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Paper short abstract:

While the early Dianetics claimed to be science rather than religion, with the turn to Scientology L. Ron Hubbard claimed his was now a religion, although one that was at the same time a technology.

Paper long abstract:

Scientology’s self-association with technology is visible not only to scholars of religious but to the general public too. The late Frank K. Flinn had already referred to Scientology as “technological Buddhism” in 1983. The paper focuses on the evolution of the “technological” paradigm in Scientology, from the early non-religious methodology of Dianetics to the religious turn into Scientology. In the early Dianetics, L. Ron Hubbard was dealing with the human mind and mental health only. He had already developed the methodological approach and technological attitude that would later inspire Scientology. However, he deliberately intended to remain within the field of “science” or “scientific approach,” and even uttered some critical remarks regarding religion. Few years later, he came up with a new project, Scientology, and started to refer to it as religion. At the same time, he defined its religious practices as a “technology,” used engineering terms such as “SOP” (Standard Operating Procedure), and later introduced the “Standard Technology” concept, which became a key objective to achieve for Scientology practitioners.

The paper is an attempt to trace this evolution and the “religious” turn in Scientology, placing it within the context of the historical, cultural, and philosophical environment of the era in which the founder, L. Ron Hubbard, developed his technology-religion.