RPM, Volume 11, Number 4, January 25 to January 31 2009

Cruising for a Bruising

Scientology's Relatives of Gnosticism and Satanism

By Joseph R. Nally

Theological Editor
Third Millennium Ministries

Our culture is hearing the beat of Tom-Tom Drums. 1 Hollywood actor, ‘Tom' Hanks plays the part of Dr. Robert Langdon in Dan Brown's Da Vinci Code and Angels and Demons and ‘Tom' Cruise is endorsing2 the cult of Scientology. Both appear to playing the drum of a different drummer than the God of the Bible. In their own individual ways, both are communicating vain and deceitful propaganda and testimonies of the occult. It appears much of Hollywood is embracing a Dr. Kevorkian 3 type of theology — suicidal theology (Rom. 1:18-31). While I have briefly dealt with Dan Brown's Da Vinci Code4 and Angels and Demons5 in other articles, in this article I shall briefly deal with Scientology and its grandparents of Gnosticism and Satanism.

Before we progress with this study, it may be good to understand why would anyone get involved in a cult6 in the first place. Since this is not the major topic of this paper, I will keep my observations brief. However, they are important for understanding the mindsets of individuals concerned. They are also helpful in understanding how to pray for and aid in ministering cult members.

Individuals do not generally get involved in cults first and foremost due to doctrine. This normally comes in larger and larger doses after other deceptions. At first, what the cult offers appears genuine, but over time, their appeals to the needs of individuals move in false spiritual, emotional, and physical practices. Most are in need of something the cult provides - often a father and/or mother figure. Some use cults to make up for other inadequacies in their life and give into free drugs and alcohol, peer pressure, and certain questionable friendships. Many cult members I have interviewed claim they found the feeling of belonging that they lacked before they joined. The cult gives some a sense of purpose and self. They appear to initially provide some service to the individual that they desire: such as community, absolutes to live by, security, self-esteem, and power over one's own life and that of others, etc. Some whom are raised in a cult remain in it due to relational issues. Others may seek an escape from an oppressive situation that renders them powerless. In many ways, some members of cults are the unpaid bills of the Church not educating their own members in the truth. However, one thing all cult members have in common is that they have been deceived by the Devil and his cohorts (Matt. 4:3; John 8:44; 1 Pet. 5:8, etc.).He temporarily, through the agency of other people, pampers emotional and physical needs and then grips his victims with venomous philosophies, poisonous guilt, and fanged love. We do well to remember some of the words of the precious hymn, "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God." 7 In it, Luther says to be watchful: "For still our ancient foe doth seek to work us woe; His craft and power are great, and armed with cruel hate, On earth is not his equal."

Cultic activity is not new. The church of the Old Testament (Israel) was planted in the midst of three cultures: "the Canaanite, Egyptian, and Babylonian …. with beliefs in demonic agents and activities, with beliefs in demons and demon worship, with possession phenomena, exorcism, spiritualism, and other sordid practices," 8 and today the church is planted in the midst of parallel cultic activity. Not only is cultic activity not new, Christians must learn how to fight against it using some holy resources. Paul teaches the church in Ephesians 6:10-18:

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.

The church today is in a fight; it is to "resist the devil" by submitting itself to God (Jam. 4:17). However, how does the church community submit itself to God? We submit to God by faithfully feeding upon His Word, relational prayer, church, community, the sacraments, employing our gifts, giving, ministering, etc. Moreover, we must not only understand God more fully, but ourselves, 9 the world around us, and our enemies as well. As Paul writes, "Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices" (2 Cor. 2:11, KJV). We need to understand who we are in warfare with (1 Pet. 5:8). We need to understand the enemy's doctrine, agenda, weapons, and roots. This paper takes one brief step in attempting to allow us to understand one of our enemies and its doctrine a little better.

