The Ins and Outs of Scientology 1: L. Ron Hubbard

The Church of Scientology was established in 1954 based upon the teachings of an author by the name of L. Ron Hubbard. There’s more to the religion than what is perceived in the media as seen in the direct attention received from scientologist, Tom Cruise. This article allows you to learn a bit about the man who started this belief system.

 

Many encounters shaped Hubbard’s beliefs throughout his life. As a child, he valued his friendship with a Blackfoot Indian tribe that was living close to his home in Helena, Montana. He opened his mind and embraced the culture of the tribe, including their customs and legends. When Hubbard turned six, soon after, he had the honor of establishing a brotherhood with the tribe, which is considered a rare occurrence.

 

Hubbard and his family moved to Seattle in 1923. It was there that he joined the Boy Scouts, soon becoming one of the youngest Eagle Scouts at the age of 13. That same year, he visited Washington, DC through the Panama Canal. It was then that he had his first taste of Sigmund Freud when he forged a friendship with Naval Commander Joseph C. Thompson, who was sent by the Marines to study under the wise one. Four years later, Hubbard would travel to Asia.

 

When he was 19 years old, he had racked up many travel miles, including journeys to China, the Philippines, Guam, as well as Japan. During these adventures, he met an array of influential individuals and experienced many life-changing lessons. Some of the people he met included Old Mayo, who was a magician from Beijing, as well as Mongolian nomadic bandits. He also was able to spend time at a Buddhist lamasery located in the Western Hills of China. Although he looked upon the East as a respectful land with many wise inhabitants, he found that even the ancient texts that their religions were based upon, did not contain all of the answers. He wished to sooth the ignorance and despair that affected those he encountered.

 

In 1929, he came back to the United States, attending school and graduating from the Woodword School for Boys, which was based in Washington, D.C. He then attended George Washington University, where he studied math and engineering. Hubbard was most interested in the way that the human mind worked. He wished to further his curiosity by taking in all that he learned from his travels, studies and life experiences. Hubbard decided to depart from college before graduating, where he became a well-known and respected author, completing more than 200 novels and short stories. This allowed him to pay for his research.

 

In his lifetime, Hubbard served as a Navy Lieutenant during World War II, as well as spent some time at Oak Knoll Naval Hospital in Oakland, California. During recovery, he took the time to experiment on the mind in regards to medical treatment. He concluded that mental blocks that patients possess could hinder the positive effects of medical treatment.

 

After the war ended, he experimented some more and was able to aid in the recovery of more than 400 people using procedures that he created. Later, his method would be known as “Dianetics.” The first article that was published on Dianetic appeared in 1949. He released his finding to the public after rejection from medical giants, such as the American Medical Association and American Psychiatric Association.

 

In 1950, his book “Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health” was published, selling more than 17 million copies. Additional books on the subject followed. By the end of 1950, the Church of Scientology were using the theories and practices of Dianetics. In 1954, Scientologists established the first Church of Scientology in Los Angeles. Scientologists give credit to L. Ron Hubbard for the creation of the subject, but state that early Scientologists were responsible for the founding of the church. After this establishment, Hubbard went on to write numerous publications, created a step-by-step method regarding spiritual awareness, as well as established a drug rehabilitation program. Hubbard’s last book, The Way to Happiness, sold more than 35 million copies. In 1986, Hubbard passed away.