Whats Scientology?

Question

I've always wondered whats that religon about and do they still believe in God?

Answer 1

Scientology

The Church of Scientology

Main article: Church of Scientology

The official, Christian-like symbol of the Church of Scientology.
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The official, Christian-like symbol of the Church of Scientology.

A Church of Scientology was first incorporated in Camden, New Jersey as a non-profit organization in 1953. 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);
* Criminal rehabilitation programs (Criminon);
* Activities to reform the field of mental health (Citizens Commission on Human Rights);
* Projects to implement Hubbard's educational methods in schools (Applied Scholastics);
* A "moral values" campaign (The Way to Happiness);
* A political action committee, (Citizens for Social Reform) to promote social programs with legislators at the US federal and state levels;
* World Institute of Scientology Enterprises, or WISE, which licenses Hubbard's management techniques for use in businesses;
* A consulting firm based on Hubbard's management techniques (Sterling Management Systems);
* A publishing company, e-Republic, which publishes Government Technology and Converge magazines and coordinates the Center for Digital Government;
* 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)

Independent Scientology groups

Main article: Free Zone (Scientology)

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 being sued, instead referring to themselves collectively as the Free Zone.
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Controversy and criticism

Main article: Scientology controversy

Church of Scientology on Yonge Street in Toronto, Canada.
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Church of Scientology on Yonge Street in Toronto, Canada.

Of the many new religious movements to appear during the 20th century, Scientology has from its inception been one of the most controversial. The Church has come into conflict with the governments and police forces of several countries (including the United States, the United Kingdom, and Germany) numerous times over the years, though supporters note that many major world religions have found themselves in conflict with civil government in their early years.

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. [8]

Different countries have taken markedly different approaches to Scientology. Scientology is considered a religion in the United States, Thailand, Taiwan, Spain, and Australia, and thus enjoys and regularly cites the constitutional protections afforded in two of these nations to religious practice (First Amendment to the United States Constitution; Australian Constitution, s 116). In Canada, the Church of Scientology is considered a religious non-profit organization. In 1992, Scientology became the only[49] religious organization convicted in criminal court on two counts of breach of the public trust (for an organized conspiracy to infiltrate government offices) following a trial by jury. In the United States, the church obtained "public charity" status (IRS Code 501(c)(3)) and the associated preferential tax treatment after extended litigation. Applications for charity status in the UK[50] and Canada were rejected in 1999. Some European governments (including notably, Germany, Belgium, France, and Austria) do not consider the Church to be a bona fide religious organization, but instead a commercial enterprise and / or a cult.

Other countries, mostly in Europe, have regarded Scientology as a potentially dangerous cult, or at least have not considered local branches of the Church of Scientology to meet the legal criteria for being considered religion-supporting organizations. In Germany, for instance, Scientology is not considered a religion by the government, but a commercial business. Fifteen of the sixteen German states, positing that Scientology had potentially anti-democratic tendencies, have to a greater or lesser degree and for varying periods subjected Scientology and Scientologists to state surveillance since the early 1970's. No criminal or civil charges have been brought as a result of this surveillance. Two German states and the political party, the CDU (Christian Democratic Union) have passed rules or regulations limiting the participation of Scientologists in politics, business and public life. In several court cases Scientology lost filed complaints against continued surveillance because the courts held the opinion that Scientology still pursues anticonstitutional activities. In Berlin surveillance ceased because the court prohibited the use of paid undercover agents, in Saarland surveillance was stopped by the court because there was/is no current danger recognizable. The United Kingdom government does not recognize Scientology as a bona fide religion. The Church has been subjected to considerable pressure from the state in Russia. In Belgium, the minister of justice refused Scientology as a candidate for the status of recognized religion. [9] Also in Belgium, a trial against Scientology is due to begin in 2006. [10]

Scientology has also been the focus of criticism by anti-cult campaigners and has aroused controversy for its high-profile campaigns against psychiatry and psychiatric medication. The religious bona fides of Scientology have been repeatedly questioned. Hubbard was accused of adopting a religious façade for Scientology to allow the organization to maintain tax-exempt status and to avoid prosecution for false medical claims.[51]

These accusations continue to the present day, bolstered by numerous accounts from Hubbard's fellow science-fiction authors and researchers, the most notable being Harlan Ellison, Neison Himmel, Sam Merwin, Sam Moskowitz, Theodore Sturgeon, Lloyd Arthur Eshbach, and Lyle Stuart, who reported to have witnessed Hubbard stating on various occasions that the way to get rich was to start a religion. [11]. The Church claims that "One individual once claimed L. Ron Hubbard made such a comment during a lecture in 1948. The only two people who could be found who attended that very lecture in 1948 denied that Mr. Hubbard ever made this statement" and that therefore it is an "unfounded rumor." The Church's claim does not address any of the other individuals who have stated that they personally heard Hubbard make such a statement, some claiming that he said it on multiple occasions. The Church also suggests that the origin of the "rumor" was a quote by George Orwell which had been "misattributed" to Hubbard. However, Robert Vaughn Young, who left the Church in 1989 after twenty years, said that he had discovered the Orwell quote, and suggested that reports of Hubbard making such a statement could be explained as a misattribution of Orwell, despite having encountered three of Hubbard's associates from his science fiction days who remembered Hubbard making statements of that sort in person.[8]

The many legal battles fought by the Church of Scientology since its inception have given it a reputation as an extremely litigious organization, characterized by forcing litigants to enter into a lengthy and costly legal process using a number of highly trained lawyers, expert at prolonging cases.

