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Scientology beliefs and practices

January 15, 2023

The Church of Scientology maintains a wide variety of beliefs and practices. The core belief holds that a human is an immortal, spiritual being (thetan) that is resident in a physical body. The thetan has had innumerable past lives, some of which, preceding the thetan's arrival on Earth, were lived in extraterrestrial cultures. Based on case studies at advanced levels, it is predicted that any Scientologist undergoing auditing will eventually come across and recount a common series of events.

Scientology describes itself as the study and handling of the spirit in relationship to itself, others, and all of life. Scientologists also believe that people have innate, yet suppressed, power and ability which can be regained if cleared of unwanted behavioural patterns and discomforts.[1][2] Scientology is described as "a religion to help people use scientific approaches to self-actualize their full potential."[3] Believers reach their full potential "when they understand themselves in their true relationship to the physical universe and the Supreme Being. "[3] There have been many scholarly studies of Scientology and the books are freely available in bookshops, churches and most libraries.[3]

The Church of Scientology believes that "Man is basically good, that he is seeking to survive, (and) that his survival depends on himself and his attainment of brotherhood with the universe," as stated in the Creed of the Church of Scientology.[4]

Roy Wallis of Columbia University describes Scientology as "a movement that straddles the boundaries between psychology and religion, [offering] a graded hierarchy of 'auditing' and training" with the intention of releasing the individual's full potential.[5]

Scientology does not require that their members must exclusively believe in Scientology, distinguishing it from biblical religions. Scientologists may profess belief in other religions, such as Protestantism and Catholicism, and may participate in their activities and sacred rites. Jacob Neusner emphasizes this in the section on Scientology in his book World Religions in America.[6] According to J. Gordon Melton, "Scientologists aim to utterly make the world instead of taking refuge from it," as they participate in culture instead of being isolated.[7] Scientology is inherently nondenominational and open to individuals, regardless of religious background; according to Mary A. Mann, it contains the elements necessary for a global religion and caters to people of all different ethnicities and educational upbringing.[8]

Core beliefs and practices

"Reactive mind" and traumatic memories

See also: Dianetics and Auditing (Scientology)
 
A Scientologist introduces the E-meter to a potential student.

Among the basic tenets of Scientology are the beliefs that human beings are immortal, that a person's life experience transcends a single lifetime, and that human beings possess infinite capabilities.[9] Scientology presents two major divisions of the mind.[10] The reactive mind is thought to absorb all pain and emotional trauma, while the analytical mind is a rational mechanism which is responsible for consciousness.[11][12] The reactive mind stores mental images which are not readily available to the analytical (conscious) mind; these are referred to as engrams.[13] Engrams are painful and debilitating; as they accumulate, people move further away from their true identity.[6] Avoiding this fate is Scientology's basic goal.[6] Dianetic auditing is one way by which the Scientologist may progress toward the Clear state, winning gradual freedom from the reactive mind's engrams, and acquiring certainty of his or her reality as a thetan.[14] Hubbard's differentiation of the reactive mind and the analytical mind forms one of the basic tenets of Dianetics. The analytical mind is similar to the conscious mind, which processes daily information and events. The reactive mind produces the mind's "aberrations" such as "fear, inhibition, intense love and hate and various psychosomatic ills" which are recorded as "engrams".[15]

Scientology believes that people have hidden abilities which have not yet been fully realized.[16] It is believed that increased spiritual awareness and physical benefits are accomplished through counseling sessions referred to as auditing.[17] Through auditing, it is said that people can solve their problems and free themselves of engrams.[18] This restores them to their natural condition as thetans and enables them to be at cause in their daily lives, responding rationally and creatively to life events rather than reacting to them under the direction of stored engrams.[19] Accordingly, those who study Scientology materials and receive auditing sessions advance from a status of Preclear to Clear and Operating Thetan.[20] Scientology's utopian aim is to "clear the planet", a world in which everyone has cleared themselves of their engrams.[21]

Auditing is a one-on-one session with a Scientology counselor or auditor.[22] It bears a superficial similarity to confession or pastoral counseling, but the auditor records and stores all information received and does not dispense forgiveness or advice the way a pastor or priest might do.[22] Instead, the auditor's task is to help a person discover and understand engrams, and their limiting effects, for him- or herself.[22] Most auditing requires an E-meter, a device that measures minute changes in electrical resistance through the body when a person holds electrodes (metal "cans"), and a small current is passed through them.[18][22]

Scientology believes that watching for changes in the E-meter's display helps locate engrams.[22] Once an area of concern has been identified, the auditor asks the individual specific questions about it, in order to help him or her eliminate the engram, and uses the E-meter to confirm that the engram's "charge" has been dissipated and the engram has in fact been cleared.[22] As the individual progresses, the focus of auditing moves from simple engrams to engrams of increasing complexity.[22] At the more advanced OT auditing levels, Scientologists perform solo auditing sessions, acting as their own auditors.[22]

Auditing

Main article: Auditing (Scientology)

One central practice of Scientology is an activity known as "auditing" (listening) which seeks to elevate an adherent to a state of "clear", one of freedom from the influences of the reactive mind. The practice is one wherein a counselor called an "auditor" addresses a series of questions to a preclear, observes and records the preclear's responses, and acknowledges them. An important element in all forms of auditing is to not suggest answers to the preclear or invalidate or degrade what the preclear says in response. It is of utmost importance that the auditor create a truly safe and distraction-free environment for the session.

The term "Clear" is derived from a button on a calculator that deletes previous calculations. According to Scientology beliefs, Clears are "optimal individuals" and "they have been cleared of false information and memories of traumatic experiences that prevent them from adapting to the world around them in a natural and appropriate fashion." Scientologists believe that clears become more successful in their daily lives and that they are "healthier, experience less stress, and possess better communication skills."[23]

"Auditing" is sometimes seen as controversial, because auditing sessions are permanently recorded and stored within what are called "preclear folders". Scientologists believe that the practice of auditing helps them overcome the debilitating effects of traumatic experiences, most of which have accumulated over a multitude of lifetimes.[24] The folders are kept in accordance with the Priest/Penitent legal parameters which do not allow these folders to be seen or used for any other purpose or seen by any others who are not directly involved in supervising that person's auditing progress.

Auditors are required to become proficient with the use of their E-meters. The device measures the subject's galvanic skin response in a manner similar to a polygraph (lie detector), but with only one electrode per hand rather than multiple sensors.[25] The E-meter is primarily used in auditing, which "aims to remove (engrams) to produce a state of 'clear.'"[26] Auditors do not receive final certification until they have successfully completed an internship, and have demonstrated a proven ability in the skills they have been trained in.[original research?] Auditors often practice their auditing with each other, as well as friends or family. Church members pair up often to get their training, doing the same course at the same time, so that they can audit each other up through the various Scientology levels.

According to scholar Harriet Whitehead, the Church of Scientology "has developed a fine-tooled hierarchically organized system of audit (training) sessions where the technology of these sessions, in fact, is the treatment leading to processes of renunciation and eventually reformulation in the individual," which is similar to psychoanalysis.[27]

Emotional tone scale and survival

Main article: Science of Survival

Scientology uses an emotional classification system called the tone scale.[28] The tone scale is a tool used in auditing; Scientologists maintain that knowing a person's place on the scale makes it easier to predict his or her actions and assists in bettering his or her condition.[29]

Scientology emphasizes the importance of survival, which it subdivides into eight classifications that are referred to as "dynamics".[30][31] An individual's desire to survive is considered to be the first dynamic, while the second dynamic relates to procreation and family.[30][32] The remaining dynamics encompass wider fields of action, involving groups, mankind, all life, the physical universe, the spirit, and the Infinity, often associated with the Supreme Being.[30] The optimum solution to any problem is held to be the one that brings the greatest benefit to the greatest number of dynamics.[30]

ARC and KRC triangles

The ARC and KRC triangles are concept maps which show a relationship among three concepts to form another concept. These two triangles are present in the Scientology logo.

The KRC triangle is the uppermost triangle. It combines the components of "Knowledge" "Responsibility" and "Control". A Scientologist must gain Knowledge of, take Responsibility for, and effectively exert Control over elements of his or her environment.

