Scientology is also unusual because it is not an extension of a particular traditional religion. "[418] Flinn further states that religion requires "beliefs in something transcendental or ultimate, practices (rites and codes of behavior) that re-inforce those beliefs and, a community that is sustained by both the beliefs and practices", all of which are present within Scientology. [50] Hubbard later cited Excalibur as an early version of Dianetics. 203–204. The paywalls never end. [431] The organization also suggests that the origin of the rumor was a remark by George Orwell which had been misattributed to Hubbard. [27][28] The Church of Scientology was convicted of fraud by a French court in 2009, a decision upheld by the supreme Court of Cassation in 2013. "[134], The 2005 South Park episode "Trapped in the Closet" publicized the story of Xenu, based directly on the actual Scientology Operating Thetan III document,[477] and accompanied by an onscreen caption reading "This is what Scientologists actually believe". Accordingly, only when the Seventh Dynamic (spiritual) is reached in its entirety will one discover and come to a full understanding of the Eighth Dynamic (infinity) and one's relationship to the Supreme Being. [221] The Flag Service Organization in Clearwater, Florida offers OT levels VI and VII. He cut contact with everyone else, even his wife, whom he saw for the last time in August 1979. [476] Participation in higher-level courses on the Bridge may cost several thousand dollars, and Scientologists usually move up the Bridge at a rate governed by their income. Frenschkowski observes that the text is partly biblical in structure and that this development is a component of Scientology's metamorphosis into a religion, written at a point when the nature of the new movement was unclear. [178], A large Church of Spiritual Technology symbol carved into the ground at Scientology's Trementina Base is visible from the air. by Stephen A. Kent, A Short Study of the Scientology Religion by J. Gordon Melton, An Annotated Bibliographical Survey of Primary and Secondary Literature on L. Ron Hubbard and Scientology, Church of Scientology editing on Wikipedia, Church of Scientology of California v. Armstrong, Church of Scientology International v. Fishman and Geertz. [21], From soon after their formation, Hubbard's groups have generated considerable opposition and controversy, in some instances due to their illegal activities. [184] These can take the form of overts – harmful acts against another, either intentionally or by omission – which are usually followed by withholds – efforts to conceal the wrongdoing, which further increase the level of tension in the relationship. [177] It has been rumored that additional OT levels, said to be based on material written by Hubbard long ago, will be released at some appropriate point in the future. [240], It has been in conflict with the governments and police forces of many countries (including the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada,[241] France[242] and Germany). [138][139] The reactive mind stores mental images which are not readily available to the analytical (conscious) mind; these are referred to as engrams. He argues that Scientology is a "significant revision" and "meaningful revitalization" within the esoteric tradition. [168][169] Thereafter, Hubbard criticized psychiatry as a "barbaric and corrupt profession". [388] The results of this investigation indicated that at the time of publication, Scientology's main sources of revenue ("Haupteinnahmequellen der SO") were from course offerings and sales of their various publications. [264] Among these documents was a plan to frame Gabe Cazares, the mayor of Clearwater, Florida, with a staged hit-and-run accident. He started it in 1954. [302], Scientology spokesman Tommy Davis dismissed such claims as "utterly meritless". [173][424] Melton suggests that these elements of the OT levels may never have been intended as descriptions of historical events and that, like other religious mythology, they may have their truth in the realities of the body and mind which they symbolize. In this context, it is discussed in UFO Religions by Christopher Partridge,[435] and The Encyclopedic Sourcebook of UFO Religions by James R. Lewis,[436] while Susan Palmer draws several parallels with Raelianism. 3d 872 (Cal. Hubbard wrote a self-help book that explored the relationship between body and mind called Dianetics in 1950. Bonfante, Jordan; van Voorst, Bruce (February 10, 1997). In 1988, Scientology president Heber Jentzsch and ten other members of the organization were arrested in Spain on various charges including illicit association, coercion, fraud, and labor law violations. [145] It teaches that increased spiritual awareness and physical benefits are accomplished through counseling sessions referred to as auditing. [42] His ship sustained minor damage and three crew were injured. [140] According to Scientology, engrams are painful and debilitating; as they accumulate, people move further away from their true identity. [78] This was an important factor in the transition from secular Dianetics to the religion of Scientology. W. Vaughn Mccall, Professor and Chairman of the Georgia Regents University writes, "Both Freudian theory and Hubbard assume that there are unconscious mental processes that may be shaped by early life experiences, and that these influence later behavior and thought." Scientology began to focus on these issues in the early 1970s, led by Hubbard. [396] Germany will continue to monitor Scientology's activities in the country, despite continued objection from Scientology which cites such monitoring as abuse of freedom of religion. Urban, Hubbard's early science of Dianetics would be best comprehended as a "bricolage that brought together his various explorations in psychology, hypnosis, and science fiction". [309] Many of the suits were dismissed, but one resulted in $2 million in losses, bankrupting the network. [79], Scientology is officially recognized as a religion in the United States. Another was a 1991 Time magazine article that attacked the organization, which responded with a major lawsuit that was rejected by the court as baseless early in 1992. These engrams are named Implants in the doctrine of Scientology. B023193, July 18, 1989, Hamburg Regional Office of the German Constitutional Security Agency. [362] The secret agreement was announced on October 13, 1993, with the IRS refusing to disclose any of the terms or the reasoning behind the decision. [94] Marco Frenschkowski quotes Hubbard in a letter written in 1953, to show that he never denied that his original approach was not a religious one: "Probably the greatest discovery of Scientology and its most forceful contribution to mankind has been the isolation, description and handling of the human spirit, accomplished in July 1951, in Phoenix, Arizona. [181] Organizational operating budgets are performance-related and subject to frequent reviews. [426][427][428], Hubbard grew up in a climate that was very critical of organized religion, and frequently quoted anti-religious sentiments in his early lectures. 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. Chapman, Mark. [citation needed], In April 1938, Hubbard reportedly reacted to a drug used in a dental procedure. Winter. Gallagher, Eugene V.; Ashcraft, W. Michael (2006). This page was last edited on 10 January 2021, at 19:44. Scientology is a set of beliefs and practices invented by American author L. Ron Hubbard, and an associated movement. Scientology and Dianetics Training Services, International Association of Scientologists. [14][243][244][245][246] It has been one of the most litigious religious movements in history, filing countless lawsuits against governments, organizations and individuals. 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