Scientology & Christianity

by Margery Wakefield

The controversial "Church" of Scientology had its beginnings in 1950 with the publication of the book Dianetics : The Modern Science of Mental Health by L. Ron Hubbard. According to Dianetic theory, the mind is composed of mental image pictures of every event in a person's life. Memories, or pictures, of painful events from the past containing pain or unconsciousness are known in Dianetics as "engrams." By recalling and "erasing" these memories a person can be restored to perfect mental health and analytical functioning. A person whose engrams have all been erased is called a "Clear." It is the purpose of Scientology to "clear the planet." In other words, that every person in the world will eventually be cleared of his engrams through Dianetic "processing."

By 1954, ltubbard had "discovered" that in order to be truly "clear," a person also had to erase all the engrams from his hundreds of past lives. The new science of Scientology was founded and organized as a religion to incorporate this belief. If a person is being "processed," or "audited"-auditing being the name given to Scientology counselingrand the person cannot remember his past lives, then he will be sent for expensive "review auditing" to correct this problem. ;Sooner or later, most people will begin to "remember" (imagine) their past lives. Scientologists do believe in reincarnation, which is an occult belief.

...regain these godlike abilities

According to the "theology" of Scientology, a person is actually an invisible entity, similar to the soul in Christianity. This entity in Scientology is known as the "thetan." As the thetan becomes relieved of his engrams, he will regain the many godlike powers that are inherently his---powers such as telepathy, "exteriorization" (the ability to be separate from his body with full perception), telekinesis (the ability to move objects with thought), etc. The belief in Scientology is that we were once godlike, and that we have deteriorated over time. The promise of Scientology is that through Scientology auditing, the person can regain these godlike abilities.

A thetan who has been restored to a godlike state is known in Scientology as an "operating thetan," or"OT" (pronounced "oh-tee"). People in Scientology spend exhort/taut fees, sometimes as much as $1000 per hour, to achieve the exalted state of OT. Death in Scientology is known as "dropping the body." According to Scientology theory, when a person dies, he (the thetan, or spirit) has been pre-programmed to "return" to an "implant station" out in space. In the implant station, the thetan will have all memories from the most recent lifetime electronically erased, and then the thetan will be sent back to earth to "pick up a new body," or start another life.

But Scientology promises that with auditing, the person can erase this "return command" so that he will never again have to return to an implant station after death. He will then be a "free being," able to drop his body and pick up a new body with full consciousness and self-determinism. Scientologists therefore believe that they are very ancient beings, with memories that reach millions of years into the past, and that they are inherently immortal, once the impediments to immortality -- the engrams -- have been erased.

...the mantle of the Great Beast

It is a well documented fact that the religion of Hubbard was satanism. Hubbard's mentor was Aleister Crowley, one of the leading satartists in England in the early 1900's, and the founder of the satanic lodge to which Hubbard belonged in California. Many of Crowley's beliefs have been incorporated into Scientology, especially in the secret upper levels, or"OT levels" of Scientology. According to Hubbard's son, Hubbard considered himself to be Crowley's successor. When Crowley died in 1947, Hubbard believed that he had taken on the "manfie of the Great Beast," and that he was in fact the anti-Christ. He makes this claim in a late writing: Student Briefing, OT VIII Series I.

"No doubt you are familiar with the Revelations (sic) section of the Bible where various events are predicted. Also mentioned is a brief period of time in which an arch-enemy of Christ, referred to as the anti-Christ, will reign and his opinions will have sway... this anti-Christ represents the forces of Lucifer (literally, the "light-bearer" or"light bringer"), Lucifer being a mythical representation of the forces of enlightenment... My mission could be said to fulfill the Biblical promise represented by this brief anti-Christ period."

In this same essay, he also predicts that after his death, he will retum as the anti-Christ of the Bible. He also states that the so-called "Second Coming" of Christianity will actually be an invasion of earth by a race called the Marcabians from outside the universe. But Hubbard, as the anti-Christ, will return to save us:

"I will return not as a religious leader but a political one... I will not be known to most of you, my activities misunderstood by many, yet along with your constant effort...I will effectively postpone and then halt a series of events designed to make happy slaves of us all."

...an idea electronically implanted in our minds

Hubbard's teachings about Christ are somewhat contradictory. In an earlier writing he states that Christ never existed but was only an idea electronically implanted in our minds during the "between lives" period (he called this implant "R6").

