Blog: Scientology's Public Image Policy - 2019-03-21
The Church of Scientology is a religious organization founded in the United States that has been around since the early 1950s. L. Ron Hubbard, its founder and supposedly the sole source of its teachings, wrote Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health in 1950 in an effort to reform psychiatry but his methods and teachings were rightfully rejected by the medical community because they could not hold up to scientific rigor. Hubbard then transformed his counselling system into a religious philosophy called Scientology and grew the organization into what became a worldwide movement by the 1960s. There are many who believe, I among them, that Hubbard started Dianetics and then Scientology as con jobs to swindle people out of their money. However, I also believe that Hubbard suffered from his own personal demons and was also trying to use his own techniques to cure himself. That he never succeeded is both a tragedy and a kind of karmic justice, given how many people Hubbard lied to, cheated and worse.
Scientology is best known for its celebrity members and for its harsh treatment of critics and former members, even hiring lawyers and private investigators to stalk, harass and intimidate them as well as having a history of covert operations and even infiltrating the United States government, a caper that landed Hubbard's wife and 11 other Scientologists in jail in the early 1980s. All of these covert operations and underhanded dealings were carried out at Hubbard's behest and to this day, the organization still operates strictly according to the policies and guidelines that Hubbard wrote.
L. Ron Hubbard died in 1986 and a young, hardcore Scientologist named David Miscavige took control. Over the years, he has put himself in charge of every single aspect of Scientology's operations and runs the organization as sole dictator. No one can question Miscavige's orders and according to the testimony of many of his former aides and subordinates, Miscavige does not hesitate to use physical violence to keep his people in line.
- 1950
- 1960
- 1969
- 1980
- 1986
- 2019
- Blog post
- Chris Shelton
- Christmas
- Critical Thinker at Large
- David Miscavige
- Dianetics
- Donald Trump
- Jeff Wasel
- Joy Villa
- Lisa McPherson
- Mental Health
- Mike Rinder
- Office of Special Affairs
- Private investigator
- Quicky
- Sea Org
- Steve Pfauth
- Suppressive Person
- Taryn Rinder
- Tony Ortega
- Underground Bunker