The ARC triangle is the lower triangle. It is a summary representation of the knowledge the Scientologist strives for.[6] It combines three components: "Affinity" is the degree of affection, love or liking, i.e. an emotional state.[6] "Reality" reflects consensual reality, that is agreements on what is real.[6] "Communication", believed to be the most important element of the triangle, is the exchange of ideas.[6] Scientologists believe that improving one of the three aspects of the ARC triangle "increases the level" of the other two but the most important aspect of this triangle is "communication" mainly because communication drives the other two aspects: "affinity" and "reality".[33] Scientologists believe that ineffective communication is a chief cause of human survival problems, and this is reflected by efforts at all levels within the movement to ensure clear communication, the presence of unabridged standard dictionaries for example being an established feature of Scientology centers.[6] Scientologists believe that the three elements are fundamental between individuals "in that to communicate with a person one must have some affinity for him or her," as Dorthe Refslund Christensen describes it. According to Scientology doctrine, the break in the flow of ARC that hinders survival must be handled in auditing.[34]

The two triangles are connected by a letter "S", standing for SCIO (Latin: "I Know"). Church of Scientology doctrine defines scio as 'knowing in the fullest sense of the word'. It links the two triangles together.

The Dynamics

Hubbard introduced the Scientology cross in the 1950s as the central symbol for the church. He described the eight points of the cross as symbolizing the "eight dynamics" or eight measures for survival that all human beings have, which includes the urge to service as a spiritual being and the urge to survive as a godlike entity.[35] Hubbard writes that survival is moving away from death and towards immortality, and that human beings are constantly on the search for feelings of pleasure and motivated by the avoidance of pain.[34]

  1. The first dynamic is the urge toward survival of self.
  2. The second dynamic is the urge toward survival through sex, or children. This dynamic actually has two divisions. The second dynamic (a) is the sexual act itself and second dynamic (b) is the family unit, including the rearing of children.
  3. The third dynamic is the urge toward survival through a group of individuals or as a group. Any group or part of an entire class could be considered to be a part of the third dynamic. The school, the club, the team, the town, the nation are examples of groups.
  4. The fourth dynamic is the urge toward survival through all mankind and as all mankind.
  5. The fifth dynamic is the urge toward survival through life forms such as animals, birds, insects, fish and vegetation, and is the urge to survive as these.
  6. The sixth dynamic is the urge toward survival as the physical universe and has as its components Matter, Energy, Space and Time, from which we derive the word MEST.
  7. The seventh dynamic is the urge toward survival through spirits or as a spirit. Anything spiritual, with or without identity, would come under the seventh dynamic. A sub-heading of this dynamic is ideas and concepts such as beauty and the desire to survive through these.
  8. The eighth dynamic is the urge toward survival through the Supreme Being, or more exactly, infinity.

Thetans

See also: Purification Rundown

According to L. Ron Hubbard's book The History of Man, published in 1952, there are two entities housed by the human body, a genetic entity (whose purpose is to carry on the evolutionary line) and a "Thetan" or consciousness "that has the capacity to separate from body and mind." According to Hubbard, "In man's long evolutionary development the Thetan has been trapped by the engrams formed at various stages of embodiment." Scientology training is aimed at clearing the person of all engrams, thus creating an "Operating Thetan". "Among the abilities of the Operating Thetan is the soul's capacity to leave and operate apart from the body."[36]

People are viewed as spiritual beings that have minds and bodies and a person's "spiritual essence" is called the Thetan.[37] Scientology teaches that "a thetan is the person himself, not his body or his name or the physical universe, his mind or anything else." According to the doctrine, "one does not have a thetan, he is a thetan."[38]

Exteriorization

Exteriorization is a practice in which a thetan functions independently of the physical body, sometimes as a result of auditing process R2-45.[39][40] According to Lawrence Wright, author of Going Clear, exteriorization "is the sense that one has actually left his physical being behind," and a commonly reported occurrence among Scientologists.[41]

Afterlife

In Scientology, the human body is regarded as similar to that of other religions in that, at death, the spirit will leave the body. "Life and personality go on. The physical part of the organism ceases to function."[42] Scientology believes in the "immortality of each individual's spirit," therefore making death not a significant worry. The spirit acquires another body necessary for growth and survival. To achieve an individual's true identity is the primary goal.[23]

According to Scientology doctrine, salvation is achieved through "clearing" engrams and implant, the source of human misery, through the auditing process. Salvation is limited to the current life and there is no "final salvation or damnation", author Richard Holloway writes. "Life is a not a one-shot deal. There is only the eternal return of life after life."[43] According to Scientology beliefs, "the individual comes back. He has a responsibility for what goes on today since he will experience it tomorrow."[44][45]

According to Scientology beliefs, Scientology itself is a blend of science and spirituality, with belief in an immortal spirit and in improving that spirit here on Earth using Scientology's methods. Scientologists do not typically dwell on Heaven or Hell or the afterlife, instead focusing on the spirit. Many Scientologists also belong to other churches.[46]

In the Scientology book, A History of Man, Hubbard discusses that a human's past experiences make up that person's present identity. These include experiences as atoms, seaweed, plankton and clams, pointing to the belief in recurring lives.[47]

God

The Church of Scientology states that it has no set dogma on God and allows individuals to come to their own understanding of God.[48] In Scientology, "vastly more emphasis is given to the godlike nature of the person and to the workings of the human mind than to the nature of God."[23] Hubbard did not clearly define God in Scientology. When pressed about their belief, Scientologists mention the "eight dynamic" which they say is the "God dynamic".[49]

Scientologists believe in an "Infinity" ("the All-ness of All"). They recite a formal prayer for total freedom at meetings, which include the verses "May the author of the universe enable all men to reach an understanding of their spiritual nature. May awareness and understanding of life expand, so that all may come to know the author of the universe. And may others also reach this understanding which brings Total Freedom ... Freedom from war, and poverty, and want; freedom to be; freedom to do and freedom to have. Freedom to use and understand Man's potential – a potential that is God-given and Godlike." The prayer commences with "May God let it be so."[50][51]

Scientologists affirm the existence of a deity without defining or describing its nature. L. Ron Hubbard explains in his book Science of Survival, "No culture in the history of the world, save the thoroughly depraved and expiring ones, has failed to affirm the existence of a Supreme Being. It is an empirical observation that men without a strong and lasting faith in a Supreme Being are less capable, less ethical and less valuable." Instead of defining God, members assert that reaching higher states of enlightenment will enable individuals to make their own conclusions about the Supreme Being.[52]

Science

The church considers itself scientific, although this belief has no basis in institutional science.[53] According to religious scholar Mikael Rothstein[53] Scientologists believe that "all religious claims can be verified through experimentation".[54] Scientologists believe that their religion was derived through scientific methods, that Hubbard found knowledge through studying and thinking, not through revelation. The "science" of Dianetics, however, was never accepted by the scientific community.[53] Rothstein also writes that there is a possibility that Scientology partly owes its existence to the conflict with the conventional scientific community, which hindered Hubbard's original intention.[55] Religious scholar Dorthe Refslund Christensen notes that Scientology differs from the scientific method in that Scientology has become increasingly self-referential, while true science normally compares competing theories and observed facts.[53]

Hubbard originally claimed and insisted that Dianetics was based on the scientific method. He taught that "the scientific sensibilities [carry] over into the spiritual realities one encounters via auditing on the e-meter." Scientologists commonly prefer to describe Hubbard's teachings with words such as knowledge, technology and workability rather than belief or faith. Hubbard described Dianetics and Scientology as "technologies" based on his claim of their "scientific precision and workability." Hubbard attempted to "break down the barrier between scientific (objective, external) and religious (subjective, internal) forms of knowledge." Hubbard describes Scientology's epistemology as "radically subjective: Nothing in Scientology is true for you unless you have observed it and it is true according to your observation." This is a type of self-legitimation through science which is also found in other religions such as Christian Science, Religious Science, and Moorish Science Temple of America.[4][56]