Scientology

Before proceeding, a definition needs to be established. What is a cult? Though not without its difficulties, I agree with Dr. Charles Branden's definition concerning the term "cult" as far as it goes. Branden states:

By the term cult, I mean nothing derogatory to any group so classified. A cult, as I define it, is any religious group which differs significantly in one or more respects as to the belief or practice from those religious groups that are regarded as the normative expressions of religion in our total culture. 10

Of course, now the question is what classifies a group as a "normative expression of religion"? Branden, a liberal, would most definitely disagree with me here, however, my definition here is rather simple. The Apostle Paul already wrote in Galatians 1:6-9 concerning this centuries ago saying:

I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel — which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned! As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let him be eternally condemned! 11

Thus, "any" and "all" alleged gospels that share in "any" form to remove one away from the "faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints" (Jude 3) are a cult! While this definition covers a lot of territory, and some individuals state that there is no "universally agreed-upon definition of a cult," 12 the world is a huge place full of deviant and destructive faiths — some estimates are as high as 3000. 13 While even Christianity may be defined as a cult, my use of it in this paper concerns groups that are anti-Christian. Cults affirm and preach another gospel than that of the Holy Scripture. One such cult is Scientology.

What is Scientology? According to the Wikipedia website, Scientology is "the study of truth." 14 However, the true Christian will see many difficulties even in this ‘limited definition' of Scientology once ‘the truth' from the Scientology perspective is more deeply explored, and its roots are exposed.

Charles (Chuck) R. Swindoll states, "Deception comes in convincing fashion, wearing the garb of authenticity, supported by the credentials of intelligence, popularity, and even a touch of class." 15 Deception is attacking our culture presently in the cult of Scientology.

Why is Scientology a cult? Because, it disagrees with many of the tenets of the faith once delivered to the saints. Besides its professed doctrines of: (1) Thetan, 16 man's true identity, (2) Engrams, 17 man's enslavement (bondage), (3) Auditing, 18 man's self-salvation, and (4) God, being of man's creation, 19 Scientology accepts reincarnation, says man is basically good, dismisses the reality of hell, rejects the divinity of Jesus Christ, and accepts occult "out-of-body" experiences.

Let us look at a brief, but not comprehensive comparison of systems:

As one may observe from even a brief look at their doctrine and statements on ethics and government, Scientology strains at the gnat20 of being anything even remotely Christian, much less moral or civil. The irony of their organization is apparent as they claim to be a religion to "the study of truth," but emphatically state, "Handling truth is a touchy business ... Tell an acceptable truth." 21

We have briefly discussed the doctrine of Scientology. 22 Their movie star driven agenda is clear as it is a mass marketing appeal of deceived individuals deceiving others (Matt. 15:14). As the Apostle writes, "But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived" (2 Tim. 3:12, KJV) and "they must be silenced, because they are ruining whole households by teaching things they ought not to teach—and that for the sake of dishonest gain" (Tit. 1:11). Thus, the remainder of this article will be to identity two main roots of Scientology and answer the question, "Who are the grandparents of Scientology?"

Gnosticism

"Scientology offers [G]nosticism as a substitute for the Gospel." 23 What is Gnosticism? Gnosticism is a system of philosophy that claims, "The physical universe was never meant to be. Its existence, its creation if you will, resulted from a cosmic "goof" committed by the foolish Creator God (the Demiurge) of the Bible." 24 As the system developed, Gnosticism came to a point of saying that the God of the Bible will not save a person, but knowing yourself will. 25 While they denied the resurrection of Christ, they acclaimed, "the Gnostic, though … divine, must also become divine by the event of saving gnosis … self-knowledge." 26

When we compare this to Scientology, we see an amazing parallel, for as we have seen above they say, "There was no Christ." 27 Moreover, their organization is built upon knowing oneself. This is seen in their practice of what they refer to as auditing (from the Latin word "audire" meaning "to listen"). This is a central practice of the Scientology religion where an auditor (a counselor) uses a device (electropsychometer, or "E-Meter" 28 ), which assists the auditor to locate areas of spiritual travail in the person's life and past. Amazingly, Peter Jones points out, that in the techniques for knowing one's self, in Gnostic documents discovered at Nag Hammadi, 29 that, "In Zostrianos the author sets out a program that others are to follow, including ascetic practices and meditation to reduce "chaos in the mind," and by which he receives a first vision of the divine presence." 30 Scientology is the re-birth of a form of Gnosticism.

