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In the October 2002 General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, President Gordon B. Hinckley invited all people of faith to “bring with you all that you have of good and truth which you have received from whatever source, and come and let us see if we may add to it.”
Two of the places that the Church can build upon are the religions of Scientology and Kabbalah.
These religions have gained recent popularity largely due to celebrities, such as Tom Cruise and Madonna.
While support from famous people can bring new interest to a religion, problems arise when the public begins to only see the celebrity and not the faith he or she embraces.
For example, many students on campus are aware that Tom Cruise is a Scientologist, but don’t know what Scientology actually is.
Scientology is a belief system established by L. Ron Hubbard after publishing his first book, Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health, in 1950.
Dianetics, best described as a science devoted to the study of the mind, forms the basis of Scientology. Scientology has since grown into a complex belief system that is popular among celebrities and can be followed alongside most religions.
Kabbalah is a belief system that stems from Judaism, often referred to as Jewish Mysticism. Some trace its roots back through the times of the Old Testament and others believe it began in the 12th century.
Because of this, the religion has a complicated and diversified history that has resulted in many offshoots of different beliefs.
The majority of the Kabbalah sects, however, believe that the purpose of Kabbalah is to enable its followers to receive spiritual light or energy that will increase their understanding of the mysteries of God.
Scientology and Kabbalah are similar in the fact that neither asks their followers to accept any precept of their religions on the basis of faith or belief.
Both teach that man has the ability within himself to reach the highest levels of understanding and that man need not rely on anyone but himself to realize his potential.
Scientology beliefs coincide with the doctrines of the Church in many instances. Scientology states that the soul is immortal and has unlimited potential. It also teaches about the importance of only taking healthy substances into the body.
Kabbalah and the LDS Church share scripture. Kabbalah uses the Jewish Torah, known in the Christian culture as the books of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy from the Old Testament.
Three of the questions Kabbalah claims to answer are: who we really are, where we came from and why we are here, according to www.kabbalah.com, similar to the LDS Plan of Salvation.
By looking past the celebrities and choosing to study the doctrines behind the religions, students can develop a better understanding and appreciation for other faiths.
