Scientology

Scientology is a new religious movement based on the writings of L. Ron Hubbard (1911-1986), a sceince fiction author, who founded the Church of Scientology in 1953. The organization presents itself as a fully integrated system of religious technology dedicated to the rehabilitation of the human spirit, and its teachings have allegedly saved followers from various afflictions including addictions, arthritis, clinical depression, learning disabilities, and mental illnesses. As with many new religious movements, Scientology has attracted much controversy and criticism, and its principles have been characterized as pseudoscientific by scientists and medical practitioners alike.

Origins

L. Ron Hubbard and Dianetics

The Church of Scientolog was founded by Lafayette Ron Hubbard. Born in Nebraska, in 1911, Hubbard travelled extensively throughout his youth. During this time, he made two trips to Asia and came into contact with the religious traditions of the East, later speaking of their influence on Scientology. Hubbard himself spent time in the United States Navy during the Second World War.

Hubbard's publishing career began in writing fiction. He was well known in literary circles as a science fiction author. The first printing of Hubbard's theories on mental health appeared in a science fiction periodical (Astounding Science Fiction, XLV No. 3, 1950).

Beginning in the 1950s, Hubbard published a multitude of literature concerning the practices and doctrines of the Church of Scientology. His most famous work was Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health (1950), a system of self-improvement techniques. According to Dianetics, incidents involving pain and loss were recorded on what he called the subconscious or "reactive mind", which manifest themselves as fear, irrational emotion, addiction and illness. Dianetics was the process by which the reactive mind is uncovered and erased, leaving only the "analytical mind". In Dianetics literature the analytical mind is the portion of the mind that is logical and problem-solving. By the mid-1950s, Dianetics was considered a system of therapy within the context of the religion of Scientology, and is still used to this day.

The scriptures of the Church of Scientology were written exclusively by L. Ron Hubbard, beginning in the early 1950s and continuing until his death in 1986. The cannonical library of Scientology's scriptures includes hundreds of volumes, many being philosophical works or procedural guides for Scientologists. Important works are Dianetics: the Modern Science of Mental Health, Science of Survival, Scientology: a New Slant on Life, Scientology: the Fundamentals of Thought and The Creation of Human Ability.

Near the end of his life he returned to writing fiction and published the science fiction works Battlefield Earth and Mission Earth.

Aside from his literary achievements the Church of Scientology has lauded L. Ron Hubbard in a variety of other fields. [1] His abilities in music appreciation, performance and composition are praised by the church, as well as his time spent as an "adventurer" travelling and sailing. His humanitarian efforts in drug rehabilitation and literacy are also commended by the church. However, many critics of the Church of Scientology have suggested that Hubbard's achievements are overstated and cannot be proven. [2][3]

L. Ron Hubbard is not viewed by the Church of Scientology as anything more than an exceptional human being who assembled and disseminated the practices of Dianetics and Scientology. He is not believed to be either as a God or a Messiah, but is widely revered within the Church of Scientology as its founder and sole author of scripture.

Beliefs and Practices

The doctrines of Scientology were developed over a 34 year period beginning in 1952 and continuing until Hubbard's death in January 1986. These teachings (called "technology" or "tech" in Scientology terminology) are essentially the practice of "auditing," the belief in a soulbody (thetan') 'and a supreme being (called the Eighth Dynamic or Theta), the existence of two kinds of mind ("reactive" and "analytical"), reincarnation, creation and salvation of humankind.

Auditing

The central practice of Scientology is auditing (from the Latin word audire,"to listen"), which is one-on-one communication with a trained Scientology counselor or "auditor". The practitoner undertaking the procedure is referred to as a "preclear". Most auditing uses an E-meter (Electropsychometer), a device that measures galvanic skin response. The E-meter has two terminals that are held in both hands of the preclear and a display with which the auditor can monitor the progress of the individual. Auditing first appeared in Hubbard's work on Dianetics.

The auditing process is intended to help the preclear unburden himself or herself of specific traumatic incidents, prior ethical transgressions, and bad decisions, which are said to collectively restrict the preclear from achieving his or her goals. The auditor asks the preclear to respond to a list of questions which are designed for specific purposes and given to the preclear in a strictly regulated way. Auditing requires that the preclear be a willing and interested participant who understands the questions, and the process goes more smoothly when he or she understands what is going on. The E-meter is used to help locate an area of concern.

