Among The Scientologists

Author : Donald A. Westbrook
Publisher : Oxford Studies in Western Esotericism
Page : 353 pages
File Size : 43,7 Mb
Release : 2018-11-23
Category : Scientologists
ISBN : 9780190664978

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Among the Scientologists by Donald A. Westbrook Pdf

The Church of Scientology is one of the most recognizable American-born new religions, but perhaps the least understood. With academic and popular interest on the rise, many books have been written about Scientology and surely more will follow. Although academics have begun to pay more attention to Scientology, the subject has received remarkably little qualitative attention. Indeed, no work has systematically addressed such questions as: what do Scientologists themselves have to say about their religion's history, theology, and practices? How does Scientology act as a religion for them? What does "lived religion" look like for a Scientologist? This is not so much a book about the Church of Scientology, its leaders, or its controversies, as it is a compilation of narratives and histories based on the largely unheard or ignored perspectives of Scientologists themselves. Drawing on six years of interviews, fieldwork, and research conducted among members of the Church of Scientology, this groundbreaking work examines features of the new religion's history, theology, and praxis in ways that move discussion beyond apostate-driven and expos� accounts.

Author : Lawrence Wright
Publisher : Vintage
Page : 359 pages
File Size : 54,9 Mb
Release : 2013-01-17
Category : Religion
ISBN : 9780385350273

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Going Clear by Lawrence Wright Pdf

NATIONAL BESTSELLER • NATIONAL BOOK AWARD AND NATIONAL BOOK CRITICS CIRCLE AWARD FINALIST • From the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Looming Tower comes “an utterly necessary story” (The Wall Street Journal) that pulls back the curtain on the church of Scientology: one of the most secretive organizations at work today. • The Basis for the HBO Documentary. Scientology presents itself as a scientific approach to spiritual enlightenment, but its practices have long been shrouded in mystery. Now Lawrence Wright—armed with his investigative talents, years of archival research, and more than two hundred personal interviews with current and former Scientologists—uncovers the inner workings of the church. We meet founder L. Ron Hubbard, the highly imaginative but mentally troubled science-fiction writer, and his tough, driven successor, David Miscavige. We go inside their specialized cosmology and language. We learn about the church’s legal attacks on the IRS, its vindictive treatment of critics, and its phenomenal wealth. We see the church court celebrities such as Tom Cruise while consigning its clergy to hard labor under billion-year contracts. Through it all, Wright asks what fundamentally comprises a religion, and if Scientology in fact merits this Constitutionally-protected label.

Author : Hugh B. Urban
Publisher : Princeton University Press
Page : 280 pages
File Size : 55,6 Mb
Release : 2013-02-24
Category : Religion
ISBN : 9780691158051

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The Church of Scientology by Hugh B. Urban Pdf

Scientology's long and complex journey to recognition as a religion Scientology is one of the wealthiest and most powerful new religions to emerge in the past century. To its detractors, L. Ron Hubbard's space-age mysticism is a moneymaking scam and sinister brainwashing cult. But to its adherents, it is humanity's brightest hope. Few religious movements have been subject to public scrutiny like Scientology, yet much of what is written about the church is sensationalist and inaccurate. Here for the first time is the story of Scientology's protracted and turbulent journey to recognition as a religion in the postwar American landscape. Hugh Urban tells the real story of Scientology from its cold war-era beginnings in the 1950s to its prominence today as the religion of Hollywood's celebrity elite. Urban paints a vivid portrait of Hubbard, the enigmatic founder who once commanded his own private fleet and an intelligence apparatus rivaling that of the U.S. government. One FBI agent described him as "a mental case," but to his followers he is the man who "solved the riddle of the human mind." Urban details Scientology's decades-long war with the IRS, which ended with the church winning tax-exempt status as a religion; the rancorous cult wars of the 1970s and 1980s; as well as the latest challenges confronting Scientology, from attacks by the Internet group Anonymous to the church's efforts to suppress the online dissemination of its esoteric teachings. The Church of Scientology demonstrates how Scientology has reflected the broader anxieties and obsessions of postwar America, and raises profound questions about how religion is defined and who gets to define it.

