What Do You Believe?
Scientology
Introduction
A. Today we are continuing our series called “What do you believe?” We are talking about some of the major false religions that we are faced
with today such as Jehovah Witnesses, the Mormons, Scientology and Islam and why Christianity is different from them. Many Christians
today are confused about what they believe. They are not sure if other religions are okay or if they are the same as Christianity. Many
Christians have bought into the lie that there are many ways to God and Christianity is just another one of those ways.
B. We have been using what I am calling the three S’s as a way of determining whether a religion is true or false. They stand for Savior,
Salvation, and Scripture. All false religions differ from the Christian view on these three major issues.
1. Savior: All false religions change who Jesus really was. They do not believe that He is the ‘only way’ to heaven. Usually they follow
another prophet or holy man who is considered as good as Jesus.
2. Salvation: All false religions teach that a person must ‘earn’ their way to heaven. They don’t believe we are saved by grace, God’s
gift.
3. Scripture: All false religions teach that the Bible is ‘incomplete/outdated’ and there are ‘other’ holy books which are ‘more’ important.
C. So far we have looked at the beliefs of the Jehovah Witnesses and the Mormons, and Islam. Today we are going to talk about Scientology.
D. Why am I doing this teaching? I am not teaching this series so you can argue with people of other faiths. The main reason I am teaching this
is to help you establish what it is that you believe so that you are not lead astray and deceived. Sooner or later every Christian has to come
to grips with what it is that they really believe and if it is really different than other religions. I want to help you to see the ‘distinctives’ of your
faith. The second reason to equip you so that you can help others; friends, relatives, and co-workers, who are open and looking for truth.
History of Scientology
A. One of the most popular cults today, which has been brought to the fore front by Hollywood celebrities such as Tom Cruise and John
Travolta is the “Church of Scientology.”
(This is really what Scientologist believe, but they are not taught this until they get to the third level of training, which most never get to. I am
not at all condoning the South Park cartoon, it is an equal opportunity blasphemer! But this one episode really does tell what Scientologist
believe in a short two minute video. If you don’t play the video you might take a few minutes and explain what they believe about the aliens
coming to earth and inhabiting our bodies. It is really, really way out there!)
B. Scientology was started by L. Ron Hubbard. His first major work was published in 1950. The book was called, “Dianetics: the Modern
Science of Mental Health.” In it he offered a methodology designed to help alleviate such things as unwanted sensations and emotions,
irrational fears, and psychosomatic illnesses. The book became a best seller. In 1951, after seeing the popularity of his book, Hubbard
concluded that an individual was neither his body nor his mind, but rather an immortal spiritual being. And this became the true beginning of
scientology, as Hubbard moved from being an author to a spiritual leader. He also wrote another booklet that is widely distributed to
interested people called “The Way to Happiness.”
C. Scientolgist have worked hard on presenting a well respectable image in the community. They are well dressed, clean shaven, middle
class types who speak out against drugs, adultery, and pre-marital sex. They are the sponsors behind the “Narcanon’ drug rehabilitation
program and Crimanon a criminal rehabilitation program.
D. There are now over 7,300 scientology groups, missions, and churches in 163 countries around the world. There are 87,000 volunteer
ministers and they claim there are 8 million dedicated followers.
The beliefs of Scientology
A. Hubbard taught that mankind is descended from an alien race of gods called ‘thetans.’ Scientologist are encouraged to wake up their thetan
or god powers by removing all mental blocks called ‘engrams.’ Engrams are traumatic experiences from the past or from past lives which
stop spiritual progress. Dianetics teaches individuals how to clear oneself of all these hinderances.
B. The word “scientology” means “the study of knowledge or truth.” The main practice of Scientology is spiritual counseling called “auditing.” It
is seen as a form of personal counseling intended to help an individual look at his past hinderances or engrams. They use a set form of 200
questions, called a ‘personality test’ to ask the person being audited. This test tells them what exactly they need to work on to improve their
condition. Auditing is a thoroughly codified activity with exact procedures. A Scientology counselor is known as an “auditor.” Those who
remove all their past hinderances are said to be now be ‘clear’
C. Scientologists also use specially designed meters, called E-Meters or Electro-psycho meters, which are like lie detectors. These meters
help to locate areas of spiritual distress by measuring the mental state of change of the person being audited. Scientologists insist that this
is very much like a church confession of past sins.
