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ScientologyAn Overview

What is Scientology?

What do you know about Scientology?

Do you know any Scientologists?

What terms do you associate with Scientology?

What constitutes a religion to you?

http://www.scientology.org

Guess the Scientologist(s)

L. Ron Hubbard

The Founder March 13, 1911- January 24,

1986 Born in Montana

Grew up in Montana but was attracted to the sea because of his father’s position as an officer.

Dropped out of George Washington University

Joined the U.S. Navy Served during WWII

1930’s - Became a pulp science fiction writer

Developed Dianetics Spin on psychology that would

develop into Scientology

Church An individual who worked for him

The Public

A man of mythic proportions

Charismatic He developed a cult

A larger than life adventurer

Unpredictable – his expectations of others regarding work

Mentally Unstable

Explorer and researcher who is responsible for one of the greatest scientific discoveries

Raconteur, A recluse, and a man generous with phrase

Psychopathy

Know as the “source” – even new information derives from him

A tyrant A subpar scientific writer

Opposing views of L. Ron Hubbard

1. Self2. Creativity3. Group Survival4. Species5. Life Forms6. Physical Universe7. Spiritual Dynamic8. Infinity

"When the Seventh Dynamic is reached in its entirety, one will only then discover the true Eighth Dynamic" - L. Ron HubbardThe 8 Dynamics

Dianetics Hubbard developed a self-help system with the book Dianetics in 1950.

The book featured Hubbard's claims about his new discoveries about the human mind.

Dianetics described Hubbard's new psychological process that “enabled” full human potential:

Engrams = the scars on one's psyche from harmful memories

To get rid of engrams, one must go through “auditing” with the assistance of an auditor and an e-meter.

Practitioners talks through their past memories with counselors, who read an e-meter that counselors believe reflects engrams in the patient's mind.

Scientologists call the e-meter process the “tech”

The tech enables individuals to maximize their potential and become “clear” of engrams while also curing illnesses and developing special powers.

The E-meter measures skin galvanizations but ScientologistsBelieve that it reflects one’s inner thoughts

E-Meter

After introducing Dianetics, the FDA began disputing many of Hubbard's claims about his practices' effectiveness.

Hubbard wrote Science of Survival about a year later

A book that expanded on Dianetics in a more explicitly spiritual way based on his latest discoveries.

Critics say that introducing Scientology as a religion was simply to help Hubbard escape scrutiny and prosecution

From Dianetics to Scientology

What Scientology is and how it is practiced largely depends on how long one has been practicing the religion.

Retaining the self-help nature of Dianetics, Scientology postulates that people are inherently spiritual beings with a thetan (an eternal soul) that limits their potential due to past traumas (engrams).

Thetans are considered ancient Hubbard endorsed reincarnation,

and many auditing sessions delve into past life traumas as one advances through Scientology.

Instead of worship sessions like other religions, Scientology's practice is largely constrained to auditing sessions and studying the works of L. Ron Hubbard.

One begins entering Scientology through Dianetics courses.

The basics of Scientology

Auditing sessions are more or less counseling appointments.

One studies their “reactive mind” where past traumas are stored subconsciously.

As one takes classes (which steadily increase in price) and continues auditing, one can be confirmed as a “clear” free of engrams.

One then changes their focus to their Operating Thetan level, a series of advanced Scientology courses that focus on the deeper intricacies of reactive mind and the origins of humanity.

There are at least 8 confirmed levels.

The Bridge to Total Freedom

• The O.T. levels were developed by Hubbard while at sea with elite scientologists with his own personal navy during the late '60s and '70s.

• The Church considers the material highly classified and has sued many that have leaked the materials.

Many of the descriptions of the O.T. levels began leaking during the '80s with O.T. 3 garnering the most attention.

Hubbard claimed that anyone exposed to O.T. levels 3 or higher would develop chronic insomnia and go insane, among other ailments, if they were exposed to the teachings without being prepared.

The following South Park clip does a comical but accurate take on it.

O.T. 3 reveals that engrams are actually caused by the invasive “body thetans” of dead aliens.

The Church has alternated between denying the story outright and claiming that it has been taken out of context.

Scientologists believe that they can develop special powers by climbing up the “Bridge to Total Freedom,” a process that costs thousands and thousands of dollars.

The Xenu story has led many to label Scientology a “UFO Cult.” Xenu & O.T.

III

http://www.southparkstudios.com/clips/104274/what-scientologist-actually-believe

The Church has sought celebrity members for years as a way to increase its prestige and recruit new members, creating special luxurious services and buildings for them.

Celebrity members are treated very differently than rank-and-file Scientologists with more access to auditing and the Church's hierarchy.

The Church strongly encourages donations, making its celebrity members valuable sources of income. Scientology and

Celebrities

Fiercely protective of the Church's public image, Scientologists have spent many years trying to dissuade its critics from attacking them.

In 1968 Hubbard enacted a “Fair Game” policy

Critics of the church (known as suppressive persons) “may be tricked, sued, or lied about or destroyed.”

