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Subject: Co$ & Totalitarianism----Ideology 4/5
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Ideology

"To in any way encroach upon the Church or distract one from moving up the
Bridge to Total Freedom is the ultimate crime."

-Religious Technology Center Information Letter111

As an ideology, Scientology is moving in a totalitarian direction.
Addressing the beliefs and practices that exist within Scientology further
serves to expose a movement which contains several key elements of
totalitarianism. In this final section, I will look at some notable
characteristics of Scientology and parallel them to Hannah Arendt's
theories on the nature of the totalitarian ideology. I will focus
on the following themes within Scientology: world  domination,
anti-government and psychiatry conspiracies, momentum and constant
revision, the building of a state of terror, and Scientology's own prison
system- the Rehabilitation Force Project (RPF). While reading this, it is
important to keep in mind that all totalitarian movements are predisposed
to ideologies because they explain everything as the mere example of a set
of natural laws. Embracing such an ideology, the movement is thus able to
"thrive on this escape from reality into fiction, from coincidence into
consistency."112 It is only when this fiction is indistinguishable from
reality that totalitarianism can survive.

A major feature of Scientology is the group's stated mission to "clear the
world."113 By "clearing the world," the movement wishes to make every
person on this planet not only a Scientologist, but reach a state called
"clear" in Scientology processing. The origins of "clear" go back to L. Ron
Hubbard and his enormous influence on the construction and language of
Scientology. "Clear" functions as both a noun and a verb in Scientology
lingo. To be a "clear" is to have deleted the contents of the reactive mind
by transferring the data stored there into another mental compartment
called the analytical mind. The analytical mind supposedly functions at a
higher awareness level than the reactive mind. Therefore, "to clear" a
person is for them to realize that they no longer need their reactive mind,
enabling them to "confront and resolve buried trauma" through the filter of
the superior analytical mind114. This is one of the most important goals in
Scientology. It is a significant step on the Scientology "Bridge to Total
Freedom" that Hubbard laid out.115

The fact that Scientology aims at world domination in the form and language
of "clearing" is a major sign that the movement is indeed totalitarian. As
Arendt has noted, "The struggle for total domination of the total
population of the earth, the elimination of every competing nontotalitarian
reality, is inherent in totalitarian regimes; if they do not pursue global
power as their ultimate goal, they are only too likely to lose whatever
power they already have."116 Totalitarian movements do not think in terms
of national borders. Instead, the movements are distinctly borderless in
their goals for domination. The Sea Org is an excellent example of L. Ron
Hubbard's desire for Scientology to exist without the limitations of
national borders. Created by Hubbard as a means to escape government
control, the Sea Org is an elite group of Scientologists who sail around
the world on a gigantic boat wearing naval uniforms117. What is distinct
about the Sea Org is that it epitomizes Hubbard's ideological goals for
Scientology. Not subject to any national laws, the Sea Org was Hubbard's
fantasy of a planet where Scientology could roam and spread without limits.
According to Arendt, all totalitarian leaders consider their
country of origin to be "only temporary headquarters of the international
movement on the road to world conquest."118 Scientology is similarly
international in the scope of its organization. In fact, the movement is
even inter-planetary in the desire to spread its ideology: After they clear
earth, Scientology plans to "clear the universe."119

A revealing action taken by Scientology was the planned infiltration of a
country. The BULGRAVIA project (BULgaria, GReece, Albania, YugoslaVIA)
began in 1992 with initial plans to establish industries, newspapers,
transportation, and telecommunications systems in Albania as the first step
in establishing a Scientology state in the Balkans.120 The idea was to form
an area called Bulgravia, which would be completely dominated by
Scientology. Though it is difficult to believe that Scientology could
accomplish this, such actions conform to totalitarianism's ultimate goal of
world conquest. No matter how distant this goal may appear, totalitarian
movements "consider no country as permanently foreign, but, on the
contrary, every country as their potential territory."122

