Scientology front groups
The Church of Scientology uses front groups to promote its interests in politics, to make itself appear legitimate, and to recruit.[1][2] Many of the groups are founded on pseudoscience, named disingenuously, and underplay their links to Scientology.[1]
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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
Following discovery of the Church's Operation Snow White, the FBI's July 7, 1977, raids on the Church's offices produced, among other documents, 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.[4]
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] The article The Thriving Cult of Greed and Power resulted in years of litigation.
The Cult Awareness Network (CAN) was an organization that provided information on cults, as well as support and referrals to deprogrammers. The organisation was founded in 1978 and was eventually overpowered by the Church of Scientology in a series of lawsuits.[5][6][7] In its place, the Church of Scientology created the organisation called the New Cult Awareness Network.
In 1998, the Boston Herald identified Narconon and the World Literacy Crusade as front groups for Scientology.[8] 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
| Group | Founded |
|---|---|
| Akademie für Management und Kommunikation | |
| ALERT International Inc. | 1986 |
| Alliance for the Preservation of Religious Liberty[3] | |
| American Citizens for Honesty in Government[3] | |
| American Conference on Religious Movements[3] | |
| American Society for Disaster Relief[3] | < 1960 |
| Applied Scholastics (APS)[3][1] | 1972 |
| Association for Better Living and Education (ABLE)[3][1] | 1988 |
| Association for Health Development and Aid[3] | |
| Author Services, Inc. | 1981 |
| Bigotwatch | |
| Bridge Publications | 1981 |
| Citizens for an Alternative Tax System | 1990 |
| Citizens Commission on Human Rights (CCHR)[3][1] | 1969 |
| Citizens for Social Reform (CSRPAC) | 2001 |
| Citizens' Press Association[3] | |
| Committee for a Safe Environment[3] | |
| Committee on Public Health and Safety (COPHS)[3] | |
| Computer Ethics Institute (CEI) | |
| Concerned Businessmen's Association of America (CBAA)[3][1] | 1983 |
| Constitutional Administration Party[3] | < 1960 |
| Criminon[3][1] | 2000 |
| Distribution Center, Inc. | |
| Downtown Medical | 2003 |
| Drug Free Marshals[9] | 1993 |
| Education Alive | |
| Foundation for a Drug-Free World (FDFW) | 2006 |
| Foundation for Advancements in Science and Education (FASE)[10][3] | 1981 |
| The Freudian Foundation of America[3] | 1954 |
| Friends of Freedom[3] | 1990 |
| International Foundation for Human Rights and Tolerance | 1997 |
| HealthMed[1] | |
| Hollander Consultants | 1983 |
| Hubbard College of Administration | 1990 |
| International Academy of Detoxification Specialists | 2001 |
| International Executive Technology Inc. | |
| Irons Marcus & Valko Services | |
| Jewish Coalition for Religious Freedom[3] | |
| Lead the way to a Drug Free USA | |
| Mace-Kingsley Ranch School and Mace-Kingsley Family Center | 1987 |
| MGE Manangement Group | |
| Mojave Academy | |
| Narcodex | 2006 |
| Narconon[3][1] | 1966 |
| National Academy of American Psychology[3] | 1957 |
| National Association for Rights Protection and Advocacy (NARPA) | |
| National Commission on Law Enforcement and Social Justice[3] | |
| New Cult Awareness Network (CAN) | 1996 |
| New York Rescue Workers Detoxification Project[10] | 2003 |
| Pur Detox and Recovery | |
| Religious Freedom Watch (RFW) | 2001 |
| Religious Research Foundation (RRF)[3] | |
| Rock for Human Rights[11] | |
| Safe Environment Fund | 1980 |
| Scientologists Taking Action Against Discrimination (STAND)[12] | |
| Second Chance Program | 1995 |
| Set A Good Example (SAGE) | |
| Social Coordination International[3] | |
| Society of Consulting Ministers[3] | < 1960 |
| Sterling Management[3][1] | 1983 |
| Stop Torture of Mental Patients (STOMP) | |
| The International Hubbard Ecclesiastical League of Pastors (IHELP) | |
| The Way to Happiness Foundation (TWTH)[3][1] | 1984 |
| U-Man Belgium | |
| United for Human Rights | 2009 |
| World Institute of Scientology Enterprises (WISE)[3] | 1979 |
| World Literacy Crusade[3] | 1992 |
| Writers of the Future (WOTF) | 1985 |
| Youth for Human Rights International (YHRI)[13] | 2001 |
See also
- List of Scientology organizations
- Tax status of Scientology in the United States
- Category:Scientology-related schools
- Category:World Institute of Scientology Enterprises-affiliated organizations
References
- Behar, Richard (May 6, 1991). "Scientology: The Thriving Cult of Greed and Power". Time. Archived from the original on May 25, 2014.
- 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...
- 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.
- Kent, Stephen A.; Krebs, Theresa (1988). "When Scholars Know Sin: Alternative Religions and Their Academic Supporters". Skeptic. 6 (3): 36–44. Retrieved June 6, 2006.
- Knapp, Dan (December 19, 1996). "Group that once criticized Scientologists now owned by one". CNN. Retrieved May 7, 2007.
- 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). Retrieved May 7, 2007.
- 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. Retrieved October 21, 2011.
- Mallia, Joseph (March 3, 1998). "INSIDE THE CHURCH OF SCIENTOLOGY; Scientology reaches into schools through Narconon". Boston Herald.
- Tolsi, Niren (June 10, 2007). "Ndebele flirts with Scientology". Mail & Guardian. Archived from the original on January 17, 2008.
- "A Call For Help". New York Rescue Workers Detoxification Project. Archived from the original on June 7, 2005. Retrieved February 21, 2023.
- MacKay, Deb (December 17, 2018). "Church Of Scientology Hosts 'Rock For Human Rights' Concert". Retrieved March 23, 2023.
- 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.
- "Unwitting highschoolers lured to forum by Scientologists". The Sydney Morning Herald. March 27, 2007. Retrieved March 28, 2007.