Lafayette Ronald Hubbard and Scientology - Report Example

and Number L Ron Hubbard: The New Messiah or Huckster with a Pitch "Writing for a penny a word is ridiculous. If a man really wants to make a million dollars, the best way would be to start his own religion" –L. Ron Hubbard. (Reader’s Digest 1) Lafayette Ronald Hubbard [ L. Ron Hubbard], the American science fiction author turned self-help guru, is somewhat of an enigma, as is Scientology, the religion he founded. Over the course of three decades Hubbard developed his self-help ideas into the wide-ranging set of doctrines and rituals that became the core of the new religion which today claims worldwide membership with figures impossible to confirm. Hubbard in his lifetime and beyond was and still is a highly controversial figure. Many details of his life remain disputed, and he is painted as either saint or demon depending upon the biography or who one speaks to. Yet Hubbard’s influence on religious culture through the teachings of Scientology are well documented, as every day another celebrity or person of note declares themselves a member in good standing of the church. Scientology: A Metamorphosis It is difficult to get information on Hubbard’s life, the facts of which according to Eglash are disparate depending upon the source (para. 6-16), from the highly educated world traveler, spiritual seeker, writer, humanitarian and philanthropist to his son’s admission of Hubbard as a drug user from age sixteen. As a disinterested person seeking to identify the man and possibly his rationale for creating a new religion one must refer to the quote at the beginning of the paper as an alternate view of the urbane and saint-like image presented by his supporters in the Church of Scientology. However, there seems no doubt that Hubbard was a highly intelligent if manipulative individual to have convinced large numbers of people to follow the stringent doctrines of the new alternative religion. Before his fame as founder of Dianetics then Scientology, Hubbard served as an officer in the US Navy during World War II, and afterwards attended George Washington University where he dabbled in physics. Supporting himself in part as a science fiction writer, he traveled widely, where his exposure to multiple cultures influenced his subsequent philosophical writings. (Church of Scientology 542). Dianetic’ Evolution into Scientology Hubbard began to circulate a manuscript among his friends in the late 1940s which was ultimately published in 1951 as Dianetics—a process Hubbard described as a “spiritual healing technique” and “an organized science of thought” (Hubbard, 1990a, 14) which would later become the basis for his doctrine of Scientology. An astute visionary, it may be said that both Dianetics and the subsequent rise of the Church of Scientology were an offshoot of chaotic world events disturbing and disassociating individuals as never before. As Hubbard states, “Scientology......was born in the same crucible as the atomic bomb” (Hubbard, 1988, 133)—a reaction to a world drifting from one form of civil oppression to another, in the backdrop of the possibility of total annihilation. (not sure from your notes is this last statement is Hubbard, 1988 or WV McCall). Scientology’s Contribution to Religion As generally viewed and categorized as one of the smaller religions, Scientology itself has made certain contributions to religion in the form of enhancing an individual’s personal power and responsibility for his or her own attainment of a truly spiritual existence. Scientology, or literally “knowing how to know” was introduced as a religion in 1954 in Journal of Religion and Health (440). While Dianetics is focused on freeing the mind from the distorting influence of engrams [durable impressions created by misinterpretations of sensations that overwhelm the reactive mind] (Hubbard, 1990a, 80)], Scientology as described by the church itself “is the study and handling of the spirit in relationship to itself, universes, and other life (Church of Scientology 541)...It [knowledge] is used to increase spiritual freedom, intelligence and ability and to enable a person to realize his own immortality (4). As an additive, so to speak, to the blind faith required by most religions, Scientology adds to the mix a degree of psychological control over what Hubbard saw as the destructive influence of modern psychiatry and psychology, which he viewed as “inherently anti-religious...” (McCall 437). While Hubbards first theories reflected a good deal of Freud, and we actually considered by some clerics as anti-religious, “Hubbard’s psychological theory [later] extended to include a spiritual experience that goes beyond the material world” (McCall 437). The basic teaching of Self-Religions such as Scientology contrasts with traditional Christian teaching in its potential for self-sufficiency that allows ultimate spiritual salvation. With the advent of Scientology such self-sufficiency was promoted, and with it, says Arweck, came a “distinctive ideological shift...from the traditional Christian view... [and] a move toward “recourse to empirical, scientific methods of diagnosing spiritual problems...” (p. xxix). The impact an influence of this stance on the main religions is obvious. No longer was the focus on a higher power to fear and “be good for,” salvation and happiness, much like Buddhism, was up to the person. The dominant religions could not ignore the fact that many of its former believers were turning toward Scientology for peace of mind and a more empirically connected spiritual solution. Today’s View of Hubbard and Scientology—Honored? Not Exactly In 2009 Scientology was honored by the Taiwan Ministry of Interior for its humanitarian and social betterment activities with its Excellent Religious Group Award.  