what is, in laymens short version ,Scientology?
609412
Here is my attempt. It's as short as I can manage. \nLet me know if it does the job.\n\nScientology is an applied religious philosophy. When I say "applied" I mean you actually use it in your life to change or improve existing conditions. This is different from a religious practice. All religions if you learn about them have a basic philosphy, but they also have certain dogma, rituals and observances, and a certain faith or belief is required. There is nothing wrong with this, but Scientology is not that kind of religion. It does not intrude on anyones faiths of beliefs particularly in the area of God , the Supreme Being, or the Infinite. This area is left totally up to the indivdual, which is why you can be a practicing Jew or Atheist,for example and still use and apply the priniciples of Scientology in your life. It does not conflict. If anything it will enhance your understanding of your chosen religious practice.\nAnd it is only true for you according to your own observation and experience with it.\nIt is a non denominational religion . The dictionary definition that applies:\nReligion: The spiritual or emotional attitude of one who recognises the existence of superhuman power or powers.\n\nThe most basic principle of Scientology is that YOU are your own immortal soul, that this is not a "thing" you HAVE but what YOU actually are.\nThe whole purpose of Scientology is to increase an individual's understanding and awareness of himself. And thereby his native abilities .\nWhen you do this the sphere and zone of his positive influence increases and moves outward into his life, his family ,his friends, his groups and mankind which he is part of.\n\nHow this result is achieved is the "technology" of Scientology, which was developed by L.Ron Hubbard after his extensive research and the discoveries he made, about the human spirit. The basic religious philosophy and knowledge of Scientology is very old, going back 10,000 years at least to the Veda or Vedic Hymns from the East. The  developement of the technology is new.\nHe completed his research before his death in 1986 and left all of his results and copyrights\nto the Church of Scientology along with most of his considerable estate., when he died.\n\nHe published a book in 1951 to communicate the basic principles he discovered called: " Scientology The Fundementals of Thought"\nThere are currently over 8 million Scientologists in more that 150 countries world wide. However we are a new religion, only 55 years old. \nThe true story of Scientology as a religion goes like this:\n1. A philosopher developes a philosophy about life and death.\n2. People find it interesting.\n3. People find it works.\n4. People pass it along to others.\n5. It grows.
7365
Scientologists are either the believers, or those old hands who realize it's a scam and they are in it to fleece the newcomers. The believers are not insane in the sense that they are "crazy", "psychotic" or whatever. They are desperate for answers to questions that have begged for answers for millenia. Most of these questions boil down to, "Why does life hurt sometimes?" or "Why am I here?". They see a few nuggets of common sense in Scientology, and being desperate for answers, they get conned into accepting the whole load of faulty thinking that comprised L. Ron's philosophy on life. Then they get conned into the space-aliens-as-gods thing or whatever weird nonsense Scientology says to its members. So, yes- I think lots of them are kinda brainwashed, and for the vast majority of Scientologists it's not insanity that gets them to embrace the e-meter.
607209
Go to www.xenu.net . You'll learn everything you need to know about scientology.
230218
It's interesting to note that the official Scientology FAQ's are at odds with some of the statements made as answers here. It has been stated here that Scientology is "not a belief or system of beliefs" and "there is no belief in Scientology", and yet, the church's official  website seems to state the exact opposite by listing its beliefs and talking about believers. It is no wonder that there is a bit of confusion as to what Scientology is and isn't, if the followers cannot agree with the information publicly posted by the church itself.\n\n\nFrom the official Scientology site mentioned a few times here, http://www.scientology.org \n\nWhy is Scientology called a religion? \n\nScientology certainly meets all three criteria generally used by religious scholars around the world to determine religiosity: (1) a belief in some Ultimate Reality, such as the Supreme or eternal truth that transcends the here and now of the secular world; (2) religious practices directed toward understanding, attaining or communing with this Ultimate Reality; and (3) a community of believers who join together in pursuing this Ultimate Reality.\n\nScientology’s beliefs in an Ultimate Reality that transcends the material world include its concepts of the thetan, the spiritual world (the seventh dynamic) and the Supreme Being (the eighth dynamic). The second element can be found in Scientology’s life-rite ceremonies such as naming, marriage and funeral services, but predominantly in the religious services of auditing and training, through which Scientologists increase their spiritual awareness of themselves and attain an understanding of the spiritual world and, ultimately, their relationship with the Supreme Being. As to the third element, a very vital community of believers can be found at any Church of Scientology at almost any time of the day.\n\nScientology is thus a religion in the most traditional sense of the term.