Scientology - The criminal cult

Download this document as a pdf

While the "religious" nature of the Scientology belief system is somewhat contentious, what is without question are the litany of criminal acts perpetrated by The Church of Scientology. These are not occurring in spite of the "religious" aspects of Scientology, but are - as Senator Xenophon stated - "happening by design".

Including bribery, fraud, extortion, criminal organization, illegal practice of medicine, environmental pollution, false imprisonment, kidnapping, libel, violation of child labor laws, witness tampering, human trafficking, money laundering, burglary - The charges brought against the Scientology organization and individuals within it's ranks have been numerous and the evidence often damning, as will be further expanded on in this article.

For further information you may wish to read: Wikipedia: Scientology controversies.

Scientology: On the wrong side of the law
In 2009, French authorities convicted Scientology executives of Fraud. Previous French convictions include, embezzlement, involuntary homicide, theft, and interferring with a witness. In Canada, Scientology executives were caught stealing government documents and found guilty of 'breach of public trust'. In Italy, 29 Scientologists were sentenced to jail for 'criminal association'.

In the U.S. eleven top-ranking Scientologists orchestrated the largest espionage effort and break-in ever perpetrated on Federal Government offices. Scientologists were convicted of burglary, forgery, infiltration, and obstruction of justice. Scientologists, including L. Ron Hubbard's wife, Mary-Sue, were jailed for participation in this operation, code-named "Snow White". Hubbard was named as an 'un-indicted co-conspirator' in the government's prosecution.

There is a high rate of suicide and accidental death in Scientology, with legal cases settled 'out of court'. The most notable is the "Lisa Mcpherson" suit, settled out-of-court in 2004. In a 2009 filmed interview, Marty Rathbun (once a top ranking official and now apostate) admitted to ordering the destruction of evidence in the Lisa Mcpherson case.

The scope of "Church of Scientology" criminal activities has drawn strong comment from government officials and presiding judges around the world.

Justice Anderson, Supreme Court of Victoria, Australia:

Justice Latey of the High Court of London Ruled:

Judge Breckenridge, Los Angeles Superior Court:

A money making scheme?
Why is Scientology so heavily implicated in criminal activity? The direct answer is that Scientology was created to amass wealth and power. Scientology's intentions, motives and methods have always skirted the law. Scientology was started by L. Ron Hubbard, a science fiction writer, obsessed with money and power.

In 1938 Hubbard told a friend (and repeated on many occasions):

Hubbard's 'doctrine of greed' is restated in a policy letter written in 1972:

This are only a few of the quotes pointing to the profit motive behind Hubbard's development of Dianetics and Scientology.

See: Wikipedia: Scientology controversies.

Re-branding Dianetics: The Scientology "religion"
Hubbard's intention to shield his operation in the guise of a 'religion' is revealed in this 1953 letter to one of his executives, Helen O'Brien. Hubbard specifically discusses using a religious charter to cloak his highly profitable "Dianetics" pseudo-therapy and circumvent laws against practicing medicine without a license:

Replacing science with Hubbardarian pseudo-science
Hubbard's grandiose appetite for fame is best portrayed in a 1938 letter to his wife:

"Dianetics, The Modern Science of Mental Health", a pseudo-therapeutic 'self-help' book, is the original basis of Hubbard's ambition. "Dianetics" pieces together simplified Freudian theories, Buddhist concepts, hypnotic techniques and other ideas, presenting them in a pseudo-scientific argot Hubbard invented to impress readers. Hubbard was a clever 'wordsmith'. According to one biographer, "Hubbard possessed a natural ability to marshal a smattering of knowledge into a cogent and authoritative thesis, interwoven with scientific and medical jargon."

First published in 1950, "Dianetics" is a 'do-it-yourself' psychotherapy manual. It became a bestseller and national craze. In the 1950's, individuals across the U.S. gathered to 'psychoanalyze' each other, using Dianetics techniques. The book's popularity became the launching pad for the cult of Scientology.

Hubbard's ideas are not scientific, but "stemmed more from his exuberant imagination than from any research." Even so, "Dianetics" popularity convinced Hubbard he had (in fact) 'invented' a "new science of mental health". Hubbard's aspirations for fame in the scientific community were snubbed when the American Medical Association and the American Psychiatric Association rejected his work for lacking clinical trials or, in fact, any substantiation whatsoever. Nonetheless, Hubbard's belief in his own revelation compounded the cultic persuasiveness "Dianetics" (and afterwards, Scientology) had on it's followers.

"Dianetics" (in addition to being rejected by the medical community) was also panned in the press. In 1950 and 1951, more than two dozen respected journals warned the public of the potentially dangerous therapeutic methods outlined in "Dianetics". In a 1951 issue of "Scientific American", Nobel prize winning physicist, Isaac Isidor Rabi got right to the point:

Scientology's totalitarian ambitions
Writing for "The Nation", in 1950, Milton Sapirstein may have been the first critic to condemn the totalitarianism imbedded in Hubbard's ideas. In an article entitled, "A Cure For All Ills", Mr. Sapirstein offered this astonishingly prescient warning:

Today, the "Church of Scientology" still pursues Hubbard's, "authoritarian dream..."

...a population of zombies, free to be manipulated by the great brains of the founder, the leader of the inner manipulative clique."

Working from Hubbard's 'script', the cult continues to lure, entrap, fleece, and often abuse individuals whose "frustrated ambitions, hopes, ideals, anxieties and worries" lead them to seek help from the "Church of Scientology". The cult exploits these individuals to acquire money and power. Abusing their trust even further, Scientology uses it's members to hide criminal activities; behind a tax-exempt veneer of religion.