Scientology: Cult or Religion?

Scientology for Dummies

Scientology has been in the news lately.

A group of hackers with the name of “Anonymous” has vowed to destroy the Church of Scientology and about a week ago, Scientology websites in the US and UK started crashing.

“Anonymous” Hackers Vow to Destroy Scientology

“Anonymous” Hackers Issue Third Video Warning to Scientology

Below is the first video warning issued to Scientology by “Anonymous”. The “Anonymous” tagline on all three of their video warnings has been “We are anonymous. We are legion. We do not forgive. We do not forget.”

Two days ago, “Anonymous” supporters took to the streets in Phoenix, AZ in a demonstration outside the Phoenix Church of Scientology, staging a protest in commemoration of the birthday of Lisa McPherson, a Scientologist once cared for by church staffers.

McPherson died while under the care of Scientology.

As we are not up to speed on Scientology, we thought we’d run down some information on the Church of Scientology.

Is it a cult?

Is it a religion?

We will start out by saying that all religions start out as cults–Christianity, Islam and Jews all started out as a small band of believers in their religions.

So, being branded as a “cult” doesn’t sway us one way or another.

There is some discrepancy as to how many Scientology members there actually are. In 2007, the Scientologists claimed 3.5 million members in the U.S., but a 2001 survey published by City University of New York, stated that “when asked to identify what religion you are”, 55,000 in America claimed Scientology.

Scientology is a body of beliefs and related practices as well as a profitable multinational network of corporations created by American speculative fiction author L. Ron Hubbard. Hubbard developed Scientology teachings in 1952 as a successor to his earlier self-help system, Dianetics.

Hubbard later characterized Scientology as an “applied religious philosophy” and the basis for a new religion.[1] Scientology encompasses a spiritual rehabilitation philosophy and techniques,[1] and covers topics such as morals, ethics, detoxification, education and management.

From the Scientology website:

The word Scientology literally means “the study of truth.” It comes from the Latin word “scio” meaning “knowing in the fullest sense of the word” and the Greek word “logos” meaning “study of.”

Scientology is the study and handling of the spirit in relationship to itself, others and all of life. The Scientology religion comprises a body of knowledge extending from certain fundamental truths. Prime among these:

Man is an immortal, spiritual being. His experience extends well beyond a single lifetime. His capabilities are unlimited, even if not presently realized — and those capabilities can be realized. He is able to not only solve his own problems, accomplish his goals and gain lasting happiness, but also achieve new, higher states of awareness and ability.

In Scientology no one is asked to accept anything as belief or on faith. That which is true for you is what you have observed to be true. An individual discovers for himself that Scientology works by personally applying its principles and observing or experiencing results.

Through Scientology, people all over the world are achieving the long-sought goal of true spiritual release and freedom.

Seems like a noble enough goal.

Scientology does have the distinction of being the only religion created by a science fiction writer, L. Ron Hubbard.

Hubbard established Scientology’s doctrines over a period of about 34 years beginning in 1952 and continuing until his death in January 1986, with the basic principles set out during the 1950s and 1960s.

Scientology was at first secular: “Scientology would be a study of knowledge,” Hubbard stated in 1952. Hubbard later began to characterize Scientology’s beliefs and practices as a religion in 1953; by 1960 he defined Scientology as: “a religion by its basic tenets, practice, historical background and by the definition of the word ‘religion’ itself.” In 1969 he wrote that “It is fundamentally an applied religious philosophy.” Hubbard recorded his doctrine in archived writings, audio tapes and films.

There is no single Scientology book that serves as the equivalent of the Bible or Koran. Knowledge of Scientology is achieved through the study of 18 basic books and over 3000 recorded lectures.

The primary belief of Scientology is “that man is a spiritual being whose existence spans more than one life and who is endowed with abilities well beyond those which he normally considers he possesses.”

Unlike Christianity, Scientology believes that man is basically good.

Like Christianity and Islam, Scientology has its heretics and apostates.

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.

Some groups are breakaways from the original Church while others have started up independently. The Church labels these as “apostates” (or “squirrels” in Scientology jargon) and often subjects them to considerable legal and social pressure.

These groups avoid the name “Scientology” so as to keep from being sued, instead referring to themselves collectively as the Free Zone. Such groups include Ron’s Org and the International Freezone Association, among others

To continue reading:

Scientology: Cult or Religion? part 2

Tags: Anonymous, beliefs, cults, hackers, religions, Scientology