I am sympathetic to the challenge of presenting Scientology to the uninformed. However, there is a jaded and old tradition of criticizing the beliefs of others – a tradition that can tend toward misrepresentation and ridicule – which was in evidence in a July 16 article in the The Herald (“Actor Cruise puts Scientology back in the spotlight”).
The real story about Scientology is that it evolved out of an effort to understand and address the human condition in some practical way. It is based on the writings of American philosopher L. Ron Hubbard and stands in contradiction to those philosophies that say that you are no more than a biological machine, and that your thoughts, your feelings, and even your consciousness of self, are a byproduct of chemical reactions occurring in your brain.
Scientology is an applied religious philosophy. Contained in its principles are tools for dealing with the problems of life. Addressing relationships, communication, ethics and more, these tools can be applied to achieving better conditions for oneself and others.
Scientologists are known for the responsibility they take for their environment and for what they give back to the community. An example is the church’s worldwide disaster relief program. Our volunteer ministers were some of the first to arrive at Ground Zero after the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, and most recently, hundreds assisted in southeast Asia after the tsunami.
You’ll find Scientologists tutoring illiterate children, giving drug education lectures and spearheading projects in parks and on city streets to beautify the areas they live and work in. They give to charities and support community groups. In short, they work hard to improve conditions in society and have been recognized for doing so.
Rev. Ann Pearce
Church of Scientology of Washington
Seattle
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