What is Dianetics?
What is Scientology?
What is auditing?
What is a thetan?
What is the mind?
What is an engram?
What is Clear?
What is Operating Thetan or OT?
Why is Scientology a religion?
Does Scientology have scriptures?
Does the Church of Scientology have a Creed?
If so, what is it?
Are auditors governed by a code of conduct?
What is the E-Meter and how does it work?
What is training?
What is Study Technology?
What are the dynamics?
What is the Scientology concept of God?
What is the Scientology system of ethics?
What does the Scientology cross represent?
What does the Scientology symbol represent?
Do Scientologists have church ceremonies?
Does Scientology believe in past lives?
What is the Scientology view on drugs?
What is the Purification Rundown?
Do Scientologists use medical doctors?
How does Scientology view marriage and the family?
How does the Church view relationships between
a Scientologist and family members who arent Scientologists?
Is Scientology open to anyone?
What celebrities are Scientologists?
What does Scientology have to say about other religions?
What is Dianetics?
Dianetics is a methodology which can help alleviate such ailments as unwanted sensations and emotions, irrational fears and psychosomatic illnesses (illness caused or aggravated by mental stress). The word Dianetics comes from the Greek words dia, meaning through and nous, soul. The full and proper definition of Dianetics is what the soul is doing to the body through the mind. Before L. Ron Hubbard published the fundamentals of Dianetics in 1950, prevailing scientific thought held that mans mind was his brain, nothing more than a collection of cells and neurons. IQ was considered unimprovable and personality fixed. Dianetics changed all that. Its effectiveness, astonishing in many cases, has been documented in a multitude of case histories over nearly half a century of application.
Dianetics rests on basic principles, easily learned, applied and experienced.
Scientology is an applied religious philosophy which recognizes that man is basically good and offers tools anyone can use to become happier and more able as a person and to improve conditions in life for himself and others. Developed by L. Ron Hubbard, Scientology provides exact principles and a practical technology for improving spiritual awareness, self-confidence, intelligence and ability. The word Scientology comes from the Latin word scio, meaning "know" and the Greek word logos, meaning "the word or outward form by which the inward thought is expressed and made known." Thus, Scientology means knowing about knowing.
Scientology comprises a body of knowledge which extends from certain fundamental truths. Prime among these:
- Man is an immortal spiritual being.
- His experience extends well beyond a single lifetime.
- His capabilities are unlimited, even if not presently realized.
- Scientology further holds man to be basically good, and that his spiritual salvation depends upon himself and his fellows and his attainment of brotherhood with the universe.
- Scientology is not a dogmatic religion in which one is asked to believe anything on faith. An individual discovers for himself that Scientology works by applying its principles and observing or experiencing the results.
- The ultimate goal of Scientology is true spiritual enlightenment and freedom for the individual.
What is auditing?
Auditing is the term given to the spiritual counseling which is the central practice of Dianetics and Scientology. It is delivered by an auditor (from the Latin word "audire," meaning to listen) -- a person trained and expert in the exact techniques of Dianetics and Scientology technologies.
The goal of auditing is to restore individual ability. It is a precise, thoroughly codified activity with precise procedures.
An auditor uses exact sets of questions asked to help a person find out things about himself and improve his condition. An unlimited number of questions could, of course, be asked -- which might or might not help a person. The accomplishment in Dianetics and Scientology is that L. Ron Hubbard isolated the precise questions and directions to invariably improve a persons ability and remove the impediments to his or her spiritual growth.
An auditor does not engage in some vague form of mental exploration, nor does an auditor offer solutions, advice or evaluation. One of the fundamental principles of the Scientology religion is that an individual can improve his conditions only if he is allowed to find his own answers to lifes problems. Scientology auditors help individuals to accomplish this goal by guiding them to examine their existence through a carefully structured series of steps that Mr. Hubbard developed. By following this gradient process, individuals can improve their ability to face what they are and where they are.
