The Comparative Theology Report
Scientology believes that God exists, but goes on to say "As to the form in which He exists, we do not know" (Scientology: A World Religion, p. 17: What is Scientology, p. 200). And although Scientology does not know the EXACT form of God (i.e., the Supreme Being), it does teach that there are "gods above other gods, and gods beyond the gods of the universes" (Scientology 8-8008, p. 72). Scientology also states that each thetan (person) "has as far as we can see in the manufacture of energy, about the same capabilities as those which have been assigned to the Supreme being in the universe" (Philadelphia Doctorate Course#9, LRH). All of these views would be problematic for Christians, especially when Scientology claims to be compatible with all religions. These views are certainly not compatible with Christianity.
Scientology teaches that humanity is basically good, albeit confused about our godhood. Through knowledge (gnosticism) and training, humanity can once again be perfect and powerful. Christianity teaches that humanity cannot free itself from sin, and salvation can only come through the grace of God in Jesus Christ.
From the Christian viewpoint, Scientology is a modern Pelagian heresy, mixed with gnosticism, spiritism, legalism to the nth degree, with no grace, no mercy, and 100% works. Scientology teaches that each man is as god, already possessing eternal existence, capable (through Hubbard's technology) of becoming totally free. From the Christian viewpoint, Scientology as Satanic in origin.
Hubbard's primary claim for Scientology's religiosity hinges on Past Lives which are revealed during auditing. Similar to the Buddhist concept of reincarnation, Hubbard postulated a spirit (thetan) which inhabits a series of bodies in succession. Between lives, the thetan is commanded by implants (mind control techniques) to return to an Implant Station, where the person forgets their previous life. These Past Lives can only be revealed through auditing.
Scientology, as told by Scientologists, means "knowing how to know". (More correctly, it means "the study of knowing", but Hubbard never felt a need for pedantic accuracy.) Thus, Scientology is a gnostic [gnosis: to know] system in every sense of the word[Stromsholm, 1995]. Through training and auditing, the Scientologist is unburdened of his Reactive Mind, and attains the Godlike state of Clear and Operating Thetan, and has the power to transform matter, energy, space, and time. Attainment of Godhood through special revelation is a hallmark of Gnostic belief systems[Davies]
Perhaps most objectionable is Hubbard's corrupt selling of spiritual salvation at steep prices. Scientology progressively demands money from the adherent for each gnosis. The adherent is given the option of either paying for the next "service" or face an existence of appalling spiritual degradation. In effect, Scientologists are spiritually held hostage by their "Church" until large sums of money have been paid.
Hubbard set up Scientology as circles within circles; a spiritual treadmill without end. If the adherent does not exhibit their new-found abilities, it is the adherent's fault (the "technology" and Hubbard are infallible) and they must re-take their courses and auditing. Of course, since it was the adherent's fault, they must again pay the "fixed donation" for the "services". Since the end product (God-like control over matter, energy, space, and time) is unattainable, the system serves to transfer sizeable sums into the Scientology organization
The primary difference between Dianetics and Scientology is the concept of "Whole Track" auditing (See Metamorphosis to Religion). The "Whole Track" (as opposed to this lifetime's track) has an implicit belief in "Past Lives" (as Scientology calls it) or reincarnation. Scientology explains that they do not believe in reanimation, but rather that the thetan [spirit] has inhabited many, many bodies since the beginning of time.
Scientology teaches that the thetan is quite capable of surviving without a body, and though unusual, can even inhabit "doll" bodies and even share a body with other thetans ["Body Thetans"]. The thetan "picks up a body" when a baby is born, controls the mind and body during its life, then discards the body when it is worn out or of no further use. Then the cycle is repeated with the next body.