For example, in Advance!, 31 Scientology's former magazine, issue 93 has an article entitled, "The Surprising Christian Tradition of Reincarnation," which relies on Gnostic writings such as the Pistis Sophia (a surviving Gnostic writing) to support its viewpoint. Moreover, when L. Ron Hubbard died in 1986, it was announced that he had left this MEST32 universe. Why? To continue his work and research. In other words, he had obtained the gnosis needed to break the bonds to this material illusory plane and travel to other worlds or dimensions at will. 33

Another obvious connection to Gnosticism is in the upper level of training known as Operating Thetan III. 34 At this level, the Scientologist is first taught that many of his problems are caused by other souls attached to his soul. However, salvation may be had, as these souls may be detached and sent on their way through the training courses — which you pay for. However, these "discoveries" of Hubbard actually were taught, in Gnosticism, as far back as 300 AD:

For many spirits dwell in it [the body] and do not permit it to be pure; each of them brings to fruition its own works, and they treat it abusively by means of unseemly desires. To me it seems that the heart suffers in much the same way as an inn: for it has holes and trenches dug in it and is often filled with filth by men who live there licentiously and have no regard for the place because it belongs to another. 35

Clearly, there is a link between Gnosticism and Scientology. So, why is this so important? Why is this ancestry issue of such keen interest? Why is Gnosticism so bad?

The Bible warns us against such a false doctrine! Paul states in 1 Timothy 6:20-21:

O Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to your care. Turn away from godless chatter and the opposing ideas of what is falsely called knowledge, which some have professed and in so doing have wandered from the faith. Grace be with you. [emphasis mine]

Paul warns Timothy about "godless chatter and the opposing ideas of what is falsely called knowledge." The word translated "knowledge" is the Greek gnosis. As we have already discovered it means, "to know," and in addition, it forms the root of the word Gnosticism. It is probable, that Paul refers to Gnosticism here, since both of his letters to Timothy contain warnings against false teachers bringing in foreign concepts that were undermining the faith of church members. 36

Gnosticism is confronted again and again in the Scripture. Concerning 1 Corinthians 15:55, where Paul states, "But someone may ask, "How are the dead raised? With what kind of body will they come," he is addressing those in Corinth who denied the resurrection. These did so primarily because of the influence of Gnostic philosophy, which considered the body to be inherently evil and only the spirit to be good. The early church Fathers reported that Simon (Acts 8:9-11) was one of the founders of Gnosticism. One of my dearly departed seminary professors, Harold O. J. Brown, comments and says:

The first two teachers to propagate [G]nostic ideas within Christian circles were Simon and his successor Menander. Unlike later and more famous representatives of Gnosticism, both Simon and Menander claimed divinity for themselves. According to Acts 8:9—11, Simon called himself the "great power of God." The Greek term he used, dunamis, was used by later, more orthodox theologians in reference to both the Son and the Holy Spirit. … Justin Martyr also reports Simon's messianic claim. 37

Later in church history:

"Toward the end of the second century," says Gasque, "Irenaeus, bishop of Lyons in Gaul, wrote five monumental books against the [G]nostic heresies of his area, together with a book entitled Proof of the Apostolic Preaching.… His theology was grounded in the Bible and the church's doctrines and helped provide a steadying, positive influence in the church. He wrote of the cosmic implications of the work of Christ and God's plan in history, and paved the way for the later Christian interpretations of history by writers such as Augustine. 38

Gnosticism was seen as a direct attack on the gospel of Jesus Christ both in Scripture and in redemptive history. It was considered as "another gospel" (Gal. 1:6-8) and as such was spoken against so it could be silenced (Tit. 1:11). Thus, as one can see, one is cruising for a bruising — an eternal bruising, if they follow this cult.

