Investigating the Opposition to Scientology in America

United States of America is 4,500 km wide from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Great Ocean in the west. The northern border is Canada and the Mexican gulf. The United States is located in the American continent. It is one of the largest countries in the world. In October 12, 1492, after Christopher Columbus discovered the American continent, the British first settled in Jamestown in Virginia in 1607. They established new colonies and displaced Native Americans there. From 17th century, people from all over the world immigrate to America and this immigration keeps going today.

The root of the scientology word comes from the word “scio”: which means "to know exactly" in Latin. Scientology is a philosophy originally developed by the US science fiction writer L. Ron Hubbard for personal development. He meant to create a better world in his science books called “dianetics” and “scientology”. He joined lots of magic rituals for that reason he himself create a religious order for people to know the universe and meaning of life, additionally cleanse the evil spirit inside of them to create a better world. This religious order first spread in United States of America. Religious expression called “the new-age” (materialist-mysticism) is used for Scientology. The Order is working to promote and spread the religion of the Church of Scientology to widespread masses.

There are three main conflict parties against Scientology, firstly IRS (the United States Internal Revenue Service), secondly Psychiatry, thirdly the Western Medicine.

In 1950s, scientology was administrated by secular organization. It was called as “Hubbard Association of Scientologists (HAS)”. Later it became HASI, Hubbard Association of Scientologists International. They started to do experiment on human soul, spirit and circulation of knowledge according to scientific elements and information. On December, 1953, the first Church of Scientology was founded in New Jersey, soon later Church of American Science and Church of Spiritual Engineering were founded. All of these three churches abandoned in th country. Then on February 18, 1954, The Church of Scientology in California was founded. The organization was conducted by HASI. It was seen as “religious fellowship” rather than a church.

The founder L. Ron Hubbard was against to the governments and tax collection. After he started to make bad references to the government and its tax collection system in his writing and lectures, government scrutinized him closely. By the end of 1950s, because the reputation of scientology has grown; the church has been unexpectedly earning so much money. For that reason the USA government demanded way too much tax from the church much than they could afford. In 1966 a turning point came out. Hubbard came with a brilliant idea: he transferred all HASI wealth to CSC.

According to an article written by Chris Owen, on February 8, 1998;

“ON OCTOBER 1, 1993, THE CHURCH OF SCIENTOLOGY OBTAINED TAX EXEMPTION FROM THE UNITED STATES INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE (IRS). THIS ENDED 26 YEARS OF WHAT THE CHURCH ITSELF HAS DESCRIBED AS A "WAR" AGAINST THE IRS, IN WHICH IT USED EXTRAORDINARY AND IN MANY CASES ILLEGAL TACTICS - BUGGING OF GOVERNMENT OFFICES, THEFT OF MOUNTAINS OF CLASSIFIED FILES, PRIVATE DETECTIVES PURSUING SENIOR GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS, THOUSANDS OF LAWSUITS, FULL-PAGE ATTACK ADVERTS IN US DAILY NEWSPAPERS, AND SO ON. ”

In addition to this; according to the ruling, the actions of church were “commercial”. And there are lots of evidence to prove that the Church was running for the benefit of L. Ron Hubbard and his family. After this, the Church denied to undertake the claimed charges and pay taxes. The US government decided IRS begin to observe the church as a “dissident organization / dissident group”.

"Snow White was originally a litigation strategy to purge the government's files of all the quote/unquote 'false reports' about Scientology," said Marty Rathbun, once the No. 2 official in the Church of Scientology, who is also featured in GOING CLEAR. "The original intent was to get all these documents legally through FOIA, but the litigation process wasn't going fast enough to satisfy Hubbard's demands. So they decide to flank the whole legal route, like, 'Let's get in there and see what the government is withholding.' Their impatience with the process trumped everything else, which is what always happens with Scientology."

With Operation Snow White, the founder of Scientology Church, L. Ron Hubbard, has infiltrated in governments with at least 136 state agencies, foreign representations and consulates, as well as many private institutions and organizations in at least 30 different countries. This was the largest leak in American history with a secret Scientology Church agent numbering up to 5000. The FBI, aware of the situation through a notice phone, was suspected of having the KGB behind this infiltration because of the Cold War years, but later to destroy all the documents and documents in opposition to the Scientology movement of the Church, to persuade the important persons to the contrary and to join the Church, to penetrate their stages. The Guardian's Office, the infallible unit of the Church, included in many crimes was completely busted by the FBI in 1979.

The original objective of Operation Snow White was to expose and expunge "all false and secret files of the nations of operating areas", and included plans to use blackmail, and to infiltrate and steal potentially damaging classified files on Scientology activities in various countries, from Algeria to the United States.

These ranged from Operation Project DIG (AUDITION) in Australia, which called for giving compromising information on Conservative politicians to the Australian Labor Party so that the latter "could give the Federal Labor something to smear Victorian Conservatives with", to Project GRUMPY in Germany, which upheld obtaining files "by any means" from police, Interpol and immigration authorities.

According to an article written by Justin Rohlich on March 2015,

“ON OCTOBER 8, 1993, SCIENTOLOGISTS GATHERED AT THE LOS ANGELES MEMORIAL SPORTS ARENA TO CELEBRATE THEIR HARD-WON VICTORY OVER THE IRS.

THE WAR IS OVER," CHURCH LEADER DAVID MISCAVIGE TOLD THE CROWD. "WE HAVE BROUGHT TO AN END 40 YEARS OF SUPPRESSION OF SCIENTOLOGY AND SCIENTOLOGISTS. ANY DISCRIMINATION OR BIASED OR UNFAIR TREATMENT OF SCIENTOLOGISTS BY THE IRS IS OVER…. OUR ROAD TO INFINITE EXPANSION IS NOW WIDE OPEN."

