Where is Scientology Banned, and Why?

A Shepherd’s Guide to Scientology: Answering the Questions on a Christian’s Heart

In our walk with the Lord, we are called to be people of love, but also of wisdom. The world presents us with many paths that claim to lead to enlightenment, freedom, and truth. As shepherds of our own souls and guardians of our families, we have a sacred duty, given to us in Scripture, to “test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into theworld” (1 John 4:1). This is not an act of judgment, but an act of love and protection.

One of the most prominent and controversial movements of our time is the Church of Scientology. It presents itself as a religion, a path to self-improvement, and even as something compatible with Christianity. Yet, it is surrounded by stories of broken families, government warnings, and teachings that seem alien to the gospel of Jesus Christ. This can be deeply confusing for a sincere Christian heart.

The purpose of this report is to bring clarity, not condemnation. It is to equip you, the reader, with the knowledge needed to discern the truth about Scientology from a place of both informed awareness and deep Christian faith. We will walk through the most pressing questions, examining the evidence from government reports, court records, and the heartbreaking testimonies of those who have walked this path before. This is a journey to understand the legal, moral, and most importantly, the spiritual truths about the Church of Scientology, so that we may hold fast to the life-giving truth of the Gospel.

Is Scientology Actually Banned Anywhere in the World?

A common question is whether Scientology is outright “banned.” While a complete, nationwide ban on any belief system is rare in most democratic countries, the reality is that many nations have placed severe restrictions on Scientology or have officially labeled it a dangerous and harmful organization. The absence of a formal ban should not be mistaken for government approval; instead, many governments use legal tools to classify, monitor, and prosecute the organization for its actions, rather than its beliefs.¹

Russia: An Extremist Organization

Russia has taken some of the most severe actions against Scientology. The Russian government has subjected the organization to intense regulation, which has included banning its core texts, written by founder L. Ron Hubbard, as “extremist materials” and forcibly closing down its church branches.³

The legal pressure culminated in 2021 when Russia officially designated key Scientology organizations, including the World Institute of Scientology Enterprises, as “undesirable.” This powerful legal status was applied because the government concluded that they “pose a threat to the security of the Russian Federation”.³ This designation effectively cripples the group’s ability to operate openly. Further underscoring the government’s position, a leader of the St. Petersburg Church of Scientology was criminally convicted and sentenced to prison for the “creation of an extremist community”.⁴ These actions are influenced by the Russian Orthodox which has long viewed Scientology as a “dangerous heretical sect” and a “destructive organization”.³

Germany: A Commercial Enterprise Under Surveillance

Germany’s position is clear and long-standing: it does not recognize Scientology as a religion. Instead, the German government officially views it as a “commercial enterprise” and an “abusive business masquerading as a religion”.⁶ This classification is crucial, as it strips Scientology of the legal and tax protections afforded to genuine religious communities.

For years, the organization has been under official surveillance by Germany’s domestic intelligence agency, the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV). This agency is tasked with monitoring groups that are deemed a threat to the nation’s democratic order.⁶ The government believes Scientology’s “totalitarian structure” and methods may pose a risk to Germany’s democratic society.⁷

This deep societal and governmental distrust is also reflected in the private sector, where some businesses use so-called “sect filters” to screen potential employees and business partners for any affiliation with Scientology.⁷ While an attempt to formally ban the organization in 2007 was ultimately abandoned due to a lack of sufficient legal grounds, the government’s hostile stance has not changed.⁷

France: A Dangerous Cult

France has perhaps been the most vocal in its condemnation, officially classifying Scientology as a “secte” (the French term for a cult) in parliamentary reports since 1995.¹ This classification is not merely a label; it forms the basis for a generally hostile stance from authorities.

