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In L. Ron Hubbard's book Scientology: The Fundamentals of Thought, he begins with a discussion about the vital statistics of scientology. One major idea to keep in mind is that scientology is an applied religious philosophy. The word scientology is taken from the Latin word scio (knowing in the fullest of the word) and the Greek word logos (study of). In itself the word means literally knowing how to know.
Another definition for scientology is the study and handling of the spirit in relationship to itself, universes and other life. In reading this book, I think that scientology can be defined not as a "religion" but as a "science for the soul." I found it hard to think of scientology as a "religion." On one page Hubbard wrote, "It (Scientology) is a precise and exact science, designed for an age of exact sciences." On another page he writes, "No other subject on Earth except physics and chemistry have had such grueling testing. " According to my believes, a religion can not be put on the studying block like a test problem. I don't think that science and religion can be compared to each other. It's like comparing apples and oranges. From reading this book, I think of scientology as something that you can use to help you through your problems. But not in the way that conventional religions do.
Scientology is more a route, a way, rather than something that you believe it is more something to do. Through drills and studies one may find the truth for oneself. The end result of scientology studies and drills is a renewed awareness of self as a spiritual and immortal being. Hubbard says " Scientology does things for people where nothing has been done before. It restores people's ability to handle conditions that were once considered hopeless.
It increases their intelligence. It changes their competence and betters their behavior. In addition to these it brings them a better understanding of life. These last few sentences describe what a religion should do for a person. The second chapter dealt with the basic principles of Scientology. The most fundamental idea in Scientology is called the cycle of action.
The cycle of action is an apparently as follows: create, then survive, then destroy; or creation, survival, destruction. According to Scientology though, this cycle is only an apparently. It is what we see, what we believe. We consider that it is this way so we see it this way. For example Hubbard writes, "A child is born, he grows, he reaches manhood, he grows old, he dies. In scientology it can be seen that none of these steps are necessary.
One considers them so, and they are "true." A man can grow old quickly or slowly. He grows old to the degree that he believes he is growing old. Because everyone agrees that this is the way things are, they go that way. The cycle is not true. It is only apparent. It is apparent because we believe we see it.
It is apparent because we agree that it should be so. " The next section of the book dealt with The Conditions of Existence. There are three conditions of existence. They are be, do and have. The condition of being is defined as the assumption of a category of identity. The second condition of existence is doing. By doing they mean action, function, accomplishment, the attainment of goals, the fulfilling of purpose or any change of position in space.
The third condition is having ness. By having mess they mean owning, possessing, being capable of commanding positioning, taking charge of objects, energies or spaces. The essential definition of having is to be able to touch or permeate or to direct the disposition of. These three conditions are given in an order of seniority where life is concerned.
The ability to be is more important than the ability to do. The ability to do is more important than the ability to have. In most people all three conditions are sufficiently confused that they are best understood in reverse order. When one has clarified the idea of possession or having ness, one can then proceed to clarify doing ness for general activity and when this is done one understands blindness or identity. To me, these three ideas are just telling me what the possibilities are for me to be doing. I mean that, I can be something.
I can do something. Or, I can have something. In scientology, to me, it is all about physical things, unlike other religions where most of the thought of the religion is about non-physical things, just ideas. The next chapter was about The Eight Dynamics. There could be said to be eight urges (drives, impulses) in life. Scientology calls them dynamics.
The first of these dynamics is the urge toward existence as ones self. Here we have individuality expressed fully. This can be called the self dynamic. The second dynamic is the urge toward existence as a sexual activity. This dynamic actually has two divisions. Second dynamic (a) is the sexual act itself and the second dynamic (b) is the family unit, including the rearing of children.
This can be called the sex dynamic. The third dynamic is the urge toward existence in groups of individuals. Any group or part of an entire class could be considered to be a part of the third dynamic. The school, the society, the town, the nation are each part of the third dynamic, and each one is a third dynamic.
This can be called the group dynamic. The fourth dynamic is the urge toward existence as mankind. Whereas the white race would be considered a third dynamic, all the races would be considered the fourth dynamic. This can be called the mankind dynamic. The fifth dynamic is the urge toward existence of the animal kingdom. This includes all living things whether vegetable or animal.
The fish of the sea, the beasts of the field or of the forest, grass, trees, flowers or anything directly and intimately motivated by life. This can be called the animal dynamic. The sixth dynamic is the urge toward existence as the physical universe. The physical universe is composed of matter, energy, space and time. In scientology we take the first letter of each word and coin a word, MEST. This can be called the universe dynamic.
The seventh dynamic is the urge toward existence as or of spirits. Anything spiritual, with or without identity, would come under the heading of the seventh dynamic. The seventh dynamic is called the spiritual dynamic. The eighth dynamic is the urge toward existence as infinity. This is also identified as the Supreme Being. It is carefully observed here that the science of scientology does not intrude into the dynamic of the Supreme Being.
This is called the eighth dynamic because the symbol of infinity stood upright makes the numeral 8. This can be called the infinity or God dynamic. The eight dynamics are used in scientology communication and should be perfectly learned as part of the language of scientology. The abilities and shortcomings of individuals can be understood by viewing their participation in the various dynamics. The next chapter was about the parts of the man. The parts of the man are a vital part of scientology.
The individual man is divisible into three parts. The first of these is the spirit, called in scientology the than. The second of these parts is the mind. The third is the body. The than is described in scientology as having no mass, no wavelength, and no time or location in space except by consideration or postulate.
The spirit, ...
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