Scientology - what is it? Church of Scientology. Scientology is a sect

One of the most scandalous and controversial organizations in the world. Science or religion, cult or commercial organization? All these concepts can be attributed to the term "Scientology". What this really is, we try to tell in our article.

You will get acquainted with the brief history of this movement, its currents and basic ideas. In addition, the main provisions of criticism relating to Scientology will be voiced.

Term meaning

From time to time in the press this word appears in connection with various scandals. So, Scientology, what is it? According to the information of the founder of the movement Ron Hubbard, he and his wife compiled the term from two words. In Latin, "szy" means "knowledge", and in the ancient Greek "logos" - "word, science." Hence, this is "knowledge of knowledge" or "science of science".

For the first time Hubbard uses this word in the work Excalibur, whose manuscript was written in 1938. In March 1952, he began a course of lectures in Kansas, which was called Scientology: The First Milestone.

Although this neologism occurs in other writers, such as Allen Apward and Anastasius Nordenholz, it is impossible to unequivocally talk about Hubbard's borrowing from earlier works. This is an often used word in an English-speaking environment. To unite "science" (in English "science") and end any branch of knowledge "... logia" (for example, "dentistry") it is not necessary to borrow terms from other authors.

Therefore, this issue remains open to researchers, but the fact of existence of this direction is more important, since we will now talk about the history of its formation.

History of Scientology

Now it will not be about the very notion of "Scientology" - what it means and what ideas are hidden behind it. In this part we will touch upon the history of the formation of this society.

So, the Scientology teaching was the continuation of Ron Hubbard's dianetics. Dianetics author defines as the doctrine of mental health. The key ones were the methods of mental therapy.

On the basis of groups that united many interested in innovations of Dianetics, Scientology was created in 1952. The Society was called the Hubbard Scientology Association. Later in the state of Arizona (Phoenix), the newly established Dianetic College is being postponed. And three years later the first Church of Scientology opens in the capital of the United States of America.

In 1952, together with the foundation of the college, Ron Hubbard patented "Dianetics" as his trademark. To control the use and distribution of materials, technologies and trademarks, the Center for Religious Technology was established. It is this organization after the death of Hubbard is the sole administrator of all property and company rights.

Today, Scientology is most in the United States. Among them there are even Hollywood stars, for example, John Travolta and Tom Cruise. After the death of the founder, followers divided into two currents, which we will talk about a little later.

Basic Ideas

Now we will briefly outline the foundations of Scientology, which Ron Hubbard set out for twenty years (in the fifties and sixties of the twentieth century).

So, the followers themselves define the teaching as a religion. It is also spoken of as an applied religious philosophy. For the goal, Scientologists put the study of the human spirit, as well as the practice of its relationship and relationship with the universe, other lives and by oneself.

Studies speak of the concept of "Scientology", that it is a composite science or teaching. According to reviews of religious scholars and critics, she absorbed the ideas of Gnosticism, Buddhism, Judaism, Vedas, certain features of Christianity, ancient philosophers, Taoism, as well as the results of Nietzsche and Freud.

Ron Hubbard himself proclaimed several key points about the philosophy of Scientology.

First, all people are good in nature, but they are forced to fight for existence and survival.

Secondly, in order to achieve this goal, it is necessary to achieve unity with oneself, comrades and the universe.

And the last thing: salvation is possible only through the spirit. If you can learn it, you can even heal the body.

Currents

In the course of the development of the doctrine, many followers appeared. According to some sources, supporters of this religion are among the citizens of more than one hundred countries of the world, and their total number fluctuates about eight million people.

At the same time, the data of the Scientologists themselves speak about the presence of more than three thousand missions in these countries. In the mid-nineties of the last century in the Russian Federation there were about ten thousand followers and sympathizers.

After the death of the founder of religion, Ron Hubbard (in 1986), the movement is divided into two currents - the Church of Scientology and the Free Zone. We will discuss them in more detail below.

Scientology in Russia

In Russia, for the first time Scientological organizations appeared in January 1994, when the "Scientology Church of the City of Moscow" was registered. Later, a series of scandals and speeches of various critics, injunctions and their appeal began. It is important that several activities were banned such as Scientology. Petersburg, for example, survived the liquidation of the "Scientology Center" in 2007.

Also in June 2011, one of the Moscow courts recognized eight of Ron Hubbard's works as extremist and banned their distribution to the territory of Russia.
Let's now talk separately about the two currents that appeared in the eighties.

Church

The first of these is called the Church of Scientology. In fact, it is the oldest organization in the history of this movement. It was founded in 1954, shortly after the popularization of Ron Hubbard's ideas. Today, it is the sole successor and administrator of all technologies and trademarks of the founder of the company.

The copyright to the work of Ron Hubbard, owned by the Church of Scientology, according to the legislation of the Russian Federation, is completed in 2056. Therefore, in this country in a few decades, the organization will not be able to enjoy exclusive rights to products and ideas.

In addition, the only organization that owns all trademarks is the Center for Religious Technology. In view of the specific hierarchy of the corporation, only it can issue licenses for their use. This possibility is not even present in the International Church of Scientology, although it is in fact the mother organization.

Scientology in Russia has its own representative offices. But in fact it turns out that this current is less popular than the "Free Zone", which we'll talk about further.

