What is Scientology? by Keith Alan Stern ( Complete)

What is Scientology? by Keith Alan Stern ( Complete) Scientology

(NB: THis has never before been on the net... and is very good reading - *I* learned from reading it )

INTRODUCTION

We live in a wondrously complex and puzzling universe, where the game of life is played by billions of creatures who do not yet know all the rules. For hundreds of generations, men and women have sought the solution of the enigma of life. Some studied the wide world around them, peered at the stars in the sky above them, and gradually learned of the powers

of Nature. In olden times, these persons of superior knowledge were the high priests, soothsayers and magicians, advisers to the Kings. Today we call them scientists.

They have last much of their glory since those early days, but scientists still occupy positions of authority and prestige in government, industry, and education. It should come as no surprise that some people who do not deserve the title, claim to be scientists. The term "pseudo-scientist" is commonly used to describe such persons, and they have a long and colorful history in the U.S.

In the late 1700's, Dr. Elisha Perkins took America and Furope by storm with his "Metallic Tractors", which were used to "draw diseases" out of an ailing body. Perkins' "tractor" consisted of two metallic rods, three inches long, which supposedly directed mysterious "magnetic currents." When properly applied, they were astoundingly successful at curing a wide variety of illness. Dr. Perkins' file contained earnest testimonials from hundreds of well--educated people such as doctors, professors, attorneys, and clergymen, as well as several members of Congress. George Washington and his family faithfully used tractors to ease their aches and pains. When suspicious doctors replaced Perkins' tractors with wooden dummies, the healing results were no less impressive. It seems it was not the power of the "tractors", but the powerful faith of the people who used them which was able to work the "miraculous cures." Despite a number of tests which proved the tractors were worthless, people continued to buy and use them for over fifty years.

As Science advanced, the pseudo-scientists tagged along just two or three steps behind. Following the discovery of radium in 1898, dozens of mysterious new forms of "radiation energy" were discovered by cranks all around the world. In the U.S., Robert T. Nelson formed the Vrilium Products Co., which for many years marketed a small brass cylinder filled with a "radiating" substance supposedly capable of killing bacteria for twenty feet around. According to some, Vrilium also possessed powerful healing forces. Chicago's Mayor Kelly wore a Vrilium cylinder, and once told news reporters who asked about it, "I don't pretend to know how it works, but it relieves

pain. It has helped me and my wife." According to the federal government, which prosecuted Vrilium Co. in 1950, the cylinders contained nothing but cheap rat poison.

Short-wave radio broadcasting was still a novelty when Dr. Ruth B. Drown published a book titled The Science and Philosophy of the Drown Radio Therapy. In it, she explained her theories about the beneficial medical effects of radio wave energy. From her elaborate "Broadcasting Room" in California, Dr. Drown diagnosed and treated thousands of patients around the world, via the healing rays of short-wave radio: A sample of the patient's blood, kept on blotting paper in a huge file, was used to "tune in" the equipment. She had

a large following in Hollywood, and when actor Tyrone Power was injured in an auto accident while in Italy, he was treated by Dr. Drown from her office thousands of miles away. In 1952, following the death of a cancer patient who had entrusted her care to "radio therapy", the FDA seized Dr. Drown's "radio theraputic instruments" and charged her with violations of the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. She was convicted and fined $100.

During the 1920's, Dr. Albert Abrams sold quite a number of "dynamizers", which were used to diagnose disease from a single drop of the patient's blood, or a sample of his handwriting. Abrams also invented the "reflexophone", for long-distance diagnosis over the telephone lines. His greatest creation, the "oscillocast", was an electric healing device which was leased only to doctors who promised never to open the tightly-sealed case. The oscillocast was an enormous succcess success, and when the good doctor died in 1923, he left a multi-million dollar estate. Shortly before his passing, a committee of scientists had opened one of the boxes and had issued a report on their findings. The oscillocast consisted of an ohm-meter, a variable resistor, and other electrical gadgetry all wired together with no apparent pattern.

The "spectro-Chrome", invented by Colonel D. Ghadiali in 1920, employed colored lights for healing purposes. More than 10,000 people paid $340 each to become licensed practitioners

of spectro-chrome therapy, and they in turn treated a countless number of patients for diseases ranging from colds to cancer. In 1950, L. Ron Hubbard came into prominence with the publication of his book Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health. According to the opening lines of the book, "The Creation of Dianetics is a milestone for Man comparable to his discovery of fire, and superior to his inventions of

the wheel and the arch. . . The hidden source of all psychosomatic ills and human aberration has been discovered and skills have been developed for their invariable cure."

A list of other medical and psychological claims which Dr. Hubbard has made would fill several pages, and range from "enhance your personality and social poise" and "increase I.Q." to the alleviation of Parkinson's disease, arthritis, sinusitis, rheumatism, headaches, stomach problems, and so on.

