SCIENTOLOGY?
			      by:  ***** *******
			   Humanities 18, Carl Jeck
			       December 2, 1993

	 
				   My Goal:
	 A Scientologist once stated, "I just wish more people would take a
    look, would read [about Scientology] before they decide we're cuckoo." 
    Whether Scientologists or its parishioners are cuckoo or not, my focus
    will be the "micro"-aspectcs of scientology and of how closely it
    compares to the various forms of religion that I've been introduced to
    throughout my religions studies class.

				Basic Theories:
	 Started by science-fiction writer L. Ron Hubbard (1911-1986), the
    religion of Scientology attempts to "clear" people of unhappiness,
    allowing people to seek a "good" life.  Little emphasis is placed on
    preparing for the next life since the "soul", according to Scientology
    theory, has lived for about as long as the universe has existed.  Where
    some Christians prepare to become one with god in eternity, Scientology
    teaches that people have lived for millennia.  Scientology accepts the
    idea that God exists in each man as a "thetan," which is comparable to
    the "spirit" or "soul."

	 "Scientology teaches that humans willed themselves into existence
    trillions of years ago and then proceeded to will the material universe
    into existence.  Doing thus, they became trapped in physical bodies and
    must be "untrapped" in order to return to the original godlike
    state."(Hopkins p.31)  Whether one believes we have originated from a
    garden, other earthy animals, or alien beings, I wouldn't be as quick
    to criticize Scientology as did (underlinne)Christianity Today.

	 In his book (sacred text?), The Dynamics of Life, L. Ron Hubbard
    (1911-86) presents the primary axioms of Dianetics.  The first, being
    "Survive!", represents the dynamic principle of existence and that it
    embraces all forms of energy.  He defines energy to be people, plants,
    and all other forms of matter.  He places eternal survival as the
    ultimate success and death as the ultimate failure for organisms. 
    Things which are good aid the organism, his family, group, and species
    toward the first axiom where bad things hinder.  The second axiom, "The
    purpose of the mind is to solve problems relating to survival",
    emphasizes that organisims are born with the desire and ability to
    survive, including the urge of procreation and the care of progeny. 
    The third and fourth axiom, "The mind directs the organism, the
    species, its symbiotes (any or all life or energy forms which are
    mutually dependent for survival) or life in the effort of survival."
    and "The mind as the central direction system of the body, poses,
    perceives and resolves problems of survival and directs or fails to
    direct their execution.", seems to rephrase the second axiom while
    stressing that every action within an organisms environment was
    motivated by survival and that organisms can survive only as a species.
    The fifth axiom, "The persistency of the individual in life is directly
    governed by the strength of his basic dynamic (desire to survive)" and
    the sixth, "intelligence is the ability of an individual, group or race
    to resolve problems relating to survival" claims the urge to survive
    embraces all living things.  At the same time, the organism is limited
    by its observations.

			     Engrams & The Clear:
	      "Correct application of the knowledge purveyed by the
	 movement will, it is claimed, lead to the freeing of the
	 individual's superhumanly powerful spiritual nature.  In the
	 progress towards this desirable state, currrent human
	 limitations - psychosomatic illnes,s psychological and
	 physical disabilities, lack of confidence, or competence -
	 will fall away, enabling the individual to cope more
	 successfully with his environment"(Wallis p.4).

	 According to Hubbard, the purpose of Dianetics is to delete from
    the mind physically painful experiences which have resulted in the
    aberration of the analytical mind, to resolve the physical
    manifestations of mental aberration, and to restore in its entirety the
    proper working function of a brain.  One who accomplishes this goal is
    considered to be "Clear" or the "basic individual".  The
    characteristics of a "basic individual" include the strength of his
    basic dynamic, the sensitivity or "intelligence" of his analyzer (the
    one who aids the person into a "clear" state), the coordination of his
    motor controls, his physiological and glandular condition, and his
    environment and education.  Stressed also is that each individual is
    distinct and everybody varied.

