L. Ron Hubbard

L. Ron Hubbard was a pulp science fiction writer who wrote Dianetics and founded Scientology. He died in 1986.

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Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard

Who started Scientology? Did L. Ron Hubbard start Scientology to make money? What was L. Ron Hubbard like?

Navy Report

February 5, 1942: Naval officer L. Ron Hubbard writes a report; in it, he quotes Commander L. D. Causey, the US Naval Attache to Australia, as saying, "I have sent a message to the CinC Asiatic as of this morning stating that I wish you to be removed from Brisbane, stating that you are making a nuisance of yourself. You have never been under my orders and I consider you as having nothing to do with me."

Army Report

February 13, 1942: A document purportedly written by US Army Colonel Alexander L. P. Johnson to the Commander of the Base Force, Darwin, Australia describes L. Ron Hubbard as "an intelligent, resourceful and dependable officer" and recommends that an earlier (unspecified) request be granted.

Navy Memo

February 14, 1942: A memo from the US Naval Attache to Australia complains about L. Ron Hubbard: "By assuming unauthorized authority and attempting to perform duties for which he has no qualifications, he became the source of much trouble. ... This officer is not satisfactory for independent duty assignment. He is garrulous and tries to give impressions of his importance. He also seems to think that he has unusual ability in most lines. These characteristics indicate that he will require close supervision for satisfactory performance of any intelligence duty."

LRH Letter to Navy

October 8, 1942: L. Ron Hubbard writes the Chief of Naval Personnel asking that he be nominated to "PC school".

Navy Letter

February 5, 1943: The Navy forwards to L. Ron Hubbard a letter from a Dave Margolis. Margolis wrote to the Navy requesting that it make Hubbard pay an unpaid bill. The Navy instructs Hubbard to attend to the matter.

Navy Letter

October 18, 1943: L. Ron Hubbard writes a letter to the Navy asking for orders taking him into combat duty.

Aleister Crowley telegram

May 22, 1946: Aleister Crowley cables his US office after reading reports from his branch headquarters in America and Jack Parsons's accounts of the occult ceremony he had performed with L. Ron Hubbard: "Suspect Ron playing confidence trick--Jack Parsons weak fool--obvious victim prowling swindlers." In a letter a few days later he said, "It seems to me on the information of our brethren in California that Parsons has got an illumination in which he lost all his personal independence. From our brother's account he has given away both his girl and his money. Apparently it is the ordinary confidence trick."

Navy Letter

February 19, 1948: L. Ron Hubbard writes to the US Navy, asking that his previous letter of resignation be disregarded, in response to a reply from the Chief of Naval Personnel regretting Hubbard's decision to resign.

Navy Letter

May 1, 1951: L. Ron Hubbard writes to the Veterans Administration stating that he is "willing to submit to a physical examination in connection with my claim for disability compensation." By 1951, he had already sold many copies of Dianetics, in which he claims that his "research" had enabled him to completely cure himself of all the injuries and maladies he suffered during the war.

