1. The Church of Scientology
RELS 225
Cults and New Religious Movements

2. Scientology Probably the most controversial NRM in the world
Legal actions against them
Ontario search warrant in the 1970’s
In Europe for direct government interference.
Can’t get a German contract
Security can open their mail, wire-tap, investigate bank records
Why controversial?
Successful
Highly bureaucratic ($300 million / year in the US)
The Church of Scientology is one of the most controversial new religious movements. The church has been involved in many major legal cases involving its tax-exempt status, its claim to be a religion, and its perceived threats to traditional medicine.
James A. Beverley, Religions A-Z (Nashville, TN: T. Nelson, 2005), 205.

3. The Church of Scientology (40:31)
Religion or Cult?

4. Controversy tax-exempt status claim to be a religion
perceived threats to traditional medicine
Refusing medical help
Lisa McPherson case in the 1990’s
First criminal charges

5. Lafayette Ronald Hubbard
Born in Tilden, Nebraska
Conventional life, except father was in Navy.
Bright, eclectic guy; sailor, explorer, charter, photographer, glider pilot, Navy, roving lost intellect, restless.
G.W. university – Nuclear physics. Dropped out.
Wounded in WW2. hospitalized (shell-shocked).
Veterans admin not helping.
Indiana Jones? Or Fantasy world?
“You can’t make money writing” You need to start a religion.

6. Lafayette Ronald Hubbard
Influenced by Jack Parsons, disciple of occultist Aleister Crowley
Observing things on the astral plane?
Rituals. As govemment agent? Or not?
Had read Freud, developed interest in subconscious, and learned psychoanalysis in the Navy.
First non-fiction book was 1950 Dianetics.
Claimed a cure for anything. All illness is psychosomatic.
In 1954, asserted legal control over the movement’s technology.
In 1956, Scientology: The foundations of thought was published.

7. Lafayette Ronald Hubbard
1966: Guardian’s Office (GO) founded, to protect the church
1970s: illegal activities, leading to:
1977 FBI raid. Hubbard’s wife went to jail
1980s: restructured
1986: Hubbard died

8. David Miscavige

9. Engrams Engram: unconscious sensory impressions
Reactive Mind = Unconscious mind; has corrupted files.
Analytical Mind = conscious mind. Doesn’t make mistakes.
Unlike psychotherapy, Scientology is pragmatic; the analytical mind can dispel engrams.
Each person has 100’s of past lives, yielding engrams.

10. Auditing Hubbard’s true genius
Structured form of questioning and listening
Hundreds of exercises / tests to break down your basic understanding of who you are and how you can change them.
Very first self-help
Simultaneously patient and practiser
Helping others.

11. Status Clear Operating Thetan (OT) Higher levels
The status of “clear” means having no basic engrams.
Operating Thetan (OT)
A Thetan is a static immortal.
Thetans got bored and created universes. Enthralled by their games, they were absorbed into them, and became lost in MEST. They forgot who they were.
Escaping from MEST (reminiscent of Q from Star Trek) is the quest of the OT.
Higher levels
Pay-per-use organization:
To reach these, one can pay for courses, or render services in lieu of payment.

12. Promises Freedom from fears New creative capacity
Improved physical health
Improved appearance
Peace of mind

13. Concept of divine No doctrine of God. 8 dynamics. Gnostic divine spark
Urge to exist as
Self
Sex
Group
Humankind
Animal
Universe
Spiritual
Infinity = God
Gnostic divine spark

14. Human Lost thetans Anti-virus to recover hidden capacity
Objective: Become cause, not effect.
Go exterior (not limited by body)

15. Death
Thetan will be reincarnated

16. Good life Non-prescriptive No ethics
Extremely litigious; not open to being studied.
30-year legal case with IRS
War with psychiatry; medicine, IRS.