Sociologist William Sims Bainbridge cites Scientology's origins in the subcultures of science fiction and "harmony" with scientific cosmology. Science fiction, viewed to work for and against the purposes of science, has contributed to the birth of new religions, including Scientology. While it promotes science, it distorts it as well. Science fiction writer A.E. van Vogt based the early development of Dianetics and Scientology on a novel based on General Semantics, a self-improvement and therapy program created by Alfred Korzybski for the purpose of curing personal and social issues.[57]

Members of the Church believe that Hubbard "discovered the existential truths that form their doctrine through research," thus leading to the idea that Scientology is science. Hubbard created what the church would call a "spiritual technology" to advance the goals of Scientology. According to the church, "Scientology works 100 percent of the time when it is properly applied to a person who sincerely desires to improve his life." The underlying claims are that Scientology is "exact" and "certain".[58] Michael Shermer, writing for Scientific American in 2011, said that Scientology's methods lacked enough study to qualify as a science, but that the story of Xenu and Scientology's other creation myths were no less tenable than other religions.[59]

B. Hubbard, J. Hatfield and J. Santucci compare Scientology's view of humanity to the Yogachara school of Buddhism, saying that both have been described as "the most scientific" among new and traditional religions respectively. B. Hubbard et al. cite the use of technical language and the claim that teachings were developed through observation and experimentation. They also emphasize that many investigators and researchers consider Scientology to be a pseudoscience because of its absolute and meta-empirical goals.[60]

Scholar Kocku von Stuckrad stated that Scientology is an example of the phenomenon of both the "scientification of religion" and the "sacralization" of science. Donald A. Westbrook elaborates that there is apparently an "ongoing and dialectical relationship" between religion and science in Hubbard's teachings.[61]

The Bridge to Total Freedom

The Bridge to Total Freedom is the means by which Scientologists undertake personal development. Processing is the actual practice of auditing which directs questions towards areas of travail in a person's life to get rid of barriers that inhibit his or her natural abilities. This process is supposed to bring greater happiness, intelligence and success.[42] Training is also given in the process of auditing others.[62] The Bridge to Total Freedom is considered a metaphor for the spiritual life of the believer, and is also a detailed outline of the process a Scientologist undergoes in order to develop spirituality. It follows a strict hierarchy with ascending levels.

The main goal of the first stage is to be freed from limitations of the MEST universe (MEST standing for matter, energy, space and time), while the second stage is about regaining creative powers as a spiritual being which have been lost according to the teachings of Scientology.[63]

Rejection of psychology and psychiatry

Further information: Scientology and psychiatry, Citizens Commission on Human Rights, and Psychiatry: An Industry of Death
 
Scientologists on an anti-psychiatry demonstration

Scientology is publicly, and often vehemently, opposed to both psychiatry and psychology.[64][65][66] Scientologists view psychiatry as a barbaric and corrupt profession and encourage alternative care based on spiritual healing.

The psychiatric establishment rejected Hubbard's theories in the early 1950s.[67] Ever since, Scientology has argued that psychiatry suffers from the fundamental flaw of ignoring humanity's spiritual dimension, and that it fails to take into account Hubbard's insights about the nature of the mind.[68] Scientology holds psychiatry responsible for a great many wrongs in the world, saying it has at various times offered itself as a tool of political suppression and "that psychiatry spawned the ideology which fired Hitler's mania, turned the Nazis into mass murderers, and created the Holocaust."[67][68]

The anti-psychiatry organization Citizens Commission on Human Rights (CCHR) was founded by Hubbard in 1969. It operates Psychiatry: An Industry of Death, an anti-psychiatry museum.[67][68]

Through CCHR, Scientology has made claims of psychiatric abuse. The anti-psychiatry organization has had political accomplishments: In 1986, it published a manifesto against psychiatry and psychotropic medication, which was included in a document by the United Nations which saw wide circulation; In 2006, a bill drafted by the group was passed by the Arizona senate "mandating an additional consent form be presented to subjects considering participation in psychiatric research." The form in question "differentiates real disease from mental illness." A similar CCHR bill was rejected by the Florida house, "mandating that a long, ominous-sounding statement about the dangers of psychoactive drugs be presented to parents prior to school referral for mental health evaluation." The movement has gained momentum[clarification needed] across the US.[69]

How Scientology defines ethics

Main article: Ethics (Scientology)

Scientology teaches that progress on The Bridge to Total Freedom requires and enables the attainment of high moral and ethical standards.[62] According to Hubbard, the goal of ethics is to remove impediments to survival, and ethics is essentially a tool to "get technology in", meaning Scientology's use of the term technology.[citation needed] Stephen A. Kent describes Scientology ethics as "a peculiar brand of morality that uniquely benefitted [the Church of Scientology] ... In plain English, the purpose of Scientology ethics is to eliminate opponents, then eliminate people's interests in things other than Scientology. In this 'ethical' environment, Scientology would be able to impose its courses, philosophy, and 'justice system' – its so-called technology – onto society."[70]

Applied teachings

See also: L. Ron Hubbard and Scientology bibliography

The church makes it clear that Hubbard is considered the sole source of Dianetics and Scientology: "The Scientology religion is based exclusively upon L. Ron Hubbard's research, writings and recorded lectures – all of which constitute the Scriptures of the religion."[71] His work, recorded in 500,000 pages of writings, 6,500 reels of tape and 42 films, is archived for posterity.[72] The Religious Technology Center holds "the ultimate ecclesiastical authority and the pure application of L. Ron Hubbard's religious technologies."[73]

Individuals applying Hubbard's techniques who are not officially connected to the Church of Scientology are considered part of the "Free Zone". Some of these individuals were litigated against for using and modifying the practices for their own use and that of others, thereby infringing the law on patent, trademarks, or trade secrets.

Toxins and "Purification"

Main article: Purification Rundown

The Purification Rundown[74] is a controversial detoxification program developed by Scientology's founder L. Ron Hubbard and used by the Church of Scientology as an introductory service.[74][75] Scientologists consider it the only effective way to deal with the long-term effects of drug abuse or toxic exposure.[75] The program combines exercise, dietary supplements and long stays in a sauna (up to five hours a day for five weeks).[76] It is promoted variously as religious or secular, medical or purely spiritual, depending on context.[77][78]

Narconon is a drug education and rehabilitation program founded on Hubbard's beliefs about toxins and purification.[79][80] Narconon is offered in the United States, Canada and a number of European countries; its Purification Program uses a regimen composed of sauna, physical exercise, vitamins and diet management, combined with auditing and study.[79][80]

"Handling" of psychosis

Main article: Introspection Rundown

The Introspection Rundown is a controversial Church of Scientology auditing process that is intended to handle a psychotic episode or complete mental breakdown. Introspection is defined for the purpose of this rundown as a condition where the person is "looking into one's own mind, feelings, reactions, etc."[81] The Introspection Rundown came under public scrutiny after the death of Lisa McPherson in 1995.[82]

"Word Clearing" and "Learning on a Gradient"

Main article: Study Tech

On November 12, 1952, Hubbard delivered a lecture entitled "Precision Knowledge: Necessity to know terminology and law" emphasizing the importance to precise terminology. Scientology defined methods of correcting "misunderstoods" ("misunderstood word or symbol"). Scientologists have their own Technical Dictionary[83] featuring modified definitions of existing English words. Scientology dictionaries also include specialized terminology such as "enturbulate" and "havingness".

Critics of Scientology have accused Hubbard of "loading the language" and using Scientology jargon to keep Scientologists from interacting with information sources outside of Scientology.[84][85]

Scientology teaches that that material must be learned "on a gradient", that is, in order without skipping or skimming material.[86]

In Scientology doctrine, the idea of communication has a high status. In the book Sects, Cults, and Spiritual Communities, Petrowsky and Zellner state that in the Scientology belief system, "misinformation or miscommunication is analogous to original sin, inhibiting individual growth and relationships with others." The "misunderstood word" is a central teaching in Scientology. Failure in reading comprehension is attributed to it.[23]

Interpretation and context

Scientology discourages secondary interpretation of its writings.[87] Students of Scientology are taught to direct others to those original sources, rather than to convey any interpretation of the concepts in their own words. Emphasis is placed on keeping the writings in context.

