Scientology And Sin: A Theological Perspective

The Church of Scientology has no set dogma on God and allows individuals to come to their own understanding of God. Scientologists affirm the existence of a deity without defining or describing its nature. They believe that Man is basically good, that he is seeking to survive, (and) that his survival depends on himself and his attainment of brotherhood with the universe.

Scientology teaches that a thetan is the person himself, not his body or his name or the physical universe, his mind or anything else. Thetans are immortal spiritual beings that have lived countless lifetimes, long before entering a physical body.

Scientology describes sin as that which opposes Scientology. It teaches that harmful acts or sins committed by man further reduce his awareness and innate goodness as a spiritual being. Through Scientology, one can confront these acts, erase the ignorance and aberration surrounding them, and come to know and experience truth again.

Scientologists believe that humans are immortal souls called thetans that are trapped in multiple bodies over various lifetimes

Scientology is a set of beliefs and practices invented by the American author L. Ron Hubbard. It is variously defined as a cult, a business, a religion, or a scam. The core belief of Scientology holds that a human is an immortal, spiritual being (thetan) that is resident in a physical body. Thetans are said to have lived countless lifetimes, long before entering a physical body.

According to Scientology, humans are immortal souls called "thetans" that are trapped in multiple bodies over various lifetimes. Thetans are said to have originated billions of years ago with the original Cause. Over time, they fell into the physical universe and got trapped, slowly being stripped of their creative abilities and memories of who they were, eventually ending up on Earth.

Thetans are said to have created the physical universe of matter, energy, space, and time (MEST) through their interaction. Once MEST was created, thetans began experimenting with human form, ultimately losing knowledge of their origins and becoming trapped in physical bodies. A series of "universal incidents" have also undermined the thetans' ability to recall their origins.

Scientology teaches that thetans brought the material universe into being largely for their own pleasure. The universe has no independent reality but derives its apparent reality from the fact that thetans agree it exists. Thetans fell from grace when they began to identify with their creation rather than their original state of spiritual purity. Eventually, they lost their memory of their true nature, along with their associated spiritual and creative powers. As a result, thetans came to think of themselves as nothing but embodied beings.

Scientology aims to "clear the planet", freeing the spiritual self from the physical universe, and returning thetans to their original state. This involves clearing the person of all "engrams" (subconscious command-like recordings in the mind caused by traumatic events) through a process called "auditing". Once cleared of engrams, thetans are said to reach a higher level of ethical and moral standards, becoming more creative with greater control of the environment and less susceptible to disease.

Thetans who have been cleared of engrams can then ascend to higher levels in the church and become "Operating Thetans" or "OTs". They can also expand themselves by identifying with larger realities called "dynamics". A high-operating thetan can increase survival for all of Scientology's dynamics, which include Infinity, Spiritual, Physical Universe, Life Forms, Mankind, Group Survival, Family, and Self.

Scientology's beliefs about the nature of humans as immortal souls trapped in multiple bodies over various lifetimes are thus central to its practices and goals. Through auditing, Scientologists aim to free thetans from the confines of the physical universe and restore them to their original, godlike state.

Thetans can become clear by purging their minds of negative influences and past traumas called engrams

Thetans, or human immortal souls, can become clear by purging their minds of negative influences and past traumas called engrams. This is achieved through a therapeutic process called "auditing", where an auditor asks an individual a series of questions designed to purge engrams and allow the analytical mind to regain control. This process is accompanied by the use of an electropsychometer, or E-meter, a device introduced by Hubbard that measures the strength of an electrical current that is run through an individual's body as they answer the auditor's questions.

Auditing is considered the entrance rite for new members and is performed at all levels within the religion. It is believed that by undergoing certain counselling sessions, rituals, and pursuing self-discovery, people can improve themselves. Scientology is particularly attractive to those who feel that they are mentally or emotionally being held back from realising their full potential.

The E-meter readings indicate changes in emotional states and allow the identification of engrams. Once an auditor deems an individual free of engrams, they are given the status of "clear". Scientologists believe that clears become more successful in their daily lives and are "healthier, experience less stress, and possess better communication skills than non-Scientologists".

