Scientology's Lies

Scientology lies about nearly every aspect of its existence.

Membership

Scientology does not have 8 million members<; it is not the fastest growing religion< in the world. It is, in fact, shrinking - involvement peaked in the 80s< and hasn't recovered.

Founder L. Ron Hubbard<

He was not a nuclear physicist< or even a graduate of a legitimate university<. He lied about his war record<. He was a bigamist<, a drug abuser<, and a criminal<.

Scientology's Scientific Basis or Workability

Scientology is not based on scientific research<. Scientology does not work for most people - most who try it leave within a year after only one or two services<.

Front Groups

Narconon< and WISE< are part and parcel of Scientology, as shown by internal documents< and the IRS settlement agreement<.

Fair Game<

Scientology still practices "fair game"<, a policy authorizing attacks on critics<.


 


Other Lies

Scientology publications and spokespersons proffer so many lies, I may never have time to document them all. (Bob Bingham did a great job debunking some of the statements at Scientology's web site<.)

 

All of the lies listed below are well-documented. As I continue working on the site, links will appear to pages showing exactly where Scientology made a particular statement and providing the evidence to refute the lies. (The indented numbered statements below are quotes from Scientology's question-and-answer section in "What Is Scientology?"<
 

  • <Size, Growth, Expansion
  • <Faith, Religion, Religious Freedom
  • <Controversy and Conflict
  • The Fair Game policy has been cancelled.
  • Scientology thrives when it's attacked.
  • 16.4: "Scientology has always flourished and prospered in the face of attacks."
  • Public disputes are based on lies.
  • 16.4: "In every case where public disputes have 
    been manufactured, intentional and blatant false reports 
    about Scientology and its founder have been discovered to 
    be the common denominator."
  • Scientology does not harass its critics, but only "defends itself" against persecution by vicious attackers.
  • Scientology's critics abuse the legal system to attack Scientology.
  • 16.5: "During the history of the Church, a few unscrupulous 
    individuals, lusting for money, have observed how 
    Scientology is prospering and rapidly expanding, and have 
    abused the legal system to try to line their own pockets. 
    In the handful of cases where such attempts have 
    occurred, they have uniformly failed."
  • People who oppose Scientology do so because they don't want to see people improve.
  • 16.9: There are certain characteristics and mental attitudes 
    that cause a percentage of the population to oppose 
    violently any betterment activity or group. This small 
    percentage of society (roughly 2.5 percent) cannot stand 
    the fact that Scientology is successful at improving 
    conditions around the world. This same 2.5 percent is 
    opposed to any self-betterment activity. 

    The reason they so rabidly oppose Scientology is because 
    it is doing more to help society than any other group."

  • Scientology receives "only" the same tax-exempt status as any religion. Scientology deserves this tax break.
  • Scientologists are being persecuted as violently in Germany right now, as Jews were during World War Two.
  • Scientology has not been banned.
  • 16.6: "Are there any laws against the practice of Scientology
    Has it been banned? 

    Of course not."

  • <Dirty Tricks and Illegal Acts
  • Scientology has never broken the law.
  • The Guardian's Office has been disbanded.
  • <Science
  • Scientology is scientific.
  • Dianetics is the modern science of mental health.
  • The free personality test can truthfully show an improvement in the personality of Scientology users.
  • <Claims
  • Scientology helps members communicate with anyone about anything.
  • Only Scientology offers workable tools for handling life.
  • Scientology helps people handle life.
  • Auditing brings improvement in your life.
  • 12.8: "Results like these are the products of auditing. Each 
    person knows when he has achieved them."
  • Auditing always works when applied standardly.
  • 16.3: "Scientology applies to all spheres of life and uniformly 
    gets results when standardly used."
  • Scientology can help you exteriorize.
  • OTs are at cause over MEST.
  • Scientology can, with a process called "auditing," cure many diseases, such as cancer, because these diseases are psychosomatic, and Scientology can help you get over the psychological problems that cause these diseases.
  • Scientology doesn't claim to cure illness.
  • Scientology can rid the body of radiation, which is a kind of impurity.
  • <Availability
  • <Good Works
  • <Thinking For Yourself vs. Thought Control
  • <Confidentiality, Privacy, and Betrayal of Trust
  • Scientology's case records of its members who undergo "auditing" therapy are private and never revealed, much as the records of physicians, psychologists, and priests are not revealed.
  • <Practicing Medicine and Public Health
  • <Drugs
  • <Psychiatry
  • Scientology combats psychiatric abuses.
  • Psychiatry denies that people are spiritual.
  • 16.6: "The underlying difference is 
    the fact that Scientology recognizes that man is a 
    spiritual being, while psychiatrists view man as an 
    animal. Scientology is a religion. Psychiatry is strongly 
    opposed to all religions as it does not even recognize 
    that man is a spiritual being."
  • Psychiatry uses electroshock and drugs to destroy people.
16.1: "Such practices as psychosurgery, 
electroshock treatment and the administration of 
dangerous psychiatric drugs have destroyed the minds and 
lives of millions of individuals." 

16.8: "Psychiatry uses electric shock, brain-mutilating psychosurgery, and mind-damaging drugs to destroy a person and make him "docile and quiet" in the name of "treatment." "

 
 
  • Scientology founder L Ron Hubbard was a famous war hero, was struck blind as a result of war injuries, and realized the great truths that came to be known as Scientology while clinically dead on an operating table due to other war injuries.
  • L. Ron Hubbard was a nuclear physicist.
  • L. Ron Hubbard never said anything about starting a religion to make money. (Refutation here<.)
  • <Assorted Other Lies
16.10 Is Scientology trying to rule the world? 

No.

 


 Here are some excellent articles and sites put together by other people:
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