Definition of terms

Audit - The Scientology term for the A Scientologist runs procedures on another Scientologist to complete course work. The person running the procedure is an auditor.

Auditor -- In Scientology, this is the term for the person who acts as the counselor or therapist, asking questions in an "auditing session" which the patient, called a "preclear" in Scientology, must answer. Written records, called worksheets, are kept of every session.

C/S or Case Supervisor -- This person is in charge of overseeing the auditing sessions of Scientology preclears. The C/S reviews the worksheets after each session to make sure the auditor is conducting the auditing session properly.

Class VIII, Class IX -- these are designations for levels of auditor training. A Class VIII auditor is qualified to audit almost every type of auditing procedure in Scientology.

Clear -- a milestone on Scientology's "Bridge to Total Freedom" in which a person is supposed to be free of their Reactive Mind. Once the person is Clear they are ready to move on to the super-secret Operating Thetan, or OT levels.

CMO -- stands for Commodore's Messenger Organization. When L. Ron Hubbard began the Sea Organization on the refurbished ship, the Appollo, he put all the children to work as his messengers. These children were to take Hubbard's orders to the crew of the ship and make sure his orders were complied with. Even after the Sea Org moved to land-based headquarters, these Commodore's Messengers continued to act as direct messengers for Hubbard. When Hubbard had to go into hiding to avoid incarceration, the Commodore's Messenger Organization took over control of Scientology and controls it, under the direction of David Miscavige, to this day.

CLO -- Continental Liaison Office. This is the middle management unit for each Scientology management area. There is a CLO Western United States (called CLO WUS) in Los Angeles and a CLO Eastern United States (CLO EUS) in New York, for example, as well as a CLO France in Paris, a CLO Germany in Munich, and a CLO Italy in Milano.

CSW – stands for Completed Staff Work. In Scientology there is a specific procedure one must go through to get permission for anything from being absent from work to go to the dentist to transferring from one job to another. The form itself is called a CSW. It is also used as a verb, as in "I have to CSW to be able to go to my mother's funeral."

FSM – Field Staff Member. By definition, a Scientologist who makes a 10 15% commission on every person he/she gets to take courses or purchase Scientology material [HCOPL 5 June 1968 Issue III "F.S.M. Commissions"]. In practice, FSMs get commissions on any kind of money they can get someone to pay to Scientology. For example, an FSM gets a commission if they can get someone to donate money to translate Scientology materials into another language, or, as in Maria's case, to send auditors for training at Flag.

Flag - When Hubbard decided to return to land, the first place he ordered the Sea Org to move into was Clearwater, Florida. The Sea Org bought the Fort Harrison Hotel (under a pseudonym, the United Churches of Florida) for cash.The ship "the Appollo" had been the Scientology Flagship, so the Fort Harrison Hotel became the Flag Land Base.

FSO -- stands for Flag Service Organization. This is the part of the Flag Land Base that is responsible for delivering all the auditing and training to the paying public Scientologists.

HCO -- stands for Hubbard Communications Office. In a Scientology organization HCO is the division that is responsible for personnel, communications (mail, etc.) and ethics. When people talk about being sent to ethics, they also sometimes refer to it as being sent to HCO.

LRH – L. Ron Hubbard, founder of Scientology.

MAA -- stands for Master at Arms. An Ethics Officer is called an MAA in a Sea Org installation. Hubbard assigned terms from the U.S. Navy to many positions in the Sea Org, such as Super Cargo, Commanding Officer, Master at Arms, etc.

OSA -- Office of Special Affairs. What used to be known as the Guardian's Office, until the indictments of the late 1970s forced Hubbard to order the name changed for public relations and legal reasons. OSA is responsible for all matters relating to the outside, or "wog" world. This includes public relations and media handling, litigation and all legal matters, and intelligence gathering, including the disposal of anyone deemed an Enemy of Scientology.

OT VII – Operating Thetan level 7. The OT levels are designed to solve a Scientologist’s spiritual problems of having other spirits fused onto his or her own. The highest course level in Scientology currently is OT VIII.

Registrar -- called a reg (pronounced redge) in Scientology, this is the person who is responsible for getting a person to pay for more auditing, training, or other donations. In practice, the reges are some of the most ruthless individuals in the Scientology hierarchy, using a wide range of coercive methods to force a person to give up as much of their money as possible.

Sea Org - The Sea Organization. This is an unincorporated group of the most dedicated Scientologists who sign billion-year contracts and agree to work for room and board and a small weekly allowance. Everyone in Scientology management is a member of the Sea Org. The Sea Org, under David Miscavige's direction, has complete power over all branches, both for-profit and nonprofit, of the Scientology hierarchy.

Super Power Project -- the Super Power building is a massive project being constructed in downtown Clearwater, Florida. Scientologists from all over the world have been required to make large donations to this project. One "cornerstone" costs $35,000, for example.

WOG - this is a derogatory term in Scientology for anyone who is not a Scientologist. Hubbard took the term from the derogatory term for someone of Asian descent, "worthy oriental gentleman."