Author : James R. Lewis
Publisher : Oxford University Press
Page : 462 pages
File Size : 46,6 Mb
Release : 2009-03-11
Category : Social Science
ISBN : 9780199715954

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Scientology by James R. Lewis Pdf

Scientology is arguably the most persistently controversial of all contemporary New Religious Movements. James R. Lewis has assembled an unusually comprehensive anthology, incorporating a wide range of different approaches. In this book, a group of well-known scholars of New Religious Movements offers an extensive and evenhanded overview and analysis of all of these aspects of Scientology, including the controversies to which it continues to give rise.

Author : L. Ron Hubbard
Publisher : Unknown
Page : 679 pages
File Size : 45,5 Mb
Release : 2007
Category : Communication
ISBN : 8779897428

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Dianetics by L. Ron Hubbard Pdf

Albert Einstein said: We are using only 10% of our mental potential. Dianetics tells you how you can free a significantly larger part of your potential. Self confidence, harmonic relationships and a positive attitude towards life can absolutely be achieved. It makes Positive Thinking a reality. You can achieve your goals with more certainty if you are able to find the cause of upsets, unwanted reactions or emotions. The human mind is not a mysterious puzzle - impossible to resolve. Read and work with Dianetics, see how it works for you and make up your own mind. The book gives a clear description of what is happening in the mind and explains a practical method, enabling you to explore your own subconscious, and rid yourself of what holds you down, resulting in increased IQ and well-being. Watching the DVD called 'How to Use Dianetics' along with the book is recommended to have a visual illustration of the concepts and the practical application.

Author : Donald A. Westbrook
Publisher : Cambridge University Press
Page : 139 pages
File Size : 47,7 Mb
Release : 2022-07-14
Category : Religion
ISBN : 9781009036832

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L. Ron Hubbard and Scientology Studies by Donald A. Westbrook Pdf

This Element surveys the history and practice of Scientology studies over the past sixty years and offers resources for scholars and students moving forward. Section 1 reviews the history of academic research on the subject from 1958 to the present day. Section 2 draws on the author's fieldwork with the Church of Scientology to illuminate how founder L. Ron Hubbard (1911–86) is viewed among contemporary members. Section 3 considers Hubbard's influence and legacy in terms of the church sites and institutions that exist today in connection with the soteriological 'Bridge to Total Freedom.' Section 4 introduces English-language archival resources and their strengths. Section 5 proposes some open areas for Scientology researchers. Finally, glossaries of terms and appendices are included with major dates in Hubbard's life and Scientology research and bibliographical information for major archival collections in North America.

Author : Janet Reitman
Publisher : HarperCollins
Page : 469 pages
File Size : 43,6 Mb
Release : 2011-06-13
Category : Religion
ISBN : 9780547549231

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Inside Scientology by Janet Reitman Pdf

“The most complete picture of Scientology so far.” —Garry Wills, New York Times Book Review Based on five years of research, access to confidential documents, and extensive interviews with current and former Scientologists, Janet Reitman sheds some long-awaited light on the ever-elusive religion of the Church of Scientology. Scientology, created in 1954 by pulp science fiction writer L. Ron Hubbard, claims to be the world’s fastest growing religion, with millions of members and huge financial holdings. Celebrity believers keep its profile high. But Scientology is also a very closed faith, harassing journalists and others through litigation and intimidation. Its attacks on psychiatry and its requirement that believers pay as much as tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars for salvation have drawn scrutiny. Ex-members use the internet to share stories of harassment and abuse. Reitman offers the first full journalistic history of the Church of Scientology in an account that establishes the truth about the controversial religion. She traces Scientology’s development from the birth of Dianetics to today, following its metamorphosis from a pseudoscientific self-help group to a global spiritual corporation with profound control over its followers and ex-followers. This is a defining book about a little-known world. “[A] searing expose.” —People Magazine “A masterful piece of reporting.” —Washington Post “This book is fearless.” —Wall Street Journal “[A] frightening portrait of a religion that many find not just controversial, but dangerous.” —Boston Globe “[Reitman's] revelations — including abuse allegations against church leader David Miscavige and details about the organization's aggressive courtship of Tom Cruise — come with impressive backup.” —Entertainment Weekly