\n\n\nDoes Scientology have a scripture? \n\nYes. The writings and recorded spoken words of L. Ron Hubbard on the subject of Scientology collectively constitute the scripture of the religion. He set forth the Scientology theology and technologies in more than 500,000 pages of writings, including dozens of books and over 2,000 tape-recorded public lectures.\n===============\n\nSome interesting reading from an opposing view is found here,\n\nhttp://www.spaink.net/fishman/home.html\n"When Fishman was then brought to court, he used parts of Scientology-documents to prove he had been brainwashed by the Church. These Scientology documents thereby became public material: anybody could go to the court library and read them. The Church, fearing that its sacred secrets would be revealed, had some of their people going to the library every day to borrow these documents, thereby preventing other people (read: non-Scientologists) from reading them. Nevertheless, the Fishman Affidavit got copied (it was also available through the clerk of the court, for a mere $36.50). Somebody retrieved the affidavit via the clerk, scanned it, and posted it to the net. The Fishman Affidavit has been travelling on the Internet ever since."\n\nand here,\nhttp://www.spaink.net/fishman/ot3.html\n"In OT III, ("OPERATING THETAN, Section Three") Hubbard explains his cosmology and the ins & outs of 'body thetans'."\n\n"The head of the Galactic Federation (76 planets around larger stars visible from here) (founded 5,000,000 years ago, very space opera) solved overpopulation (250 billion or so per planet, 178 billion on average) by mass implanting. He caused people to be brought to Teegeeack (Earth) and put an H-Bomb on the principal volcanos (Incident II) and then the Pacific area ones were taken in boxes to Hawaii and the Atlantic area ones to Las Palmas and there "packaged". "\n\n==============\n\nI'm not taking either side.  I do think it's important to question your b
298127
Here's an article I found:\n\n"Welcome to Scientology"\n\nThe word Scientology literally means "the study of truth." It comes from the Latin word "scio" meaning "knowing in the fullest sense of the word" and the Greek word "logos" meaning "study of." \n\nScientology is the study and handling of the spirit in relationship to itself, others and all of life. The Scientology religion comprises a body of knowledge extending from certain fundamental truths. Prime among these: \n\nMan is an immortal, spiritual being. His experience extends well beyond a single lifetime. His capabilities are unlimited, even if not presently realized — and those capabilities can be realized. He is able to not only solve his own problems, accomplish his goals and gain lasting happiness, but also achieve new, higher states of awareness and ability. \n\nRead more here:\n\nhttp://www.scientology.org/
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Scientology is no more odd than the beliefs of Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, or any other respected religion you can name, if you stop and think about it. It's a matter of what you're indoctrinated to believe or accept as respectable.\n\n1- Scientology considers the belief in a God or gods as something personal and therefore offers no specific dogma. The nature of the Supreme Being is revealed personally through each individual as s/he becomes more conscious and spiritually aware. There exists a life energy or force (Theta) beyond and within all.\n\n2- There are no particular human incarnations of God, as the universal life force (Theta) is inherent in all. All humans are immortal spiritual beings (thetans) capable of realizing a nearly godlike state through Scientology practices.\n\n3- Origin of Universe and Life: All is manifestation of the universal spirit, which is all that actually exists.\n\n4- After Death: Rebirths continue until one consciously confronts all pre-birth, current-life, and previous-life traumas and realizes one's true nature as a "thetan," immortal spirit--transcending matter, energy, space, and time. Achieving this state enables the spirit to escape the cycle of birth and death--to operate independently of the physical universe and become one with God.\n\n5- Why is there evil? Painful experiences and harmful acts in one's prebirth, current, and past lives become imprinted in the reactive mind and lead to irrational behavior. Departures from rational thought and untrue ideas ("aberrations") can result in wrongdoing.\n\n6- Salvation is achieved through the practices and techniques of Scientology, the ultimate goal of which is to realize one's true nature as an immortal spirit, a thetan. The path to salvation, or enlightenment, includes achieving states of increasingly greater mental awareness--Pre-Clear, Clear, and ultimately Operating Thetan. An Operating Thetan is a spirit who can control matter, energy, space, time, thought, and life. Practitioners ("Auditors") are regarded as ministers and counselors who assist others to achieve self-enlightenment. Auditors help others to identify their prebirth, current, and past-life disturbances, which are obstacles to happiness and spiritual enlightenment.\n\n7- Suffering occurs as part of the spirit's entrapment here in the physical universe. Only when the individual is aware of his spiritual nature can he identify his barriers within the universe and overcome them, rising out of a lower state and into a higher state of happiness and freedom.\n\n8 -Contemporary Issues: Based on the belief that you cannot free yourself spiritually without working to free others, Scientology has founded and supports many organizations for social betterment, particularly in the areas of drug abuse, crime, psychiatric abuse, government abuse of law, human rights, religious freedom, education, and morality. Scientology strongly favors the use of their methodology for spiritual/mental healing over the use of conventional treatment.