The ongoing controversies involving the Church and its critics include:

* Scientology's harassment and litigious actions against its critics and enemies.
* Some critics charge Scientology with being a cult of personality, with much emphasis placed on the alleged accomplishments of its founder.
* Scientologists claim that government files, such as those from the FBI, are loaded with forgeries and other false documents detrimental to Scientology [citation needed], but have never substantiated this accusation.
* Unexplained deaths of Scientologists, most notably Lisa McPherson, allegedly due to mistreatment by other members.
* Scientology's disconnection policy, in which members are encouraged to cut off all contact with friends or family members critical of the Church.[52]
* Criminal activities by Scientologists, both those committed for personal benefit (Reed Slatkin, Gabriel Williams, and others) and those committed on behalf of the Church and directed by Church officials (Operation Snow White, Operation Freakout, Fair Game, and others).
* Claims of brainwashing and mind control.
* Use of high-pressure sales tactics to obtain money from members.
* Lobbying search engines such as Google and Yahoo to omit any webpages that are critical of Scientology from their search engines (and in Google's case, AdSense), or at least the first few search pages (now however, a search for Scientology on Google and Yahoo brings up the Wikipedia page, with both critical and official Scientology websites).
* Differing accounts of L. Ron Hubbard's life, in particular accounts of Hubbard discussing his intent to start a religion for profit. [12]

This last criticism is referenced, among other places, in a May 1980 Reader's Digest article, which quotes Hubbard, "If a man really wants to make a million dollars, the best way would be to start his own religion." [53]
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Tax-exempt status and status as a religion

Scientologists claim that Scientology is a bona fide religion. They cite many sources to support their position, many of which can be found on a website established for this purpose.[54] Scientologists claim that the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) tax exemption granted to the Scientology related businesses gives their religion a U.S. government stamp of authenticity.[55] However, the tax-exempt status the IRS gives to charitable organizations is not necessarily the stamp of a "bona fide religion", nor does the US Government make that claim, because the IRS also grants this same tax-exempt status to non-religious entities, such as the Red Cross, the United Way, and tens of thousands of other groups, including kids soccer clubs and local neighborhood theatre groups. All are granted tax-exempt status because of IRS Tax Code, section 501(c)(3), while none are necessarily considered "bona fide religions".[56]

It is not possible for any branch of the United States government to declare an organization a "bona fide religion" since this would be in violation of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution which forbids "an establishment of religion".

Scientologists spent a lot of time and effort to get their IRS tax exemption back after they lost it in a 1967 IRS audit. As part of those efforts during the late 1970's, Scientologists infiltrated the United States Internal Revenue Service and stole confidential documents in what was termed "Operation Snow White". Eleven high-ranking Scientologists, including Hubbard's wife Mary Sue Hubbard, served time in federal prison for their criminal acts during this infiltration of the IRS.

In the early 1990's church leaders, David Miscavige and Mark Rathbun, visited with the IRS in Washington, DC to negotiate a settlement in an effort to gain tax-exempt status. It wasn't until October 1, 1993, that the U.S. Internal Revenue Service formally announced that the Church of Scientology and its myriad corporate entities had been granted tax exemption again. A year before the exemption, though, on August 24, 1992, Scientology's Church of Spiritual Technology (CST) had traded to the federal government one of three known vaults it had built for millions of dollars, the one at the Trementina Base. Even though CST had paid over $250,000 for the property in 1986 and had invested millions in development of the property, according to the Federal Register record, CST traded it all to the government, vault included, for a similar parcel of land in the same New Mexico county valued at only $28,000.

The settlement document was sealed by the IRS, but it was leaked to the New York Times and they subsequently published it. The New York Times also asserted in a March 9, 1997 article that, in its efforts to obtain tax-exempt status, Scientologists paid private investigators to obtain compromising material on the IRS commissioner.[57]

Because Scientology courses are allowed to be deducted from income taxes, some people have wondered why religious courses for other religions are not allowed the same deduction. In the case of MICHAEL SKLAR; MARLA SKLAR v. COMMISSIONER OF INTERNAL No. 00-70753, the Sklars argued they should be allowed a tax-deduction for their payments for courses their son took at a Jewish school. On January 29, 2002 the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit upheld the IRS's opposition. Judge Silverman concurred, saying:

"An IRS closing agreement cannot overrule Congress and the Supreme Court. If the IRS does, in fact, give preferential treatment to members of the Church of Scientology—allowing them a special right to claim deductions that are contrary to law and rightly disallowed to everybody else—then the proper course of action is a lawsuit to put a stop to that policy."[58]