The basis of Scientology's belief in reincarnation is due to several factors: 1) Dianetic pre-clears were recalling events during auditing sessions that had not occurred during their lifetime, and 2) Recalling these events appeared to treat the pre-clear's engrams. However, some of these previous-life recollections are clearly fantasy; for example, many Scientologists recall exciting and famous Past Lives when the law of averages suggests that mundane Past Lives should be the norm. Several people claimed to be Joan of Arc in a previous life (though the Auditor's Code strictly forbids pointing out this inconsistency). Hubbard's science-fiction tends to find its way into his followers' recall as well. Auditing involves mental relaxation and can therefore be somewhat hypnotic. False Memory Syndrome is a definite possibility.
The belief in reincarnation is openly presented to new adherents. Scientology (or perhaps just Hubbard) claims ["Lived Before"] that reincarnation was at one time a Christian belief, but was removed from the Bible by a conspiracy of bishops in 553 AD. This claim is apparently common in occult texts and is patently false [Haack][Stromsholm].
Magic and the Occult
Hubbard was active in black magic[k] prior to writing Dianetics. Corydon's cronology is supported by letters from Aleister Crowley of the Ordo Templo Orientis, a magician's sect organized in Europe in the early 20th century. (More information on the OTO is available [Koenig] [Watchman Fellowship].) Atack goes further by suggesting that Dianetics (and by extension, Scientology) is an extension of Hubbard's black magik "research" of that time. Hubbard's black magick sex rituals to invoke the Whore of Babalon are confirmed by Armstrong (Hubbard's biographer) and L. Ron Hubbard, Jr..
After Crowley died, Hubbard visited Egypt and Crowley's estate and assumed the mantle of "The Beast". Then, in The Philadelphia Doctorate Course, Hubbard says:
"Now, he could simply say, "I have action." A magician - the magic cults of the eighth, ninth, tenth, eleventh, twelfth centuries in the Middle East were fascinating. The only modern work that has anything to do with them is a trifle wild in spots, but it's fascinating work in itself, and that's work written by Aleister Crowley, the late Aleister Crowley, my very good friend. And he did himself a splendid piece of aesthetics built around those magic cults. It's very interesting reading to get hold of a copy of a book, quite rare, but it can be obtained. the Master Therion, T-h-e-r-i-o-n, The Master Therion by Aleister Crowley. He signs himself "The Beast"; "The Mark of the Beast, 666." Very, very something or other, but anyway the ... Crowley exhumed a lot of the data from these old magic cults.", The Philadelphia Doctorate Course, L. Ron. Hubbard, Tape #18, Dec 5, 1952. Real Audio (USA) [296K] Real Audio (UK) [296K]
In this passage, Hubbard identifies Crowley both as "my very good friend" [a lie], and as "The Beast, six-sixty-six". To Christians, "Beast" and "666" are alternative names for Satan and the Anti-Christ. Hubbard probably realized his gaffe toward Christians in the audience, and stammers the nonsensical "very, very something or other, but anyway ..." until he recovers his wits. Crowley uses the word Therion, which is the Greek word for "beast". Hubbard assumed the throne of "The Beast" when Crowley died [Corydon] [LRH, Jr.], so the additional modifier of "late Aliester Crowley" is significant. The Philadelphia Doctorate Course was done after Crowley's death, and Crowley likely provided inspiration for it. Amusingly, Hubbard sounds like a late-night TV commercial when he hawks Crowley's book by s-p-e-l-l-i-n-g out the name. Perhaps Hubbard really did sell A Piece of Blue Sky as Atack suggests.
Although Hubbard was a devout follower of Crowley, Crowley appears to have spurned Hubbard's and Parson's "research". In a letter to another OTO member, Crowley wrote "I get fairly frantic when I contemplate the idiocy of these louts" [Corydon]. Crowley was referring to Hubbard's "research" with Jack Parsons of the OTO 9th degree where they attempted to conjure the Anti-Christ through the "Whore of Babalon" in a sex-magick ritual at the Pasadena OTO.
Crowley/OTO supporters point out that what Hubbard was doing and what he became do not represent OTO teaching. The OTO website outwardly represents the OTO as being a gnostic magician's sect. The word "Babalon" may make Jews and Christians uneasy, but it is quite possible that the OTO is decended from the traditions of the Chaldean sorcerers that are described by the Jewish prophets Daniel and Jeremiah during the Babylonian exile period ca. 600 BCE. Crowley also studied Egyptian magick and Egyptian sorcerers are mentioned in Exodus.