	 The "Clear" is one who has become the "basic individual" through
    auditing to remove "Engrams" from the mind.  Engrams are defined as a
    recorded mental image of physical pain (impact or injury) during
    unconsciousness.  When the same situations are again experienced by the
    organism, the engrams surface which impedes one or more dynamics which
    impedes the first axiom of survival.  Engrams could also be created
    while still in the mother's womb.

	      "The golden rule could be altered to read:  If you love
	 your brother, keep your mouth shut when he is unconscious"
	 (Hubbard (2) p.159).

	 An example given was that of a new born child who, just after
    child birth, was in a state of physical pain an suffocation.  During
    this incident the words "no good" were said.  At the age of seven, he
    hears the words again while sick with a severe head ache.  This causes
    the birth engram to surface developing into psychosomatic ill.  This in
    turn would aid in the development of an actual disease.

	 These engrams can "only" be discovered with assistance from an
    auditor. The four cases listed in this book focused on a form of
    psychoanalysis.  The auditor brought the patient mentally back before
    child birth where the patients aberrations were created.  In almost
    every case, the "Unclear" patient's therapy focus on this period of
    life.

	 "Many Scientologists say that Hubbard's teachings have resurrected
    their lives, some of which were marred by drugs, personal traumas,
    self-doubts or a sense of alienation...through the church, they have
    gained confidence and learned to lead ethical lives and take
    responsibility for themselves, while working to create a better
    world."(Sappell & Welkos p.A18)  Many of the people who I spoke with
    over the past summer during Bible study sessions also spoke of previous
    hardships, drug addiction or sexual confusion.  Many boasted the fact
    that the Bible turned their lives around.  I wonder if those same
    people, if given a taste of Scientology before placing their faith in
    Christianity, would be Christians today.

	 Beyond a psychological approach to healing, "Scientology promotes
    a system of saunas, exercise and vitamins to purify the body."(Behar
    p.54)  Scientology puts little emphasis on drugs or modern medical
    practice, which places the doctors attention on the ailment and not on
    the patient.

				   Auditing:
	 "Scientology has two goals, and two types of courses to match: 
    "auditing" people or "processing"; and teaching people to audit others
    or "training."(Cooper p.151)  One audits their life (and prior lives)
    to locate evil intentions and traumatic experiences that left him or
    her with psychosomatic ills.  Auditing, a kind of confessional, occurs
    with an individual reveals intimate and traumatic details of his life
    while his responses are monitored on a lie detector-type device or E
    -meter.  One aspect of this technique included the repetition of
    phrases or ides, both on the auditor's account and his or her patients.
     Another technique was that of securing a "flash answer", used to
    "snap" the aberration forth.

	 The purpose is to unburden a person of painful experiences, or
    engrams that would otherwise block his spiritual growth.  At one time,
    auditing was purchases in 12 1/2 hour blocks costing $3000 - $11000. 
    "Even Scientology's critics concede that auditing often helps people
    feel better by allowing them to air troubling aspects of their lives
    much like a Catholic confessional or psychotherapy..."(Sappell & Welkos
    p.A18)  It would seem that what I call the "Exorcism Theory" Dianetics
    calls auditing, Christianity calls confessional or, in the case of a
    possessed little girl, exorcism.

	 Teaching people to audit others echos a certain missionary
    attitude of evangelizing.  An experience I had in a Christian church
    was learning of it's focus of evangelizing, spreading the word, and
    saving others.

	 "The Scientology Bridge is always under construction, keeping the
    Supreme Answer one step away from church members.  New courses
    continually are added, each of which is said to be crucial for
    spiritual progress.  By graduating these costly courses, one attains
    the state of 'clear'."(Behar p.51)  Some religions might feel that
    their religions are the one true religion to be saved while some use
    their religion for monatary gain, as seen through some very popular
    television evangilists.  Some forms of Scientology seem to take the
    latter as its main purpose for spreading the word of "Hubbard". 
    Beginning classes begin as free seminars where the higher courses in
    Scientology can cost over throusands of dollars.