It was the sixth award Scientology has received from the Taiwanese government. This particular award was given for its anti-drug campaign. (Weiland, para. 1-2). Award such as these are quite numerous, including many for volunteer work from notables such as Jeb Bush, then governor of Florida, and to Scientology volunteers across France for promoting human rights education in support of the United Nations International Year of Human Rights Learning that began on December 10, 2008. Other recognition comes through awards given by the Church of Scientology to recipients using Hubbard’s techniques to the betterment of their communities. One such award is the Ebony Awakening Award honoring prominent African-American leaders using Scientology methods in their own churches which Farley interprets as “a clear signal Scientologists are forging fruitful relationships with persuasive voices in some of the nations black communities” (para. 1). Similar awards have been given to programs including the “World Literacy Crusade, a tutoring program that uses the "study technology" of Scientology. “Plans are currently underway to train members of the Nation of Islam to administer Hubbards "study tech" and drug treatment methods” (Farley 4) Scientology’s Influence Today Personal testimonies are well publicized through celebrities and notables who are involved in Scientology such as film stars John Travolta and Tom Cruise who attribute much of their success in life to the religion. Any positive image of Scientology today has much to thank stars such as Cruise for its current surging popularity and acceptance. However, Scientology certainly has its share of detractors, particularly in the mental health field. In his extensive paper detailing the precepts of Scientology, McCall provides “theoretical parallels between psychiatry/ psychology and Scientology that lead to [current] competitive antagonism, and an imperative on the part of Scientology to attempt to keep psychiatrically ill persons out of mental health treatment” (not sure how to cite this one—McCall ? Check your text) As for mental health professionals there is no doubt that techniques and practices of Scientology have had their impact and influence on the profession of psychology for its members. McCall cites the “campaign of the Church against the practices of psychiatry require that all mental health providers gain some understanding on the Church of Scientology beliefs as they pertain to mental health and psychological functioning” (not sure how to cite this one either. I think it’s McCall but not sure. Check your text). There is no doubt that Scientology has had a global influence. Some critics see it less as a religion and more as a transnational corporation which on occasion has come to loggerheads with organizations as serious as Interpol. It’s international marketing strategies have on more than one occasion been accused of using the that teachings of its founder to gain inappropriate political and social influence. Despite Scientologys goal to customize its approach to suit various cultures, its influence had met with mixed success. Apparent successes in some eastern European countries have been offset by growing opposition in Western Europe. Kent summarizes the religion’s eclectic influence “With nearly one hundred and fifty organizational offices in at least twenty-five countries and a purported worldwide membership of about seventy-five thousand in the early 1990s, Scientology has evolved an elaborate international operation designed to manipulate the flow of resources across many national boundaries” (Kent, Introduction, para. 3). It may portray itself as a religion, but anyone familiar with its operation knows its tentacles reach into marketing, advertising, business management, education, physical and mental health practice, moral issues and even entertainment. (4) While Scientology may have many answers for mankind beyond the customary religious realm, its invasive influence in other areas have many people wondering how broad that influence may become in future, and how it will affect many practices and opinions currently held. Works Cited Arweck, Elizabeth., Clarke, Peter.B. New Religious Movements in Western Europe: An Annotated Bibliography. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 1997. Church of Scientology International. What is Scientology? Los Angeles: Bridge Publications 1992. Eglash, Ruth. “Who was L. Ron Hubbard?” The Jerusalem Post December 7, 2006. Retrieved July 18, 2010 from: http://www.rickross.com/reference/scientology/scien525.html Farley, Robert. “Scientology Awards Reach Out to Black Community.” St. Petersburg Times, February 8, 2006. Posted on Tampabay.com. Retrieved July 18, 2010 from: http://www.sptimes.com/2006/02/18/Worldandnation/Scientology_awards_re.sht ml Hubbard, L. R. Scientology: Fundamentals of Thought. Los Angeles: Bridge Publications, 1988. Hubbard, L. R. (1990a). Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health. Los Angeles: Bridge Publications, 1990a. Kent, Stephan. A. The Globalization of Scientology: Influence, Control and Opposition in Transnational Markets. November 13, 2001. Retrieved July 19, 2010 from: http://www.apologeticsindex.org/s04a13.html McCall, W..Vaughn. “Psychiatry and Psychology in the Writings of L. Ron Hubbard” Journal and Religion and Health, Vol 46:3, September 2007. DOI: 10.1007/s10943-006-9079-9. Retrieved July 17, 2010 from: http://www.springerlink.com/content/c4w75588w170m313/ Readers Digest, May 1980. Weiland, Linda. “Church of Scientology of Taiwan Honored by Ministry of Interior.” Posted Aug. 26, 2009 on Articlebase. Retrieved July 18, 2010 from: http://www.articlesbase.com/causes-and-organizations-articles/church-of- scientology-of-taiwan-honored-by-ministry-of-interior-1165548.html Read More