"The Whore of Babylon" is a reference to the Christian Book of Revelations, and is associated with the coming of the Anti-Christ, Satan's representative on Earth during The Apocalypse (end of the world) in which Satan is finally defeated. The Hebrews' Babylonian Exile period, as recorded in the prophets Daniel and Jeremiah, is associated with worldy temptations leading away from God (a goal of Satan). In the Book of Daniel, the word of God is victorious over the Chaldean sorcerers and magicians. ...and sorcery and magic bring us full-circle back to the OTO, Aleister Crowley, Hubbard, and Scientology. Sorcery and magic are specifically proscribed in both Jewish and Christian law. The Jewish Law explains that magic does not originate from God, therefore it is Man creating an idolatrous system (Deuteronomy 12(?), also Daniel 1,2). Christianity follows Judaism's lead for the same reason with references to "sorcery" in Acts and Revelations.
Whether Crowley (and by extension Hubbard) were "Satanists" is a contentious issue [pro] [con]. "Satanic" is an ambiguous term. From the Christian, Jewish, and Islamic perspective, Satan leads people away from God. In fact, Crowley and Hubbard did not worship Satan as an entity - they worshipped themselves and the power they could wield through their magick. In essence, their magick was about getting power over others and becoming God. While Crowley and Hubbard did not overtly worship Satan, they certainly forwarded Satan's agenda of leading people away from God.
Hubbard adapted Crowley's exhortation "Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law.", then created Scientology. Today, the Church of Scientology International, in the guise of the Religious Technology Center, controls Scientology, Orgs, and Scientologists through copyrights. If the Scientologist does not obey CSI/RTC and pay steep license fees, use of the copyrights is revoked and access is denied to the "scriptures". "Religious freedom" comes for the price of total obedience to Hubbard's organization.
Scientology doctrine contains many references to controlling or being controlled. Atack [2] lists one of Hubbard's magic self-affirmations to be "You can be merciless whenever your will is crossed and you have every right to be merciless." Hubbard directed the lives of his followers in minute detail, and exiled any staff member who crossed his will to the Rehabilitation Project Force (RPF). [RPF has been variously described as either a gulag by critics or a boot camp by the "Church".]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Neo-Paganism
"We tend to forget that the so-called "cult" phenomenon, like the New Age movement itself, is hardly anything new: It's essentially an attempt at a "revival" of sorts of ancient pre-Christian paganism in all its forms, but merely wearing modern "clothes" --e.g., pseudo-scientific terminology, allegedly "innovative" or "new" philosophies, and the like.", sloopjohne@aol.com in a theological discussion with inducto@aol.com of Scientology in its neo-pagan context and its relationship to Christianity.
Alistair Crowley Cross
The Eight Pointed Cross of Scientology
[This section was attacked by Scientology Legal! According to the lawyer, a thumbnail image of a trademark isn't Fair Use. (a "religion" with TRADE marks!?!). Your browser just got it from www.scientology.org rather than www.ezlink.com.]
"Crowley's Cross" is found on the reverse side of the Thoth Deck [Tarot Cards] and (apparently) used in OTO magic[k] rituals. The artwork for the Thoth Deck is by Frieda Harris. The cross bears some similarities to the Golden Dawn cross, another magic[k] group which the young Crowley joined. Paul Hume, 4th degree OTO, has kindly summarized the relationships between the Golden Dawn, OTO, Crowley, and the Thoth Deck.
Geoff Lane asks a question about the cross found on the Scientology website (above left), noting that it could be confused with Christianity.
"Modemac" observes the similarity between Aleister Crowley's cross (above right) and the Scientology cross (above left).
Dean Benjamin expands on Modemac.
Ashraf Ghebranious links the cross to R6 and Hubbard's intent to use it as a mind control device.