Hubbard's "mind science" therapy includes the use of a device called the "Hubbard Electrometer", which is actually a skin galvanometer. Following government crackdowns and financial troubles in the early 1950's, Hubbard plunged his "science" into metaphysics, and his "theories" became "an applied religious philosophy" which he named Scientology. Although none of his later books achieved the popularity of Dianetics, he still has a large following. Later chapters will discuss Dianetics and Scientology in more detail.

It is easy to look back at these "doctors" and "inventors" and smile, perhaps with a touch of sadness for the many people who believed in them and were deceived. It is more difficult

for us to look at ourselves, especially when some of our own pet theories and beliefs are in question. Does Vitamin C cure the cold? Does saccharin cause cancer? Does Laetrile cure it? Will pyramid power keep a razor blade sharp? Do house plants really enjoy classical music? It takes time to test theories, and until the evidence is overwhelming, speculation is the name of the game. In many instances, lack of evidence has not prevented individuals from profiting by the sale of dubious cures or books proclaiming their views on the subject.

Science fiction sometimes becomes science fact, and it is not always easy to tell the difference between the two. In many cases, it is impossible for us common folk to check the ,.

validity of technical aspects of a theory. Fortunately, there are guidelines which will help us to avoid the more obvious frauds. Historical facts are comparatively easy to verify, so we can check these aspects of a "scientist's" background and career. Often the pseudo-scientist will exaggerate his qualifications, claiming degrees from colleges he never attended, or proudly referring to honors and awards he never received.

If his theory is not grounded solidly in fact, this may show up as a contradiction in the theory itself. The contra- diction may be subtle and difficult to pin down, particularly if the theory is complex, as many crank theories are. Most of us tend to gloss over contradictions when we find them, thinking we just don't understand that aspect of the theory. A good scientific work will offer a good explanation of apparent contradictions, or will at least admit they are not yet explained. The pseudo-scientist, on the other hand, will ignore our questions, or will provide evasive answers which cloud the issue further.

Martin Gardner, in Fads and Fallacies in the Name of Science, lists five characteristics commonly found in the pseudo-scientist: l. He considers himself a genius.

2. He regards others in his field as ignorant, stupid, or dishonest.

ignored by the recognized authorities. It is all part of a dastardly plot to keep the truth from being spread.

4. He will often focus his attacks on the greatest scientists and the best-established theories. 5. He has a tendency to write in a complex jargon, using terms and phrases he himself has coined. Psychiatrists call these "neologisms" when referring to this symptom of paranoid schizophrenia.

in the end, it is a lack of integrity which separates the pseudo-scientist from his reputable counterpart. Even scientists have sometimes advanced or adhered to theories which were later proved wrong, but they made their best effort to present all the facts fairly as they knew them. With a little effort and an understanding of true scientific method, we can intelligently evaluate any theory which interests us. We may never completely eliminate the shadowy area between theory and fact, but we can certainly shed enough light to detect those who would take advantage of the ignorance which exists in each of us. The pseudo-scientist can be a fascinating subject of study, but for those who believe everything he says, he is a suppressive, and often a costly influence.

(Title unknown) - suggestions wanted

Imagine yourself at an amusement park in a distant galaxy, 319 trillion years ago. It does not seem very different from the carnivals of Earth today. There is a roller coaster and a ferris wheel. The park is operated by typical carnival people wearing pink-striped shirts with sleeve garters. But some things are not quite the same. There are monkeys riding in the roller coaster cars, and a large mechanical gorilla is wandering loose. You don't feel quite right either, like you're not really yourself at all. You are a "thetan" and you're trapped in this park. The "Hoipolloi", the carnies in control, are torturing you with white bursts of raw electricity and explosions. The pain. is so great you lose consciousness and all is darkness. It must have been a nightmare.

For perhaps 3 million people, this vision is real, and this extra-terrestial carnival actually existed. They call themselves "Scientologists" and their "religion" is based on the work of L. Ron Hubbard, who described the Hoipolloi and their "amusement park" in a July 1963 bulletin, as part of his history of the Universe. It sounds a lot like science fiction, and Mr. Hubbard was in fact a science-fiction writer during the 1940's. Sometime toward the end of that decade he decided that writing for a penny a word was no way to get ahead and, as he told a science-fiction seminar in 1949, "if a man really wanted to make a million-dollars, the best way would be to start his own religion." So he did, and today there are some 70 branches of the "Church of Scientology" throughout the English-speaking world. What started out as Hubbard's pseudo-scientific theory of human behavior is now a multi-million dollar business offering books, courses, and therapy promising improved health and spiritual awareness.

