I set out to find one Scientology book in the Baylor library that presented a reasonable, Scientological worldview, and I was successful. I chose the most philosophical-sounding one, The Fundamentals of Thought (1956), by L. Ron Hubbard (creator of Scientology), and read its entire text.
In the introduction, the editor quotes Hubbard in this way: "To a Scientologist, the real barbarism of Earth is stupidity. Only in the black muck of ignorance can the irrational conflicts of ideologies germinate." I know I have detested religions, only to learn that truly their ideas are not so crazy; and I know I'm not the only one. Knowledge will almost always build bridges of tolerance between religions. So I must approach Scientology with an open mind.
Hubbard's philosophical ideas compare well with other philosophical thinkers. I'll analyze a few of what I think are his main ideas one at a time:
1. He separates reality from actuality. He says, "reality is the way things appear," and, "to do anything about reality, one must search into and discover what underlies the apparency." Actuality, he says, is "that which exists despite all apparencies." This statement brings to mind Ephesian philosopher Heraclitus, who stated that, "Human beings are deceived about the knowledge of things that are apparent."
2. Hubbard says, "The actual cycle of action is as follows: create, create-create-create, create-counter-create, no creation, nothingness...more basically, this cycle of action contains nothing but creation." Again, we're drawn back to the philosopher Heraclitus, who said, "I see nothing other than becoming." Heraclitus presumed everything to be in a constant state of flux, and Hubbard similarly (though not precisely) claims every action that occurs is a creation of some sort. Hubbard even develops his "cycle of action" theory to account for nothingness: he says that that which is destroyed is nothing. But what is destroyed is simply "created against." It cannot stop existing, it can only be created into something else. (It is also important to note that Hubbard states that he who constantly creates is realizing his life's full potential.)
Heraclitus of Ephesus
3. Hubbard imagines an "A-R-C triangle", an understanding of which he says brings a "greater understanding of life" and human relationships. This triangle consists of Affinity, Reality, and Communication. He says communication is "more important than the other two," because "communication is the solvent for all things. It dissolves all things." He goes on to explain that the thetan (by which he means soul) learns only through communication; this is a seemingly simple idea, but I believe the philosophers known as Sophists would have concurred with Hubbard here. Sophists believed that the art of rhetoric (convincing through speech) and virtue were two primary goals of life. This may be a poorly drawn connection, but I think Hubbard implies that what the mind has learned through communication leads to the ability to solve problems, which could be defined as a virtue - or that communication leads to understanding life.
L. Ron Hubbard
I'll conclude with a quote from Hubbard: "Life is a game. A game consists of freedom, barriers, and purposes. This is a scientific fact, not merely an observation. Freedom exists among barriers. A totality of barriers and a totality of freedom alike are no-game conditions. Each is similarly cruel. Each is similarly purposeless...There is freedom amongst barriers. If the barriers are known and the freedoms are known, there can be life, living, happiness."
I certainly agree with this statement, and indeed, with many of his statements. I feel chastised for thinking that Scientology has no redeeming qualities; rather, Hubbard is a good model for demonstrating philosophical rationality within religion. Seeing rationality among contrasting viewpoints is just one step on the path to ultimate tolerance.
