Scientology

Scientology will decline, and become useless to man, on the day when it becomes the master of thinking. Don't think it won't do that. It has every capability in it of doing that.~ L Ron Hubbard, 1952

Did L Ron Hubbard ever say, "If a man really wants to make a million dollars, the best way would be to start his own religion?"

Probably, in some form. Although official COS documents claim otherwise, several people, including fellow scifi author Harlan Ellison, have claimed to have witnessed him making similar comments on several occasions. Hubbard was also quoted using the above wording in a 1981 issue of Reader's Digest. Whether Hubbard was following his own advice will never be known, but is unlikely. Hubbard's voluminous writings on Scientology and his diary entries make it obvious that he was a believer in his own ideas.

Is Scientology a scam to bilk believers of cash?

That doesn't appear to be the case. Although Scientology espouses some unusual beliefs, I have never met a Scientologist who wasn't a true believer in the Church and its methods. Also, given the longevity of membership of many of its "higher ups," I don't see any reason to suspect a scam, especially one so elaborate that it would require the participation of believers to perpetuate itself. Also, unlike other groups accused of 'bilking' clients, Scientology doesn't offer a slew of products, miracle water, prayer beads, or any of the other paraphernalia evident in money-making operations. In short, yes, there are high costs involved in moving through the ranks, but there is no reason to believe that upper-level members are not believers.

In fact, from discussions with formers members, it would appear that most of the rather large fees collected from members are used in service of the group, particularly PR including the legal skirmishes the Church is known for.

Did L Ron Hubbard write journals describing his sexual and emotional difficulties?

Yes.

Was Hubbard a polygamist?

Yes, technically. At the time of his second marriage, (to Jack Parson's former girlfriend), he was still married to his first wife.

Did Hubbard claim to be the Buddha? (and so on)

Yes. Hubbard made a variety of oddball claims- that he was the reincarnated Buddha, among others. He also made claims to have healed his own "war wounds" through the use of Dianetics, a claim which was denied by the Navy, who claim Hubbard never saw combat. Additional bogus claims include a Phd (retracted) and that he twice visited heaven (a space station).

Was Hubbard involved in the OTO?

Yes. Hubbard was for a time heavily engaged in experimentation in Aleister Crowley's Thelemic ritual magick under the tutelage of Jack Parsons. Crowley generally despised Hubbard and referred to him as a "confidence man," a seemingly apt description, as Hubbard absconded with Parson's money (and his girlfriend) shortly after the two entered a business partnership. Thelemites will recall him as one of the "Louts" Crowley criticizes for attempting to create a "moon child." Hubbard is also believed to be the source of the "Book of Bablon." Church members explain that Hubbard was working secretly for the government to "break up" Parson's "cult," but the notion is quite obviously a whitewash to avoid uncomfortable associations.

A lesser known fact is that Hubbard was a member of AMORC before joining Parson's OTO and received at least two initiations while involved in the organization.

Did he practice Black magick?

No, b ut he was for a time a devotee of Aleister Crowley's system of Thelema. For a further explanation of Thelema, see the Thelema Directory. Thelemic magick is used as a process of self discovery. Hubbard was obviously influenced by Thelemic ideas in his formulation of Scientology, but Thelema is not black magic by any definition.

Does Scientology charge outrageous amounts of money for initiations?

One of the most persistent criticisms of the Church is its fees- advancement through all of the 'levels' is quite costly. But the Church itself is a listed non-profit organization, and nobody appears to be getting rich (certain televangelists do much better for themselves). Additionally, there are breakaway groups, such as "FreeZone," which administer the "technology" for no fee- although these are derided and disavowwed by the main Scientology organization.

Do Scientologists reach a high level of initiation only to discover a "secret doctrine" of aliens and "body Thetans?"

No and yes. While some of the underlying mythology of Scientology does indeed involve a sci-fi flavored cast of characters, this mythology is not concealed from members and is quite well known. It may seem a bit silly (okay, a lot silly), but then, so do the central mythologies of many religions. I see no real difference between the belief in "body thetans" and the belief in armies of angels and demons in other mythologies.

Have Scientologists harassed and threatened people?