In 1982, there was a similar ruling by the High Court of Australia, in Church of the New Faith v. Commissioner Of Pay-roll Tax. The court ruled that the government of Victoria could not deny the Church the right to operate in Victoria under the legal status of "religion", even though the state found that the Church practiced charlatanism. All three judges in the case found that the Church of the New Faith (Church of Scientology) was a religion. One judge said "It follows that, whatever be the intentions of Mr. Hubbard and whatever be the motivation of the [Church of Scientology], the state of the evidence in this case requires a finding that the general group of adherents have a religion. The question whether their beliefs, practices and observances are a religion must, in the state of that evidence, be answered affirmatively. That answer, according to the conventional basis adopted by the parties in fighting the case, must lead to a judgment for the [Church of Scientology]." A second judge said, "Conclusion. The applicant has easily discharged the onus of showing that it is religious. The conclusion that it is a religious institution entitled to the tax exemption is irrestible." The third of the three judges concluded, "The conclusion to which we have ultimately come is that Scientology is, for relevant purposes, a religion. With due respect to Crockett J. and the members of the Full Supreme Court who reached a contrary conclusion, it seems to us that there are elements and characteristics of Scientology in Australia, as disclosed by the evidence, which cannot be denied."[59]
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Scientology as a commercial venture

Main article: Scientology as a business

Scientology pays members commissions on new recruits they bring in, so Scientology members routinely try to "sell" Scientology to others.[60] In addition, Scientology franchises, or missions, pay the church roughly 10% of their gross income.[61] Charges for auditing and other Church-related courses run to tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars.[62][63] Scientology maintains strict control over the use of its symbols, icons, and names. It claims copyright and trademark over its "Scientology cross," and its lawyers have threatened lawsuits against individuals and organizations who have published the image in books and on Web sites. Because of this, it is very difficult for individual groups to attempt to publicly practice Scientology on their own, without any affiliation or connection to the "official" Church of Scientology. Scientology has sued a number of individuals who attempted to set up their own "auditing" practices, using copyright and trademark law to shut these groups down.

The Church of Scientology and its many related organizations have amassed considerable real estate holdings worldwide, likely in the hundreds of millions of dollars, as well as a large amount of other funds from the practice of auditing.[60]

In June of 2006, it was announced that Scientology would be sponsoring a NASCAR race car. The Number 27 Ford Taurus driven by Kenton Gray displays a large Dianetics logo with volcano.[64]
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Scientology and psychiatry
Scientologists regularly hold anti-psychiatry demonstrations they call "Psychbusts"
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Scientologists regularly hold anti-psychiatry demonstrations they call "Psychbusts"

Main article: Scientology and psychiatry

Scientology is publicly and vehemently opposed to psychiatry and psychology.

This theme appears in some of Hubbard's literary works. In Hubbard's Mission Earth series, various characters praise and criticize these methods, and the antagonists in his novel Battlefield Earth are called Psychlos, a similar allusion.

From the Church of Scientology FAQ 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. [13]

L. Ron Hubbard was bitterly critical of psychiatry's citation of physical causes for mental disorders, such as chemical imbalances in the brain. Although there are many questions remaining, the statements by Hubbard deny that psychiatry, through the scientific method, has shown some psychiatric disorders are related to anatomical and chemical cerebral anomalies. Furthermore, it is evident much of his criticism is based upon old and flawed information regarding psychiatry [14]. (electro-shock therapy, for example, is now only used under anaesthesia and muscle relaxants, and lobotomy is a defunct procedure). 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." [15] The Church claims that psychiatry was responsible for World War I [16], the rise of Hitler and Stalin [17], the decline in education standards in the United States [18], the wars in Bosnia and Kosovo [19], and even the September 11 attacks [20]. However, for all these statements, the Church has failed to present any evidence supporting this view of psychiatry. Scientology's opposition to psychiatry has also undoubtedly been influenced by the opposition of numerous psychiatrists to the Church, resulting in pressure from the media and governments. Additionally, after the publication of Dianetics in which Hubbard tried to present a new form of psychotherapy, the American Psychological Association advised its members against using Hubbard's techniques with their patients until their effectiveness could be proven. Because of this critique Hubbard came to believe psychiatrists were behind a worldwide conspiracy to attack Scientology and create a "world government" run by psychiatrists on behalf of Soviet Russia:

Our enemies are less than twelve men. They are members of the Bank of England and other higher financial circles. They own and control newspaper chains and they, oddly enough, run all the mental health groups in the world that had sprung up ...
Their apparent programme was to use mental health, which is to say psychiatric electric shock and pre-frontal lobotomy, to remove from their path any political dissenters ... These fellows have gotten nearly every government in the world to owe them considerable quantities of money through various chicaneries and they control, of course, income tax, government finance — (Harold) Wilson, for instance, the current Premier of England, is totally involved with these fellows and talks about nothing else actually. (Hubbard, Ron's Journal 67 [21])

In 1966, Hubbard declared war on psychiatry, telling Scientologists "We want at least one bad mark on every psychiatrist in England, a murder, an assault, or a rape or more than one." He committed the Church to eradicating psychiatry in 1969, announcing "Our war has been forced to become 'To take over absolutely the field of mental healing on this planet in all forms.'" [22] Not coincidentally, the Church founded the Citizens Commission on Human Rights that same year as its primary vehicle for attacking psychiatry.

