Scientology: Cult Or Legitimate Religion

If someone has ever seen the phrase, “Church of Scientology,” then they have most likely also seen the name “Tom Cruise” associated with it. This is because the Church of Scientology has had a long and harrowing history in Hollywood, and its list of members has included A-list celebrities for decades. However, it is important to note that the Church has controlled the narrative surrounding its portrayal in the media. Their seemingly endless sources of funding have aided in allowing them to have the ability to maintain a façade of secrecy, resulting in total deception of the public. Howbeit, new accounts from ex-members that have escaped the Church of Scientology have surfaced, bringing new attention to the abuse and brainwashing that has occurred in the Church. The Church of Scientology has controlled the rhetoric surrounding their organization and reputation through solicitations of millions of dollars from A-list celebrities, and through influencing said celebrities.

The Church of Scientology was created in 1954 by a man named L. Ron Hubbard, who resigned in 1966 (History of Scientology, 2016). According to, “New Religious Movements, Technology and Science: The Conceptualization of the E-Meter in Scientology Teachings,” the term ‘Scientology’ can be defined as 'knowing how to know.” Furthermore, “Scientology is a religion that offers a precise path leading to a complete and certain understanding of one’s true spiritual nature and one’s relationship to self, family, groups, Mankind, all life forms, the material universe, the spiritual universe and the Supreme Being,' as stated in “Scientology: Sect, Science, or Scam?” Numen: International Review for the History of Religions.” Hubbard believed that it was necessary for members to study his teachings in order to truly be successful. This included purchasing all twelve of his books and audio recordings and attending therapy sessions called “audits” that cost over $700 an hour. Leah Remini, a prominent ex-member of the Church of Scientology and A-list celebrity, has spoken out repeatedly against the Church’s costly requirements for individuals to maintain membership. She has said that she spent millions of dollars while a member of the Church and believed that amount was standard for many of its members (Wessinger). Membership in the Church clearly takes a financial and emotional toll on its followers.

However, one aspect of the religion that is usually ignored is the mandatory courses that members must take in order to “achieve success,” which can cost them around $650 per course (Spaulding, 2017). L. Ron Hubbard believed that one could reach these goals by working on “courses” that are meant to help Scientologists reach their full potential and unlock their minds (Reporters, 2016). Hubbard created a chart of courses called, “The Bridge to Total Freedom.” Members begin with a set of introductory courses labeled, “Basic Dianetics & Scientology Materials, which are meant to give new followers some insight on what they should gain from Scientology. The next set of courses are titled, “Purification Rundown,” where it is believed that one can “release” themselves from addictions to harmful substances. Then, there is “Objectives and Scientology Drug Rundown,” where one gains the ability to “heal” themselves from the harmful effects of their addictions (Prices Up To Ot 8 And Beyond). Proceeding that, is the “Arc Straightwire,” where members gain the ability to acknowledge that their conditions won’t worsen. Then, there is “Grade 0,” where it is said that one can finally be able to discuss any topic with their peers. Afterwards, there is “Grade I,” where members gain the ability to find the root causes of their problems and can make them disappear. Furthermore, there is “Grade II,” where individuals can “relieve” themselves from the negative influences in their lives, and then “Grade III,” where they can attain relief from unhappy influences from their past and be able to progress towards their future (Prices Up To Ot 8 And Beyond). Additionally, there is then “Grade IV,” where members gain the ability to circumnavigate suppressive conditions and are now able to achieve new goals. Following this, is “New Era Dianetics,” which, upon completion, gives members the ability to attain the title of “Clear,” which is when one has changed into a person that no longer possesses a “reactive mind.” The next set of courses, labeled “Clear,” expand upon this. Members then go through two more series of courses, titled, “OT Preparations” and “OT Levels” (Prices Up To Ot 8 And Beyond). The term “OT” refers to the phrase “Operating Thetan,” which is the highest title a Scientologist can acquire, where one has finally gained the ability to “handle things and exist without physical support or assistance,” as stated in “What Is Meant by Operating Thetan (OT)?” After completing the ‘Bridge to Total Freedom,” members can expect to have spent between $365,000 - $380,000 on just courses alone (Prices Up To Ot 8 And Beyond).

It is imperative that one understand where the desire to adhere to a religion such as Scientology, comes from. According to “Psychology Today,” “…. individuals have wondered where they came from, why they’re here, and what it all means. Religion… represents society’s attempts to answer those questions. While it isn’t always able to achieve that goal….it often succeeds at providing followers with structure, a code of ethics, and a sense of purpose.” The Church of Scientology claims to provide a series of methods that may provide its members with answers that traditional religions can’t answer, as Scientology is focused on one’s self, but this may be seen as selfish by Christian religions, for example. So, in some contorted way, the Church may provide an alternative to mainstream religion and give individuals a different spiritual route to follow.