A 2000 government report went even further, categorizing Scientology as an “absolute cult” and recommending that all of its activities be prohibited.¹⁰ This position is backed by a history of criminal convictions against the organization and its leaders in French courts. These convictions include serious crimes like fraud, illegal practice of medicine, and even involuntary homicide.² The founder of Scientology, L. Ron Hubbard, was himself convicted in absentia by a French court in 1978 for fraud.¹⁰

The legal definition of “religion” is the central battleground for Scientology across the globe. The organization’s strategy consistently involves aggressive litigation to secure this status. This fight, But is not for spiritual legitimacy but for the tangible legal and financial protections that come with it, such as tax exemption and a shield against claims of fraud.¹ In the United States, for example, Scientology waged a decades-long war against the IRS to finally win tax-exempt status.⁸ Conversely, in countries like Germany and France where this status is denied, the government is free to investigate and prosecute the organization for its commercial and criminal activities.⁷ This reveals a powerful spiritual emptiness. A true faith finds its legitimacy in God, not in a government tax code. Scientology’s obsession with worldly status and wealth is a clear and troubling sign that its kingdom is of this world, not the next.

Why Do So Many Governments Consider Scientology a Dangerous Cult?

Governments that take a stand against Scientology do so not because of theological disagreements, but because they see a transnational organization with a documented history of criminal activity, financial exploitation, and harm to its members. The objections are secular, based on evidence of actions that threaten public order and violate the human rights of individuals.

A Commercial Enterprise Masquerading as a Religion

One of the most common reasons for government hostility is the view that Scientology is not a faith, but a “hugely profitable global racket”.¹⁶ This conclusion, held officially by Germany, stems from the organization’s relentless focus on money. L. Ron Hubbard’s own policy letters instructed his followers to “make money, make more money – make other people produce so as to make more money”.⁷

This directive is carried out through the sale of extremely expensive services. The core practice of “auditing,” a form of counseling, can cost members up to $1,000 per hour. They are constantly pressured to purchase endless courses and book packages to advance spiritually, often leading them into severe debt.¹⁶ This aggressive focus on profit is a primary reason why many countries refuse to grant Scientology the religious status and tax benefits that are reserved for genuine non-profit faith groups.¹

A History of Criminal Convictions

The danger of Scientology is not merely alleged; it is proven in courts of law around the world. The organization and its highest-ranking members have been convicted of numerous serious crimes.

Most notably, in the United States, top Scientology officials, including Hubbard’s own wife, were convicted and imprisoned for “Operation Snow White.” This was a massive criminal conspiracy in the 1970s to infiltrate, burglarize, and steal documents from government agencies, including the IRS. It remains the largest domestic espionage incident in U.S. History.¹²

In France, the organization has been convicted of fraud multiple times. In one tragic case, the head of the Lyon Church of Scientology was convicted of involuntary homicide after a member, who had been pressured into deep debt to pay for Scientology services, committed suicide.¹⁰ In Canada, Scientology holds the dubious distinction of being the only organization designated as a religion to have been convicted of criminal breach of public trust.²

The “Fair Game” Policy: A Mandate to Destroy Critics

Perhaps the most chilling evidence of the organization’s dangerous nature is its official, written policy called “Fair Game.” This policy, created by L. Ron Hubbard, directs followers on how to deal with anyone the church deems an enemy or a critic, labeling them a “Suppressive Person” (SP).¹⁸

The language of this policy is terrifying. It states that an SP “May be deprived of property or injured by any means… May be tricked, sued or lied to or destroyed”.¹² This is a mandate to utterly ruin the lives of its critics. This policy is not just historical rhetoric; it has been carried out through systematic campaigns of harassment, baseless lawsuits designed to bankrupt opponents, and character assassination, a practice they call “dead agenting”.¹² A prime example is “Operation Freakout,” a covert plot to frame journalist Paulette Cooper for bomb threats, with the goal of having her imprisoned or driven to suicide.¹²

Abuse and Exploitation of Members

Beyond its external critics, numerous former members have come forward with harrowing accounts of abuse and exploitation within the church itself. Lawsuits and testimonies describe conditions of human trafficking, forced labor, and psychological abuse, particularly within Scientology’s clergy, known as the “Sea Organization”.¹³ Members of the Sea Org sign a symbolic billion-year contract, dedicating their entire existence to the group.²²