Silent birth

Main article: Silent birth

Advocated by Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard, silent birth describes "the process of childbirth where labor and delivery is done in a calm and loving environment." To provide quiet surroundings for the delivery of the baby, individuals in his/her immediate vicinity are prompted not to speak. According to Scientology practices, silent birth is "mandatory to provide the best possible environment for the pregnant mother and her new baby." Shouting, laughing or making loud remarks must be avoided while the baby is being pushed out. According to The Multimedia Encyclopedia of Women in Today's World, "its origins are fundamentally rooted in the principle that women, particularly expectant mothers, be given the utmost care and respect."[88]

Holidays

Main article: Scientology holidays

There are several holidays celebrated by Scientologists, notably L. Ron Hubbard's birthday in March, the Anniversary of the first publication of Dianetics in May, Sea Org Day in August, Auditor's Day in September and the International Association of Scientologists (IAS) Anniversary in October.[89] Most official celebrations are scheduled on weekends. Individual Scientologists also observe nation-specific holidays and other local celebrations.[90] Scientologists also celebrate religious holidays associated with other religious beliefs, as individual Scientologists may retain their affiliations with religions in which they were raised.[91]

Sunday services

A Scientology Sunday service has a sermon, similar to some other religions. It typically begins at 11am and Hubbard's writings are read aloud during the service. Much like other religions' services, music is played or sometimes musical performances are enjoyed.[63] The minister speaks on Scientology doctrine, announces that weekly activities of the community and recent updates from churches around the world. Scientologists also say "A Prayer for Total Freedom", asking the "author of the universe" to help them as they seek enlightenment.[92]

The way Scientology's service has been executed has not changed. The minister chooses from a limited selection of possible sermons and group processing exercises. He creates the sermon within the parameters of a literal interpretation of Hubbard's canonical teachings, functioning similar to other indigenous theologians who work with canonical texts.[93]

According to religion scholar James R. Lewis, Sunday services are more for interested non-members and the holidays and events are more for existing members of the church.[94]

Rituals

The church's rituals can be categorized four ways: first, rituals performed for spiritual transformation; second, collective ceremonies usually called events, including Hubbard's birthday; third, rites of passage including weddings and funerals; and fourth, those that mimic Christian rituals, such as Sunday services. Events include the anniversary of Dianetics, the anniversary of Freewinds and Auditor's Day.[95]

Training

Scientologists also undergo training aside from auditing, which consists of several levels of courses about daily life improvement using various tools, and auditing techniques, so that members are able to perform the same procedure to other Scientologists.[94]

Applications of "Ethics" and "Disconnection"

Main articles: Ethics (Scientology), Suppressive Person, and Disconnection (Scientology)

Scientology has an internal justice system (the Ethics system) designed to deal with unethical or antisocial behavior.[96][97] Ethics officers are present in every org; they are tasked with ensuring correct application of Scientology technology and deal with violations such as non-compliance with standard procedures or any other behavior adversely affecting an org's performance, ranging from errors and misdemeanors to crimes and suppressive acts, as defined by internal documents.[98] Scientology teaches that spiritual progress requires and enables the attainment of high "ethical" standards.[99] In Scientology, rationality is stressed over morality.[99] Actions are considered ethical if they promote survival across all eight dynamics, thus benefiting the greatest number of people or things possible while harming the fewest.[100]

While Scientology states that many social problems are the unintentional results of people's imperfections, it asserts that there are also truly malevolent individuals.[101] Hubbard believed that approximately 80 percent of all people are what he called social personalities – people who welcome and contribute to the welfare of others.[101] The remaining 20 percent of the population, Hubbard thought, were Suppressive Persons.[101] According to Hubbard, only about 2.5 percent of this 20 percent are hopelessly antisocial personalities; these make up the small proportion of truly dangerous individuals in humanity: "the Adolf Hitlers and the Genghis Khans, the unrepentant murderers and the drug lords."[101][102] Scientologists believe that any contact with suppressive or antisocial individuals has an adverse effect on one's spiritual condition, necessitating disconnection.[101][102]

In Scientology, defectors who turn into critics of the movement are declared suppressive persons,[103][104][105][106] and the Church of Scientology has a reputation for moving aggressively against such detractors.[107] A Scientologist who is actively in communication with a suppressive person and as a result shows signs of antisocial behaviour is referred to as a Potential Trouble Source.[108][109]

"Fair Game"

Main article: Fair Game (Scientology)

The term Fair Game is used to describe policies and practices carried out by the Church against people the Church perceives as its enemies. Hubbard established the policy in the 1950s, in response to criticism both from within and outside his organization.[110][111] Individuals or groups who are "Fair Game" are judged to be a threat to the Church and, according to the policy, can be punished and harassed using any and all means possible.[110][111][112]

Hubbard and his followers targeted many individuals as well as government officials and agencies, including a program of covert and illegal infiltration of the IRS and other U.S. government agencies during the 1970s.[110][111] They also conducted private investigations, character assassination and legal action against the Church's critics in the media.[110] The policy remains in effect and has been defended by the Church of Scientology as a core religious practice.[113][114][115]

Splinter groups: Independents, Miscavige's RTC, and "Squirreling"

 
Hubbard's beliefs and practices, drawn from a diverse set of sources, influenced numerous offshoots, splinter groups, and new movements

While "Scientology" generally refers to the David Miscavige-led Church of Scientology, many other groups practice Scientology. These groups, collectively known as the Free Zone or as Independent Scientologists, consist of both former members of the official Church of Scientology, as well as entirely new members. In 1965, a longtime Church member and "Doctor of Scientology" Jack Horner, dissatisfied with the Church's "ethics" program, developed Dianology.[116] Bill Robertson, a former Sea Org member, was a primary instigator of the movement in the early 1980s.[117] The church labels these groups as "squirrels" in Scientology jargon and often subjects them to considerable legal and social pressure.[118][119][120]

On January 1, 1982, Miscavige established the Religious Technology Center (RTC).[121] On November 11, 1982, the Free Zone was established by former top Scientologists in disagreement with RTC.[122] The Free Zone Association was founded and registered under the laws of Germany, and believes that the Church of Scientology has departed from its original philosophy.[123]

The Advanced Ability Center was a breakaway organization from the Church of Scientology established by former Scientologist David Mayo after he left the Church in February 1983 – a time when most of Scientology's upper and middle management split with Miscavige's organization.[124] David Mayo had been Hubbard's own auditor.[124]

More recently, high-profile defectors Mark Rathbun and Mike Rinder have represented and stood for the cause of Independent Scientologists wishing to practice Scientology outside of the Church.[125][126][127]

Use of contracts

The Church of Scientology requires that all members sign a legal waiver which covers their relationship with the Church of Scientology before engaging in Scientology services.[128][129]

See also

References

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Bibliography

  • Cowan, Douglas E.; Bromley, David G. "The Church of Scientology". In Gallagher & Ashcraft (2006), pp. 169–196.
  • Flowers, Ronald B. (1984). Religion in strange times: the 1960s and 1970s. Mercer University Press. ISBN 978-0865541276.
  • Gallagher, Eugene V.; Ashcraft, W. Michael, eds. (2006). Introduction to New and Alternative Religions in America. Five Volumes. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press. ISBN 978-0-275-98712-1.
  • Lewis, James R. (2009). Scientology. New York, NY: Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-533149-3. Retrieved July 20, 2016.
  • Melton, J. Gordon (2000). The Church of Scientology. Salt Lake City: Signature Press. pp. 32. ISBN 978-1-56085-139-4.
  • Neusner, Jacob (2003). World Religions in America. Westminster John Knox Press. ISBN 978-0-664-22475-2. Retrieved October 9, 2012.
  • Neusner, Jacob (2009). World Religions in America (4th ed.). Westminster John Knox Press. ISBN 978-0-664-23320-4.
  • Palmer, Susan J. "The Church of Scientology in France: Legal and Activist Counterattacks in the "War on Sectes"". In Lewis (2009), pp. 295–322.
  • Urban, Hugh B. (2011). The Church of Scientology: A History of a New Religion. Princeton University Press. ISBN 9780691146089.
  • Zellner, W.W.; Petrowsky, March (1998). Sects, Cults, and Spiritual Communities: A Sociological Analysis. Greenwood Publishing Group. ISBN 9780275958602.