Another basic tenet of totalitarianism is the belief that "the world is
divided into two hostile camps, one of which is the movement, and that
movement can and must fight the whole world." Scientology also fulfills
this description. Hubbard felt that Scientology was involved in a grand
scheme of good versus evil, and even initiated a secret project to uncover
the "Soldiers of Light" and the "Soldiers of Darkness."123 While the
Soldiers of Light are those people who are in favor with the Church of
Scientology, according to Hubbard, the leaders among the Soldiers of
Darkness are the government and the entire psychiatric profession.124
Scientology's extremely anti-government and anti-psychiatry stance is a
fundamental concept of the movement. Government and psychiatry are
inextricably linked, claimed Hubbard, who stated that "Psychiatry and
psychology, spawned by an insanely militaristic government, find avid
support from oppressive and domineering governments."125 Scientologists see
a global conspiracy taking place, whereby psychiatry and world governments
have combined to suppress Scientology. It is precisely this belief in "one
mysterious worldwide conspiracy"126 that all totalitarian movements require
in order to build the model of domination about which they themselves
fantasize. As Arendt noted in the case of the Nazis, "The delusion of an
already existing Jewish world domination formed the basis for the illusion
of future German world domination."127

While the government is the evil empire, Scientology focuses on
psychiatrists as the most visible enemy of the movement. The choice to
target psychiatry was not a random one, for totalitarian movements never
pick their enemies arbitrarily.128 Part of the reason Hubbard hated
psychiatrists with such a passion was because they were the first people to
criticize the methods and claims of Dianetics. Hubbard knew that the
psychiatric profession would dismiss his ideas, so he concocted an
elaborate conspiracy whereby insane psychiatrists were ruling the world,
creating robot-like drones and generally harming and injuring their
patients.129 In addition to this, since many psychiatrists saw Dianetics as
an unfounded sham, they were instantly labeled as "Suppressive Persons" or
"SPs"- the ultimate condemnation in Scientology.130 SPs are, of course,
synonymous with anti-Scientologists. Thus the one group that Hubbard knew
would surely criticize Dianetics was conveniently accused of a worldwide
conspiracy to warp people's minds and discredit the truth of
Scientology.131 Scientology's battle against the evils of psychiatry also
entails the elimination of all psychiatrists. Hubbard's objective was to
eliminate every single psychiatrist by looking for crimes in their past.132
Suitably, criticizing Scientology was defined as the maximum crime. Much
like Hitler and Stalin before him, Hubbard's plans drew on how to abolish
his enemies through whatever means were available.

Totalitarianism, rather than representing the will to dominate others, is
about the destruction of alternate viewpoints and the homogenization of
thought as a continual process.131 This continual movement, which
simultaneously destroys and purifies, is the true direction of
totalitarianism. The momentum of totalitarian domination aspires to be
unlimited as it spreads around the globe, as
exemplified by Scientology's desire to "clear the planet." The momentum
also arises in the enemy status of psychiatry declared by Scientology.
Here, the organization functions as a "movement whose advance constantly
meets with new obstacles that have to be eliminated."134 Another
significant part of this motion involves the constant changes and revisions
in policy which characterize all totalitarian movements. As Arendt states,
"the perpetual-motion mania of totalitarian movements can remain in power
only so long as they keep everything moving and set everything around them
in motion."135

This need for constant motion also pertains to the rules, regulations, and
beliefs within the group. In the case of Scientology, both theories and
practices are repeatedly revised, illustrating the "swift and surprising
changes in policy for which totalitarianism has become famous."136 L. Ron
Hubbard was particularly fond of revising the techniques for Dianetic
therapy and later employed the same
actions in Scientology processing.137 Hubbard would make elaborate designs
concerning the proper way to proceed along the "Bridge to Total Freedom,"
proclaiming the supreme accuracy of his theories, only to change them later
on. It was not unusual for a Scientologist, who had spent years in the
movement, to have to repeat processing levels because Hubbard had found the
techniques flawed and thus
had them re-designed.138 An obvious reason for the frequent revisions was
simply the fact that the methods did not work in the first place. The
miraculous cures promised by Hubbard were frequently proven false by the
members' own experiences, hence Hubbard's need to provide new improved
versions in order to keep Scientology afloat. However, the frequent
revisions also demonstrate the continual motion within the framework of the
group itself. In the higher "OT" levels of Scientology, new "grades" appear
every few years,
shrouded in secrecy.139 There is no real end to the movement. When a
Scientologist reaches one level, there is always another they must pass.
Knowledge is always one step further away; it is continually kept in
motion. As Arendt observed, "a political goal that would constitute the end
of the movement simply does not exist."140

