The Scientology Comparative Theology Page

In a 1953 letter , Hubbard is seen to be increasingly desperate to find people that would pay for his dubious therapy. He proposes adding a "religion angle" to Scientology to avoid the legal pitfalls of claiming to be a science. Unfortunately, Hubbard tried to have it both ways. He simultaneously called Scientology a secular mental therapy to attract scientific-minded people, then he called Scientology a religion to foil FDA scrutiny. William Barwell, a.r.s. poster, has compiled a list of Hubbard quotes, circa 1952-1962 in which Hubbard denies that Scientology is a religion.

In late 1962, Hubbard issued the "Religion" policy letter while pursuing a tax exemption in England and the US:

"For information of the London and Commonwealth offices, they will soon be transferred to Church status when the Founding Church of Washington DC is given full tax exemption, and HASI Ltd. and HCO Ltd. shares will be converted to equally valuable Church certificates.

"Scientology 1970 is being planned on a religious organization basis throughout the world.

"This will not upset in any way the usual activities of any organization. It is entirely a matter for accountants and solicitors."

HCO PL October 29, 1962, RELIGION

The conversion of Scientology from a secular self-help group to "applied religious philosophy" began in earnest in 1975. Hubbard was still having various problems with his "technology" - the IRS scrutinized Scientology's interesting accounting system, the FDA had forced Hubbard to abandon his medical claims, auditing was expensive, and Scientilogy suffered from a poor image as a cult devoted to and for the benefit of L. Ron Hubbard. Hubbard ordered the establishment of various religious trappings - he called his staff ministers and had them wear clerical collars, he called auditing spiritual counselling, and the high auditing prices were called fixed donations . Hubbard even wrote a few "religious services", such as Marriage and Confession.

Recognition finally came in the United States in 1993. As reported in the Wall Street Journal, the IRS reversed 30 years of legal precedent by granting 501(c)(3) (charitable organization) status to Scientology in a secret deal. In return, Scientology dropped nearly 2000 lawsuits against the IRS. The Clinton administration (1992-2000) defended the "religion" of Scientology in Europe in various State Department human rights reports and Trade Commission actions. France and Germany see Scientology as a psycho-sect which continues to harm people and have taken steps to curtail the abuse. Canada in 1998, and the U.K in 1999 again denied that Scientology was a charitable organization.

This difference between the United States and Europe can be traced to the U.S. immigrants who fled the state churches of Europe. The U.S. Constitution's First Amendment provides that the government "shall not make an establishment of religion". The freedom of faith is so cherished that the U.S. Government is even barred from deciding what is or is not a religion, which may explain why so many New Religious Movements [nee: cults] are started in the U.S. As a government agency, the IRS does not recognize Scientology as a religion; rather it recognizes Scientology as a charitable organization.

Thus, Scientology became a religion because Hubbard asserted that it was so. True to form, Hubbard's proof is by repeated vehement assertion. Religious scholars have been divided on the issue ever since. The "Church" of Scientology continues to sit firmly on the fence, declaring themselves to be a religion in those countries which offer tax advantages, and as a fraternal association in those countries with an exclusive state church.

Scientology, as a belief system, has an poorly-defined concept of God or the supernatural. This is probably attributable to Hubbard himself, who had no formal religious training. While Scientology can be considered a belief system (though, as a "Science of Mind", this is debatable), not all belief systems are necessarily religious. In his "Religion Angle" letter, Hubbard reveals his misunderstanding in his conclusion that Scientology is religion:

"We're treating the present time beingness, psychotherapy treats the past and the brain. And brother, that's religion, not mental science."

Given Hubbard's ill-defined concept of religion, scholars were questioning whether Scientology was a Religion or a Racket as early as 1969. Scientology does not serve or worship the supernatural - rather, Scientology merely acknowledges humanity's spiritual dimension by side-effect of auditing Past Lives. Hubbard reasoned that if Past Lives are true, then Scientology was dealing with spirits, and that is as close to the supernatural as Hubbard went.

One important aspect of religion is its social context. The practice of Scientology is unlike all other religions in that its central "rite", auditing is exclusively practiced individually and never as a community. Scientologists may engage in training, both individually and as a community, but these classes are non-religious in nature. There is no God or other supernatural elements at the lower levels of Scientology. In the upper (Operating Thetan) levels, there is communication with spirits in a "very Space Opera" context, but the secretive nature of Scientology causes spokespersons to dismiss this one true marker of religion as "para-Scientology".

