Scientology -- Is this a Religion?
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17192/mjr.1999.4.3754Abstract
Although some social scientists insist that Scientology is a religion, the more appropriate position to take is that the organization is a multi-faceted transnational corporation that has religion as only one of its many components. Other components include political aspirations, business ventures, cultural productions, pseudo-medical practices, pseudo-psychiatric claims, and (among its most devoted members who have joined the Sea Organization), an alternative family structure. Sea Organization's job demands appear to allow little time for quality child rearing. Most disturbing, however, about Sea Organization life is that members can be subject to extremely severe and intrusive punishments through security checks, internal hearings called "Committees of Evidence," and a forced labour and re-indoctrination program known as the Rehabilitation Project Force (RPF) and its harshest companion, the RPF's RPF. Taken together, these harsh and intrusive punishments likely violate a number of human rights clauses as outlined by two United Nations statements. This is a revised and corrected version of a shorter presentation given at the 27th Deutscher Evangelischer Kirchentag, June 20, 1997, Leipzig, Germany)References
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------. 1996. "Narconon Celebrating 30 Years of Saving Lives." International Scientology News,
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------. 1990. The Social Dimensions of Sectarianism. Sects and New Religious Movements in
Contemporary Society. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
------. 1994. "Expert Opinion Submitted to "Church of Scientology International vs. Steven Fishman
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Anderson, Sue. 1980. "Honorary LRH PROs Around the World!" (July 28): 8pp.
Anonymous [L. Ron Hubbard?]. 1974. "Confidential Intelligence Course." Guardian Order 1314 (September 9): 3pp.
Anthony, Dick. 1990. "Religious Movements and Brainwashing Litigation: Evaluating Key Testimony." in In Gods We Trust: New Patterns of Religious Pluralism in America. New Brunswick, New Jersey: Transaction Books: 295-344.
Atack, Jon. 1990. A Piece of Blue Sky. Scientology, Dianetics, and L. Ron Hubbard Exposed. New York: Lyle Stuart.
Beckstein, Gunther. 1997. "Measures Undertaken by the Government of the State of Bavaria Against Scientology." Posted on <http://www.bayern.de/STMI/Scientology/e2197.htm>: (January
15).
Bev. 1997. "Co$, Chernobyl, Radiation, and the Purif." Posting on <alt.religion.scientology> (January 10): 2pp. Boards of Directors of the Churches of Scientology. 1977. "The Rehabilitation
Project Force." Sea Organization Flag Order 3434RB. Revised by Ens. Susan Walker, I/C, and Lt. (jg) Art Webb, 2nd; Re-Revised by Commodore's Messenger; Approved by L. Ron Hubbard,
Commodore. (January 7, 1974; Revised August 21, 1976; Re-Revised May 30, 1977): 14pp.
Cartwright, Robert H. and Stephen A. Kent. 1992. Social Control in Alternative Religions: A Familial Perspective." Sociological Analysis 53 No. 4: 345-361.
Church of Scientology Celebrity Centre International. 1995. Celebrity. Minor Issue 284.
------. 1996. Celebrity. Minor Issue 295.
Church of Scientology Flag Service Organization. 1992. Flag Tech News. Issue 75: 8pp.
Church of Scientology International. 1992. What Is Scientology? Los Angeles: Bridge Publications.
------. 1994. "Honorary PROs in Action." Hotline [The Newsletter of L. Ron Hubbard Personal
Public Relations Office International] VI, Issue 3: 6.
------. 1996. "Narconon Celebrating 30 Years of Saving Lives." International Scientology News,
Issue 2. Los Angeles: Church of Scientology International.
------. 1997. "The German Problem: Religious Discrimination." Advertisement in George [Magazine]. (June): 100-101.
Church of Scientology of California. 1978. What is Scientology? Los Angeles: Publication Organization United States.
Circuit Court for the Sixth Judicial Circuit of Florida. 1998. "State of Florida vs. Church of Scientology Flag Service Organization, Inc....." Felony Information.CRC98-20377 CFANO-K.
Pinellas County (November 13): 2pp.
