Scientology Religion Or Bizarre Cult Essays -

Scientology: Religion Or Bizarre Cult? English 150 Sean Roberts Dec. 13/99 Scientology New Age Religion or Bizarre Cult? 1. Many people have heard of the revolutionary new religious practice called Scientology. However, the majority of people who have heard of it, have little knowledge of the principles and practices behind the religion. In fact, there is a dark side behind Scientology, and much speculation that the religion is a brainwashing cult. Many people are opposed to the religion because of its secretiveness, its extreme methods of teaching and its alleged use of mind control. Scientology, founded in 1950 (Hubbard. What is. 3), is an applied religious philosophy (Hubbard. What is. 4), which is a branch of psychology (Fundamentals. 7). Developed by Lafayette Ron Hubbard, Scientology was created from discoveries resulting from Hubbard's research into the mind and life (Fundamentals. 11). Hubbard claimed that Scientology is for the betterment of man (Fundamentals. 117), and that Scientology can be used by an average person to bring better order to their life (Fundamentals. 8). Hubbard claimed that Scientology improves the health, intelligence, ability, behavior, skill and appearance of the average person (Fundamentals. 8). One of the most fundamental ideas in Scientology is the belief that the individual man is divisible into three parts (Hubbard. What is. 5-6): The Mind, the Body and the Thetan. Hubbard believed that the Thetan, or personality of a person, is separable from the rest of the mind at will, and without causing bodily death or mental derangement (Fundamentals. 5-6). Hubbard was born in Tilden, Nebraska in 1911 (Malko 29). It is known that Hubbard was raised on a Montana cattle ranch by his grandfather (Malko 30), however little else is known about the first thirty years of his life (Malko 29). Hubbard's past is best summed up by George Malko, Nothing is ever precise, 2. and we are never sure when and under what circumstances he did something or went someplace (Malko 29). There are highly inflated claims (Mallia. Judge.1) that Hubbard traveled throughout Asia at age fourteen (Malko 31), and that he left college to lead an expedition into Central America (Malko 32). However it is known that Hubbard was a science-fiction writer and was a familiar name to American science-fiction fans before venturing into religious philosophy (Malko 34). Hubbard was a bright man, and accepted by many who read his work and who knew him. Hubbard died of a brain hemorrhage on the 24th of January, 1986 (Corydon 406). Hubbard's science-fiction writings, described as bold and highly imaginative(Malko 34) are particularly interesting because they offer insights into Hubbard's sense of fantasy and imagination (Malko 34). His science-fiction writings also expose certain parallels to particular Scientology principles and beliefs (Hubbard. Fundamentals. 35). According to Church of Scientology documents, humans first came to earth from outer space 75 million years ago, sent into exile here by an evil warlord named Xenu (Mallia. Sacred. 1). Scientology is chiefly employed through the processing of an individual (Hubbard. Fundamentals. 91-92). Scientologists refer to this procedure as auditing, while the person who carries out the processing is called an auditor. (Hubbard. Fundamentals. 92). The auditor makes people, at their own choice, do various exercises, and these exercises bring about changes for the better in intelligence, behavior and general competence (Hubbard. Fundamentals. 8). An auditor must follow a strict, and somewhat bizarre set of rules when processing an individual (Hubbard. Fundamentals. 92). These rules, laid out in the auditor's code, include 3. Do not process an individual after 10 p.m. and Do not process an individual who is improperly fed or hungry (Hubbard. What is. 191). The auditing process is assisted by the use of a specially designed tool called an Electro-psychometer, or E-meter (Mallia. Sacred. 2), which helps the auditor locate areas of spiritual distress or travail (Baskin 1). Like a lie detector, the E-meter sends a mild electrical current of 1.5 volts through the body while the patient holds a metallic cylinder in each hand (Mallia. Sacred. 2). Scientologists believe that the pictures in the mind contain energy and mass (Baskin 1). When a person holding the E-meter electrodes thinks a thought, looks at a picture or shifts some part of the reactive mind, he is changing this mental mass and energy (Baskin 1). It