Only a movement that is constantly kept in motion can achieve
totalitarianism's greatest wish: namely, the permanent domination of each
individual in every sphere of life.141 According to Arendt, the ideological
"axiomatic" laws that all totalitarian groups claim to represent are
movements of themselves.142 When Scientologists talk about Hubbard's
"science of mental health," the theories are viewed as a sweeping movement
executing the laws of History and Nature. As Hubbard remarked, "The man who
avoids the Bridge to Total Freedom will be eventually be swept along and
tumble into nothingness. Not only does he gain nothing but he inhibits
progress."143 Because the ideological movement aims to be completely
unopposed in its motion, a degree of terror is inevitably entailed. Terror
is experienced when there is no where else to turn and the most
unimaginable nightmare has become reality. This type of terror can only
become total when it becomes independent of all opposition. In other words,
only when there is nobody to stand in its way can totalitarianism achieve
the total homogenization it desires. In this manner, "terror is the essence
of totalitarian domination."144

Scientology's "Ethics" system is one particularly telling way that this
sort of terror arises in the movement. Devised by Hubbard in the mid 1960's
effectively as a form of social control, "ethics technology" emphasizes the
cult's totalitarian nature. Under the rules of "Ethics," anyone thought to
be disloyal, slacking, or breaking the rules of Scientology, was reported
to an "ethics officer" and assigned a "condition" according to the gravity
of the offense.145 Various penalties were attached to each condition. In a
"condition of liability" for example, the offender was required to wear a
dirty grey rag around his or her left arm.146 The worst that could happen
was to be declared an "SP" (suppressive person), which was tantamount to
excommunication from the church. SPs were defined by Hubbard as "fair game"
to be pursued, sued and harassed at every possible opportunity.147 The
penalties described under the Fair Game order are as follows: "May be
deprived of property or injured by any means by any Scientologists. May be
tricked, sued or lied to or destroyed."148 Scientologists who associate
with an SP are labeled "Potential Trouble Sources" and forbidden further
auditing or training.149 Members are, in effect, ordered to cease
communication with anyone considered unfriendly to the Church of
Scientology. This produces an effect, which Arendt noted, occurs in all
totalitarian movements: "Mutual suspicion, therefore, permeates all social
relationships."150 This all-pervasive atmosphere of distrust exists even
inside the group itself, as members are continually encouraged to be on
guard for "dangerous thoughts."151 Such dangerous thoughts were also
measured by the E-Meter, so even thinking a negative thought about Hubbard
or Scientology could show up during auditing.152

Hubbard insisted that his Ethics system should be applied to
non-Scientologists as well.153 As Arendt observed, "The category of the
suspect thus embraces under totalitarian conditions the total population;
every thought that deviates from the officially prescribed and constantly
changing line is already suspect."154 Simply because of their capacity to
think, human beings are suspects by definition under totalitarianism, for
the ability to change one's mind is a ever present threat to homogenization
and compliance.155 Ethics was more than a set of laws made by Hubbard. They
were absolute rules in accordance with the movement's ideological goals,
designed to apply to every individual, so that disobedience was not an
option. Such a punishment system eerily corresponds to Hitler's dictum that
"The total state must not know the difference between law and ethics."156

Penalties for lower conditions in Scientology's Ethics hierarchy were
harshest for those in the Sea Org- punishments included sleep deprivation
and the assignment of physical labor.157 The worst of Ethics was perhaps
Hubbard's initiation of the chain-locker punishment in 1968, during the
Commodore's reign on the Sea Org.158 A chain-locker is a dark hole where
anchor chains are stored. A tiny manhole gives access to the cold, wet and
unlit lockers below the bowels of the ship. When a crew member was in a low
enough Ethics condition, he or she would be put in a chain-locker for up to
two weeks, kept awake and fed by a suspended food bucket.159 The
"overboarding" practice also occurred under the Ethics system, in which
case an unlucky Scientologist was ordered to be thrown off the deck of the
boat.160

