What is Scientology?
Straight answers about Scientology, from the perspective of the people who practice it.
Scientology is a religion and a body of practice founded on the idea that people are fundamentally spiritual beings, using a counseling method called auditing to help members work through what it calls the reactive mind. It was formed out of L. Ron Hubbard's 1950 book Dianetics, and the church was established in 1954.
Start with the basicsArticles here are written in the voice of a composite practicing Scientologist, not a single person. Learn about the narrator
Start here
What Is Scientology?
The comprehensive starting point: what it is, who founded it, how it's organized, and where to go next for any question below.
Explore some key areas
3 of the 9 articles on this site.
Dianetics, first published in 1950.The History of ScientologyL. Ron Hubbard's background, Dianetics in 1950, the church's founding in 1954, and who leads it today.Read this one
An auditing room, with the Auditor’s Code on the wall.What Is Scientology Auditing?What happens in a session, what an E-meter is, who conducts one, and what it's meant to accomplish.Read this one
The Founding Church of Scientology of Washington, DC.How to Find a Scientology Church or Center Near YouHow churches, missions, and Celebrity Centres are organized, and what a first visit involves.Read this one
The eight questions people ask most
Understanding the practice
- What Are Scientology’s Core Beliefs?The thetan concept, the afterlife, how Scientology views other religions, and the role of L. Ron Hubbard's writings.
- What Is Scientology Auditing?What happens in a session, what an E-meter is, who conducts one, and what it's meant to accomplish.
- The History of ScientologyL. Ron Hubbard's background, Dianetics in 1950, the church's founding in 1954, and who leads it today.
The practical questions
What you've probably already heard
- Tom Cruise and Scientology: What’s the Connection?How he joined, what role he reportedly holds, and what he's said publicly.
- Which Celebrities Are Scientologists?Current and former notable members and their public involvement.
- The Best Documentaries About ScientologyWhat each one covers, release year, and where to watch.
About the narrator
These articles are written in the voice of a composite practicing Scientologist, assembled from published member accounts, official church materials, and first-hand testimony rather than any single person's story.
We're telling you this up front on purpose. A site that's upfront about what it is tends to be more trustworthy than one hoping you won't ask.
How this site sources things
- Every factual claim traces to an identifiable source — church publications, official statements, or published member accounts.
- Where sources genuinely differ, the articles say so, rather than picking one and asserting it as settled.
- Nothing here is invented for color. If a detail can't be sourced, we describe things more generally instead.
- Every article carries a "Last updated" date and a sources footer, so you can see where the specifics come from.