Yes and no. While Scientology tends to encourage evangelism and can be quite aggressive in their recruiting technique, many of the rumors of bizarre behavior or violence have been largely exaggerated. The enthusiasm with which many scientologists operate may lead some to "step out of bounds," as many "true believers" of other faiths may do, but insinuations that this is somehow "official" Church policy is nothing short of ridiculous. There appears to be a good deal of organization when it comes to neutralising perceived threats against the group- letter writing campaigns and 'nuisance' lawsuits are not uncommon, nor are takeovers of popular anti-scientology web domains. One technique that has been confirmed, at least unofficially, is to "expose" the "crimes" or misdeeds, real or imagined, of Scientology's critics, a practice that appears to stem from Scientologists' belief that only people who are damaged in some way would try to harm the religion.

Didn't several Scientologists go to prison for spying on their enemies?

Yes. During the eighties, ten members of the organization were sent to prison for either spying on individuals or government agencies in an attempt to block criminal probes. This spying included illegal wiretaps. It is still not uncommon for Scientologists to "research" critics through the use of private investigators, but they tend to be a bit more subtle these days. Critics have reported having Church-sponsored investigators contact their friends, relatives, and places of employment.

Do Scientologists threaten critics?

Again, yes and no. The Church itself rather aggressively pursues copyright violators, which is their right, no matter who may feel that outing "Xenu" is more important than respecting copyright. They also seem to be quite organized when it comes to addressing criticism of Scientology, but this doesn't seem to extend beyond the usual evangelical tactics. I get quite a bit more email from Scientologists than from members of any other faith group, often making claims that I am "persecuting" them for linking to criticism. So, it would appear that they can be somewhat over-sensitive to criticism- but then, they receive quite a bit of criticism, much unmerited and some quite undeserved.

What are "Supressive persons?"

While this is officially denied, a "suppressive" is generally anyone critical of Scientology. (According to official terminilogy, a suppressive is a person who 'suppresses' the spiritual development of another, or an anti-social personality.) Scientologists are strongly encouraged to avoid contact with suppressives, who may be family members who view the group as a 'cult,' critics in the media or a member of the Church who is thought to have transgressed. (The latter are often required to cease contact with other Scientologists, even relatives and friends).

Did the Church of Scientology masquerade as mental health professionals in the aftermath of 9/11?

Yes. A COS center in Los Angeles managed to have their number displayed by FOX News for several hours during the aftermath of the tower collapse, under the title "National Mental Health Assistance." Ironically, the Church of Scientology opposes all forms of psychiatric treatment, even though early versions of L Ron Hubbard's Dianetics "technology" are credited to the influence of Freud and other pioneers of psychology. Hubbard's later experiences with the profession seem to have altered his views, as he later became very critical of psychiatry and psychology and stopped promoting the works of Freud, even though much of the generation of his early ideas seems to be obviously influenced by them. His later revulsion may have stemmed from his struggles with schizophrenia and other ailments, and his fears of institutionalization. (At one point, as his letters indicate, he asked for psychiatric assistance from the Veteran's Administration, help he apparently did not receive.)

The bottom line:

Yes, Scientologists may espouse strange beliefs, and many in their evangelical zeal sometimes cross boundaries of common sense and legality. Scientology's anti-drug and anti-psychiatric positions are often misinformed, but no more so than a decent number of more "accepted," mainstream faiths. Scientologists do seem extraordinarily sensitive to criticism, which I do find very worrying, and there does seem to be an unhealthy tendency to "close ranks" against any and all criticism. Getting a 'balanced' picture of the movement is difficult given the tendency of Scientology owned enterprises to present only the most positive view of the Church and its flawed founder, and the tendency of its detractors to make unsupportable or even fantastic claims.

On the whole, while I do find the overall evangelistic tendencies of Scientology to be disturbing, but I don't consider the typical Scientologist 'dangerous' or more inherently eccentric than members of American Christian sects. I have gotten strange correspondence from members of the Church and even veiled threats, but I've also had reasonable, sane discussions with believers who didn't strike me as "brainwashed" or even particularly zealous. The closest comparison I can make of my impressions of Scientologists is with evangelical Christianity- on the whole decent, caring people who maybe want to share or justify their beliefs just a wee bit much for comfort, who belong to an organization that behaves like, well, a church, often seeking to protect or shield itself from detractors. Certainly many of the criticisms of the Church of Scientology are well-merited, but a larger portion are undeserved and even ludicrous.

See also:

Scientology Cross, Scientology Symbol