"Somebody on this planet, about 600 B.C. found some pieces of"R6." I don't know how they found it; either by watching madmen or something. But since that time they have used it. And it became what is known as Christianity. The man on the cross. There was no Christ! The Roman Catholic Church, through watching the dramatizations of people picked up some little fragments of R6"

Then in a later writing he portrays Christ differently:

"For those of you whose Christian toes I may have stepped on, let me take the opportunity to disabuse you of some lovely myths. For instance, the historic Jesus was not nearly the sainted figure (he) has been made out to be. In addition to being a lover of young boys and men, he was given to uncontrollable bursts of temper and hatred... You have only to look at the history his teachings inspired to see where it all inevitably leads. It is historic fact and yet man still clings to the ideal, so deep and insidious is the biologic implanting. "--from Student Briefing

Similarly, Hubbard's overall tone when writing about Christianity in general is usually derogatory:

"The whole Christian movement is based on the victim... They won by appealing to victims. We can win by converting victims. Christianity succeeded by making people into victims. We can succeed by making victims into people..."--from Technically Speaking

"Very often you will find aberrative personalities addicted to religion, but the addiction will not be accompanied by any belief in the human spirit. Just how this paradox is accomplished--a professed avowal of Christianity and a complete unwillingness to accept any effort to heal or help the human spirit...--is another one of the paradoxes which mark the aberrative personality."---from Pabs, Book I

Hubbard, in fact, believed himself to be the reincarnation of Buddha, as expressed in his poem, The Hymn of Asia:

"Everywhere you are I can be addressed But in your temples best Address me and you address Lord Buddha And you then address Meitreya."

Hubbard writes that Christianity is simply an extension of Buddhism:

"And the parables of Gautama Buddha were re-expressed with some differences and additions to spread westward again as Christianity."---from Pabs, Book III

And then Hubbard teaches that the goals set by Christ find their fulfillment in Scientology:

"This science (Scientology) is formed in the tradition of ten thousand years of religious philosophy and considers itself a culmination of the searches which began with the Veda, the T'ao, Buddhism, Christianity and other religions... Scientology can demonstrate that it can attain the goals set for man by Christ, which are: Wisdom, Good Health, and Immortality."--from Pabs, Book I

In a curious piece of writing, Hubbard states that he has been to "heaven" three times in his past lives. Heaven, according to Hubbard, is an implant; and in one course he draws the pattern of the implant in something called a Line Plot:

"Well, I have been to Heaven. Yes, I've been to Heaven. And so have you. And you have the pattern of its implants in the..J.,ine Plots. It was complete with gates, angels and plaster saints and electronic implantation equipment. So there was a Heaven after all--which is why you are on this planet and were condemned never to be free again until Scientology."--from Routine 3 Heaven

And:

"For a long while, some people have been cross with me for my lack of cooperation in believing in a Christian Heaven, God and Christ. I have never said I didn't disbelieve in a Big Thetan but there was certainly something very corny about Heaven et al. Now I have to apologize. There was a Heaven. Not too tinlike, in cruel betrayal, the heaven of the Assasins in the 12th Century who, like everyone else, dramatized the whole track implants---if a bit more so...The symbol of the crucified Christ is very apt indeed. It's the symbol of the thetan betrayed."--from Routine 3 Heaven

The only hope of salvation...

The only hope of salvation for man, according to Hubbard, is for him to undergo Scientology processing, and this theme is repeated over and over again in Hubbard's writings:

"The whole agonized future of this planet, every Man, Woman and Child on it, and your own destiny for the next endless trillions of years depends on what you do here and now with and in Scientology."--from Keeping Scientology Working

And:

"In all the broad universe there is no other hope for man than ourselves."---from Ron' s Journal 67

And:

"Auditors have since the first session of Scientology been the only individuals on this planet in this universe capable of freeing Man."---from Auditors

And:

"We are the only people and the only religion on earth which have the technology and the ambition to attempt a clarification of situations which in other hands are considered entirely out of control, to wit, the atomic bomb and the decay and confusion of societies."--- from Purpose

And:

"We are the first group on earth that knew what they were talking about. All fight, sail in. The world's ours. Own it."---from The World is Ours

...the atomic bomb

Hubbard says that Scientology is the only thing which stands between man and the use of the atomic bomb:

"The use or neglect of this material (Scientology) may well determine the use or neglect of the atomic bomb by Man. Scientology is already winning in this field. In the same period in history, two of the most sweeping forces Man has known have come to fruition: a knowledge of bim.~eff and others with Scientology, and a means of destroying himseft and all others by atomic fission. Which force wins depends in a large measure on your use of Scientology."---from The Fundamentals of Thought

And:

"Let us face the reality of this thing. The world confronts several crises. Man's inhumanity to Man is gaining...daily. The time to bring a chaos under control is before it is well begun. We're slightly late as it is. Brutally, there is no other organization on Earth that can slow these down. Factually there is no other know-how on Earth that can plumb the problems of Man. So if we don't want all of us to be sitting amongst the charred embers, we had better get busy."---from The Eighteenth A.C.C.

...less than truthful

When new people are inducted into Scientology they are often told that Scientology is non-denominational, and that there is no inherent conflict between Scientology and any religion, including Christianity. But it is common for Scientologists to be less than truthful to the public at the outset. By calming the new person's misgivings, they know that by the time the person has become fully indoctrinated into Scientology, these misgivings will no longer matter. I hope that it is now clear that there is no compatibility between Scientology and Christianity; in fact, as a belief system based on satanic principles, Scientology is diametrically opposed to Christianity. The truth is that you cannot be both a Christian and a Scientologist.