The period of time during which the auditor delivers spiritual counseling is called an auditing session. During a session, an auditor asks questions to assist the individual to look. The auditor does not offer solutions. He or she listens, precisely what the word "auditor" suggests. The individual thereby finds answers by examining his own existence. This improves his ability to face and handle the problems of life.
There is a vast difference between auditing and other forms of counseling. There is no use of hypnosis or drugs during auditing, because they limit a persons awareness and self-determinism. Auditing is not something done to a person. Its benefits can only be gained through active and willing participation of the individual being audited. The person receiving auditing is completely aware of everything that happens.
Auditing is done in a gradient series of steps, which improve the individuals ability to confront and handle more and more parts of his existence and achieve higher levels of spiritual awareness and well-being.
Through auditing, the individual handles those conditions which are hindering his survival and gains the ability to control them rather than being controlled by them.
In Scientology, man is held to consist of three parts -- thetan, mind and body. The thetan is the spiritual being. The thetan is the individual. One is a thetan who has a mind and who occupies a body. As is explained more fully below, the thetan is that which animates the body and uses the mind.
One of the most basic tenets of Scientology is that man is an immortal spiritual being whose experience extends well beyond a single lifetime and whose capabilities are unlimited, even if not presently realized.
The term is taken from the Greek letter theta for thought or life or the spirit. It is used to avoid confusion with previous concepts of the soul.
In Scientology, the mind is a communication and control system between the individual -- the thetan -- and his environment. The individual uses his mind to pose and resolve problems related to survival and to direct his efforts accordingly.
The mind is composed of mental image pictures which are recordings of past experiences. These mental images are what is often thought of as memory. They are three-dimensional color pictures with sound, smell and all other perceptions. These pictures are actually composed of energy. They have mass, they exist in space and appear when a person thinks of something. For example, a person who thinks of a cat will get a mental image picture of a cat.
The mind is made up of two parts -- the analytical mind and the reactive mind. The analytical mind is the rational, conscious, aware mind which thinks, observes data, remembers it and resolves problems. The reactive mind works on a totally stimulus-response basis. It operates below the level of consciousness and is not under the individuals control. The reactive mind exerts force and the power of command over his awareness, purposes, thoughts, body and actions.
The reactive mind does not store memories as we know them. It stores particular types of mental image pictures called engrams. Engrams are a complete recording, down to the last accurate detail, of every perception present in a moment of partial or full "unconsciousness."
"Unconsciousness" could be caused by the shock of an accident, anesthetic used for an operation, the pain of an injury or the delirium of illness. During these times, the analytical mind shuts down in full or in part and the reactive mind cuts in, in full or in part. An engram exists below the individuals awareness level yet it can be activated so as to enforce its content, and can cause unevaluated, unknowing and unwanted fears, emotions, pains and psychosomatic illnesses.
For example, a man playing baseball is hit in the head by a pitchers ball and knocked out. Someone yells out to the pitcher, "You are no good." Although the man is unconscious, these words and everything else going on are recorded in an engram; the smell of the dirt where he lay, the feeling of sweat on his brow and the sensation of heat from the afternoon sun. Months or even years after the incident, while watching a baseball game, many of these factors recorded in the engram are present in his current environment. These can restimulate the engram. The man suddenly and inexplicably gets a headache. He might also feel that he was "no good." This engram in the reactive mind has been restimulated. The reactive mind is attempting to "prevent" the man from "getting himself into danger." The reactive mind is not very intelligent.
Such is the power and influence of engrams.
The goal and end result of Dianetics is the state of Clear, attained through many hours of Dianetics auditing. One who has achieved the state of Clear no longer has his own reactive mind and therefore suffers none of the ill effects the reactive mind can cause. Clear is a new state for man.
Becoming Clear strengthens a persons native individuality and creativity and does not in any way diminish these attributes. A Clear is free with his emotions. He can think for himself and is able to experience life unencumbered by inhibitions reactively dictated by past engrams.
