The fastest growing religion in the US is Scientiology [TM]. Without the benefit of Hollywood celebrities like Tom Cruise and John Travolta, the new religion - Scientology - probably would not have achieved the outstandiing success it has.
This web page explores how the new religion has succeeded and how Scientology's success was (and will continue to be) partly because of orthodox religion's dash to jump into the arms of political movements. In many aspects, orthodox religion has become a political movement as much as a religion.
(The terms "Scientology" and "Dianetics" are trademarks of the Religious Technology Centre.)
Former President Bush used to say that he felt the hand of Jesus on his shoulder when he made decisions and that Jesus was approving and, indeed, guiding him in making decisions.
Considering the ineptitude of the Bush Administration's response to Hurricane Katrina and the New Orleans flood, and to the handling of the Iraq War, it is hard to believe that Jesus was guiding the president in his decision making. That would be an insult to Jesus.
The ineptitude of the Bush administration and the increasingly politically controlled orthodox religions in the U.S. have opened a window of opportunity for a new "religion" like Scientology to enter the religious picture.
The failure of orthodox religions has opened the door for new religions like Scientology to prosper. The door has opened because the U.S., under the Catholics, protestants, and Jews, has increasingly recently adopted policies that no right-thinking religion would condone: the conducting of unnecessary warfare, torture, wholesale lying to the nation's citizens, worship of the rich, abandonment of the poor, etc., etc., etc.
No, I can't believe the Jesus of the Bible is standing too strongly with orthodox religion in this country at this time. He is more apt to be in the corner of the new religion - Scientology.
But is there any wonder that Scientology is prospering? Just take the case of Tom Cruise, a Scientologist, who I recently saw doing a national TV interview. He came across as a very rational man who would never sink to such an atrocity as torturing another human being. I saw nothing about Tom Cruise that I was concerned about.
Contrast Tom Cruise's appearance with that of the high priests of the regular U.S. religions - who regularly appeared on TV and who totally ignored torture and the other ungodly things the former Bush administration was engaged in. Instead, they concentrated their righteous wrath on the sins of Bill Clinton, God's deserved "punishment" of sin city New Orleans, and similar nonsense that Scientology would not waste its time on.
Tom Cruise is a big plus for the new religion. Many other Hollywood stars are becoming involved with Scientology, also.
Is it any wonder that the new religion is growing by leaps and bounds!? The new religion may be coming from Hollywood, the land of dream-making, but Scientology now looks more real and honest than the old religions.
At least, the Scientologists don't advocate torture as the priests and preachers of orthodox religions do.
The founder of Scientology was L. Ron Hubbard who died in 1986.
L. Ron Hubbard traveled extensively throughout his life and intermingled with many races of people. He was very curious about the human condition, the human mind, and sought to learn the secrets of life.
Early on, he lived in Helena, Montana and associated with an Indian tribe in the area. The tribal medicine man became his friend and entrusted him with tribal secrets and Indian lore.
According to the references, below, Hubbard's next major education event was his fortuitous association at age 12 with an American officer, Commander Joseph Thompson, who had studied under Sigmund Freud. According to The Scientology Handbook, Thompson was impressed by the young boy's intelligence and tutored him extensively on Freud's theories. (Admittedly, this "master-grasshopper" relationship seems a little far-fetched but Hubbard was obviously such an intelligent, inquisitive kid that the story may be literally true.)
Hubbard's father was in the Navy and the extensive traveling required by the family gave Hubbard an excellent opportunity to visit many lands and study many peoples. The lands visited included all of Asia including China where he got heavily involved with the Buddhists.
Although Hubbard learned a lot from the Buddhists, he found gaps and weakness in their teachings and he said that, at the time, he knew he had much more studying to do.
In the 1930's, L. Ron Hubbard began to write and became a prolific writer of science fiction. (I have always enjoyed science fiction so maybe this is one of the background reasons I am sympathetic toward L. Ron Hubbard and Scientology).
World War 2 interrupted Hubbard's writing career and he enlisted in the US Navy where he was seriously injured in combat.
(This is another reason I am sympathetic toward L. Ron Hubbard. Hubbard served bravely in the military - he did not hide out in Alabama or elsewhere as many of our recent leaders did in their war.)
Although declared disabled at one point, Hubbard was able to apply what I call "mind over matter" techniques he had been learning over his life and was able to recover his health. During this time, he also worked with hundreds of other sick and wounded people.
Hubbard was learning his trade! He would soon put it to use in developing the new religion of Scientology.
Hubbard began to document what he had learned about the human mind and about the techniques he had developed. He called his system "Dianetics [TM]." In 1950, he published Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health. As noted below in the References Section, the book was a success partly because of the material in it and partly because the instruction part of the book is laid out in easy-to-follow step-by-step style.
After Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health was published, Hubbard continued his research, and in 1951, the applied religious philosophy of Scientology was born. In 1954, the first church of Scientology opened its doors.
The new religion was on its way! And, apparently, it is getting stronger with each passing year.
(Disclosure: I am not a member of the Scientology religion nor do I plan to join it.)
1. The Scientology Handbook. An incredibly over-sized, 857 page book containing many illustrations (full page, glossy color). The book is used to train Scientologists. Basic procedures are provided in detailed text and in step-by-step photographs. The instructions are easy to follow. (Being an engineer, I appreciate such detail in a training manual. How often have I had to work with instructions that couldn't be deciphered?)
The book cover advertises itself as the most comprehensive reference manual on the basics of life ever published. I don't disagree with that statement.
After looking through this handbook, I can see why so many people have been able to advance their careers and lead happier lives through the study of Scientology. The training manuals are great! They teach people to think!
I live in the New Orleans suburbs and I was astounded that no one had checked out this manual from the regional library since 2002. Oh, well, this is Louisiana and the new religion is just not strong here, yet. Down here, they still prefer the Catholic priests for spiritual comfort.
Scientology will get down here some day.
2. Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health by L. Ron Hubbard. This was the first book in which Hubbard laid out his techniques for mind improvement. The book was a best seller and a major reason was that, as with The Scientology Handbook discussed above, the book lays out easy-to-follow steps for self improvement. Readers appreciate clear, well-written instructions!
3. Operation Clambake. Inside information on the Scientology story. Is the new religion a fake religion?
4. Aliens & Are the Planets Inhabited? Scientology is sometimes criticized because of its peripheral involvement with aliens, etc. Are there aliens out there?
5. Germany In World War 2. German side of World War 2. Would the war have occurred if Scientology had been strong in Europe?
L. Ron Hubbard, traveling extensively throughout his life and learning from those people he met, developed first the system of Dianetics, laying out his techniques for mind improvement, and, finally, the new religion of Scientology, an applied religion. The new religion has taken off like a rocket and has been further propelled by the many Hollywood stars who have embraced the new religion.
Last Updated: 03/10/10
e-mail me @ vanc13@cox.net.com