Scientologists have claimed benefits from auditing such as improved I.Q., improved ability to communicate, enhanced memory, alleviated dyslexia and attention deficit problems, and improved relaxation; however, no scientific studies have verified these claims. The Church of Scientology now publishes disclaimers in its books and publications declaring that the E-meter "does nothing," [4] and that it is used specifically for spiritual purposes.

Thetan

The concept of the Thetan grew out of L. Ron Hubbard's observation of the results of Dianetics practice. Participation in Dianetics resolved the mental anguish of practioners in the present, but also allegedly uncovered anguish from preceding lives. Hubbard postulated the existence of an eternal element, separate from the mind and body of the human being. Wary of the connotative baggage associated with the word "soul" he called this element the "thetan" (adapted from the Greek letter "theta"). The Church of Scientology affirms that each individual is at the most basic level a thetan, possessing a mind and body. Thetans are believed to have existed since the beginning of time, formed at the moment of creation. These spiritual essences were entangled with matter, energy, space and time (M.E.S.T.) to produce beings that are both spiritual and physical.

The progression of the individual in the Church of Scientology is measured against a church document entitled "The Bridge to Total Freedom". This includes levels from preclear through to "Operating Thetan" or OT. The Operating Thetan in Scientology is one who through dedication and practice in the church has relieved his or herself of the abberations in the reactive mind gained in this life and others, and begun to operate independantly of the reactive mind.

As one progresses along the Bridge to Total Freedom, one delves deeper into the teachings of Scientology, and accordingly the information revealed at these levels is kept under stricter confidence. Though very little information about these teachings are published for the public at large through official channels, it is believed that those initiated into higher OT levels learn of the arrival of Thetans on Earth and an epic history of the universe, described by L. Ron Hubbard as a "space opera". Though official church literature makes frequent allusions to extraterrestrial life - often with reference to the lives of thetans and alien civilizations on other planets outside our solar system - Scientologists do not officially confirm or deny the existence of an elaborate "space opera" history told only in the highest echelons of the church hierarchy. These histories have been put forth by non-Scientologists as a secret belief system of the Church of Scientology, picked from a variety of sources, including court testimony of ex-Scientologists and the more esoteric writings of L. Ron Hubbard. Regardless of their authenticity, the space opera doctrines of Scientology do not have any immediate impact on the day to day activities of lay Scientologists.

Creeds and Cosmology

The creeds of Scientology were formulated entirely by L. Ron Hubbard. The two major creed formulae are the Factors and the Axioms. [5] They are similar in structure and message and comprise the basic beliefs of the Church of Scientology condensed into short points. The Factors were first published in 1953 and the Axioms disseminated the following year. Stephen Kent (Kent, 1998) indicates the first ten of the thirty Factors constitute a form of cosmology of creation:

1. Before the beginning was a Cause and the entire purpose of the the Cause was the creation of effect.
2. In the beginning and forever is the decision and the decision is TO BE.
3. The first action of beingness is to assume a viewpoint.
4. The second action of beingness is to extend from the viewpoint, points to view, which are dimension points.
5. Thus there is space created, for the defintion of space is: viewpoint of dimension. And the purose of a dimension point is space and a point of view.
6. The action of a dimension point is reaching and withdrawing.
7. And from the viewpoint to the dimension points there are connection and interchange. Thus new dimension points are made. Thus there is communication.
8. And thus there is light.
9. And thus there is energy.
10. And thus there is life. (Scientology: Theology and Practice of a Contemporary Religion, 1998)

The Eight Dynamics and the ARC Triangle

According to Scientology, the concept of the Eight Dynamics is a graduated way of understanding the universe and one's relation to it. These dynamics are the basis for the cosmology of the Church of Scientology. A set of concentric circles radiating outward from the Self (the first dynamic) to the Infinite (the eighth dynamic), perhaps identified with a supreme being. The complete list of dynamics is as follows:

1. the Self
2. the Family
3. the Group (including community, state, etc.)
4. the Species
5. the Life Form (life in all its varieties)
6. the Physical Universe (MEST)
7. the Spirits (the Thetan)
8. the Infinite (the deity or ground of being) (Scientology: Theology and Practice of a Contemporary Religion, 1998)

Another basic tenet of Scientology are the three interrelated components that lead to perfect understanding: affinity (emotional responses), reality (an agreement on what is real) and communication (the exchange of ideas). Hubbard called this the "ARC Triangle", and the triangle is one of the many symbols adopted by the Church of Scientology. Communication is recognized as the paramount amongst the three points of the ARC Triangle, though all three points must be practiced across the Eight Dynamics.