The second conflict party with Scientology is “PSYCHIATRY”, the mental health professionalism. According to Hubbard's assertions, therefore, Dianetics (and later Scientology) were based upon scientific principles, and were equivalent to or better than the science of psychiatry.

In March 1952, Hubbard tried to increase the professional image of Dianetics and Scientology by introducing E-meters to the dialectical repertoire. This promotion is in line with Abbott's claim that Hubbard's use of E-meter will increase, as the professional process generally claims to include diagnostic, propositional and therapeutic abilities. This device correctly measured the feelings through small electrical currents flowing through the machine's wires to pre-held tin cans recorded on a precision adjustable dial.

Scientology's battle with psychiatry has achieved some success in terms of the social conditions it has emerged; but it also continues in a period of catching increasing success with various psychiatric treatments. For this reason, it may be difficult to measure the direct impact of Scientology on the psychiatric profession, but its actions coincide with the major challenges of psychiatry.

This war had effects – both positive and negative. For example on the positive side Scientology was somehow correct about the devastating effects on some people and the danger of Prozac which is psychological medical treatment, and it helped to expose to treatment abuse in Australia. The negative side is people who could have benefitted from Prozac avoided from it and could not use it just because the Church of Scientology claimed that it is dangerous

Scientology continues to solicit public support through its websites and offline events, including CCHR's “Psychiatry: An Industry of Death” exhibition. Moreover, some critics of Scientology highlight what appear to be harmful practices at Narconon centres, which use a Scientology affiliated drug rehabilitation program that avoids psychiatric or traditional mental health assistance.5

The third conflict is Western Medicine

Scientology has interesting insights into various areas of health care. The punishment from the church due to the challenge to these beliefs can vary between simple reprimand and cancellation of membership. For this reason, it is important to be aware of these beliefs before they offer specific treatments. Some of these areas include violence against psychiatry and psychology, violence against opposition to the use of any medicine that can change the sensation of the body or soul, alternatives to breastfeeding, and silent birth. The church has created various programs to help members reach the lifestyle options recommended. These programs / methods include "Help" to help with illness and injury, and "Decontamination Tank" for detoxification. These methods and opinions do not have rigorous scientific evidence, but they also lose the claims of countless other religions. Before the health experts write these patients ridiculously, consider the practices of Christian religion that can be seen as taboo, different from strangers.

Despite this three strong conflict parties there are also strong internal sub-groups. These are;

• The International Association of Scientologists (IAS)
• Narconon
• The Sea Organisation

The International Association of Scientologists (IAS)

The International Association of Scientologists (IAS) plays an important role in funding and supporting Narconon. Formed in England in 1984, it has become the main conduit by which money is channelled from ordinary Scientologists - for whom membership of the IAS is virtually mandatory - to the "social reform" organisations. Its declared aim is "To unite, advance, support and protect the Scientology religion and Scientologists in all parts of the world so as to achieve the aims of Scientology as originated by L. Ron Hubbard". This involves "providing the wherewithal to get ethics in on this planet so the tech can go in".

Narconon

Narconon and the Church of Scientology refer to Narconon being incorporated "by William Benitez on May 20, 1970. Narconon was founded in 1966 based on the discoveries and writings of author, humanitarian and Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard. Today, Narconon constitutes a worldwide network that daily helps people recover from the devastation of drug addiction. Narconon today constitutes a worldwide network that daily helps people recover from devastating effects of drugs.

The methods of Narconon drug rehabilitation are all drug free. It can be defined as “a definite procedure which eliminates drug remains from the body with alleviating mental and physical agony connected with drugs. Narcomom not only refer to the devastating effects of drugs on both human body and mind, but it also resolves why that person who approached drugs in the first place and tend to it. For years this program has helped thousands of people miserable from drugs to quit them and start a new life free from drugs.

The Sea Organisation

(Sea Org for short) is an élite subgroup of fanatically committed Scientologists. The Sea Org was, in effect, Hubbard's personal praetorian guard: drawn from the most loyal and ideologically "pure" Scientologists, often young second-generation Scientologists. It eventually became the only part of the Church which Hubbard trusted. Its leadership used that trust and support to destroy the Guardian's Office and exile its senior staff, including Mary Sue Hubbard, although most were quietly let back into the Church after a suitable period of disgrace.

Because of the conflict between IRS and Scientology and since especially the beginning of the Operation Snow White, people start getting to know what is happening around this religious community. Lots of opposite people to Scientology has gone for strike, also there were lots of supporters to oppose strikes; so this conflict parties fought through media too and this makes them qualitative asymmetries.

Main different perceptions of the causes and nature of the conflict among these conflicts are; materials –they had electroshock/ mysterious tool for pure/clear mind for next step of the training, silent birth methods, alternative breastfeeding methods; additionally in many reports in many countries, in a series of reports prepared by a number of journalists, courts and governmental bodies, the Order was described as a nonprofit business enterprise that harassed critics and brutally exploits its members. At the same time, it has brought numerous lawsuits against governments, organizations and individuals and it has conflicted to governments and organizations in USA. In a variety of reports prepared by a number of journalists, courts and governmental bodies, the Order was described as a non-principled commercial enterprise that harassed critics and exploited their members in a brutal way. On the other hand, the Order is getting new followers through hypnosis –which is its relative weakness because it is not about volunteering.

This conflict is at the global level. It is not just about USA but Canada, Europe and even Turkey and East Continents. The current behavior of both USA and other countries affected by “Scientologists” is making it de-escalatory by putting lots or investment on this worldwide conflict to stop this Order.