Scientology sought to be regarded as a religion because one of its most important practices, called 'auditing,' leads the client to reveal deeds that could lead to criminal penalties. So the protections of a confessional, similar to the privilege between priest and parishioner, are crucial to its practice. Beyond that, Scientology asserts there is no conflict between its teachings and those of other religions so that you may in full conscience be both Scientologist and adherent to whatever other faith you may have embraced.^{1 To view footnote, click here.}

To understand Scientology you must know something of its founder, Lafayette Ron Hubbard. A brilliant mind born to wealth, he travelled extensively in growing up. He undertook college work (including the nuclear physics of the early 1930s) but did not complete his course of study, electing instead to write science fiction under the name of Lafayette R. Hubbard. And he was prolific. His publishing editor years later remarked that there was a central theme in all of his stories: a world in trouble where a 'knight in shining armor on a white horse' came to the rescue of the population and restored their civilization. Hubbard served in the U.S. Navy during World War II and was (according to him -- the official record appears to be incomplete) wounded. Since youth he had questioned life and its drives, ever keeping notes, and had privately circulated notes showing 'survival' as the overriding principle around which life is organized. During recovery from his wounds he completed enunciation of the psychological principles he described as Dianetics, in a book by that name, published in 1950 under the name L. Ron Hubbard ("LRH"). From that beginning evolved Scientology. In a sense LRH was the 'knight in shining armor' coming to the rescue of the population of Earth, which was mired in psychological swamps, with his teachings of Dianetics and Scientology.^{2 To view footnote, click here.}

A man of immense ego, LRH wrote book after book detailing teachings and practices (which he insisted students and adherents must follow precisely), using words and phrases in highly specific ways (coining many and redefining others) to the extent he felt it necessary to compile a dictionary to be used in study. His lectures and other utterances were also recorded and are available for study.

His son, who took the name Ron deWolf, discusses his father and the early days of the organization, the Church of Scientology, in two days of hearings in Clearwater, Florida, in 1982. For more accurate knowledge of the man and the organization, you are referred to those hearings, which are available on the World Wide Web. Search Ron deWolf.

The goal of Scientology is to make the individual capable, according to his own assessment, of living a better life. The basic tenet of Scientology is that the individual is neither body nor brain; mind is a control system that uses the brain to control the body, but the spirit rules the mind. Now the basic function of the spirit is to survive: survival on the several levels (the Eight Dynamics) of Self, Family, Group, Species, Life Forms, Physical universe, Spirit, and Existence (or Awareness or Infinity) which is sometimes supposed to be Supreme Being. The Self typically sits at a characteristic position on the 'emotional tone scale' but is not forever consigned to that level; he may proceed up from apathy through grief . . . fear . . . hate . . . anger . . . antagonism . . . boredom . . . contentedness . . . cheerfulness . . . enthusiasm . . . to serenity; or he may go down from higher to lower tones.

Morals and ethics are similar, with ethics being derived from reason and morals from the experiences of the ages. Ethics is a highly personal thing, very self-centered, consisting of things one does himself by his own choice to ensure his own survival across the Dynamics. If a constructive outcome of a choice outweighs the destructive, viewed from the person's own perspective, the choice is considered ethical. By contrast, morals are an accumulation of rules of conduct that mankind has found over the ages to be conducive to good interpersonal relationships as well as advancement of our species. [I note that ethical behavior arises from the individual as he ponders the impact of a choice on himself first but also on his Eight Dynamics (as he perceives them) -- the more of his dynamics favorably impacted, the more ethical. I am told LRH initially considered self only but that proved inadequate to explain personal motivations, so he expanded his definition one by one until it embraced all eight dynamics.]

Much is made of the A-R-C triangle of Affinity-Reality-Communication as a tool in interpersonal relationships. (Affinity: degree of liking or affection, which is the underlying motive for effort in the relationship. Reality: fundamental agreement on "that which appears to be," or "what we agree to be real is real." Communication: interchange of ideas or objects between two people)

Auditing is a technique for uncovering long-suppressed thoughts, which can be greatly accelerated by using an 'e-meter,' an instrument for detecting disagreement. (The closest analogy to the e-meter, a lie detector, also relies on changes in the electrical resistance of the skin as it changes in keeping with involuntary emotional responses in the continual exchanges between questioner and client.) The objective is to detect and flesh out 'engrams' (resulting from past traumas) residing in the sub-conscious mind, so the client can deal with them in his conscious mind and thus reduce their deleterious effects. There results a gradually improving position on the tone scale in steps or gradients; through a combination of auditing and study, the client moves up the 'bridge' to ever higher plateaus of existence.

