The Church of Scientology is a relatively new movement that focuses on healing the human spirit and helping it relate to everything around it. The word Scientology literally means “study of the truth.” The movement was founded by Lafayette Ronald Hubbard (Better known as L. Ronald Hubbard) in 1952 and he continued to shape the beliefs of the movement until his death in 1986.According to the movement’s official website http://www.scientology.com, knowledge extends from what is referred to as fundamental truths. A brief passage on the website’s front page tells of what the most central ideas of Scientology are: “Man is an immortal, spiritual being. His experience extends well beyond a single lifetime. His capabilities are unlimited, even if not presently realized – and those capabilities can be realized. He is able to not only solve his own problems, accomplish his goals and gain lasting happiness, but also achieve new, higher states of awareness and ability.
“In Scientology no one is asked to accept anything as belief or on faith. That which is true for you is what you have observed to be true. An individual discovers for himself that Scientology works by personally applying its principles and observing or experiencing results.
“Through Scientology, people all over the world are achieving the long-sought goal of true spiritual release and freedom. “
The movement has met criticism from the time it was created, including criticism emanating from the governments of many Western nations, such as the United States. Some countries accept it as a full-fledged religious faction, no different from movements such as the Catholic Church and Baptist Church, while some governments view it as a dangerous cult and legislate against it. The fear of its growth may be aided by the fact that many celebrities practice the new movement. According to Wikipedia’s article on Scientology, some adherents of the movement include John Travolta, Kirstie Alley, Isaac Hayes, Doug E. Fresh, Tom Cruise, and Katie Holmes. The leaders of Scientology do not seem to be bothered by these criticisms, as they note many religions have faced scrutiny following their creation.