	 Since the thetan had become bored with his omniscience, he
    permitted limitations upon his abilities.  Ultimately, he became
    responsible for everything that happened, since he caused everything to
    happen in the first place.  As a parallelism to Christianity,
    Scientology seems to offer a theory of sin and retribution in that we
    must deal with our past decisions!

				 Critics View:
	 Scientology has presented itself to me to be a religion, cult,
    philosophy, rehabilitation center, form of psychotherapy, and science
    fiction society.

	 Many of Hubbards theories have definate influence from modern day
    science and ideals.  Hubbard based his ideas of the origin of humans
    from the theory of evolution.  His science fiction writing influence
    can be heard in his theories concering past lives, many of whom have
    lived on other planets engaged in inter-galactic war!  "It isn't a
    matter of believing or not believing you have lived before.  It's a
    matter of remembering or not remembering you have lived before."  Of
    course, every religion has their own theory on the origin of man, but
    one can't help see the parallelism of Hubbard's background and
    theories.  Many of the auditing sessions focused on past lives where
    some people's abbarations were due to subcontious injuries during roman
    times of war or as a person was being eat during a past life.

	 Another of Scientology's top promoters, Larry Wollersheim who
    later became disenchanted with the movement, wrote, "Fear and hope are
    totally indoctrinated into the cult...he is afraid of the peer pressure
    for not proceeding up the prescribed program...how many people could
    stand up to that kind of pressure and stand before a group of
    applauding people and say: 'Hey, it really wasn't good.'?"  He
    continues to state that the courses only provide temporary euphoria
    like states.  It seems to me like an addiction in that people want to
    experience the next stage, or course, forever chasing a fleeting,
    subjective euphoria.  I have seen the same reaction occur in
    evangelical sermons.  People become so enveloped in a sense of euphoria
    that, as in the case of a Christian evangelism, they feel god has
    healed or moved them to a point were they collapse to the ground.

	 The seven dynamics seemed to parallel the ideas of religious
    creeds or laws.  Instead of attaining union with God by following, as
    the organism fulfills a dynamic, they move closer to the desired state
    of "clear".

	 As I see it, an auditor is in complete control of what the
    preclear thinks and says, almost as if a brain-washing technique is
    used.  Attempts to scientifically investigate led to a laboratory test
    of reading passages to an unconscious person while inflicting pain. 
    Six months of auditing by a trained auditor failed to recover any part
    of the passage read.  "The thereapeutic success claimed by such
    movements is generally attributed to mistaken diagnosis, the 'placebo
    effect', spontaneous remission, and the mobilization of the patient's
    expectation of headling." (Wallis p.71)  With this in mind and the fact
    that reports of Dianetics were so widely published, few people could
    have been audited with out some knowledge of auditing sessions.

	 
    
				  BIBLIOGRAPHY.
    
Behar, Richard.  The Thriving Cult of Greed and Power.  Time, May 6, 1991.

    
Cooper, Paulette.  The Scandal Of Scientology.  New York, New York:  Tower
Publications, Inc.:  1971 p151

    
Hopkins, Joseph M.  Is L. Ron Hubbard Dead?  Christianity Today,  February 18,
1983 p31


Hubbard, L. Ron.

(1) The Dynamics of Life.  Los Angeles CA:  Bridge Publications, Inc. 1983

(2) Dianetics:  The modern Science of Mental Health.  Los Angeles CA:  Bridge
Publications, Inc. 1986


Sappell, Joel & Welkos, Robert W.  Church Markets Its Gospel With High_Pressure
Sales & Shoring Up Its Religious Profile.  Los Angeles, CA:  Los Angeles Times,
June 25, 1990