The idea that it is a religion adds an air of respectability to the organization, often reinforced by the scientology reverends who may wear a full clerical garb that includes a collar, vest, black clerical robe, and a cross bigger than the archbishop of canterbury, as one london skeptic described it. Scientology is a compilation book about the church of scientology and the new religious movement scientology, edited by james r. A collection of apologetics and countercult research resources. Through more than a hundred books and publications, thousands more articles and essays, and over 3,000 recorded lectures, the works of l. A comprehensive encyclopedia of belief and practice 2nd edition, 2010. German policy toward the church of scientology by moseley, emily a vanderbilt journal of transnational law, vol. Ron hubbard as an extension of his earlier psychological theories of dianetics. Most companiesand even many religious organizationswork to enhance their image through public relations.
Ron hubbard in the early 1950s, has made headlines in recent years for its popularity among celebritiesand for a vast amount of evidence. Written by the worlds leading authorities on religion and spirituality, the patheos library offers the most accurate and balanced information available on the web. Hubbard characterized scientology as a religion, and in 1953 he incorporated the church of scientology in camden, new jersey. Other articles in religious perspectives and churches l. Books about scientology and the church of scientology. The modern science of mental health 1950 first set forth the basis of his philosophy, offering an alternative path to overcoming physical and mental stress. Whatever your opinion of scientology, the truth is more extreme. Library of world religions and faith traditions patheos. The sects and movements that were new a century or more agoseventh. Scientology book author reveals churchs inner workings reuters.
Ron hubbard, who died in 1986, the church is fighting off calls by former members for a reformation. The handbook of scientology groups the collection of twentyfour essays into seven parts, focusing on introductory essays, scientology and marketplace religion, controversy, media treatments, sex and gender, disaffiliation and schisms, and the legacy of scientologys founder and sourcel. These were written within the first years of dianetics and scientology development and are not. Melton is the author of hundreds of articles and more than thirtyfive books on the academic study of religion, including meltons encyclopedia of american religions 8th edition, 2009. Please participate by editing the article, and help us assess and improve articles to good and 1. Scientology, hollywood and the prison of belief looks at the world of the controversial church and the life of its founder, l.
Mar 07, 2010 fiftysix years after its founding by the science fiction writer l. Ron hubbard produced a religion that sees all human beings as. We should be allowed to scrutinise and criticise it. Scientology is a body of beliefs and related practices created by science fiction writer l. This book is within the scope of wikiproject religion, a project to improve wikipedia s articles on religionrelated subjects. The religious movement known as scientology originated in the united states with the 1950 publication of dianetics. Ron hubbard embrace virtually every aspect of living. Ron hubbard, who founded the church of scientology, believed that the human brain could be held back by engrams or past negative events, and that people could overcome engrams through an auditing process that measures bodily reactions. These are controversial groups that are in some sense little understood, but are also the focus of intense public fascination. Religionfacts does not necessarily endorse the contents of these books. Ron hubbard articles wherein he details his own philosophy and his remarkable journey to the founding of dianetics and scientology. The field of research into new religious movements encompasses a wide range of young groups, including scientology, the family, moonies, and the hare krishna movement.
Read about spirituality in the scientology religion, that man is a spiritual being, and how man can increase his spiritual awareness, development, enlightenment and freedom so he has a greater understanding of himself and can increase his abilities to live a better life. The story of americas most secret religion, author janet reitman tell the fascinating history of the mysterious organization and its members. Dec 04, 2008 how scientologists pressurise publishers. Scientology and the rhetoric of consumerism by spohrer, erika journal of religion and popular culture, vol. Scientology under fire christian research institute. Latest church of scientology news articles and scientology. This may be because some doctrine is reserved for the. It became widely used with the rise of protestantism and the emergence of. Jun 10, 2009 summary the church of scientology is a controversial new religion developed by l. The shift from dianetics to scientology included a focus on humans as immortal souls thetans, in scientology terminology that are trapped. But over the years the church of scientology, a religious group that some have accused of acting more like a powerful corporation than a church, has been more aggressive about p. While scientology may, at first glance, appear to mark a radical discontinuity with the western religious tradition, the characteristics summarized above and described in detail in earlier chapters, identify it, in fact, as a logical outcome and extension of certain central features of that tradition p.
Why cant we read the scientology book going clear in the uk. Urban, a professor of religious studies at ohio state university, provides a fascinating account of how a healing practice called dianetics came to. The most dangerous place in the world is the womb of an ungodly woman after her childhood in a secretive cult founded by her grandfather, new zealand woman lilia. Research resources on religious movements, cults, sects, world religions and related issues. And everyone who has ever encountered the church of. Reprints the original astounding science fiction article from may. A collection of handselected books on church of scientology, chosen on the basis of apparent usefulness and quality. The story of americas most secret religion by janet reitman.
It became widely used with the rise of protestantism and the emergence of numerous catholic denominations. He later moved to a more religious approach to the human condition, which he called scientology. Church of scientology, philosophical religion founded by lafayette ronald hubbard, 191186, b. Scientology is a body of religious beliefs and practices invented in may 1952 by american author l. Scientology, at its core, is a selfhelp religion started by writer l. Its followers believe theyre on a mission to save the universe but detractors call it a cult. The church believes that a persons spirit can be cleared of past painful experiences through a. Hubbards 1966 scientology answers presents a vista of freedom quite beyond what philosophers of old imagined possible.