Rather than react to it, a Clear is able to deal causatively with life. A Clear is rational in that he forms the best possible solutions he can on the data he has and from his own viewpoint. Artistry, personal force and individual character are all residual in the basic personality of the person, not in his reactive mind. Whatever an individuals level of ability, it is greatly increased after he goes Clear.
What is Operating Thetan or OT?
Operating Thetan, or "OT," means a spiritual being, or thetan, who is able to operate with full awareness, memory and ability, independent of the physical universe. This is a goal sought by men for thousands of years.
This state is reached above the level of Clear.
Basic levels of Scientology help a person deal with his personal relationships and day-to-day problems, to free his attention to address higher aspects of existence. At the level of Operating Thetan, one deals with his own immortality as a spiritual being.
Like any other spiritual level in Scientology, the state of OT is attained by proceeding through a series of gradient steps, each one slightly more advanced than the last. The precise sequence is firmly established and variations from that sequence are unproductive. Thus, it would be fruitless to try to move somebody onto the OT levels before he is ready for them. One may as well demand that a baby run before first learning to crawl and learning to walk. Similarly, in Scientology individuals can only receive the benefits of the counseling that brings one to OT after completion of more basic steps.
At the level of OT, Scientologists study the very advanced materials of L. Ron Hubbards researches. According to those who have achieved OT, the spiritual benefits obtained are beyond words.
Why is Scientology a religion?
Religion is defined as "Any specific system of belief and worship, often involving a code of ethics and a philosophy." (Websters New World Dictionary: Third College Edition.)
Religious philosophy includes study of spiritual manifestations, research on the nature of the spirit, study of the relationship of the spirit to the body, and practices devoted to the rehabilitation of spiritual abilities.
Scientology is a religion in the most traditional sense. It deals with man as a spirit and is distinguishable from material and non-religious philosophies which hold man to be a product of material circumstances.
Scientology holds in common with all great religions the dream of peace on earth and salvation for man. What is new about Scientology is that it contains a technology to bring about spiritual improvement in the here and now and to accomplish it with certainty in each individual who honestly participates in Scientology auditing and training services.
The Church of Scientology also conducts the basic ceremonies and services common to many religions, such as sermons at church meetings, naming ceremonies (similar to baptisms), weddings and funerals.
Moreover, the religious nature of Scientology has been recognized repeatedly by governments, courts and religion experts throughout the world.
In fact, in one tax-related case before the High Court of Australia in 1983, the Church established the legal definition of religion under the Australian Constitution for the first time in that nations history. The High Court came to the "irresistible" conclusion that Scientology is a religious institution.
The expert and official recognitions of Scientology as a bona fide religion, from courts, government agenies, scholars, theologians and sociologists around the world number many hundreds. None has ever concluded otherwise.
Does Scientology have scriptures?
Yes. The writings and recorded spoken words of L. Ron Hubbard on the subject of Scientology collectively constitute the scriptures of the religion. He set forth the Scientology philosophy and technologies in more than 500,000 pages of writings, including dozens of books, and nearly 3,000 tape-recorded lectures.
Does the Church of Scientology have a Creed? If so, what is it?
The Creed of the Church of Scientology was written by L. Ron Hubbard shortly after the Church was first formed in Los Angeles on February 18, 1954. It reads as follows:
The Creed of the Church of ScientologyWe of the Church believe:
- That all men of whatever race, color or creed were created with equal rights;
- That all men have inalienable rights to their own religious practices and their
performance;- That all men have inalienable rights to their own lives;
- That all men have inalienable rights to their sanity;
- That all men have inalienable rights to their own defense;
- That all men have inalienable rights to conceive, choose, assist
or support their own organizations, churches and governments;- That all men have inalienable rights to think freely, to talk freely, to write
freely their own opinions and to counter or utter or write upon the opinions
of others;- That all men have inalienable rights to the creation of their own kind;
- That the souls of men have the rights of men;
- That the study of the mind and the healing of mentally caused ills should not
be alienated from religion or condoned in nonreligious fields;- And that no agency less than God has the power to suspend or set aside these
rights, overtly or covertly.
