Yep, it’s true! Actually, I’m in the unique position of having been a Scientologist for my whole life because my parents got involved back in the early 1950’s. In truth, however, I became a Scientologist in my own right and by my own choice when I was about 16.
Since that time, I’ve worked on staff in several Scientology Organizations, taken lots of courses and received many hours of remarkable and life-changing pastoral counselling. I’ve also been a volunteer in a number of the various out-reach programs by the Church of Scientology.
Why Scientology? Well, for me the many and varied writings by L. Ron Hubbard have given me tools that I can actually use in life to improve things. For example, I rely just about every day on the Hubbard study technology because it helps me easily study and understand new subjects (pretty important since I have been branching into new areas in my life). Hubbard’s researches into communication and the emotional tone scale are extremely valuable to me when dealing with others. The administrative materials have helped me in my business and to generally stay organized in life.
The film Principles of Scientology (27 min) gives a good overview of the fundamentals of Scientology. A longer film, Scientology: Tools for Life (2:30) details some of the tools I use in my life. These, and more, are available on Scientology.tv.
The Aims of Scientology
The first paragraph of the Aims of Scientology states:
A civilization without insanity, without criminals and without war, where the able can prosper and honest beings can have rights, and where man is free to rise to greater heights, are the aims of Scientology.
I consider that to be a worthwhile goal and support it fully.
What is True For You
Years ago, L. Ron Hubbard wrote an article called Personal Integrity. I’ll quote a little bit of it here:
What is true for you is what you have observed yourself. And when you lose that you have lost everything…
The full content of the article is contained in the video Personal Integrity.
Truth vs. Rumor
There is a lot of information floating around about Scientology. The press loves a controversy, and generally tries to stir up controversies wherever they can. I can say that with absolute certainty, having personally been in the middle of several of them. The press is also notoriously unreliable for real and useful data. So, if you ever have an inclination to find out about Scientology, I suggest you go straight to the source.
Scientology.tv has tons of videos about all aspects of Scientology. It’s a great place to start if you want to get an inside look. You can find tours of Churches around the world, details of Scientology beliefs and practices, interviews with Scientologists, humanitarian outreach programs, and more. If you check out the I am a Scientologist series, you’ll see our beautiful grandaughters in Season 2, Episode 1 (they are the twins!).
I also highly recommend getting a book or two that you can read on your own time without anyone bothering you. Good starting books are (links to Amazon):
The books should also be available at your local library or from a local Church of Scientology. (Full disclosure, I’m an Amazon Affiliate and get a tiny commission if you purchase using the links).
Non-Denominational
Scientology is a religion in that it deals with individuals as spiritual beings, not bodies or brains. It is considered a “non-denominational” religion because it is open to people of all faiths and, in fact, one can practice Scientology and also be a Christian, Buddist, Jew, Muslim, or anything else. The tenets and religious philosphy of Scientology deal with how a person relates to her/himself, his/her family, groups, mankind and the world around him/her. It helps a person increase spiritual awareness, but specifically doesn’t intrude into the area of God or dictate how an individual should choose to interact with Him, whether it be through the practices of a particular faith or not.
I’m always willing to talk about Scientology with people who are genuinely interested. Please feel free to contact me if you want to know more about Scientology.