I moved, and I was quite bored. 

I respect that some people choose to believe it, but I hope they're well informed. 

Good Shepherd Lutheran Church By: Cindy

Attended March 8th, 2009

The Good Shepherd Lutheran Church was the first stop on our Religathon and we are very happy we chose it.


We all woke up early and drove to Sandy for the contemporary services held at this church at 11:15 am every Sunday. We have all been to LDS churches plenty of times that that is naturally what we compared it to. We walked in the building and there was an immediate energy. The people who were there, were there because they love their religion. No one gave us any dirty looks for being in their church, which is what we sort of feared. That they would be able to point us out as "outsiders". When we walked in the chapel services were already under way. There was a sweet band playing on the right and their songs were even pretty catchy. Yes, the songs were all about jesus and god and repentence and at times if you actually listened (well read) the lyrics they were pretty harsh words, but nonetheless everyone was rocking out and having loads of fun. I even got one of the songs stuck in my head for a while, and if I think about that song, yes, I still remember the chorus. They were pretty awesome and it was a nice change from what we were use to when it comes to church.

The next surprise came when the Pastor of the church began to speak, it was a woman. We were all very excited about that considering we had never seen a female lead a congregation, because they aren't allowed in the patriachal religion of the lds church. When she spoke to us all it was in an excited voice and she was so entergetic. I very much enjoyed her sermon because she walked around making eye contact and she knew what she was saying, there were no cue cards or anything. She related to her audience with a story of when she was young and she was next to an old lady and then she stopped and was like wait, the woman was about the age I am now. and it was a funny moment and the whole congregation laughed. It was great to be able to laugh out loud in a chapel. After she spoke we had a moment where in their congregation part of the services were to turn to your neighbors and introduce yourself and it was so sweet. Everyone around us was like HI!! is this your first time? and they were so inviting. Then there was more singing and then a man dressed as a leprechaun ran up the aisle doing a little jig and speaking in an irish accent to tell us about a Pot Luck that was going on that afternoon. It was hilariously great! Plus we were ALLOWED to clap after someone spoke, which I am so happy was finally allowed. In LDS churches I have the urge to clap but know that someone will give me stink eye for doing it, which doesn't make sense. Clapping is wonderful to hear if you just had to speak in front of a whole bunch of people.


Then they had their communion and it was sweet. No one was FORCED to do it. They did it pew by pew and you walked up to the pastor and she gave you a wafer and you chose wine or juice. We didn't take it, because I didn't feel right taking the communion of a church I was not a member of. It's a personal decision. Then we sang another song and it was over. It was a wonderful place.

After the services were over we decided to go introduce ourselves to the Pastor, Christine, and she was very welcome. She loved that we were there and interested in her church. She told us we were members of the family and welcome back anytime. That we didn't need to be members of the church to enjoy the services. It was very sweet.

After that we had a very long long long discussion over the happenings in the chapel which will not be voiced here by me. ahahahah.

One last point, their chapel was gorgeous and I appreciated it. To compare...I'll tell those of you who don't know about the LDS chapels. You have where the congregation sits and then you have the stage area which has a podium and an organ and like 30 chairs for people to sit in. So in these churches I feel like i am always being watched and that I am unwelcome. In the Lutheran Chapel at the front was a podium and there was NOTHING behind it, no chairs, no places for people to sit. It was so you focused on the Pastor or whoever was speaking and only them. The band was to the side on a seperate stage with chairs for a choir. I very much enjoyed this set up. It meant to me that we were all on the same level and no one better than the other. Whereas in the LDS Chapels I feel like the people who sit up on stage are considered better than everyone else and those in the pews are just the followers.

We will definitely be going to the Good Shepherd Lutheran Church again for the end of our Religathon, because only 3 people got to go this first time and we feel everyone should be able to enjoy their congregation!! They were fantastic!!!

Visit their website at http://www.gslc.net/ if you are interested in going and want someone who's been there to go as well, email us at Religathon09@gmail.com

What is Religathon?

Religathon is an almost experiment that my friends and I are attempting.
It consists of us going to many different religious denominations across Utah, well SLC County and Utah County. We are going to go to as many as we can.

Why are we doing this?
We're all college students who feel it's important to know what's out there for religious possibilities.

Don't you think you may offend some?
We don't believe that wanting to know more on religions is offensive, but rather flattering. We have the desire to seek out what we don't know.

Where is Religathon?
It varies from Sunday to Sunday but we're always in Utah, because that's where we're from.

What Religions are on your list?
We have many denominations on our list that we are more curious about. Some may be "left out" because we don't exactly have 5 months to do this.

We are just Curious College Students who are exploring the religious opportunities out there. We do not mean to ever Offend and love all discussion for religious topics.

Any more questions email us at Religathon09@gmail.com