- And we of the Church believe:
- That man is basically good;
- That he is seeking to survive;
- That his survival depends upon himself and upon his fellows and his attainment
of brotherhood with the universe.
- And we of the Church believe that the laws of God forbid man:
- To destroy his own kind;
- To destroy the sanity of another;
- To destroy or enslave anothers soul;
- To destroy or reduce the survival of ones companions or ones group.
- And we of the Church believe that the spirit can be saved and that the spirit
alone may save or heal the body.
Are auditors governed by a code of conduct?
Yes, they are.
The auditor maintains and practices a code of conduct known as the "Auditors Code." This collection of stringently followed rules ensures that the person being audited gets the greatest possible gain from auditing. The Auditors Code evolved over many years of observation, and it is the code of ethics which governs an auditors conduct.
Auditing is most successful when the auditor acts according to the Code. The auditor, for example, never tells the person he is auditing what he should think about himself, nor offers any opinion about what is being audited. A goal of auditing is to restore the individuals certainty in his own viewpoint; evaluation for him only inhibits attainment of this goal. Hence, it is prohibited by the Code.
The qualities instilled by the Auditors Code are essentially those held to be the best in people. An auditor shows kindness, affinity, patience and other such virtues, to assist the person being audited in confronting areas of upset or difficulty.
What is the E-Meter and how does it work?
E-Meter is a shortened term for electropsychometer. It is the primary tool used in auditing and is a highly sensitive electronic instrument which indicates changes that occur in the mind.
As noted above, the mind is made up of mental image pictures which have mass and energy. When a person thinks a thought, looks at one of these pictures or re-experiences some painful memory, he is moving and changing the mental mass and energy of the mind.
What makes the E-Meter react is the impingement of these mental image pictures against the body. A person receiving auditing holds two plated cans which are hooked up to the electronic components of the meter. The meter sends a minuscule electrical current (approximately half a volt) through the body, about the same amount of current as in the average battery-powered wristwatch.
Changes in the mental masses of the mind affect the tiny flow of electrical energy generated by the E-Meter and this change is registered by movement of a small, sensitive needle on the face of the meter. A reaction which causes the needle to move indicates an area of upset or trauma and this guides the auditor in locating what should be addressed in auditing.
The E-Meter by itself does nothing. However, as a guide, and because it can react on things that are just below the conscious awareness of a person, the auditor is able to help an individual readily locate the areas in his life that need to be addressed with the appropriate auditing procedure.
Because of its indispensable role in the religious service of auditing, the E-Meter has been deemed a religious artifact by courts in the United States.
Training is the way to learn the technology of Scientology. It is the word used to describe the study of Scientology principles so they can be applied to accomplish the purpose of improving conditions in life, both ones own and that of others.
Courses range from the introductory, where an individual can learn the basics of Scientology, to advanced courses which train individuals to become expert auditors.
Each Church of Scientology has a courseroom, also known as an Academy. Students study the written works and listen to taped lectures of L. Ron Hubbard in the precise order set forth on a checksheet for each course. A Course Supervisor is present in each courseroom to assist students to attain full understanding of the material they are studying. A Course Supervisor does not teach, lecture or interpret in any way, but instead refers the student to the correct material if the student is experiencing difficulty. Because of the checksheets and the Supervisors role, students are able to proceed at their own individual pace.
Films on important aspects of auditing also are used to facilitate the students comprehension and practical applications of auditing as part of Scientology training.
The end result of training is that an individual is able to be an auditor for another person. Because Scientology offers an understanding of human behavior, training as an auditor also provides individuals with a means of dealing with real-life situations by understanding their causes. Training gives Scientologists the know-how to resolve difficulties in life that might otherwise appear insoluble.
Study Technology is the term given to the methods L. Ron Hubbard developed to enable individuals to study effectively. It is a methodology that renders the student better able to use and apply what he or she has learned. The "study tech," as it is sometimes referred to colloquially, can be applied by anyone to the study of any subject.