However, the ancestry of Scientology does not stop here. It also has roots in what is now called Satanism.

Satanism

As a former homicide detective, I studied the occult and more specifically Satanism. 39 Several murders, rapes and kidnapping are done and/or attempted in the identity of occults and their leaders. Thus, knowledge of the occult was a necessary tool in my investigative chest. I had to know my communities enemy, just as the church today needs to know their enemies. As time progressed, I attended seminars, read books, taught, and was considered an expert court witness in the area from a criminal behavior standpoint.

Alister Crowley (1875-1947) is a prominent name in the occult. He was reared in the Plymouth Brethren, but something went amiss (1 John 2:19). Crowley had been introduced to magic in a book by A. E. Waite. His Cabalistic studies led him in 1898 to the OGD (a secret society). His alias is "The Beast 666." He was a leading Satanist and founded the OTO — Ordo Templi Orientis, where he and his followers promoted sexual magick. 40

Jack Parsons was a noted follower of Crowley. He led a Pasadena based occult group; Crowley's Ordo Templi Orientischapter in Los Angeles (Church of Thelma, even if you do not read any other footnote read this one). 41 L. Ron Hubbard was an active member in this group for several months, and first met his second wife there — Jack Parson's girlfriend, Sara Northrup. 42

L. Ron Hubbard developed his MEST (footnote 29) doctrine. In part, it is a development from his O.T.O. indoctrination. Later, in a series of lectures given in 1952, Hubbard discusses occult magic of the middle ages and he recommends a book entitled, The Master Therion. 43 He states, "it's fascinating work in itself, and that it is a work written by Aleister Crowley, the late Aleister Crowley, my very good friend." 44 Later Dianetics'45 Time Track, 46 is declared a brain child of Hubbard — or is it? In it, every incident in a person's life is chronologically recorded in full in the mind. It is quite similar to Crowley's Magical Memory. The Magical Memory is developed over time until "memories of childhood reawaken." 47 The similarity between the Dianetics', ime Track and Crowley's, Magical Memory is that they both can recall: (1) every past incident in a person's life, (2) incidents from past lives, and (3) they both must be developed by certain techniques in order to make use of them. From cult to cult and methodology to methodology, Hubbard built a false religion.

Moreover, both Hubbard and Crowley consider it important to have the person recall his or her birth. Crowley states, "Having allowed the mind to return for some hundred times to the hour of birth, it should be encouraged to endeavor to penetrate beyond that period." 48 We see a parallel in Hubbard's Dianetics saying, "After twenty runs through birth, the patient experienced a recession of all somatics and ‘unconsciousness' and aberrative content" …. "thus there was no inhibition about looking earlier than birth for what Dianetics had begun to call basic-basic." 49

However, his connection to Satanism and the occult is even closer than mere association or techniques. In a venomous diatribe against Christianity, Hubbard was discussing how Christianity had come about by: (1) selling immortality, (2) how the mercy of God became costly, and (3) how the original spiritual ideas had degenerated to the material plane to the point where religious freedom is a sham. In part, he may have been correct in some of his statements considering the selling indulgences by the Catholic Church during the Middle Ages. However, instead of warning against this error from a biblical perspective he rolls over in his grave of philosophy and states:

If you started to worship Lucifer, if you started to worship any of the various gods. One fellow, Aleister Crowley, picked up a level of religious worship which is very interesting. Oh boy! The press played hockey with his head for his whole lifetime. The Great Beast-666. He just had another level of religious worship. Yes sir! You are free to worship everything under the Constitution so long as it's Christian. 50

According to L. Ron Hubbard's own son, L. Ron Hubbard, Jr.:

