Wednesday, August 11, 2004

The Synagogue of Scientology?

I knew there must be something like this when I heard that Madonna was practicing the Kabbalah.
this is Kabbalah, the mystical, ancient study that has turned into the spiritual therapy du jour, its classes meeting at a center near you. But some claim Kabbalah--"receipt" in Hebrew--is picking up where the Scientologists, Hare Krishnas, and Moonies left off.

It's got all the elements, a charismatic leader with a contradiction-laden history, a high price tag on the "necessary" materials, celebrity adherents, and a feel-good, easy-does-it message that enrages more traditional adherents (well, OK, the Church of Scientology doesn't have any traditional adherents to enrage, unless they're 1950s SF buffs).

I guess it's to the credit of the Jewish faith that it took so long for them to develop their Hare Krishnas, Moonies, Maharishi Maharesh Yogi and Victor Paul Weirwille.

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