Scientology is based on the works of L. Ron Hubbard. Scientologists recognize the works and investigations of its creator; philosopher and humanitarian L. Ron Hubbard as the sole source of the Scriptures of the religion.
Starting with Dianetics (see Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health, 1950) the evolution of Scientology offers enormous similarities to the majority of religions, including Christianity, Judaism, Islam and Buddhism. Its history is one of discovery or systematic “revelation” of the basic “philosophic truths” which progress step by step and lead to the construction of a complete doctrinal body.
With Dianetics its founder seeks to relieve man of the sufferings the mind produces in the body and the life of men.
For some years, Dianetics has been the tool used by its followers to attain the state of Clear. This state, which the book itself defines, signifies an important advance in the eradication of the conditions of unwanted suffering and elevates the human being to a category in which he can better experience his own spiritual self (called the Thetan). If we analyze this in depth, the mystical experiences, Nirvana and other spiritual states described in most religions; they could have been looking for the same spiritual state which is sought by Scientologists in the state of Clear.
Later on, Hubbard discovered, when studying the manifestations of many people who had already attained Clear, that there existed a clear proof of the existence of a spiritual being, and additionally, that the person himself was a spiritual being, immortal and with enormous potentials which had been cancelled by the sufferings and experiences of the “constant spiral” of life, death of the body, new body.
He developed a spiritual technology which leads to “freeing” the being (the thetan) from this spiral and returns to him his complete awareness and his spiritual freedom. In this way he developed the principles and practices of spiritual counseling (called auditing) which lead to the highest states of awareness and being, called OT levels (OT: Operating Thetan, because he does not have the compulsive need to be in a body and can operate without one).
All of this is expounded in clear steps which are outlined in the route (The Bridge) toward “Total Freedom.” The emphasis in all of the Scriptures given to knowledge of the being himself as well as life, God and the relations of man with the different universes in which he acts (the material or physical universe and the spiritual or theta universe) must be noted as important.
From this belief arise two fundamental activities of Scientologists in their path to spiritual salvation: the study of truths of life according to the Scriptures of Scientology (training) and the liberation (auditing) from the sufferings or aberrations which prevent the thetan from acting like himself and make him act in an irrational or harmful manner both towards himself and to others. (See What Is Scientology?)
Apart from an enormous volume of technical materials for the ministers of the Church of Scientology, an extensive index of materials and reference books for students of this religion exists. Particularly important and describing the basic truths of Scientology are the following books:
Scientology: The Fundamentals of Thought
Scientology 0-8
Scientology 8-8008
Scientology: A History of Man
Dianetics 55!
Scientology: A New Slant on Life
Science of Survival
The Scientology Handbook
As a fundamental aspect, Scientologists define their religion as “an applied religious philosophy, which allows the person to know more about himself and life.”
L. Ron Hubbard divided life into its eight fundamental manifestations, each one of which is an impulse towards survival of the person, his vital force directed towards a goal of betterment.He called these the “eight dynamics,” due to the fact that these are the dynamic impulses of life:
The first dynamic is the impulse towards survival of the person as himself.
The second dynamic is the impulse towards survival in the sexual sense: the couple, family and the rearing and education of children.
The third dynamic is the impulse towards survival of groups or as a group, including those in which the individual is part (friends, business, club, nation, race).
The fourth dynamic is the impulse towards survival of humanity or as humanity.
The fifth dynamic is the impulse towards survival of living species (animals, plants) or as a living being.
The sixth dynamic is the impulse towards survival of the physical universe or as the physical universe.
The seventh dynamic is the impulse towards survival of spiritual beings or as a spiritual being.
The eighth dynamic is the impulse towards survival of the infinite or as part of the infinite. This is the dynamic of the Supreme Being or God for Scientologists.
In these eight manifestations of life are contained the areas in which the person has to progress spiritually and act, maintaining ethical behaviour (which does not harm the dynamics) in order to achieve spiritual betterment. Good and bad are defined by Scientologists as a function of the benefit or harm they cause to the dynamics. Absolute good would be that which assists all the dynamics and absolute evil that which harms all of them. Of course, there would be intermediate points of good and bad which would lie on a gradient scale to the degree they benefit or harm, more or less, some of the dynamics, taking into account that all the dynamics have the same level of importance. (See Introduction to Scientology Ethics)
The concern with ethics and moral aspects are of the utmost importance in the doctrine of Scientology. The references to these concepts in different reference books are uncountable, and there are also complete publications dedicated to the subject, such as the one already mentioned or such as The Way to Happiness, the Code of Honor, The Auditor’s Code and the Code of a Scientologist. (See Handbook for Preclears)
[Scientologists] feel that their abilities have increased, their perceptions bettered and that they have a renewed knowledge of themselves, life and God.
Taking into account that for the Scientologists the person is a spiritual and immortal being, his behaviour in each one of his different lives has great importance, not only for the benefit of his dynamics but in order to be able to reach a complete spiritual betterment. That we are in this world in order to work out our own salvation is a statement by L. Ron Hubbard from the video Introduction to Scientology.
Scientologists themselves declare that they have experienced a real betterment and spiritual freedom both through study (training) as well as through spiritual counseling (auditing). They describe their “wins” as real liberations of mass, conflicts, ignorance and unwanted attitudes and sentiments. They feel that their abilities have increased, their perceptions bettered and that they have a renewed knowledge of themselves, life and God.
The Creed of the Church of Scientology defines its system of beliefs which unites its believers with the ultimate meaning of life. This creed underscores the dignity of man, his inalienable and undeniable rights; it defines the natural brotherhood of man and recognizes the spiritual nature of the individual in his striving towards infinity authorizing only God the “right” to act with regard to the freedom and wisdom of men.
This creed provides a clear purpose to the practices of auditing and training as means to achieve spiritual salvation which the Scientologists promulgate in their creed.
