Introduction
Lawrence Wright's "Going Clear" is a deep dive into the mysterious and controversial world of Scientology. This book uncovers the origins, practices, and controversies surrounding the Church of Scientology, from its founding by science fiction writer L. Ron Hubbard to its current status as a powerful and secretive organization with many celebrity followers.
Wright's thorough investigation sheds light on the inner workings of Scientology, its complex belief system, and the allegations of abuse and manipulation that have dogged the organization for decades. Through extensive research and interviews with former members, the author presents a compelling and often disturbing portrait of a movement that has captivated and confounded the public since its inception.
The Nature of Scientology
A Religion or a Business?
One of the central questions surrounding Scientology is whether it truly qualifies as a religion or if it's merely a commercial enterprise designed to enrich its leaders. This ambiguity has been a source of ongoing debate and legal battles.
In 1957, just three years after its founding, Scientology was granted religious status by the US government. However, this recognition was short-lived. In 1967, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) ruled that Scientology was not a religion but a commercial venture aimed at enriching its founder, L. Ron Hubbard.
Determined to regain its religious status, the Church of Scientology enlisted experts on religious movements to support its cause. One such expert, Frank Flinn, argued that Scientology possessed the key elements of a religion:
- A system of spiritual beliefs
- A set of behavioral norms
- Rites and ceremonies
- Attribution of extraordinary powers to its founder
Despite these arguments, the US government initially rejected Scientology's appeal. It wasn't until 1993 that Scientology regained tax-exempt status as a charitable organization, marking a significant victory for the Church.
The Scientific Claims
Paradoxically, while seeking recognition as a religion, Scientology also claims to be based on scientific principles. The organization asserts that its founder, L. Ron Hubbard, developed his doctrines through rigorous scientific research.
New recruits are told that they will inevitably come to share Scientology's worldviews, including the belief in immortality, through a process of scientific realization. Hubbard's book "Dianetics," which serves as a central text in Scientology, is described as an "engineering science" of mental health.
This insistence on scientific validity has put Scientology at odds with established scientific fields, particularly psychiatry. Hubbard harbored a deep mistrust of psychiatry throughout his life, a sentiment that became ingrained in Scientology's teachings.
Scientology's Belief System
The Concept of Thetans
At the core of Scientology's belief system is the concept of thetans – immortal spirits that are reincarnated into mortal bodies. According to Scientology, we are all thetans who have forgotten our true nature and become trapped in physical form.
Hubbard claimed that through specialized training, people can learn to escape the confines of their bodies and freely travel through time and space. This idea forms the basis of much of Scientology's spiritual teachings and practices.
The Two Incidents
As Scientologists advance through the ranks of the organization, they learn about two pivotal "incidents" that supposedly led to the imprisonment of thetans on Earth:
The First Incident: This occurred at the creation of the material world when thetans lost awareness of their immortality.
The Second Incident: This event allegedly took place 75 million years ago and involves a tyrannical leader named Xenu from the Galactic Confederacy. According to Scientology teachings, Xenu, facing a rebellion, conspired with evil psychiatrists to lure thetans to Earth (the "prison planet"). The thetans were then frozen, shipped to Earth, dumped into volcanoes, and blown up with hydrogen bombs.
After this catastrophic event, the spirits of the thetans were supposedly trapped and subjected to implanted images and triggers designed to ensure that each civilization on Earth would eventually self-destruct through war or other means.
The Path to Freedom
Scientology teaches that the only way to break free from this cycle of destruction is to rid ourselves of these mental manipulations using Hubbard's psycho-techniques. This belief forms the basis for much of Scientology's practices and its emphasis on personal transformation and spiritual growth.
L. Ron Hubbard: The Man Behind the Movement
Early Life and Career
Lafayette Ronald Hubbard, born in Nebraska in 1911, showed an early interest in diverse subjects such as magic, shamanism, and psychoanalysis. Despite being a poor student in most subjects, he excelled in writing and began publishing both fiction and non-fiction while still in college.
At 21, Hubbard married his first wife and turned to writing pulp fiction to support his growing family. He proved to be an incredibly prolific writer, particularly in the science fiction genre. Between 1934 and 1936, Hubbard averaged an astonishing 100,000 words per month, writing under various pen names.
Post-War Crisis
After serving in the Navy during World War II, Hubbard entered a period of personal crisis. Instead of returning to his wife and children, he took up residence at the mansion of occultist Jack Parsons. There, he engaged in a series of affairs, including with Parsons' mistress, Sara Northrup.
Hubbard's life during this time was marked by instability. He began physically abusing Northrup and suffered from paranoid delusions. Financial troubles and frequent threats of suicide led a physician to advise Hubbard to consult a psychiatrist. However, Hubbard's deep mistrust of psychiatry led him to seek alternative methods to address his mental state.
The Birth of Dianetics
In response to his personal crisis, Hubbard developed a system of psycho-techniques called Dianetics. This system would later form the foundation of Scientology's practices.
