The Cult of Scientology

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The Cult of Scientology

• Est. 1954

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From www.celebritycentre.org

• In the five decades since the founding of the
  first Church of Scientology in 1954, Scientology
  has become the fastest-growing religion in the
  world.
• Today, its scope extends across 156 countries,
  with 4,500 churches, missions and groups serving
  millions of parishioners in 53 languages.
• From Los Angeles to Tokyo to London, our churches
  introduce more than 600,000 people each year to
  the breakthrough discoveries L. Ron Hubbard made
  on the spirit and life, not taking into account
  the hundreds of thousands helped through the
  social betterment activities and community
  programs

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Can all these Celebrities be Wrong?
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Slogan ads on TV (Nashville)

• Were all looking for it...some of us have been
  looking our whole lives... Some think that they
  can buy it... Wear it... Some travel the world in
  search of it... most dont know what theyre
  looking for ... But we all feel it, that aching
  desire, that unexplainable emptiness that can
  only be filled with one thing... The Truth...
  Scientology know yourself, know life

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Ephesians 51-14 NASB

• 51 Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved
  children
• 2 and walk in love, just as Christ also loved
  you, and gave Himself up for us, an offering and
  a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma.
• 3 But do not let immorality or any impurity or
  greed even be named among you, as is proper among
  saints
• 4 and there must be no filthiness and silly
  talk, or coarse jesting, which are not fitting,
  but rather giving of thanks.

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• 5 For this you know with certainty, that no
  immoral or impure person or covetous man, who is
  an idolater, has an inheritance in the kingdom of
  Christ and God.
• 6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for
  because of these things the wrath of God comes
  upon the sons of disobedience.

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• 7 Therefore do not be partakers with them
• 8 for you were formerly darkness, but now you
  are light in the Lord walk as children of light
• 9 (for the fruit of the light consists in all
  goodness and righteousness and truth),
• 10 trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord.
• 11 And do not participate in the unfruitful
  deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them

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• 12 for it is disgraceful even to speak of the
  things which are done by them in secret.
• 13 But all things become visible when they are
  exposed by the light, for everything that becomes
  visible is light.
• 14 For this reason it says, "Awake, sleeper, And
  arise from the dead, And Christ will shine on
  you."
• 15 Therefore be careful how you walk, not as
  unwise men, but as wise,

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Christianity vs. Scientology

• The Truth will set you free

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Allegedly said at a Sci-fi Convention

• Writing for a penny a word is ridiculous. If a
  man really wanted to make a million dollars, the
  best way would be to start his own religion
  (1949)
• L. Ron Hubbard

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Dianetics A Modern Science of Mental Health

• Published May 1950
• Promoted by publishing 3 Large segments in the
  periodical Astounding Science Fiction May 1950,
  Oct. 1950, Jan 1951
• After a few months sold 55,000 copies with 750
  groups started nationwide.
• After one year claimed 150,000 readers and
  2,500,000 followers

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(No Transcript)
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What is Dianetics?(dia through nous - soul

• Dianetics is a set of ideas and practices
  regarding the relationship between mind and body
  that were developed by science fiction author L.
  Ron Hubbard.
• Hubbard believed most mental and physical
  problems are caused by traumatic memories (which
  he called "engrams") that are stored in the
  unconscious mindin his terminology, the
  "reactive mind."
• The goal of Dianetics is to become rid (or
  "cleared") of this portion of one's mind. Once at
  this state of "Clear," according to Hubbard, an
  individual becomes able to function at his or her
  full potential.

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• In his subsequent book Dianetics The Modern
  Science of Mental Health (also 1950), Hubbard
  presented Dianetics as a revolutionary and
  scientifically developed alternative to
  conventional psychotherapy and psychiatry,
  claiming that it could increase intelligence,
  eliminate unwanted emotions and alleviate a wide
  range of illnesses he regarded as psychosomatic.

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Main Points from their WEB site Introduction

• Man is an immortal, spiritual being. His
  experience extends well beyond a single lifetime.
  His capabilities are unlimited, even if not
  presently realized and those capabilities can
  be realized. He is able to not only solve his own
  problems, accomplish his goals and gain lasting
  happiness, but also achieve new, higher states of
  awareness and ability.
• In Scientology no one is asked to accept anything
  as belief or on faith. That which is true for you
  is what you have observed to be true. An
  individual discovers for himself that Scientology
  works by personally applying its principles and
  observing or experiencing results.