Attached are three exhibits:

A. The Factors of Scientology, or Genesis according to L. Ron Hubbard

B. A summary of the main differences between Scientology and Christianity

C. Scientology evaluated in the light of Biblical Christianity

EXHIBIT A THE FACTORS OF SCIENTOLOGY by L. Ron Hubbard

1. Before the beginning was a Cause and the entire purpose of the Cause was the creation of effect.

2. In the beginning and forever is the decision and the decision is TO BE.

3. The first action of beingness is to assume a viewpoint.

4. The second action of beingness is to extend from the viewpoint, points to view, which are dimension points.

5. Thus there is space created, for the definition of space is: viewpoint of dimension. And the purpose of a dimension point is space and a point of view.

6. The action of a dimension point is reaching and withdrawing.

7. And from the viewpoint to the dimension points there are connection and interchange. Thus new dimension points are made. Thus there is communication.

8. And thus there is light.

9. And thus there is energy.

10. And thus there is life . . .

(There are thirty Factors in all)

Humbly tendered as a gift to Man by L. Ron Hubbard April 23, 1953

EXHIBIT B A SUMMARY OF THE MAIN DIFFERENCES BETWEEN SCIENTOLOGY AND CHRISTIANITY

from The Challenge of the Cults by Maurice Burrell

Scientology Christianity

1. Authority Although the Bible is used As the Word of God, the to bolster up the sect's Bible is the yardstick ideas, the source of against which all claims Scientology's philosophy (including those of and technology is Hubbard Hubbard) have to be himself. measured.

2. God Although Hubbard and God is Trinity, Father, Son many of his followers are and Holy Spirit, three theists, belief in God is not Persons within the unity of essential to Scientology. the Godhead.

3. Christ Christ has no essential or "God sent his Son to be the central place in the sect's Savior of the world." teachings.

4. Salvation Man is basically good, but Man needs to be saved "engrams" (psychological from sin and to be given hang-ups) prevent him new life. Both are from reaching his full available from God through potential. When released faith in Christ. from these engrams through the scct's techniques, man begins to live on a higher level in terms of his own humnan achievement.

EXHIBIT C SCIENTOLOGY EVALUATED IN THE LIGHT OF BIBLICAL CHRISTIANITY

from Those Curious New Cults by William J. Petersen

"How, then, can Scientology be evaluated by biblical Christianity?

First, its primary assumption that man is basically good is not biblical. Familiar Scriptures such as "For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God," and "All our righteousnesses are as filthy rags," indicate quite clearly that the Bible and Hubbard are not in the same comer.

Second, Scientology's highest authority is not Jesus Christ or the Christian Bible but a science-fiction writer named L. Ron Hubbard. The way in which Hubbard is idolized is ridiculous, and the iron-clad control under which members are kept is frightening. It's a far cry from "Ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free." In some ways, the Scientology organization is disturbingly similar to Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four with Ron Hubbard as "Big Brother."

Third, to Scientology God is irrelevant. Scientology alone is relevant. Whether God exists or not is not a matter of concern. The entire working of Scientology does not take God into consideration.

Fourth, Scientology has no salvation to offer the poor. It may have programs to help drug addicts or the mentally retarded, but these can never become good Scientology members unless they have money. Books axe sold, counseling sessions are expensive. Joseph Martin Hopkins wrote in Christianity Today, "The door to salvation is not open to those who cannot afford to pay the price of processing." Nothing is said about the plight of the poor, the sick, the homeless and oppressed. According to Time magazine, one woman said, "It's the only church I've seen with a cashier's booth." Contrast that to biblical Christianity which offers salvation "without money and without price."

Fifth, Scientology has a warped code of ethics. In the Scientology code are such statements as "Never fear to hurt another in a just cause," and "To punish to the fullest extent of my power anyone misusing or degrading Scientology to harmful ends." Such statements bear no resemblance to the words of Jesus: '~l~um the other cheek," and "Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you and pray for them that spitefully use you and persecute you."

And sixth, Scientology deifies man. In fact, in their writings, man is often capitalized. Man is not only good, but his sentient mind "is utterly incapable of error." Man's reason will produce perfect behavior and therefore solve all the problems of the human predicament.

"In 50,000 years of history," writes L. Ron Hubbard, "on this planet alone, Man never evolved a workable system." But Hubbard himself came up with Scientology, which he calls "a workable system. "It is doubtful, if in foreseeable history, he will ever evolve another.... Man is caught in a huge and complex labyrinth. To get out of it requires that he follow the closely taped path of Scientology."

But while Scientology may lead out of a labyrinth, it may also lead into a straightjacket. It is neither good science nor good religion; it is neither good ethics nor good philosophy. Is it good for anything? Yes, it is good for business.

bard April 23, 1953