Author : La Fayette Ron Hubbard
Publisher : Unknown
Page : 264 pages
File Size : 54,5 Mb
Release : 2007
Category : Religion
ISBN : UCAL:B5134211

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Scientology, a History of Man by La Fayette Ron Hubbard Pdf

This book claims to unravel history with an "E-Meter", describing what the author believes are the principal "incidents on the whole track to be found in any human being". These incidents include electronic implants, entities, the genetic track, between-lives incidents, the relationship of the Genetic Entity to Theta Beings, and so on. Also presented are Hubbard's theory of how bodies evolved and why human's got trapped in them as well as his descriptions of how specific incidents reveal "the true story of between-lives" and "the insidious nature of electronics in enslaving thetans".

Author : L. Ron Hubbard
Publisher : Unknown
Page : 523 pages
File Size : 40,7 Mb
Release : 2007
Category : Scientology
ISBN : 8779897606

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Scientology 0-8 by L. Ron Hubbard Pdf

Author : Boyd Grant
Publisher : Speedy Publishing LLC
Page : 43 pages
File Size : 55,6 Mb
Release : 2013-12-10
Category : Religion
ISBN : 9781634282345

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What is Scientology? by Boyd Grant Pdf

By now it's a safe bet that you have at least heard of Scientology. Nine times out of ten what you have heard is negative. Very rarely do you ever hear something positive about the Church of Scientology or Scientologists. This often leads to a greater misunderstanding of Scientology, Scientologists and what the mission of the Church of Scientology actually is. Scientology is arguably the most controversial of all the religions. When you mention Scientology to someone you are almost guaranteed to get some kind of reaction or opinion. The Church of Scientology has been maligned and demonized by many detractors. But Scientologists themselves are passionate about their beliefs and defend Scientology with that very same passion. When it finally comes down to understand what Scientology is there is little if any objective information out there. It's all written from the perspective of detractors, supporters or people who just uninformed about Scientology and Scientologists in general. A new book, What Is Scientology - History, Beliefs, Rules, Secrets and Facts, will help shed some light on one of the most controversial topics of all time, Scientology. Look no further for one of the few objective accounts that will finally shed some light on the Church of Scientology. What Is Scientology? History, Beliefs, Rules, Secrets and Facts helps you better understand Scientology. It cuts out all the unhelpful chatter and helps you understand in simple terms exactly what Scientology is. This short book will help answer the most important questions you might have about Scientology. Some of the more important questions include everything from the Scientology belief system, the History of Scientology, and why people join the Church of Scientology and much more. You will also have a greater understanding of why people hate Scientology and why former members speak out about it. For those of you looking to learn more about Scientology this is the book you are looking for.

Author : J. Gordon Melton
Publisher : Unknown
Page : 116 pages
File Size : 48,5 Mb
Release : 2000
Category : Religion
ISBN : STANFORD:36105028635071

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The Church of Scientology by J. Gordon Melton Pdf

The author explores the theology and hierarchical structure of the Church of Scientology providing information on its founder, L. Ron Hubbard, the church's social reform programs, and a summary of the major points of controversy.

