And A Little Child Shall Lead Us
March 23, 2006
Old Wine in New Wineskins
Last Sunday, I posted a couple screenshots of Christian jewelry from South Park. Last night's latest season premier satirized another religious group: Scientology, which made South Park the target of its wrath because of this earlier episode.
When you think about Scientology, jewelry is probably the last thing that comes to mind. Tom Cruise, e-meters, the galactic warlord Xenu trapping souls in volcanos--whatever its faults, Scientology sure isn't boring. It also has a long history of taking action against critics, from lawsuits to boycotts to, alas, apparently arranging the departure of South Park's beloved Chef.
Beyond all this, Scientology has a fascinating array of spiritual images. Its founder, L. Ron Hubbard, used traditional religious icons to link Scientology the realm of faith, while giving them a slight twist to make them his own.
Wings, the cross, the sacred triangle--click around Scientology's jewelry page for brief explanations of how such symbols have been given new meaning in this new world faith. The U.S. Navy (!) has more. You'll even find jewelry not meant to be worn by the masses, such as the following gold bracelet reserved for people who, like Tom Cruise, have reached Operating Thetan Level VIII.
However, what you won't find explained on this site is why Hubbard designed the Scientology "S" as a fish hook.