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The Parts of Man

• Man consists of three parts. The first of these
  is the spirit, called in Scientology the thetan
  (from the Greek letter theta, meaning "thought"
  or "spirit"), which is the individual himself.
• The second of these parts is the mind. The thetan
  uses his mind as a communication and control
  system between himself and his environment.
• The third of these parts is the body. The body is
  not the person.
• The most important of the three parts of man is
  the thetan, which is the spirit, or you.

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The Dynamics of Existence

• The basic command followed by all life,
  "Survive!" is subdivided into eight dynamics
  (dynamic meaning urge, drive or impulse).
• 8th Dynamic INFINITY, also commonly called God,
  the Supreme Being or Creator.

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• 7th Dynamic SPIRITUAL dynamic anything
  spiritual with or without identity, life source.
• 6th Dynamic PHYSICAL UNIVERSE with its four
  components of matter, energy, space and time.
• 5th Dynamic LIFE FORMS including all plant and
  animal life.
• 4th Dynamic MANKIND as a species.
• 3rd Dynamic GROUP SURVIVAL whether friends, a
  club, company, nation or race.

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• 2nd Dynamic FAMILY and children and all other
  creativity.
• 1st Dynamic SELF the individual, including his
  body, mind and immediate possessions.
• Through Scientology, a person realizes that his
  life and influence extend far beyond himself. By
  understanding each of these dynamics and their
  relationship, one to the other, he is able to do
  so, and thus increase survival on all of these
  dynamics.

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ARC Triangle

• A principle of considerable importance in
  Scientology, and one that greatly assists
  interpersonal relationships, is that of affinity,
  reality and communication. The three form an
  interdependent triangle and add up to
  understanding.

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Tone Scale

• 40.0 Serenity of Beingness 30.0 Postulates 22.0
  Games 20.0 Action 8.0 Exhilaration 6.0
  Aesthetics 4.0 Enthusiasm 3.5 Cheerfulness 3.3
  Strong Interest 3.0 Conservatism 2.9 Mild
  Interest 2.8 Contented 2.6 Disinterested 2.5
  Boredom 2.4 Monotony 2.0 Antagonism 1.9
  Hostility 1.8 Pain 1.5 Anger 1.4 Hate 1.3
  Resentment

1.2 No Sympathy 1.15 Unexpressed Resentment 1.1
Covert Hostility 1.02 Anxiety 1.0 Fear 0.98
Despair 0.96 Terror 0.94 Numb 0.9 Sympathy
0.8 Propitiation 0.5 Grief 0.375 Making Amends
0.3 Undeserving 0.2 Self-Abasement 0.1 Victim
0.07 Hopeless 0.05 Apathy 0.03 Useless 0.01
Dying 0.0 Body Death

• By using Scientology, one may best be moved up to
  the higher tones and thus increased competence,
  self-esteem, honesty, well-being, happiness and
  other desirable attributes.

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• The central practice of Dianetics is "auditing",
  in which a "pre-clear" (usually with the
  assistance of a counselor called an "auditor")
  attempts to confront the engrams in his reactive
  mind, thus treating the wide variety of
  conditions that they cause.

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• Auditing frequently employs a device called an
  E-meter, which measures the electrical resistance
  of the human body and which followers of Hubbard
  claim "measures the spiritual state or change of
  state of a person".

Electropsychometer
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The States of Existence

• Communication - He who can truly communicate to
  others is a higher being who builds new worlds.
• Problems - The being who can recognize the actual
  source of problems and so see them vanish is too
  rare to be easily comprehended. When a being can
  do this make problems vanish with a glance he
  certainly is no longer "man."

