Answers to Common Questions on Scientology
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What is Scientology?
Scientology, which means "knowing how to know," is a religion based on the works of L Ron Hubbard (1911-1986). The first church was established In Los Angeles in 1954, and today there are more than 4,300 Scientology churches, missions and groups around the world.
The Scientology religion teaches that a person is an immortal spiritual being (called in Scientology a "thetan" from the Greek letter "theta," meaning "spirit"), who has a body and a mind and lives on from lifetime to lifetime. Scientologists believe that the "reactive mind" (that portion of the mind that works on a totally stimulus-response basis, not under the volitional control of the Individual) exerts force and the power of command over one's awareness, purposes, thoughts, body and action. Through spiritual counselling called "auditing," Scientologists reduce and ultimately erase the power of the reactive mind. The reactive mind is of no benefit to the Individual and is a source of irrationality, fears and nightmares. Its eradication achieves the State of Clear and brings to view the individual himself and is a landmark step in the full discovery of one's true nature and in ultimately achieving full spiritual awareness and freedom.
What are the basic tenets?
Scientology addresses the spirit - not simply the body or mind - and believes that man is far more than a product of his environment, or his genes.
Scientology comprises a body of knowledge which extends from certain fundamental truths.
Prime among these are:
- Man is an immortal spiritual being.
- His experience extends well beyond a single lifetime.
- His capabilities are unlimited, even if not presently realized.
In Scientology we hold man to be basically good, and that spiritual salvation depends upon the individual and people around them and 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 does the word Scientology mean?
The word Scientology, conceived by L. Ron Hubbard, comes from the Latin scio which means “know” or “distinguish,” and from the Greek word logos which means “reason itself” or “inward thought.” Thus it means the study of wisdom or knowledge. It means knowing how to know. Scientology, however, is defined as the study and handling of the spirit in relationship to itself, universes and other life.
Who was L. Ron Hubbard?
L. Ron Hubbard was the founder of Dianetics and Scientology and the author of the Scientology scripture. His research on the spirit, the mind and life is recorded in the tens of millions of words which comprise Dianetics and Scientology. His works cover subjects as diverse as drug rehabilitation, education, marriage and family, success at work, administration, art and many other aspects of life.
His best-selling book Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health alone has sold millions of copies and continues to appear on the New York Times and other bestseller lists around the world, nearly five decades after its original publication. L. Ron Hubbard dedicated his life to helping others. He saw that this world had to change drastically, and he created a workable technology so that needed changes could occur.
Testimony to the effectiveness of his discoveries are the millions of happy and successful people and the thousands of Dianetics and Scientology churches, missions and groups internationally.