Hubbard Maligns Christianity
Note: since Christianity accepts the Jewish Torah as Canon, see also Hubbard Maligns Judaism.
Hubbard on the Origins of Christianity
"Somebody somewhere on this planet, back about 600 BC found some pieces of R6. And I don't know how they found it, either by watching madmen or something, but since that time they have used it and it became what is known as Christianity. (draws on a cigarette) The man on the cross. There was no Christ. But the man on the cross is shown as Everyman. So of course each person seeing a crucified man, has an immediate feeling of sympathy for this man. Therefore you get many PCs who says they are Christ. Now, there's two reasons for that, one is the Roman Empire was prone to crucify people, so a person can have been crucified, but in R6 he is shown as crucified." The Class VIII [Auditor's] Course, Lecture 10: "Krakatoa and Beyond", Oct 3, 1968, aboard the Apollo. Hear it in Hubbard's own words! [ 624 KB .wav ] [ 58 KB Real Audio ] [Full quote Real Audio] [Download Real Audio player]
Commentary:
According to Hubbard's OT III cosmology, all of us on Earth were implanted 75 million years ago with false memories which he collectively calls "R6". These implants cause us to do all sorts of crazy things, and of course Hubbard's auditing procedures can break the power of the implants. Here, Hubbard says that Christianity is a religious system built on parts of the R6 implants, with the behavior of the mentally ill used as its model.
After establishing the origins of Christianity upon the ravings of the mentally ill, Hubbard goes on to deny the existence of Christ, saying instead that all men share the implant of the cross, which is part of R6. Thus, according to Hubbard, responding to Christ is simply being under the control of a false memory implant.
"A Dutch Scientologist argued that when Hubbard said "there was no Christ' in the lecture you referred to, he was saying that the crucified person that featured in the R6 implant was not the person Jesus Christ. In the quote Hubbard explains why many people at some point in auditing sessions seem to remember that they were Jesus, but that that is not the case, but people are either remembering the part of the R6 implant where everyone sees themselves as a crucified man, or are remembering a former life in Roman times when crucifiction was used as punishment." - Rasta Robert (rr@k9.dds.nl.ReMoVeThIs).
Hubbard suggests that Christ's popularity may be due to many Christians' previous lives in the Roman Empire, where they themselves may have been crucified.
While Hubbard never specifies "somebody" or "somewhere", he does specify the time (600 BC). It is difficult to guess what actual event to which he may be referring. 600 BC roughly coincides with the start of the Hebrews' Babylonian Exile period (582 BC), which produced the apocalyptic prophesies of Daniel - prophesies later reiterated by Ezekiel, Isaiah, and Jeremiah, and eventually in Christianity's Book of Revelations. The apocalyptic prophesies are filled with images of God, the Devil, and angels, which is as Hubbard describes R6 in OT-III. Incidentally, Mormons believe that in 600 BC, JHVH directed a Jew to leave Judah and go to North America. If anyone else can make a connection to 600 BC, please contact me.
Geoff Burling suggests Hubbard may be referring (unattributed, as was his custom) to Will Durant's multivolume work, The Story of Civilization.
The death of Christ on the cross of course happened after 600 BC. However, it was prophesied in Psalm 22, which is dated at around 1000 BC during the reign of King David: "(1) My God, my God, why has thou forsaken me?...(14) I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint; my heart is like wax, it is melted within my breast; (15) My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue cleaves to my jaws; thou dost lay me in the dust of death. (16) Yea, dogs are round about me; a company of evildoers encircle me; they have pierced my hands and feet - (17) I can count all my bones - they stare and gloat over me; (18) they divide my garments among them, and for my raiment they cast lots."
The highest auditor class is XII. This lecture is delivered to Class VIII trainees. It is my understanding that Class VIII auditors typically deliver the clearing and lower OT levels of processing. In any case, Class VIIIs are well-indoctrinated and predisposed to accepting Hubbard's claims without question. These auditors then go on to "counsel" lower-level church members with this "knowledge" of R6 and God.