He [L. Ron Hubbard] got hold of the book by Alistair Crowley called The Book of the Law. He was very interested in...the creation of what some people call the Moon Child. It was basically an attempt to create an immaculate conception — except by Satan rather than by God. Another important idea was the creation of what they call embryo implants — of getting a satanic or demonic spirit to inhabit the body of a fetus. This would come about as a result of black-magic rituals, which included the use of hypnosis, drugs, and other dangerous and destructive practices. One of the important things was to destroy the evidence if you failed at this immaculate conception. That's how my father became obsessed with abortions. 51

The liberal Brandon as we saw at the beginning of this article describes a cult as a, "religious group which differs significantly in one or more respects as to the belief or practice from those religious groups are regarded as the normative expressions of religion in our total culture." Is there any doubt that this is a cult? Is there any doubt where this cult is from? Is there any doubt where the members of this cult are cruising too? Don't walk away from this cult — RUN!

May we bow in prayer for those that are captive in this cult. Paul states:

2 Timothy 2:24-26 And the Lord's servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.

Salvation is by grace alone. God must regenerate individuals and give them "his way, his life, and his truth" (John 14:6). May God give us all the ability to understand our own, "Heart Corruptions:" 52

O God,

M ay thy Spirit speak in me that I may
speak to thee. I have no merit, let the merit of Jesus stand for me.
I am undeserving, but I look to thy tender mercy.
I am full of infirmities, wants, sin;
thou art full of grace.

I confess my sin, my frequent sin, my wilful sin;
All my powers of body and soul are defiled:
A fountain of pollution is deep within my nature.
There are chambers of foul images within my being;
I have gone from one odious room to another,
walked in a no-man's-land of dangerous
imaginations,
pried into the secrets of my fallen nature.

I am utterly ashamed that I am what I am in myself;
I have no green shoot in me nor fruit, but thorns
and thistles;
I am a fading leaf that the wind drives away;
I live bare and barren as a winter tree,
unprofitable, fit to be hewn down and burnt.
Lord, dost thou have mercy on me?
Thou hast struck a heavy blow at my pride,
at the false god of self,
and I lie in pieces before thee.

But thou hast given me another Master and Lord,
thy Son, Jesus,
and now my heart is turned towards holiness,
my life speeds as an arrow from a bow
towards complete obedience to thee.
Help me in all my doings to put down sin
and to humble pride.
Save me from the love of the world and the pride
of life,
from everything that is natural to fallen man,
and let Christ's nature be seen in me day by day.

Grant me grace to bear thy will without repining,
and delight to be
not only chiselled, squared, or fashioned,
but separated from the old rock where I have
been embedded so long,
and lifted from the quarry to the upper air,
where I may be built in Christ for ever.

May we be active in our apologetics against this cult.

Notes:

1. The tom-tom originates from Native American or Asian cultures. The tom-tom drum is also a traditional means of communication. Please note, this is not meant to be a derogatory remark on the Indian culture. Last Accessed 19 January 2008. Wekipedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom-tom_drum

2. Including, John Travolta, Kirstie Alley, Anne Archer, Chick Corea, Mimi Rogers, Lisa Marie Presley, and others. Scientology. Last Accessed 19 January 2008. http://www. bibleone.net/print_tbs95.html.

3. In April 1999, a jury found Dr. Jack Kevorkian guilty and a Michigan judge sentenced him to prison for assisting others to commit suicide. Between 1999 and 2007, Kevorkian served eight years of a 10-to-25-year prison sentence for second-degree murder.

4. Joseph R. Nally, "Brown's Inquest, The Da Vinci Code, Fact or Fiction?," Reformed Perspectives Magazine, Volume 8, Number 22, May 28 to June 3, 2006.

5. Joseph R. Nally, "Hedonism and Heresy, A Brief Critique of Dan Brown's Book Entitled, "Angels and Demons," Reformed Perspectives Magazine, Volume 10, 2008.

