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Scientology front groups are those groups named or operated in such a way as to disguise their association with the Church of Scientology (COS). COS uses front groups to promote its interests in politics, to make itself appear legitimate, and to recruit. The Times published, "[The church attracts] the unwary through a wide array of front groups in such businesses as publishing, consulting, health care and even remedial education." Many of the groups are founded on pseudoscience, named disingenuously, and underplay their links to Scientology.[1][2]

There are four types of front groups:

  1. those groups which are part of the Scientology network of corporations and are managed directly within the Church of Scientology but bear names disguising the connection,
  2. those operated under "secular" subsidiary corporations but still managed or overseen within the Church of Scientology,
  3. groups or projects made up of volunteer Scientologists while still overseen and guided by the organization, and
  4. companies owned by Scientologists and operated using Scientology principles of management and administration under licenses from Scientology.

According to Benjamin Beit-Hallahmi, "The majority of activities conducted by Scientology and its many fronts and subsidiaries involve the marketing of secular products such as the "Clear" program, Sterling Management Systems executive training, and self-improvement in scholastics."[3] Some Scientology products are defined as religious in one setting but secular in another. For example, Study Technology is sold in Churches of Scientology but is also taught in some schools under claims of being secular and non-religious.[3]

Scientology is unique among religions for its quantity of front groups, which has been part of its policy since its beginnings and was outlined by Hubbard in his 1960 document "Special Zone Plan".[3] Along with their own front groups, Scientology engages in infiltration of civil society groups and government agencies.[3][1] Their front businesses are a major source of income for Scientology and are used as a way of obtaining funds from government and charity sources.[3] Per Beit-Hallahmi, "This use of fronts has been a major part of the organization's activities, and it indicates an acknowledgement of having something (or more than just something) to hide."[3]

History

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Documents obtained in the FBI's 1977 raids on Scientology's Los Angeles and Washington DC premises[4][5] included an undated memo entitled "PR General Categories of Data Needing Coding". This memo listed what it called "Secret PR Front Groups" which included the group Alliance for the Preservation of Religious Liberty (APRL), later renamed Americans Preserving Religious Liberty.[6]

In 1991, Time investigative reporting identified several other fronts for Scientology, including the Citizens Commission on Human Rights (CCHR), The Way to Happiness Foundation, Applied Scholastics, the Concerned Businessmen's Association of America and HealthMed.[1] Their article The Thriving Cult of Greed and Power resulted in years of litigation. The case was dismissed, but not before Time had spent $3.7 million in legal fees.[7]: 149 

The Cult Awareness Network (CAN) was an organization that provided information on cults, receiving the most number of inquiries about Scientology and one other group.[8] CAN, founded in 1978, considered Scientology to be "the most dangerous, rapacious, and destructive cult in contemporary America".[7]: 149  In 1996, CAN was forced into bankruptcy by a series of frivolous lawsuits orchestrated by the Church of Scientology.[9][7]: 149–50  In a bizarre twist, the Church of Scientology acquired CAN's assets including files on Scientology, and re-opened CAN under Scientologist leadership, becoming a front group for Scientology.[10][11]

In 1998, the Boston Herald identified Narconon and the World Literacy Crusade as front groups for Scientology.[12] Other Scientology groups include Downtown Medical, Criminon and the Association for Better Living and Education (ABLE). Other organisations with links to the Church of Scientology include EarthLink and Striker Systems.

List of Scientology front groups

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Licensed commercial organizations

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The following commercial groups have as their goal either recruitment to make new Scientologists, or the spreading of L. Ron Hubbard principles and methods into society. The groups vary in the amount of disclosure they provide to the general public about their affiliation with Scientology or Hubbard. These organizations are licensed to sell "secular" Scientology products and services.

