Scientology has been dragged into the highlight every so often since its inception; nevertheless, final yr, it discovered itself within the headlines of main information retailers for lengthy stretches of time. This yr is shaping as much as be about the identical, with defendants from the Danny Masterson rape case of 2023 alleging the group makes use of mob-style ways to silence its members and even revenue off of criminality.
Scientology has been shrouded in thriller from the start, so attending to the underside of what precisely Scientology is and what it means to be a Scientologist is tough to decipher. Relying on the supply, Scientology is a faith, a path to psychological well being, a method to treatment bodily illnesses, a cult, or a highly-sophisticated up to date model of the mob.
To grasp Scientology, it’s important to start out with its inception after which maintain on tight as the trail towards understanding winds and weaves into every state of affairs. So buckle up, and let’s begin originally.
The creator
Scientology was based in 1954 by author L. Ron Hubbard. Mr. Hubbard wasn’t a theologian or author of nice biblical or non secular works.
Mr. Hubbard primarily wrote westerns, horror, and science fiction. Born from his book titled Dianetics: The Fashionable Science of Psychological Well being, Scientology was based mostly on the idea that every particular person has two components of their thoughts – one that’s rational and one that isn’t.
Dianetics particularly describes the human thoughts as having a acutely aware “analytical thoughts” and a unconscious “reactive thoughts.” The reactive thoughts, in accordance with Dianetics, homes our traumatic and painful pasts, which, if left unchecked, results in ache that may manifest in both psychological well being points and even bodily illnesses.
Scientology presents a treatment to this “reactive thoughts” by means of a course of referred to as “auditing.” Auditing consists of being requested questions meant to find your inside ache and erase it out of your thoughts with the aim of changing into “clear.”
They actually have a device for measuring your readability. Whereas present process auditing, people maintain onto an electropsychometer or “E-meter” that measures the energy of {an electrical} present of their physique.
It’s this auditing that began placing Scientology entrance and middle within the information and with the regulation, provided that it prices a payment to obtain auditing companies.
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Cash cash cash
In 1958, the Inside Income Service (IRS) revoked Scientology’s tax-exempt standing as a result of their auditing processes appeared extra like “psychological remedy,” as they put it on the time, than a faith. The IRS’ determination was celebrated by many, together with physicians and psychiatrists, who felt the group was utilizing untested and unscientific strategies not based mostly in drugs to deal with psychological sickness and bodily illnesses.
This removing of their tax-exempt standing prompted Scientology to prepare a whole group inside the group to struggle any assaults made in opposition to the faith. The outcome was an extended battle with the IRS, culminating in getting their tax-exempt standing again in 1993, making it the longest investigation within the IRS historical past.
The interior group and mechanisms of Scientology are sufficient to boost eyebrows. Regardless of the shroud of secrecy, what is understood is fairly spectacular.
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There are a number of layers of Scientology hierarchy with extremely organized programs explicitly constructed to counter any damaging press or assaults. Many would possibly imagine Scientology’s headquarters reside in Hollywood, given the group’s clear attraction for celebrities.
Nevertheless, the headquarters is in Clearwater, Florida, with the leaders residing totally on ships dubbed Sea Organizations. The chief of Scientology, David Miscavige, even has the title of Captain.
Getting a bit bizarre
The Scientology website describes the group as a faith, stating:
“…Scientology is a faith that gives a exact path main to an entire and sure understanding of 1’s true non secular nature and one’s relationship to self, household, teams, Mankind, all life kinds, the fabric universe, the non secular universe and the Supreme Being.”
That sounds good and properly, however if you happen to take a second, it turns into obvious that none of which means or explains something. At its floor, Scientology appears akin to meditation or yoga, a observe meant to focus the thoughts and management our emotional reactions to the skin world in an try to achieve inside peace and maybe obtain added advantages of bodily and psychological ache reduction.
However due to some leaks on the interior doctrine of Scientology, we all know that there’s way more to this faith. Like Buddhism, Scientologists imagine people have lived a number of lifetimes however are trapped in several our bodies.
It’s not till one attains a “clear state” that one is launched from one’s trapped bodily physique. The thought is that every of us is an immortal being often called a “Thetan.”
Professor of spiritual research on the Virginia Commonwealth College David Bromley explains:
“You progress up the bridge to freedom by working towards being an ‘Working Thetan,’ which on the highest degree transcends materials regulation. You often come throughout individuals in Scientology who say they will change the fabric world with their thoughts.”
And that is when it will get slightly bit stranger.
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Aren’t all of us simply aliens?
Thetans, in accordance with Scientology, are the souls of an historic intergalactic civilization that was destroyed right here on Earth and have latched themselves onto people. This latching is what causes our inside turmoil and the supply of our bodily ache.
Allegedly, when you attain the clear state of OT or Operational Thetan, you change into aware about the superior secret texts of Scientology. These texts allegedly clarify that an alien named Xenu, who was an intergalactic ruler 70 million years in the past, took billions of aliens from different planets right here and murdered them with thermonuclear weapons.
This excessive galactic violence created the Thetans, who torment people till they’re audited out of our our bodies, making us, you guessed it, clear.
The key texts learn like an episode from an Historical Aliens combined with slightly little bit of the plot from The Matrix. When requested by Playboy journal what Scientology was, outstanding superstar Scientologist Tom Cruise stated:
“What I imagine in my very own life is that it’s a seek for how I can do issues higher, whether or not it’s being a greater man or a greater father or discovering methods for myself to enhance.”
When put into that perspective, it’s onerous to search out fault with Scientology. Aren’t all religions, at their core, about discovering methods to be higher individuals to ourselves and the world round us?
Aren’t all of us, no matter non secular backgrounds, aiming to do issues higher and be higher? The query is, does Scientology have a way more sinister basis and operation – or is it only a faith that is a bit more open to the fantasy features of perception than the remaining?
Now’s the time to help and share the sources you belief.
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