Around the same time, Hubbard claimed that psychiatrists were an ancient evil that had been a problem for billions of years. He cast them in the role of assisting Xenu's genocide of 75 million years ago. In a 1982 bulletin entitled "Pain and Sex", Hubbard declares that "pain and sex were the INVENTED TOOLS of degradation", having been devised eons ago by psychiatrists "who have been on the [time] track a long time and are the sole cause of decline in this universe." (Hubbard, HCO Bulletin of August 26, 1982)

Celebrity Scientologists, notably Tom Cruise, have been extremely vocal in attacking the use of psychiatric medication. [23] Their position has attracted considerable criticism from psychiatrists, physicians, and mental health patients and advocates who cite numerous scientific studies showing benefit from psychiatry. In addition, there is evidence Scientology adherents destroyed scientific data in a lengthy campaign to discredit research. [24] Nevertheless, this position is still defended and promoted by Scientologists. [25]

It should be noted that the CoS is just one of a small minority of groups that are involved in the Anti-psychiatry movement. CoS is one of the few organizations that oppose the study and application of psychology (a non-drug based form of therapy).
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Scientology versus the Internet

Main article: Scientology versus the Internet

Scientology leaders have undertaken extensive operations on the Internet to deal with growing allegations of fraud[citation needed] and exposure of unscrupulousness within Scientology. The organization states that it is taking actions to prevent distribution of copyrighted Scientology documents and publications online by people whom it has called "copyright terrorists".[65] Critics claim the organization's true motive is an attempt to suppress free speech and criticism.

In January 1995, Church lawyer Helena Kobrin attempted to shut down the Usenet discussion group alt.religion.scientology by sending a control message instructing Usenet servers to delete the group on the grounds that

(1) It was started with a forged message; (2) not discussed on alt.config; (3) it has the name "scientology" in its title which is a trademark and is misleading, as a.r.s. is mainly used for flamers to attack the Scientology religion; (4) it has been and continues to be heavily abused with copyright and trade secret violations and serves no purpose other than condoning these illegal practices. [26]

In practice, this rmgroup message had little effect, since most Usenet servers are configured to disregard such messages when applied to groups that receive substantial traffic, and newgroup messages were quickly issued to recreate the group on those servers that did not do so. However, the issuance of the message led to a great deal of public criticism by free-speech advocates.

The Church also began filing lawsuits against those who posted copyrighted texts on the newsgroup and the World Wide Web, and pressed for tighter restrictions on copyrights in general. The Church supported the controversial Sonny Bono Copyright Term Extension Act. The even more controversial Digital Millennium Copyright Act was also strongly promoted by the Church and some of its provisions (notably the Online Copyright Infringement Liability Limitation Act) were heavily influenced by Church litigation against US Internet service providers over copyrighted Scientology materials that had been posted or uploaded through their servers.

Beginning in the middle of 1996 and for several years after, the newsgroup was attacked by anonymous parties using a tactic dubbed "sporgery" by some, in the form of hundreds of thousands of forged spam messages posted on the group. Although the Church neither confirmed nor denied its involvement with the spam, some investigators claimed that some spam had been traced to Church members. Former Scientologist Tory Christman, after she left the Church, confessed to having been part of the sporgery project, taking money supplied by the Office of Special Affairs to open up Internet accounts at various ISPs under false names, accounts from which she later saw forged and garbled communications going out.[66]

In June 2006, the owner of the humor website YTMND.com was sent a cease and desist letter regarding the alleged infringment of trademarks and copyrighted Scientology material used in some YTMND web pages.[67] In response, Goldberg added a Scientology section and a slightly satirical disclaimer on the site's front page; that section has since been removed. The humor site's rating system has facilitated the appearance of several Scientology spoof pages on the front page; most notably those Scientology pages containing researched, cited accounts of some of the mysteries surrounding the Church.

Scientology and celebrities

See also: List of Scientologists

See also: Scientology and celebrities

The Church of Scientology has consistently sought to recruit artists and entertainers, particularly Hollywood celebrities. The Church runs special recruitment facilities for public figures designated Celebrity Centres. They can be found in Hollywood, New York City, Nashville, Las Vegas, London, Paris, Dallas, and Vienna, though Hollywood is the largest and most important. Scientologists give this description:

L. Ron Hubbard recognized the importance of the artist to society. Thus he created Celebrity Centre International — a Church of Scientology that specializes in delivering Dianetics and Scientology services to celebrities, professionals, leaders and promising new-comers in the fields of the arts, sports, management and government.

These sites are not celebrity-exclusive. They offer Scientology courses to non-celebrities, and courses start at the most basic beginner levels. At the Celebrity Centre, or simply CC as most Scientologists refer to it, it is possible to run into one of the few Scientology celebrities, but it is mostly full of non-famous people.

Publicity has been generated by Scientologists in the entertainment industry such as John Travolta, Kelly Preston, Jenna Elfman, Kirstie Alley, Catherine Bell, Leah Remini, Beck Hansen, Chick Corea, Isaac Hayes, Juliette Lewis, James Packer, Doug E. Fresh, Greta Van Susteren, Judy Norton Taylor, Tom Cruise, and Cruise's converted fiancée Katie Holmes.