Nov 10, 2005 the following is an overview of the basic beliefs of scientology. Nov 05, 2014 the field of research into new religious movements encompasses a wide range of young groups, including scientology, the family, moonies, and the hare krishna movement. This is an incomplete bibliography of scientology and scientologyrelated books produced within the church of scientology and its related organizations, containing all of the basic books and some other later works either compiled from other works by or written directly by l. The eye article took a very sceptical view of scientology, but emerged unscathed. Ron hubbard 19111986, was a popular science fiction writer who envisioned dianetics as an alternative to traditional therapy. In addition to lewis, other contributors to the book include j. Mark vicente, once a highranking member of nxivm, described a complicated organizational structure that relied on the belief that keith raniere, the cults cofounder, was the wisest person.
Inside scientology is journalist janet reitmans incredible booklength followup to the rolling stone cover story of the same name, a 2007 finalist for the national magazine award. The now religion appeared, the church of scientology sued its publisher. Ron hubbard in the 1954, the church of scientology is by definition a cult, both regarding its religious beliefs and its behaviors and practices, especially those involving the coercion and isolation of members. The following is an overview of the basic beliefs of scientology. Research resources on religious movements, cults, sects, world religions and. To meet the global demand for dianetics and scientology, a new breed of scientology church is being opened in major cities around the world. How scientologists pressurise publishers religion the guardian. A primer on a regular basis tabloids report that tom cruise, john travolta, kirstie allie, or.
The handbook of scientology groups the collection of twentyfour essays into seven parts, focusing on introductory essays, scientology and marketplace religion, controversy, media treatments, sex and gender, disaffiliation and schisms, and the legacy of. Defectors say church of scientology hides abuse the new. Scientology book author reveals churchs inner workings. Scientology, international movement that emerged in the 1950s in response to the thought of l. Inside scientology is journalist janet reitmans incredible booklength. Hubbard initially developed a program of ideas called dianetics, which was distributed through the dianetics foundation. The religious technology center rtc is an american nonprofit corporation that was founded in 1982 by the church of scientology to control and oversee the use of all of the trademarks, symbols and texts of scientology and dianetics. The church of scientology s friends in washington, the embattled religious organization has allies in congress, though it lobbies quietly alex. The materials of scientology comprise the greatest accumulation of knowledge ever assembled on the mind, spirit and life. Scientology, a new religious movement created by l.
A religious sect is defined as a marginal group of people with common religious beliefs or a new religious movement. Ron hubbard 19111986, beginning in 1952 as a successor to his earlier selfhelp system, dianetics. Reitman offers the 1st full journalistic history of the church of scientology, in an evenhanded account that establishes the truth about the controversial religion. Even for those who have no interest in parsing when cults become religions or why faith upends fact, reitman tells a spellbinding story of a largerthanlife personality whose quirks, ticks and. Drawing on ideas from buddhist and hindu religious philosophy, science fiction, and western concepts in psychology and science, l. How scientologists pressurise publishers books the guardian. These are controversial groups that are in some sense little understood, but are also the focus of. The foundation soon entered bankruptcy, and hubbard lost the rights to his seminal.
The church of scientology is a group of interconnected corporate entities and other organizations devoted to the practice, administration and dissemination of scientology, which is variously defined as a cult, a business or a new religious movement. Dec 31, 2019 to meet the global demand for dianetics and scientology, a new breed of scientology church is being opened in major cities around the world. Scientology is a cult that has a body of religious beliefs and practices first described in 1950 and organized as a movement in may 1952 by american author l. Ron hubbard, frequently made claims that scientology was related to or shared significant similarities with hinduism, theravada buddhism and taoism. Inside scientology and millions of other books are available for amazon kindle. It was published in march 2009 by oxford university press. The word sect has a latin origin, deriving from the word secta, which means a path. He is also the author of over a hundred articles and book chapters. The scientology symbol is composed of the letter s, which stands for scientology, and the arc and krc triangles, two important concepts in scientology. Hubbard initially developed a program of ideas called dianetics, which was distributed through the dianetics. Scientology and became superhuman inside scientology. This 20th century religion is cloaked in mystery for many.
Authored as a companion piece to philosophy wins after 2,000 years, mr. Inside scientology it is the most controversial religion in america, and the most mysterious. List of books and articles about scientology online research. Summary the church of scientology is a controversial new religion developed by l. The quotation considers scientology as similar to early christian missions. The most dangerous place in the world is the womb of an ungodly woman after her childhood in a secretive cult founded by. The church of scientology was founded in 1954 by l. Ron hubbard, a writer who introduced his ideas to the general public in dianetics. The church of scientologys friends in washington, the embattled religious organization has allies in congress, though it lobbies quietly alex pareene, salon, feb. Other bookshops are also thought to have been warned not to stock the book. The organization doesnt present itself as a religion, but as a technology that leads people to true spiritual release and freedom. List of books and articles about scientology online.
Brief analyses of the religious nature of scientology. Read about what is scientology, the beliefs of scientologists, and how the religion s spiritual purpose is to enable man to improve his life through a greater understanding of himself and attaining a higher state of spiritual awareness, healing and enlightenment. Now that the hbo doc on scientology has aired, we break down a few of its more damning talking points. Aug 06, 20 inside scientology is a masterful piece of reportinga compelling introduction to americas most secretive religion, as the subtitle has it. Inside scientology is a masterful piece of reportinga compelling introduction to americas most secretive religion, as the subtitle has it. Fiftysix years after its founding by the science fiction writer l. Scientologys relationship with eastern religious traditions stephen a kent journal of contemporary religion, vol. This is an incomplete bibliography of scientology and scientology related books produced within the church of scientology and its related organizations, containing all of the basic books and some other later works either compiled from other works by or written directly by l. List of books and articles about religious sects online.
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