Church of Scientology

Scientology is a religion begun in the 1950s by American L. Ron Hubbard (1911-1986). He founded the Church of Scientology to teach his doctrines, many of which are very tightly guarded from the general public by church officials.

Scientology does not descend from any of the major world religions. Hubbard devised the word using "scio" (knowledge), and the Greek λόγος "logos" (word), "the study of knowledge". He stated it was a system of belief that provided knowledge of life and clarity of mind through training in, and counseling using, the principles of the subject. Hubbard said that Scientology enabled individuals to know how to find the answers to whatever questions or problems they may face.

Scientologists assert that their doctrines are derived from a very large secret corpus, in excess of forty millions words, and practical applications derived therefrom. These are intended to guide individuals in a heuristic journey of increasing insights into the truth concerning the actual condition of mankind and its true potential, and to provide the skills to gradually bring about the latter. Scientologists see the religion as a way for individuals to increase understandings, abilities, and freedoms, and bring about predictable, subjective improvements in their life that increase their value to society. Critics, on the other hand, call Scientology a cult operated for the financial benefit of church leaders, who they say charge large sums for the secret training programs.

Germany in particular has tried to suppress Scientology legally. Hamburg's secretary of the interior in late 2007 sought a nationwide ban. Germany considers Scientology a commercial enterprise that takes advantage of vulnerable people. In 2007, it initially refused to allow the producers of a movie starring Scientology member Tom Cruise as Germany's most famous anti-Hitler plotter to film at the site where the hero was executed, although it did not expressly state Scientology as its reason. It later allowed the filming.

Having experienced rapid growth, Scientology set up churches and missions in most of the countries of the world.

The Church says that it continues to pursue Hubbard's vision, which he described as: "A civilization without insanity, without criminals and without war, where the able can prosper and honest beings can have rights, and where man is free to rise to greater heights, are the aims of Scientology."

The Church derives its income from various sources, including the sale of Hubbard's Dianetics and secret publications to converts. In recent years, Scientology ministers have provided assistance at national and international disaster scenes.

Bibliography

• Bainbridge, William Sims, and Rodney Stark. "Scientology: To Be Perfectly Clear," Sociological Analysis, Vol. 41, No. 2 (Summer, 1980), pp. 128-136 in JSTOR
• Melton, J. Gordon. The Church of Scientology (2000), 80pp; by a neutral scholar. excerpt and text search
• Wallis, Roy. The Road to Total Freedom: A Sociological Analysis of Scientology (Columbia University Press, 1977)