The core of Dianetics involves identifying and confronting painful memories, then countering their negative effects with positive statements. Hubbard used his own experiences as a template, addressing the shame he felt about his mediocre military record and reinforcing positive beliefs about his writing talents and longevity.
Hubbard began offering Dianetics coaching in Hollywood, using a process called "auditing." This involved hypnotizing clients to help them retrieve and "erase" early painful memories, including those from supposed past lives.
In 1950, Hubbard published "Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health," which became an instant bestseller. The book claimed that Dianetics could produce results in fewer than 20 hours of treatment, attracting widespread interest.
From Dianetics to Scientology
Despite its initial success, interest in Dianetics began to wane, leading to financial difficulties for Hubbard's Dianetics foundations. The system faced two main challenges:
- It had a definite endpoint: once all traumas were addressed, there was no need for further treatment.
- Public interest declined rapidly, forcing Hubbard's foundations into bankruptcy by 1952.
Faced with these setbacks, Hubbard had a realization that would lead to the creation of Scientology. He recognized that while Dianetics aimed to solve specific problems, religious organizations offered ongoing relevance through the promise of salvation and a sense of community.
In 1954, Hubbard founded the Church of Scientology. This move was likely motivated by a combination of factors, including the desire to make money, gain popularity, and create a more sustainable organization than Dianetics had been.
Scientology's Recruitment and Growth Strategies
The Four-Step Recruitment Process
Scientology employs a methodical approach to recruiting new members, following a four-step process:
- Make contact
- Disarm the recruit
- Identify their problem
- Convince them that Scientology has the solution
Recruiters are thoroughly trained in building rapport with potential converts and overcoming any initial resistance to Scientology. They learn to identify and address specific concerns or objections that prospects might have.
For example, when recruiting Paul Haggis (who would later become a renowned director and screenwriter), Scientology recruiters recognized his atheist beliefs might make him resistant to dogmatic systems. They assured him that no one would force him to believe anything, effectively disarming his potential objections.
Building Trust and Offering Solutions
A key part of Scientology's recruitment strategy involves getting prospects to open up about their personal problems. Recruiters are trained to create an atmosphere of trust that encourages people to share their deepest troubles.
Once a prospect has shared their issues, the recruiter can then present Scientology as a solution. In Haggis's case, when he discussed problems in his relationship, the recruiter recommended a Scientology course for couples.
Alternative Recruitment Methods
In addition to direct recruitment, Scientology also attracts new members through:
- Psychological testing
- Management seminars
- The drug rehabilitation program Narconon
These methods allow the organization to reach a broader audience and present Scientology as a solution to various personal and professional challenges.
Celebrity Focus
Scientology has always placed a strong emphasis on recruiting celebrities. L. Ron Hubbard recognized early on that having famous adherents would lend credibility to Scientology and help establish its image as a path to enlightenment.
As early as 1955, just one year after Scientology's founding, members were encouraged to recruit celebrities from a list of desirable targets, including names like Marlene Dietrich and Walt Disney. Rewards were promised for successfully bringing in these high-profile converts.
To cater specifically to famous individuals, Hubbard established the first Celebrity Centre in Hollywood in 1969. Today, there are Celebrity Centres in several major American and European cities. These centers serve not only to attract established stars but also to draw in aspiring young actors who see them as networking opportunities.
Special Treatment for Star Recruits
Celebrity members of Scientology often receive special treatment designed to keep them engaged with the organization. For instance, Tom Cruise, one of Scientology's most prominent celebrity members, has direct access to David Miscavige, the current leader of the Church.
When Miscavige first learned of Cruise's affiliation with Scientology, he went to great lengths to cater to the star, including:
- Inviting him to exclusive locations
- Assigning the best auditors to work with him
- Recruiting Church members to renovate Cruise's home
- Organizing a lavish birthday celebration for Cruise on Scientology's cruise ship, the Freewinds
This special treatment for celebrities serves to keep them loyal to the organization and helps maintain Scientology's public image.
Scientology's Political Influence and Adversarial Tactics
Operation Snow White
One of the most audacious attempts by Scientology to gain political influence was Operation Snow White, launched in 1973. This covert operation was a response to what Hubbard perceived as growing hostility towards Scientology from governments worldwide, particularly in the United States, Britain, and France.
The operation involved:
- Infiltrating 137 government agencies across the globe
- Deploying approximately 5,000 Scientologists as covert operatives
- Targeting major organizations such as Interpol, national police forces, immigration offices, the IRS, Federal Trade Commission, Justice Department, and American Medical Association
- Seeking out and attempting to remove any disparaging files on the Church
The scale and ambition of Operation Snow White were staggering. In Germany alone, Scientologists infiltrated major law enforcement and government agencies. In the United States, they targeted not only federal agencies but also newspapers that had taken a critical stance on Scientology.
The conspiracy was ultimately uncovered in 1977, resulting in prison sentences for eleven Church members. This exposure dealt a significant blow to Scientology's reputation and led to increased scrutiny of the organization's activities.
Tactics Against Critics
Scientology has a history of aggressively targeting its critics, often employing tactics that go far beyond conventional public relations or legal responses. The case of journalist Paulette Cooper in 1973 is a prime example of the lengths to which the Church would go to silence its detractors.
