Scientology in Recent News

Actor Will Smith donated $122, 500 to the Church of Scientology.

He gave a combined $122,500 to the Church of Scientology, broken into these donations: $67,500 to the New York Rescue Workers Detoxication Fund, $50,000 to the group's Celebrity Center in Hollywood and $5,000 to ABLE, another Scientology offshoot. Smith and his wife have also supported a private school called New Village Academy they opened this fall in suburban Los Angeles that uses Scientology learning concepts.

Will Smith publicly supports Scientology, and has said that he himself is not a Scientologist.

Religious Freedom

All Scientologists and non-Scientologists who value religious freedom should join together in this effort to keep Scientologists free to practice their religion, and to protect religious freedom rights in the Constitution and justice system.

On the individual level, supporters should spread positive awareness through informative, open communication in churches and through community service projects. If awareness is spread, then less people will fear Scientology and see it as a dangerous cult, and more people will be aware of the positive impact Scientology has on the communities it interacts with. This awareness can be spread by blogs, websites, articles, and editorials. It can also be spread through day to day interactions and public support of religious tolerance. In addition to spreading awareness, it is necessary for individuals to write to politicians to keep religious freedom rights enforced and encouraging them to support religious tolerance nationwide and the recognition of Scientology as a religion.

Help enforce religious freedom and keep human rights alive!!

Human Rights Day

Today is Human Rights Day. It is also the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

The Church of Scientology is aiming to raise public awareness of human rights. Scientologists from around the world strive towards enforcing the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

This declaration would make human rights a fact.

Religious tolerance is considered a basic human right according to this document, which would protect Scientologists around the world.

Anonymous Vs. Scientology

Anonymous is an online group that are attempting to ban Scientology and get rid of their rights as a religion. They join together to try to overpower the Church with terrorist acts such as bomb threats, death threats, and website hackings.

Anonymous executed their first attacks against Scientology on the internet, but more recently have mobilized their efforts in the real world.

Karin Pouw, Scientology’s director of public affairs, released the statement that “The church and its parishioners seek only to halt the illegal campaign of violence, terror, and intimidation perpetuated by individuals who call themselves Anonymous."

They also try to convince many people that Scientology is a scam and a dangerous cult, which is not accurate. Scientology is a choice, and church members must make the choice to practice the religion on their own. Even children must make this choice on their own to practice Scientology.

In Scientology no one is asked to accept anything as belief or on faith. That which is true for you is what you have observed to be true. An individual discovers for himself that Scientology works by personally applying its principles and observing or experiencing results.

Kushner, David. “Anonymous Vs. Scientology”. Maxim. Aug. 2008: 108-114.

Scientology Symbols

The eight-pointed cross represents the eight dynamics of life through which each individual is striving to survive....
To be able to live happily with respect to each of these spheres of existence is symbolized by the Scientology cross.

As a matter of interest, the cross as a symbol predates Christianity.



This Scientology symbol is an S imposed over two triangles. The S stands for Scientology. The two triangles represent important concepts in the Scientology religion. The lower triangle is made up of affinity, reality and communication, which together lead to total understanding. The top triangle consists of another set of closely interrelated factors: knowledge, responsibility, and control.

Auditing

Auditing in Scientology is a form of personal spiritual counseling. A person trained and qualified in auditing, called an auditor, listens to individuals to help them on their path to understanding. Auditor is defined as one who listens, from the Latin word audire, meaning "to hear or listen." An auditor is a minister or minister-in-training of a church of Scientology.

Auditing helps people look at their life and come closer to total spiritual understanding.

Here is a link to a video by the Church of Scientology describing auditing.

Scientology in Recent News

Security officials in Germany have just announced that they have decided to end their plans to ban Scientology. They will continue to watch the activities of the church, but as of yet have been unable to find enough evidence to justify the ban.



FYI: Scientology is currently recognized as a religion in the United States. This recognition came in 1993 after 35 years of investigations by the United States Internal Revenue Service. They issued ruling letters which recognized the tax-exempt status of more than 150 Scientology churches, missions, social reform organizations and other entities. Scientology was given this religious status because they were determined to operate exclusively for religious and charitable purposes.

Certificate of Recognition

On November 21,2008, the Church of Scientology International received a certificate of recognition from the California State Assembly as an anti-drug program leader. This recognition commends Scientology for its leadership and dedication in drug prevention and education. including the production of 16 groundbreaking public service films that are raising awareness of drug abuse internationally." The education materials are widely used by drug-free programs all over the United States.

Churches of Scientology

Around the world, Scientologists are purchasing large buildings to greatly expand service to their members and their communities. These new churches are largely financed by donations from church members. The churches provide spiritual training and counseling to their members and they help the community with effective community outreach and betterment programs.