D. Scientology places a strong emphasis on continual training and education in the scientology principles. This is what has caused a lot of
concern today, since they charge exorbitant amounts of money for people to take these education classes, literally tens of thousands of
dollars. While auditing teaches them to see that they have some hindrances, it is ongoing training that teaches one how to overcome the
experiences of their past.
E. People in Scientology believe by using both auditing and training, they can raise themselves to a higher spiritual existence. The end goal is
to free themselves from the dependence on the material universe.
How does Scientology differ from Christianity?
A. As with all false religions, Scientology differs with Christianity on the three S’s that we have been talking about.
B. Savior: Jesus Christ
1. Scientology, teaches that Jesus was a good teacher that learned to be clear of his past hinderances. He is considered the model of a self
actualized person that we should all follow along with L Ron Hubbard.
2. Christianity teaches that Jesus Christ is the second person of the trinity, God the Son, the Savior of the world. He did not attain perfection.
He was born without sin with His virgin birth and chose to live a sinless life and as a result He was able to offer Himself as a sacrifice for all
mankind.
C. Scriptures
1. In Scientology there are scores of books and over 15,000 pages of technical writing and more than 3,000 recorded lectures. These books
and lectures are considered to be scripture to a member of the church of Scientology. The Book, Dianetics is a must read for all
Scientologists. Followers are taught of list of ten rules for keeping Scientology working, the first few rules convince followers that
EVERYTHING L. Ron Hubbard ever said and wrote is correct and infallible and that by following them to the letter the student will achieve
superpowers.
2. Christianity teaches that God gave us His Word, the Bible and that in it we can find God and learn of His plan for all mankind. We believe
that the Bible is a ‘must read’ for all followers of God.
D. Salvation
1. Scientology is like all the other false religions. Salvation is based on one’s good works. Scientologist are continually encouraged to
develop into that ultimate spirit being by working harder, taking more classes and doing good deeds. It is a religion of good works that
never offers peace. Scientologist, believe in the continual cycle of reincarnation of the spirit until a person gets it right and attains the state
of liberation from matter, energy, space, and time and then enters immortality.
2. Christianity teaches that no matter how many good deeds we do, we can never pay for our past sins. We believe that the only way to take
care of our past is to ask God to forgive them. Also Christianity teaches you only get one chance at this. We don’t get many chances by
coming back in some form of reincarnation. The Bible teaches that it is appointed unto man ONCE to die and then the judgment. The
whole teaching of reincarnation is from the devil to let people think that if they don’t get it right this time, they get to do it again!
Scientology teaches that man is basically good Ps 51:5
A. This is typical in most false religions. Scientology teaches that man is basically good and that he must discover this goodness in himself to
attain a higher level of living. Scientology teaches that the basic problem of humanity is learned behavior or conflicts from one’s past. They
believe that it is a person’s experiences that cause them to commit evil deeds. They call them ‘engrams.’ These learned behaviors prevent
individuals from realizing their own divinity. Scientologist believe through auditing and training, one can become “clear” of their engrams
and attain full human potential and become fully aware of personal divinity. It is all about getting rid of bad experiences that a person may
have encountered along life’s paths and discovering their own goodness.
B. Christianity teaches that the basic problem of humanity is an inherited sin nature. Ps 51 “in sin was I conceived.” Christianity
teaches that the only way we can properly deal with sin is to ask God to forgive us our sins. God promises to separate us from our sins as
far as the east is from the west. As a Christian we will never attain a state of sinlessness but that we will always have to deal with the sin
nature until we die and receive a new glorified body that is sinless. It is true that many people are held back because of their past sins but
the way to take care of our past sins and mistakes is not to try to ‘undo’ them by doing more good today. The way we get rid of our past sins
is to ask God to forgive them.
