Since its founding 75 years ago, Scientology has enjoyed both meteoric growth and ever-mounting criticism.
Its founder, L. Ron Hubbard stated that the term “Scientology” derives from “scios” and “ology,” which he defined as “knowing about knowing” or “the science of knowledge.”
Analyses and criticisms of the movement have covered a wide range of academic and scholarly perspectives including debates over how the organization should be classified.
Is it a religion, a new social movement, a business enterprise, a therapy system or a technology-centered support group?
Scholars note that it blends ideas from many sources, including Eastern religions, Western esoteric traditions, psychology, and mid-20th-century science fiction.
Hubbard claimed that Scientology was “all-denominational” and members of the organization are not prohibited from active involvement in religions.
In fact, it is not uncommon to find members who also practice Judaism, Christianity, Buddhism and Islam. It even claims one Baptist minister.
It has not, however, received recognition as a religious institution in the majority of the 184 countries in which it claims to operate.
In 1966, Hubbard established the Guardian’s Office (GO), a department devoted to undermining those hostile towards Scientology.
The GO launched an extensive undercover program of countering negative publicity, gathering intelligence, and infiltrating organizations.
In “Operation Snow White” the GO infiltrated the IRS and numerous other government departments and stole tens of thousands of documents pertaining to the Scientology organization, politicians, and celebrities.
In 1977, the FBI raided the church’s premises in Washington, DC, and Los Angeles, revealing the extent of the GO’s infiltration into government departments and other groups.
Eleven officials and agents of the church were indicted and sentenced to between four and five years in prison. Among those found guilty was Hubbard’s then-wife, Mary Sue Hubbard.
Hubbard died at his ranch in Creston, California in 1986. The church characterized Hubbard’s passing, not as a death, but as a voluntary “discarding” of his body to continue research in a higher spiritual state.
David Miscavige rose to become head of the organization and announced that Hubbard had successfully finished his work on Earth and moved to a “higher level of Operating Thetan research.”
In 1993, the IRS dropped all litigation against the Scientology organization and recognized it as a religious institution.
However, it is considered a cult in Chile and an “anti-constitutional sect” in Germany. It has been labeled as a “secte” (cult) by French authorities.
It has been denied status as a charitable organization or a religion in most European countries.
Ral Aars has been teaching Religiosity classes for 35 years and invites everyone to attend free and open to the public every Sunday at 10 a.m. in the Parish Hall at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church at Norse. Write to Ral Aars at: raars.sxc@gmail.com.
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