Those who fall out of favor can be sent to the “Rehabilitation Project Force” (RPF), a disciplinary program that former members have described as a gulag-like prison camp. There, they are subjected to hard physical labor, psychological re-indocrination, and isolation from others.²⁴ These credible allegations of severe human rights abuses are a major reason why governments and watchdog groups consider the organization to be profoundly dangerous.¹

The pattern is undeniable. The criminal and abusive behaviors that governments have prosecuted are not the actions of a few rogue members; they are the direct and logical fulfillment of Scientology’s core doctrines and policies as written by its founder. Hubbard’s “Fair Game” policy commands the destruction of critics, and the church carries out criminal espionage against government agencies it sees as critical.¹⁴ Hubbard’s writings command the making of money, and the church is convicted of fraud that leads to a man’s death.¹⁰ This reveals that the poison is not in the branches, but in the very roots of the tree. This stands in stark contrast to Christianity, where the sinful actions of believers are a tragic betrayal of Christ’s teachings of love, peace, and truth—not a fulfillment of them.

What Does Scientology Teach About God and Jesus?

For a Christian, the most important question about any belief system is what it teaches about God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ. On this front, Scientology’s claim that it is compatible with Christianity is not just misleading; it is a powerful betrayal of the Gospel. Its teachings are a systematic rejection of every core truth of the Christian faith.

The Vague and Impersonal “God” of Scientology

The Bible reveals to us the one, true, living, and personal God, who exists as the Holy Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.²⁶ Scientology replaces this magnificent truth with a vague and impersonal concept. It has no set dogma about God, referring to a “Supreme Being” or the “Eighth Dynamic,” which members are free to interpret however they wish.²⁶ This is not a path to knowing God, but a spiritual void that allows a person to create a god in their own image. L. Ron Hubbard explicitly rejected the Christian understanding of God, particularly the Trinity.²⁶

The Demotion of Jesus Christ

The most heartbreaking betrayal is Scientology’s teaching about Jesus Christ. In the eyes of Scientology, Jesus is not the divine Son of God, the Savior of the world. He is reduced to a mere historical teacher who was spiritually advanced, or, in their terminology, “a shade above clear”.²⁶

This teaching completely denies the identity and work that are the very foundation of our salvation. Scientology rejects Jesus’s deity, His virgin birth, His sinless life, His substitutionary death on the cross for our sins, and His glorious physical resurrection.²⁶ Without these truths, there is no Christianity.

The deception runs even deeper. In the secret, upper-level teachings of Scientology, which are hidden from new members, Hubbard taught that the belief in Jesus Christ is a fictitious “implant” that was put into humanity’s collective memory to control us. He described the Christian concept of heaven as a “false dream”.³⁰ This is not just a different opinion; it is a direct, hostile attack on the person and work of our Lord.

The Rejection of the Bible

In Scientology, the holy, inspired, and inerrant Word of God is considered largely irrelevant.²⁶ The true “scriptures” that members must study and obey are the voluminous, complex, and very expensive writings of L. Ron Hubbard, a 20th-century science-fiction author.²⁶ This act of placing the words of a man above the Word of God is a foundational error from which all other falsehoods flow.³¹

The Elevation of Man to “God”

At the core of Scientology’s theology is a modern version of the oldest lie, the one whispered by the serpent in the Garden of Eden: “You will be like God” (Genesis 3:5). Scientology teaches that human beings are actually eternal, divine spiritual beings called “thetans” who have simply forgotten their own godlike powers.²⁶ The entire goal of Scientology is to restore this awareness of one’s own divinity. This is a doctrine of self-worship, which the First Commandment strictly forbids.³³ It stands in direct opposition to the biblical truth that we are created beings, made in God’s image but fallen into sin and in desperate need of a Savior who is outside of ourselves.²⁶

