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Dianetics
and Scientology were created by adventure and science
fiction writer L.Ron Hubbard. Shortly before publishing
his first textbook in 1950, Hubbard told several people
that the best way to become rich was to start a religion.
Hubbard's wealth when he died in 1986 amounted to almost
$650 million, all of it derived from the Church of Scientology.
Hubbard made numerous false claims about his life. In
fact, he was not a nuclear physicist, an explorer, nor
a war hero. His claims to have studied with mystics in
China, Tibet and India are entirely false. He was asked
to leave a civil engineering degree course for deficiency
of scholarship.
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Hubbard
was deeply involved with the practice of Aleister Crowley's
'Sex Magick.' In 1946, he participated in rituals aimed at reincarnating
the goddess Babylon, the antichristian force of the book of
Revelation. Shortly thereafter, he wrote in one of his journals
'All men are my slaves.' Although Scientologists campaign against
drug abuse through a front group called Narconon, Hubbard was
a self-confessed barbiturate addict, who experimented freely
with drugs, even publicly recommending the use of amphetamines
('speed'). The 'Church' of Scientology was incorporated secretly
by Hubbard in 1953, following a letter to an associate in which
he asked her opinion of the 'religion angle.' Scientology probably
became a 'religion' in the USA to avoid further investigation
by the American Medical Association into Hubbard's many far-fetched
claims. These included the ridiculous claim that Scientology
would even cure cancer.
Scientologists
undertake hundreds of hours of 'counselling,' paying as much
as £500 per hour. The counselling actually heightens suggestibility,
and undermines the critical faculties. Indeed, in a 1955 letter,
Hubbard offered his 'brainwashing' techniques to the FBI. While
being promised that through Scientology individuals will regain
their 'self-determinism,' Scientology actually leads to unquestioning
acceptance of Hubbard's belief system and the erosion of independent
thought. To complete the elaborate and lengthy steps of Hubbard's
'Bridge to Total Freedom' takes years and costs in the region
of £200,000. Some Scientologists have lost their homes and businesses
to pay for increasingly expensive courses. With the secret 'Upper
Levels,' Scientologists seek to achieve supernatural powers.
Several thousand former Scientologists who have taken these
courses can attest that the techniques are completely ineffective,
leading only to a progressive dissociation from reality.
A belief
in reincarnation is required in Scientology. In the third secret
Upper Level, Hubbard asserted that 75 million years ago, the
galactic ruler, Xenu, rounded up the populations of 76 planets
and had them brought to earth. Here their bodies were dumped
near volcanoes which were blown up with hydrogen bombs. The
individual spirits (or 'thetans') were collected and 'implanted'
with 36 days of movies depicting the symbols of Christianity
and all the social, religious and technological phenomena which
have since ensued. These spirits were then gathered into 'clusters,'
and everyone currently alive is supposedly a mass of such clustered
spirits.
In this way, Hubbard exploited the traditional belief in demon
possession, and induced multiple personality disorders in his
followers. It is not surprising that a number of Scientologists
have either committed suicide or ended up in psychiatric hospitals.
Most often, recruitment into Scientology begins with a personality
test. The 'Oxford Capacity Analysis' was written by a former
merchant seamen unschooled in psychology. The 200 question test
has no connection with Oxford University, and demands extensive
personal information. The Scientologists have a history of using
material supposedly received in confidence to harass former
members.
Scientology
staff members work very long hours for very little pay (as much
as 90 hours per week for less than five pounds). Scientology
is governed by the Sea Organisation, members of which wear pseudo-naval
uniforms, including campaign ribbons. often, they are allowed
to see their children only once every two weeks. The children
are brought up in the 'Cadet Organisation,' where they are taught
absolute obedience to Scientology.
When their production statistics sag, Sea Organisation members
are put onto a diet of rice and beans, sometimes for months
on end. Miscreants are moved to 'pigs berthing.' If such punishment
fails, the offender is put into the Rehabilitation Project Force
or RPF. Membership of the RPF usually lasts for several months,
but can last for as long as two years. 'RPFers' eat table scraps,
sleep even shorter hours than the rest of the staff, may not
speak unless spoken to, work long hours at menial tasks such
as toilet cleaning, must obey all orders without question or
hesitation, and spend five hours a day confessing the 'evil
purposes' of their supposed previous incarnations. The RPF is
a testimony to the mind control techniques of Scientology.
Scientologists have been involved in various criminal activities.
Eleven, including Hubbard's wife Mary Sue, were imprisoned in
the US for infiltrating government agencies and stealing files,
including Interpol files on terrorism. During the course of
these activities Scientologists bugged and burgled government
offices. Scientology is well known for its tireless campaigns
against its critics. For instance, Hubbard ordered that a cartoonist
be ruined for mentioning Scientology in a single cartoon. According
to the private investigator who ran the campaign for Scientology,
£100,000 was spent on following Sunday Times journalist Russell
Miller. Author Paulette Cooper was framed for a bomb threat
by Scientology. It has often been charged that Scientology splits
up families. This stems from the practise of 'disconnection,'
whereby Scientologists are forbidden to speak to anyone critical
of Scientology. Scientology forbids membership to journalists
and homosexuals.
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