The assertion has been, throughout this thread, that Scientology Inc. is a religion.
Some fraction of the publicized/not publicized/compartmentalized/secretive doctrine of Scientology - used by individuals outside of Scientology Inc. - is another subject.
How can Scientology Inc be a religion? THAT (part of it) is a "corporation". The concept of a corporation and the concept of a religion are VERY different.
For example, isn't it true that the Catholic Church owns a great many properties and corporations, and just as with Scientology, USES its accepted label as a "religion" to gain UNFAIR economic and tax advantages for its entire "corporate structure"?
The problem here is that established BIG religions influenced governments MANY years ago, and continued to all throughout history, to grant "religion" a special status, making them immune to various financial and legal restrictions. In fact, Scientology has carefully taken advantage of the same loop holes.
There should be separation of Church and State, but there really isn't. Now when the State gives special advantages to certain religions. I see no reason why religions should not have to compete on the SAME economic playing field as anyone else. I do feel that true humanitarian ventures that aim to help the poor, suffering and disadvantaged should qualify for tax exempt status, but THAT has nothing to do with Scientology.
The real question isn't whether or not Scientology is a "religion", but whether ANY religion should be able to gain unfair economic advantages in the commercial arena of life. As long as laws and precedents exist allowing such unfair advantages, then there will be those who will do all they can to appear as a religion to benefit by the label.
I am sure that there are many Protestant ministers who live in homes that are owned by the affiliated religious corporations, and for which they pay NO property taxes at all.
The problem is the legal system, lawyers and the various legal precedents that have been set over the years. In the legal arena the game is all about convincing others through arguments, and THAT comes down to a game Hubbard was very good at - manipulating appearances and gaining agreement.
Hubbard took great care to cloud the difference between the various aspects of Scientology. In all the materials given to the general public and staff, there is never a mention of the word "corporation". Hubbard never makes any differentiation between the various spiritual or religious beliefs and the organizational structure. He simply calls every part of it "Scientology". In fact when I was involved, I got blasted a few times by the CO OSA CW for suggesting that there actually were different aspects to it all; he immediately attacked me with "THAT IS ENEMY LINE". I commented on how the organizational part is VERY different than the part having to do with auditing and self-help. Again, OSA had strict orders to catch and blast any examples of such an idea.
There is no doubt Hubbard was a grand deceiver and that his staff follow in his footsteps.
The game was won by Scientology in the legal arena, and that is where they will have to finally lose.
I am curious, does anyone know, what sequence of actions would have to occur to argue against and take away the Church of Scientology's tax-exempt status? WHO has the power to do that? Would this occur with a law suit? Who would get sued? Congress, the Supreme Court? Could the IRS be sued?
As I see it, THAT is the ONLY way this will ever get "fixed". They need to LOSE what they deceptively gained in the first place (their much-coveted tax-exempt status). Do understand that ALL of the other major religions that benefit by these unfair tax advantages will fight tooth and nail to prevent any general changing of the rules. Sadly, religion (in its various guises) still has a very powerful influence over the minds of humankind.
Sort of off the subject, but take a coven of witches or a group of pagans out celebrating the Summer Solstice. In fact, they also qualify as a religion. Most don't concern themselves with being "recognized as such". because they don't care about getting any unfair commercial advantage. Many members of modern New Age groups believe in fairies, elves, angels, advanced Masters, and even alien grand-parents who genetically engineered our race, but again they for the most part haven't organized together trying to gain some religious label, and they rarely vie for the coveted tax-exempt status. But ALL of these mentioned above ARE actually of the nature of "religion" (whether they call themselves that or not).
In the end this all about playing games with words and meanings. I don't mean Hoaxster's idea of a "word clown", but I mean the playing of games that is done by LAWYERS in COURT ROOMS. The Church of Scientology uses the same gimmickry and corporate deceptions as does the Catholic Church. I don't say that in any way that makes any of this okay. But, I do see that the basic problem is in the
system itself that currently grants unfair economic advantages to whatever can be agreed upon to be a "religion".
There has been a great confusion and clouding intentionally brought about by the MAJOR RELIGIONS between the concepts "religion" and "corporation". The Church of Scientology has very adeptly jumped on the same bandwagon.