History Of Scientology

QUESTION: What is the history of Scientology?

ANSWER:

The history of Scientology starts with L. Ron Hubbard who founded Scientology in 1954 based on his book Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health (1950). The book claims to be able to help the reader discover what is destroying their belief in themselves and what is holding them back from a happy life. It explains how to get rid of negative emotions, unhappy relationships and unexplained pains so the reader can get rid of their “reactive mind” (the part of the mind that works on a totally stimulus-response basis). The description Dianetics claims that “this is the book that began a revolution in man’s understanding of the mind.”

The official Scientology website says, “Dianetics comes from the Greek words dia (through) and nous (soul). Dianetics could be said to be what the soul is doing to the body. It provides answers to the fundamental riddles of the mind with a thoroughly validated method that increases sanity, intelligence, confidence and well-being. It gets rid of the unwanted sensations, unpleasant emotions and psychosomatic ills that block one's life and happiness. Dianetics rests on basic principles that can be easily learned and applied by any reasonably intelligent person -- as millions have. It is the route to a well, happy, high IQ human being.

“Dianetics addresses the part of the mind that operates below the conscious level, exerting a hidden influence that causes you to react irrationally, say and do things that "aren't you," and have inexplicable emotions and ills that hold back intelligence and ability. It all resolves with Dianetics.”

Hubbard expanded on these principles and founded Scientology, which literally means “the study of truth.”