What is Scientology?

No, Christian Science is completely unrelated to Scientology. Despite sharing a similar-sounding name, they have entirely separate origins, scriptures, and core theological beliefs:

* Christian Science: Founded in 1879 by Mary Baker Eddy, it is a Bible-based, non-trinitarian Christian movement focused on the healing ministry of Jesus.

* Scientology: Founded in 1954 by L. Ron Hubbard, it is a secularly derived system of self-improvement and spiritual auditing that does not recognize the Christian Bible or Jesus Christ.

Eckankar has historically faced criticism from religious scholars and skeptics regarding the originality of its foundational texts. In the late 1970s and 1980s, researchers like religious studies professor David C. Lane alleged that founder Paul Twitchell extensively plagiarized sections of his books from various sources, including the Radhasoami movement, Sant Mat, and Scientology. The church generally addresses these criticisms by stating that Twitchell was a master compiler of universal, timeless truths that belong to all humanity.

Scientology is a modern religious movement developed in the 1950s by American science fiction author Ron Hubbard. It grew directly out of his 1950 self-help system called Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health. Hubbard officially incorporated the first Church of Scientology in 1954 in Los Angeles, California, framing it as a applied religious philosophy focused on spiritual rehabilitation.

Scientology teaches that a human being is fundamentally an immortal spiritual being called a thetan. The core doctrine asserts that the thetan lives through multiple lifetimes and has become trapped in the physical universe (composed of Matter, Energy, Space, and Time, abbreviated as MEST). The ultimate goal of the religion is to help individuals regain their true, native spiritual nature, capabilities, and relationship with the divine.

Auditing is the core spiritual practice of Scientology. It is a form of personal counseling where a church minister or trained specialist (an auditor) guides a practitioner through a series of structured questions. The goal is to locate and neutralize 'engrams' painful, subconscious memories of past trauma from this life or previous lives to free the individual from their negative effects.

The legal status of Scientology varies significantly around the world:

* United States: The IRS officially granted full tax-exempt status to the Church of Scientology as a bona fide religion in 1993.

* International: It is legally recognized as a religion in countries like the UK, Colombia, Spain and Australia. However, other countries such as Germany and France do not recognize its religious status and classify it as a commercial enterprise or a controversial sect.

Scientology is vehemently opposed to psychiatry and psychiatric medication. The church views psychiatry as a destructive, unscientific practice that treats human beings as mere animals rather than spiritual entities. They advocate exclusively for spiritual and holistic alternatives to mental distress, operating an advocacy group called the Citizens Commission on Human Rights (CCHR) to actively campaign against psychiatric treatments.

Following the death of founder Ron Hubbard in 1986, leadership of the church passed to David Miscavige. He serves as the Chairman of the Board of the Religious Technology Center (RTC), the entity that holds the ultimate authority over the trademarks and scriptures of Dianetics and Scientology. Miscavige has been the undisputed leader of the global organization for several decades.