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ a b c d e f Downtown Medical, Foundation for Advancements in Science and Education, HealthMed, International Academy of Detoxification Specialists, International Association of Detoxification Specialists, and New York Rescue Workers Detoxification Project are interrelated. [28][29][30]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Behar, Richard (May 6, 1991). "Scientology: The Thriving Cult of Greed and Power". Time. Archived from the original on May 25, 2014.
  2. ^ Stark, Rodney; Bainbridge, William Sims (1987). A Theory of Religion. Peter Lang. p. 214. ISBN 0820403563. OL 2375931M. We know many cult movements that maintain client services as front organizations facilitating recruitment to the sponsoring movement. Examples include Scientology...
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag Beit-Hallahmi, Benjamin (September 2003). "Scientology: Religion or racket?". Marburg Journal of Religion. 8 (1). doi:10.17192/mjr.2003.8.3724. Archived (PDF) from the original on November 8, 2006. Retrieved February 21, 2023.
  4. ^ Marro, Anthony (July 9, 1977). "Federal Agents Raid Scientology Church: Offices in Two Cities Are Searched for Allegedly Stolen I.R.S. Files" (PDF). New York Times.
  5. ^ Robinson, Timothy S. (July 6, 1978). "FBI Raid on L.A. Scientologists Upheld". Washington Post.
  6. ^ a b Kent, Stephen A.; Krebs, Theresa (1988). "When Scholars Know Sin: Alternative Religions and Their Academic Supporters". Skeptic. 6 (3): 36–44. Archived from the original on March 3, 2006. Retrieved June 6, 2006.
  7. ^ a b c Urban, Hugh B. (2011). The Church of Scientology: A History of a New Religion. Princeton University Press. ISBN 9780691146089.
  8. ^ Jackson, Steve (April 24, 1996). "It Happens. When it comes to Landmark Education Corporation, There's no meeting of the Minds". Westword.
  9. ^ Kent, Stephen A. (January 2001). "The French and German versus American Debate over 'New Religions', Scientology, and Human Rights". Marburg Journal of Religion. 6 (1). The American Lesson About Privately Run "Cult" Information Organizations. Archived from the original on June 18, 2007. Retrieved May 7, 2007.
  10. ^ Knapp, Dan (December 19, 1996). "Group that once criticized Scientologists now owned by one". CNN. Retrieved May 7, 2007.
  11. ^ Russell, Ron (September 9, 1999). "Scientology's Revenge - For years, the Cult Awareness Network was the Church of Scientology's biggest enemy. But the late L. Ron Hubbard's L.A.-based religion cured that -- by taking it over". New Times LA. Archived from the original on July 18, 2011. Retrieved October 21, 2011.
  12. ^ Mallia, Joseph (March 3, 1998). "Inside the Church of Scientology; Scientology reaches into schools through Narconon". Boston Herald. Archived from the original on September 30, 2007.
  13. ^ a b c d e Registered in Florida. "Business Search". Secretary of State of Florida.
  14. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Registered in California. "Business Search". Secretary of State of California.
  15. ^ a b c d e f g Beit-Hallahmi, Benjamin (1998). The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Active New Religions, Sects, and Cults. Rosen Publishing Group. ISBN 0823925862. OL 1410216M.
  16. ^ Related to Foundation for Religious Tolerance. "The Many Frontgroups of Scientology". "BigotWatch domain registration".
  17. ^ a b c d e f g Atack, Jon (1990). A Piece of Blue Sky: Scientology, Dianetics and L. Ron Hubbard Exposed. Lyle Stuart Books. ISBN 081840499X. OL 9429654M.
  18. ^ Tolsi, Niren (June 10, 2007). "Ndebele flirts with Scientology". Mail & Guardian. Archived from the original on January 17, 2008.
  19. ^ Farley, Robert (August 2, 2001). "Man's film a veiled look at Scientology". St. Petersburg Times. Archived from the original on December 2, 2016.
  20. ^ DeSio, John (May 2007). "The rundown on Scientology's Purification Rundown". New York Press. Archived from the original on June 1, 2007.
  21. ^ MacKay, Deb (December 17, 2018). "Church Of Scientology Hosts 'Rock For Human Rights' Concert". Retrieved March 23, 2023.
  22. ^ Registered at address of Church of Scientology of Los Angeles at 1415 L. Ron Hubbard Way (formerly named Berendo St).
  23. ^ McManus, Tracy (August 26, 2017). "Scientology draws dueling petitions involving Leah Remini, the IRS and change.org". Tampa Bay Times. Archived from the original on August 29, 2017. Retrieved August 30, 2017.
  24. ^ Miller, Lisa (October 25, 1999). "Character-Building Program Linked To Religion Poses Dilemma for Schools". Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on July 17, 2023.
  25. ^ "Unwitting highschoolers lured to forum by Scientologists". The Sydney Morning Herald. March 27, 2007. Retrieved March 28, 2007.
  26. ^ a b Headley, Marc (2009). Blown for Good: Behind the Iron Curtain of Scientology. BFG Books. ISBN 9780982502204.
  27. ^ a b "A Call For Help". New York Rescue Workers Detoxification Project. Archived from the original on February 5, 2012. Retrieved February 21, 2023.
  28. ^ DeSio, John (May 31, 2007). "The Rundown on Scientology's Purification Rundown: What Scientologists aren't telling you about their detox program (and how much it's costing you)". New York Press.
  29. ^ Sappell, Joel; Welkos, Robert W. (June 27, 1990). "Church Seeks Influence in Schools, Business, Science". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on October 26, 2012.
  30. ^ "David Root, M.D., M.P.H." getdetoxinated.com.
  31. ^ Founded 1999 in New Mexico
  32. ^ "CEO of Survival Strategies Receives Prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award from WISE International". PR.com (Press release). May 31, 2011.
  33. ^ Kent, Stephen A. (1999). "Scientology — Is this a Religion?". Marburg Journal of Religion. 4 (1). University of Marburg: 1–56. doi:10.17192/mjr.1999.4.3754.
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