Knowra Scientology Scientology Scientology is a religious movement founded by L. Ron Hubbard that teaches spiritual self-improvement through practices including auditing. It describes people as immortal spiritual beings called thetans.
Auditing (Scientology) : A practice in which a trained auditor guides a person through questions intended to address spiritual distress and improve awareness. Auditing is Scientology’s signature practice for addressing engrams and advancing spiritually.
L. Ron Hubbard : An American writer who founded Dianetics and Scientology and led the movement until his death in 1986. Hubbard created Scientology’s teachings, organizations, and central practices.
David Miscavige : The leader of the Church of Scientology since the late 1980s and chairman of its Religious Technology Center. Miscavige has led the Church’s contemporary organization and public direction.
Psychotherapy : The treatment of mental disorders and emotional difficulties through psychological methods and professional relationships. Scientology rejects much conventional psychiatry and presents auditing as a distinct alternative.
Religion in the United States : The institutions, practices, and communities through which religion is expressed across the United States. Scientology’s contested recognition has shaped discussion of religion and state in the United States.
E-meter : An electronic device used in Scientology auditing to register changes in electrical resistance while a person holds its electrodes. Auditors use its readings to direct questions during auditing sessions.
Dianetics : A system introduced by L. Ron Hubbard in 1950 that proposes methods for addressing harmful mental recordings called engrams. Dianetics supplied Scientology’s early methods and concepts before the movement took religious form.
Mary Sue Hubbard : L. Ron Hubbard’s wife and a senior Scientology official who was convicted in the United States for her role in Operation Snow White. Her leadership and prosecution illuminate the movement’s controversies in the 1970s.
Religious studies : The academic study of religions using historical, social, textual, and comparative methods. Scholars examine Scientology as a modern religious movement without adopting its truth claims.
Religious freedom : The right to hold, change, practice, or reject religious beliefs without improper state interference. Legal recognition of Scientology has raised questions about how governments determine religious status.
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