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Chapter 1:
From Dianetics to Scientology
The sun never sets on Scientology
-- from "The Aims of Scientology" {1}
In 1950, a fad
called "Dianetics" hit America like a hurricane, attracting hundreds of
thousands of people, especially on the West Coast, by promising to cure
them of all of their problems without subjecting them to all those
tedious hours required by psychoanalysis.{2}
To understand the
cause of all their problems, and cure them, all they had to do was read
a book written by a science fiction writer named L. Ron Hubbard.
But in addition to
letting people cure themselves, this book had something to offer those
people who had always secretly wanted to be doctors and to cure others.
It allowed them to do this without all those tedious years of required
training. All they had to do was also read the book by Hubbard.
The impact of this
book, Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health, was incredible.
Dianetics clubs sprang up everywhere. People referred to Hubbard's book
simply as The Book, and thought of it more as The Bible.
Thousands were
throwing Dianetic parties{3} and reliving their birth (in keeping with
the Dianetics Philosophy which stated that a person's prenatal
experiences were the cause of many of that person's problems today).
What had once been a Seance had at last become Science.
But then, just
when everyone was having fun, a few critics had to come along and spoil
it all. Dianetics was discredited by the professional doctors and their
organizations, and America deserted it to search for Bridey Murphy (the
Irish woman who believed she had been reincarnated) instead.{4}
Dianetics then
also quietly underwent a rebirth. First, people could no longer become
"doctors" just by buying Hubbard's book. Instead, they had to pay to
take courses at his institutions before they could get "professional"
status. Secondly, Hubbard changed the "science" of Dianetics to a
"religion." And last, he renamed this religion "Scientology."
Not everyone applauded these moves. One critic said the name
"Scientology" was no more impressive than if a fruit shop proprietor
decided to call himself a "Fruitologist."{5} But most of the objections
-- and suspicion -- were levied not at the name but at the "religion."
Agnostics seemed to resent the religion, and the religious may have
resented the agnosticism.{6}
Scientologists did accept the idea of God, but believed that God existed
in each man as a "thetan," which is roughly comparable to the "spirit"
or "soul."{7} They therefore preached that man doesn't have a soul or
spirit -- he is a spirit called a thetan. God, when he was referred to,
was sometimes called the Big Thetan.{8}
In addition to worshipping a deity, Scientology also had some other
religious elements as well. Its adherents were imbued with a missionary
fervor, eager to march forth and deliver the gospel according to
Hubbard. In addition, the followers took on faith everything Hubbard
said. And finally, L. Ron Hubbard -- or "Ron" as believers called him --
the Western Guru, inventor, leader and promoter of Dianetics and
Scientology, while never proclaiming he was God, was placed in an almost
equally exalted position by his followers.{9}
Many people were still suspicious about Dianetics' conversion to
religion, perhaps because the "science" of Dianetics had run into so
many difficulties that turning it into a religion and renaming it may
have seemed like an attempt to evade its pervasive problems. The first
problem was the desertion of one of the earliest and most prestigious
adherents of Dianetics, Dr. J. A. Winter.{10}
Winter had written the foreword to Hubbard's book and had become the
director of Hubbard'sDianetic Institute. After he severed his
relationship with Dianetics, he wrote a book called A Doctor's Report on
Dianetics, which not only criticized Hubbard's research and methods, but
said that Dianetics was causing people to go psychotic.{11} He discussed
the case of one person who was treated by the Dianetic Institute and
then disappeared, returning later and stating he had with him "one of my
disciples, Saint Simon...."
In addition, in January of 1951, the New Jersey Board of Medical
Examiners instituted proceedings against Hubbard's Dianetic Organization
for operating an unlicensed medical school,{12} and possibly for letting
people append an "M.D." after their names, representing not a "Medical
Doctor" but a "Master of Dianetics."{13}
Also, Hubbard had some philosophical differences with a Dianetic
Foundation he had established in California and broke off with them.{14}
Hubbard's Wichita foundation filed a voluntary petition of bankruptcy on
February 21, 1951.{15}
Some of Hubbard's other organizations in Phoenix, Philadelphia and
London were successful, but he ran into difficulties later in Washington
when he established The Founding Church of Scientology there.{16} And
then, to add to Hubbard's troubles and successes, he brought Scientology
abroad.{17}
By March, 1959, Hubbard had moved the entire operation over to England's
Saint Hill Manor in East Grinstead, Sussex, right outside London.{18} He
left America, according to the London Times "because the atmosphere was
being poisoned by nuclear experiments."{19}
By the time he left America, he had 153 franchised Scientology auditors
here.{20} A "franchise" may be a strange structure for a group that
insists they're a Church, and that may explain why they've recently
renamed them "missions."{21}
It doesn't matter whether they are called missions or franchises. What
does matter is that they all had to turn over ten percent of their gross
income to Hubbard.{22} In addition, by that time, he had established
headquarters or "Orgs" as they called them (short for organizations) in
various parts of Australia, Africa, New Zealand and Europe -- all
turning over ten percent of their income to Hubbard, too.