External links

Church sites

  • What is Scientology
  • Scientology Volunteer Ministers Corps
  • The founder of Scientology auditing
  • The Creed of the Church of Scientology

Articles

  • – Frank K. Flinn, PhD's opinion of Scientology

Other sites

  • links from Yahoo directory
  • Free zone E-Meters at Curlie

January 15, 2023
scientology, beliefs, practices, church, scientology, maintains, wide, variety, beliefs, practices, core, belief, holds, that, human, immortal, spiritual, being, thetan, that, resident, physical, body, thetan, innumerable, past, lives, some, which, preceding, . The Church of Scientology maintains a wide variety of beliefs and practices The core belief holds that a human is an immortal spiritual being thetan that is resident in a physical body The thetan has had innumerable past lives some of which preceding the thetan s arrival on Earth were lived in extraterrestrial cultures Based on case studies at advanced levels it is predicted that any Scientologist undergoing auditing will eventually come across and recount a common series of events Scientology describes itself as the study and handling of the spirit in relationship to itself others and all of life Scientologists also believe that people have innate yet suppressed power and ability which can be regained if cleared of unwanted behavioural patterns and discomforts 1 2 Scientology is described as a religion to help people use scientific approaches to self actualize their full potential 3 Believers reach their full potential when they understand themselves in their true relationship to the physical universe and the Supreme Being 3 There have been many scholarly studies of Scientology and the books are freely available in bookshops churches and most libraries 3 The Church of Scientology believes that Man is basically good that he is seeking to survive and that his survival depends on himself and his attainment of brotherhood with the universe as stated in the Creed of the Church of Scientology 4 Roy Wallis of Columbia University describes Scientology as a movement that straddles the boundaries between psychology and religion offering a graded hierarchy of auditing and training with the intention of releasing the individual s full potential 5 Scientology does not require that their members must exclusively believe in Scientology distinguishing it from biblical religions Scientologists may profess belief in other religions such as Protestantism and Catholicism and may participate in their activities and sacred rites Jacob Neusner emphasizes this in the section on Scientology in his book World Religions in America 6 According to J Gordon Melton Scientologists aim to utterly make the world instead of taking refuge from it as they participate in culture instead of being isolated 7 Scientology is inherently nondenominational and open to individuals regardless of religious background according to Mary A Mann it contains the elements necessary for a global religion and caters to people of all different ethnicities and educational upbringing 8 Contents 1 Core beliefs and practices 1 1 Reactive mind and traumatic memories 1 2 Auditing 1 3 Emotional tone scale and survival 1 4 ARC and KRC triangles 1 5 The Dynamics 1 6 Thetans 1 7 Exteriorization 1 8 Afterlife 1 9 God 1 10 Science 1 11 The Bridge to Total Freedom 1 12 Rejection of psychology and psychiatry 1 13 How Scientology defines ethics 2 Applied teachings 2 1 Toxins and Purification 2 2 Handling of psychosis 2 3 Word Clearing and Learning on a Gradient 2 4 Interpretation and context 2 5 Silent birth 2 6 Holidays 2 7 Sunday services 2 8 Rituals 2 9 Training 2 10 Applications of Ethics and Disconnection 2 11 Fair Game 2 12 Splinter groups Independents Miscavige s RTC and Squirreling 2 13 Use of contracts 3 See also 4 References 5 Bibliography 6 External linksCore beliefs and practices Reactive mind and traumatic memories See also Dianetics and Auditing Scientology A Scientologist introduces the E meter to a potential student Among the basic tenets of Scientology are the beliefs that human beings are immortal that a person s life experience transcends a single lifetime and that human beings possess infinite capabilities 9 Scientology presents two major divisions of the mind 10 The reactive mind is thought to absorb all pain and emotional trauma while the analytical mind is a rational mechanism which is responsible for consciousness 11 12 The reactive mind stores mental images which are not readily available to the analytical conscious mind these are referred to as engrams 13 Engrams are painful and debilitating as they accumulate people move further away from their true identity 6 Avoiding this fate is Scientology s basic goal 6 Dianetic auditing is one way by which the Scientologist may progress toward the Clear state winning gradual freedom from the reactive mind s engrams and acquiring certainty of his or her reality as a thetan 14 Hubbard s differentiation of the reactive mind and the analytical mind forms one of the basic tenets of Dianetics The analytical mind is similar to the conscious mind which processes daily information and events The reactive mind produces the mind s aberrations such as fear inhibition intense love and hate and various psychosomatic ills which are recorded as engrams 15 Scientology believes that people have hidden abilities which have not yet been fully realized 16 It is believed that increased spiritual awareness and physical benefits are accomplished through counseling sessions referred to as auditing 17 Through auditing it is said that people can solve their problems and free themselves of engrams 18 This restores them to their natural condition as thetans and enables them to be at cause in their daily lives responding rationally and creatively to life events rather than reacting to them under the direction of stored engrams 19 Accordingly those who study Scientology materials and receive auditing sessions advance from a status of Preclear to Clear and Operating Thetan 20 Scientology s utopian aim is to clear the planet a world in which everyone has cleared themselves of their engrams 21 Auditing is a one on one session with a Scientology counselor or auditor 22 It bears a superficial similarity to confession or pastoral counseling but the auditor records and stores all information received and does not dispense forgiveness or advice the way a pastor or priest might do 22 Instead the auditor s task is to help a person discover and understand engrams and their limiting effects for him or herself 22 Most auditing requires an E meter a device that measures minute changes in electrical resistance through the body when a person holds electrodes metal cans and a small current is passed through them 18 22 Scientology believes that watching for changes in the E meter s display helps locate engrams 22 Once an area of concern has been identified the auditor asks the individual specific questions about it in order to help him or her eliminate the engram and uses the E meter to confirm that the engram s charge has been dissipated and the engram has in fact been cleared 22 As the individual progresses the focus of auditing moves from simple engrams to engrams of increasing complexity 22 At the more advanced OT auditing levels Scientologists perform solo auditing sessions acting as their own auditors 22 Auditing Main article Auditing Scientology One central practice of Scientology is an activity known as auditing listening which seeks to elevate an adherent to a state of clear one of freedom from the influences of the reactive mind The practice is one wherein a counselor called an auditor addresses a series of questions to a preclear observes and records the preclear s responses and acknowledges them An important element in all forms of auditing is to not suggest answers to the preclear or invalidate or degrade what the preclear says in response It is of utmost importance that the auditor create a truly safe and distraction free environment for the session The term Clear is derived from a button on a calculator that deletes previous calculations According to Scientology beliefs Clears are optimal individuals and they have been cleared of false information and memories of traumatic experiences that prevent them from adapting to the world around them in a natural and appropriate fashion Scientologists believe that clears become more successful in their daily lives and that they are healthier experience less stress and possess better communication skills 23 Auditing is sometimes seen as controversial because auditing sessions are permanently recorded and stored within what are called preclear folders Scientologists believe that the practice of auditing helps them overcome the debilitating effects of traumatic experiences most of which have accumulated over a multitude of lifetimes 24 The folders are kept in accordance with the Priest Penitent legal parameters which do not allow these folders to be seen or used for any other purpose or seen by any others who are not directly involved in supervising that person s auditing progress Auditors are required to become proficient with the use of their E meters The device measures the subject s galvanic skin response in a manner similar to a polygraph lie detector but with only one electrode per hand rather than multiple sensors 25 The E meter is primarily used in auditing which aims to remove engrams to produce a state of clear 26 Auditors do not receive final certification until they have successfully completed an internship and have demonstrated a proven ability in the skills they have been trained in original research Auditors often practice their auditing with each other as well as friends or family Church members pair up often to get their training doing the same course at the same time so that they can audit each other up through the various Scientology levels According to scholar Harriet Whitehead the Church of Scientology has developed a fine tooled hierarchically organized system of audit training sessions where the technology of these sessions in fact is the treatment leading to processes of renunciation and eventually reformulation in the individual which is similar to psychoanalysis 27 Emotional tone scale and survival Main article Science of Survival Scientology uses an emotional classification system called the tone scale 28 The tone scale is a tool used in auditing Scientologists maintain that knowing a person s place on the scale makes it