6. False cult.

7. Mar¬tin Lut¬her, 1529. Trans¬lat¬ed from Ger¬man to Eng¬lish by Fred¬er¬ic H. Hedge, 1853. Last accessed 04 December 2008. http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/m/i/mightyfo.htm

8. David Powlison, Power Encounters, (Grand Rapids, MI: 1995), p. 50.

9. Calvin's apologetic was clearly presuppositional. Calvin's apologetic demands that in order to properly know the world and ourselves we must first know God; and to know God, we must first rightly know ourselves and the world. See John Calvin's Institutes of Christian Religion, Chapter 1.

10. Charles S. Branden, These Also Believe, (Ney York, NY: MacMillian, 1951), Preface xii.

11. All verses are NIV unless otherwise noted.

12. Norman Geisler and Ron Rhodes, Correcting the Cults, (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, 2005), p. 9.

13. ibid, p. 9.

14. "Scientology." Last Accessed 19 January 2008. Wekipedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Scientology . Please note, that Church of Scientology International website "forbids" copying anything from their website. However, if this religion is "the" study of "the" truth, one wonders why such a restriction would be put on its works. Could it be that this cult has something to hide — like the truth about itself? http://www.scientology.org/feature/ legal/index.html

15. Charles A. Swindoll, Growing Strong in the Seasons of Life (Portland, OR: Multnomah, 1983), p. 147-148, as quoted in Edmond C. Gruss' excellent volume entitled, Cults and the Occult (Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R Publishing, 1982), pp. 1-2.

16. Every human's true identity is a "thetan," an immortal spirit, not a limited and morally fallen body and ego. His fundamental nature is essentially good and divine, but he is ignorant of his own perfection. His only "fall" was into matter, not sin. Scientology.

17. Over time the thetans became so engrossed in their creation that they lost awareness of their true identity as immortal spirits and began to think of themselves as merely physical beings. They became so preoccupied in their creation that they became "stuck" in it—especially in "man" and "MEST" (matter, energy, space, and time), which is the physical universe. They even forgot that they were the creators. And contributing to that demarcation they were subject to reincarnation, returning through multiple lives and inhabiting different bodies. Ibid.

18. Man's bondage to his reactive mind and his slavery to MEST (matter-energy-space-time physical universe) continued until L. Ronald Hubbard uncovered man's true nature and devised a solution called auditing, which is a process of discovering and neutralizing engrams that is accomplished with assistance from an auditor — a minister or minister-in-training of the Church of Scientology who applies Scientology technology to another individual. Ibid.

19. Scientology claims that it does not set forth a specific dogma regarding God; individuals are free to interpret God as they wish. Yet the church refers to God in various nebulous terms like "Nature," "Infinity," the "Eighth Dynamic," and "All Theta." There is no worship of a deity in Scientology — no worship or supplication or veneration of any divine being.

20. Matthew 23:24.

21. L. Ron Hubbard, The Missing Ingredient, 13 August 1970.

22. For a richer and deeper look at the doctrine of Scientology, I suggest reading, Walter Martin's, Kingdom of the Cults, (Minneapolis, MN: Bethany House, 1997), pp. 369-386, as I did not even begin to scratch the surface of their error.

23. Joseph Martin Hopkins, "Scientology: Religion or Racket?" Christianity Today, 7 November 1969: 6-9; 21 November 1969, pp. 10-13.

24. Peter Jones, The Gnostic Empire Strikes Back, (Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R Publishing, 1992), p. 21.

25. The Gnostic Empire Strikes Back, p. 23.

26. Tal Brook, "The Emerging Reality of a New World Order," S.C.P. Journal 16, 2 (1991), p. 15, as quoted by Peter Jones.

27. L. Ron Hubbard, Class 8 Auditor's Course taped on the ship Apollo in Corfu, Greece.

28. David S. Touretzky, "Secrets of Scientology: The E-Meter," Computer Science Department & Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition," Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213-3891.

