L. Ron Hubbard created Scientology in 1957, a religion that requires followers to pay thousands of dollars, undergo strange procedures, and sign contracts of secrecy. The church's core beliefs are based on a fictional story about an alien overlord named Xenu, who destroyed a human civilization and banished their spirits to Earth, which are now known as "thetans." These thetans are believed to cause mental illness and fears, and can be removed through a process called "auditing."
Scientology has been criticized for its strict rules and practices, including the use of a device called an E-Meter, which is similar to a lie detector. Members who leave the church are often harassed and threatened, and are discouraged from speaking out against Scientology.
The church has also been linked to several deaths, including the death of Lisa McPherson, who died in 1995 after being denied psychiatric help. In the 1970s, high-ranking members of Scientology, led by Hubbard, were involved in a plot to infiltrate government agencies and steal sensitive information, known as Operation Snow White.
Hubbard himself was a published author of pulp fiction stories and novels, but his later works were criticized for their exaggerated and thin plots. His own son, Ronald, has claimed that his father was a compulsive liar and mentally ill.
The church's practices include pressuring members to not conceive children, and requiring them to give up their children for adoption or undergo an abortion if they do become pregnant. Children of Scientologists are often raised by other members, and are sometimes turned into spies against their parents.
Overall, Scientology is a highly controlling and secretive organization that has been linked to numerous controversies and tragedies.
Here are the key facts extracted from the text:
1. L. Ron Hubbard created Scientology in 1957.
2. Scientology followers are required to pay thousands of dollars, undergo strange procedures, and sign contracts of secrecy.
3. According to Scientology, 75 million years ago, there was a planet with a human civilization that looked like 1950s America.
4. A being named Xenu was the galactic overlord of this planet.
5. Xenu froze the population, stored them in boxes, and flew them to a prison planet called Teegeeack, which is now known as Earth.
6. L. Ron Hubbard was a published author of over 500 pulp fiction stories and novels from 1934 until his death in 1986.
7. Hubbard holds Guinness World Records for being the most published author in written books, audio books, and translations.
8. Scientology members who display deep loyalty and willingness to achieve more in the church are often encouraged to join the Sea Organization (Sea Org).
9. Sea Org is conducted like a military with ranks and punishments, and operates the corporate side of the church.
10. Members of Sea Org are required to sign a contract that pledges their soul to the church for one billion years.
11. Disconnection is a practice in Scientology where members are encouraged to separate from people deemed "suppressive" by the church.
12. Sarah Goldberg, a 36-year member of the church, was told to disconnect from her son in 2014 after he became friends with opposers to the church.
13. L. Ron Hubbard's most famous work was his 1950 book Dianetics, considered the Bible of Scientology.
14. Hubbard's son, Ronald, has claimed that his father was a compulsive liar and mentally ill.
15. Members of Scientology's Sea Organization are pressured to not conceive children, and if they do, they are required to give up the child for adoption or undergo an abortion.
16. Parents who join Scientology are instructed on how to raise and what to feed their kids.
17. In some cases, kids are turned into spies against their parents by the church to ensure they are obeying the rules.
18. Scientology does not allow its members to speak out against the church, and defectors are often blackmailed or hit with lawsuits.
19. The "attack the attacker" policy declares that Scientology is not a "turn the other cheek" religion and urges its followers to investigate and take action against anyone who publicly opposes them.
20. The R2-45 process involves suddenly separating a person's thetan from their human body, often by way of a bullet to the head.
21. Lisa McPherson, a 36-year-old Scientologist, died in 1995 due to a pulmonary embolism, which a local medical examiner initially called negligent homicide.
22. The church denied any involvement in her death and later settled in court with McPherson's family for an undisclosed amount.
23. Operation Snow White was a plan devised by high-ranking members of Scientology to infiltrate government agencies and organizations that posed a threat to the church.
24. The operation involved nearly 5,000 undercover agents and resulted in the arrests and convictions of 11 high-ranking Scientologists, including Mary Sue Hubbard, L. Ron's wife.
25. Mary Sue Hubbard received five years in prison and a $10,000 fine for her role in Operation Snow White.
26. L. Ron Hubbard was named as a co-conspirator in Operation Snow White but was already in hiding, where he remained until his death in 1986.