The Church of Scientology
The Church of Scientology
RELS 225Cults and New Religious Movements
RELS 225Cults and New Religious Movements
Slide 2.
ScientologyScientology
• 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)
Slide 3.
NRMs in the NewsNRMs in the News• Scientology leader's niece to
reveal 'strange and disturbing' details about life inside church in tell-all memoir
• Jenna Miscavige Hill, 28, is the daughter of Scientology leader David Miscavige's older brother Ron
• She left the church in 2005 and set up a support group for other Scientology deserters
• Ms Miscavige Hill: 'My experience in growing up in Scientology is that it is both mentally and at times physically abusive'
• Book will reveal 'strange and disturbing' details about growing up in the church and will provide a firsthand account of Scientology's 'upper ranks', say publishers (DailyMail)
Slide 5.
ControversyControversy
• tax-exempt status• claim to be a religion• perceived threats to traditional medicine• Refusing medical help• Lisa McPherson case in the 1990’s
• http://www.lisamcpherson.org/ • First criminal charges
Slide 6.
Lafayette Ronald HubbardLafayette 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.
Slide 7.
Lafayette Ronald HubbardLafayette 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.
Slide 8.
Lafayette Ronald HubbardLafayette 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
Slide 9.
David MiscavigeDavid Miscavige
• 1987-• 1991: major exposé by Time magazine• 1993: IRS tax exemption• 1995: Lisa McPherson died• 2005: Tom Cruse attacks psychiatry
Slide 10.
The WorldThe World
• Thetans got bored and created universes.• Xenu (the head of a galactic federation of
planets) caused thetans to be implanted in humans about 95 million years ago
• Enthralled by their games, they were absorbed into them, and became lost in MEST. They forgot who they were.
Slide 11.
Doctrine of HumansDoctrine of Humans
• humans are essentially spiritual beings• More than mind and body
• Lost thetans• immortal
• “the bridge to freedom” Anti-virus to get rid of encumbrances and recover hidden capacity
• Objective: Become cause, not effect.• Go exterior (not limited by body)
Slide 12.
EngramsEngrams
• 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.
Slide 13.
AuditingAuditing
• 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.
Slide 14.
StatusStatus
1. Clear• The status of “clear” means having no basic engrams.
2. Operating Thetan (OT)• A Thetan is a static immortal.• Escaping from MEST (reminiscent of Q from Star
Trek) is the quest of the OT.• 8 levels of OT
• Higher levels• Pay-per-use organization:• To reach these, one can pay for courses, or render
services in lieu of payment.
Slide 15.
PromisesPromises
• Freedom from fears• New creative capacity• Improved physical health• Improved appearance• Peace of mind
Slide 16.
Concept of divineConcept of divine
• No doctrine of God.• 8 dynamics.• Urge to exist as
• Self• Sex• Group• Humankind• Animal• Universe• Spiritual• Infinity = God
• Gnostic divine spark
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