​A new religion always seems to be in the spotlight, causing controversy, despite very little knowledge on what the religion is actually about. This mystery religion is the Church of Scientology created by former Naval Lieutenant and author L. Ron Hubbard. Scientology itself is one that seems normal enough on the religion’s website, but as one delves deeper into what it is truly all about, then it seems to get continuously stranger and more corrupt.

The religion itself is one that is very unique; it almost has the feel of a science fiction novel. It is believed that the source of life and the true uncontrolled identity of a person is called the thetan, and in order to find it, people must go through a process called auditing. Auditing is basically a psychiatric session with someone (although psychiatry and psychology are practices both hated by the church) where people can release their stress and “reset themselves” so that they can be at one with their thetan. As people continue to audit themselves, they then have the opportunity to read the teachings in order to make themselves OT, or, Operating Thetan. These teachings are only allowed to be read by high ranking members as they are said to be too powerful for unprepared readers. But someone leaked these teachings to the public and they basically go along these lines. A tyrant of an intergalactic confederacy named Xenu brought thetans to Earth, then detonated hydrogen bombs in Volcanoes causing the thetans to join together and latch onto bodies and reincarnate over and over, which they still do today.

On the surface, Scientology comes off as a religion that betters the mind and soul by helping them gain knowledge. Scientolog, when broken down, is the study of knowledge after all. However, upon further investigation, there are many aspects of this religion which make it come off as more of a scam than anything. First of all, many of the top ranking officials in the church have been connected to criminal investigations in the past such as spying on the IRS and framing a journalist in France for making a bomb threat. The leader and convict, L. Ron Hubbard, then went into hiding during this trial and continued to live in hiding until his death. So, although the Church of Scientology may preach the desire to become better humans, they may not always practice it.

The real corruption occurs however in the church itself. Many critics of the church have claimed that it uses brainwashing techniques to teach their ideas to members and accuse it of being similar to a cult. In fact, in countries such as Germany and France, it is legally seen not as a religion, but as an anti-constitutional sect, which is a term that also encompasses cults. The brainwashing claims perhaps stem from the fact that members are forced to pay incredibly large sums of money in order to rank up in their spiritual class. In order to “rank up” in OT level, members are forced to pay up to 10,000 dollars to be able to read the teachings. In total, in order to reach the highest level currently possible, members will have to spend in total around 100,000 dollars. This is a reason as to why it seems only the mega rich are a part of this unique religion.

The Church of Scientology will always remain a strange mystery to all those outside of it, but perhaps to the members inside, it makes sense and puts their mind at rest, and as long as it does that, let them worship all they want.