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Scientology Final Shelby Gluskin Ms. Plummer English 211 24 April 2018 Scientology’s Life Span Scientology is constantly being questioned on its legitimacy as a religion and on the almost secretive way in which the church conducts its business. Most people who give Scientology only a cursory glance do not believe that it meets the criteria to both identify and sustain itself as a mainstream religion; however, there is plenty of evidence to dispute this finding. As the Merriam Webster Dictionary defines religion as “the belief in god or a group of gods: an organized system of beliefs, ceremonies and rules used to worship a god or group of gods”, it is hard to dispute that Scientology is in fact a religion (Religion). Scientology is ​ ​ described as the religion of seeking spiritual fulfillment through study (What Is Scientology). As the influence of religion declines in society and fewer people identify themselves as being observant, this church continues to hold and attract members. Scientology is able to maintain its status as a viable and even thriving religion through the covert actions of the Church, excessive funding, and an abundant amount of celebrity endorsement. With the ability to keep negative and threatening secrets out of the view of the public’s eye, Scientology can maintain its carefully cultivated image. The Church of Scientology is able to keep its actions under the radar through intimidation of both members and critics of the organization. The Church is known to go to great lengths to protect the sanctity of the institution, in fact, in the early 1980’s eleven Scientologists were convicted of infiltrating more than one-hundred agencies, government and private (Behar 50). The goal of their actions was to stop and to hinder investigations into Scientology. It is because of these kinds of actions that people think of Scientology as a cult or a mafia-like organization. Joe Nocera of the New York Times uses this particular example to prove that the Church of Scientology will go above and beyond legal avenues to attract new followers and become a mainstream religion. To ensure the Church’s security the ruling hierarchy of the Church, the Sea Organization, is continually monitoring threats to its survival. One such threat that put Scientologists on high alert was the Cult Awareness Network. The Cult Awareness Network was a well-known, privately owned national hotline founded in the late 1970’s, where many called if concerned about friends or family members association with a cult (Anti-Cult Group Dismembered As Former Foes Buy Its ​ Assets). The Network had around twenty chapters monitoring cults, and no organization caused ​ more phone calls pleading for help than Scientology (Behar 50). The Church used its considerable resources to devote itself to the downfall of this organization. In 1997, the Church of Scientology put the Network into bankruptcy with a lawsuit, and took over control of the Cult Awareness programs (51). This Network was putting a bad name to Scientology, something the Church stands very strongly against. When people become members of Scientology, the Church indoctrinates the novices with the mandate that they are to avoid discussing the organization outside of the Church. L. Ron Hubbard, the founder of Scientology, implemented a form of training or brainwashing that convinces new members that sources outside of the Church like the internet or the newspapers are lying and will do anything to put an end to something decent like Scientology (Nededog). Members are taught to believe that the smartest and safest decision is to talk and associate with truthful and good human beings, and the only people who qualify are Scientologists. In order to keep the Church interactions documented, every conversation between the Church and members are recorded and videotaped for the protection of the Church (Nededog). If someone feels the need to talk about the Church in a negative manner, the recordings are utilized to discredit what one is saying. This allows most conflict to be instantly put to rest, and in this type of case, the member would be shunned with nothing to their name. As social interactions of the members is almost entirely with other Church members, an individual who is shunned by the Church is cast out of the society that has influenced almost all facets of life. Often lifelong bonds, including those with family members, are broken when a group shuns an individual. The Church has developed an intricate and at times ruthless framework to maintain its image. Another way the Church stays away from a negative connotation is that all members of the Church of Scientology are restricted from reaching out for legal services against another members. All situations are handled internally so nothing will scare people away from joining (Nededog). The extent to which the Church is able to achieve this end is demonstrated by the number of individuals that remain devoted to the cause and the number of people who continue to join. Successfully protecting the Church’s public image leads to membership growth which inevitably leads to a huge influx of money and labor. The people operating Scientology are extremely intelligent, even though some actions could be considered morally bankrupt, if not criminal. To be considered a member, one must devote two and a half hours per day, at least forty years of his/her life, and a minimum of two-hundred and fifty thousand dollars (Nededog). That alone is just about fifteen million dollars in global membership (Recessionista). Donations, real estate holdings, and revenue from its many corporation’s average approximately five-hundred million dollars annually. This does not even include the various fees the Church charges for other organizations who wish to be affiliated, counseling sessions for members, and the hundreds of books published by L. Ron Hubbard that are sold for profit (Recessionista). It is the combination of membership dues and product sales, in conjunction with their status as a religion, which provides them with an extraordinary degree of financial security. This money provides the Church and the Sea Organization a security blanket to act as they wish. As a religious organization, Scientology is granted many government privileges not extended to business which are designated as “for profit”. Because they are an official religious organization, they are actually able to set their own salaries despite being labeled a non-profit (Hubbard). The ability to set prices and salaries with impunity ensures sure that the Church’s funds do not dwindle. Unfortunately, Sea Organization members who are charged with the running of the Church typically get paid very little per week (Miscavige et al.). Since the members are used to the strict rules of the Church this is considered acceptable to the employees (Augustine). Actually becoming part of the Sea Org is considered a huge honor. The most devoted Scientologists join the Sea Org and agree to serve Scientology for one billion years (Defectors Say Church of Scientology Hides Abuse). This one-billion-year sentence is because Scientologists believe in reincarnations, so when someone passes they are still expected to return and serve in the next life (Defectors Say Church of Scientology Hides Abuse). The member’s extravagant and selfless commitment secures people who will act as missionaries, as well as saves money for the Church. However, arguably the most abusive way in which the Church saves money is by making it a requirement for those who are not members of Sea Org to volunteer their services. This is ostensibly a demonstration of their devotion to the church and covertly a form of free labor. These members can volunteer almost fifty hours a week in addition to holding a job outside of Scientology to support their families and pay dues to the Church (Reeve). This may seem like servitude, but unless members have left the Church, many do not realize the extreme conditions because of the indoctrination they have undergone and the close knit community within which they function. Without money, no organization can flourish, so Scientology’s careful cultivation and utilization of free labor is crucial to its success. The largest financial benefit of Scientology comes from the Church’s status as a religion. This benefit is what is known as a religious tax exemption. According to James Kirchick, Scientology was originally founded by Hubbard as a for-profit in 1952, but he soon realized that his profits were greatly compromised because of this status (14). After the Church officially became a non-profit, the International Revenue Service still did not recognize Scientology as a religion and would not allow a tax exemption (Nocera). After multiple lawsuits, the IRS conducted a two-year detailed examination to decide whether or not Scientology could be granted a religious tax exemption, and because of the Church’s ability to hide any and all flaws they are now considered a religion in the eyes of the IRS (Church of Scientology IRS Tax Exemption). This exemption and government approved standing does not simply save the Church almost twenty-eight million dollars in property and income taxes, but also means that it would be extremely difficult to destroy the Church of Scientology (Matthews). When the IRS granted Scientology status as a religion, it served to provide legitimacy in the court of public opinion. If the Church has to power to manipulate and possibly defraud the International Revenue Service, its power and influence is almost unstoppable. The power of Scientology does not just come from its funding, but from the influential support of public figures which helps it position itself in a positive light. Celebrities do not just provide millions of dollars to the Church but also provide endorsement and public relations (Nededog).
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