L. Ron Hubbard recognized the failings of modern education and training in 1950, many years before educational horror stories began to make headlines. He observed that students were simply unable to learn with comprehension. Sometimes they could repeat, parrot-fashion, what they had been taught, but were unable to apply the subject supposedly "learned" with any facility or understanding.
Mr. Hubbard then researched the subject and isolated the actual barriers to effective learning. He found that the problem was not overwork, crammed study schedules or incompetent teachers. He discovered that the impediment to students ability to retain and effectively use data was the absence of a technology of how to study. This realization led to a breakthrough: a precise technology on how to overcome these barriers so that real learning can take place. Before then, nobody had realized that there was a lack of an actual technology of how to study.
Study Technology is not a gimmicky "quick-study method" that seems to be currently fashionable. It is an exact technology that anyone can use to learn a subject or to acquire a new skill.
It begins by understanding the barriers to study.
The first of these barriers is studying a subject in the absence of its physical mass. For example, if one is studying tractors, the printed page and the spoken word are no substitute for an actual tractor. Lacking a tractor to associate with the written word, or at least pictures of the subject, severely limits a persons understanding of tractors.
The next barrier is too steep a gradient in study. If a student is forced to address new material without first understanding the material which precedes and lays the foundation for later study, confusion results and learning breaks down.
For example, suppose a person learning to drive has difficulty coordinating his feet and hands to manually shift the car into another gear while keeping to one lane. The difficulty will be found to lie in some earlier action in shifting gears. Possibly he was not yet comfortable shifting through the gears with the engine off and the car at rest. If this is recognized, the gradient can be cut back and the person brought up to a point where he can easily shift the gears on a motionless car before performing the same action while in motion.
The third and in fact most important barrier to study is the misunderstood word. A misunderstood or uncomprehended word or definition of a word can thoroughly block a persons understanding of a subject and can even cause one to abandon the subject entirely. Have you ever gotten to the bottom of a page only to discover you didnt remember anything it contained? Just before that page seemed to have gone "blank," there was a word you didnt fully understand. This barrier is applicable to any field of endeavor and solving it was a major breakthrough which opened the gates to effective education.
Mr. Hubbards Study Technology enables anyone to be able to know when one of these barriers has been encountered and enables him or her to remedy it so the ability to study and learn is not impeded.
These methods have been used by more than three million people all over the world and have proven phenomenally successful:
* A Los Angeles study showed an average gain of 1.8 years in vocabulary and comprehension after only 10 hours of tutoring in Study Technology. One student gained an almost unbelievable 5 years and 9 months in his test scores after only 20 hours of instruction. All teachers who took part in this study also reported an overall improvement in their students ability to learn and to read--plus an unexpected improvement in the general behavior of students as a direct result of Study Technology.
* In South Africa, one class of underprivileged high-school students was trained in Study Technology, and at the end of the school year achieved a 91 percent pass rate on the nationally administered Department of Education examination. A control group, not so trained, had a 27 percent pass rate on the same test.
* In Brixton, England, a group of students 8 to 13 years was put through a course in reading materials based on Study Technology. Each student spent 8 to 10 hours over 10 days studying the course materials. Upon completion, they had gained an average of 1.3 years in reading level.
These and other results translate into effective education that enables individuals to acquire learning skills they will use every day of their lives.
What are the dynamics? (Include illustration)
Every individual has an urge and determination to survive. Pursuit of survival is the common denominator of all life.
For an individual, this drive for survival embraces eight distinct divisions known in Scientology as dynamics. The dynamics are best conceived as concentric circles with (1) self in the middle and extending to (2) family and sex, (3) groups, (4) mankind, (5) all life forms, (6) the physical universe, (7) spirituality and (8) infinity or the Supreme Being.
The first dynamic, self, is the effort to survive as an individual, to be an individual and to fully express ones individuality.
The second dynamic is the urge toward existence as a future generation. It has two components: sex and the family unit, including the raising of children.
The third dynamic is the urge to survive as a member of a group. A company, a political party, a church or a social organization are all examples of the third dynamic.