Scientology is not merely non-Christian; it is fundamentally anti-Christian. It begins by telling newcomers that its teachings are compatible with their faith, a deceptive tactic to draw them in.³⁰ But as one progresses, it becomes clear that its structure is a systematic inversion of every essential Christian doctrine. It replaces the Triune God with a vague concept, it replaces the Savior Jesus Christ with the self, it replaces the Bible with the writings of Hubbard, and it replaces salvation by grace with salvation by works. One cannot believe that Jesus is the only way to the Father (John 14:6) while also believing He is a fictional “implant” to be audited away. The two belief systems are spiritually irreconcilable. This is a Gnostic cult, which claims salvation comes from the secret knowledge of a man, and it seeks to replace the beautiful, public truth of Christ.³³

How Does Scientology’s Path to “Salvation” Betray the Gospel of Grace?

The path to salvation is the journey that defines a faith. By comparing the path offered by Scientology with the path of grace offered in the Bible, we see a stark and irreconcilable difference. One is a costly, endless treadmill of human effort; the other is a free gift secured by the finished work of Jesus Christ.

The Problem According to Scientology: “Engrams”

Scientology begins by misdiagnosing the fundamental problem of the human condition. It completely denies the biblical doctrine of sin. In Scientology, a person is not a sinner in rebellion against a holy God. Instead, they are a perfect, godlike being called a “thetan” who is simply held back by “engrams.” These are defined as painful or traumatic memories from countless past lives that are stored in the mind.²⁷ According to this teaching, our struggles are not the result of our own sinful choices, but of ancient traumas we are not even aware of. The Bible teaches the opposite: our core problem is not trauma from a past we cannot remember, but sin in the present that separates us from a holy God.²⁶

The Solution According to Scientology: Costly “Auditing”

The solution Scientology offers is a process called “auditing.” In these sessions, a member is connected to a device called an “E-meter” while an “auditor” guides them to find and supposedly erase these hidden engrams.² This path to “salvation” is not a gift; it is a product that must be purchased. The process is incredibly long and can cost members hundreds of thousands of dollars over many years.¹⁶ The goal is to reach a state called “Clear” and then to continue paying for even more expensive “Operating Thetan” (OT) levels on the “Bridge to Total Freedom”.²

The Betrayal of Grace

This entire system is a tragic betrayal of the gospel of grace. The Bible’s most beautiful truth is that salvation is God’s work from beginning to end. It is a free gift, received through faith in Jesus Christ, “not a result of works, so that no one may boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9).²⁶ Jesus paid the full and final price for our sins with His blood on the cross. His work is finished. To suggest that we can buy our own salvation, or earn it through any process, is a grave offense to the perfect sacrifice of Christ.³¹ Scientology’s path is one of endless striving, payment, and uncertainty. The Christian path is one of rest, peace, and assurance, based entirely on what Christ has already accomplished for us.

The False Promise of Reincarnation

The entire structure of Scientology’s salvation is built upon the occultic and non-biblical belief in reincarnation.³¹ This idea is directly contradicted by Scripture. The book of Hebrews states with absolute clarity, “it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment” (Hebrews 9:27).³¹ We are given one life to live in which to respond to God’s offer of salvation through His Son, not an endless cycle of second chances.

The structure of Scientology’s salvation is not just a works-based system; it is a meticulously designed business model. It creates a spiritual problem, “engrams,” that is subjective and can only be diagnosed and treated by its own paid practitioners using proprietary equipment.²⁹ The solution, “auditing,” is sold like a consulting service in expensive, hourly blocks.¹⁶ The path is designed to be perpetual; once one expensive goal is reached, another, even more costly one is revealed.¹⁷ This is the spiritual equivalent of a predatory business that creates a need only it can fill, then charges exorbitantly for a cure that is never quite final. It is the very opposite of the Gospel, which was purchased at an infinite price by Christ, but is offered to us completely free of charge.

What Are the Secrets Members Only Learn After Paying Thousands?

