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What Exactly is Scientology?

With so many of its followers bright in the spotlight, there are very few people out there who don't know about Scientology. But how much they know about this unusual religion is another question entirely. Sure, you probably know that Scientology is a "Hollywood" religion practiced by the likes of Tom Cruise, John Travolta, and Will Smith. But what, exactly, do these Hollywood stars --and others like them-- actually believe?

What Scientologists Believe

Scientology as a religion was founded in the 1950's by science fiction writer L. Ron Hubbard (though he didn't start calling it a "religion" until the late 1960's). In essence, Scientologists believe that a "clear" state of being is ideal, and that events that have taken place during your life (or even in a past life) can get in the way of that state of being. To rid the body of these "traumas," Scientologists practice "audits" with a senior member of the religion, and the electromagnetic balance of the body is measured while questions about the past or past life are asked.

Sound strange? Some of what Scientologists believe is very strange indeed. In addition to the traumas that come from our own pasts and our past lives, Scientologists also believe that some of our problems -- those things which get in the way of our personal growth -- are due not to our pasts, but to ancient alien dictators who implanted them within us trillions of years ago in order to control the human race. They believe that human life and human kind come from an ancient galactic empire that's been around long before there was life on Earth.

But not everything that Scientologists believe sounds like it came straight out of the science fiction novels that its creator wrote. They also believe some rather nice -- and rather practical -- things that may seem familiar to followers of many other religions. For instance, Scientologists believe that humans are basically good, but make bad decisions because of these "traumas" in their past. They also believe in reincarnation, and that the soul -- what they call the "thetan"-- lives on long after the body dies.

Criticism of Scientology

Many followers of Scientology (Tom Cruise, anyone?) are outspoken about their beliefs and their religions. In recent years, this has really opened Scientology up to criticism from all sides. And as Scientologists do have some controversial opinions and practices, some of that criticism seems well-founded.

One thing that's received a lot of attention recently is Scientology's involvement in what's been called the "anti-psychiatry movement." Scientologists have even blamed the practice of psychiatry for catastrophic historical events, such as World War I and the rise of dictators Hitler and Stalin. They believe that no person needs or should use psychiatry or the drugs used to treat psychiatric problems. Tom Cruise was recently called out for berating Brooke Shields' claim of post-partum depression and that the use of anti-depressants helped her to recover. He later apologized, but his comments well-summarize some of the beliefs of the Church of Scientology.

On paper, much of what Scientologists believe is strange, controversial, or just plain wacky. But the same is true of most religions, and all religions have received plenty of criticism of their own. Those who follow Scientology truly believe that the religion helps them to lead a happier and healthier life and even if they believe some things that you or I may find hard to swallow, anything that makes life easier can't be all bad, can it? And hey, it might be nice to blame your last internet dating disaster on an ancient alien race instead of yourself, for once!

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