easier to predict his or her actions and assists in bettering his or her condition 29 Scientology emphasizes the importance of survival which it subdivides into eight classifications that are referred to as dynamics 30 31 An individual s desire to survive is considered to be the first dynamic while the second dynamic relates to procreation and family 30 32 The remaining dynamics encompass wider fields of action involving groups mankind all life the physical universe the spirit and the Infinity often associated with the Supreme Being 30 The optimum solution to any problem is held to be the one that brings the greatest benefit to the greatest number of dynamics 30 ARC and KRC triangles The ARC and KRC triangles are concept maps which show a relationship among three concepts to form another concept These two triangles are present in the Scientology logo The KRC triangle is the uppermost triangle It combines the components of Knowledge Responsibility and Control A Scientologist must gain Knowledge of take Responsibility for and effectively exert Control over elements of his or her environment The ARC triangle is the lower triangle It is a summary representation of the knowledge the Scientologist strives for 6 It combines three components Affinity is the degree of affection love or liking i e an emotional state 6 Reality reflects consensual reality that is agreements on what is real 6 Communication believed to be the most important element of the triangle is the exchange of ideas 6 Scientologists believe that improving one of the three aspects of the ARC triangle increases the level of the other two but the most important aspect of this triangle is communication mainly because communication drives the other two aspects affinity and reality 33 Scientologists believe that ineffective communication is a chief cause of human survival problems and this is reflected by efforts at all levels within the movement to ensure clear communication the presence of unabridged standard dictionaries for example being an established feature of Scientology centers 6 Scientologists believe that the three elements are fundamental between individuals in that to communicate with a person one must have some affinity for him or her as Dorthe Refslund Christensen describes it According to Scientology doctrine the break in the flow of ARC that hinders survival must be handled in auditing 34 The two triangles are connected by a letter S standing for SCIO Latin I Know Church of Scientology doctrine defines scio as knowing in the fullest sense of the word It links the two triangles together The Dynamics Hubbard introduced the Scientology cross in the 1950s as the central symbol for the church He described the eight points of the cross as symbolizing the eight dynamics or eight measures for survival that all human beings have which includes the urge to service as a spiritual being and the urge to survive as a godlike entity 35 Hubbard writes that survival is moving away from death and towards immortality and that human beings are constantly on the search for feelings of pleasure and motivated by the avoidance of pain 34 The first dynamic is the urge toward survival of self The second dynamic is the urge toward survival through sex or children This dynamic actually has two divisions The second dynamic a is the sexual act itself and second dynamic b is the family unit including the rearing of children The third dynamic is the urge toward survival through a group of individuals or as a group Any group or part of an entire class could be considered to be a part of the third dynamic The school the club the team the town the nation are examples of groups The fourth dynamic is the urge toward survival through all mankind and as all mankind The fifth dynamic is the urge toward survival through life forms such as animals birds insects fish and vegetation and is the urge to survive as these The sixth dynamic is the urge toward survival as the physical universe and has as its components Matter Energy Space and Time from which we derive the word MEST The seventh dynamic is the urge toward survival through spirits or as a spirit Anything spiritual with or without identity would come under the seventh dynamic A sub heading of this dynamic is ideas and concepts such as beauty and the desire to survive through these The eighth dynamic is the urge toward survival through the Supreme Being or more exactly infinity Thetans See also Purification Rundown According to L Ron Hubbard s book The History of Man published in 1952 there are two entities housed by the human body a genetic entity whose purpose is to carry on the evolutionary line and a Thetan or consciousness that has the capacity to separate from body and mind According to Hubbard In man s long evolutionary development the Thetan has been trapped by the engrams formed at various stages of embodiment Scientology training is aimed at clearing the person of all engrams thus creating an Operating Thetan Among the abilities of the Operating Thetan is the soul s capacity to leave and operate apart from the body 36 People are viewed as spiritual beings that have minds and bodies and a person s spiritual essence is called the Thetan 37 Scientology teaches that a thetan is the person himself not his body or his name or the physical universe his mind or anything else According to the doctrine one does not have a thetan he is a thetan 38 Exteriorization Exteriorization is a practice in which a thetan functions independently of the physical body sometimes as a result of auditing process R2 45 39 40 According to Lawrence Wright author of Going Clear exteriorization is the sense that one has actually left his physical being behind and a commonly reported occurrence among Scientologists 41 Afterlife In Scientology the human body is regarded as similar to that of other religions in that at death the spirit will leave the body Life and personality go on The physical part of the organism ceases to function 42 Scientology believes in the immortality of each individual s spirit therefore making death not a significant worry The spirit acquires another body necessary for growth and survival To achieve an individual s true identity is the primary goal 23 According to Scientology doctrine salvation is achieved through clearing engrams and implant the source of human misery through the auditing process Salvation is limited to the current life and there is no final salvation or damnation author Richard Holloway writes Life is a not a one shot deal There is only the eternal return of life after life 43 According to Scientology beliefs the individual comes back He has a responsibility for what goes on today since he will experience it tomorrow 44 45 According to Scientology beliefs Scientology itself is a blend of science and spirituality with belief in an immortal spirit and in improving that spirit here on Earth using Scientology s methods Scientologists do not typically dwell on Heaven or Hell or the afterlife instead focusing on the spirit Many Scientologists also belong to other churches 46 In the Scientology book A History of Man Hubbard discusses that a human s past experiences make up that person s present identity These include experiences as atoms seaweed plankton and clams pointing to the belief in recurring lives 47 God The Church of Scientology states that it has no set dogma on God and allows individuals to come to their own understanding of God 48 In Scientology vastly more emphasis is given to the godlike nature of the person and to the workings of the human mind than to the nature of God 23 Hubbard did not clearly define God in Scientology When pressed about their belief Scientologists mention the eight dynamic which they say is the God dynamic 49 Scientologists believe in an Infinity the All ness of All They recite a formal prayer for total freedom at meetings which include the verses May the author of the universe enable all men to reach an understanding of their spiritual nature May awareness and understanding of life expand so that all may come to know the author of the universe And may others also reach this understanding which brings Total Freedom Freedom from war and poverty and want freedom to be freedom to do and freedom to have Freedom to use and understand Man s potential a potential that is God given and Godlike The prayer commences with May God let it be so 50 51 Scientologists affirm the existence of a deity without defining or describing its nature L Ron Hubbard explains in his book Science of Survival No culture in the history of the world save the thoroughly depraved and expiring ones has failed to affirm the existence of a Supreme Being It is an empirical observation that men without a strong and lasting faith in a Supreme Being are less capable less ethical and less valuable Instead of defining God members assert that reaching higher states of enlightenment will enable individuals to make their own conclusions about the Supreme Being 52 Science The church considers itself scientific although this belief has no basis in institutional science 53 According to religious scholar Mikael Rothstein 53 Scientologists believe that all religious claims can be verified through experimentation 54 Scientologists believe that their religion was derived through scientific methods that Hubbard found knowledge through studying and thinking not through revelation The science of Dianetics however was never accepted by the scientific community 53 Rothstein also writes that there is a possibility that Scientology partly owes its existence to the conflict with the conventional scientific community which hindered Hubbard s original intention 55 Religious scholar Dorthe Refslund Christensen notes that Scientology differs from the scientific method in that Scientology has become increasingly self referential while true science normally compares competing theories and observed facts 53 Hubbard originally claimed and insisted that Dianetics was based on the scientific method He taught that the scientific sensibilities carry over into the spiritual realities one encounters via auditing on the e meter Scientologists commonly prefer to describe Hubbard s teachings with words such as knowledge technology and workability rather than belief or faith Hubbard described Dianetics and Scientology as technologies based on his claim of their scientific precision and workability Hubbard attempted to break down the barrier between scientific objective external and