One of the most defining characteristics of a cult is secrecy. Unlike Christianity, where the core truths of the Gospel are proclaimed freely and publicly to all, Scientology operates on a Gnostic model, hiding its most important doctrines behind a paywall of time and money. What members discover after years of devotion and paying hundreds of thousands of dollars reveals the tragic emptiness at the heart of the organization.

A Religion of Secrecy

The most crucial teachings in Scientology, known as the “Operating Thetan” (OT) levels, are kept secret from new members and the general public.² This information is only revealed incrementally as a person pays for and completes each successive level on “The Bridge to Total Freedom.” This creates an allure of “secret knowledge” that keeps people paying and striving, but it is also a bait-and-switch. The product that is ultimately delivered is radically different from what was advertised at the beginning.²

The Great Revelation: The Story of Xenu

The pivotal secret, revealed at the level of OT III, is the mythological foundation of Scientology. It is a science-fiction narrative about a galactic ruler named Xenu. According to this teaching, 75 million years ago, Xenu solved a galactic overpopulation problem by bringing billions of aliens to Earth (then called Teegeeack), stacking them around volcanoes, and murdering them with hydrogen bombs.²

The doctrine states that the disembodied souls of these murdered aliens, known as “body thetans,” survived. These traumatized spirits now float around and attach themselves in clusters to human beings, causing all of our emotional pain, self-doubt, and spiritual problems. The primary work of the expensive, upper-level auditing sessions is, therefore, a form of exorcism: to identify and remove these “body thetans” from oneself.¹⁷

The Spiritual Emptiness of the “Ultimate Truth”

This science-fiction story is the “ultimate truth” that members sacrifice their fortunes, their families, and their entire lives to discover. The testimonies of former high-ranking members, like those featured in the documentary Going Clear and Leah Remini’s television series, describe the powerful sense of absurdity and disappointment upon learning this secret.¹⁷ After decades of being promised the keys to the universe, they are given a bizarre space opera.

Even more tragically, the journey does not end there. The organization promises even higher levels, OT IX and OT X, which are supposed to finally reveal a person’s true spiritual identity. But former members have revealed that these levels do not actually exist.¹⁷ The carrot is always kept just out of reach.

This system of secrecy serves as a powerful psychological trap. By the time a member learns the Xenu story, they are already so deeply invested—financially, socially, and emotionally—that rejecting it is almost unthinkable. They have been isolated from their critical families through “disconnection,” they have confessed their deepest secrets in auditing, and they have spent a fortune. To admit that it was all based on a sci-fi story would be to admit that their life for the past decade or more has been a lie. The psychological pressure to accept the story and double down on their commitment is immense, creating what many former members have called a “prison of belief”.²⁰ This stands in stark contrast to Christianity, a faith of public revelation. The cross was a public event. The resurrection was witnessed by hundreds. The gospel is proclaimed freely to all. There are no secret, expensive levels to unlock the “real” truth. The Truth is a person, Jesus Christ, and He is offered freely to everyone.

What is the Catholic Church’s Official Stance on Scientology?

For Catholic Christians, the teaching authority of the Church is a vital guide for navigating the spiritual landscape. When it comes to Scientology, Although there has not been a single, formal decree from the Pope condemning it by name, the Church’s position is one of clear and complete opposition, rooted in its most fundamental and unchangeable doctrines.

Condemnation by Doctrinal Incompatibility

The primary reason for the Church’s opposition is that the teachings of Scientology are irreconcilable with Catholic—and , all of biblical Christian—faith. A specific condemnation is not needed because the Catechism of the Catholic Church already refutes Scientology’s core tenets at every point.

