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Amy Lee
Comparative Religion/ Block D
Comparative Religion Paper
9 October 2015
Cult of Scientology
Many wonder if Scientology is considered as a religion. The religion, Scientology,
teaches that people are immortal beings who had forgotten true nature. In 1993, the church of
Scientology was accepted as a religion. It was granted full tax exemption from the government of
the United States; it was to be considered as a religion such as Christianity.
The founder of Scientology was Lafayette Ron Hubbard. He was an author, philosopher,
humanitarian and Founder of the Scientology religion. He was born on March 13, 1911 in Tilden
Nebraska. As a young boy he started reading books well beyond his age, under the influence of
his mother, including Shakespeare, Greek philosophy, and an array of later classics. At age 13 he
had distinguished himself as the nations youngest Eagle Scout, and represented the Boy Scouts
of America to U.S. President Calvin Coolidge (What Is Scientology). Hubbard was very
intelligent from a young age. He always had a desire to improve the human condition.
Commander Joseph C. Thompson introduced L. Ron Hubbard to the Freudian theory (What Is
Scientology). Thompson explained to Ron the course of psychoanalytic theory at the age of
twelve. In the 1930s Hubbard enrolled at George Washington University where he studied
engineering and molecular physics. Soon after, in 1932 he dropped out of George Washington
University to start his own career to write pulp-fiction. After writing his pulp-fiction he
published over a thousand books and currently holds the Guinness World Record (What Is
Scientology). Before introducing the idea of Scientology he wrote sacred texts known as

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Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health. In the text he expresses his description of the
human mind. However, before he founded Scientology, he held a position as an officer in the
U.S. Navy. His service in the military helped shape much of his own views. He dedicated
himself to determining both the cause of the human situation and the means of correcting it
(Melton). Soon his idea evolved to become the religion now known as Scientology.
The history of Scientology began in the 1950s. Scientology resembles mostly a Western
esoteric-Gnostic system (Melton). The Church of Scientology was started by science-fiction
writer L. Ron Hubbard to "clear" people of unhappiness, portrays itself as a religion (Time).
Huber began his studies of mind and spirit and eventually led to him writing the manuscript
known as Excalibur. This was written before the Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental
Health. Excalibur was a manuscript that only discussed the composition of life. However, he
wanted to expound upon several concepts, which resulted in Dianetics. It introduced Scientology
in a broader way to provide therapy for every human being. However, many have conflicting
views towards the religion of Scientology, some believing that the church is a profitable global
racket that survives by intimidating members and critics in a Mafia-like manner (Scientology:
The Thriving). These same people think that the church of Scientology is a conspiracy of
corrupted people. After Scientology was accepted as a religion that had developed from
Hubbards Dianetic, he traveled the world to spread the religion. Now many practice this
religion, and it is growing rapidly.
The key beliefs and practices of the Church of Scientology are very different from any
other religion. Fundamental to Scientology is a view of man as a spiritual being, but this is
understood in a special way. In Scientology, the spiritual being is called the thetan. It is an
immortal and has lived through countless lifetimes (What Is Scientology). It is believed that the

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thetan animates the human body and mind. Also, there are eight dynamics in Scientology that
describe the fundamental view of life toward survival. The First Dynamic is the urge toward
existence as ones self. Second, the urge toward existence as a sexual activity. Third, the urge
toward existence in groups of individuals. The Fourth Dynamic is the urge toward existence of
Mankind. Fifth being the urge toward existence of the animal kingdom. Sixth, the urge toward
existence as physical universe. Seventh, is the urge toward existence as of spirits. Lastly, is the
urge toward existence as infinity (What Is Scientology).
Scientology is a religion that takes place in society and everyday life. In addition to the
dynamics, Scientology also has many other core beliefs and practices such as auditing, the ARC
and KRC triangle, afterlife, infinity, and the bridge to freedom. Hubbard introduced a
psychotherapeutic technique he called auditing. He created a simplified lie detector that was
designed to measure electrical changes of subjects discussed of their past (Scientology: The
Thriving). The KRC and ARC triangle signifies as knowledge, responsibility, and control. The
ARC triangle stands for affinity, reality, and communication. These two triangles make up the
symbol for the Church of Scientology. They also believe in the existence as infinity. The people
of Scientology believe and need the feel for personal development (What Is Scientology).
In my opinion, the Church of Scientology is very different and odd. It is an interesting
religion. It does not really give the feel of a religion like Christianity. There is no set leader to
follow or worship; the religion seems very artificial and unreal. It puts people into the idea of
living in a utopian society. I feel that the religion came to be from inspiration from other religion;
Hubbard incorporates many different religions into one, he pieced it all together. Describes the
thetans in mythic stories similar to those in ancient Gnostic and Hindu myths (Melton). This does
not really seem like a religion more science than a belief. Hubbard also developed the religion

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through his understanding of science and psychological studies. The basic religion of
Scientology teaches that all we need to do is study his research and learn how to apply it into the
everyday life. However, his idea does not really support the idea of a religion. There is not a
major beliefs other than improving the human condition. the spiritual being thetan is an
immortal that lived countless lifetimes, which animates the human body and mind. This is very
odd, the people of Scientology believe than an immortal being animates their body and mind, it
is like a possession. The practices they require really take away personal privacy, such as
auditing. It really invades the privacy of a person, since it makes people talk about personal
difficulties and painful memories. In my opinion, this idea is not really moral. People should be
able to reflect upon their difficulties and wrongdoing instead of being forced to tell. This is not
much of a religion but science using the human psychological mind. Hubbard borrowed from a
number of different religions to put together the Church of Scientology. In my honest opinion,
after researching and looking into this religion, it seems very corrupted and unrealistic.
Overall, Lafayette Ron Hubbard founded the Church of Scientology in the 1950s. Its
main belief was dedicating oneself to better the human condition through the control of
psychological mind. The beliefs and practices of the Church of Scientology are very different
from any religion we had witnessed. Even in the midst of many controversies, the church of
Scientology was eventually accepted as a religion in 1933.

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Work Cited
Melton, J. Gordon. "Scientology." Encyclopedia of Religion. Ed. Lindsay Jones. 2nd ed. Vol. 12.
Detroit: Macmillan Reference USA, 2005. 8192-8194. Gale Virtual Reference Library.
Web. 9 Oct. 2015.
"Scientology: The Thriving Cult of Greed and Power." Scientology: The Thriving Cult of Greed
and Power. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Oct. 2015.
"What Is Scientology? Official Church of Scientology." Scientology. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Oct.
2015.