“Scientology is a system of beliefs and practices created by American pulp fiction[1][2] and science fiction [3] author L. Ron Hubbard in 1952 as a self-help philosophy.”
http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/scientology
See here for a critic’s view:
http://www.clambake.org/roland-intro.html
See here for scientology’s own view:
http://www.scientology.org/en_US/religion/index.html
Scientology is considered a religion in some countries, a profitable organisation in others, and in some it is considered a cult whose practises have been banned. For example, the US gives Scientology tax exempt status, whereas Germany and Belgium have called it a “totalitarian cult” and a “commercial enterprise”. France in 1995 classified it as a dangerous cult. The UK refused charitable status in 1999. Russia has a pending court trial over their refusal to register scientology as a religion.
I personally believe scientology to be a dangerous cult that lies to and tricks adherents into believing they are improving themselves and the world around them, while they are for the most part doing the exact opposite. It is made up of good people with good intentions that have been unfortunately deceived just because they do want to help others and themselves live better lives. It appeals to a person’s good intentions, and therein lies the trap.
It seems to have been set up to make money, and indeed they have been very successful at it – although the money is all at the top and not with the actual people delivering the services. Indeed Hubbard is quoted as saying "Writing for a penny a word is ridiculous. If a man really wants to make a million dollars, the best way would be to start his own religion"
http://www.skeptictank.org/readdig.htm
Scientology originated in the 1950’s, it believes its teachings go back not 10,000 years as theta has said, but actually quadrillions of years, even dealing with many different universes that have come and gone in that time. At the top it is about space alien souls that inhabit your body. This was Hubbard’s ‘new’ discovery, strange how it sounds all so sci-fi considering Hubbard was a sci-fi writer. (Sarcasm).
Hubbard has not discovered anything about the true nature of man, nor was he educated or qualified to do so. He was undoubtedly a clever man but also with many psychotic tendencies, that never cleared his own problems let alone anyone else’s. He died on the physch drugs he has campaigned so hard against, in a bid to have his cult takeover their responsibilities. He had a reoccurring stomach ulcer, and continued to claim military disability allowance. By personal accounts he had a wild temper, mild OCD, & respiratory problems, despite the fact that his new discoveries were meant to fix all that.
Dianetics is a rewrite of Freudian memory regression into a complex and ill-worded theory, along with occult magick from Aleister Crawley with Hubbard’s experience as a sci-fi writer thrown in. Scientology has never submitted it methods to the scientific community, nor is it endorsed by any such body. Hubbard was not a scientist and seemingly knew nothing of the scientific method, nor has any of his ‘extensive research’ ever come to light. What has come to light is the social & mind control techniques that take place in scientology, and how people are duped into following this money & alien orientated cult.
http://www.clambake.org/archive/books/apobs/
http://www.clambake.org/archive/techniques/
http://www.clambake.org/archive/lrhbare/
This only formal study of dianetics done near the time it appeared showed dianetics did not achieve any of its stated aims or benefits.
http://www.clambake.org/archive/fischer/
Here is an archive of official studies critical of scientology
http://www.clambake.org/archive/audit/
You cannot progress in scientology without a belief in re-incarnation, and then little alien souls that inhabit your body, so it is not compatible with other people’s faith, it just says it is.
http://www.clambake.org/archive/ot/
http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/scientology
http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/xenu
They lie to members to gain and keep them.
They say it has been thoroughly researched using the scientific method when it hasn’t.
They use mind control techniques: http://www.freedomofmind.com/resourcecenter/groups/documents/scientology/pignotti
They hound and harass critics:
http://www.suppressiveperson.org/
They limit outside information via censoring, condemning it the work of criminals, as well as via disconnection with family.
http://www.clambake.org/archive/events/censorship/
http://www.xenu.net/archive/infopack/15.htm
There are certainly not 8 million adherents worldwide, that is fact.
http://www.clambake.org/archive/COS_members.html
The true story goes like this.
Sci-Fi writer tries to make more money with a questionable self-help technique derived from existing works cobbled together in a hodge podge of techniques to disarm the crticial thinking of an individual, so they can be fully enveloped into the cult. People of this era were very interested in alternative therapy, and latched onto Dianetics. Sci-Fi writer sets up organisation for the purpose of making money called scientology. People are made to feel like it works, and if it doesn’t it’s their fault for not applying the ‘tech’ properly. A mixture of trance like suggestions, known physiological responses and peer pressure all tell you have had a success, when infact you haven’t. This is demonstated by the fact that no-one has ever shown themselves to be a ‘Clear’ or an ‘OT’ by displaying any other the near supernatural powers these states are meant to confer.
Sci-Fi writer goes slightly insane, and starts creating very strange orders like ‘fair game’, ‘disconnection’, ‘ethics’, ‘RPF’, and storing secret files on each of its members in case anything goes awry (so it can blackmail them).
Sci-Fi writer dies a very unhealthy and mentally wrecked individual.
His cult continues to this day.
http://www.clambake.org/archive/books/apobs/