" Third, pain, suffering, and evil are due not to external forces but to "engrams," or the negative mental imprints gathered through traumatic experiences in current and past lives. In this sense Scientology promotes similar beliefs to Eastern religions and New Age ideologies. Fourth, the Church of Scientology advocates social service and remains particularly concerned with problems related to drug abuse. The Church is active in disadvantaged communities, especially those with drug abuse and criminal problems. Worldwide, the Church of Scientology has established missions that ostensibly help the most disenfranchised people on the planet achieve peace.

The tenets of Scientology are more practical than theological, and in many ways the ideology resembles a New Age self-help program. Although the Church of Scientology claims that faith is unnecessary, practitioners are nevertheless expected to believe that Scientology teachings offer the only solutions to their worldly problems. The Church of Scientology disavows the benefits of psychological therapy or counseling outside of the Church because its views on the nature of human life differ significantly from that of the scientific establishment. The "auditing" process in Scientology resembles psychological counseling but is done so within the parameters of the religion. Auditing involves an established set of questions and auditors use an "electropsychometer," or E-meter to assess the practitioner's responses.

The Church of Scientology claims to have the answers to all human pain and suffering, listing a litany of social and psychological problems the religion can heal. For example, the Church website mentions depression, anxiety, drug and alcohol problems, and family issues. The Church advocates a strong human rights policy and promotes social justice and equity. What the Church of Scientology offers is prospect of "freedom," and union with the Ultimate Reality. The...

A wiki article notes that the Church of Scientology claims 10 million members worldwide but that third party estimates list only up to 500,000 members. Discrepancies may be due to several factors including the unwillingness to divulge membership to surveyors, or to the high turnover rate of members.
This research report will thoroughly address the Church of Scientology as a social organization, examining in depth its critics and their claims. The report will begin with a brief introductory section with background information on the Church and its founder L. Ron Hubbard. I will examine how the Church of Scientology evolved into the institution it is today. Then I will present and analyze the main religious and philosophical tenets of the religion, relying mainly on primary source material including interviews with Church members. A visit to the nearest Church of Scientology if not also the New Jersey mission will allow me to report on my first-hand encounters as field work. If possible I will also take the "personality test" offered to prospective members to get a taste for what the religion is all about. Finally, the research report will include references to Scientology social services as well as media reports about Scientology controversies around the world.

References

BeliefNet. "What Scientologists Believe." Retrieved April 23, 2007 at http://www.beliefnet.com/story/80/story_8057_1.html

Scientology." Wikipedia. Retrieved April 23, 2007 at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientology

Scientology: Web site. Retrieved April 23, 2007 at http://www.scientology.org