29. The Nag Hammadi Library, is a collection of thirteen ancient codices containing fifty two texts discovered in upper Egypt in December 1945. This discovery includes a large number of primary Gnostic scriptures, texts once thought to have been entirely destroyed during the early Christian struggle to define "orthodoxy" — manuscripts such as the Gospel of Thomas, the Gospel of Philip, and the Gospel of Truth.

30. The Gnostic Empire Strikes Back, p. 33.

31. The Truth about Scientology, "Analysis - Advance Magazine Statistics." Last Accessed 19 January 2008. http://www.truthaboutscientology.com/stats/advance/completeanalysis.html

32. Acronym meaning, Matter, Energy, Space, and Time.

33. International Scientology News, issue 8, p. 3.

34. In general reading it is discovered that Scientology doctrine states that a person who has achieved the state of Operating Thetan is essentially a being able to operate free of the encumbrances of the material universe. This state is represented by a symbol consisting of the letters OT with the T inside the O and each of the points of the T ending at the O's circumference.

35. Giovanni Filoramo, Gnosticism, (Cambridge, MASS: Basil Blackwell, 1990), p. 98.

36. The expression what is falsely called knowledge has given rise to some problems of interpretation. Some interpreters have claimed that what is being referred to here is a certain Gnostic movement, since the Gnostics claim to possess a certain kind of knowledge that enables them to have communion with the divine. Others maintain that it is not Gnosticism that is being referred to here but the teachings of the false teachers that are described in various ways in the letter (see especially 1.3—7 and 4.1—4). It is difficult to be sure, but the use of the word knowledge seems to indicate that some form of Gnosticism was present at that time; it is even possible that some of the false teachers were influenced in some way by Gnostic teaching, as for instance the emphasis on genealogies (see notes on 1.4). Another way to express this clause is "that some people say is ‘knowledge,' but it really isn't." Daniel C. Arichea and Howard Hatton, A Handbook on Paul's Letters to Timothy and to Titus, UBS handbook series; Helps for translators, (New York: United Bible Societies, 1995), p. 164.

37. Harold O. J. Brown, Heresies (Garden City, NY: Doubleday, 1984), p. 50.

38. Bruce L. Shelley, Church History in Plain Language, Updated 2nd ed., 33 (Dallas, TX: Word, 1995).

39. Some would say that Satanism is for the most part a passing fad with no real danger to society. Some would assert that it does not even exist. However, according to the National Center for the Analysis of Violent Crime the violence of Satanism truly exists. Kenneth V. Lanning, Supervisory Special Agent of the Behavioral Science Unit of the FBI states, "The idea that there are a few cunning, secretive individuals in positions of power somewhere in this country regularly killing a few people as part of some satanic ritual or ceremony and getting away with it is certainly within the realm of possibility." Kenneth V. Lanning. Satanic Ritual Abuse, 1992 FBI Report. Quantico, VA, 1992. C. S. Lewis in his book Screwtape Letters, says this about Satan, "There are two equal and opposite errors into which our race can fall about the devils. One is to disbelieve in their existence. The other is to believe and to feel an unhealthy interest in them. They themselves are equally pleased by both errors and hail a materialist or a magician with the same delight." C.S. Lewis. The Screwtape Letters, (San Francisco, CA: HarperCollins, 2001), p. ix.

40. Magick, or Majick means the art of producing a desired effect through the use of incantations and other arcane techniques — including murder. Larry Kahaner, Cults that Kill, (New York, NY: 1987), pp. 47-48. Satanism condones any type of sexual activity which properly satisfies your individual desires — be it heterosexual, homosexual, bisexual, if you choose…, Anton S. La Vey, aka: Howard Stanton Levey, The Satanic Bible, (New York, NY: Morrow/Avon Mass Market Paperbacks, 1969), p. 67.