Scientology is a Choice

According to the official Scientology website,

In Scientology no one is asked to accept anything as belief or on faith. That which is true for you is what you have observed to be true. An individual discovers for himself that Scientology works by personally applying its principles and observing or experiencing results.

The Church of Scientology does not allow anyone to participate in Scientology services unless they themselves have made the decision to. Even children must make their own decision to take courses in Scientology and practice the religion.

Scientology is not an exclusive religion. There are many Jewish, Christian, and Muslim Scientologists out there. Scientology can be seen as a religious philosophy that helps people find spiritual understanding.

Popular Scientologists

"In Scientology I have found several tools that I can apply to my daily life and they have allowed me to help myself and to help others to better the conditions of my life and of society."

--Tom Cruise, actor and Scientologist




Church of Scientology on Hollywood Boulevard, California. Photo: Kent Kanouse

Scientology is a religion that is becoming more and more well known, in part because of its celebrity followers, including Tom Cruise, John Travolta, and Leah Remini. These Scientologists spread the word of the religion, and have become spokespeople for it. Tom Cruise even was part of a very popular and widespread video on Scientology.

The Creed of Scientology

The creed of Scientology states specifically the beliefs of Scientologists:

We of the Church believe...
That all men of whatever race, color or creed were created with equal rights;
That all men have inalienable rights to their own religious practices and their performance;
That all men have inalienable rights to their own lives;
That all men have inalienable rights to their sanity;
That all men have inalienable rights to their own defense;
That all men have inalienable rights to conceive, choose, assist or support their own organizations, churches and governments;
That all men have inalienable rights to think freely, to talk freely, to write freely their own opinions and to counter or utter or write upon the opinions of others;
That all men have inalienable rights to the creation of their own kind;
That the souls of men have the rights of men;
That the study of the mind and the healing of mentally caused ills should not be alienated from religion or condoned in nonreligious fields;
And that no agency less than God has the power to suspend or set aside these rights, overtly or covertly.

And we of the Church believe...
That man is basically good;
That he is seeking to survive;
That his survival depends upon himself and upon his fellows and his attainment of brotherhood with the universe.

And we of the Church believe that the laws of God forbid man...
To destroy his own kind;
To destroy the sanity of another;
To destroy or enslave another’s soul;
To destroy or reduce the survival of one’s companions or one’s group.

And we of the Church believe that the spirit can be saved and that the spirit alone may save or heal the body.

Eight Dynamics

Eight Dynamics of Scientology:
1. Self (the urge to survive as an individual)
2. Creativity (the urge to survive through family).
3. Group survival (the urge to survive through a group such as a nation, team, community, race, etc.)
4. Species (the urge to survive through the survival of the human species)
5. Life forms (the urge for life itself)
6. Physical universe (the urge of the universe to survive)
7. Spiritual dynamic (the urge for the survival of the life source)
8. Infinity (the urge to exist as infinity or God)

These eight dynamics lead to the ultimate reality of infinity and spiritual understanding.
The eight point cross of Scientology refers to these dynamics.

What is Scientology?

"Scientology is a religion in its highest meaning, as it helps bring man to total freedom and truth.
The essential tenets of Scientology are: You are an immortal being. Your capabilities are unlimited, even if not presently realized. Furthermore, man is basically good. He is seeking to survive. And his survival depends upon himself and his fellows and his attainment of brotherhood with the universe."

L. Ron Hubbard

“I like to help others and count it as my greatest pleasure in life to see a person free himself from the shadows which darken his days.”
-L. Ron Hubbard

L. Ron Hubbard created the religion of Scientology in 1954. He is a former science fiction author, who followed his dreams of helping people by starting a religion that would help people. He first wrote a book called Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health. This is a handbook on the human mind, and this and his subsequent works address every part of human life, specifically addressing the problems that we face. He implemented volunteer ministries into the religion, trying to help society's ills such as drug abuse, stress, illiteracy, and so on.

Basic Facts

Scientology is a modern religion created by L. Ron Hubbard in 1954.

Scientologists believe that by human nature, we all are capable of good things. Their goal is to gain total spiritual freedom, and believe in reincarnation in the attempt to achieve this goal.

The religion of Scientology provides practical and realistic ways of dealing with every part of life and solving ones humanly problems. Scientology is more than just a system of belief, but instead it is an applied religion that plays a vital role in the lives of its church members and in the community at large.

Helping others and community service are top priorities for Scientologists, and they reach out to their communities with many service projects that enrich the community and help those in need.

Hi everyone!!

Hello!
My name is Stephanie and I am a third year college student at the University of Toledo.
I am a Catholic female, and have a very unbiased outlook on the religion of Scientology. (And yes, I did say religion!)
I support Scientology's struggle to make freedom of religion a human right, especially here in the United States.
This blog will help spread awareness about the truths and customs of Scientology, which hopefully will assist Scientology's fight for freedom.