State of Protest

The word ‘Scientology’ comes from the Latin word ‘scio’ meaning ‘knowing in the fullest sense of the word’ and the Greek word ‘logos’ meaning ‘study of.’ The doctrine of Scientology was recorded by L. Ron Hubbard in 500,000 pages of writings, 6,500 reels of tape and 42 films. This doctrine reflects the influence of the Hindu concept of karma, as well as the psychological theories of Sigmund Freud, Carl Jung, and William Sargant. Scientology does not have a single book that is the equivalent of the Bible or the Quran, but the study of Scientology may be done chronologically through its basic books and lectures.¹

Scientology states that it is fully compatible with all existing major world religions, but in fact, Scientology only allows a passive formal membership in a second religion. Because of the major differences in beliefs and practices between Scientology and most major world religions, to call them compatible is disingenuous. Followers are not permitted to participate in other religious activities or ceremonies outside of Scientology. They do, however, celebrate many of our cultural holidays such as Christmas and New Year’s, although these celebrations remain primarily secular.²

Scientologists believe that humans survive across eight dynamics, “Self,” “Family and Sex,” “Group,” “Humanity,” “The Animal Kingdom,” “The Physical Universe,” “Spirits,” and “God or Infinity.” They believe all of these dynamics must be considered equally. The Scientology cross, which is often used to represent the Church of Scientology, has eight sides which represent these eight dynamics.³ Scientology offers no specific dogma, but Scientologists believe the nature of a Supreme Being is revealed to individuals as they become more spiritually aware. They believe that a universal life force (theta) exists in all humans and that humans (thetans) are capable of achieving a nearly godlike state through Scientology practices. One of these practices is Dianetics, which Hubbard claimed could “invariably cure all psychosomatic ills and human aberrations.”⁴ According to Hubbard, people become “aberrated” by traumatic incidents and bad decisions (even those that occurred in past lives; Scientologists believe we are immortal) and must free themselves of this trauma through a process called “auditing.” They believe that through this process, they can achieve states of increasingly greater mental awareness, called Pre-Clear, Clear, and Operating Thetan. They believe Operating Thetans have the power to control matter, energy, space, time, thought, and life.⁵

Most auditing sessions employ a device called the Hubbard Electropsychometer. Scientologists believe this “E-Meter” can help an individual achieve a state of Clear, and eventually Operating Thetan, through measuring changes in the electrical resistance of the mind. To do this, approximately 0.5 volts are passed through a pair of tin-plated tubes held by the Pre-Clear and attached to the E-Meter by wires. It is believed that this aids the auditor in identifying engrams (unconscious, painful memories), incidents (alien interventions from past lives), and implants (engrams which are inflicted deliberately and with evil intent). According to Hubbard, extraterrestrial dictatorships such as Helatrobus attempted to brainwash and control the population trillions of years ago through these implants, and this is the derivation of many of our past traumas. Hubbard wrote extensive accounts of complex extraterrestrial civilizations and their interventions in earthly events, collectively described as “space opera.” Scientology’s Trementina Base has a huge symbol carved into the ground which marks a ‘return point’ for members, so they can find the founder’s works when they travel here in the future from other galaxies.⁶

It is very difficult for Scientologists to advance into the eight Operating Thetan (OT) levels of study. Those who participate in these advanced courses are strictly forbidden from discussing or disclosing their contents. However, in 1995, a former member published excerpts and descriptions of these materials online, and they were quickly circulated by the mainstream media, so we now have access to much of the teachings.⁷ Those who reach OT level III are told of the story of Xenu, an alien who lived 75 million years ago and was the ruler of the “Galactic Confederacy.” According to these teachings, he brought billions of people to Earth in spacecraft, stacked them around volcanoes and blew them up with hydrogen bombs. Their souls then clustered together and stuck to the bodies of the living. Scientologists believe that many of the physical illnesses modern-day humans experience are caused by these clustered alien souls, or “Body Thetans,” who continue to stick to us today.

1. Bridge Publications: The Basics [↩]
2. Steve Bruce: Cathedrals to cults: the evolving forms of the religious life. In: Paul Heelas (Hrsg.): Religion, Modernity, and Postmodernity, Blackwell, Oxford 1998, pp. 19-35, 23. [↩]
3. Introduction to Scientology Ethics, 2007 edition, pg. 12 [↩]
4. Hubbard, “Dianetics,” Astounding Science Fiction, May 1950 [↩]
5. http://www.beliefnet.com/story/80/story_8057_1.html [↩]
6. Leiby, Richard Scientology church’s mark inscribed in N.M. desert scrub, published November 29, 2005 in the Free New Mexican [↩]
7. Reitman, Janet, “Inside Scientology: Unlocking the complex code of America’s most mysterious religion,” Rolling Stone, 2006 [↩]