Save your time!
We can take care of your essay

• Proper editing and formatting
• Free revision, title page, and bibliography
• Flexible prices and money-back guarantee

Place Order

On the contrary, one may wonder what elements of the religion attracts celebrities to the Church of Scientology, and what may motivate them to continue to be active participants in what many call a “cult.” A prominent influential figure in the Church, Tom Cruise, became a Scientologist after he claimed one of their therapy programs helped rid him of his dyslexia (Famous People And Scientology: Blog, 2014). Hence, Cruise may have felt as if the Church’s techniques may have enhanced his life in ways mainstream religions could not. On another note, the organization promotes immortality of one’s soul, as well as reincarnation, which may interest actors because many of them desire to leave a lasting impact on their audiences. According to, “Famous People And Scientology: Blog,” one of Scientology’s main truths is that, “Man is an immortal spiritual being.” Therefore, these actors’ spirits may transcend time and essentially achieve the lasting legacy they desire, based on the religion’s teachings. Another element that attracts A-list individuals is the fact that they are allowed to retain their celebrity status in the Church. Hubbard, the founder, believed that celebrities were crucial in recruiting new members to the Church. Because of this, celebrities are often pampered by Church officials, who may lighten their required courses, and give them easier audits, in order to give them the “best” representation of the organization. This preferential treatment allows them to be able to still feel superior within the religion.

It is known that the Church of Scientology has embraced their inclusion of celebrities, such as Tom Cruise, Priscilla Presley, Isaac Hayes, and Lisa Marie (Westbrook, 2018). The Church believes that “influential” people such as those mentioned make the best evangelists and are effective at promoting the religion to those who are more impressionable. Artists and celebrities even have their own section in the Church of Scientology, called Celebrity Centre. It is believed that the reason so much emphasis is put on famous individuals is because that the Church wants to create success stories to further promote the Church. Howbeit, there are no wings for “ordinary people,” “middle-class people,” “teachers,” etc. This observation clearly shows a discrepancy in the priorities and focus of the Church’s leaders. If this is true, then there may likely be an ulterior motive of the Church of Scientology’s current leader, David Miscavige. As stated in, “Making a Case for Religious Freedom: The Church of Scientology Responds to Claims Made in an Unauthorized Biography of Tom Cruise,” “It's all about image. ...He's flying across the country in Tom Cruise's jet. ...It's all about living the high life and being a powerful guy who is looked up to by the rich and famous.” So, it would seem that the Church of Scientology does not truly care about spreading L. Ron Hubbard’s teachings. They are instead focused on indulging in the lavish style of the celebrities whom they so heavily worship.

Celebrities are clearly given a higher social status in the Church of Scientology, thus they can be suitable spokespersons for the organization. Pampering celebrity Scientologists is seen as the best method by which to best give influential figures the best representation of the Church (Halupka, 2014). By providing celebrities with a positive, yet deceptive perception of the organization, they are able to attract potential new members for the Church, as well as incorporate propaganda into pop culture, via media outlets. Scientology’s main aims is to utilize influential people to bring in more profits for the Church. Ultimately, it is a business before it is a religion. Although some famous figures support the Church of Scientology, many have managed to escape the organization, such as Leah Remini and Jenna Miscavige. They have openly dissented since then, revealing the horrific crimes carried out by the Church. For example, Remini discussed how the Church manages a large ship for division of Scientology called ‘Sea Org.” Individuals on the ship sign a contract that ends whenever Scientology officials deem appropriate (Jensen, 2017). Miscavige detailed the cruel expectations and conditions she was subjected to, such as having to ask permission to make phone calls and being expected to withhold from having children. Furthermore, women are expected to have an abortion if they get pregnant, and all written correspondence must be evaluated (Bailey, 2018). Those who wished to escape the Sea Org before the organization gave them permission to would be subjected to a “debt,” where the Church will bill them for all auditing and all other services conducted on the ship. This may sum up to thousands of dollars. Therefore, members are essentially imprisoned once they sign their contract, and are treated as children.

In summation, the Church of Scientology is a cult-like religious organization that brainwashes its members and uses celebrity influencers to entice new recruits. The Church has controlled the rhetoric surrounding their organization and reputation through solicitations of large sums of money from A-list individuals, and through manipulation of said celebrities. The Church of Scientology has also forced its members to engage in costly auditing sessions, take expensive courses, and give up their basic freedoms for the sake of becoming “one’s true self.” This includes signing a contract to serve the organization for an undeterminable length of time. The psychology of religion explains why regular people may feel drawn to such an unconventional religion, with all of the atrocities that reportedly occur within it. The founder, L. Ron Hubbard, explains that celebrity figures are attracted to the religion because the doctrine of Scientology makes it possible for one to leave a legacy on others through reincarnation of the spirit.