Scientology and the IRS

W.I.S.E

Narconon


"Snow White"

"Project Normandy"

The Attack on Gabe Cazares


Essays

Literati Contest


Scientology and Clearwater

 

L. Ron Hubbard (continued)

A brief look at the founder of Scientology

By Jeff Jacobsen

 

Dianetics was a best seller when it was first published in 1950. From this success, even though the book itself claimed to be a self-help manual, Hubbard started classes on how to practice Dianetics and created the Hubbard Dianetics Foundation. At one of his lectures, Hubbard allegedly left his baby Alexis in his unattended car, and was given a 10-day suspended sentence [Los Angeles Examiner, 2/26/51
Dianetics Head Gives Police Busy Day Over Wife, Baby”]

  In 1951, Hubbard’s second wife, Sara, filed for divorce. She claimed the reason as abuse and her discovery that Hubbard was a bigamist.

On December 18, 1953 Hubbard incorporated the Church of American Science, The Church of Spiritual Engineering, and the Church of Scientology. Hubbard described the Church of American Science:

"There is a difference between the Church of American Science and the Church of Scientology.

The Church of American Science is a Christian Religion. It believes in the Holy Bible, Jesus is the Savior of man and everything that's necessary to be a Christian religion. People who belong to that church are expected to be Christians.

These two churches fit together.

We take somebody in as a Church of American Science. It doesn't disagree with his baptism or other things like that, and he could gradually slide over into some sort of better, wider activity such as the Church of Scientology and a little more wisdom and come a little more close to optimum.

Then if he was good and one of the people that we would like to have around he would eventually slide into the HASI. So we have provided stepping stones to Scn with these organizations."

- (L. Ron Hubbard, 1954 “Hypnotism” audiotape #5410C04)

Part of the Church of Scientology’s goals were delineated as “to train and indoctrinate ministers and brothers in the principles and teachings of the Church of American Science.” With this, Hubbard became the founder and leader of what he therein called a religion.

Hubbard consolidated his control over Dianetics and Scientology and began opening new centers around the world. He published many more books such as Science of Survival, Have You Lived Before This Life? and Scientology 8-8008.

In 1959 Hubbard, who was now claiming a PhD and a degree in nuclear physics, moved to Sussex England and opened a school of Scientology.

Problems kept plaguing his creation, however. In 1963 the FDA raided the Scientology office in Washington D.C. and took away all their e-meters. In 1965 an Australian Board of Inquiry published a scathing review of Scientology and recommended banning the organization. After being kicked out of Rhodesia in 1966, Hubbard returned to England, where there were calls for inquiry into Scientology as well. Hubbard chose to purchase three ships and headed to the high seas in 1967, with his ships manned by Scientologists who had signed billion year contracts to be a part of the Sea Organization.

Hubbard continued to write and “research” prolifically. He wrote books, policy letters, advices, and management directives. In 1968 Hubbard’s alleged research into man led him to a discovery that he claimed nearly killed him. Operating Thetan level 3 is a restored accurate history of mankind, according to Hubbard. This involved incidents from 75 million years ago that were previously hidden until Hubbard’s brave efforts once again uncovered our actual past.

As Hubbard’s paranoia about a cabal of psychiatrists taking over the world grew and different countries began denying port rights to his ships, Hubbard began looking for a “land base.” He chose Clearwater, Florida in 1975. As his crew settled into new properties purchased in Clearwater under the name United Churches of Florida,

Hubbard lived quietly in nearby Dunedin, still very much in control of the organization. From this time forward Hubbard was generally either in hiding or at least avoiding public scrutiny.

In 1977 the FBI raided Scientology in Washington, D.C. and Los Angeles. From this raid 11 Scientologists, including Hubbard’s wife Mary Sue, went to federal prison for infiltrating government offices and theft of documents. Hubbard, in hiding, never came to his wife’s defense despite being complicit in the offenses.

From Dunedin Hubbard had moved to La Quinta California to a ranch. There he passed his time making training and other movies for Scientology. In 1979 he lived for a time in Hemet after fearing his La Quinta location would be exposed.

By 1980 Hubbard’s direct control of Scientology had been gradually diminished due to his isolation. Those who controlled his communication lines, including David Miscavige, inherited the power and authority within the organization. Miscavige wrestled control from Mary Sue Hubbard and from then on has been the authority behind Scientology.

In 1982 Hubbard’s fiction work Battlefield Earth hit the stands with little applause. His 10-volume Mission Earth followed with even less enthusiasm by the public.

In 1983 Mary Sue Hubbard went to prison for her role in the Snow White breakins, and L. Ron Hubbard, Jr. filed suit in court claiming his father was either dead or too incapacitated to manage his own affairs. Hubbard Sr. did not show up in court but filed signed and fingerprinted handwritten papers that demonstrated he was still alive and functioning. Gerry Armstrong, a Scientology aide to Hubbard’s official biographer, left the organization with many of Hubbard’s personal biographical papers, much of which proved Hubbard’s account of his life was indeed fictional. It was a time of pressure and disappointment to say the least.

On January 24, 1986, L. Ron Hubbard died in his final hideout in Creston California. Those attending his body claimed Hubbard’s religious beliefs precluded an autopsy. An initial examination of the body found that despite his anti-psychiatric stand throughout his life, the prescription drug Vistaril was found in his system. L. Ron Hubbard’s body was cremated and his ashes sprinkled in the Pacific Ocean.



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