From the quote, it is worth
noting that even though the
Church of Scientology used the
words "Supreme Being," it
clearly rejects the teachings of
the biblical God and absolutely
rejects the Trinity. As will be
discussed later on in this
chapter, the Church of
Scientology has been heavily
influenced by Eastern thought,
like Hinduism.
Their book (A World Religion) on
world religions leaves little
doubt that the Hindu Brahma is
closely paralleled with
Scientology's understandings of
the Supreme Being. Here God is
spoken in terms of Hinduism.
Though Hubbard provides no
strict definition of the Supreme
Being, his descriptive
characteristics are enough for
the Christian reader to see its
unbiblical nature. Hubbard
rejects the Christian doctrine of
the trinity. His Phoenix Lectures
state "The Christian God is
actually much better
characterized in Hinduism than
in any subsequent publication,
including the Old Testament."
Again, he said, "The God the
Christians worshipped is
certainly not the Hebrew God.
He looks much more like the one
talked about in the Veda (Hindu
scripture). What he mistakenly
assumed is that the Hindu
"triad" is the basis for the
Christian "Trinity."
In Scientology, this view of a
Supreme Being is more like
Eastern Mysticism's
transcendental heavens, though
it differs in that it holds that
infinity is that Supreme Being.
So the concept of a God like the
God of the Bible is absent in
Scientology.
This means it operates like an
atheistic or dualistic religion. As
a religion, it is essentially a
cross between atheism and
Eastern Mysticism (e.g., Taoism,
Hinduism, Jainism, New Age,
etc.) where each individual
forms their own view of the God
of the Eight Dynamic.
View of Christ
It isn't a surprise that Hubbard
has no reverence for Christ and
sees him as just another moral
teacher among many. In this
Phoenix Lectures from 1968,
Hubbard believes Jesus was
"the Christ legend as an implant
in preclears a million years ago."
In these lectures, he also casts
doubts upon the authenticity of
Jesus as Messiah.
Now the Hebrew definition of
messiah is one who brings
wisdom, a teacher, in other
words. Messiah is from
messenger. But he is somebody
with information. And Moses
was such a one. And then Christ
became such a one. He was a
bringer of information. He never
announced his sources... Now
here we have a great teacher in
Moses. we have other messiah,
and we then arrive with christ.
And the words of Christ were a
lesson in compassion, and they
set a very fine example to the
western world, compared to
what the western world was
doing at that moment.
To the surprise of some, "Christ"
is not Jesus' last name
(surname). "Christ" comes from
the Greek word Christos,
meaning "anointed one" or
"chosen one." This is the Greek
equivalent of the Hebrew word
Mashiach, or "Messiah." "Jesus"
is the Lord's human name given
to Mary by the angel Gabriel.
"Christ" is his title, signifying
Jesus was sent from God to be a
King and Deliverer. "Jesus
Christ" means "Jesus the
Messiah" or "Jesus the Anointed
One."
When someone was given a
position of authority in ancient
Israel, oil was poured on his
head to signify his being set
apart fro God's service. Kings,
priests, and prophets were
anointed in such fashion.
Anointing was a symbolic act to
indicate God's choosing.
Although the literal meaning of
anointed refers to the application
of oil, it can also refer to one's
consecration by God, even if
literal oil is not used.
View of Man and
Sin
Scientologists believe that "man
is basically good."
A fundamental tenet of
Scientology is that Man is
basically good; that he is seeking
to survive; and that his survival
depends upon himself and upon
his fellows and his attainment of
brotherhood with the universe.
However, his experiences in the
physical universe, through many
lifetimes, have led him into evil,
where he has committed harmful
acts or sins, causing him to
become aberrated (departing
from rational thought
or behaviour). These harmful acts
further reduce Man's awareness
and innate goodness as a
spiritual being.
Through Scientology, one
confronts these acts, erases the
ignorance and aberration which
surrounds them, and comes to
know and experience truth again.