Underground Exiles

Hubbard became interested in a type of lie detector called the “electropsychometer” that he believed would yield better results in auditing. He obtained a franchise for this device, which he renamed the Hubbard Electrometer, or E-meter. He began calling patients “pre-clears” and “within six weeks had created a new subject apparently out of thin air.”¹

Hubbard called his new subject Scientology and in introducing it, he claimed to have discovered the human soul. Whereas Dianetics had addressed the body, Scientology involved freeing souls (which Hubbard called “thetans”) from supposed entrapment in the physical or material world and restoring their alleged supernatural powers.

Hubbard established a headquarters in Phoenix, Arizona, awarded himself the degree of D.Scn. (Doctor of Scientology) and in May 1952 incorporated the Hubbard Association of Scientologists International under the personal control of himself and his third wife, Mary Sue. Meanwhile, the American Medical Association continued its opposition to Dianetics, as well as its new baby, Scientology.

In 1953 Hubbard regained control of Dianetics after a protracted legal battle and incorporated the Church of Scientology, Church of American Science and Church of Spiritual Engineering. In 1954 he incorporated the Church of Scientology of California, which became the mother church. In 1956 the church was granted US federal tax-exempt status.

In 1957, passing himself off as a nuclear physicist, Hubbard gave a series of lectures in London on “nuclear radiation and health,” promoting a vitamin compound which he claimed cured both “radiation sickness” and cancer. Also that year the CIA began a file on him.

Hubbard repeatedly wrote to the FBI with complaints of Communist and Nazi persecution. The Bureau considered him a mental case, but kept a file on him and would later, as his organization grew, investigate him actively…abusively, Scientologists maintain.^{2 3}

In 1959 Hubbard moved to England and bought Saint Hill Mansion in Sussex, from which he would direct international operations and expansion of the Church of Scientology until 1967. The 1960s saw the introduction of “Ethics” procedures, which include harsh punishments (even for children) and the “disconnection” policy, which requires Scientologists to sever ties with family and friends critical of Scientology.

Although the essentials of Scientology had been thoroughly presented early on, Hubbard turned out a steady stream of books and audio tapes that are aggressively marketed to his followers. He created systems of “Security Checks” in which members are interrogated to ensure loyalty and extract confessions. He produced reams of policy directives on subjects varying from Scientology “tech” (technology) to church management to approved cleaning solvents to his own recipe for baby formula; all these missives are considered by Church of Scientology members to be sacred scripture.

In the late 1960s Hubbard released the “upper levels.” Scientologists who had spent hundreds or thousands of hours vainly pursuing often-promised supernatural abilities were guaranteed that these procedures would finally deliver on the promise. Based on a science-fiction-like story taking place millions of years ago and involving a cruel Galactic despot named Xenu and his evil minions (elsewhere identified as present-day Christian clergy and psychiatrists), the upper levels are kept secret until a member is deemed ready to receive them. The estimated cost from beginning Scientology courses through completion of the upper levels is today $300,000 - $500,000 in US dollars.

In 1967 the IRS stripped Scientology’s mother church of its tax-exempt status. With his organization coming under increasing scrutiny from a variety of governments and tax woes abounding, Hubbard wrote his famous “Fair Game” law, which states that anyone named an enemy of Scientology “may be tricked, sued, lied to or destroyed.” ⁴ A year later, he would issue a directive canceling use of the term, “Fair Game,” (due to negative publicity) but making plain that attacks on Scientology’s perceived enemies were to continue. ⁵

1. Jon Atack. “The Total Freedom Trap: Scientology, Dianetics and L. Ron Hubbard,” Chapter 10. Online article: http://tinyurl.com/245dd [↩]
2. Chronology of the Scientology Movement, compiled by the Free Zone Association, individuals practicing Scientology outside the CoS. http://tinyurl.com/2ws9u [↩]
3. Collection of FBI files relating to L. Ron Hubbard and Scientology. http://tinyurl.com/28ur2 [↩]
4. L. Ron Hubbard, Hubbard Communications Office Policy Letter, 18 October 1967. “ENEMY SP Order. Fair game. May be deprived of property or injured by any means by any Scientologist without any discipline of the Scientologist. May be tricked, sued or lied to or destroyed.” [SP = Suppressive Person a.k.a. critic of Scientology] [↩]
5. L. Ron Hubbard, Hubbard Communications Office Policy Letter, 21 October 1968, “Cancellation of Fair Game” “The practice of declaring people FAIR GAME will cease. FAIR GAME may not appear on any Ethics Order. It causes bad public relations. This P/L does not cancel any policy on the treatment or handling of an SP.” [↩]