41. The basis for the new Aeon was to be the "Law of Thelema," thelema being the Greek word for "will." Its axioms were: "Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the law," "Love is the law, love under will," and every man and woman is a star," credos which precipitated a Crowley revival amid 1960's counterculturalists. Crowley began to search for a vehicle to spread his gospel, and in 1912 found it in a German secret society called Ordo Templi Orientis, or O.T.O. The O.T.O had been founded at the beginning of the century by Karl Kellner, a rich German occultist and Freeman, who claimed to be following secret teachings dating back to the ubiquitous Templars. An early tract of the group proclaimed: "Our order possesses the KEY which opens up all the Masonic and Hermetic secrets, namely, the teaching of sexual magic, and this teaching explains, without exception, all the secrets of Freemasonry and all systems of religion." The O.T.O.s emphasis on sex in its rituals suited Crowley's personal tastes, and after an eventful meeting with Reuss, it was agreed that Crowley should take over as head of the British chapter. Crowley's brilliance, his penchant for poetry, and his unbounded lechery — both homo — and heterosexual — soon expanded the vistas of O.T.O. rituals. In 1920, with a small band of followers, Crowley moved into a farmhouse near Cefalu, Sicily, and founded his Abbey of Thelema, from which he hoped to see his gospel spread. It was here, away from the prying eyes of society, that he began to revive barbaric rites that had not been practiced since the time of the Dionysian cults in ancient Greece. During one ritual in 1921, he induced a he-goat to copulate with his constant female companion and "Scarlet Woman," Leah Hirsig, then slit the animal's throat at the moment of orgasm. [more perverse rituals deleted]. Crowley died in 1947, a poverty stricken drug addict, but several O.T.O. chapters survived him. One was the Church of Thelema in Pasadena California, under the leadership of rocket-propulsion scientist Jack Parsons, who had helped develop JATO (jet-assisted takeoff) during World War II. The church was a legacy of the Agape Lodge, started up in Hollywood by Wilfred Smith in the 1930's and frequented by the thrill-seeking movie-studio crowd. Arthur Lyons, Satan Wants You: The Cult of Devil Worship in America, (Mysterious Press, 1989), p. 80.

42. As Parson's partner she willingly desired to represent the Babylonian woman in Revelation 17. Kingdom of the Cults, p. 373.

43. Re-released as Magick in Theory and Practise Magick, (NY: Dover Publications, Inc., 1976) p.51 or on the internet: Last Accessed 19 January 2008. http://www.rahoorkhuit. net/library/crowley/magick.html.

44. L. Ron Hubbard, "Conditions of Space/Time/Energy" Philadelphia Doctorate Course cassette tape #18 5212C05. Note, I cannot find any record of L. Ron Hubbard ever personally knowing Crowley. This may be part of what Scientology sees as "acceptable truth."

45. Dianetics is a methodology which allegedly alleviates unwanted sensations and emotions, irrational fears and psychosomatic illnesses (illnesses caused or aggravated by mental stress). It founder states, It is most accurately described as what the soul is doing to the body through the mind. http://www.dianetics.org/en_US/faq/index.html [last accessed 4 April 2008].

46. The consecutive record of mental image pictures which accumulates through a person's life or lives. It is very exactly dated. The time track is the entire sequence of "now" incidents, complete with all perceptics, picked up by a person during his whole existence.

47. Magick In Theory And Practise, p.51.

48. Magick In Theory And Practise, p. 419.

49. L. Ron Hubbard, Dianetics, The Modern Science of Mental Health, (Bridge Publications, 2002), pp. 171-172.

50. L. Ron Hubbard, PDC Lecture 35, The DEI Scale 11, December 1952, copyright, 1986.

51 . L. Ron Hubbard, Jr., The Impious Digest, "Hubbard's Son on Scientology, Satanism."LastAccessed19January2008.http://impiousdigest.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=204&Itemid=41

52. Arthur Bennett, The Valley of Vision, (Carlisle, PA: The Banner of Truth Trust, 2002), p. 130. [emphasis added].

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