The fourth dynamic is the urge for survival of man as a species. All of the races of man together constitute the fourth dynamic.
The fifth dynamic is the urge to survive for all life forms -- animal or vegetable and anything directly and intimately motivated by life.
The sixth dynamic is the urge for survival of the physical universe and reflects the drive of the individual to enhance the survival of all matter, energy, space and time --the component parts of the physical universe.
The seventh dynamic is the urge toward existence as a spiritual being.
The eighth dynamic is the urge toward existence as infinity. This is also identified as the Supreme Being. Thus, this dynamic can be called the infinity, or God, dynamic.
As noted earlier, the dynamics can be conceived as a series of concentric circles in which the first dynamic would be the center and each new dynamic would be successively a circle outside the preceding circle. The individual, then, expands from the first into the other dynamics as his responsibility increases. For example, a baby at birth is not perceptive beyond the first dynamic, but as he grows and his interests expand he can be seen to embrace other dynamics, beginning with his family (second dynamic) with an awareness and appreciation of mother and father, to his school (third dynamic) and associating with other children, etc.
An individuals ability is increased by improving his survival across the dynamics. As he becomes more capable and more aware, he becomes more able to control and influence all of his dynamics.
The goal of Scientology is to help an individual survive to the greatest level across all of his dynamics from the first and ultimately to the eighth.
What is the Scientology concept of God?
In Scientology, the concept of God is expressed as the eighth dynamic -- the urge toward existence as infinity, also identified as the Supreme Being. (See "What are the dynamics?")
The Church has no dogma concerning God. Although Scientology affirms the existence of a Supreme Being, its practice does not include the worship of such. As a person becomes more aware, however, he attains his own certainty of every dynamic and, as he moves from the seventh (spiritual) dynamic to the eighth, he comes to his own awareness of infinity and God. He also understands his own relationship to these.
In his book Science of Survival, L. Ron Hubbard wrote: "No culture in the history of the world, save the thoroughly depraved and expiring ones, has failed to affirm the existence of a Supreme Being. It is an empirical observation that men without a strong and lasting faith in a Supreme Being are less capable, less ethical and less valuable to themselves and society .... A man without an abiding faith is, by observation alone, more of a thing than a man."
The practice of Scientology is to bring one to a new state where he can reach his own conclusions concerning the nature of God or a Supreme Being. Thus, like many Eastern religions, salvation in Scientology is attained through personal spiritual enlightenment.
What is the Scientology system of ethics?
The Scientology system of ethics is based wholly on reason. Ethics may be defined as the actions an individual takes on himself to ensure his continued survival across the dynamics. It is a personal thing. When one is ethical, it is something he does himself by his own choice.
The Scientology ethics system includes a body of technology called conditions formulas. L. Ron Hubbard discovered that there are various states of existence and that there are exact formulas connected with these states.
A person can determine what condition any area of his life is in, and apply a formula to immediately improve this condition.
While very simple, such actions are quite powerful and have enabled millions of individuals to improve their lives in ways never thought possible. These formulas are used to handle personal situations, family problems, successes and failures on the job and relationships with other people. They can be applied to any situation in any area of life. They are tools by which one makes changes in his life and brings about improvements for himself and in the world around him.
Another part of Scientologys ethics system is what is known as confessionals. As long ago as 500 B.C., religions recognized that confession frees a person of spiritual burdens. A confessional assists the person who has transgressed against his own and his groups moral code to unburden himself and gain respect for himself and be happy and a contributing member of his group.
What does the Scientology cross represent?
The Scientology cross is an eight-pointed cross which represents the eight parts or dynamics of life as described above. The Scientology cross symbolizes the ability to live happily across all eight dynamics.
What does the Scientology symbol represent?
The "S" stands for Scientology.
The lower triangle is called the ARC triangle (pronounced by the letters A, R, C); A for affinity, R for reality and C for communication. These three interdependent factors combined add up to Understanding and are expressed as a triangle. ARC is a fundamental principle of the Scientology religion.