190974
I have a ton of 'em for all different kinds.  Depends on what you need. Start out with these cults, Scientology, Church of Jesus Christs of Latter Day Saints, Jehovah's Witnesses, Bahia, Christian Scientists, Church Universal and Triumphant, Raelens, The Seventh Day Adventists and the ICC(International Church of Christ), The Family. You are going to have a problem with a few of them because the only things out thee are either information the church releases or the anti part of the equation.  There is very little real neutral evidence on them.  I will just start with the generics and let you go from there.
905529
It is a CULT. Despite what a few fanatical members may say, it IS a cult. Tom Cruise is so crazy about it because they have completely, utterly, absolutely BRAINWASHED him.  He of course was a willing participant in the beginning and could have left (with a bit of a struggle) but after a while, they had him under their control.\n\nThe "church" harasses & bullies anyone who they deem an "enemy" (basically anyone who has anything negative to say about the "church"). They will RUIN YOUR LIFE if you speak out against them long enough.\n\nThe founder is L. Ron Hubbard, the science FICTION writer who once told a friend that the best way to make lots of money is to start your own religion. Though being a very outspoken critic of psychiatric drugs, it was discovered upon Hubbards death that the anti-anxiety drug hydroxyzine (Vistaril) was present in his body, which several of his assistants would later attest was only one of many psychiatric & pain medications Hubbard ingested over the years. (visit this link to read about the uses of hydoxyzine: http://www.drugs.com/mtm/v/vistaril.html )\n\nScientologists believe the evil alien ruler Xenu killed a lot of aliens (Thetans) from around the universe by bringing them to earth & blowing them up inside volcanoes. They believe the souls of these aliens (these souls are "Body Thetans") have attached themselves to us & cause many of our mental & physical ills. Members who know about Xenu will attempt to deny it or pretend like it doesn’t matter.  They are required to sign a contract binding them to silence on the matter.  Lower level members don’t know about Xenu & accordingly deny everything because they honestly don’t know.\n\nTo rid ourselves of "Body Thetans" & also “engrams” (past negative experiences stored in our unconscious mind) so that we can become “clear”, we have to go through "auditing" with a member of the “church” who uses an "e-meter" to measure our “reactive mind”...... & we have to pay lots & lots of money for “auditing” (purchased in 12.5-hour blocks, costing anywhere from $750 for introductory sessions to between $8,000 & $9,000 for advanced sessions) & to take courses on Scientology to advance to higher “levels” in the “church”. The “church” has also taken a very hostile stance towards psychiatry & psychiatric drugs irrespective of the fact that some people require medication to remain adequately functional in everyday life. They deny the reality of chemical imbalance & profound mental disturbance & accordingly do NOTHING to effectively stabilize the dangerously unstable. The “church” has been known to withhold prescription pharmaceuticals from member (with deadly results).\n\nScientology is undeniably a cult. For more information on what a cult is & what their damaging effects are, please visit the link provided at the bottom of the sources. Just know that Scientology DOES qualify by meeting these 5 criteria:\n\n(1) It uses psychological coercion to recruit, indoctrinate & retain its members. (2) It forms an elitist totalitarian society. (3) Its founder leader is self-appointed, dogmatic, messianic, not accountable & has charisma. (4) It believes 'the end justifies the means' in order to solicit funds & recruit people. (5) Its wealth does not benefit its members or society.