The Church has condemned the heresy of Gnosticism since its earliest days. Gnosticism is the belief that salvation comes not from God’s grace, but from acquiring secret, special knowledge (gnosis). Scientology is a modern form of this ancient error. It teaches that salvation comes from the “knowledge” revealed by L. Ron Hubbard, that the material world is a trap, and that man’s true nature is divine.³³

Key teachings of the Catechism that Scientology directly violates include:

• The Nature of God: The Church teaches in one God, who is the Holy Trinity. Scientology rejects this.³³
• The Identity of Jesus Christ: The Church teaches that Jesus is the Second Person of the Trinity, true God and true man, the world’s only Savior. Scientology reduces Him to a mere teacher and teaches that belief in Him is a fiction.²⁸
• The Nature of Man and Sin: The Church teaches that man is a creature, created in God’s image but fallen into sin and in need of redemption. Scientology teaches that man is an uncreated, divine “thetan” who is inherently good.³³ This doctrine of self-worship is a violation of the First Commandment.³³
• The Afterlife: The Church teaches in the finality of death, followed by the particular judgment, and then heaven or hell. The Catechism explicitly rejects reincarnation (CCC 1013). Scientology’s entire system is based on reincarnation.³¹

Although the Vatican has not issued a universal document, a high-ranking official, Cardinal Marc Ouellet, when asked about Scientology, simply stated, “Scientology is something else”.³⁸ This brief but telling comment indicates that it is not considered a valid religion on par with other world faiths. In countries like Germany and France where Scientology has been a major public concern, the local Catholic Bishops’ Conferences have been part of the broader societal conversation about protecting citizens from the dangers of destructive cults.³⁹

Among lay Catholics, there is a clear and widespread understanding that the two are incompatible. Online forums and discussions show a strong consensus that Scientology is viewed as a dangerous and exploitative cult that is diametrically opposed to the Catholic faith.⁴¹

The Church’s lack of a specific encyclical on Scientology should not be mistaken for indifference. Rather, it reflects the movement’s theological irrelevance. The Church’s core doctrines, established for two millennia, already serve as a complete and total refutation of this 20th-century Gnostic system. The Church condemned these ideas 1,800 years before L. Ron Hubbard was born. To ask if a Catholic can be a Scientologist is to ask if one can be loyal to two opposing masters. The commitments are mutually exclusive. The Catholic faith stands in total opposition to the Gnostic heresy that Scientology represents.

What is “Disconnection” and How Does It Tear Families Apart?

Of all the harmful practices of Scientology, few cause more heartbreak and devastation than the policy of “disconnection.” This practice is a cruel tool of control that demands members choose between their faith in Scientology and their love for their own families, violating the most sacred bonds that God has ordained for humanity.

Defining “Disconnection”: The Policy of Shunning

“Disconnection” is the official and mandatory policy of severing all communication and ties with any person who is deemed “antagonistic” to Scientology.⁴² This person is formally labeled a “Suppressive Person” (SP), which is Scientology’s term for an enemy. This label can be applied to anyone who criticizes the organization or tries to help a loved one leave, including parents, children, spouses, and lifelong friends.⁴²

A Scientologist who is connected to an SP—for example, a son whose mother is worried about his involvement—is labeled a “Potential Trouble Source” (PTS). They are told that they cannot make spiritual progress as long as this connection exists. They are given an ultimatum: either “handle” the person (convince them to stop being critical) or, as a last resort, disconnect completely. If they refuse to disconnect, they themselves risk being declared an SP and cast out of the group. The pressure to comply is immense.⁴²

The Heartbreak of Broken Families

The human cost of this policy is immeasurable. It has shattered countless families, leaving a wake of powerful grief and loss. The stories from those affected are devastating.

• One young woman recalled being told by her Scientologist parents at age 16 that if she did not disconnect from her best friend (who had left the church), they would disconnect from her. Fearing the loss of her own family, she tragically cut off her friend.⁴⁴
• A now-famous letter from the 1960s shows a daughter writing to her own mother: “Dear Mother, I am hereby disconnecting from you because you are suppressive to me. You evaluate for me, invalidate me, interrupt me and remove all my gains. And you are destroying me”.⁴²
• Mike Rinder, a former high-ranking executive who left after decades in the tells the story of how his wife of many years immediately divorced him and his two adult children declared him an SP and disowned him the moment he escaped the organization’s control.²⁰

