User:Trisandejarnatt/Scientology

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Scientology is a set of beliefs and practices invented by the American author L. Ron Hubbard, and an associated movement. It is variously defined as a cult, a business, or a new religious movement.[11] Hubbard initially developed a set of ideas that he called Dianetics, which he represented as a form of therapy. An organization that he established in 1950 to promote it went bankrupt, and Hubbard lost the rights to his book Dianetics in 1952. He then recharacterized his ideas as a religion, likely for tax purposes, and renamed them Scientology.[7][12][13] By 1954, he had regained the rights to Dianetics and founded the Church of Scientology, which remains the largest organization promoting Scientology. There are practitioners independent of the Church, in what is called the Free Zone. Estimates put the number of Scientologists at under 40,000 worldwide.

From soon after their formation, Hubbard's groups have generated considerable opposition and controversy, in several instances because of their illegal activities.[19] In the 1970s, Hubbard's followers engaged in a program of criminal infiltration of the U.S. government, resulting in several executives of the organization being convicted and imprisoned for multiple offenses by a U.S. Federal Court. Hubbard himself was convicted in absentia of fraud by a French court in 1978 and sentenced to four years in prison.[20] In 1992, a court in Canada convicted the Scientology organization in Toronto of spying on law enforcement and government agencies, and criminal breach of trust, later upheld by the Ontario Court of Appeal.[21][22] The Church of Scientology was convicted of fraud by a French court in 2009, a judgment upheld by the supreme Court of Cassation in 2013.[23]

The Church of Scientology has been described by government inquiries, international parliamentary bodies, scholars, law lords, and numerous superior court judgments as both a dangerous cult and a manipulative profit-making business.[30] Following extensive litigation in numerous countries,[31][32] the organization has managed to attain a legal recognition as a religious institution in some jurisdictions, including Australia,[33][34] Italy,[32] and the United States.[35] Germany classifies Scientology groups as an "anti-constitutional sect",[36][37] while the French government classifies the group as a dangerous cult.[38][39]

History
For a chronological guide, see Timeline of Scientology.

Main article: History of Dianetics and Scientology

As the 1950s developed, Hubbard saw the advantages of having his Scientology movement legally recognised as a religion.[90] Following the prosecution of Hubbard's foundation for teaching medicine without a license, in April 1953, Hubbard wrote a letter proposing that Scientology should be transformed into a religion.[91] In December 1953, Hubbard incorporated three organizations – a "Church of American Science", a "Church of Scientology" and a "Church of Spiritual Engineering" – in Camden, New Jersey.[92] In 1959, Hubbard purchased Saint Hill Manor in East Grinstead, Sussex, United Kingdom, which became the worldwide headquarters of the Church of Scientology and his personal residence. With the Church often under heavy criticism, it adopted strong measures of attack in dealing with its critics.[93]

In 1966, the Church established a Guardian's Office (GO), an intelligence unit devoted to undermining those hostile towards Scientology.[94] The GO launched an extensive program of countering negative publicity, gathering intelligence, and infiltrating hostile organizations.[95] In "Operation Snow White", the GO infiltrated the IRS and several other government departments and stole, photocopied, and then returned tens of thousands of documents pertaining to the Church, politicians, and celebrities.[96] In July 1977, police raids on Church premises in Washington, DC, and Los Angeles revealed the extent of the GO's infiltration into government departments and other groups.[97] Eleven officials and agents of the Church were indicted; in December 1979, they were sentenced to between 4 and 5 years each and individually fined $10,000.[98] Among those found guilty was Hubbard's then-wife, Mary Sue Hubbard.[96] Public revelation of the GO's activities brought widespread condemnation of the Church.[98]

In 1967, Hubbard established a new elite group, the Sea Organization or "SeaOrg", the membership of which was drawn from the most committed members of the Church.[99] By 1981, the 21-year old David Miscavige, who had been one of Hubbard's closest aides in the SeaOrg, rose to prominence.[54] Hubbard died at his ranch in Creston, California, on January 24, 1986.[100][101] Miscavige succeeded Hubbard as head of the Church.[102]

In 1993, the Internal Revenue Service dropped all litigation against the Church and recognized it as a religious organization.[103]

Most recently the church of scientology in recent year been brought back into the light with ex-members speaking out about their experiences being brought up in the church. the most popular being Leah Remini with her Documentary television series entitled "Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath."