455401
Scientology is not a system of "beliefs". It is an applied religious philosophy. And when I say "applied" I mean it is applied to life and living in all it's aspects with the purpose of improving the conditions of life.\nNothing in Scientology is true, unless it is true for you.\nAnd then it is only true according to your own observation and experience.\nSo there is no belief involved.\nI have studied and applied it to my own life and living for the past 35 years or more. It definitely works for me.\nAs to aliens.....??? No idea where this comes from.\nSilent birth is definitely an ideal environment for both mother and baby if you can arrange it. (Tom Cruise has the resources to do this for his partner Katie and soon to be born, new baby)\nThe reason why is fully explained in Chapter 7 " Prenatal Experience and Birth" in the book "Dianetics The Modern Science of Mental "Health" by L.Ron Hubbard\n\nFor a very good basic book on the subject of Scientology which covers\nall of it's basic principles I would recommend:\n"Scientology The Fundementals of Thought" by the same author.
725565
It is a cult.  This is what Scientologists ACTUALLY believe:\n\nXenu was an alien ruler of the "Galactic Confederacy" who, 75 million years ago, brought billions of people to Earth in spacecrafts resembling Douglas DC-8 airliners, stacked them around volcanoes & blew them up with hydrogen bombs. Their souls then clustered together & stuck to the bodies of the living. The alien souls continue to do this today, causing a variety of physical ill-effects in modern-day humans. L. Ron Hubbard (a science-fiction writer & the creator of Scientology) called these clustered spirits "Body Thetans," & the advanced levels in Scientology place considerable emphasis on isolating them & neutralizing their ill effects.\n\nTo rid ourselves of "Body Thetans" & also “engrams” (past negative experiences stored in our unconscious mind) so that we can become “clear”, we have to go through "auditing" with a member of the “church” who uses an "e-meter" to measure our “reactive mind”...... & we have to pay lots & lots & lots of money for “auditing” (purchased in 12.5-hour blocks, costing anywhere from $750 for introductory sessions to between $8,000 & $9,000 for advanced sessions) & to take courses on Scientology to advance to higher “levels” in the “church”.  The “church” has also taken a very hostile stance towards psychiatry & psychiatric drugs irrespective of the fact that some people require medication to remain adequately functional in everyday life.  They deny the reality of chemical imbalance & profound mental disturbance & accordingly do NOTHING to effectively stabilize the dangerously unstable. The “church” has been known to withhold prescription pharmaceuticals from member (with deadly results).\n\nScientology is undeniably a cult. Every cult can be defined as a group having all of the following five characteristics:\n\n(1) It uses psychological coercion to recruit, indoctrinate & retain its members [convincing potential members that they are unhappy & Scientology is the only means of helping themselves]. (2) It forms an elitist totalitarian society. [they label everyone who disagrees or questions as a “Suppressive Person” & requires members to “disconnect” from them] (3) Its founder leader is self-appointed, dogmatic, messianic, not accountable & has charisma. [Yes, that would be Hubbard] (4) It believes 'the end justifies the means' in order to solicit funds & recruit people. (5) Its wealth does not benefit its members or society. [self evident proof for 4 & 5 as it does milk members for virtually everything they have & it’s wealth doesn’t find it’s way back to it’s members or society at all]\n\nCults are extremely harmful. To remain within the strict mental & social confines of a cult for even a short time can have the following disastrous effects:\n\nLoss of choice & free will. Diminished intellectual ability, vocabulary & sense of humor. Reduced use of irony, abstractions & metaphors. Reduced capacity to form flexible & intimate relationships. Poor judgment. Physical deterioration. Malnutrition. Hallucinations, panic, dissociation, guilt, identity diffusion & paranoia. Neurotic, psychotic or suicidal tendencies.
259815
if this gathers a large following of people with real lives then yes.  But its ludacrous beliefs make it unlikely there will be mass conversion, if you can actually consider scientology to be a religion at all.