C. This whole concept of whether man is basically good from birth or basically a sinner is difficult for many people to deal with. We want to
believe that man is basically good, but the Word of God tells us we are not, and that from birth we are basically sinners, who seek our own,
are selfish, proud and deceitful. We need to be taught how to love and consider others first.
D. Through the use of auditing Scientology offers a form of confession of past sins which does bring a sense of relieve to the person when they
do it. But it is short lived because they soon find out that the sin nature is still alive in them. It is very discouraging to think that you have
once and for all dealt with all your past problems thinking they will never come up again and then to find them still coming up.
E. As Christians our approach is to recognize that we will always have this sin nature in us until we die and then receive our glorified bodies.
Until then we learn to deal with our sins as they come up and seek to walk in victory with the understanding that we will continually need to
be forgiven all of our lives.
Scientology teaches a person can become like God Isaiah 14:9-15
A. Scientology claims to deal with the human spirit and its relationship to the universe and its’ Creator. It teaches that the fundamental laws
of life, when applied, help people achieve a happier and more fulfilling existence and ultimately divinity. The main point of Scientology is
the human spirit, and its rehabilitation to immortality.
B. Scientology is really just another self help group in a long line of previous false religions such as Existentialism, Transcendental
Meditation, Eckankar, the Bahai faith, EST, Hare Krishna, and numerous others. It is all about discovering God in you and becoming like
God. The interesting thing is that this is what has plaqued mankind from the beginning. This is what caused Lucifer to fall from heaven,
when he sought to lift himself up to be ‘equal with God.’ Isaiah 14:9-15 “Hell from beneath is excited about you, To meet you at your coming;
It stirs up the dead for you. All the chief ones of the earth; It has raised up from their thrones. All the kings of the nations. They all shall
speak and say to you: “Have you also become as weak as we? Have you become like us? Your pomp is brought down to Sheol, And the
sound of your stringed instruments; The maggot is spread under you, And worms cover you.’ “How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer,
son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, You who weakened the nations! For you have said in your heart: “I will ascend into
heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation. On the farthest sides of the north; I
will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.’ Yet you shall be brought down to Sheol, To the lowest depths of
the Pit.
C. This is an amazing passage of Scripture. Once you see this is what happened to Lucifer and then you see this pattern is all of these false
religions, you should be able to connect the dots. Who is behind this teaching that ‘you can become like God?” The devil.
D. This is at the root of all sin, the desire to be ‘like God.” This is what Satan tempted Eve with in the garden, “If you eat the fruit you will
become like God.’ There is something in our human nature that wants to lift us up to be equal with God. It is good to want to continue to
grow and develop and mature but it crosses the line when we think we can become ‘like God.” We cannot ever be like God. We are His
creation and we are created to honor and worship Him alone.
E. This is what is so significant in Philippians when Paul wrote that Jesus thought it NOT ROBBERY to be equal with God. Only Jesus could
make that claim. This is a common theme in most false religions the encouragement to develop oneself to eventually become like God.
Why are people drawn into cults and false religions? Matt 9:36-39, Luke 10:1-3
A. Many people have had bad experiences with Christian churches. They have been hurt and mistreated. Many people complain about the
hypocrisy they see in people who call themselves Christian and they are looking for something that is real.
B. Many people are just hurting people who are dealing with difficulties in life: fears, hurts, sicknesses, loneliness, etc. Then they meet
someone from one of these false religions who offers to help them and they are drawn in.
C. Let’s turn to Matt 9:36-39 and read what Jesus said. There are so many hurt confused, lost and lonely people in this world. They might be
our co-workers, our neighbor, relatives or close friend. We have the answer to life’s questions. It is not through perfection of oneself. We
can lead them to God, who alone can meet that inner need, forgive their sins, show them unconditional love.
D. We need to ask God to give us a heart for the lost. Jesus said “look on the harvest it is white and ready to be harvested, pray for more
laborers to enter the harvest field.” We have the true answers may God give us the boldness to tell others.