Beliefs and practices[edit]
Main article: Scientology beliefs and practices"A civilization without insanity, without criminals and without war; where the world can prosper and honest beings can have rights, and where man is free to rise to greater heights, are the aims of Scientology."Scientology beliefs include reincarnation, and that traumatic events cause problematic "engrams" in the mind. They claim that an activity called "auditing" can remove the "engrams". A fee is charged for each session of "auditing". Once an "auditor" deems an individual free of "engrams", typically after several years, they are given the status of "clear". Scholar differs on the interpretation of these beliefs: some academics regard them as religious in nature; other scholars regard them as merely a means of extracting money from Scientology recruits. After attaining "clear" status, adherents can take part in the Operating Thetan levels, which require further payments. The Operating Thetan texts are kept secret from most followers; they are revealed only after adherents have typically given hundreds of thousands of dollars to the Scientology organization.[14] Despite its efforts to maintain the secrecy of the texts, they are freely available online on sites such as the publisher WikiLeaks.[15][16] These texts say past lives took place in extraterrestrial cultures.[17] They involve an alien called Xenu, described as a planetary ruler 70 million years ago who brought billions of aliens to Earth and killed them with thermonuclear weapons. Despite being kept secret from most followers, this forms the central mythological framework of Scientology's ostensible soteriology.[18] These aspects have become the subject of popular ridicule.

Hubbard lies at the core of Scientology, with his writings remaining the source of its doctrines and practices. Sociologist of religion David G. Bromley describes the religion as Hubbard's "personal synthesis of philosophy, physics, and psychology". Hubbard claimed that he developed his ideas through research and experimentation, rather than through revelation from a supernatural source. He published hundreds of articles and books over the course of his life, writings that Scientologists regard as scripture. The Church encourages people to read his work chronologically, in the order in which it was written. It claims that Hubbard's work is perfect and no elaboration or alteration is permitted. Hubbard described Scientology as an "applied religious philosophy", because, according to him, it consists of a metaphysical doctrine, a theory of psychology, and teachings in morality.

Hubbard developed thousands of neologisms during his lifetime. The nomenclature used by the movement is termed "Scientologese" by members. Scientologists are expected to learn this specialist terminology, the use of which separates followers from non-Scientologists. The Church refers to its practices as "technology", a term often shortened to "Tech". Scientologists stress the "standardness" of this "tech", by which they express belief in its infallibility. The Church's system of pedagogy is called "Study Tech" and is presented as the best method for learning. Scientology teaches that when reading, it is very important not to go past a word one does not understand. A person should instead consult a dictionary as to the meaning of the word before progressing, something Scientology calls "word clearing".

The scholar of religion Dorthe Refslund Christensen described Scientology as being "a religion of practice" rather than "a religion of belief". According to Scientology, its beliefs and practices are based on rigorous research, and its doctrines are accorded a significance equivalent to scientific laws. Blind belief is held to be of lesser significance than the practical application of Scientologist methods. Adherents are encouraged to validate the practices through their personal experience. Hubbard put it this way: "For a Scientologist, the final test of any knowledge he has gained is, 'did the data and the use of it in life actually improve conditions or didn't it?'" Many Scientologists avoid using the words "belief" or "faith" to describe how Hubbard's teachings impacts their lives, preferring to say that they "know" it to be true.

Controversies[edit]
Main article: Scientology controversies

See also: Scientology and the legal system

Mistreatment of Members
A prominent ex-member who has spoke out about much of the organization mistreatment of member and people who have left in recent years is Leah Remini. Leah Remini is an American actress that has been involved with the Church of Scientology since childhood when her parents joined the church. She left the church in 2013. In 2015 she published a book entitled "Troublemaker: Surviving Hollywood and Scientology" were see recounts her experiences and events leading up to her leaving the church. She also has produced a documentary television series on A&E entitled "LEAH REMINI: SCIENTOLOGY AND THE AFTERMATH" released in 2017 and aired 3 seasons. In This series, her and her co-host Mike Rinder, who is also an ex-memeber, tell their experience and express their grievances with the church. Leah Remini has been outspoken about her strong dislike of the Church of Scientology and has raised much awareness about some of the major issues within the church regarding treatment of children, exploitive money practices and mistreatments she has exhibited.

As of August 2023, Leah has official filed a Lawsuit against the church of scientology. She alleges verbal, physical and sexual abuse known and allowed by the church and exploitive practices such as sign Billion-year contracts with the organization. The main claims of the lawsuit are for psychological torture, defamation, surveillance, harassment, and intimidation brought on throughout her years as a member and as tactics used after she publicly left the church.