Church of Scientology

the logo of the Church of Scientology

**The Church of Scientology** is a cult and potential antagonist to the Free States.

# Background

The first Church of Scientology organization was incorporated in December 1953 in Camden, New Jersey by L. Ron Hubbard, his wife Mary Sue Hubbard, and John Galusha. By that time, the Hubbard Association of Scientologists International (HASI) had already been operating since 1952 and Hubbard himself had already been selling Scientology books and technologies. In 1953, he wrote to Helen O'Brien, who was managing the organization, asking her to investigate the "religion angle". Soon after, despite O'Brien's misgivings and resignation, he announced the religious nature of Scientology in a bulletin to all Scientologists, stressing its relation to the concept of Dharma. The first Church of Scientology opened in 1954 in Los Angeles. Hubbard stated, "A civilization without insanity, without criminals and without war, where the able can prosper and honest beings can have rights, and where man is free to rise to greater heights, are the aims of Scientology." After the formation of the Church of Scientology, Hubbard composed what he called its "creed". The Scientology "creed" emphasizes three key points: being free to enjoy "religious expression", the idea that mental healing is inherently religious, and that healing of the physical body is in the spiritual domain.Hubbard had official control of the organization until 1966 when this function was transferred to a group of executives. Although Hubbard maintained no formal relationship with Scientology's management, he remained firmly in control of the organization and its affiliated organizations.In May 1986, subsequent to the sudden death of L. Ron Hubbard, David Miscavige, who was at that time the Commanding Officer of the Commodore's Messenger Organisation, assumed the position of "chairman of the board" of the Religious Technology Center (RTC), a non-profit corporation that administers the trademarked names and symbols of Dianetics and Scientology. Although RTC is a separate corporation from the Church of Scientology International, whose president and chief spokesperson is Heber Jentzsch, Miscavige is recognized as — and describes himself as — the leader of the Scientology organization. In 1996, the Church of Scientology implemented the "Golden Age of Tech" (tech pertaining to the entire body of Scientology religious techniques) releasing a training program for Scientology auditors, while precisely following Hubbard's teachings. It was followed by the launch of "The Golden Age of Knowledge" in 2005, where Hubbard's announcements of milestones in the research and development of Dianetics and Scientology were released. Between 2005 and 2010, the organization would complete its 25-year program to restore and verify the Scientology "scriptures". The organization released the second phase of the Golden Age of Tech in November 2013, based on the original work of Hubbard. The Super Power Rundown, a new component of auditing, was released in Clearwater, Florida.

# Free States Interaction

The Free States had there first run-in with the Church of Scientology during the events of Free States Fest 2021 when the group stopped by one of the church locations in Buffalo, New York. The group stopped there in order to waste time prior to getting lunch at the Anchor Bar in downtown Buffalo.

The initial interaction with the Church was harmless enough, as the group entered the church interested in receiving a rundown on their beliefs and practices. The Free States members were subjected to a standard introduction to the church, complete with a background on the history of the organization. A church member initially stopped the group prior to entering the building, requiring that they complete survey sign-in forms. It is believed that most Free States members fabricated their names on the form, using only the names of the Fallout 76 Free States faction instead of their real ones. However, there is speculation that Gray Menace may have mistakenly put his own name and information on the form.

Free States member Gray Menace took actions a step further by approaching one of the church members, interested in asking questions pertaining to membership. At this moment, the church had sat Gray down at a desk and began the initial preparatory work for inducting him as a member. After being surrounded by multiple other Scientologists, Gray proceeded to back out and escape with the rest of the Free States, stopping only momentarily to take pictures outside of the Church building before proceeding with the rest of the trip plans in Buffalo.

Direct interaction with the Church of Scientology ended after that moment, but speculation arises however as to the church’s potential involvement in the taking of the Erie Photo, a mysterious photo depicting all four attending members of the 2021 Free States Fest sitting in the Erie AirBnB watching the movie Fred, completely unaware of the photograph being taken or who took the photo. One such theory raised is that the photograph was taken by a member of the Church of Scientology, either as a threat to the Free States or potentially leftover evidence from a kidnapping of the organization where memories of such events were erased.