The Church of Scientology attempts to justify this practice by calling it a “human right” to choose who you associate with, claiming it is necessary for “spiritual progress”.⁴² But its true purpose is clear: it is a brutal tool of control. By isolating members from any outside love, support, or critical perspective, it creates a high-walled echo chamber. It makes leaving the group almost impossible, because to do so means losing everyone you know and love. It is the key mechanism that creates the “prison of belief”.²⁰

This cruel policy is a direct violation of God’s law and a demonic inversion of Christian community. God’s Word commands us to “Honor your father and your mother” (Ephesians 6:2). Jesus teaches us to love, forgive, and bear with one another. The Church is meant to be a family that brings people together in love, not an organization that tears God-given families apart through fear and control. Any group that demands you abandon your family to prove your loyalty is, by its very nature, a destructive cult. It seeks to replace the natural family with the artificial family of the cult, with the cult leader as the new father—a spiritual abomination that causes unimaginable pain.⁴⁷

Is Scientology Just a Business Designed to Make Money?

While Scientology claims to be a religion focused on spiritual enlightenment, a mountain of evidence suggests that its structure, practices, and history are more aligned with a high-pressure, for-profit commercial enterprise than a genuine faith. The pursuit of wealth appears to be not a peripheral temptation for the group, but its central organizing principle.

The Founder’s Own Words

The intention behind Scientology seems clear from the words of its own founder. Multiple independent witnesses—including writers, editors, and publishers who knew L. Ron Hubbard before he created Scientology—have reported that he often stated his desire to get rich by starting a religion. He was quoted as saying things like, “I’d like to start a religion. That’s where the money is,” and that you don’t get rich writing science fiction, you get rich starting a religion.¹² These statements reveal a cynical, financial motive at the very inception of the movement.

The “Thriving Cult of Greed and Power”

The famous 1991 Time magazine cover story that gave Scientology this title detailed the organization’s aggressive financial practices. These practices continue to this day and are a primary source of controversy. Services are not offered freely but are sold at exorbitant prices. Auditing sessions can cost $1,000 an hour, book packages can cost $4,000, and members are pressured to take an endless series of courses to advance spiritually.¹⁶

There are numerous stories of heartbreaking financial exploitation. In one documented case, a 73-year-old widow who had just lost her husband was pressured by Scientologists into taking out a $45,000 mortgage on her fully paid-off home to pay for more auditing to “cure her grief”.¹⁶ This pattern of behavior has allowed the organization to accumulate vast wealth, with reports of hundreds of millions of dollars in income and assets hidden in offshore bank accounts.¹⁶

The War with the IRS

No episode better illustrates the centrality of money to Scientology than its decades-long war with the U.S. Internal Revenue Service. In 1967, the IRS revoked the church’s tax-exempt status, concluding that the organization was being operated for the private financial enrichment of L. Ron Hubbard and was not a legitimate non-profit.¹⁴

Scientology’s response was not one of reform, but of all-out war. The church unleashed a campaign that included filing over 2,500 lawsuits against the IRS, hiring private investigators to harass individual IRS officials, and launching the “Operation Snow White” criminal conspiracy to burglarize IRS offices and steal documents.¹⁴ After decades of fighting and losing in court, the church and the IRS reached a highly controversial settlement in 1993. The IRS abruptly reversed its position and granted full tax-exempt status to 153 Scientology-related entities. In exchange, the church agreed to drop all of its lawsuits and pay a mere $12.⁵ million to settle a tax debt that was estimated to be around one billion dollars.¹⁴

The Bible warns that “the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil” (1 Timothy 6:10). In Scientology, we see a system where the pursuit of money is not an occasional failing, but is woven into the very fabric of its operations and “theology.” The entire spiritual system seems reverse-engineered to serve a financial purpose, creating a perpetual need that can only be met by purchasing the group’s expensive products. This is the very opposite of the Christian gospel, which is a free gift, and the Christian life, which is a call to give generously and cheerfully, not under coercion or for personal gain.

What Do Former Scientologists Who Are Now Christians Say About Their Journey?