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The States of Existence

• Relief - The secret was that one is connecting
  oneself to what he abhors. To be able to easily
  bring relief to oneself and others ...
• Freedom - Man is chained to the upsets in his
  past. He has never understood why he felt so
  upset and misunderstood about his family or
  people or situations... Freedom from the upsets
  of the past with the ability to face the future

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The States of Existence

• Ability - When one moves out of fixed conditions,
  he can experience a huge resurgence in the
  ability to choose, partake in and enjoy new
  activities.
• Power - One can, in Scientology, acquire the
  ability to stably handle power.
• Clear - Here is a being who has forever
  vanquished his own reactive mind, the source of
  mans misery. He has a very high degree of
  personal integrity and honesty, and is a living
  proof that man is basically good. His own basic
  beingness returns and his own personality
  flourishes.

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Ultimate Condition

• Operating Thetan - "Operating" in this context
  means "able to act and handle things" and a
  "thetan" is the spiritual being that is the basic
  self. "Thetan" is coined from the Greek word
  "Theta" which means thought or life or the
  spirit. An Operating Thetan then is an individual
  who could operate totally independently of his
  body whether or not he had one or didn't have
  one. He's now himself and is not dependent on the
  universe around him.

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Some Basic tenets from the book

• Mankind is basically good
• The basic instinct for all people is survival
• Mans environmental conditions and painful
  experiences result in failure.
• If man changes his circumstances and eliminates
  pain, then his condition improves
• 2 important factors then are avoiding pain and
  gaining pleasure

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Here is how they say it works

• The analytical mind works perfectly
• The reactive mind works on stimulus/response
• Something bad happens and the reaction creates an
  image or engram that will then follow up your
  life.
• So you must remove these thus becoming clear
  and then able to live by the analytic mind again.

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Thetans

• A cleared Thetan is able to control the MEST
  (Matter, energy, Space and Time) or the physical
  universe as we know it.
• They will first need to climb through the 15
  levels of OT or operating Thetan to learn to
  live apart from their body to do this
• Jesus they say was just a little above a clear
  state not an Operating Thetan (God)

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• They Build Church buildings
• Ministers often where a black clergy robe with a
  white collar and a 3 inch cross hanging from the
  neck.
• They use the title reverend

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• They use the cross as an important Symbol, only
  they add 4 sunburst points to it. It has nothing
  to do with Jesus or Christianity

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Their scriptures

• The bible is a byproduct of Hindu scriptures

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Their theology

• God or Gods may exist but the individual must
  decide for himself

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Their view of Jesus

• Christ is a legend that preexisted earth-life on
  other planets and was implanted into humans on
  earth. Jesus was just a shade above clear and
  was no greater than Buddha or Moses.

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Their view of man

• Man is basically good and in his evolution, he
  will finally become godlike being known as homo
  novis

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Their view of salvation

• Reincarnation sufficiently explains mans
  existence, but Scientology is the freedom from
  reincarnation.
• This comes through the help of Auditors and the
  use of E-meters.
• These courses are expensivea 1990 Los Angeles
  Times article estimated that to go from the
  initial free test to the Operating Thetan 8 level
  costs between 200,000 and 400,000.

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Theres a Difference!

• Scientology accepts reincarnation Christianity
  rejects it (Hebrews 927) and holds to the
  resurrection of the body (1 Corinthians 1550-57
  1 Thessalonians 413-18 Revelation 205, 13).
• Scientology says man is basically good
  Christianity teaches that man is plagued by sin
  (Romans 512).
• Scientology dismisses the reality of hell
  Christianity accepts it as the final destination
  of all who reject Jesus Christ (Revelation
  2010-14).

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• Scientology rejects the divinity of Jesus Christ
  Christianity believes Jesus is absolute deity
  (John 11), the divine Messiah who is the unique
  only begotten Son of God and Savior of mankind
  (John 316 Titus 213, 14).
• Scientology accepts occult out-of-body
  experiences Christianity condemns all forms of
  occultism (Deuteronomy 1810-12).

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The Truth

• Sin caused estrangement and enmity between God
  and man, Jesus Christ, through His sacrifice on
  the cross where He paid the penalty-price for
  mans sin, brought the grace-gift of eternal
  salvation to man, which included reconciliation
  (Colossians 120), peace (Romans 51), and the
  restoration of fellowship with God (Ephesians
  213).
• All of this is totally free (Ephesians 28, 9
  Revelation 216) to anyone who will only exercise
  non-meritorious faith in Christ alone, unlike the
  huge expense of courses offered to those within
  Scientology who wish to be eventually delivered
  from themselves.