Who are some of the most influential cranks?

They can be viewed as a philosophy or they can be viewed as a religion. Just depends.

I am not a Scientologist, btw.

 

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It doesn't matter how they're viewed: BY THEIR ADMISSION they aren't religion.
Therefore they cannot legitimately ask for religious tax breaks.

 

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Banning is different than tax breaks.

From what i read they wanted to ban the organization. What if someone wants to be a Scienotlogist?

 

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Agreed.

Link please. This is your claim.

 

yep, he's the first one that came to my mind.

Did he start Scientology or was it made after his death, kind of like Christianity.

 

Started it.

 

He started it. After he was supported in his pseudoscience writing by John W. Campbell, his editor (one of the most influential in science fiction at the time).
More, er, honourable authors stayed away from Campbell's predilections -

(Isaac Asimov - same link).

Hubbard has been reported as saying:

Wiki
and letter a letter to one of his employees was found by the FBI:

(My italics).
Wiki again.

 

so he wasn't a crank. He was a genius!

 

I just found this video:

http://www.lronhubbard.org/biography/early-years.html

 

Oh, the official video.
More fantasy...

 

Do I, don't I, How high can I piss on the wall next to you? (That by the way is sarcasm towards the whole "mightier than thou" appraisal you seem to have)

my take on it (which might or might not be correct) is during the Roman Empire period, when religions were seen sacred, offerings were for the gods and the Empire couldn't tax them directly. This caused a number of problems as more and more cult religions sprang up, Including the precursor to Christianity-Judaism. The persecution brought down on that Cult/Sect was done so because it was found that they were basically en-massing wealth both in money and land while also attempting to undermine the Empire state. The Caesar's feared the misuse of influence and a potential concern towards unrest similar to the slave revolts.

The later adaptation to convert to monotheism by a Caesar to a religion that had been seen as persecuted was more likely an act to appease towards those influenced in generating unrest and a method of limiting the number of cults down to one controllable one which was now controlled by the Empire.

Power, Control, Subversion....

 

Sweet list…thanks everyone!

Yeah! No rapture. Now, you’ll have time to read your book.
Poor little crazy Christians, but I guess saying, “Cheer up! It's not the end of the world”, is hardly appropriate.

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Since you mentioned Deepak Chopra, what do you think about this guy?

Dr. Wayne W. Dyer