While such an arrangement would seem quite enviable, Hubbard's problems
were just beginning. The British were not enchanted with Scientology.
They refused to recognize Saint Hill as a Church -- Hubbard could only
claim it as an educational establishment.{23} Then, they refused to give
Scientology students visas to enter the country for study or work at
Saint Hill.{24} And finally, they decided to set up an Inquiry into
Scientology, which is now under way.{25}
If the Inquiry is anything like the other Inquiries, Hubbard's problems
are far from over. After Victoria, Australia, completed its Scientology
Inquiry, Scientology was banned and its practice was made punishable by
up to $500 and two years in jail.{26}
In South Australia, officials outlawed Scientology and their use of
E-meters, a device similar to a lie detector.{27} In Western Australia,
Scientology was also banned.{28}
In New Zealand officials conducted an Inquiry into Scientology, but
decided not to ban it because they felt it had changed (although they
did criticize some of its earlier methods and expressed concern over
certain Scientology practices).{29}
Scientology was not banned in New South Wales,{30} however, where
anybody can set himself up as a consulting psychologist (one New South
Wales man who was convicted of kidnapping and murder had at one point in
his career styled himself as a therapist).{31}
And in South Africa, where an Inquiry is currently under way, it does
not look hopeful.{32} One witness allegedly testified that the
Scientologists were planning to arm 5,000 Africans and seize control of
the government.{33} A member of South Africa's Parliament referred to
Scientology as a "cancer like communism that could destroy South
Africa."{34}
And yet, despite all the Inquiries, despite all the bannings, and
despite all the negative publicity, outsiders estimate that the
Scientologists probably have several hundred thousand followers in
America (possibly a quarter of a million in California alone),{35} maybe
one hundred thousand in England,{36} and possibly two to three million
in the world.{37}
The Scientologists' own figures are even more glowing; they claim at
least four million members in America and probably five million members
in the world.{38} One thing is certain -- Scientology is expanding, and
probably tripled or quadrupled its members in the past few years.{39}
What is the future of Scientology? Will its adherents revive Dianetics,
as they are doing in America and England now, if they run into more and
more difficulties? Will they repeat their claims that they are a
science, or will they make their claims that they are a religion even
more vociferously?
In a letter titled "Scientology 1970," Hubbard wrote that Scientology
would be planned on a religious basis throughout the world. The letter
concluded: "This will not upset in any way the usual activities of any
organization. It is entirely a matter for accountants and
solicitors."{40}
_______________
Notes:
{1} initial quote on "sun" [23]
{2} article in Astounding Science Fiction [108]
{3} Dianetic parties [153]
{4} left Dianetics for Bridey Murphy [142]
{5} Fruitologist [261]
{6} agnostics unhappy [142]
{7} religious beliefs [261, 91, 158]
{8} Big Thetan [261]
{9} other religious elements [280]
{10} Winter breaking away [154]
{11} people going psychotic [117]
{12} Med. Ex. vs Dianetics [142, 255]
{13} Dianetics calling themselves M.D. [268]
{14} Hubbard in California [261]
{15} Wichita bankrupt [128]
{16} other orgs [272]
{17} England in '57 [255]
{18} first Dianetics group in England [168]
{19} atmosphere poisoned [275]
{20} 153 franchises [40]
{21} franchises vs missions [277]
{22} 10% to Hubbard [261, 255]
{23} Scientology not Church in Eng. [239]
{24} Scientologists barred in Eng. [258]
{25} inquiry [259]
{26} Victoria bans Scientology [282]
{27} Australia bans Scientology [279]
{28} W. Australia bans Scientology & meter [281]
{29} New Zealand doesn't ban Scientology [185]
{30} New South Wales doesn't ban [249]
{31} "psychologist" in New South Wales [246]
{32} South African Inquiry [181, 248]
{33} Scientologists try to seize control [247]
{34} Scientology a "cancer" [184]
{35} number in America [138]
{36} number in England [206]
{37} number in world [139]
{38} Scientology figure on membership [114, 277]
{39} tripling numbers [139]
{40} quote on "Scientology '70" [88a]
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