religious subjective internal forms of knowledge Hubbard describes Scientology s epistemology as radically subjective Nothing in Scientology is true for you unless you have observed it and it is true according to your observation This is a type of self legitimation through science which is also found in other religions such as Christian Science Religious Science and Moorish Science Temple of America 4 56 Sociologist William Sims Bainbridge cites Scientology s origins in the subcultures of science fiction and harmony with scientific cosmology Science fiction viewed to work for and against the purposes of science has contributed to the birth of new religions including Scientology While it promotes science it distorts it as well Science fiction writer A E van Vogt based the early development of Dianetics and Scientology on a novel based on General Semantics a self improvement and therapy program created by Alfred Korzybski for the purpose of curing personal and social issues 57 Members of the Church believe that Hubbard discovered the existential truths that form their doctrine through research thus leading to the idea that Scientology is science Hubbard created what the church would call a spiritual technology to advance the goals of Scientology According to the church Scientology works 100 percent of the time when it is properly applied to a person who sincerely desires to improve his life The underlying claims are that Scientology is exact and certain 58 Michael Shermer writing for Scientific American in 2011 said that Scientology s methods lacked enough study to qualify as a science but that the story of Xenu and Scientology s other creation myths were no less tenable than other religions 59 B Hubbard J Hatfield and J Santucci compare Scientology s view of humanity to the Yogachara school of Buddhism saying that both have been described as the most scientific among new and traditional religions respectively B Hubbard et al cite the use of technical language and the claim that teachings were developed through observation and experimentation They also emphasize that many investigators and researchers consider Scientology to be a pseudoscience because of its absolute and meta empirical goals 60 Scholar Kocku von Stuckrad stated that Scientology is an example of the phenomenon of both the scientification of religion and the sacralization of science Donald A Westbrook elaborates that there is apparently an ongoing and dialectical relationship between religion and science in Hubbard s teachings 61 The Bridge to Total Freedom The Bridge to Total Freedom is the means by which Scientologists undertake personal development Processing is the actual practice of auditing which directs questions towards areas of travail in a person s life to get rid of barriers that inhibit his or her natural abilities This process is supposed to bring greater happiness intelligence and success 42 Training is also given in the process of auditing others 62 The Bridge to Total Freedom is considered a metaphor for the spiritual life of the believer and is also a detailed outline of the process a Scientologist undergoes in order to develop spirituality It follows a strict hierarchy with ascending levels The main goal of the first stage is to be freed from limitations of the MEST universe MEST standing for matter energy space and time while the second stage is about regaining creative powers as a spiritual being which have been lost according to the teachings of Scientology 63 Rejection of psychology and psychiatry Further information Scientology and psychiatry Citizens Commission on Human Rights and Psychiatry An Industry of Death Scientologists on an anti psychiatry demonstration Scientology is publicly and often vehemently opposed to both psychiatry and psychology 64 65 66 Scientologists view psychiatry as a barbaric and corrupt profession and encourage alternative care based on spiritual healing The psychiatric establishment rejected Hubbard s theories in the early 1950s 67 Ever since Scientology has argued that psychiatry suffers from the fundamental flaw of ignoring humanity s spiritual dimension and that it fails to take into account Hubbard s insights about the nature of the mind 68 Scientology holds psychiatry responsible for a great many wrongs in the world saying it has at various times offered itself as a tool of political suppression and that psychiatry spawned the ideology which fired Hitler s mania turned the Nazis into mass murderers and created the Holocaust 67 68 The anti psychiatry organization Citizens Commission on Human Rights CCHR was founded by Hubbard in 1969 It operates Psychiatry An Industry of Death an anti psychiatry museum 67 68 Through CCHR Scientology has made claims of psychiatric abuse The anti psychiatry organization has had political accomplishments In 1986 it published a manifesto against psychiatry and psychotropic medication which was included in a document by the United Nations which saw wide circulation In 2006 a bill drafted by the group was passed by the Arizona senate mandating an additional consent form be presented to subjects considering participation in psychiatric research The form in question differentiates real disease from mental illness A similar CCHR bill was rejected by the Florida house mandating that a long ominous sounding statement about the dangers of psychoactive drugs be presented to parents prior to school referral for mental health evaluation The movement has gained momentum clarification needed across the US 69 How Scientology defines ethics Main article Ethics Scientology Scientology teaches that progress on The Bridge to Total Freedom requires and enables the attainment of high moral and ethical standards 62 According to Hubbard the goal of ethics is to remove impediments to survival and ethics is essentially a tool to get technology in meaning Scientology s use of the term technology citation needed Stephen A Kent describes Scientology ethics as a peculiar brand of morality that uniquely benefitted the Church of Scientology In plain English the purpose of Scientology ethics is to eliminate opponents then eliminate people s interests in things other than Scientology In this ethical environment Scientology would be able to impose its courses philosophy and justice system its so called technology onto society 70 Applied teachingsSee also L Ron Hubbard and Scientology bibliography The church makes it clear that Hubbard is considered the sole source of Dianetics and Scientology The Scientology religion is based exclusively upon L Ron Hubbard s research writings and recorded lectures all of which constitute the Scriptures of the religion 71 His work recorded in 500 000 pages of writings 6 500 reels of tape and 42 films is archived for posterity 72 The Religious Technology Center holds the ultimate ecclesiastical authority and the pure application of L Ron Hubbard s religious technologies 73 Individuals applying Hubbard s techniques who are not officially connected to the Church of Scientology are considered part of the Free Zone Some of these individuals were litigated against for using and modifying the practices for their own use and that of others thereby infringing the law on patent trademarks or trade secrets Toxins and Purification Main article Purification Rundown The Purification Rundown 74 is a controversial detoxification program developed by Scientology s founder L Ron Hubbard and used by the Church of Scientology as an introductory service 74 75 Scientologists consider it the only effective way to deal with the long term effects of drug abuse or toxic exposure 75 The program combines exercise dietary supplements and long stays in a sauna up to five hours a day for five weeks 76 It is promoted variously as religious or secular medical or purely spiritual depending on context 77 78 Narconon is a drug education and rehabilitation program founded on Hubbard s beliefs about toxins and purification 79 80 Narconon is offered in the United States Canada and a number of European countries its Purification Program uses a regimen composed of sauna physical exercise vitamins and diet management combined with auditing and study 79 80 Handling of psychosis Main article Introspection Rundown The Introspection Rundown is a controversial Church of Scientology auditing process that is intended to handle a psychotic episode or complete mental breakdown Introspection is defined for the purpose of this rundown as a condition where the person is looking into one s own mind feelings reactions etc 81 The Introspection Rundown came under public scrutiny after the death of Lisa McPherson in 1995 82 Word Clearing and Learning on a Gradient Main article Study Tech On November 12 1952 Hubbard delivered a lecture entitled Precision Knowledge Necessity to know terminology and law emphasizing the importance to precise terminology Scientology defined methods of correcting misunderstoods misunderstood word or symbol Scientologists have their own Technical Dictionary 83 featuring modified definitions of existing English words Scientology dictionaries also include specialized terminology such as enturbulate and havingness Critics of Scientology have accused Hubbard of loading the language and using Scientology jargon to keep Scientologists from interacting with information sources outside of Scientology 84 85 Scientology teaches that that material must be learned on a gradient that is in order without skipping or skimming material 86 In Scientology doctrine the idea of communication has a high status In the book Sects Cults and Spiritual Communities Petrowsky and Zellner state that in the Scientology belief system misinformation or miscommunication is analogous to original sin inhibiting individual growth and relationships with others The misunderstood word is a central teaching in Scientology Failure in reading comprehension is attributed to it 23 Interpretation and context Scientology discourages secondary interpretation of its writings 87 Students of Scientology are taught to direct others to those original sources rather than to convey any interpretation of the concepts in their own words Emphasis is placed on keeping the writings in context Silent birth Main article Silent birth Advocated by Scientology founder L Ron Hubbard silent birth describes the process of childbirth where labor and delivery is done in a calm and loving environment To provide quiet surroundings for the delivery of the baby individuals in his her immediate