L. Ron Hubbard in the News

Datesort icon Title Blurb Tags
June 24, 1990 The many lies L. Ron Hubbard told about his background Los Angeles Times: The many lies L. Ron Hubbard told about his background L. Ron Hubbard
June 24, 1990 LRH, the story of L. Ron Hubbard and the Church of Scientology St. Petersburg Times: LRH, the story of L. Ron Hubbard and the Church of Scientology L. Ron Hubbard
June 24, 1990 Los Angeles Times: The Making of L. Ron Hubbard From a life haunted by emotional and financial troubles, L. Ron Hubbard brought forth Scientology. He achieved godlike status among his followers, and his death has not deterred the church's efforts to reach deeper into society. L. Ron Hubbard, Los Angeles, CA, Press
June 24, 1990 Los Angeles Times: Creating the Mystique Hubbard's image was crafted of truth, distorted by myth. To his followers, L. Ron Hubbard was bigger than life. But it was an image largely of his own making. A Los Angeles Superior Court judge put it bluntly while presiding over a Church of Scientology lawsuit in 1984. Scientology's founder, he said, was "virtually a pathological liar" about his past. L. Ron Hubbard, Los Angeles, CA, Press
June 24, 1990 Los Angeles Times: Life With L. Ron Hubbard L. Ron Hubbard enjoyed being pampered. He surrounded himself with teen-age followers, whom he indoctrinated, treated like servants and cherished as though they were his own children. He called them the "Commodore's messengers." L. Ron Hubbard, Los Angeles, CA, Press
June 24, 1990 Los Angeles Times: The Final Days Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard often said that man's most basic drive is that of survival. And when it came to his own, he used whatever was necessary — false identities, cover stories, deception. There is no better illustration of this than the way he secretly controlled the Church of Scientology while hiding from a world he viewed as increasingly hostile. L. Ron Hubbard, Los Angeles, CA, Press
June 24, 1990 Los Angeles Times: Defining the Theology What is Scientology? Not even the vast majority of Scientologists can fully answer the question. No single book comprehensively sets forth Scientology's beliefs. Teachings are revealed to church members through a progression of sometimes secret courses that take years to complete and cost tens of thousands of dollars. L. Ron Hubbard, Los Angeles, CA, Press, teachings and beliefs
June 24, 1990 Los Angeles Times: Staking a Claim to Blood Brotherhood As L. Ron Hubbard told it, he was 4 years old when a medicine man named "Old Tom" made him a "blood brother" of the Blackfeet Indians of Montana. But one expert on the tribe doesn't buy Hubbard's account. L. Ron Hubbard, Los Angeles, CA, Press
June 15, 1990 Court reverses fair use ruling on Hubbard bio. Publishers Weekly: Court reverses fair use ruling on Hubbard bio. L. Ron Hubbard, lawsuits
April 15, 1990 Hubbard Hot-Author Status Called Illusion Scientology's orchestration of best sellers, say former Scientologists, is merely a public relations means to a larger end. The goal is to establish an identity for Hubbard other than as the founder of a controversial religious movement. His broadened appeal can then be used to recruit new members into the Church of Scientology. The church uses two businesses to peddle its books, Author Services Inc., a Hollywood literary agency, sells the rights to publish Hubbard's works to Bridge Publications Inc., a Los Angeles company. L. Ron Hubbard, Press

