The original "What is Scientology" book was not published in 1993 as some think. The original one from which later editions evolved was published in 1978.
It was written primarily by staff of the then Guardian's Office ("GO") as can be seen in the below link to the "Acknowledgments" page in that first edition. I was one of those writers.
The book was written following and in response to the huge FBI raids on organized scientology's GO offices in the USA in 1977. It was meant as a defensive action that was part of an attempt to handle organized scientology's and Hubbard's severely damaged PR because of the raids.
Additionally, it was hoped to help limit any possible legal action against L Ron Hubbard and organized scientology by trying to create in the public mind the following beliefs:
1) Hubbard was not in fact running organized scientology, especially not running the GO targeted by the FBI in 1977;
2) Organized scientology/scientology was a religion;
3) Organized scientology did a lot of good for society including though its "social betterment" programs including Applied Scholastics, Narconon and other groups that at that time were run by the GO's "Social Coordination" Bureau ("B6").
With the release of this first edition much more was done to try to in effect create a "paper trail" of sorts to show that scientology was a religion. The GO ran all sorts of programs then to put in a false religious image such as Sunday services, Roman ministerial collars being worn, crosses being worn more, many staff being forced to become "ministers" and really pushing a "scholars" program to get "scholars" to write opinions that scientology was a religion.
The programs to push in this image portrayed in the book were in the main disingenuous, had everything to do with image and nothing really to do with reality. Scholars were often duped by being given false information to help them "conclude" scientology was a religion. Later editions of the book would make great usage of such opinions.
An equally false picture intentionally created by that book was that Hubbard was not running things when he in fact was. For example just a year after the publication of the book Hubbard was secretly ordering the corporate reorganization of parts of organized scientology including his 1979 orders to Sue Mithoff in his "Commodore's Messenger Organization" regarding the legal establishment of Scientology Missions International ("SMI"). Hubbard even said to push the tax and personal monetary advantages of starting scientology "missions" by making them "churches". He personally pushed in a religious image just for the tax and other legal advantages.
I personally was run on telexes from Hubbard for setting up the first "WISE" corporation and from 1975 through 1983 had an estimated 250 orders from Hubbard, most of them on legal matters.
Additionally, completely contrary to what was said in the book, Hubbard ordered the GO to keep undated resignations of all corporate officials in the organized scientology legal empire and to run them all secretly.
In fact L Ron Hubbard was so involved in the running of the GO and thus organized scientology that it took over 100 people weeks just to vet and/or remove evidence from GO headquarter files in the United Kingdom that Hubbard was running them.
Again, the book was completely false in this area.
Lastly, while in the original edition organized scientology really played up how groups like Narconon and the "study tech" groups were part of organized scientology, and that such things as "study tech" was scientology tech, they frequently deny it when them deem it legally convenient.
Many more examples of what is false in this book can be given but the above give a bit of an overview.
The bottom line is that book is based on major lies about what is scientology and who runs it/ran it.
Without a doubt there are people of good heart who are scientologists who mean well and are trying to do good. I wish them well.
But this book presents a false image of Hubbard, scientology and organized scientology which does nobody any good.
The original "What is Scientology" book was not published in 1993 as some think. The original one from which later editions evolved was published in 1978.
It was written primarily by staff of the then Guardian's Office ("GO") as can be seen in the below link to the "Acknowledgments" page in that first edition. I was one of those writers.
The book was written following and in response to the huge FBI raids on organized scientology's GO offices in the USA in 1977. It was meant as a defensive action that was part of an attempt to handle organized scientology's and Hubbard's severely damaged PR because of the raids.
Additionally, it was hoped to help limit any possible legal action against L Ron Hubbard and organized scientology by trying to create in the public mind the following beliefs:
1) Hubbard was not in fact running organized scientology, especially not running the GO targeted by the FBI in 1977;
2) Organized scientology/scientology was a religion;
3) Organized scientology did a lot of good for society including though its "social betterment" programs including Applied Scholastics, Narconon and other groups that at that time were run by the GO's "Social Coordination" Bureau ("B6").