After Cooper wrote a critical article about Scientology, the Church launched a multi-pronged attack on her, including:
- Attempting to sue her 19 times
- Following and harassing her
- Tapping her phone
- Sending letters to her neighbors claiming she was a prostitute and child molester
- Accusing her of sending a bomb threat to Scientology headquarters
The FBI's 1977 raid on Scientology offices uncovered a file detailing "Operation Freakout," which explicitly aimed to have Cooper "incarcerated in a mental institution or jail."
According to investigative reporter Richard Behar and others, this aggressive approach to critics is not unusual for Scientology. Behar's 1991 Time article, "Scientology: The Thriving Cult of Greed and Power," detailed how critics of the organization often face threats of litigation, surveillance by private investigators, and false accusations.
Allegations of Abuse Within Scientology
Hubbard's Personal History of Violence
The history of abuse within Scientology can be traced back to its founder, L. Ron Hubbard. According to accounts from his family members, Hubbard was prone to violent behavior, particularly towards his wives and children.
His second wife reported that Hubbard repeatedly kicked her in the stomach during her pregnancy, apparently intending to cause a miscarriage. Similar stories of violence were recounted by Hubbard's first son from another marriage.
Institutional Abuse
The abusive tendencies apparent in Hubbard's personal life seem to have carried over into the organizational structure of Scientology. One of the most shocking examples came to light during the FBI's 1977 raid on Scientology properties.
In the basement of the Cedars of Lebanon Hospital, a recent acquisition of the Church, FBI agents discovered a group of about 120 people in a state of extreme distress. These individuals were found huddled together in small cubicles, wearing rags around their arms to denote their degraded status.
This group was part of Scientology's Rehabilitation Project Force (RPF), a program that combined hard labor with Hubbard's spiritual healing techniques. The exact reasons for their confinement remain unclear, but the conditions they were kept in were clearly abusive.
Allegations Against David Miscavige
David Miscavige, who succeeded Hubbard as the leader of Scientology, has also faced numerous allegations of abusive behavior. Eleven former members of the Church have accused Miscavige of physical violence, including claims that he would beat them.
One former member alleged that Miscavige knocked her to the ground with a flying tackle. Another executive reported being sent to the RPF, where he was allegedly forced to run around a pole in the desert for 12 hours a day.
The Role of the Rehabilitation Project Force (RPF)
The RPF serves multiple purposes within Scientology, some of which are deeply troubling:
- It's partly used as a way for members to pay off debts accumulated for courses they've taken on credit.
- The physically and emotionally abusive aspects of the RPF, along with its prison-like nature, suggest it's also used as a punishment tool.
- It appears to be a means of breaking down individuals psychologically and ensuring their compliance with Church directives.
Despite the numerous and consistent allegations of abuse from former members, the Church of Scientology steadfastly denies all such claims.
The Impact and Legacy of Scientology
Continued Influence Despite Controversy
Despite the numerous controversies and allegations surrounding it, Scientology continues to exert significant influence, particularly in Hollywood and other spheres of public life. The organization's ability to attract and retain celebrity members has played a crucial role in maintaining its public profile and appeal.
Legal and Social Challenges
Scientology faces ongoing legal challenges and social scrutiny in many countries. While it has achieved recognition as a religion in some nations, others continue to view it with skepticism or outright hostility. The organization's aggressive tactics against critics and ex-members have contributed to its controversial reputation.
The Future of Scientology
As more information about Scientology's practices becomes public, and as former members continue to speak out, the organization faces increasing challenges to its legitimacy and operations. However, its financial resources, celebrity endorsements, and dedicated core membership suggest that Scientology will likely continue to be a significant, if controversial, presence in the religious and cultural landscape for years to come.
Conclusion
Lawrence Wright's "Going Clear" provides a comprehensive and eye-opening look at the Church of Scientology, from its science fiction-inspired origins to its current status as a powerful and controversial organization. The book reveals a complex tapestry of belief, manipulation, celebrity, and alleged abuse that has characterized Scientology throughout its history.
Key takeaways from the book include:
- The blurred lines between religion and business in Scientology's structure and practices
- The central role of L. Ron Hubbard in shaping the organization's beliefs and methods
- Scientology's aggressive recruitment tactics and focus on celebrity members
- The organization's efforts to gain political influence and silence critics
- Numerous allegations of abuse within the Church's hierarchy and programs
- The ongoing impact of Scientology on its members and the broader culture
"Going Clear" challenges readers to consider the nature of belief, the power of charismatic leadership, and the potential for both transformation and manipulation within religious movements. It serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of unquestioning faith and the importance of critical thinking when confronted with extraordinary claims.
As Scientology continues to evolve and face new challenges in the 21st century, Wright's thorough investigation provides an essential foundation for understanding this enigmatic and controversial organization. Whether viewed as a religion, a business, or something in between, Scientology remains a subject of fascination and concern for many, making "Going Clear" a valuable resource for anyone seeking to understand its complex history and ongoing influence.