When a Scientologist is audited, the Auditor asks them questions which place little or no emphasis on supernatural subjects. Any supernatural events found during auditing are originated by the preclear and not the Auditor. A rule forbidding Verbal Tech (interpretation of auditing results by one Scientologist to another) effectively squelches any social interaction between Scientologists. Scientologists remain socially isolated from one another and must create their own religious beliefs without benefit of the group. Thus, official Scientology beliefs regarding the supernatural are nearly non-existent, while the individual Scientologists' beliefs in the supernatural are rudimentary. There is no social background of commentary, community understanding, and intellectual development that is common to most religious belief systems.

Scientology's primary claim to being a religion lies in Past Lives, and by extension, its claim to be treating the spirit. However, to be a religion, a belief system must have more than a superficial contact with the supernatural realm . Scientology claims that its roots are in Eastern religions such as Buddhism, which have a different concept of the supernatural than Western religion. However, Kent points out that Scientology (and Hubbard) have only a superficial acquaintance with Eastern Religion. Without the superficial veneer of Past Lives and Thetans, Scientology "rituals" look exactly like their secular Dianetics counterparts.

• "I don't consider Scientology to be a "religion" because it wasn't being conducted as such in good faith.", Robert Vaughn Young, 2000.
• "I was a staff member for Scientology in the 60’s when Hubbard decided to cloak this fraud in religiosity... It was presented to me as a ‘Applied Philosophy’, then in the late 60’s, a cross was dragged in the door, and we were told to wear collars... Staff considered it a joke then, I consider it a fraud now.", a.r.s. post, Arnaldo Lerma
• "and though I have been a high level staff and member, I promise you I never considered it as a religion...", a.r.s. post, Roger Gonnet.
• Dennis Erlich comments on the transformation of Scientology from an alternative therapy into religion.
  • Dennis answers some followup questions
• Margery Wakefield describes the transformation in Road to Xenu.
• Becoming a CofS Reverend, by "The Pilot", Steve Jebson, "Warrior", and Ralph Hilton. A correlated account by four former Scientology "ministers" who all agree that Scientology ministerial training both minimal and superficial.
• "Warrior", an ex-Scientologist (Sea Org) comments on the business (and not religious) perspective of Scientology.
• Jim Beebe, ex-Scientologist and former Cult Awareness Network staff (before CAN was consumed by Scientology) comments on the transformation.
• "Here is a personal interpretation of some of the teachings of the Church of Scientology. I have included some experiences from my years in the `church' which I hope you find interesting." An Essay on Scientology, Overview of the cult's ideology, D. J. Carter, March 1996. (Nov. 1995 version)   (Aug. 1995 version)  

• The German Government distributes a pamphlet which explains their position on Scientology. This pamphlet also states that the governments of "Belgium, France, Germany, Great Britain, Ireland, Italy, Luxemburg [sic], and Spain, as well as Israel and Mexico" do not recognize the religious status of Scientology. In a recent decision, Germany's Revenue Court held that Scientology is a business, and not a religious denomination. Ursula Caberta explains Germany's position in a press conference.
• The United Kingdom, arguing that Scientology does not benefit the public, denies Scientology "charitable organization" status.
• The Austrian government excludes Scientology from its list of recognized (and tax-exempt) religions. Scientology was recognized in Vienna, but not at the national level contrary to what Scientology claims.
• The Greek government raided and shut down KEPHE, the Athens Scientology mission. In the appeal, the Greek court ruled that Scientology had registered as a business, then improperly claimed religious status. The court also cited Scientology's violation of citizens' Constitutional right to associate (due to coercive techniques), as well as dangerous medical practices. In a statement to the Church of Greece, Maria-Gimisi Paretzoglou, Board of Directors Chairman of KEFE, states, "...We are not a religion and most of all we are not a heresy. The induction into a religion is a state of consiousness [or could be "consious" or "consience"] which is missing from our members who have a christian Orthodox consiousness...".
• The Swiss government refuses to hear a case by a Scientologist claiming religious discrimination.
• Belgium classifies Scientology as a cult . Belgium raided Scientology and siezed documents.
• France does not recognize Scientology as a religion . The lower house also passed legislation aimed at Scientology's psycho-abuse and chronic fraud.
• Lord Denning MR, Court of Appeal, England, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 6th, 7th July 1970: "When I look through the ceremonies and the affidavits, I am left with the feeling that there is nothing in it of reverence for God or a deity, but simply instruction in a philosophy. There may be belief in a spirit of man, but there is no belief in a spirit of God. This is borne out by the opening words of the book of ceremonies. It states: 'In a Scientology Church Service we do not use prayers, attitudes of piety, or threats of damnation. We use the facts, the truths, the understandings that have been discovered in the science of Scientology.'

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