Mahatma Gandhi famously replied, when asked what he thought of western civilisation, “I think that’s a very good idea.”
I subscribe to the aims of Scientology which are: “a civilisation 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”.
Similar aims have been held by millions of people through the ages, yet still we have insanity, crime and war in abundance – probably more than ever. One’s inclination can be to shrug and say these aims are impossible.
But my experience is that there are two fundamental requirements to being able to make some decent progress towards their achievement:
1. Recognising that each individual person has a spiritual nature and that they are basically good, no matter how “bad” they might be in their current state.
2. Having a workable technology that can assist each individual person to become his or her true, good self. Whilst it has proved impractical to help “the masses,” you can help individuals and they can help themselves and others if they know how. Then it becomes a question of increasing the numbers of individuals helped.
For me, L Ron Hubbard and Scientology have provided both of these requirements.
Scientology practice involves the study and handling of the spirit in relationship to itself, others and all of life. The religion comprises a body of knowledge extending from certain fundamental truths, and prime amongst these are that we are all immortal, spiritual beings. Our experience extends well beyond a single lifetime. Our capabilities are unlimited, even if not presently realised – but those capabilities can be realised.
We are able to solve our own problems, accomplish our goals and gain lasting happiness, and I have witnessed that we can also achieve new, higher states of awareness and ability.
One aspect that has always appealed to me is that in Scientology no one is asked to accept anything on faith. An individual discovers for himself that Scientology works by personally applying its principles and observing or experiencing results. Like me, millions of others have now followed this route and become better and happier people as a result. See www.scientology.org for more on this.
In addition to the spiritual path to betterment undertaken in Scientology, Mr Hubbard’s work has many non-religious applications, and I believe that these are also integral to achieving the above aims. I touched on these in my last article – they address the fundamental threats to happiness which plague this Earth – drugs, illiteracy, crime and immorality.
One thing I consider worthy of special mention is a common sense guide to better living called The Way To Happiness. This comes as a booklet, and its purpose is to arrest the current moral decline in society and restore integrity and trust to us all. With it L Ron Hubbard fills the moral vacuum of an increasingly materialistic society. He describes 21 basic principles that guide one to a better quality of life. Entirely nonreligious, it can be followed by anyone, of any race, colour or creed – and works to restore the bonds that unite humankind.
I have found this booklet to be invaluable in forming the basis of Scientology’s criminal rehabilitation programme and vital to our drug rehabilitation services. It has been distributed by governments, businesses and individuals to over 90 million people around the world. See www.twth.org
I do believe that, working together with like-minded people of goodwill from all faiths and backgrounds, the above aims can be achieved.
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