Disconnection: Many Scientologists have been

encouraged to cut ties with friends and family members the Church perceives as not being supportive

The Church officially denies this, but many former members like Paul Haggis have talked about their experiences with it.

The Church continues to harass its critics today.

The Church claims that the “fair game” policy was dropped in 1968 and that those responsible were removed from power.

Public Relations

• A screenshot from a 2006 documentary by the BBC.

• Host John Sweeney was stalked by cameramen seeking to interfere with the filming of his investigative piece.

Many classified documents about the church began leaking to online forums during the 1990s where critics gathered to discuss Scientology.

An extremely litigious organization, the Church began fighting to remove the documents from the Internet via copyright law.

The Church took over the websites of various critical organizations and have sought to hide negative press online.

These actions have angered online groups like Anonymous, which began Operation Chanology in 2008.

This led to public protests as well as attempts to propagate negative information about Scientology and take down their websites, a battle that is still raging today.

Scientology and the Internet

Protestors wearing Guy Fawkes masks, a symbol of Anonymous.

During the Dianetics era, the FDA contested many of Hubbard's claims.

They also forced E-meters to carry a disclaimer that they were religious objects and not scientific.

Allegations of underage labor and other work abuses like forced abortions have followed the Church for decades.

The IRS refused to recognize Scientology for many years.

The Church began decades of harassment, including Operation Snow White, the largest known infiltration of the U.S. government.

This was revealed in 1976 and resulted in many high-ranking Scientologists going to prison.

The Church and IRS reached a multi-million dollar settlement in 1993, making Scientology an officially recognized religion.Scientology and the

Government

Scientologists operate many outreach organizations that claim to improve society as a whole, from Narconon (a drug abuse rehab center), educational aids, prisoner counseling, and disaster relief.

Scientologists also have a fascination with psychiatry, with Hubbard calling it a great evil and its practitioners “terrorists.”

Many of these organizations have encountered scrutiny related to their effectiveness and funding.

Social Programs

Scientology claims upwards of 10 million members around the world but independent evidence shows that the Church is dwindling with probably only 100,000 active members.

The current leader of the Church, David Miscavige, was a protégé of L. Ron Hubbard and has been running things since Hubbard's death.

The Church is still struggling to gain recognition across much of Europe, including Germany, which characterizes the Church as a cultish scam.

Recent years have led to independent Scientologist movements that seek to restore Hubbard's vision and move away from the supposed corruption of the Church. They are known as “Free-Zone Scientologists.”

Scientology Today

Many Scientologists recruit people through outwardly secular methods like stress or personality tests that end with information about Dianetics classes. 

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<http://www.xenu.net/archive/IRS/>. "Operating Thetan." Operation Clambake. Operation Clambake, n.d. Web. 4 Nov. 2013. <http://www.xenu.net/archive/ot/>. Hill, Jenna Miscavige. "How Scientology ensnares celebrities." Salon. Salon Media Group, 1 July 2005. Web. 4 Nov. 2013.

<http://www.salon.com/2013/02/07/how_scientology_ensnares_celebrities/>. Hopkins, Curt. "Anonymous vs. Scientology." Salon. Salon Media Group, 2 Oct. 2013. Web. 4 Nov. 2013.

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<http://www.salon.com/2005/07/01/sci_psy/>. Miller, Laura. "Stranger than fiction." Salon. Salon Media Group, 1 July 2005. Web. 4 Nov. 2013.

<http://www.salon.com/2005/06/28/dianetics/>. Ortega, Tony. "Scientology's Homophobia: Even the Church's Token Gay Guy Was Disgusted." The Village Voice Blogs. Village Voice,

LLC, 2 Sept. 2012. Web. 4 Nov. 2013. <http://blogs.villagevoice.com/runninscared/2012/09/scientology_keith_relkin.php#more>. "What is Scientology?" The Village Voice Blogs. Village Voice, LLC, 1 Jan. 2012. Web. 4 Nov. 2013.

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<http://blogs.villagevoice.com/runninscared/2012/07/scientology_xenu_whole_track.php>. Perendergast, Alan. "Nightmare on the Net." Denver Westword News. Denver Westword, LLC, 6 May 1997. Web. 4 Nov. 2013.

<http://www.westword.com/1997-03-06/news/nightmare-on-the-net/>. Religious Freedom Watch. "Religious Freedom Watch: Exposing Religious Intolerance." Religious Freedom Watch: Exposing

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<http://online.wsj.com/article/SB859243880691531000.html>. What Scientologists Actually Believe. Dir. Trey Parker. South Park Studios. Comedy Partners, 16 Nov. 2005. Web. 4 Nov. 2013.

<http://www.southparkstudios.com/clips/104274/what-scientologist-actually-believe>. Wright, Lawrence. "The Apostate." The New Yorker. Condé Nast., 14 Feb. 2011. Web. 4 Nov. 2013.

<http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2011/02/14/110214fa_fact_wright>.