51191
Scientology is a system of beliefs, teachings and rituals, originally established as a secular philosophy in 1952 by author L. Ron Hubbard, then recharacterized by him in 1953 as an "applied religious philosophy". Hubbard defined the word "Scientology" to mean "a study of knowledge."\n\nIt is officially represented by the Church of Scientology, which presents itself as a religious organization dedicated to encouraging development of the human spirit. The Church states that it is a non-profit organization that works especially in the areas of mental counseling and rehabilitation. It offers itself as an alternative to psychiatry, which Scientologists believe to be a barbaric and corrupt practice. [1]\n\nThe term Scientology is a trademark of the Religious Technology Center, which licenses its use and use of the copyrighted works of Hubbard to the Church of Scientology. The Church presents itself as a religious non-profit organization dedicated to the development of the human spirit and providing counseling and rehabilitation programs. Church spokespeople claim that Hubbard's teachings (called "technology" or "tech" in Scientology terminology) have freed them from addictions, depression, learning disabilities, mental illness and other problems.\n\nHowever, the Church of Scientology has attracted much controversy and criticism. Critics — including government officials of certain countries — have characterized the Church as an unscrupulous commercial organization, and it is accused of harassing critics and exploiting members. Scientology's principles have been characterized as pseudoscientific by many mainstream medical and psychotherapeutic practitioners, and the Church has frequently been characterized as a cult.
517747
Religions are not dangerous. Things that are dangerous are people who threaten to undermine your own basic spiritual nature, self respect and peace of mind. This is not the true purpose of religion. The true purpose of religion is the exact opposite, to enhance your understanding of your basic spiritual nature, and reinforce your self repect and peace of mind.\n\nHere is a brief outline of the religion of Scientology:\n\nScientology is an applied religious philosophy. When I say "applied" I mean you actually use it in your life to change or improve existing conditions. This is different from a religious practice. All religions if you learn about them have a basic philosphy, but they also have certain dogma, rituals and observances, and a certain faith or belief is required. There is nothing wrong with this, but Scientology is not that kind of religion. It does not intrude on anyones faiths of beliefs particularly in the area of God , the Supreme Being, or the Infinite. This area is left totally up to the indivdual, which is why you can be a practicing Jew or Atheist,for example and still use and apply the priniciples of Scientology in your life. It does not conflict. If anything it will enhance your understanding of your chosen religious practice.\nAnd it is only true for you according to your own observation and experience with it.\nIt is a non denominational religion . The dictionary definition that applies:\nReligion: The spiritual or emotional attitude of one who recognises the existence of superhuman power or powers.\n\nThe most basic principle of Scientology is that YOU are your own immortal soul, that this is not a "thing" you HAVE but what YOU actually are.\nThe whole purpose of Scientology is to increase an individual's understanding and awareness of himself. And thereby his native abilities .\nWhen you do this the sphere and zone of his positive influence increases and moves outward into his life, his family ,his friends, his groups and mankind which he is part of.\n\nHow this result is achieved is the "technology" of Scientology, which was developed by L.Ron Hubbard after his extensive research and the discoveries he made, about the human spirit. The basic religious philosophy and knowledge of Scientology is very old, going back 10,000 years at least to the Veda or Vedic Hymns from the East. The developement of the technology is new.\nHe completed his research before his death in 1986 and left all of his results and copyrights\nto the Church of Scientology along with most of his considerable estate., when he died.\n\nHe published a book in 1951 to communicate the basic principles he discovered called: " Scientology The Fundementals of Thought"\nThere are currently over 8 million Scientologists in more that 150 countries world wide. However we are a new religion, only 55 years old. \nThe true story of Scientology as a religion goes like this:\n1. A philosopher developes a philosophy about life and death.\n2. People find it interesting.\n3. People find it works.\n4. People pass it along to others.\n5. It grows.
206083
I'm glad someone else is curious :D I've asked the same question here (and didn't get much, but I did do my own research), so I will help you as much as I can. \n\nhttp://www.religioustolerance.org/scientol.htm\nThat site is great to get a basic view of Scientology, and to be linked to sites sponsored by Scientologists that explain a bit further. \n\nBut to know the deep down wweird alien related stuff that they talk about you can go here: \nhttp://sf.irk.ru/www/xenuleaf.htm\nBut beware, since Scientologists believe that if you are not ready for that information, you may die. (Yeah I read it and am still alive, haha)\n\nHere is a good critical of Scientology site that was written by an ex-member who had been a Scientologist for 27 years: \nhttp://www.xenu.net/\nI cant attest to how reputable it is, but he seems to very much know his stuff. I was unconvinced that Scientology was as cult-ish as I had heard it was until I visited that site.\n\n\nJust to give you a simple run-down though: They believe that everyone is comprised of a Thetan (like a soul) that has to be released from this world otherwise it will keep being reborn again- so somewhat like Buddhism, except that in the later stages of belief, they think they can have their Thetan move into the afterlife with telapthic skills rather than meditation, etc. \nThey do not believe in Psychology, or medication/drugs/chemicals because they feel that the evil or odd doings of your body is due to the past lives of your Thetan and that medication will impurify you rather than help you. They have big purification processes involving excersice and a strict diet. \nThey do believe in the alien story that I posted a link to above, however very few of them know of this story. Figure heads like Tom Cruise are not told that story, because, I think, they know it's fricken crazy. \nThey do ask for a ton of money from followers, in fact you have to give a certian amount to learn more about the religion. Followers are afraid to look it up for fear that they aren't ready for the information and it could kill them (or at least they are convinced).