Perhaps the most powerful testimony against the falsehoods of Scientology comes from those who have walked its path, only to find true freedom and salvation in Jesus Christ. Their stories are not just cautionary tales; they are beautiful testaments to the power of God’s grace to rescue and redeem anyone, no matter how lost they may be. They have experienced both systems from the inside, and their journeys validate the Christian truth that freedom is found not in secret knowledge, but in a personal relationship with the risen Lord.

A Journey from Darkness to Light

The story of Dr. Michael J. Svigel, a professor at Dallas Theological Seminary, is a powerful example. As a spiritually confused teenager, he was drawn in by television commercials for Dianetics and became deeply involved in Scientology.⁵⁰ A pivotal moment came when his Christian high school teacher planted a seed of doubt, telling him, “Someday L. Ron Hubbard is going to disappoint you. And when he does, call me.” That day came when Svigel stumbled upon a book,

L. Ron Hubbard: Messiah or Madman?, written by a former Scientologist and Hubbard’s own son. The book exposed a secret history of deception that shattered his belief system. Devastated, he remembered his teacher’s words, made the call, and for the first time, truly heard and understood the gospel of Jesus Christ. He was converted, baptized, and eventually went into full-time Christian ministry.⁵⁰

The Pain of Leaving and the Joy of Freedom

Leaving a high-control group like Scientology is an incredibly painful process. Former members often face severe depression, a powerful sense of loneliness, and a loss of their entire identity and social network. They must grieve the loss of years of their life and the pain of being “disconnected” from the family and friends they were forced to leave behind.²⁰ Many describe the experience as “waking up” from a long trance and facing a long and difficult road to recovery.⁵¹

Mike Rinder, who spent nearly 50 years in Scientology and rose to its highest ranks, wrote a powerful letter to the children who were forced to disconnect from him. He spoke of the “big, wide, beautiful world” that exists outside the “Scientology mind prison” and his desperate hope that they, too, might one day escape and discover it.²⁰ His story, along with many others, is one of trading the false promises of a cult for the true freedom found in reality and truth.

Finding True Salvation in Christ

The testimonies of those who find Christ after leaving Scientology are a stark contrast between the two paths. They speak of the emptiness of self-help courses that could never heal their deepest wounds, and the life-changing power of Jesus to truly overcome anxiety, depression, and the bondage of sin.⁵³ They find a new identity, not as a godlike “thetan,” but as a beloved and forgiven child of the one true God. They are no longer defined by their past traumas or supposed “engrams,” but by the grace and love of their Savior.⁵³ Their journeys are a living fulfillment of Jesus’s promise in John 8:32, “you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

Conclusion: Holding Fast to the Truth in Love

Our journey through the world of Scientology reveals a deeply troubling picture. We see a system that is not a benign religion, but a global enterprise with a history of criminal behavior, an anti-Christian theology that denies Christ and elevates man, and a set of practices that exploit people financially and tear families apart. Its claims of compatibility with Christianity are a deceptive lure, and its path to “salvation” is a costly and endless treadmill that stands in stark opposition to the free gift of grace offered to us through the cross.

As Christians, our response to this knowledge should not be one of hatred or fear, but one of deep, Christ-like compassion. We should pray for those who are trapped in this prison of belief, that the Holy Spirit would open their eyes to the truth and lead them to freedom. We should pray for their leaders, that they might repent of the harm they have caused. And we must pray for the countless families that have been shattered by the cruel policy of disconnection, asking for healing and reconciliation.

Finally, we must turn this knowledge into a call for courage in our own faith. In a world filled with confusing philosophies and deceptive spirits, we have been entrusted with the clear, unchanging, and life-giving truth of the Gospel. Let this be an encouragement to dive deeper into God’s Word, to be prepared to give a reason for the hope that we have, and to hold fast to Jesus Christ, who alone is “the way, and the truth, and the life”.²⁹ May the Lord bless you and keep you, and may He give you wisdom and discernment in your walk with Him. Amen.