World Affirming

1. World Affirming • Focus on self improvement. • Run as a business. • Employs techniques/tools/practical strategies. • No need to believe in a ‘God’. • Allow members to belong to other religions as well. • Some groups deny any religious identity.

2. Under The Microscope:

3. The Church of Scientology was founded in 1954 by L. Ron Hubbard (pictured), a former science fiction writer. The word Scientology literally means "the study of truth." It comes from the Latin word "scio" meaning "knowing in the fullest sense of the word" and the Greek word "logos" meaning "study of." No mystery or questions of faith – it seeks to prove everything it says. How it Started…

4. QUOTE FROM SCIENTOLOGY WEBSITE “And it was also here that Mr. Hubbard, as the leader of a new and dynamic religious movement…”

5. So What’s It All About? Watch and listen carefully for a brief overview of scientology... …how does it sound to you? Does it clearly tick all the boxes so we can place it in the Human Potential Movement category?

6. Core Beliefs: Human Nature • A human is made up of three parts: the body, the mind and the thetan. • The bodyincludes the brain, which is not to be confused with the mind. The purpose of the brain is to carry messages; it is likened to a switchboard. • The mind"consists essentially of pictures." It is our life experiences, memories, perceptions, decisions and conclusions. • The thetanis the soul, which is the true essence of a human being.

7. Scientologist’s views on God: ‘Do you believe in God?’ • “No, not in the sense that there is a higher power outside me.” • ‘Yes, I believe God is an extra terrestrial spiritual being’ Do you think to be a religion, you have to believe in a God?

8. So Where’s God? ? Listen carefully to a few ideas from scientologists…

9. PMI on a PMI Do a PMI under the following heading: A Religion where people can believe different things. • What might be a plus outcome of this? • What might be a minus outcome? • Why is it interesting that Scientology allows this?

10. A Thetan…? • A thetan is that which is aware of being aware. You don’t have a thetan. You are a thetan. Exteriorization • Scientology teaches that, through a process called exteriorization, a thetan can leave the body but still control the body. This experience results in a person's certainty that he is not identified with his body. A person who is able to practice exteriorization is called an Operating Thetan or OT.

11. Use The Bridge to Become an Operating Thetan… • The Bridge is an important idea in Scientology. • A person can get to a higher state of existence [be a better more successful person] • They believe there is one bridge with two way traffic • one helps with the subconscious mind of the person • and one helps with conscious or waking life. • The practical method of make the subconscious conscious is called auditing. • The other Bridge that helps develop the conscious or aware part of a person takes the form of a series of qualifications aimed at making a person a better communicator. • To recap sit back and watch…

12. Auditing & Engrams • Scientologists believe that negative experiences from this life, (e.g. hearing your mum screaming as she gives birth to you!), and previous lives cause humans to store ‘engrams’. • Engrams cause human dysfunction and difficulty. • Therefore humans must rid themselves of engrams to reach their true potential. • The auditing session is designed to remove engrams

13. Is Scientology A Religion? Whether Scientology is a "religion" is a matter of debate. Scientology presents itself as a "technology" that leads people to "true spiritual release and freedom." It does not emphasize particular beliefs about God or other traditional religious topics, yet it calls itself a "Church" and presents many of its teachings in spiritual and religious terms. Scientology is also highly controversial, with many regarding it as a dangerous cult or financial scam.

14. Is Scientology a religion? Is Scientology, in your view, a religion? Consider, their beliefs, and their practices.