The goal of Scientology is to ""clear the planet", a world in which everyone has cleared themselves of their engrams.

Scientologists believe that thetans can ascend to higher levels in the church and become Operating Thetans or OTs

Thetans, or human immortal souls, are believed by Scientologists to be trapped in multiple bodies over various lifetimes. According to L. Ron Hubbard, the founder of Scientology, thetans originated billions of years ago and, through their interaction, created the physical universe of matter, energy, space, and time. Over time, thetans fell into the physical universe and got trapped, slowly losing their creative abilities and memories of their origins.

Scientology teaches that a person's thetan has existed for trillions of years, having lived countless lifetimes, long before entering a physical body. Thetans are believed to be immortal beings who have been reincarnated many times.

Scientology's goal is to help thetans become "clear", which means purging the mind of engrams (negative influences and past traumas) from all lifetimes and the events that caused them to be stripped of their creative abilities. Once a thetan becomes clear, they can ascend to higher levels in the church and become "Operating Thetans" or "OTs".

Operating Thetans are believed to have reached a higher level of ethical and moral standards, are more creative, have greater control of their environment, and are less susceptible to disease. They are also believed to have regained their godlike powers, such as telepathy, telekinesis, and the ability to be separate from their body with full perception.

To become an Operating Thetan, Scientologists must go through auditing, a one-on-one session with a trained auditor, and pay exorbitant fees, sometimes as much as $1000 per hour.

Scientologists believe in reincarnation and that past lives took place in extraterrestrial cultures

The Church of Scientology believes that a human is an immortal, spiritual being, or "thetan", that resides in a physical body. Thetans are said to have existed for trillions of years, having lived countless lifetimes before entering their current physical bodies. According to Scientology, thetans originated billions of years ago and, through their interaction, created the physical universe of matter, energy, space, and time. Over time, thetans fell into the physical universe and became trapped in human bodies, losing their knowledge of their origins and their original state of spiritual purity.

Scientology teaches that thetans have lived innumerable past lives, some of which took place in extraterrestrial cultures before their arrival on Earth. It is predicted that any Scientologist undergoing auditing will eventually recount a common series of past-life events.

In his 1952 book, *A History of Man*, L. Ron Hubbard, the founder of Scientology, recounted accounts of past lives stretching back 55 billion years, often on other planets. In his book, Hubbard also discusses the idea that a human's past experiences make up their present identity, including experiences such as atoms, seaweed, plankton, and clams, pointing to the belief in recurring lives.

Scientology teaches that when a person dies, their spirit will leave the body and enter another body that is preparing to be born. This belief in reincarnation is a key component of the religion.

Scientologists believe that they can become gods

While the Church of Scientology does not impose a set of beliefs about God on its members, Scientologists believe that humans are immortal spiritual beings with divine powers. According to the Church of Scientology, "Man is basically good, that he is seeking to survive, (and) that his survival depends upon himself and upon his fellows and his attainment of brotherhood with the universe."

Scientology teaches that a person is actually an invisible entity, known as the "thetan". Thetans are immortal souls that are trapped in multiple bodies over various lifetimes. Thetans originated billions of years ago and, through their interaction, created the physical universe of matter, energy, space, and time. Over time, thetans fell into the physical universe and got trapped, slowly being stripped of their creative abilities and memories of who they were. They eventually ended up on Earth.

Scientology's goal is to help thetans become "clear" by purging their minds of negative influences and past traumas called "engrams". Once a thetan becomes clear, they reach a higher level of ethical and moral standards, are more creative, have greater control of their environment, and are less susceptible to disease. After this, thetans can ascend to higher levels in the church and become "Operating Thetans" or "OTs".

Scientologists believe that thetans can eventually regain their godlike powers, such as telepathy and telekinesis, through Scientology counseling, or "auditing". A thetan who has been restored to a godlike state is known as an "operating thetan", or "OT". People spend exorbitant fees to attain this state, which promises complete spiritual freedom.

In summary, Scientologists believe that they can become gods. Through auditing, they aim to free themselves of engrams and return to their original state as godlike thetans with unlimited capabilities.

Frequently asked questions