Everyone’s heard the stories. Scientologists worship an intergalactic warlord called ‘Xenu’, Scientologists have an irrational hatred of psychiatrists, Scientologists pursue enemies relentlessly, Scientology is a cult.
And having derisively written about the Church before I was inclined to believe the stories. But that was before I actually read L. Ron Hubbard’s book ‘Dianetics’ and started taking the Church seriously.
It’s only when you give it a chance that you realise Scientology is the only modern religion on the planet. The only religion to actually work one on one with people to help them live their lives better – after all we’re given all this knowledge in school, but no-one ever actually tells us how to live.
When you go to a Church or to call it what it really is, a Religious Technology Centre, you get what no religion can offer you – a modern, systematic, documented program for making yourself happier.
First you do an IQ and Personality test – and it’s graphed. Straight away you have a visual breakdown of your IQ and personality. That is the basis from which you work. Then you speak to someone, one on one, about yourself – what makes you tick, where you want to go, and which of your personality traits are toxic. What other Church offers such one on one care – such attention to actually improving people in a systematic scientific way?
Later you use what is called an ‘e-meter’ which you hold in either hand and which picks up changes in your bodies rhythms. Then you’re asked questions – and the e-meter helps the person who’s auditing your personality determine whether you’re being truthful, or unsure, or if you have traumas even you don’t know about.
This is a process that can heal mental illnesses and actually increase IQ – how many religions can boast that!
But it’s not just how the Church helps you work through your own personality development, it’s the stuff they do in the community, which most people have no idea of.
First there is the groundbreaking Narconon program which works with addicts to break the cycle of narcotics addiction.
Then there’s Applied Scholastics which works with children to help them over come learning difficulties.
Once you understand the common sense of the internal workings of the Church you start to think again about the public perception, and why it has received so much bad press.
One of the main accusations levelled against the Church is brainwashing. But if brainwashing means changing people for the better permanently – even in ways they might not yet understand – surely that’s a good thing. Isn’t that what we do to children every day?
And if removing people from their families if they only have psychically toxic relationships with them is bad then we have a very warped view of how people should live their lives. After all you can choose your friends, but not your family.
The Church is also picked on because of its opposition to psychiatry. But all it hopes to do is show that an industry that specialises in prescribing people anti-depressants and other medications without solving underlying issues like previous life or past life traumas is - pardon the pun - crazy.
Another reason it is attacked is because it charges its adherents money. But how else is it meant to survive? Unlike the Catholic Church, for example, Scientology doesn’t have 2000 years of fund-raising behind them. And even in mainstream Christian Churches people are asked to contribute to collection plates. In fact in some, like Hillsong, many people tithe 10 per cent of their entire income.
And then there are the accusations the Church relentlessly attacks its critics – stalking them, suing people into insolvency, infiltrating police forces to steal information and destroying groups like the Cult Awareness Network.
And some of these might be true – but most of these incidents occurred over 15 years ago. Isn’t it natural to assume a new Church would defend itself when attacked by people who really know very little about their techniques? The same people who refuse to attack the big established religions?
People say things in the media they would never dare to say about Judaism, Islam, Hinduism or Christianity.
As with all things - education is the key. When you actually take the time to look at the Church’s teachings, instead of pointing and sneering, you discover it’s giving people invaluable life tools and helping them realise, like me, the sky really is not the limit.