In an example of showmanship, Hubbard can be heard in the audio taking a puff of his cigarette before delivering his punchline.
Hubbard on the Basis of Christianity
"The whole Christian movement is based on the victim. Compulsion of the overt-motivator sequence. They won by appealing to victims. We can win by converting victims. Christianity succeeded by making people into victims. We can succeed by making victims into people.", HCOB 18 July, 1959, under "Historical Note".
Commentary:
According to Hubbard, victims are at effect, which is antithetical to the objectives of Scientology ("making the able more able").
The overt-motivator sequence is Scientology jargon . According to Hubbard, thinking bad thoughts about someone is a "motivator" to commit an overt act against that person. Since Christ was crucifed (an overt), there must be a bad thought preceding it. Perhaps Hubbard is saying people compulsively join Christianity because they are sorry for their overt against Christ because their bad thoughts (sin) caused his crucifixion.
While Christ was certainly a victim, Hubbard misses the point of Christianity - that God came to us to offer reconciliation, and that Christ's death satisfied the Jewish laws regarding atonement for sins (See Paul's letter to the Hebrews). Hubbard mocks Christ's "victimhood" as being powerlessness (again entirely missing the point).
Christianity does not teach Christians to be victims, as Hubbard implies. However, scripture is full of repressed peoples, hoping for God's deliverance (e.g. the Hebrews in Egypt, Babylon, the Maccabees, the Jews under Roman domination, etc.)
Hubbard on the Roman Catholic Church
"The Roman Catholic Church, through watching the dramatizations of people picked up some little fragments of R6." The Class VIII [Auditor's] Course, Lecture 10: "Krakatoa and Beyond", Oct 3, 1968, aboard the Apollo.
Commentary:
"Dramatizations" are the actions that people perform in response to their engrams or false memories. Hubbard's theory of R6 includes the command "to forget" and Hubbard is claiming that parts of R6 occasionally surface. The Roman Catholic Church apparently saw these and invented Christianity. Note that Hubbard's time line is incorrect; Christianity preceeded the Church of Rome. Of course, the Churches in Greece and other parts of Asia Minor also escape Hubbard's attention. Choosing the Church of Rome as the progenitor of Christianity is like saying clams were the progenitors of human beings (which Hubbard also happened to claim in History of Man).
This reference is quite close to the previous reference and could be another interpretation of the same passage. However, the mention of the Roman Catholic Church by name makes this sentence appear to be unique and therefore genuine.
Hubbard on the Leaders of the Christian Church
" Also the Christian Church used (and uses) implanting (with a squirrel version of the "7s"). These gangsters were the Nicomidians from lower Egypt who were chased out for criminal practices (implanting officials). They took over the Niocene Creed before the year zero, invented Christ (who comes from the crucifixion in R6 75m years ago) and implanted their way to "power". The original Nicomidians date about 600 BC and people who were Christ date at 75m years ago. " - L. Ron Hubbard, Resistive Cases, Former Therapy, HCOB 23 Sep 1968.
Commentary:
Not known for his technical accuracy, Hubbard surpasses himself in this passage. Hubbard's knowledge of Christianity was quite limited, and it shows in this and other writings on the subject.
The Niocene[sic] Creed was ratified at the First Ecumenical Council in 325 A.D. in the Constantinople suburb of Nicea, thus the name Nicene. Hubbard misstates both the time and place.
Hubbard has the chain of events perfectly backward in an attempt to invalidate Christianity. In fact, Christianity existed first, then met at Nicea, and created the Creed.
Nicea and Constantinople (today Iznik and Istanbul) are in Turkey, which is of course in Asia Minor and not in lower Egypt. Nicomidia[sic] is really "Nicomedia" and was located next to Nicea.
The Nicene Creed is a statement of belief that is common to all Christian churches. It cannot be "taken over" any more than the Gospel of Matthew can be "taken over".
The Nicene Creed expresses the Christian belief in God as a Trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit). This belief is unique to Christianity. The Christian Church could not "take over" the Nicene Creed because the Creed could not exist before Christianity.