Critics say the attention and care given to celebrity practitioners is vastly different from that of noncelebrity practitioners. Andre Tabayoyon, a former Scientologist and Sea Org staffer, testified in a 1994 affidavit that money from not-for-profit Scientology organizations and labor from those organizations (including the Rehabilitation Project Force) had gone to provide special facilities for Scientology celebrities, which were not available to other Scientologists:

"A Sea Org staffer ... was taken along to do personal cooking for Tom Cruise and Miscavige at the expense of Scientology not for profit religious organizations. This left only 3 cooks at [Gold Base] to cook for 800 people three times a day ... apartment cottages were built for the use of John Travolta, Kirstie Alley, Edgar Winter, Priscilla Presley and other Scientology celebrities who are carefully prevented from finding out the real truth about the Scientology organization ... Miscavige decided to redo the meadow in beautiful flowers; Tens of thousands of dollars were spent on the project so that Cruise and [Nicole] Kidman could romp there. However, Miscavige inspected the project and didn't like it. So the whole meadow was plowed up, destroyed, replowed and sown with plain grass."[68]

Tabayoyon's account of the planting of the meadow was supported by another former Scientologist, Maureen Bolstad, who said that a couple of dozen Scientologists including herself were put to work on a rainy night through dawn on the project. "We were told that we needed to plant a field and that it was to help Tom impress Nicole ... but for some mysterious reason it wasn't considered acceptable by Mr. Miscavige. So the project was rejected and they redid it."[69]

Diana Canova, who experienced Scientology both before and during her period of TV stardom, expressed it in a September 1993 interview: "When I started, I wasn't in television yet. I was a nobody - I'd done some TV, but I was not one of the elite, not by a long shot - until I did Soap. Then it became…I mean, you really are treated like royalty." [27]
See also
Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to:
L. Ron Hubbard

* All articles Category:Scientology
* Timeline of Scientology
* Pseudoscience
* List of Scientologists
* List of Scientology references in popular culture
* Symbols of Scientology
* Free Zone
* Scientology and psychiatry
* Space opera in Scientology doctrine
* Scientology controversy
* Homosexuality and Scientology
* Scientology versus the Internet
* Alt.religion.scientology
* Cult checklist
* List of purported cults
* List of religious organizations
* Scientomogy
* Subgenius
* Pseudoreligion


References

* Atack, Jon (1990). A Piece of Blue Sky. Lyle Stuart. ISBN 081840499X. A critical history of Scientology, by a Scientology archivist and former Scientologist
* Frenschkowski, Marco (1999). "L. Ron Hubbard and Scientology: An annotated bibliographical survey of primary and selected secondary literature".
* Kent, Stephen A. (1996). "Scientology's Relationship With Eastern Religious Traditions".
* Miller, Russell (1987). Bare-faced Messiah, The True Story of L. Ron Hubbard. Henry Holt & Co. ISBN 0-8050-0654-0.
* Spaink, Karin. Fishman Affidavit. I write therefore I am. Retrieved on August 12, 2005. Includes details of some of Scientology's high-level "Operating Thetan" teachings.