The first corner of the triangle is affinity, which is the degree of liking or affection for someone or something. Reality is the second corner and is, fundamentally, agreement. The third corner is communication, defined as the interchange of ideas between two people.
All three of these elements are interrelated. Without a degree of liking and some basis of agreement there is no communication. Without communication and some basis of affinity, or emotional response, there can be no reality. Without some basis for agreement and communication, there can be no affinity. And when one corner of this triangle is improved, the other two corners are likewise improved.
The upper triangle is the KRC triangle. The points are K for knowledge, R for responsibility and C for control. Like the points of the ARC triangle, these three elements are interrelated. When one corner of the KRC triangle is raised, the other two also rise.
This symbol first appeared in 1952.
Do Scientologists have church ceremonies?
Yes. Sunday Services are held regularly in Churches of Scientology. Scientology ministers also perform weddings, funerals and naming ceremonies for the newborn.
Does Scientology believe in past lives?
Scientology holds man as an immortal spiritual being whose experiences extend beyond one lifetime.
Scientologists, however, do not confuse past lives with reincarnation, which is a Karmic concept in Eastern religions and has come to mean "to be born again in different life forms." That is a different concept from that of simply having lived before. Scientologists do not believe in reincarnation.
Unlike the materialist who believes death to be an end to life, conscience and accountability, the Scientologist sees it as a transition through which one carries his past --a past for which he continues to be accountable. He knows that the abilities he is regaining in Scientology were, in part, lost because of past misdeeds and irresponsibilities. And, facing many tomorrows, the Scientologist knows that there is no running away from transgressions. As a result, he faces the present and tomorrow with greater responsibility. Honesty, integrity, trust and concern for his fellows are more than just words. They are self-enlightened principles to live by.
What is the Scientology view on drugs?
Scientologists use medical drugs when physically ill and also rely on the advice and treatment of medical doctors. Scientologists do not take street drugs or mind-altering psychiatric drugs of any kind.
Scientologists believe that psychotropic or street drugs damage a person physically, mentally and spiritually. They decrease awareness and hinder abilities. They are a "solution" to some other problem and themselves become a problem.
Mr. Hubbard developed an entire body of technology to enable individuals to recover from the harmful mental and spiritual effects of drugs. His discoveries are widely used in countries all over the world. (See below, "What is the Purification Rundown?" and "What is Narconon?")
What is the Purification Rundown?
The Purification Rundown is a detoxification program which enables an individual to rid himself of drugs, toxins and other chemicals which lodge themselves in the body and create a biochemical barrier to spiritual well-being.
Ours is a chemical-oriented society. Virtually everyone is subjected daily to the intake of food preservatives, pesticides, atmospheric poisons and the like. Add to this the wide assortment of medical and street drugs consumed in our society and the magnitude of the problem becomes obvious.
The Purification Rundown is a tightly supervised regimen of exercise, sauna, nutrition (including vitamins, minerals and oil) and a properly ordered schedule which includes sufficient rest. All of this together results in the elimination of drug residues and other toxins from the bodys fatty tissues.
The Purification Rundown is a major breakthrough by L. Ron Hubbard that has enabled hundreds of thousands to be freed from the harmful effects of drugs and toxins. In 1977, Mr. Hubbards research revealed that LSD stays in the system for years after a person has taken it, lodging in the fatty tissues of the body. Months or even years later, a person can go on a "trip" as LSD residue move out of the fat.
Subsequent research revealed that not only LSD but a long list of other street drugs, as well as chemical poisons, toxic substances and medical drugs, can all become lodged in the bodys fatty tissues of the body and cause a person to re-experience their effects. This phenomenon has since been confirmed in numerous independent medical studies.
For example, a 1994 outcome study done in the United States by Dr. Forrest Tennant, a leading expert on drug rehabilitation, found that drug residuals in the body that contribute to addiction were effectively eliminated through the procedures of the Purification Rundown.
