BIKERS CLUB OCTOBER 2019 ISSUE | Page 31

View of Creation As with any religion, Scientology has an explanation for the origin of the physical universe. In Scientology, this view flows from the theory of theta (the life force, or spirit) creating MEST (a coined word for the physical universe, Matter, Energy, Space and Time). In fact, it could be said that the creation of the universe is an inseparable part of that theory. The origins of theta and the creation of the physical universe set forth in Scientology are described in "The Factors," written by L. Ron Hubbard in 1953. Theta is expressed as an impersonal force or spirit manifested in individual thetans which created the physical universe. The thetan is the impersonal creator or God for Scientology. The Thetan is claimed to be the creator, but this is not to be confused with the Operating Thetan, which is a level a person can supposedly achieve and then is able to study the advanced materials of Hubbard. Even so, it is tricky to understand as one is a thetan and doesn't have a thetan, somewhat equivalent to the soul or spirit of a man. Even so, when "God" is mentioned in Scientology, it is referring to one moving "toward existence as infinity. Salvation There are many erroneous beliefs built into the Church of Scientology regarding salvation. The first issue is the problem of reincarnation. The orthodox Hindu idea of reincarnation teaches that when you die, your soul does not go to heaven or hell. Instead, your soul goes into some other kind of body here on earth. This body can be an insect, fish, animal or human body. Scientologists prefer to use rebirth instead of reincarnation to describe their means for salvation even though reincarnation is included in many of their teachings. Hubbard believed that the way to salvation is to end the continuous cycle of birth and rebirth - a distinctive of Eastern religions. The key to the Scientologist view of salvation is the idea of "auditing." One of the fundamental principles of Scientology is that a person can improve his condition only if he is allowed to find his own truth about himself. In Scientology, this is accomplished through auditing. Auditing is the process of asking specifically worded questions designed to help and find areas of distress. This is done with an auditor, meaning one who listens. An auditor does not offer solutions or advice. They are trained to listen and help you locate experiences that need to be addressed. But some experiences are so deeply buried in the mind, they are not easily recalled. The auditor helps you pinpoint these with an aid of an "e" meter. If you think of something that has upset or has stress connected to it, this shows up on the meter. Your attention can now be directed to that thought. Through auditing, one is able to look at their own existence and discover the past experiences that are holding them back against their will. BIKERS CLUB | MAGAZINE