It is evident that pursuit of self underlies much of Scientology thought and activity. One personal objective is to attain the state of 'Clear,' which is freedom from the accumulated effects of negative experiences in this and earlier lives ('engrams,' as described in LRH's book Dianetics). Once 'clear,' he may through continued study and auditing ascend up the 'bridge.'

LRH promoted Scientology aggressively and it became, before his later years, a world-wide organization complete with ships at sea (beyond the reach of detractors) as well as churches and missions in hundreds of population centers. The church continues to be aggressive and continues to attract adherents.

Study is the key to advancing within the organization or benefiting from its works; elementary courses may be pursued at missions and churches, but more advanced efforts must be undertaken at centers dedicated to these studies, aboard ship, in Los Angeles, in Clearwater (FL), and at other locations in England, Australia, and elsewhere around the world.

Scientology is an activist organization. LRH advanced ideas about teaching methodology, and there are schools operating in keeping with principles he enunciated. His efforts with drug addicts led to its Narconon program of drug rehabilitation, and Narconon has given rise to Criminon to work with criminal populations. Their Citizens Commission on Human Rights has carried on a fight against psychiatrists in general (their abuses, not their motivations) and their prescriptions of drugs such as Valium, Ritalin and Prozac (in the belief that their destructiveness far outweighs their benefits). It is unfortunate that LRH ran afoul of the Powers That Be early in his guidance of Scientology since many of his teachings could have become more widely practiced, to our benefit. But, alas, there arose conflicts with civil authorities that damaged the public perception of Scientology so the larger society has for many years been deprived of benefits that could have flowed from LRH's outstanding mind. Other than income tax controversies I never inquired what eroded the public perception of Scientology, but, whatever the perception, we ought not deprive ourselves of what good can grow from LRH's teachings.

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Post script: If I might be allowed a personal observation: The pursuit of "clear" and advancement up the "bridge" are evidently highly personal goals. Within the church I have met individuals motivated by the highest calling to serve their fellowman, much like preachers called to serve God. But there are other elements whose personal ambitions have contributed to the conflicts the church has engendered. I have neither taken part nor followed publicity for many years and am unaware of efforts to alter public perception for the better.

I studied briefly at our local (Atlanta) Mission (before it became recognized as a Church); I could not accept the authoritarian aspect of study of Scientology -- that I must follow LRH's teachings precisely, to the extent of studying his every word exactly as he wished to define it. (I insist I must, when I study the Bible, Book of Mormon, Upanishads or any other religious text, do so from the base of my own vocabulary and experiences.) I have accepted Rational Theism as a more rational religious doctrine (in some teachings agreeing with Scientology), but I have made an effort here to be informative, neutral and balanced in describing the Church of Scientology.

In reflecting on the history of Scientology, I note that early Christianity insisted its followers cling to the faith even though that may disrupt ties of family or friendships. Scientology has pursued a similar tactic to the extent that, should a person wish to pursue auditing, he must first repudiate relationships with persons thought to be antagonistic to Scientology. While such a practice may seem necessary to growth of a cult or sect, I wholeheartedly disagree with the practice since my application of my reasoning process in no way affects the quality of my relationships with family members or friends.

¹ Beyond acceptance of some sort of order in the Universe -- and possibly deity (Eighth Dynamic), there is an absence of teachings, other than continuity of each person's spirit, that we ordinarily ascribe to religion. In auditing sessions it often happens that a client retrieves memories most readily ascribed to a prior life -- before his birth to this life. The spirit that is you possesses the mind and body that you accept as yourself; that same spirit has possessed other minds (with bodies) in earlier times, taking part in a society consisting of other spirits likewise clothed with bodies -- a teaching generally associated with reincarnation. Beyond this teaching I see no untruthfulness in asserting there is no conflict.