With the release of this first edition much more was done to try to in effect create a "paper trail" of sorts to show that scientology was a religion. The GO ran all sorts of programs then to put in a false religious image such as Sunday services, Roman ministerial collars being worn, crosses being worn more, many staff being forced to become "ministers" and really pushing a "scholars" program to get "scholars" to write opinions that scientology was a religion.
The programs to push in this image portrayed in the book were in the main disingenuous, had everything to do with image and nothing really to do with reality. Scholars were often duped by being given false information to help them "conclude" scientology was a religion. Later editions of the book would make great usage of such opinions.
An equally false picture intentionally created by that book was that Hubbard was not running things when he in fact was. For example just a year after the publication of the book Hubbard was secretly ordering the corporate reorganization of parts of organized scientology including his 1979 orders to Sue Mithoff in his "Commodore's Messenger Organization" regarding the legal establishment of Scientology Missions International ("SMI"). Hubbard even said to push the tax and personal monetary advantages of starting scientology "missions" by making them "churches". He personally pushed in a religious image just for the tax and other legal advantages.
I personally was run on telexes from Hubbard for setting up the first "WISE" corporation and from 1975 through 1983 had an estimated 250 orders from Hubbard, most of them on legal matters.
Additionally, completely contrary to what was said in the book, Hubbard ordered the GO to keep undated resignations of all corporate officials in the organized scientology legal empire and to run them all secretly.
In fact L Ron Hubbard was so involved in the running of the GO and thus organized scientology that it took over 100 people weeks just to vet and/or remove evidence from GO headquarter files in the United Kingdom that Hubbard was running them.
Again, the book was completely false in this area.
Lastly, while in the original edition organized scientology really played up how groups like Narconon and the "study tech" groups were part of organized scientology, and that such things as "study tech" was scientology tech, they frequently deny it when them deem it legally convenient.
Many more examples of what is false in this book can be given but the above give a bit of an overview.
The bottom line is that book is based on major lies about what is scientology and who runs it/ran it.
Without a doubt there are people of good heart who are scientologists who mean well and are trying to do good. I wish them well.
But this book presents a false image of Hubbard, scientology and organized scientology which does nobody any good.
It creates a false history.
It is time to end the lies.
w/
Where I stand
I am a...
ex-Scientologist
Pros and Cons (optional)
Pros
I honestly cannot think of a "pro".
Cons
The book is based on lies
It gives a false picture of organized scientology and the controls of same, including Hubbard relationship to it.
Maybe it's just me but reading over your review just rubbed me the wrong way.
So I thought I'd practice a little of the Creed of the Church of Scientology which seems all but dead within the Scientology organization itself but hopefully is still alive out here in the field.
Anyhoo.
First, I took offense at your assertion that the Ol'man's effort to present Scientology as a religion was somehow fraudulent.
The fact is that it is a religion since it deals with the spirit.
Much of the theory covered in many books and lectures too numerous to mention cover this fact.
Secondly you say the Ol'man was directly involved in the operations of the GO. A canard that not even the FBI could prove conclusively which is why they couldn't indict him.
Maybe I didn't directly work for the GO but I audited enough of their staff to get a truer picture of what was going on back then. At least truer than what is presented on the "natter boards".
The GO actually became Jane Kember's (remember her?) little fiefdom and much of what the Ol'man wrote or said was totally ignored by the GO's hierarchy and they basically established their own policies much like the SO is doing today which is actually what got them into trouble.
Also it is very hard to say what was actually consumed by " jaws" whether they were actual LRH orders, advices or those issued by someone else using his name.
Much like it's probable that Broeker and later Miscavige pulled the same stunt.
(I myself have seen "orders" written by "LRH" that when I queried the Ol'man personally about them, he was as surprised as I was that such things existed.)
Anyway.
About the book.
Ron made no secret that it was written by others. In fact he mentions it in RJ30 and how he spent a lot of time doing photos and rounding up galleys etc, etc. probably in the interest of getting it done in time to counter the bad press the GO had generated under Jane Kember (remember her? hint: the same person who approved GOD 1361).
Of course he didn't exactly say who exactly worked on it, but anyone who knew anything about org structure would have figured it was the GO under AGPR.
That said.
Personally I like the original WIS much better than the more Orwellian version issued in the '90's.
At least it contained "acceptable truth(s)" whereas the newer version is just nothing but lies and PR.
