On This Day in History: February 18

Scientology Begins

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In 1995 I dodged a bullet. I was in Austin, Texas on a research trip for my master’s thesis in history. Near the University of Texas I saw a sign for a “Free Personality Test.” I stupidly thought it might be fun. I almost went inside but saw “Church of Scientology” above the entrance. I’d never heard of Scientology; it was the word “Church” that made me balk.

--On This Day in History, Shit Went Down: February 18, 1954--

It’s not like they’d advertise it as a cult, but I saw little difference regardless of verbiage. One joke goes the difference between a cult and a religion is most people are willing to admit cults are dangerous. Some religious denominations are chill, but Scientology is way fucked up. Now I’m getting sued. Except I like Tom Cruise movies. Well, not the Reacher ones, but no one likes those. We good?

Despite science fiction being my favorite genre, I’ve not read any L. Ron Hubbard books. I watched about 15 minutes of that Battlefield Earth movie just to see how awful it was, and agree with the 3% Rotten Tomatoes score. Having not read any of his work, I cannot comment on his prose or storytelling, but I can relay that in 1987 one of his books was nominated for the Hugo Award (the highest award in science fiction writing) and out of five entries it came in sixth place, with “No Award” getting fifth. Continues below …

In over a dozen years of being a writer I’ve never won a single writing award and that makes me sad well not really because I have all these awesome paid subscribers and you can be one too if you click the green button.

Ron didn’t just crank out pulp SF, he also wrote Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health in 1950. I remember a commercial for the book decades ago starring Oscar winner Robert Duvall saying you could “Get rid of the reactive mind.” Duvall isn’t a scientologist, but many celebrities are. They are actively recruited to help promote Scientology.

Where the idea to begin a religion originated is debated, but Hubbard was into some weird shit in the 1940s. In 1948, he was speaking at a science fiction convention and reportedly said, “You don't get rich writing science fiction. If you want to get rich, you start a religion.” So that’s what he did, beginning the first chapter in Los Angeles, a city that loves weird shit, on February 18, 1954.

Scientology is based on Dianetics, and they believe some fucked up shit. But I don’t care about that because zombie Jesus snake handling virgin birth Noah’s Ark burn the witch. The scary part is how fucking controlling it is. There are long-established religions who are also highly controlling, but we’re talking about Scientology.

First, it’s fucking expensive. Actor Leah Remini, a former member, said she spent millions on it. And if your friends or family criticize, they’ll be labelled “suppressive persons” and you need to cut them out of your life. You get surrounded by fellow Scientologists, isolated from others for a thorough indoctrination that includes emotional abuse and “brainwashing” techniques. They tell you how fucked up you are then pressure you to pay for courses to fix your screwy self. I didn’t even go into the enslavement of those who make a “billion-year commitment” to the “Sea Org” branch of Scientology.

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