Footnotes

1. ^ a b Atack, Jon (1990). A Piece of Blue Sky. New York, NY: Carol Publishing Group. ISBN 081840499X.
2. ^ Hubbard, L. Ron. Pulpateer. Church of Scientology International. Retrieved on 2006-06-07.
3. ^ Battlefield Earth home page
4. ^ HCOB 18 Apr 67 (HCOB of 21 June 1960 Revised) "Religious Philosophy and Religious Practice"
5. ^ STUDENT HAT AND COMMUNICATIONS COURSE "Auditing cures neuroses, criminality, insanity, psychosomatic ills, homosexuality and drug dependence"
6. ^ Julie CHRISTOFFERSON v. CHURCH OF SCIENTOLOGY OF PORTLAND
7. ^ Goodin, Dan (1999-06-03). Scientology subpoenas Worldnet. CNET News.com. Retrieved on 2006-05-04.
8. ^ a b Leiby, Richard, "Scientology Fiction: The Church's War Against Its Critics —- and Truth", The Washington Post, 1994-12-25, p. C1. Retrieved on 2006-06-21..
9. ^ Hexham, Irving (1978, rev. 1997). "The Religious Status of Scientology: Is Scientology a Religion?". University of Calgary. Retrieved on 2006-06-13.
10. ^ Scientology: Cult of Greed and power
11. ^ Benjamin Beit-Hallahmi (September 2003). "Scientology: Religion or racket?" (PDF). Marburg Journal of Religion. Retrieved on 2006-06-14.
12. ^ Douglas E. Cowan, University of Missouri-Kansas City (July 2004). "Researching Scientology: Academic Premises, Promises, and Problematic". CESNUR 2004 International Conference. Retrieved on 2006-06-23.
13. ^ American Heritage Dictionary cult defenition (accessed 6/23/06)
14. ^ L. J. West, M.D. (July 1990). "Psychiatry and Scientology". The Southern California Psychiatrist. Retrieved on 2006-06-23.
15. ^ Church of Scientology Public Affairs Department (1005, rev. 2004). Copyright and Trade Secret Issues. Church of Scientology International. Retrieved on 2006-06-60.
16. ^ Kosmin, Barry A. et al American Religious Identification Survey.
17. ^ Breakdown of Worldwide Religions By Adherents
18. ^ Millions of Members?
19. ^ Introduction to Scientology. Church of Scientology. Retrieved on 2006-05-04.
20. ^ What is Dianetics?. Church of Scientology International. Retrieved on 2006-05-03.
21. ^ "psychiatrists and psychologists ... can cure nothing and cannot change anyone for better or worse and as a result have to kill 'difficult patients' ... Anyone who disagrees with their planned totalitarian rule is pronounced 'insane.' He is seized quietly, conveyed to a prison, tortured and usually permanently injured or killed." Hubbard, L. Ron (1969). "How To Win An Argument". Retrieved May 8, 2006.
22. ^ US Patent and Trademark Office Device for Measuring and Indicating Changes in the Resistance of a Human Body Inventor: Lafayette R. Hubbard issued Dec. 6th, 1966
23. ^ Report of the Board of Enquiry into Scientology (PDF format) by Kevin Victor Anderson, Q.C. Published 1965 by the State of Victoria, Australia.
24. ^ Miller, Russell (1987). Bare-faced Messiah, The True Story of L. Ron Hubbard. Henry Holt & Co. ISBN 0-8050-0654-0.
25. ^ Scientology's official description of the E-meter
26. ^ Memorandum of Intended Decision in Church of Scientology of California vs. Gerald Armstrong (PDF format)
27. ^ Atack, Jon (1990). “Chapter Four - The Clearwater Hearings”, A Piece of Blue Sky, 448, Lyle Stuart. ISBN 081840499X.
28. ^ Steven Girardi (9 May 1982). "Witnesses Tell of Break-ins, Conspiracy". Clearwater Sun: p. 1A.
29. ^ Prince, Jesse (1999). Affidavit of Jesse Prince. Estate of Lisa McPherson v. Church of Scientology Flag Service Organization, Inc., case no. 97-01235. Retrieved on 2006-06-13.
30. ^ http://aappolicy.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/pediatrics%3b100/6/1035
31. ^ Hubbard, L. Ron Processing a New Mother, Scientology Magazine, December 1958
32. ^ Green, Alan Greene MD FAAP Honey and Infant Botulism drgreene.com (accessed 4/25/06)
33. ^ Disease Listing, Botulism, General Information. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
34. ^ "... incidents of infant botulism traced to honey are rare. Nonetheless, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the National Honey Board agree that the honey should not be fed to infants under one year of age."National Honey Board Fact Sheet (PDF format)
35. ^ Gina Shaw (reviewed by Ann Edmundson, MD) Doctors Sound Off About TomKat 'Silent Birth' Plan Thursday, April 13, 2006, FoxNews (originally published by WebMD)
36. ^ Leiby, Richard Scientology church’s mark inscribed in N.M. desert scrub, published November 29, 2005 in the Free New Mexican (website accessed 04/15/06)
37. ^ Google Maps Trementina Base in Google Maps (website accessed 04/19/06)
38. ^ Advertising Standards Authority record of successful Church of England complaint about Narconon advertisement
39. ^ "Russian Orthodox Targets 'Totalitarian Sects'" at Zenit
40. ^ "2004 Country Report on Human Rights Practices in Germany" at United States Department of State
41. ^ Derakhshani, Tirdad, "Spirituality through therapy", The Philadelphia Inquirer, 2005-07-03. Retrieved on 2006-07-01.
42. ^ Allen Upward: The New Word, pp 139, 149 & 156
43. ^ Hubbard, L. Ron Scientology Fundamentals 1956 (website accessed 04/13/06)
44. ^ Scientology: Milestone One an audio lecture in Wichita, Kansas on 3 March, 1952 with transcript, 1952 Pub by Golden Era Productions, Hollywood CA
45. ^ HCOB 18 Apr 67 (HCOB of 21 June 1960 Revised) “Religious Philosophy and Religious Practice”
46. ^ LRH ED 4 Int, 22 Feb 69 “Attachment (letter to doctor)”
47. ^ Crowley's influence on Dianetics
48. ^ Church of Scientology Introduction to Scientology (website accessed 4/12/06)
49. ^ McGregor, Glen: Liberal MP stars in video promoting: Scientology Controversial religion not a cult, Lee insists, The Ottawa Citizen, October 26, 2005, p.A1.
50. ^ Decision of the Charity Commissoners for England and Wales. Charity Commission: (1999-11-17). Retrieved on 2006-07-06. (PDF)
51. ^ Beit-Hallahmi, Benjamin (September 2003). "Scientology: Religion or racket?". Marburg Journal of Religion 8 (1). Retrieved on 2006-06-30.
52. ^ Scientology's official statement on ending all contact with any family/friend critical of Scientology
53. ^ Reader's Digest, May, 1980
54. ^ Church of Scientology Bona Fide Scientology (website accessed 4/13/06)
55. ^ Church of Scientology Bona Fide Scientology, Appendix 9, Official Recognition of Scientology as a Religion (website accessed 04/13/06)
56. ^ Internal Revenue Service IRS tax-exempt religious and charitable organizations (website access 04/13/06)
57. ^ Frantz, Douglas The Shadowy Story Behind Scientology's Tax-Exempt Status The New York Times, March 9, 1997 (website accessed 4/10/06)
58. ^ Judge Barry Silverman MICHAEL SKLAR; MARLA SKLAR v. COMMISSIONER OF INTERNAL No. 00-70753 (PDF format) United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, Argued and Submitted September 7, 2001, Pasadena, California, Filed January 29, 2002
59. ^ High Court of Australia CHURCH OF THE NEW FAITH v. COMMISSIONER OF PAY-ROLL TAX (VICT.) 1983 154 CLR 120
60. ^ a b Behar, Richard SCIENTOLOGY: The Thriving Cult of Greed and Power, Ruined lives. Lost fortunes. Federal crimes. Scientology poses as a religion but really is a ruthless global scam -- and aiming for the mainstream Time Magazine, May 6, 1991 courtesy link, (accessed 04/20/06)
61. ^ Sappell, Joel; Welkos, Robert W., "The Man In Control", Los Angeles Times, 1990-06-24, p. A41:4. Retrieved on 2006-06-06. Additional convenience link at [1].
62. ^ Cooper, Paulette Scandal of Scientology, Chapter 19, Tower Publications, NYC, 1971
63. ^ (2006). "ASHO Foundation Services Price Sheet". Retrieved on 2006-06-21.
64. ^ Jeff Elder (June 7, 2006). "Scientology is newest NASCAR sponsor". The Charlotte Observer.
65. ^ Grossman, Wendy [October 1997]. “Copyright Terrorists”, Net.Wars, 77-78, New York: New York University Press. ISBN 0814731031. Retrieved on 2006-06-11.
66. ^ "The Secret Project to Spam the Internet"
67. ^ Goldberg, Max "Church of Scientology sends a cease and desist", YTMND.com
68. ^ Affidavit of Andre Tabayoyon, 5 March 1994, in Church of Scientology International vs. Steven Fish and Uwe Geertz.
69. ^ Hoffman, Claire and Christensen, Kim (Dec. 18, 2005). "Tom Cruise and Scientology". Los Angeles Times.