When a convert joins the "Church" he must be "processed" by many hours of "auditing", during which his mind and memory are systematically explored and altered by trained Scientology "ministers." The purpose of auditing is ostensibly to "erase the content of the reactive mind", where pain-filled memories are supposed to be stored, and thus to "restore the basic goodness" of the convert, or "pre-clear" as he is called in Scientology. The relationship between the pre-clear and his "auditor" is much like that of a patient and his psychoanalyst. In sessions lasting as long as six hours each, the auditor asks questions about the pre-clear's past, and listens to the pre-clear's responses. By "directing the memory of the pre- clear", the auditor is able to select those memories which are "pain-filled" and , theoretically, to erase them. Particular attention is paid to "mental pain" caused by the pre-clear's family and friends. The auditor selects an individual close to the pre-clear, and reviews their relationship, with emphasis on incidents when that individual criticized or dominated the pre-clear. As Hubbard puts it, "The auditor is concerned with what has been done to the pre-clear, not what has been done by the pre-clear." Obviously, blaming a person's problems on his friends and family could have a damaging effect on his relation- ships with them. In many cases the pre-clear is encouraged to leave his family and stop seeing his old friends. Thus the "Church" becomes central to the lives of its members, to the exclusion of outside influences.

The pre-clear is coaxed into remembering minute details regarding incidents which occurred during his childhood. This is made easier by the auditor, who is "non-insistent upon a high level of fact", and is instructed to refrain from ever criticizing the pre-clear for "indulging in fantasy." 9 Scientologists believe that recordings of "pain-filled" incidents extend back to infancy, and, in fact, to conception. The period of time when the pre-clear was in his mother's womb is found to be full of pain, mostly caused by his mother's carelessness or cruelty. Attempted abortions are considered to be "common", and are believed to be the cause of many problems in later life. Heart trouble is thought to be sometimes related to an incident where the pre-clear's mother poked him in the chest with a pointed object during an attempted abortion.

L. Ron Hubbard was an imaginative and prolific writer, and when he went into semi-retirement in the 1960's, he left enough material. to keep his followers busy for many years to come. Books such as Scientology: The Fundamentals of Thought, Scientology: A New Slant on Life, and The Creation of Human Ability form the basis of a comprehensive philosophy which guides members in almost every aspect of their daily lives. Hubbard's theories and "discoveries" are detailed in over sixty books and pamphlets. Courses, with costs ranging into hundreds of dollars, are offered by the "Church", with Hubbard personally conducting many of them via recorded tapes and discs. The literature contains so many technical terms and phrases coined or adopted by Hubbard that a dictionary, costing about $20, is required. Many of his books look like scientific works, with charts, graphs, and "case histories."

It is this pseudo-intellectual facade which seems to be most appealing to potential converts, who tend to be bright and inquisitive, though decidedly not "intellectual" types. Hubbard himself claims a distinguished scholarly background with "many degrees" and "many honors" for his work. He claims to have been "trained in nuclear physics" and to have graduated from the Columbian College of George Washington University, with a degree in Civil Engineering. The first page of his book Science of Survival gives particular credit to "my instructors in atomic and molecular phenomena, mathematics, and the humanities at George Washington University and at Princeton." A request for confirmation from GWU brought the following response from J. L. Roames, Assistant to the Registrar:

"LaFayette-Ronald Hubbard has never received any degree whatsoever from The George Washington University." -

Hubbard's repeated claims to have attended Princeton apparently refer to a three-month seminar which he attended during the winter of 1949, as part of his training as a U.S. Naval officer.

Scattered throughout his books are occasional references to his Ph. D. from "Sequoia University." This is particularly puzzling, as there is no Sequoia University listed among accredited educational institutions. Of course, Hubbard's lack of traditional scholarly credentials does not automatically mean his theories are incorrect. However, a lack of personal integrity, if indicated, would mean that any and all claims must be given extra-close scrutiny. Such scrutiny will be given to Hubbard's theories and doctrine in later chapters.

When one first meets a Scientologist, he or she will probably seem to be friendly and open, fairly radiant with contentment and self-confidence. But within the organization, secrecy and paranoia are rampant. Non-Scientologist friends and family are distrusted; newspapers and books are full of lies; government and mental health organizations are conspiring to destroy Scientology in order to keep the "Church" from spreading the "truth." These fears were recently heightened after two high-ranking Scientologists were arrested after being caught using forged IRS credentials to enter the U.S. Courthouse in Washington. One of them, Gerald Wolfe, pleaded guilty to the charges, but the other, Michael Meisner, fled. After two months as a fugitive, Meisner turned himself in, and agreed to testify against the "Church." He told federal officials he had been National Secretary of the "Church Guardian's Office", and in that position he had been privy to numerous clandestine operations directed by "highest levels of Church leadership." After his arrest he had reported to "Church" officials in Los Angeles. They did not trust him, and he was held under 24-hour guard and was repeatedly audited by Scientologists. Based on information supplied by Meisner, FBI agents raided Scientology offices in Washington and Los Angeles on July 8, 1977, and recovered some 20,000 documents allegedly stolen from IRS and Justice Department files.

