Believe

When most people hear about the American Dream, they may think of gist and glamor, wealth and fame, freedom and choices. The latter happened to be an important role in the life of L. Ron Hubbard, the founder of Scientology, a young religion practiced by a handful of thousands of Americans. In America, all citizens have the fundamental right to freedom of religion, a principle explicitly stated in the United States Constitution. Hubbard version of the American Dream was based off this right to freely practice one’s creed. There has been much debate whether the ideas by Hubbard were classified as a religion, but it is open to interpretation of this notion and if it includes the general concept of belief or believing in something. Hubbard used research in science and the human brain and writing to construct an explanation of a new way of thought.

There are significant events that influenced the formation of Scientology. Lafayette Ronald Hubbard know as L. Ron Hubbard was born March 13, 1911 in Tilden, Nebraska. Hubbard was introduced to the works and ideas of Sigmund Freud a young age, and in his teenage years, he traveled to Asia where he learned cultures and religious philosophies of China, Japan, Guam, and the Philippines. His experiences sparked his interest in the human brain and development on his own doctrine. His talent for writing emerged at the end of his high school years as wrote about these experiences. He continued to write works in science fiction and fantasy throughout the years. In his early thirties, Hubbard served in the U.S. Military during War World II. He suffered from an ulcer during that time, and while in recovery in the hospital, Hubbard studied and question the nature of the human mind. With his experience in writing and research, Hubbard formulated original the groundwork of Scientology.

In May 1950, L. Ron Hubbard published Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health. Hubbard established a form of psychology that studies the human mind or, what he referred to as the spirt, that would ultimately be known as Scientology. Scientology appealed to thousands of people and Dianetics became a New York Times Best Sellers and Hubbard gathered a following. However, not everyone acceptable it with open arms. There was a pushback from scientist such as psychiatrist and society to acknowledge Scientology as an official religion. Hubbard responded by stating Scientology as “. . . a precise and exact science, designed for an age of exact sciences” and included the improvements of “health, intelligence, abilities, behaviour, skills and appearance of people.” Despite disproval, Hubbard stood by this work and published additional books following Dianetics.

The pushback against Scientology did little halt its expansion and diminish Hubbard’s American Dream. In 1954, Hubbard’s students formed the Church of Scientology. This modern belief stretched beyond reading Dianetics and developed into a process call “clearing.” Those who identified as Scientologist paid for sessions called “’auditing” to achieve the final state of clear. Hubbard claimed Scientology ‘‘is the only thoroughly tested system of improving human relations, intelligence, and character,” which offered his reasoning for the multiple sessions. These techniques generated money for the church because the prices ranging from the hundreds or thousands of dollars. Hubbard began to establish different organizations, such as the Sea Org, to expand his American Dream onto others.

Hubbard’s American Dream included the right and belief in the freedom of religion and how to exercise it without restriction. His view allowed for individuals who follow his works to enhance their spiritual dimension and explore their purpose of life and how fulfill it. As time goes on the Scientology and L. Ron Hubbard still receive criticism even after Hubbard’s death in January 1986. Today, Hubbard’s ideal dream to live life as an American has expanded from the right to freedom of religion, now involves obtaining power and money, under the church’s new leader, David Miscavige.