There were no Christ ca 1 A.D, therefore there were no Christians in Byzantium, therefore there was no Creed to be "taken" by the Nicomedians that were not in lower Egypt.
There is no year zero; January 1, 1 A.D. follows December 31, 1 B.C. (of course the contemporary calendar of the time was the Roman "ab urbe condita" calendar, as modified by Julius Caesar in the 40's B.C., and the B.C./A.D. system was only superimposed on these dates later).
The reference to Egypt may stem from Hubbard's mentor, Aleister Crowley, who studied Egyptian magick cults. Hubbard studied these same cults prior to writing Dianetics. One of the bishops at the Council of Nicea was from Egypt, which could also explain Hubbard's misperception.
Consistent with other Advanced Technology passages, Hubbard asserts that Christ never existed and is part of R6, the bad movies that were shown to everyone on Earth 75 million years ago. Thus, according to Hubbard, the real Crucifixion occurred 75 million years ago and is only an implant (false memory).
Hubbard's "proof" of R6 is based on auditing engrams. However, "An Experimental Investigation of Hubbard's Engram Hypothesis (Dianetics)", showed that Hubbard could not retrieve an engram, therefore his R6 hypothesis is baseless. There is no physical evidence in the fossil record from 75 mya for R6's hydrogen bombs.
The 7s refers to a Scientology auditing process.
squirrel refers to altered Scientology technology. Hubbard and Scientology does not allow religious dissent; standing orders are to "smash the squirrels" - persecute non-orthodox splinter groups into bankruptcy.
"implanted their way to 'power'" deserves some translation from Hubbardese. "implanted" refers to the coerced insertion of false memories into someone to achieve control. Thus, Hubbard implies that the Christian Church exerts mind control over its followers. It is untrue that the Christian Church in general and as a matter of doctrine uses mind control. Indeed, the reverse may be true; Bob Penny, former Scientology member, wrote an essay on Social Control in Scientology, which is found in the FACTNet archive.
"power" is the highest condition in Hubbard's Ethics system. To be in power means to be at cause over others.
Hubbard on Heaven
"For a long while, some people have been cross with me for my lack of co-operation in believing in a Christian Heaven, God and Christ. I have never said I didn't disbelieve in a Big Thetan but there was certainly something very corny about Heaven et al. Now I have to apologize. There was a Heaven. Not too unlike, in cruel betrayal, the heaven of the Assassins in the 12th Century who, like everyone else, dramatized the whole track implants - if a bit more so. The symbol of the crucified Christ is very apt indeed. It's the symbol of a thetan betrayed.", - L. Ron Hubbard, HCOB 11 May, 1963
Commentary:
Apparently, Hubbard had been denying God and Christ for quite some time, upsetting Scientologists who were Christian.
Hubbard employs a triple negative ("never said I didn't disbelieve"). While this might be expected in a lecture, HCOBs are written on paper and are presumably proofread by Hubbard. Hubbard may be slyly saying that he does not believe in God while making it sound like he might.
Hubbard says the Christian believe in the wrong kind of Heaven, that Heaven is a betrayal. In HCOB 11 May, 1963 [at end of post], Hubbard talks about Heaven as a series of implants, the earlier version looking beautiful, but a later version looking shabby and unkempt. Note that Hubbard says "there was [emphasis added] a heaven", implying it no longer exists.
Hubbard Again on Heaven
"Further, we have our hands on an appalling bit of technology where the world is concerned. With rapidity and a Meter it can be shown that Heaven is a false dream and that the old religion was based on very painful lie, cynical betrayal." - L. Ron Hubbard, HCOB 11 May, 1963
Commentary:
HCOB 11 May, 1963 [at end of post] describes an implant [false memory] that Hubbard claims to have "discovered". Hubbard says this implant lies at the root of religion's "appearance of insanity". Heaven is vividly described in the implant, which at first appears like Bush Gardens in Pasadena. Hubbard then describes a "shabby" form of Heaven, which has been transformed by "one trillion years" of betrayal. Hubbard finishes with the above quote.