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External links
[edit]

Church of Scientology owned sites

* Scientology.org
* What is Scientology?

[edit]

Critical sites

* Operation Clambake (see also Operation Clambake)
* The Secrets of Scientology
* Scientology related videos
* A list of Scientology-related deaths
* Scientology Lies
* Rick Ross Scientology Information

[edit]

Other sites
Find more information on Scientology by searching Wikipedia's sister projects:

Dictionary definitions from Wiktionary
Textbooks from Wikibooks
Quotations from Wikiquote
Source texts from Wikisource
Images and media from Commons
News stories from Wikinews

* Scientology at The Rotten Library
* InternationalFreeZone - Association dedicated to the promotion of the original philosophy of Lafayette Ron Hubbard not affiliated with the COS.
* Ron's Organisation and Network for Standard Tech - Delivers auditing and training outside the Church of Scientology.
* Inside Scientology - in-depth Rolling Stone article on Scientology
* BBC Documentary on Scientology from 1987
* Inside The Church of Scientology: An Exclusive Interview with L. Ron Hubbard, Jr., June 1983, Penthouse Magazine
* Scientology - Through the Door Survey interviews of over 100 Scientologists and former Scientologists.
* Related Groups - List of groups related to the Scientology organization.
* A critical overview of Scientology
* Please Explain: Scientology from TheLeonard Lopate Show on 2005-07-15
* "The Unperson", St. Petersburg Times, 06/24/06 (A description of one being declared a "Suppressive Person")

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientology"

Categories: Articles with unsourced statements | New religious movements | Scientology | Pseudoscience | Cults

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientology

Answer 2

Scientology is a religion that offers its parishioners an applied philosophy...basically a way to improve their lives through studying the tech contained in the materials of Scientology and auditing with an e-meter. You will find some Scientologists believe in god, and others don't, personally I don't believe in god and Scientology is my sole religious intrest. If you would like to find out more about Church of Scientology - visit the sites below!

Answer 3

It's a cult whose sole purpose is to increase the distance between its suckers, oops, I mean members, and their assets. Hubbard was a really bad sci-fi writer and desperate to make some dough. Here's an article I found on the Religion Facts website:

'In Scientology doctrine, Xenu is a galactic ruler who, 75 million years ago, brought billions of people to Earth, stacked them around volcanoes and blew them up with hydrogen bombs. Their souls then clustered together and stuck to the bodies of the living. These events are known as "Incident II" or "The Wall of Fire," and the traumatic memories associated with them are known as the "R6 implant."
Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard detailed the story in Operating Thetan level III in 1967, famously warning that R6 was "calculated to kill (by pneumonia etc) anyone who attempts to solve it." Much controversy between the Church of Scientology and its critics has focused on Xenu. The Church avoids making mention of Xenu in public statements and has gone to considerable effort to maintain the story's confidentiality, including legal action on both copyright and trade secrecy grounds. Critics claim that revealing the story is in the public interest, given the high prices charged for OT III. The Xenu story prompted the use of the volcano as a Scientology symbol.'

Scientologists may describe science-fiction character Xenu as a higher being, but Scientology actually has nothing whatever to do with worshipping God. Quite the opposite.