vicinity are prompted not to speak According to Scientology practices silent birth is mandatory to provide the best possible environment for the pregnant mother and her new baby Shouting laughing or making loud remarks must be avoided while the baby is being pushed out According to The Multimedia Encyclopedia of Women in Today s World its origins are fundamentally rooted in the principle that women particularly expectant mothers be given the utmost care and respect 88 Holidays Main article Scientology holidays There are several holidays celebrated by Scientologists notably L Ron Hubbard s birthday in March the Anniversary of the first publication of Dianetics in May Sea Org Day in August Auditor s Day in September and the International Association of Scientologists IAS Anniversary in October 89 Most official celebrations are scheduled on weekends Individual Scientologists also observe nation specific holidays and other local celebrations 90 Scientologists also celebrate religious holidays associated with other religious beliefs as individual Scientologists may retain their affiliations with religions in which they were raised 91 Sunday services A Scientology Sunday service has a sermon similar to some other religions It typically begins at 11am and Hubbard s writings are read aloud during the service Much like other religions services music is played or sometimes musical performances are enjoyed 63 The minister speaks on Scientology doctrine announces that weekly activities of the community and recent updates from churches around the world Scientologists also say A Prayer for Total Freedom asking the author of the universe to help them as they seek enlightenment 92 The way Scientology s service has been executed has not changed The minister chooses from a limited selection of possible sermons and group processing exercises He creates the sermon within the parameters of a literal interpretation of Hubbard s canonical teachings functioning similar to other indigenous theologians who work with canonical texts 93 According to religion scholar James R Lewis Sunday services are more for interested non members and the holidays and events are more for existing members of the church 94 Rituals The church s rituals can be categorized four ways first rituals performed for spiritual transformation second collective ceremonies usually called events including Hubbard s birthday third rites of passage including weddings and funerals and fourth those that mimic Christian rituals such as Sunday services Events include the anniversary of Dianetics the anniversary of Freewinds and Auditor s Day 95 Training Scientologists also undergo training aside from auditing which consists of several levels of courses about daily life improvement using various tools and auditing techniques so that members are able to perform the same procedure to other Scientologists 94 Applications of Ethics and Disconnection Main articles Ethics Scientology Suppressive Person and Disconnection Scientology Scientology has an internal justice system the Ethics system designed to deal with unethical or antisocial behavior 96 97 Ethics officers are present in every org they are tasked with ensuring correct application of Scientology technology and deal with violations such as non compliance with standard procedures or any other behavior adversely affecting an org s performance ranging from errors and misdemeanors to crimes and suppressive acts as defined by internal documents 98 Scientology teaches that spiritual progress requires and enables the attainment of high ethical standards 99 In Scientology rationality is stressed over morality 99 Actions are considered ethical if they promote survival across all eight dynamics thus benefiting the greatest number of people or things possible while harming the fewest 100 While Scientology states that many social problems are the unintentional results of people s imperfections it asserts that there are also truly malevolent individuals 101 Hubbard believed that approximately 80 percent of all people are what he called social personalities people who welcome and contribute to the welfare of others 101 The remaining 20 percent of the population Hubbard thought were Suppressive Persons 101 According to Hubbard only about 2 5 percent of this 20 percent are hopelessly antisocial personalities these make up the small proportion of truly dangerous individuals in humanity the Adolf Hitlers and the Genghis Khans the unrepentant murderers and the drug lords 101 102 Scientologists believe that any contact with suppressive or antisocial individuals has an adverse effect on one s spiritual condition necessitating disconnection 101 102 In Scientology defectors who turn into critics of the movement are declared suppressive persons 103 104 105 106 and the Church of Scientology has a reputation for moving aggressively against such detractors 107 A Scientologist who is actively in communication with a suppressive person and as a result shows signs of antisocial behaviour is referred to as a Potential Trouble Source 108 109 Fair Game Main article Fair Game Scientology The term Fair Game is used to describe policies and practices carried out by the Church against people the Church perceives as its enemies Hubbard established the policy in the 1950s in response to criticism both from within and outside his organization 110 111 Individuals or groups who are Fair Game are judged to be a threat to the Church and according to the policy can be punished and harassed using any and all means possible 110 111 112 Hubbard and his followers targeted many individuals as well as government officials and agencies including a program of covert and illegal infiltration of the IRS and other U S government agencies during the 1970s 110 111 They also conducted private investigations character assassination and legal action against the Church s critics in the media 110 The policy remains in effect and has been defended by the Church of Scientology as a core religious practice 113 114 115 Splinter groups Independents Miscavige s RTC and Squirreling Hubbard s beliefs and practices drawn from a diverse set of sources influenced numerous offshoots splinter groups and new movements While Scientology generally refers to the David Miscavige led Church of Scientology many other groups practice Scientology These groups collectively known as the Free Zone or as Independent Scientologists consist of both former members of the official Church of Scientology as well as entirely new members In 1965 a longtime Church member and Doctor of Scientology Jack Horner dissatisfied with the Church s ethics program developed Dianology 116 Bill Robertson a former Sea Org member was a primary instigator of the movement in the early 1980s 117 The church labels these groups as squirrels in Scientology jargon and often subjects them to considerable legal and social pressure 118 119 120 On January 1 1982 Miscavige established the Religious Technology Center RTC 121 On November 11 1982 the Free Zone was established by former top Scientologists in disagreement with RTC 122 The Free Zone Association was founded and registered under the laws of Germany and believes that the Church of Scientology has departed from its original philosophy 123 The Advanced Ability Center was a breakaway organization from the Church of Scientology established by former Scientologist David Mayo after he left the Church in February 1983 a time when most of Scientology s upper and middle management split with Miscavige s organization 124 David Mayo had been Hubbard s own auditor 124 More recently high profile defectors Mark Rathbun and Mike Rinder have represented and stood for the cause of Independent Scientologists wishing to practice Scientology outside of the Church 125 126 127 Use of contracts The Church of Scientology requires that all 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Times Retrieved December 21 2022 Marty Rathbun who like Rinder is now an independent scientologist Tobin Thomas C Childs Joe January 1 2012 In new year s message Scientology insider blasts extreme fundraising Tampa Bay Times Archived from the original on June 25 2013 Retrieved January 14 2012 Rathbun now a leading figure in a movement for Scientologists to practice independently of the church Welkos Robert W Sappell Joel June 29 1990 When the Doctrine Leaves the Church Los Angeles Times Retrieved August 24 2008 Friedman Roger September 3 2003 Will Scientology Celebs Sign Spiritual Contract FOX News Retrieved December 7 2008 Touretzky David S December 1 2003 A Church s Lethal Contract Razor Magazine Retrieved December 7 2008 BibliographyCowan Douglas E Bromley David G The Church of Scientology In Gallagher amp Ashcraft 2006 pp 169 196 Flowers Ronald B 1984 Religion in strange times the 1960s and 1970s Mercer University Press ISBN 978 0865541276 Gallagher Eugene V Ashcraft W Michael eds 2006 Introduction to New and Alternative Religions in America Five Volumes Westport CT Greenwood Press ISBN 978 0 275 98712 1 Lewis James R 2009 Scientology New York NY Oxford University Press ISBN 978 0 19 533149 3 Retrieved July 20 2016 Melton J Gordon 2000 The Church of Scientology Salt Lake City Signature Press pp 32 ISBN 978 1 56085 139 4 Neusner Jacob 2003 World Religions in America Westminster John Knox Press ISBN 978 0 664 22475 2 Retrieved October 9 2012 Neusner Jacob 2009 World Religions in America 4th ed Westminster John Knox Press ISBN 978 0 664 23320 4 Palmer Susan J The Church of Scientology in France Legal and Activist Counterattacks in the War on Sectes In Lewis 2009 pp 295 322 Urban Hugh B 2011 The Church of Scientology A History of a New Religion Princeton University Press ISBN 9780691146089 Zellner W W Petrowsky March 1998 Sects Cults and Spiritual Communities A Sociological Analysis Greenwood Publishing Group ISBN 9780275958602 External linksChurch sites What is Scientology Scientology Volunteer Ministers Corps The founder of Scientology auditing The Creed of the Church of ScientologyArticles An interview with Catholic Frank K Flinn Adjunct Professor of Religious Studies Scientology The Marks of Religion Frank K Flinn PhD s opinion of ScientologyOther sites Scientology Beliefs and Practices links from Yahoo directory Free zone E Meters at Curlie Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Scientology beliefs and practices amp oldid 1133650255, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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