Cohee, Nedra. n.d. [circa 1989]. "Kids Scene in PAC." Memo: 1p.
Coryden, Bent. 1996. L. Ron Hubbard, Messiah or Madman?. Fort Lee, New Jersey: Barricade Books.
Freedom Magazine. [1996?]. The Rise of Hatred and Violence in Germany. [n.pl or pub.]: 167 pp.
Gabriele. 1989. "[Untitled Letter to Commanding Officer, Pacific Area Command]." (October 24): 2pp.
Gouessan, Alain; for Vicky Zahler. 1989. "PAC Orgs Schedules & Family Time." Executive Directive (November 6): 1p.
Hexham, Irving; and Karla Poewe. 1999. "'Verfassungsfeindlich': Church, State, And New Religions in Germany." Nova Religio 2 No.2 (April): 208-227.
[Hubbard, L. Ron]. 1955. "Project Celebrity." Ability Minor II: 2.
[Hubbard, L. Ron?]. 1955. Brain-Washing[.] A Synthesis of the Russian Textbook on
Psychopolitics. Los Angeles: The American Saint Hill Organization.
Hubbard, L. Ron. 1960. "Interrogation." Hubbard Communications Office Bulletin (March 30): 2pp.
------. 1961. "Johannesburg Security Check." Hubbard Communications Office Policy Letter (April
7): 4pp.
------. 1969. "Intelligence Actions[.] Covert Intelligence[.] Data Collection." Confidential Memo
"To the Guardian WW [World Wide]: 5pp.
------. 1974. "The Technical Breakthrough of 1973! The Introversion RD." Hubbard
Communications Office Bulletin of 23 January 1974 RA, Revised 10 February 1974; Revised 1
November 1974. Reproduced in L. Ron Hubbard, 1976. The Technical Bulletins of Dianetics and
Scientology Volume VIII (1972-1975). Los Angeles: Scientology Publications: 346-353.
------. 1976. Modern Management Technology Defined. Copenhagen: New Era Publications.
International Association of Scientologists. 1995. The Next Decade. The IAS 11th Anniversary
Annual Report to Members 1984-1995. No Place or Publisher.
International Association of Scientologists Administration [IASA]. 1995. Impact 63.
Jebson, Steve. 1997. "Subject: Stephen A. Kent (Ph.D.) - Address Leipzig, Germany." (September 14); downloaded from <alt.religion.scientology>.
Jentzsch, Yvonne; and Harriet Foster. 1977. "Commanding Officer[.] Public Relations Organization
[.] Administration Scale." Executive Directive SO ED 932 INT (May 31): 6pp.
Joffe, Josef. 1997. "Germany vs. the Scientologists." New York Review of Books (April 24): 16-21.
Kent, Stephen A. 1996. "Scientology's Relationship with Eastern Religious Traditions." Journal of
Contemporary Religion 11 No. 1: 21-36; German Translations in "Scientology und ostliche
religiose Traditionen," Berliner Dialog Heft 1-97 (Ostern, 1997): 16-21; and "Scientology, religiose
Anspruche und Heilungsschwindel." Berliner Dialog Heft 1-97 (Ostern, 1997): 22-25.
------. 1997a. "The Globalization of Scientology: Influence, Control, and Opposition in
Transnational Markets." Unpublished Mss., 56pp.
------. 1997b. "The Creation of 'Religious' Scientology." Unpublished Mss., 49pp.
Kent, Stephen A. (Interviewer). 1987. "Interview with Fern [Pseudonym, on Scientology].
" (December 7): 70pp.
------. 1994. "Interview with Robert Vaughn Young." (August 13): 71pp.
------. 1997. "Interview with Dennis Erlich." (March 30): 18pp.
------. 1997. "Interview with Pat [Pseudonym, on Scientology]." (March 12): 35pp.
------. 1997. "Interview with Monica Pignotti." (April 6): 31pp.
Kominsky, Morris. 1970. The Hoaxers: Plain Liars, Fancy Liars, and Damned Liars. Boston:
Branden Press.
