“If you want to get rich, you start a religion” were words that many have claimed L. Ron Hubbard to have said. Hubbard, a science fiction author, wrote a book titled Dianetics, which served as a new form of psychotherapy. This book later became the foundation for the so called “religion” of Scientology. While given tax exempt status in the United States in 1993, there are such countries as Canada, France, Germany, and the United Kingdom that have denied such requests.
Scientology has been viewed by many as a cult, whose ultimate goal is to bring in more money by “helping” people in need. But does Scientology really help such people, besides charging them for materials that are supposed to help further their learning? Besides the greed in charging people to be part of their teachings, Scientology also has been involved in brainwashing and disconnection. Disconnection involves telling members to cut off any contact with family members or friends who disapprove of Scientology. Brainwashing, in addition to intimidation, serves as a means to get public members to donate large amounts of money. I had wondered if Scientology was actually considered to be tax exempt, and to my dismay it is. I feel it is wrong for such an organization to be given that status with its history of corruption, greed, and lies. There is no real sense of religion, and if one actually goes through the so called teachings, they will learn of a story that an alien named Xenu brought his people to Earth 75 million years ago, only to kill them using hydrogen bombs. This so called religion, it seems, is merely the science fiction writing of Hubbard. When will someone draw the line, and end this “religion” that has hurt many lives, and even destroyed some?
Alex Fincher
Lucerne