Like many of Hubbard's works, HCOB 11 May, 1963 contains gratuitous insults to other religions. Hubbard (and by extension Scientology) maligns other religions in their upper-level courses while publicly claiming to be "tolerant" of other religions.
Hubbard on the Cross and Christ
"Religion does much to keep the assumption in restimulation, being basically a control mechanism used by those who have sent the preclear into a body. You will find the cross as a symbol all over the universe, and the Christ legend as implant in preclears a million years ago.", Professional Auditors Bulletins, vol. 2, p. 26 , copyright 1954.
Commentary:
Here, Hubbard claims that the cross is a common symbol. Taken with Hubbard's teaching of Past Lives, the implication is that the cross is just part of the baggage we carry around in our Reactive Mind. Thus, it's appearance in Christianity is spurious. This is at odds with the historical record; this form of execution is documented outside of Christianity.
Again Hubbard asserts that Christ is a myth, a false memory.
Hubbard on the "Chaos" caused by Christ
"A few operating thetans - scarcity - could lead to trouble. Witness the chaos resulting from the activities and other-determinism technology of one operating thetan 2,000 years ago." - PAB 31, Duplication
Commentary:
The Professional Auditor's Bulletins are a primary source of information for Scientology Auditors or spiritual counsellors.
Tom Voltz, ex-Scientologist who helped compile the PABs, comments on other anti-Christian writings in the PABs.
Hubbard on Christ's Spiritual Authority
"Neither Lord Buddha nor Jesus Christ were OTs according to evidence. They were just a shade above clear". Certainty magazine, Vol 5 #10.
Commentary:
OTs are Scientology's highest spiritual level, and Clears are at the next lower rung. Scientology "technology" transforms people into Clears by the tens of thousands, all of whom are spiritual equals to Jesus Christ, whom Christians hold to be God incarnate on Earth. Thus, Scientology claims to be able to create God.
While I must admit a lack of understanding with respect to Buddhism, the implication that Scientology produces hundreds of Buddha every year is extraordinary. If there are Buddhists who would like to explain Hubbard's statement on Buddha in the context of their religion, I'd be happy to put it here.
Hubbard on Love
"Love, if you have ever noticed, does not much care where it sites on the tone-scale as we find a young man deeply in love starving himself to death (a characteristic of apathy) and a young girl in love in dreamy enthusiasm which makes her bloom. We find love used in Christianity about twelve feet below 0.0 [death] and in New York precisely at 2.5 on the tone scale." Professional Auditor's Bulletin No. 8, "Viewpoint Processing, p. 50 in _PABs_ Book 1, May 1953 to April 1954.
Commentary:
See the Scientology Tone Scale
Hubbard states that Christian love is lower-toned than death. On the Tone Scale, death is below other emotions such as antagonism, hostility, anger, and hate. In effect, Hubbard says that hate and anger are preferable to Christian love.
For those that missed it inside Hubbard's ramblings, Hubbard says that Christian love is significantly lower-toned (more evil) than the love of New Yorkers. I am not sure who should be more offended, Christians or New Yorkers.
Hubbard on the Soul
"Now we say this thing called a thetan is capable of producing all sorts of things, and we say this is THE person. So therefore, we differ enormously from the Christian statements on the subject. They say, 'you, son, must save your soul.' The fellow says, 'I don't have one!' So therefore, the christian religion cannot possibly be true...and they lose all kinds of converts this way. Somebody saving his soul is doing something very interesting. He evidently has something set up over here, that has probably, mass, that he says is his soul! And then he goes about saving it and it turns out to be a demon circuit called "Mama," or something. Now he expects THIS to go to heaven. (laughs)", Clearing Congress Lecture (videotape), L. Ron Hubbard, 1958. [113KB streaming Real Audio] [113KB Real Audio]
Commentary:
Scientology doctrine states that concept of the soul is a demon circuit. This is incompatible with Christianity.