While such punishments are certainly cruel, they also demonstrate the state
of terror which was being built within Scientology. Scientologists were
accustomed to following Hubbard's auditing techniques and did not question
the reasoning behind another set of commands, such as those in Ethics.
Instead, they simply answered or carried them out. Many spent their time
trying to stay out of trouble, hoping they wouldn't be the next to receive
a punishment.161 What resulted was a situation where members could not
imagine doing anything other then obey Hubbard's rules. In their minds,
there was nowhere else to turn except towards the one all-encompassing
ideology they knew. They had lost the capacity to oppose the movement, even
when it had clearly become a nightmarish version of reality. This is
precisely the goal of totalitarianism. The creation a fictitious world
where everything is possible is a central assumption of all totalitarian
movements. Consequently, "every crime the rulers can conceive of must be
punished, regardless of whether or not it has been committed."162

In 1973, Hubbard replaced the chain-locker and overboarding punishments in
favor of new, profoundly effective means of domination- the Rehabilitation
Force Project, or RPF.163 Convinced that his orders were not being carried
out with sufficient diligence, Hubbard established the RPF as a
disciplinary unit for anyone who failed to comply with orders, made
mistakes, or fell short of their production quotas.164 While on the Sea
Org, Hubbard became convinced that there were evil people on board with
hidden evil intentions.165 The RPF was designed for such people, or as
Hubbard termed them: "degraded beings" and "psychotics."166 Used as a daily
threat, the RPF had, at one point, almost one-third of Sea Org members
assigned to it.167 RPF members were segregated, having their own space away
from the rest of the crew. Discipline was harsh and bizarre, while members
were expected to adhere to a rigid schedule of physical labor.168

The RPF is still in use in Scientology organizations throughout the world.
Those assigned to RPF can only speak when spoken to, eat table scraps, and
sleep shorter hours than other Scientology staff.169 RPF members are meant
to comply immediately and unquestioningly with any order. They work a full
day, doing physical labor, and are expected to spend five hours confessing
their "overts" and revealing their "Evil Purposes."170 The RPF is, in
effect, a Scientology penal colony.

The fact that both Ethics and the RPF originated on the Sea Org is not a
coincidence. The Sea Org was Hubbard's fantasy of a world of his own
creation, which could sail limitlessly without the constraints of national
or governmental borders. Scientology's horrific punishment systems only
serve to verify totalitarianism's fundamental belief that in a fictitious
world, everything is possible.171 One cannot help but be reminded of the
Nazi concentration camps when hearing about incarceration in the RPF.
Physically, there are unavoidable similarities between the two camps.
Undesirables are separated from the rest of society, under the pretense of
an movement that "functions according to the principle that whoever is not
included is excluded, whoever is not with me is against me."172 Conditions
are disgusting and prisoners are trained to comply with all orders. The
incarcerated are targeted as enemies of a movement whose purifying motion
must continue in order to prove its ideology. Of course, a critical
difference is that the Nazis systematically killed their prisoners. The RPF
does not lead to death, as it did for so many in Nazi camps. Therefore, the
forced labor camps of Scientology differ is this crucial respect. In
addition, the RPF is not designed for those psychiatrists and government
agents said to be conspiring against Scientology, but for the members of
the movement itself. This too, however, is the tendency of
totalitarianism, which always turns against even those in the movement, for
nobody is safe when everyone must be on guard.173

According to Arendt, the Nazi concentration camps were an example of
totalitarianism in power and served as "special laboratories to carry
through its experiment in total domination."174 In this manner, she
identifies the camps as the "true central institution of totalitarian
organizational power."175 I would argue that Scientology's RPF is similarly
the result of a movement that is headed in a totalitarian direction, but
which has not yet become a regime. Nonetheless, there are major indications
that the group contains distinctly totalitarian elements. A punishment
system such as the RPF is not only horrifying in the fact that it exists;
it is also based on an ideology of terror. To organize the entire texture
of life according to such an ideology can only be carried out under a
totalitarian regime.176 That is what Scientology is striving for- to create
a world where the line between reality and fiction is erased and the
capacity to distinguish truth from falsehood is abolished.177 While the
ideology of terror is indeed powerful, it is critical to realize that the
dream of totalitarianism is never complete. As long as there are people to
stand in the way of its movement, the non-totalitarian world will continue
to exist.


Copyright (c) 1999 Laura Kay Fuller