Religious freedom and tolerance have always been an important principle at the heart of Scientology. The Scientology Creed of 18 February 1954, written by L. Ron Hubbard, the Founder of the Scientology religion, states:
We of the Church believe: That all men have inalienable rights to their own religious practices and their performance.
Mr. Hubbard frequently engaged, in his writings and lectures, in promoting and protecting religious freedom and religious tolerance for members of all faiths. For example, in his work The Way to Happiness, a non-religious moral code he created, he wrote:
Any advice one might give another on this subject [of religious freedom] is safest when it simply asserts the right to believe as one chooses. One is at liberty to hold up his own beliefs for acceptance. One is at risk when he seeks to assault the beliefs of others, much more so when he attacks and seeks to harm them because of their religious convictions. [1]
Likewise the Church of Scientology has engaged, throughout its existence, in activities to promote and protect religious freedom around the world for everyone. Scientologists are dedicated to this principle as evidenced by their pledge to “support freedom of religion” for “the good of all.”[2]
[1] The Way to Happiness, ¶ 18, L. Ron Hubbard, 1981. See http://www.thewaytohappiness.org/thewaytohappiness/precepts/respect-the-religious-beliefs-of-others.html.
[2] The Code of a Scientologist,¶ 12.
