RT Article
T1 Is Scientology a Religion?
JF The journal of CESNUR
VO 2
IS 2
SP 11
OP 20
A1 Berzano, Luigi 1939-
LA English
YR 2018
UL https://www.ixtheo.de/Record/1724512854
AB Is Scientology a religion? In order to answer the question, I use the substantial definitions that  today  many  scholars  (among  them  Aldo  Natale  Terrin,  in  his  recent  volume  on  Scientology)  call “polythetic,”  in  that  they  put  together  several  specific,  common  characteristics  in  a set of  dimensions. We  find  in  Scientology, firstly(especially  in  the Dianetics volume),a  complex  set  of  doctrines,  beliefs and  behaviors,  which  the  faithful  must  observe  in  order  to  reach  thestate  of clear. Secondly,  we  find  a community  organized  around  certain  beliefs  and  practices,  common  to  all  Scientology  members.  The third characteristic  defining  religion  is  the  presence  of  a  recognized  authority, in  this  caseL.  Ron Hubbard,  the sole  master  of  the  truth,  understood  as  a  doctrine  with  a  practical, effective  side  that can be  verified.  The fourth characteristic  is  the  community  dimension  around  the  “Sunday  service,” comparable  with  the  liturgical  services  of  Protestant  churches.  The fifth characteristic  is  an  ethical-moral  view  of  life,  based  on  promoting  rationality  at  the  service  of  the  greatest  good  for  the  greatest number of “dynamics.” The sixth featureis the presence of God, identified in Scientology as the “Eight Dynamic,” whose essence is not yet well known.
K1 Defining Religion
K1 Gnosticism
K1 L. Ron Hubbard
K1 Scientology
K1 Scientology and Theology
K1 Scientology as Religion
DO 10.26338/tjoc.2018.2.2.2