"mama" is a reference to Freud about which he was speaking earlier in the lecture.
Hubbard on the "Christ Game"
"You'll find, by the way, another man at this stage, and his preclears will shift the identities and borrow facsimilies. Like men, there's what they call 'The ChristGame' and that game has been played and played and played and play..., honest to Pete, these cards are just so thin, they've been laid down amongst the coffee cups, and so forth, of the whole universe. You'll find out thousands of years before the year 1 AD, Earth, you will have facsimilies and dolls made up like Christ. Fact one: a million years ago is occasionally rigged with Christ and the devil and an angel. It's a fascinating thing, it's an old game. Here on Earth, there was undoubtably a Christ. One of the reasons he was ... he swept in so suddenly ah, and he, he would go forward so hard, is he had a good assist back of him in terms of an implant.", Philadelphia Doctorate Course, Tape #24, L. Ron Hubbard, 1952. [Real Audio]
Commentary:
Hubbard claims that Jesus Christ was real, but that Christianity was established not because of merit, but because Christ triggered an implant [false memory]. This is similar to his "Man on the cross, there was no Christ" statement.
A facsimile is a "mental image picture", or false memory. "shift the identities and borrow facsimiles" refers to Hubbard's concept which is similar to Multiple Personality Disorder or schizophrenia.
Here, Hubbard states that it is common for people think they are Christ since the Whole Track (a person's history of reincarnation) has events of this type. These events have occurred to a great many people a great number of times to the point that Hubbard calls The Crucifixion "a game".
Hubbard's cosmology includes periods trillions of years ago in which spirits, having no bodies of their own, inhabited doll bodies. Recall that Hubbard was a science fiction writer.
In the PDC and elsewhere, Hubbard mentions "Christ and the devil and an angel" combination.
Refuting Scientology's Compatibility Claims
A Thumbnail Comparison of Scientology and Christianity, Piek Stromsholm, et.al. A side-by-side comparison of Christian and Scientology scriptures. A "Must Read".
Hubbard's Views on Christianity, Harrington. A scholarly essay which includes references from PABs, HCOBs, and other Hubbard writings.
What Christians Need to Know about Scientology, Wakefield, ex-Scientologist, 1991. [Note: Wakefield references the initial version of OT VIII, which has been replaced one or more times. New OT VIII is described by Ariane Jackson.] Margery Wakefield also wrote Road to Xenu, a narrative account of life in Scientology.
OT-VIII, Initial Version. Contains statements by Hubbard that he is the Anti-Christ, Lucifer brings enlightenment, and that Jesus Christ was a lover of young boys. The OT VIII document was posted to a.r.s., and subsequently included in a list of works claimed by Scientology in a copyright infringement lawsuit. Later, the "pedophile" version of OT VIII was withdrawn from the list of infringing items, and Scientology now disclaims ownership of it.
Jesse Prince, as 2nd in command at RTC when OT VIII was released, witnessed the upset it caused, as well as its subsequent alteration by David Miscavige (head of RTC). In an interview with Lawrence Wollersheim (FACTNet director), Jesse Prince validates the "pedophile" version of OT VIII as being the initial version. Jesse states that the version posted to the Internet was probably reconstructed from one or more people's memory of the original OT8, and that it contains too many typographical errors to be an RTC product.
.
A review of his material makes it clear that Hubbard knowingly lies to low-level Scientologists about being compatible with Christianity. It is painfully clear that Christian Scientologists must eventually renounce Christianity to reach Scientology's highest levels. The Pattinson First Amended Complaint details how a celebrity ex-OT7 was swindled and how Scientology attempted to coerce him into believing that Scientology is the only valid religion.
After attaining OT VIII, the Scientologist has come to accept that God not only does not exist, but also believes that God is just another implant that must be audited out like any other false memory. In this manner, Scientology binds the minds of its believers, then warehouses their spirits for the remainder of their life. From the Christian point of view, Hubbard's system is evil to the extreme; Scientology is a system of spiritual treadmills away from God.