Letter: Scientology doesn't have solutions to real problems

Editor,

The Daily Lobo's article in Tuesday's paper about Scientology on campus brought up some interesting points from a conversation I had recently.

First, why is it that students are having all of this stress in relationships and school work, and Scientologists have books already on hand to combat such stresses? This seems a little suspicious, but maybe it was just our conspiracy theory for the day.

Another point was that a religion like Scientology can remedy certain stresses for Americans, but these stresses tend to be things like homework, relationships, money or maybe a death in the family. These are not stresses that other people face from other countries.

For example, many people in the slums of India's capital or other large cities live with the stress of little to no shelter, children starving or dying, working 12- to 18-hour days just to earn about 50 cents to 90 cents, and living in disease-infested slums sharing food resources with rats and other vermin.

In North Korea, there are children eating others who have died so they do not starve to death, lost without parents or guardians and hoping for some meal to feed their bellies. Women sell their children in Mexico to make enough money to survive - or for drugs - and these children live their lives as prostitutes for meager amounts.

Can Scientology deal with these stresses? Will its books and stress tests help in cases of extreme stress and hardship? Can Scientology answer the question "Why?" when people from these countries ask it? Can they answer the questions about life and its meaning and why is there such suffering? I don't think they have that answer.

No, Scientology is best reserved for those in Hollywood with lots of money and little concern for the hurting and desolate. Scientology is just another voice itching ears, saying, "We've got an answer." Of course they don't want you to be converted, but they would like it, and if they don't convert you, they still have your money from buying the book.

Joseph Basso

UNM student