That said, is scientology any more far fetched than other religions?

Most religions, like Christianity, tell Truths, but they aren't the truth. They aren't facts. It's skilled writing and metaphor. Problems arise when people take these stories and Truths as truth & facts and run with it. Or they interpret it in damaging, hateful, and harmful ways.

Is Scientology any more far-fetched than other religions? Only because it's come about in a time where we can easily distinguish fact from fiction and science from science fiction. If it had come about at the same time as Christianity, I don't think it would, because the same progression of interpretation would have happened.

Furthermore, religion in itself isn't inherently harmful & it can even be helpful. It can help bring people together, give them a reason to be "good," help with coping, and much more. However, people can also use religion as a weapon or a crutch and that can make it dangerous. I mean the guy who killed Lennon was obsessed with Catcher in the Rye. Does that make Catcher in the Rye an inherently dangerous book?

Scientology just gets a lot of slack because it's new, it's "hip," and the people we associate with Scientology are celebrities, each hosting their own unique set of crazy - the cause of the crazy may or may not be attributed to Scientology but certainly helps explain why they are attracted to Scientology.

For what it's worth, if Tom Cruise did the same thing to Christianity I think we would still look at him as a bit of a maniac and zealot. But our view of the religion wouldn't change, just our view of a single individual. This is because or thoughts and opinions on Christianity and other major religions have been shaped by a number of things - people, places, childhood, memories, books, teachings, whatever it may be. But Scientology doesn't have that same expansive reach and thus our opinions are formed via Tom Cruise & South Park.