The Church of Scientology Organizations

A Church of Scientology was first incorporated in Camden, New Jersey as a non-profit organization in 1953. Ceremony in the Church of Scientology serves to foster a sense of community and mark important events in the lives of adherents. Important ceremonies are the naming ceremony for new born children, weddings and funerary services. These ceremonies include readings from the works of Hubbard, and in their liturgical formulae make much reference to Scientologist principles such as the ARC Triangle and centrality of the thetan in the thetan-mind-body construction. Today's Church of Scientology was established in 1954. It forms the center of a complex worldwide network of corporations dedicated to the promotion of L. Ron Hubbard's philosophies in all areas of life. This includes:

• Drug treatment centers (Narconon)[6]
• Criminal rehab programs (Criminon)[7]
• Activities to reform the field of mental health (Citizens Commission on Human Rights)
• Projects to implement Hubbard's educational methods in schools (Applied Scholastics)[8]
• A "moral values" campaign (The Way to Happiness)[9]
• World Institute of Scientology Enterprises, or WISE, which licenses Hubbard's management techniques for use in businesses [10]
• A consulting firm based on Hubbard's management techniques (Sterling Management Systems) [11]
• A publishing company, e-Republic, which publishes Government Technology and Converge magazines and coordinates the Center for Digital Government [12]
• A campaign directed to world leaders, as well as the general public, to implement the 1948 United Nations document "The Universal Declaration of Human Rights" (with particular emphasis on the religious freedom elements).
• An organization dedicated to bettering plant and animal life on Earth that applies Scientology tools, such as "The Dynamics" (Earth Organization) [13]

Independent Scientology Groups

Although "Scientology" is most often used as shorthand for the Church of Scientology, a number of groups practice Scientology and Dianetics outside of the official Church. Such groups are invariably breakaways from the original Church, and usually argue that it has corrupted L. Ron Hubbard's principles or otherwise become overly domineering. The Church takes an extremely hard line on breakaway groups, labeling them "apostates" (or "squirrels" in Scientology jargon) and often subjecting them to considerable legal and social pressure. Breakaway groups avoid the name "Scientology" so as to keep from infringing that copyright, instead referring to themselves collectively as the Free Zone.

Scientology and Society

Scientology and the Media

File:ScientologyCenter1.jpg

A Scientology Center on Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California.

Since its inception the Church of Scientology has made use of mass media to spread its message. Originally this was done through printed materials, primarily books, but eventually a collection of periodicals was brought into circulation (such as Freedom Mag). Videos were also made available to those interested. As the Internet became more popular and accessable the Church of Scientology expanded its presence there, maintaining over a dozen different domains by 2006.

From its beginnings the Church of Scientology has been associated (both officially and in the popular consciousness) with celebrities, especially in the fields of film and music. High profile members of the faith have brought much attention to the Church. The church recognizes the potential for growth due to its celebrity members, and maintains an elaborate "Celebrity Center" in Los Angeles, California, in addition to its many other church buildings throughout the world.

Official Status as a Religion

The Church pursues an extensive public relations campaign supporting Scientology as a bona fide religion. The organization cites numerous scholarly sources supporting its position, many of which can be found on a website the Church has established for this purpose. [14] This campaign is in response to the criticism made by critics of the Church of Scientology that its incorporation as a church was to avoid charges of practicing medicine without proper accreditation and for tax exempt status.

The Church is recognized in some countries as an official religion under the law, including the United States, Australia, Taiwan, Thailand and Spain. Other nations, including Belgium, Germany, France and Austria, do not recognize the Church of Scientology as an official religion. An intermediate approach is taken in some countries, such as Canada, where Scientology is recognized as a non-profit charity organization. Despite the lack of legal recognition in some countries, the Church of Scientology is present in 175 countries worldwide, including nations where it is not recognized as a bona fide religious tradition.

