Expert: Laurie Hamilton - 4/11/2002

Question
Hello,
I am writing an essay which compares new religions with certain primitive beliefs formed in ancient cultures, and am seeking factual information upon which to base my findings.
I am interested in knowing whether Scientologists use prayer either in church services or otherwise, what type of moral code they adhere to (for example; is there some type of equivalent to the Commandments found in the Bible), if there is any belief in taboos, and if they believe in a Supreme Being.  If so, do Scientologists pray to this God? Any information you can give me will be truly appreciated. :)

Answer
Hi, Valerie:

Interesting subject.

I will try to answer your question in a meaningful manner.  Scientologists come from all different religions, and many retain their former religion and its practices while studying and using Scientology.  This is possible because Scientology does not have dogma, does not intrude into the realm of how a person worships, and does not dictate how a person is to view and/or interact with the Supreme Being.

The concept of existence of a supreme being is integral to Scientology cosmology, as this Being is seen as the source of all spiritiual beings (which you and I are conceived to be).  "Individual" spiritual beings are seen as having the exact same properties and abilities as their progenitor and the physical universe which you and I perceive is conceived to be the product of agreements and activities between spiritual beings down the aeons.  In one way of looking at things, "individual" spiritual beings could be seen as *epxressions* of or by the Supreme Being, and therefore not really separate or different from the Supreme Being at all.  The very concept of individual identity could be seen after a fashion as being illusion - much in the manner that Buddhist teachings hold.  Spiritual beings flowing from an orginal Supreme Being is offered as the theoretical basis of much of structure of Scientology, but is not enforced as required belief on adherents.  One is expected to make one's own observations and base his own concept of what is true on those observations.  

If a Catholic joins Scientology and remains catholic in his beliefs, he is likely to engage in prayer to his God, but this would be his Catholic practice, and not a Scientology practice.

"Prayer" is from the same meaning of "pray" as when one submits a "prayer" to a court ("plaintiff therefore prays that this honorable court grant the relief set forth in...")
- that is, it means to ASK or REQUEST.  Of whom?  Well, of a supreme being, of course.  What would be the point of this - especially if one is in reality not a different or separate entity from the Supreme being?

Well, it might not be pointless after all.  We certainly tend to perceive ourselves as limited physical bodies, or at least as being trapped in bodies and unable to operate spitirually independently of them.  So long as we cling to this type of perception, then our full spiritual abilities, such as the ability to realize a thing merely by conceiving of it (an act in Scientology referred to as "postulating" a thing, or creating an "as-is-ness") remain hidden to us.  So, to ask a "higher power" (which may, for all we know, be ourselves) to let a thing be so might still make use of our creative abilities which we otherwise hide from ourselves.  Heck - what could it hurt, right?

Therefore, in religious services, Scientologists frequently do offer a prayer for something which might otherwise seem to exceed the grasp of the individuals present - such as for universal tolerance or world peace.

Now - moral codes.  Scientology and Scientologists do espouse a moral code.  It is secular rather than religious, and can be seen in full at http://www.thewaytohappiness.org

In addition, there are various codes such as the Code of Honor, The Auditor's Code, the Code of a Scientologist, which, in extreme cases, one can be disciplined under church justice procedures for violating, insofar as the violations cause actual or imminent harm to others.  These can be seen at http://traditionalscientology.net/

On the whole, however, Scientology takes a dim view of "morality" which is enforced from without, and more embraces "ethicality" which originates from within.  The mores of Scientolgists can pretty much be summed up in the concepts of doing as little harm as possible while doing as much good as possible.  Harm and good are measured by their observable results, and not against some artificial scale.

I hope this has been of some help.

Yours,

Laurie