Washington, D.C, has long been a focus of attention for the "Church of Scientology", which maintains four branches there. An effort has been made to convert government clerks and other lower-echelon federal employees. A lot of us think we could probably do a better job running this country than the government does, and Scientologists feel themselves to be especially well-equipped for the job. They have developed a complex organizational structure, and the "Church" has a bureaucracy which rivals that of the U.S. Government in terms of complexity. Hubbard put his officer training to use when he formed the "Church of Scientology." Communications between "churches" are in the form of orders, dispatches, and bulletins couched in military language and format. Staff members are given impressive titles and rankings such as "Ethics Officer." "Church" policy is directed by officials from "Sea-Org", which is the "Church's" fleet of ships at sea.

What would the world be like if the Scientologists gained power and control? Hubbard gave us an interesting preview in his epic Science of Survival. According to the introduction of the book, the goal of Hubbard's movement is "A world without insanity, without criminals, and without war." This seems to be an admirable ambition, until one examines closely just who it is that Hubbard considers to be criminal and insane. On page 131, he proposes that every individual in the U.S. be tested to determine their position on the "Hubbard Chart of Human Evaluation," a copy of which he included with the book. All who fall below a certain point should be "quarantined" and "processed" until they are "sane." Some of the definite indications of a low position on the chart's "tone scale" are: "Any slightly or greatly repulsive physical odor." Page 146 "nagging or forgetfulness or occasional gossip." Page 35 "carping, nagging and criticizing." Page 90 "pre-clears who want attention but not processing." p.41 To its members, the "Church of Scientology" represents "little "areas of sanity" in a world gone mad. 17 According to Hubbard's specious logic, because his movement's goal is a sane world,

"It would be stopped only by the insane." In fact, anyone who criticizes or opposes Scientology is automatically considered dangerously insane. Perhaps intending to reassure his readers, Hubbard concludes, "This does not propose that depriving such persons of their civil rights should obtain any longer than is necessary to bring them up the tone scale to a point where their ethics render them fit company for their fellows." History has shown that such assurances are not worth much after an authoritarian leader has gained the power he craves.

NOTES & QUOTES Chapter 1

l. HCO Bulletins, Volume 5, July 14, 1963.

2. "The Charlotte Observer", Aug. 4, 1977, p. 9G.

3. Hubbard, L. Ron, Science of Survival, Books I and II, Los Angeles, The American Saint Hill organization, 1951.

4. "Man is basically good and if man could erase his reactive mind, his basic goodness would be restored. This erasure is achieved through Scientology processing (also called

6. Ibid., p.77 ff. details of "method by which the auditor can exploit each person surrounding the pre-clear."

7. Ibid., p. 42

8. "Cases have been observed in which the pre-clear was in the vicinity of a marital mate who produced such constant tension, so many invalidations, and who had so little thought for or belief in any possible gain for the other that the processing was only of small benefit and the auditor was wasting ten hours of auditing time for every one that was effective. In such a case the auditor has every right to recommend a change of environment for the duration of the processing." Ibid., p. 17. There are many other similar examples.

9. Ibid., p. 110. 10. Ibid., p. 174. 11. Hubbard, L. Ron, Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health, N.Y., Hermitage Press, -1950. p. 56.

12. Ib id'. ,

13. Hubbard, L. Ron, Scientology: The Fundamentals of Thought, L.A., ASHO, 1956, p. 17.

14. Ibid., p. 122.

15. Finnie, Bruce, unpublished letter from the registrar of Princeton University, Oct. 3, 1977.

15b. Garrison, Omar V., The Hidden Story of Scientology, N.Y., The Citadel Press, 1974,p. 2 f. This boo is very favorable to Scientology (on p. 21 the author calls Hubbard a "genius"), but it reveals a great deal of paranoia, particularly about the United Nations Mental Health organizations, and psychiatrists in general.

16. "The Washington Post", July 9, 1977, p. 1.

17. "So little by little, using the donations you give us for your service, your training and your processing, we create little by little areas of sanity. And as these areas spread out., releasing and clearing the community, if we continue to be alert and competent, perhaps those areas will meet one country, one continent to the next and we will have a cleaner saner world." Hubbard, L. Ron, "What Your Donations Buy", Newsletter of Church of Scientology, Charlotte, August 1977. ,

18. Hubbard, _Science of Survival, p. viii.

19. Ibid., p. 75 of Book II.

20. Ibid., p. 131 of Book I.

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