Author : Jenna Miscavige Hill,Lisa Pulitzer
Publisher : Harper Collins
Page : 460 pages
File Size : 49,9 Mb
Release : 2013-02-05
Category : Religion
ISBN : 9780062248497

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Beyond Belief by Jenna Miscavige Hill,Lisa Pulitzer Pdf

Jenna Miscavige Hill, niece of Church of Scientology leader David Miscavige, was raised as a Scientologist but left the controversial religion in 2005. In Beyond Belief, she shares her true story of life inside the upper ranks of the sect, details her experiences as a member Sea Org—the church's highest ministry, speaks of her "disconnection" from family outside of the organization, and tells the story of her ultimate escape. Piercing the veil of secrecy that has long shrouded the world of Scientology, this insider reveals unprecedented firsthand knowledge of the religion, its obscure rituals, and its mysterious leader—David Miscavige. From her prolonged separation from her parents as a small child to being indoctrinated to serve the greater good of the Church, from her lack of personal freedoms to the organization's emphasis on celebrity recruitment, Jenna goes behind the scenes of Scientology's oppressive and alienating culture, detailing an environment rooted in control in which the most devoted followers often face the harshest punishments when they fall out of line. Addressing some of the Church's most notorious practices in startling detail, she also describes a childhood of isolation and neglect—a childhood that, painful as it was, prepared her for a tough life in the Church's most devoted order, the Sea Org. Despite this hardship, it is only when her family approaches dissolution and her world begins to unravel that she is finally able to see the patterns of stifling conformity and psychological control that have ruled her life. Faced with a heartbreaking choice, she mounts a courageous escape, but not before being put through the ultimate test of family, faith, and love. At once captivating and disturbing, Beyond Belief is an eye-opening exploration of the limits of religion and the lengths to which one woman went to break free.

Author : Marc Headley
Publisher : BFG Books Inc.
Page : 401 pages
File Size : 47,6 Mb
Release : 2010-03-31
Category : Biography & Autobiography
ISBN : 9780982502228

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Blown for Good by Marc Headley Pdf

Marc Headley started working for the Scientology organization in 1989. After leaving in 2005, Marc posted bits and pieces of what went on at the Scientology headquarters (known from inside as the International Base). Marc posted anonymously under the screen name of Blownforgood aka BFG. In September 2008 Marc was invited to speak to an international conference of European government representatives regarding the Scientology organization and their abuses. It was at this time that Marc revealed his identity as Blownforgood. By 2009, the internet posts Marc had written over the years had been viewed hundreds of thousands of times, but still there were people who questioned their validity. Stories of grown men being thrown into dirty lakes and pools as punishment? Physical abuse never reported to authorities? How could this happen in modern day America? Two years after Marc wrote about these things and posted them on the internet, a Pulitzer Prize winning U.S. newspaper printed accounts from former staff member who worked at the Int Base that matched and confirmed what Marc had written about. Not only that, Scientology officials admitted that these things had taken place! Find out what they did not talk about in Blown for Good.

Author : Chris Shelton
Publisher : Unknown
Page : 0 pages
File Size : 41,8 Mb
Release : 2015-12-24
Category : Ex-church members
ISBN : 1522879323

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Scientology: a to Xenu by Chris Shelton Pdf

What is Scientology really? Behind the glossy logos and sleek advertisements and South Park parodies, what do Scientologists really believe and practice? Is it really a religion? Who was L. Ron Hubbard and why did he start it in the first place? Is their "technology" for real or just so much New Age pseudoscience? Former insider Chris Shelton grew up in Scientology and worked for it for 25 years. This critical analysis covers the key aspects of its beliefs, practices and structure from the bottom to the top, including not just the confidential Xenu story but details all of the upper level scriptures. Chris goes into detail about what goes on inside Scientology churches, why their members get involved in the first place and what it takes to get out should someone decide to leave. An informative guide for anyone who has been involved with Scientology in the past as well as anyone who wants to understand what it's really all about.

Author : Nancy Many
Publisher : Unknown
Page : 358 pages
File Size : 41,9 Mb
Release : 2009
Category : Biography & Autobiography
ISBN : 1441566872

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My Billion Year Contract by Nancy Many Pdf