By Craig Branch

Scientology is like a chameleon. It attempts to morph or change its profile according to the situation. It’s leaders (and subsequently its followers) are conditioned to believe that the end justifies the means. The end is “Scientology over the world.” There are various means.

One category of those means is front organizations. As usual, Scientology speaks out of both sides of its mouth. On one hand they claim that L. Ron Hubbard developed a system of management technology, born out of the seeds of Dianetics, alongside the development of the Scientology religion.

Scientology claims that Hubbard then issued his administrative policy letter (claimed to be Scientology “Scriptures”) to be applied in all Scientology “churches.” They claim that some Scientologists became business consultants and “corresponded with Mr. Hubbard, informing him of their successes and their application of his techniques and principles to the commercial world.”

But the reality is much different. It is true that Scientology began as a secular endeavor, Hubbard organizing the Hubbard Association of Scientologists (HAS) in 1952. But he then morphed into a religious front in 1953. By 1966 Hubbard transferred all the membership assets of AAS to the Church of Scientology.

A chronological examination of the letters, documents and history of Scientology leads to the conclusion that “economic circumstances and social pressure motivated Hubbard to transform his Dianetics creation into the grander system of Scientology, then to assert that his scientific creation actually was religious in nature.”

The IRS certainly saw through the subterfuge and from 1967-1993 stripped Scientology of its religious tax exempt status. But in a controversial and mysterious reversal in 1993, the IRS reinstated the exemption.

But many foreign countries will not recognize Scientology’s claims to be a bonefide religion because of its focus on making money, and its criminal past and present activities.

In one of Hubbard’s “scriptures” he wrote, “Remember, Churches are looked upon as reform groups. Therefore, we must act like a reform group.” Scientology understandably wants to discriminate its technologies into all markets and all of society. But because of its earned separation, it often hides connection to its many front organizations.

For example one major front group is Worldwide Institute of Scientology Enterprises (WISE). It was listed as a “nonprofit religious corporation…its purposes are to promote and foster the religious teachings of L. Ron Hubbard in society.” A WISE magazine from 1992 shows the steps a businessman would take from signing up for a course to becoming a Scientologist.

But the IRS recognizing the for profit – religious mixture stipulated in their reinstatement agreement with Scientology that WISE must be dissolved and its assets be transferred into the Inspector General Network. But they since reorganized WISE and it still fronts many groups.

There are a number of organizations that are either a direct outreach of Scientology or an indirect one which pay royalties or fees to use Hubbard’s “tech,” and promote entry into Scientology. Let the buyer beware!

1. ABLE (Association for Better Living and Education) is an umbrella organization for Narconon and Criminon (drug rehab programs), The Way to Happiness Foundation (promoting Hubbard’s “moral code” booklets especially targeting schools), and Applied Scholastics (educational programs based on Hubbards study “tech”).
2. Citizens for an Alternative Tax System, a group attempting to abolish the IRS.
3. Citizens Commission of Human Rights (CCHR), designed to attack and discredit all psychiatric drugs, ritilan, and the field of psychiatry generally.
4. Singer and Hollander Consultants; Irons Marcus and Valko, Sterling Management – consulting firms that uses Hubbard’s “tech” and promote entry into Scientology.

Visit https://holysmoke.org/cos/cult-front-groups-latest.htm for a more thorough listing of the many front groups.

Notes
1. www.wise.org
2. Stephen Kent, “Religious Studies and Theology” 18 No. 2, Dec. 1999, p. 97-126.
3. https://www.xenu.net/archive/oca/nytimes.html
4. Hubbard Communications Office Policy Letter, 25 Feb. 1966.
5. World Institute of Scientology Enterprises License Agreement Part C.
6. Clear Expansion Committee’s, internal magazine, 1992, p 15.