Scientology and Other Religions

Scientology teaches that it is fully compatible with all existing major religions, often being described by the church as a system of religious technology. The Church of Scientology has publicly stated:

"Scientology respects all religions. Scientology does not conflict with other religions or other religious practices." (What is Scientology? 1992, p.544)

Yet, in its application for tax exempt status in the United States, the Church of Scientology International states:

"Although there is no policy or Scriptural mandate expressly requiring Scientologists to renounce other religious beliefs or membership in other churches, as a practical matter Scientologists are expected to and do become fully devoted to Scientology to the exclusion of other faiths. As Scientologists, they are required to look only to Scientology Scriptures for the answers to the fundamental questions of their existence and to seek enlightenment only from Scientology." (Response to Final Series of IRS Questions Prior to Recognition of Exemption Under Section 501(c)(3) As a Church, October 1, 1993)

However, Scientology's claim of religious compatibility to entry-level Scientologists is soon modified by the additional teaching that the various levels of spiritual prowess which can be reached through Scientology are more advanced than those attainable in other religions. Critics maintain that, within Scientology, "spiritual abilities" tend to be synonymous with "mystical powers" rather than with "inner peace". Hubbard himself cautioned against the unwise or improper use of powers in his book History of Man. The beliefs of Scientology often contradict other religions. Most notable is the concept of past lives (a form of reincarnation) which most western religions reject. Other ideas such as the origins and age of the Earth, the root of evil, and the nature of humanity make it impossible to hold literal beliefs in most other religions while being a Scientologist.

Scientology and Psychiatry

Scientologists regularly hold anti-psychiatry demonstrations they call "Psychbusts"

Scientology is publicly and vehemently opposed to psychiatry and psychology. This theme appears in some of Hubbard's literary works. In Hubbard's satiric Mission Earth series, various characters praise and criticize these methods, and the antagonists in his novel Battlefield Earth are called Psychlos. According to its website, the Church of Scientology adopts the following view on Psychiatry:

What the Church opposes are brutal, inhumane psychiatric treatments. It does so for three principal reasons: 1) procedures such as electro-shock, drugs and lobotomy injure, maim and destroy people in the guise of help; 2) psychiatry is not a science and has no proven methods to justify the billions of dollars of government funds that are poured into it; and 3) psychiatric theories that man is a mere animal have been used to rationalize, for example, the wholesale slaughter of human beings in World Wars I and II. [15]

L. Ron Hubbard was bitterly critical of psychiatry's citation of physical causes for mental disorders, such as chemical imbalances in the brain. He regarded psychiatrists as denying human spirituality and peddling fake cures. He was also convinced psychiatrists were themselves deeply unethical individuals, committing "extortion, mayhem and murder. Our files are full of evidence on them." [16] The Church claims that psychiatry was responsible for World War I [17], the rise of Hitler and Stalin [18], and even the September 11th attacks [19]. Scientology's opposition to psychiatry has also undoubtedly been influenced by the fact that a number of psychiatrists have strongly spoken out against the Church, resulting in pressure from the media and governments. Additionally, after Hubbard's book on Dianetics was published, in which he tried to present a new form of psychotherapy, the American Psychological Association advised its members against using Hubbard's techniques with their patients until its effectiveness could be proven.

References

ISBN links support NWE through referral fees

• Atack, Jon (1990). A Piece of Blue Sky. Lyle Stuart. ISBN 081840499X
• Frenschkowski, Marco (1999). L. Ron Hubbard and Scientology: An annotated bibliographical survey of primary and selected secondary literature [20]
• Kent, Stephen A. (1996). Scientology's Relationship With Eastern Religious Traditions [21]
• Kent, Stephen A. (1999). The Creation of "Religious" Scientology, Journal of Religious Studies and Theology, Volume 18, Number 2, ISSN 0829-2922
• Miller, Russell (1987). Bare-faced Messiah, The True Story of L. Ron Hubbard, Henry Holt & Co. ISBN 0-8050-0654-0
• Church of Scientology International (1998). Scientology: Theology & Practice of a Contemporary Religion, Bridge Publications. ISBN 1-57318-145-5

External links

• Scientology.org - The Church of Scientology's main page.
• whatisscientology.org - The Church of Scientology's site promoting Scientology.
• Related Groups - List of groups related to the Scientology organization.
• Operation Clambake
• The Secrets of Scientology
• InternationalFreeZone - Association dedicated to the promotion of the original philosophy of Lafayette Ron Hubbard.
• scientologists freezone - A comparative study of the church and the freezone

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