So, Scientology in Russia has gone two ways. The Church of Scientology came to this market in 1994, but soon there are various scandalous events. Initially, it was recognized as a destructive organization, after the decision was appealed. In 2011, several works by Ron Hubbart were recognized as extremist and banned for distribution on the territory of the Russian Federation.

Against the backdrop of these events in 1996, an interest arises among Russian-speaking Scientologists towards a new trend that is spreading in Western Europe. The organization is called the "Free Zone". It was formed and formed after the death of the founder of the teaching.

This current is not a single and centralized society, like the Church of Scientology. Here there are various societies. Some seek to preserve the doctrine in the form in which it was under Hubbard, the latter want its improvement and development.

In order to avoid legal conflict on the basis of copyrights, the followers of the "Free Zone" use exclusively the lifetime editions of Hubbard's works, as well as personal works.

In fact, this current is engaged in the popularization of Scientology as a religion. Most of the other areas, which have patents and rights to the Church, are not officially developed by fans of the Free Zone.

Criticism

Many journalists and researchers have tried to understand what Scientology is. The responses of former followers, the opinions of specialists in various fields, including jurisprudence, religious studies and other areas, have influenced the type of activity that Scientology refers to in different countries.

So, in most European countries, such as France, Belgium, Germany, Luxembourg, Ireland, this teaching is not recognized as a religion. Moreover, Scientology belongs to the category of commercial organizations in the Federal Republic of Germany, they want to prohibit it.

Also, religion is not recognized in Israel and Mexico.

And some states define the organization's activities even easier: "Scientology is a sect." In view of this state of affairs, more and more countries are restricting the dissemination of its ideas.

Scandals

But not only is Scientology famous. Reviews of critics can be regarded as a "black" PR. And what to do with such scandalous events as murder, intimidation and suicide?

Of the most notorious cases worth mentioning is the case with Lisa McPherson. A young girl came to the ideas of Scientology at the age of eighteen. But soon she falls into a light accident. She is taken away from the hospital and placed in the Scientology Center to prevent psychiatrists from being exposed. Seventeen days later the girl dies.

The second case is connected with the suicide of Patrice Wick. This is a Frenchman, who in 1988 threw himself out of the window, because he could not find the means to pay for the next course. The head of the Lyons branch of the Church of Scientology and fourteen members were found guilty of manslaughter. After this event, explanatory work was launched in French schools about the specifics of the teaching.

There is also enough evidence of intimidation, killing of disliked people in the practice of "fair play" and ritual R2-45. Among the victims of the media are Rudolf Willems, the owner of a ruined German metallurgical company, Rex Fowler, an American businessman, Noah Lottik, who jumped out of the window, holding the last money - $ 171.

Comparison with religion

Due to various trends in the world market, free Scientology has been advocated for some time. It included many facets and aspects of the company. Religion and science, education and therapy. Now we will talk about the relationship of Scientology and religion.

So, Ron Hubbard himself notes that this side was popularized exclusively for business. His son confirmed these words and added that in the first place Scientology is a science. And all issues related to religion were formalized solely for the settlement of tax relations with the American government.

Is it science or not?

If you look at the names of the works of Ron Hubbard, you can be sure that in the first place this teaching is positioned as a science. The Center of Scientology assists people in matters of improving intelligence, health, and career.

For example, many researchers consider the Clean Body, Pure Reason program as prevention and general restorative procedures. It involves taking vitamins and other supplements, jogging and visiting the sauna.

However, most scientists categorically perceive Scientology as pseudoscience. First of all, the "stress test" is criticized as a non-indicative process solely for attracting new members.

Scientology is a cult?

The teaching that Ron Hubbard (Scientology) created, according to many scholars from various fields of knowledge, is "a destructive totalitarian sect that has a detrimental and overwhelming influence on the psyche of its followers."

So in 1965, Anderson's report was published in Australia, where he gave examples of command hypnosis on auditing. Thanks to this over the newcomers the sect receives psychological control, as well as over and finances.

A similar situation was repeated in Germany, France, Scientology did not escape persecution in Moscow. The case of the prohibition by the court of eight works of Ron Hubbard, as extremist, was described above.

Also worth mentioning is the difference in currents. These facts relate mainly to the Church of Scientology. Supporters of the Free Zone claim that they do not have such a dictate, although there is information about the opposite.

Commerce

Critics say that the foundation of the capital of the Church of Scientology is real estate for many millions of dollars around the world. Also included here are auditing sessions, donations, books. Scientology develops as a financial pyramid, according to prominent economists.

In addition, there is evidence that Ron Hubbard thus solved the problem of his well-being. Establishing your own religion is the best way to get rich and hide from taxes.

According to some reports, Scientologists receive a commission for attracting new members, the head office has 10% of the monthly turnover of affiliated branches, and competitors are removed through litigation.

Interesting Facts

The fact that in some countries Scientology is banned, we have said before. Now it is worth mentioning some interesting facts in the history of this movement.

Since the mid-nineties, there has been a constant process of withdrawing from the worldwide network any information contrary to Hubbard's teachings.

There have also been attempts to force Google and Yahoo to remove information from the search results about pages with unwanted Scientology information.

And in 2009 the Arbitration Committee of Wikipedia forbids edits on its website from any IP-address associated with the Church or its affiliates.