A person engaged in the Purification Rundown is closely monitored by specially trained personnel in conjunction with medical doctors to ensure that each aspect of the program is administered correctly and that the desired benefits are being attained.
Once the residuals of drugs and toxins are released from the body, a person is also free from the detrimental spiritual affects caused by these lingering poisons. This is the purpose of the Purification Rundown.
A secularized adaptation of the Purification Rundown is delivered in Narconon drug rehabilitation centers worldwide. The Narconon program is supported by the Church and by Scientologists internationally. (See "What is Narconon?")
Do Scientologists use medical doctors?
Of course. The Church of Scientology has always had the firm policy of not treating the sick. Medical doctors are trained to deal with the physical aspects of illness and injury. A Scientologist with a physical condition is always advised to seek and obtain needed examination and treatment by a qualified medical professional. Once under medical treatment, a Scientologist then addresses his illness or injury with auditing to handle any spiritual trauma or other factors connected with the physical condition which may have predisposed him to illness or injury.
There are also many medical doctors who are Scientologists themselves.
How does Scientology view marriage and the family?
Scientology regards the family as the building block of any society and marriage as an essential component of a stable family life.
A person who comes into Scientology often finds his relationships with his spouse and other family members strengthened dramatically as a result of Scientology. Scientology teaches an individual to communicate more freely with others, raises his ability to love other people and puts him in better communication with family and friends.
Surveys have found that after participating in Scientology services, individuals are more likely to marry or stay married and to have children than before they became Scientologists.
How does the Church view relationships between Scientologist and family members who arent Scientologists?
The Church encourages and helps its members to have excellent family relationships, whether their relatives are Scientologists or not. In fact, relationships between a Scientologist and the rest of his family routinely improve after his involvement in Scientology, because through Scientology one acquires the means to increase communication and resolve any problems that might have existed before.
The Church goes to great lengths to reconcile family differences should any such problem arise. Family members of Scientologists are always welcome to visit the Church, to meet other Scientologists and to have their questions about Scientology answered.
The only occasions when reconciliation is hard to accomplish is when extremist, anti-religious hate groups intervene and make communication difficult or impossible. Such groups have a vested interest in inflaming rather than defusing upsets among family members, and are always closely connected to deprogrammers -- hired thugs who prey upon the concerns of families in exchange for payments of thousands of dollars.
Scientology Chaplains have assisted on numerous occasions in bringing family members together and enabling them to discover the real cause of their disagreements. Regardless of whether the other family members choose to become Scientologists or not, Scientologists take deep pride in their record of resolving family problems and conflicts.
Is Scientology open to anyone?
Scientology is open to anyone who seeks spiritual betterment.
The materials that make up the Scientology scriptures are broadly published, widely promoted and available to anyone. Churches and missions are open to the public seven days a week. Anyone can come in for a tour and see personally what the Church is all about.
Scientologists come from all walks of life, ranging from teachers to businessmen, doctors, housewives, attorneys, engineers, nurses, construction workers, celebrities, marketing and administrative personnel, secretaries, athletes, civil servants and virtually any other pursuit anyone can value.
What celebrities are Scientologists?
An individuals religion is a private matter and it is not the Churchs duty or desire to publicly discuss who is or is not a Scientologist. Obviously many Scientology celebrities have been outspoken in their support of the Church. But that is exclusively their own choice.
The fact is, people from all walks of life receive Scientology services and many artists and professionals are attracted by what Scientology has to offer. Artists are respected because they have an important role in society. As public figures and role models, they help set social and moral standards. Good or bad, what an artist does in life is often widely reported by media. Celebrities who are Scientologists live happy, successful and moral lives which set a positive example for the rest of the world. In addition, their support for social betterment activities which seek to improve society is of great value.
What does Scientology have to say about other religions?
Scientology respects all religions. It shares with other religions the dreams of peace and salvation.
The Churchs Creed states that "all men have inalienable rights to their own religious practices and their performance."
Scientology ministers-in-training study all the major religions of the world to better understand how they fit into the large religious community.
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