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Dialogues@RU is published
annually
by the
Writing Program at
Rutgers, The State
University of New Jersey
Volume 4
Fall 2005
Scientology and its Potential for Dominance as a World Religion - Page 1
By Stephen Linguito
In recent decades, the belief system Scientology, founded by L. Ron Hubbard in 1950, has experienced a surge in membership, as well as in controversy. Scientology, which is a way of life that has at its foundation a marriage between science, knowledge and spirituality, has apparently grown in popularity due to its ability to improve peoples' lives, an ability not always possessed by traditional religion. However, many Scientologists question not only Scientology's religiosity, but also its claim to legally and morally sound practices. There is a multitude of information on issues including Scientology's teachings, its reception in other countries, and the legitimacy of the benefits it claims to provide. In his article, "Scientology - Is This A Religion," Stephen A. Kent discusses whether Scientology is indeed religious in nature, while his article, "The Globalization of Scientology: Influence, Control, and Opposition in Transnational Markets," explains how Scientology is marketing itself overseas and exerting influence on all aspects of life. Lorne L. Dawson , in "The Cultural Significance of NRMs and Globalization: A Theoretical Prolegomenon," describes the elusive connection between globalization, secularization, and new religious movements (NRMs). Paul Heelas, in "Prosperity and the New Age Movement: The efficacy of spiritual economics," explains both the pros and cons of New Age religions, and reports on their trends of expansion. Finally, L. Ron Hubbard, in The Scientology Handbook , gives applications of his religious system and philosophy to everyday problems and concerns and shows that his religion does, in fact, work. By using these sources as well as others to address questions concerning Scientology's current status as a popular religion, it may be possible to answer more profound and important questions that address Scientology's future as a dominant religion. At the heart of this process will be the assertion that Scientology's belief system is one that incorporates science, knowledge, and spirituality into one entity, offering to many people more practicality and flexibility than traditional religions. The investigation of the merits of Scientology will be framed by the debate between Hubbard, who claims that his system is effective, and the aforementioned authors who challenge it, collectively arguing that although the lofty claims for Scientology may seem legitimate at first glance, they fall short when Scientology is viewed as a world religion.
The first step in making the case that Scientology will someday be a dominant world religion is to explain its current status. Paul Heelas writes, " it would be rash to dispute the fact that the New Age is considerably more oriented to the New World of the mainstream than it was during the counter-cultural 1960s" (61). As Heelas suggests, people are more concerned now than they were then with material and spiritual prosperity and so they find it appealing that New Age religions incorporate these goals into their belief systems. People wish to take their destinies into their own hands; thus, they are attracted to ideas offered by New Age religions, including Scientology. These religions suggest that such goals can be achieved through a heightened sense of spirituality, that is, through knowing one's self and knowing one's limits and full potential. Hubbard illustrates this concept in his characterization of Scientology as "a religious philosophy in the most profound sense of the word. It is concerned with nothing less than the full rehabilitation of the thetan [the spiritual being], to increase his spiritual awareness, native capabilities and certainty of his own immortality" (iii). In other words, everyone is capable of doing something good for themselves and humanity, but the only way these innate skills can be applied is to look within themselves and gain self-confidence. People can ask God to help them become better people or to be skilled at something, but, in the end, only they can make this happen.
This desire to realize one's abilities and to achieve one's goals, especially that of financial security, is intimately related to the concept of globalization. It would be one thing if such an attitude-shift towards materialism occurred only in one country, but it is entirely different when this shift occurs globally. As Kent suggests, Scientology appears to be taking advantage of the homogenizing forces of globalization in order to gain influence and support.