L. Ron Hubbard in the News

Datesort icon Title Blurb Tags
October 6, 1961 FBI, J. Edgar Hoover, citizen's letter, L. Ron Hubbard, FBI, confidential. LRH's, LRH, insane FBI head J. Edgar Hoover responds to a citizen's letter, declining to provide any information about L. Ron Hubbard or Scientology because FBI files are confidential. The interal copy of the letter carries the usual note about the opinions of LRH's wife and medical personnel that LRH was insane. Event, L. Ron Hubbard
December 31, 1959 J. Edgar Hoover, FBI, Hubbard Association, Scientologists International, organization. Hoover, FBI, information. In, note, Hoove J. Edgar Hoover, FBI, replies to a woman who had inquired about the Hubbard Association of Scientologists International being a subversive organization. Hoover regrets that the FBI cannot offer her any information. In an internal note, Hoover says "While the Bureau has conducted no investigation of the Hubbard Association of Scientologists International, Bufiles reveal numerous complaints and inquiries concerning L. Ron Hubbard and the various organizations with which he is associated. ... Hubbard's wife charged in a divorce suit that he was "hopelessly insane" and had subjected her to "scientific torture experiments." According to the article, "competent medical advisors recommended that Hubbard be committed to a private sanitarium for psychiatric observation and treatment of a mental ailment known as paranoid schizophrenia."" Event, L. Ron Hubbard, psychiatry
February 3, 1959 FBI Report In response to a request for an FBI file check, a report is written on L. Ron Hubbard and the Hubbard Dianetic Auditors School in New Jersey. The report says that the FBI hasn't investigated either one, but mentions the Look magazine article (including the claim that dianetics "is a milestone for Man comparable to his discovery of fire and superior to his inventions of the wheel and the arch" and the claims that it can cure everything from eye trouble, bursitis, ulcers, and colds). It also mentions the divorce suit and the bit about "competent medical advisors recommended that Hubbard be committed to a private sanitarium for psychiatric observation and treatment of a mental ailment known as paranoid schizophrenia." FBI, L. Ron Hubbard
October 11, 1957 FBI, Belmont, October 8, Richard Steves, Organizational Secretary, Academy, Washington DC, Harvey Jackins, Seattle; Steves, Jack FBI employee Belmont writes a memo regarding a letter written on October 8 by Richard Steves, Organizational Secretary of the Academy of Scientology in Washington DC, about Harvey Jackins in Seattle; Steves says Jackins is "purporting himself to be a Dianetics Auditor" but that Jackins has no association with any Scientology organization and suggests that Jackins "be investigated as to Communist activities" and implies that he may have stirred up labor unrest. Belmont notes that letters from L. Ron Hubbard are no longer acknowledged because of LRH's "possible mental instability and rambling and incoherent nature of his letters. Contents of Steves' letter reflect probably intent The Academy of Scientology to discredit Jackins... and use the Bureau as a steppingstone in doing so. It is believed no purpose would be served by acknowledging Steves' letter." Belmont also says that Jackins will not be investigated, since Steves has provided no useful information. Event, L. Ron Hubbard
February 28, 1957 FBI Letter FBI director J. Edgar Hoover replies to an inquiry from Senator Styles Bridges. Hoover's letter says, in part, " ... the FBI has received numerous inquiries concerning Lafayette Ron Hubbard and the system of "dianetics" which he apparently originated, but no allegation of a violation within the jurisdiction of this Bureau has been received and, consequently, no investigation of this matter has been conducted by the FBI. [Dianetics organizations have] encountered difficulty with police authorities in New Jersey, Michigan and Washington, D.C., for allegedly conducting schools in those areas, in which a branch of medicine and surgery was taught without a license. ... " Hoover also mentions a newspaper article carrying Sara Hubbard's allegations that LRH had subjected her to "scientific torture experiments." FBI, L. Ron Hubbard
December 16, 1955 L. Ron Hubbard, FBI L. Ron Hubbard writes to the FBI, enclosing "enclosing our printing of what appears to be a Communist manual on Psychopolitics. - We have been seriously hurt by Communists and Communism and we see nothing wrong in our using their tactics against them." Event, L. Ron Hubbard
September 7, 1955 L. Ron Hubbard, FBI, Scientologist Ed Clark, Phoenix, FBI L. Ron Hubbard writes to the FBI. He complains about Scientologist Ed Clark having been arrested in Phoenix for practicing medicine without a license and asks the FBI to find out who "defamed" Scientology to the County Attorney. He also mentions some Scientologists who have suddenly gone insane and says he suspects they have been given LSD. Event, L. Ron Hubbard
February 14, 1954 According, CoS, Church According to CoS, the first official Scientology Church is founded "by community members in Los Angeles," without the direct participation of L. Ron Hubbard. Event, L. Ron Hubbard, Los Angeles
January 15, 1954 Church, Spiritual Engineering's Certificate, Incorporation, recorded;, L. Ron Hubbard Sr., L. Ron Hubbard Jr., Henrietta Hubbard The Church of Spiritual Engineering's Certificate of Incorporation is recorded; it is created by L. Ron Hubbard Sr., L. Ron Hubbard Jr., Henrietta Hubbard, John Galusha, and Barbara Bryan. Event, L. Ron Hubbard
December 18, 1953 L. Ron Hubbard, Church, American Science, Church, Scientology, Church, Spiritual Engineering L. Ron Hubbard personally founds the Church of American Science, the Church of Scientology, and the Church of Spiritual Engineering. Event, L. Ron Hubbard