Answer 4

It's based on Science Fiction, the creator of Scientology started as a Sci-Fi author, wrote a self help book called Dianetics and turned it into a religion. Now his followers have taken it to a new, more insane level.

Answer 5

Scientology is a system of beliefs and practices created by author L. Ron Hubbard in 1952 as a self-help philosophy

Answer 6

Founded by L.Ron Hubbard, the sci-fi author. Several Holywood actors have joined the cult. You would need a lot of money to complete the courses that you would be expected to take. Personally, it's a fraud. Stay away from it. If you want salvation, read the Bible and follow Christ.

Answer 7

Whoa, pistol pete, you are way off...

Scientology is a cult that steals money from its members to grant their souls salvation. According to scientology, people have extraterrestial souls living within their bodies that are trying to make peace, but our human ways keep ruining peace.

They have a lot of very strange beliefs that have nothing to do with our Christian God.

Answer 8

It was founded by L Ron Hubbard because he was mad at the IRS because he did not like the churches getting tax exemptions when he could not... plain and simple... those with other intentions have turned it into a damnnable cult.

It is a big money maker for those in charge.

Answer 9

Scientology is the study of science!

Answer 10

Scientology is a difficult religion to summarize. Scientology has gained popularity due to some Hollywood celebrities who have embraced it. Scientology was founded in 1953 by fiction author L. Ron Hubbard, just four years after he made the statement, “I'd like to start a religion—that's where the money is.” That is where he found wealth, also—Hubbard became a multi-millionaire.

Scientology teaches that mankind is an immortal being (called a Thetan) not originally from this planet, and that man is trapped by matter, energy, space, and time (MEST). Salvation for a scientologist comes through a process called ”auditing,” whereby ”engrams” (basically, memories of past pain and unconsciousness that create energy blockage) are removed. Auditing is a lengthy process and can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. When all engrams are finally removed, the Thetan can once again control MEST instead of being controlled by it. Until salvation, each Thetan is constantly reincarnated.

Scientology is a very expensive religion to pursue. Every aspect of Scientology has some sort of fee associated with it. This is why Scientology's “pews” are filled only with the wealthy. It is also a very strict religion and very punitive against those who would try to leave behind its teachings and membership. Its “scriptures” are limited solely to the writings and teachings of L. Ron Hubbard.

Though scientologists will claim that Scientology is compatible with Christianity, the Bible counters each and every belief they hold to. The Bible teaches that God is the sovereign and only creator of the universe (Genesis 1:1); mankind was created by God (Genesis 1:27); the only salvation available to man is by grace through faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ (Philippians 2:8); salvation is a free gift that mankind can do nothing to earn (Ephesians 2:8-9); and Jesus Christ is alive and well and is seated at the right hand of God the Father even now (Acts 2:33; Ephesians 1:20; Hebrews 1:3), awaiting the time when He will gather His people to Himself to reside with Him for eternity in heaven. Everyone else will be cast into a very real hell, separated from God for eternity (Revelation 20:15).

Scientology categorically denies the existence of the God of the Bible, heaven, and hell. To a scientologist, Jesus Christ was simply a good teacher who unfortunately was wrongfully put to death. Scientology differs from biblical Christianity on every important doctrine. Some of the most important differences are summarized below:

God: Scientology believes that there are multiple gods and that some gods are above other gods. Biblical Christianity, on the other hand, recognizes the one and only true God who revealed Himself to us in the Bible and through Jesus Christ. Those who believe in Him cannot believe the false concept of God as taught in Scientology.

Jesus Christ: Like other cults, Scientology denies the deity of Christ. Instead of having a biblical view of who Christ is and what He did, they assign to Him the characteristics of some sort of lesser god who has obtained legendary status over the years. The Bible clearly teaches that Jesus was God in the flesh and through His incarnation He could act as a sacrifice for our sins. It is through Christ’s death and resurrection that we can have the hope of eternal life with God (John 3:16).

Sin: Scientology believes in the inherent goodness of man and teaches that it is despicable and utterly beneath contempt to tell a man he must repent or that he is evil. On the other hand, the Bible teaches that man is a sinner and the only hope for him is that he receive Christ as his Lord and Savior (Romans 6:23).

Salvation: Scientology believes in reincarnation and that personal salvation in one's lifetime is freedom from the cycle of birth and death associated with reincarnation. They believe that religious practice of all faiths is the universal way to wisdom, understanding, and salvation. In contrast, the Bible teaches that there is only one way of salvation and that is through Jesus Christ. Jesus Himself said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life, no man comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6).

Comparing the teachings of Scientology with the Bible, we see that the two have very little, if anything, in common. Scientology only leads away from God and eternal life. Scientology, while sometimes disguising its beliefs in Christian-sounding language, in fact diametrically opposes Christianity on every core belief. Scientology is clearly, and most definitely, not Christian.

Kingdom of the Cults, rev. and updated ed.
Edited By: Ravi Zacharias
http://www.christianbook.com/kingdom-the-cults-rev-and-updated/walter-martin/9780764228216/pd/228218?event=AFF&p=1011693&

Answer 11

I've been wondering that same thing.Someone told me that it has something to do with aliens.I hope someone answers you with the real explanation of the religion so I can read it.