Scientology and its members continue to gather support from experts and authorities around the world for their freedom to live and practice their religion
BRUSSELS, BELGIUM, April 14, 2022 /EINPresswire.com/ — In a growing world where religion is becoming always more important to maintain a fair degree of values, the members of Scientology (founded by humanitarian L. Ron Hubbard) face similar challenges than any other major religion at birth, with the difference that its workability and accessibility in the 21st century, gives this movement a mark of stability, efficiency and speed.
“More and more governments and authorities are putting aside the noise of haters and enemies of freedom, and stick to a pragmatic view: Scientology teachings, religious and secular, work, and therefore become indispensable for improving this world that so much help needs. Discrimination based on belief is not something any person can afford anymore. We are all in this together” said Ivan Arjona, representative for Scientology in Europe, “and each religion has the right and the responsibility to make of this one, a better world“.
“More and more governments and authorities are putting aside the noise of haters and enemies of freedom, and stick to a pragmatic view: Scientology teachings, religious and secular, work”Ivan Arjona Pelado
An understanding of religion, in general, can help people put aside the noise, and look at things as they are and for what they do. Now, what is Scientology? Why Is it a religion? Who says this? To start, you have the right to freedom of belief, and no one is authorized according to the United Nations Universal Declaration on Human Rights, to discriminate against you, or to attack you, because of the teachings that you believe in, the ones that make you a better person. In taking the subject of Scientology, the world’s foremost experts in the fields of comparative religion, history of religion, religious studies and sociology agree that Scientology is a world religion.
Because of their interest in major and emerging world religions, distinguished scholars have published numerous studies, opinions and papers testing Scientology against a list of world-religion norms by which they judge any religion. Although these experts and scholars proceed from their unique cultural background and method of analysis, they have all independently concluded that Scientology possesses the requisite elements and characteristics of a bona fide religion.
Objective research on this subject has been conducted by more than one hundred experts, including the most preeminent and acclaimed scholars from interrelated disciplines.
Millions of Scientologists sincerely believe in and have adopted the tenets and practices of the religion. For every one of them, Scientology is their true religion and fulfills their deepest spiritual needs. This is the most important test of any religion. Nevertheless, if one relies on secondary sources, there is no genuine religious expert anywhere who does not recognize Scientology as a religion.
Authors of these studies include the foremost scholars of religion, past and present, including Dr. Bryan Wilson, Reader Emeritus in Sociology at Oxford University from 1963 to 1993; Dr. Geoffrey Parrinder, former Professor of Religion at the University of London; Dr. James Beckford, Professor of Religion at the University of Warwick; Dr. M. Darrol Bryant, Professor of Religion and Culture, Renison College, University of Waterloo, Canada; Dr. Régis Dericquebourg, Professor of Sociology of Religion at the University of Lille III, France; Dr. Alejandro Frigerio, Associate Professor of Sociology, Catholic University of Argentina; Dr. Frank K. Flinn, Adjunct Professor in Religious Studies, Washington University, Missouri; Mr. Fumio Sawada, Eighth Holder of the Secrets of Yu-Itsu Shinto; Professor Urbano Alonso Galan, Theologian and Philosopher, Madrid; Professor Dario Sabbatucci, Professor of History of Religions, University of Rome; Professor Harry Heino, Professor of Theology, Research Chief, Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland; Professor David Chidester, Professor of Comparative Religion, University of Cape Town, South Africa; Professor Alan W. Black, Associate Professor of Sociology, University of New England, Armidale, New South Wales, Australia.
Dr. Bryan Wilson was acknowledged as one of the most distinguished scholars of new religions in the world in his lifetime. He was a fellow of All Souls College at Oxford and the British Academy. He researched, published and lectured on religion and new religious movements around the world for fifty years and provided expert opinions on religion for the British House of Commons and the courts. He studied Scientology for over 30 years, visited Churches of Scientology, read volumes of Scientology Scripture and interviewed numerous Scientologists. His considered conclusion exemplifies the worldwide academic view of the Scientology religion:
“Scientology is a bona fide religion and should be considered as such… [Scientologists] perceive their beliefs and practices as a religion, and many bring to them levels of commitment which exceed those normally found among believers in the traditional religions.”
Professor Wilson’s scientific findings are shared by scholars from Germany, France, Belgium, Finland, Sweden, South Africa, Italy, Spain, Russia, Norway, Denmark, Greece, Holland, Austria, Argentina, Australia, Japan, Canada, New Zealand, Kazakhstan, Slovakia, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovenia, the United States and other countries. The following excerpts of opinions by these experts are illustrative:
“For scholars in the field of the history of religions, sociology, and/or comparative religion, there is no doubt that Scientology is a religion.”
Christiaan Vonck, Ph.D., Rector, Faculty for Comparative Study of Religions, Antwerp, Belgium
“Everything which is said or done in Scientology can and must make sense in our culture only if understood as a religion.”
Dario Sabbatucci, Professor of History of Religions, University of Rome
“Apart from individual salvation, Scientology sees it as its task to clean up our whole planet and create a civilization where there is no irrationality, criminality or wars…. Scientology in its present form is a religion, offering crucial religious services, a distinctive belief and a tightly organised religious denomination.”
Harri Heino, Professor of Theology, Research Chief, Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland
OFFICIAL INTERNATIONAL RELIGIOUS RECOGNITIONS OF THE CHURCH OF SCIENTOLOGY
In addition to this overwhelming acceptance of Scientology’s religious bona fides by the world’s foremost scholars, Scientology has been officially recognized as a religion in hundreds upon hundreds of executive, administrative and judicial decisions.
CONCLUSION
The status of Scientology as a world religion cannot be questioned—as every qualified and objective academic expert of religion agrees. Scientology is fully developed in its theology, religious practice and organization. The breadth and scope of the religion include more than eleven thousand Churches of Scientology, missions and related organizations in countries all over the world.
Scientology is a truly unique contemporary religion—the only major religion to emerge in the twentieth century. As Scientology addresses the spirit and the relationship of humanity to the universe and the Supreme Being, it can be nothing other than a religion in the fullest sense of the word.
This overwhelming consensus of academic opinion by the international luminaries of religious study and scholarship has been formulated in a series of academic papers that anyone can find in the website about the scientology religion . These expertises provide a thorough understanding of how Scientology compares with other religions. They provide an academic overview of the religion and the rich traditions from which Scientology springs. They are available for study and review in the mentioned website some of them are also contained in the book Scientology, Theology & Practice of a Contemporary Religion.