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Yes, you are hallucinating and confused. How long have you had this problem?\nWhere are you getting your information from? I'm guessing the media\nand various bogus websites. Is this your usual method of discovery?\n\nI have no desire to convert you to anything, but I will give you some facts about Scientology:\n\nScientology is an applied religious philosophy. When I say "applied" I mean you actually use it in your life to change or improve existing conditions. This is different from a religious practice. All religions if you learn about them have a basic philosphy, but they also have certain dogma, rituals and observances, and a certain faith or belief is required. There is nothing wrong with this, but Scientology is not that kind of religion. It does not intrude on anyones faiths of beliefs particularly in the area of God , the Supreme Being, or the Infinite. This area is left totally up to the indivdual, which is why you can be a practicing Jew or Atheist,for example and still use and apply the priniciples of Scientology in your life. It does not conflict. If anything it will enhance your understanding of your chosen religious practice.\nAnd it is only true for you according to your own observation and experience with it.\nIt is a non denominational religion . The dictionary definition that applies:\nReligion: The spiritual or emotional attitude of one who recognises the existence of superhuman power or powers.\n\nThe most basic principle of Scientology is that YOU are your own immortal soul, that this is not a "thing" you HAVE but what YOU actually are.\nThe whole purpose of Scientology is to increase an individual's understanding and awareness of himself. And thereby his native abilities .\nWhen you do this the sphere and zone of his positive influence increases and moves outward into his life, his family ,his friends, his groups and mankind which he is part of.\n\nHow this result is achieved is the "technology" of Scientology, which was developed by L.Ron Hubbard after his extensive research and the discoveries he made, about the human spirit.\nHe completed his research before his death in 1986 and left all of his results and copyrights\nto the Church of Scientology along with most of his considerable estate., when he died.\n\nHe published a book in 1951 to communicate the basic principles he discovered called: " Scientology The Fundementals of Thought"\nThere are currently over 8 million Scientologists in more that 150 countries world wide. However we are a new religion, only 55 years old. \nThe true story of Scientology as a religion goes like this:\n1. A philosopher developes a philosophy about life and death.\n2. People find it interesting.\n3. People find it works.\n4. People pass it along to others.\n5. It grows.\n\nHope you are a bit less confused. Let me know. \nAs to the hallucinations, I'm not sure if I can help you with that.\n\n(Oh,  and yes I am a Scientologist !)
988068
You are correct.   \n\nIsn't it funny that even without investigating a religion and just "saying" you are a part of it doesn't spawn even a little bit of knowledge about it.   Your examples of the Jehovah Witnesses and Mormons were right on target.  Both were created as off-shoots of Christianity with major rule changes and drastic Bible reinterpretations/rewrites.    The founders of each cult have been caught in lies/treachery/deceit, yet they are overlooked in lieu of the bigger picture.     L. Ron Hubbard is a completely different story.....just reading his materials should be enough to discredit him.\n\nYou haven't even touched on Kaballa and other such "stylish religions".
435883
The word Scientology literally means "the study of truth." It comes from the Latin word "scio" meaning "knowing in the fullest sense of the word" and the Greek word "logos" meaning "study of." \n\nScientology is the study and handling of the spirit in relationship to itself, others and all of life. The Scientology religion comprises a body of knowledge extending from certain fundamental truths. Prime among these: \n\nMan is an immortal, spiritual being. His experience extends well beyond a single lifetime. His capabilities are unlimited, even if not presently realized — and those capabilities can be realized. He is able to not only solve his own problems, accomplish his goals and gain lasting happiness, but also achieve new, higher states of awareness and ability. \n\nIn 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. \n\nThrough Scientology, people all over the world are achieving the long-sought goal of true spiritual release and freedom