Krueger, Curtis. 1991. "Little Time for Children..." St. Petersburg Times (November 10): 12A.
Lippman, Thomas W. 1997. "U.S. Criticizes Cermany on Scientology." Washington Post (January
27): A1, A9.
Lobsinger, Robert W. 1991. "State Mental Health Board Denies Narconon Certification Bid," in
The Narconon Story in Oklahoma As Recorded in the Pages of the 'Newkirk Herald Journal': 57-60.
Miller, Russell. 1987. Bare-Faced Messiah. The True Story of L. Ron Hubbard. London: Michael
Joseph.
Nefertiti [Pseudonym]. 1997. "The Church of Scientology or the Guru's Gulags. Story of An
Escape." <http://www.cnbc.cmu.edu/~dst/Lerma/english.html>. (May).
Pignotti, Monica. 1989. "My Nine Lives in Scientology." Downloaded from the World Wide Web:
36pp.
Reuters. 1997. "Hollywood Does Hubbard." (March 18); downloaded from
<http://www.yahoo.com/headlines/970318/ent...ment/stories/>, file:
"entertainment_summay_1.html".
Shapiro, Ken. 1989. "Order, Query Of." [Letter]. (December 5): 1p. (Plus Attachments).
Swartz, Fred. 1989. "PAC Orgs Schedules and Family Time" [Letter]. (November 9): 1p. (Plus
Attachments).
Tabayoyon, Andre. 1994. "Declaration of Andre Tabayoyon," in Church of Scientology International vs. Steven Fishman and Uwe Geertz. United States District Court, Central District of
California, Case No. CV 91 6426 HLH (Tx), (April 4): 64pp. (Plus Attachments).
Tabayoyon, Mary. 1994. "Declaration of Mary Tabayoyon," in Church of Scientology International
vs. Steven Fishman and Uwe Geertz. United States District Court, Central District of California,
Case No. CV 91 6426 HLH (Tx), (April 4): 36pp. (Plus Attachments).
Tobin, Tom. 1997. "Scientology Had Woman in Isolation." St. Petersburg Times [Florida, U.S.A.].
(February 21): 1Aff.
United Nations. 1996a. The Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. Geneva: United Nations.
------. 1996b. The International Bill of Human Rights. Geneva: United Nations.
Weber, Max. 1968. Economy and Society. Volume 1. Berkeley: University of California Press.
Weiland, Kurt. 1990. "Eradicating Psychiatry." Impact [Magazine of the International Association
of Scientologists]. Issue 33: 21.
Whitfield, Hana. 1989. "Affidavit." (August 8): 11pp, downloaded from <alt.religion.scientology>.
Whitney, Craig R. 1994. "Scientology and Its German Foes: A Bitter Conflict." New York Times (November 7): A12.
Widder, William J. 1994. The Fiction of L. Ron Hubbard. Los Angeles: Bridge Publications.
Wilson, Bryan R. [no date]. Religious Toleration & Religious Diversity. Booklet. Santa Barbara,
California: Institute for the Study of American Religion.
------. 1990. The Social Dimensions of Sectarianism. Sects and New Religious Movements in
Contemporary Society. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
------. 1994. "Expert Opinion Submitted to "Church of Scientology International vs. Steven Fishman
and Uwe Geertz, United States District Court for the Central District of California, Case No. 91-6426 HLH (Tx), (November 26): 10pp.
WISE International. 1994a. "News in Brief." Prosperity Magazine, Issue 36: 5.
------. 1994b. "The Purpose of WISE." Prosperity Magazine, Issue 36: [Inside Front Cover].
Young, Stacy Brooks. 1994. "Declaration of Stacy Brooks Young." in Church of Scientology
International vs. Steven Fishman and Uwe Geertz. United States District Court, Central District of
California, Case No. CV 91 6426 HLH (Tx), (April 4): 82pp. (Plus Attachments).
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Published
2015-08-25
How to Cite
Kent, S. A. (2015). Scientology -- Is this a Religion?. Marburg Journal of Religion, 4(1). https://doi.org/10.17192/mjr.1999.4.3754
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