There are many ways to explain what a religion is. Primarily, we can define a religion as a set of beliefs concerning the cause of the universe. Many religions basically believe on creation of universe by a superhuman agency or agencies. Religion can also be characterized by devotional and rituals observation that contain moral code governing the conduct of member's affairs. There are five common religions in the world including Christianity, Islamic, Hinduism, Buddhism and Atheists. However, there are other small religions that practice their own set of beliefs and have followers in some regions. Christianity is the most practiced religion in the world with twice the population of Islamic which follows in number. Islamic religion follows with an exemplary good number of followers too. Buddhism, Hinduism and atheism are religions with great number of following too with each of them having a certain region in the world where it is highly practiced. However, there are many more religions in the world making a rough estimation of around 4,200 religions. Notably, the word religion can be used interchangeably with belief system or faith which has a public following aspect. This paper seeks to examine Scientology which is one of old religion that has no big following. Arguably, one can come up with a mythical narrative, prove some possibilities and form a church with a good following like Scientology.
Scientology church is a global network and pyramid of plentiful apparently independent but ordered organizations and other trade entities dedicated to administration, practice, and distribution of Scientology which is religion movement. They have the main church which is owned by pioneer organizations who make guidelines to be used by other Scientology churches all over the world. The other churches are registered in their region of operation as a separate corporate entity and they elect their own board of directors who will guide them according to the guidelines given by the pioneer church (Kent, 1999). Their headquarters are currently in Clearwater, Florida, United States a church known as Flag Land Base.
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The first Scientology church was started by L. Ron Hubbard in December 1952 in Camden, New Jersey. By that time, it was a small church with family members and friends. It was first named the Hubbard Association of Scientologists International in which now grew to Scientology church in 1953 when followers increased after Hubbard and family were involved in selling Scientology books and technology which attracted many. As Hubbard stated after the first opening of Scientology mega-church in Los Angeles 1954, the church was aiming at having a civilization without crime, without insanity, and without war. A civilization where honest beings could have rights and the abled could prosper. A civilization where any man could rise to great heights (Black, 1996). According to Hubbard words, one can get confused whether Scientology was a church or a political movement. If surely it is a religion, it is more of a cult than a normal religion. After the formation, Hubbard formed the Scientology creed which stressed on three things: the idea that psychological healing is fundamentally religious, free religious expressions, and body ailment is spiritual. Hubbard who assumed management and control of the church had a sudden death in 1986 leaving the church under David Miscavige who was the chairman board of religious technology center another separate corporation (Urban, 2011). The church has done exemplary good in trying to raise living stardust's of members by offering trainings programs since then. For instance in 1996 they implemented Golden Age of Tech which trained Scientology ‘auditors'.
Notably, their creation narration is much different from the biblical one. From the terms given to their supreme being to the whole myth. They argue that people forgot their true nature of spiritual being hence taking their immortality. They have centralized their mythology on thetan which they claim is an individual expression of theta which is a comic source or the force of life. They argue that theta is the true human identity claiming that man is godlike and pure. They say that, long time ago, the universe was formed by thetans creative ability (Bass, 2012). This is quite different from Christian’s biblical belief that the universe was created by their supreme being, God. They firmly hold believe that the universe was created by individualized expressions by theta.
They are in a large way concerned with the description, isolation, rehabilitation, and handling of human spirits as explained in the American Encyclopedia of religions. They describe Scientology as the study of handling all spirits of life being theirs or from others. Their one purpose as explained is to become certain of one's relationship and the existence of a spiritual being (Lewis, 2009). They believe human beings are immortal aliens and spiritual beings called thetan that is of current trapped in the earth in flesh.
They use Xenu in their teaching teachings about interplanetary civilians and alien intervention inconceivable measures. Hubbard described this story as space opera. It used a type of counseling called ‘auditing' as a method of spiritual rehabilitation. In this auditing as explained by Hubbard in space opera, physicians aim to deliberately re-experience traumatic painful events in their past. As a result, they free themselves from their limiting effect. This auditing was also a source of income as the study materials and the course was only available for members who contribute a certain amount of donation (Urban, 2011). In many stated including America, they are known for tax exemption and they emphasize this to prove their bona fide nature.
To sum up this discussion, it is arguable that one can come up with a narrative, try to prove it and end up being a religion with the recommendable following. This is the case of Scientology church. Created a narrative created by Hubbard, he proved the possibility, started a small association with family members and close friends and within a year it had spread internationally. Arguably, Hubbard had a belief that many would like to hear. A civilization where honest will get their rights and the abled could rise to highest heights. It became an international church preaching very different beliefs from other religion. Take for example the nature of the creation of the universe. They believe that people are like god only that they forgot their nature. They also believe theta their supreme being applied creative ability to form the universe. They also give the story of Xenu as part of their teaching which explains the interplanetary intervention of aliens and spiritual rehabilitation called ‘Auditing' taught to their members.
References
Bass, D. B. (2012). Christianity after religion: The end of church and the birth of a new spiritual awakening. New York: HarperOne.
Black, A. (1996). "Is Scientology A Religion?" Church of Scientology
Kent, S. (1999). The creation of" Religious" Scientology. Religious Studies and Theology, 18(2), 97.
Lewis, J. R. (2009). Scientology. Oxford University Press.
Urban, H. B. (2011). The Church of Scientology: A history of a new religion. Princeton University Press.