The fact is that back then Narconon was more than just a photo op. We were actually getting people off drugs and saving lives. Not just talking about it or killing people instead.
Same with study tech, etc.
It wasn't all disingenuousness like it is today.
Sure I wouldn't give WIS probably more than a 2 or a 3 when compared to actual LRH books but compared to the current version of WIS I'd give it a 10.
'Nuff said.
Written by Jenni September 24, 2014
Before you object to Scientology being called a religion, perhaps you should decide for yourself what the word "religion" means. My favorite definition, from the American College Dictionary, is "the quest for the values of the ideal life, involving three phases: the ideal, the practices for attaining the values of the ideal, and the theology or world view relating the quest to the environing universe." I love that definition which includes religions such as Buddhism that are not particularly centered around the worship of a God. If you can agree with that definition, perhaps you can agree that Scientology (not the Church of Scientology) is a religion. You don't have to agree with a religion or think it is "right" or "good" in order to recognize that it is a quest for the values of the ideal life.
Self Analysis (August 1951): Possibly the best introduction to the subjects of Dianetics and Scientology. Self Analysis contains both a series of essays on the basic discoveries Ron had made up to this point in his research as well as an extensive auditing section that a person can do by themselves right at home. The book contains a special version of the Hubbard Chart of Human Evaluation and a series of tests one can do to discover where you're really at. Then, by applying the processes from the second half of the book, one is guided through a path of self-discovery. At the end, you will re-do the tests to confirm your improvement. How good can you get? These techniques have been in use for more than six decades and Ron referred to them again and again throughout his research, stating that the processes here were capable of curing any neurosis.
This is the starting point for anyone wanting auditing. You will be audited by L. Ron Hubbard himself through the pages of this book.
Find a copy in used bookstores or at Alibris.com, Amazon.com, eBay. Or you can buy a new copy from these Church of Scientology organizations (but once you give them your address they may continue to send you junk mail) Bridge Publications or New Era Publications.
October 05, 2013
So I thought I'd practice a little of the Creed of the Church of Scientology which seems all but dead within the Scientology organization itself but hopefully is still alive out here in the field.
Anyhoo.
First, I took offense at your assertion that the Ol'man's effort to present Scientology as a religion was somehow fraudulent.
The fact is that it is a religion since it deals with the spirit.
Much of the theory covered in many books and lectures too numerous to mention cover this fact.
Secondly you say the Ol'man was directly involved in the operations of the GO. A canard that not even the FBI could prove conclusively which is why they couldn't indict him.
Maybe I didn't directly work for the GO but I audited enough of their staff to get a truer picture of what was going on back then. At least truer than what is presented on the "natter boards".
The GO actually became Jane Kember's (remember her?) little fiefdom and much of what the Ol'man wrote or said was totally ignored by the GO's hierarchy and they basically established their own policies much like the SO is doing today which is actually what got them into trouble.
Also it is very hard to say what was actually consumed by " jaws" whether they were actual LRH orders, advices or those issued by someone else using his name.
Much like it's probable that Broeker and later Miscavige pulled the same stunt.
(I myself have seen "orders" written by "LRH" that when I queried the Ol'man personally about them, he was as surprised as I was that such things existed.)
Anyway.
About the book.
Ron made no secret that it was written by others. In fact he mentions it in RJ30 and how he spent a lot of time doing photos and rounding up galleys etc, etc. probably in the interest of getting it done in time to counter the bad press the GO had generated under Jane Kember (remember her? hint: the same person who approved GOD 1361).
Of course he didn't exactly say who exactly worked on it, but anyone who knew anything about org structure would have figured it was the GO under AGPR.
That said.
Personally I like the original WIS much better than the more Orwellian version issued in the '90's.
At least it contained "acceptable truth(s)" whereas the newer version is just nothing but lies and PR.
The fact is that back then Narconon was more than just a photo op. We were actually getting people off drugs and saving lives. Not just talking about it or killing people instead.
Same with study tech, etc.
It wasn't all disingenuousness like it is today.
Sure I wouldn't give WIS probably more than a 2 or a 3 when compared to actual LRH books but compared to the current version of WIS I'd give it a 10.
'Nuff said.
September 24, 2014