Are Scientology And The Bible Compatible?

GOD

Scientology’s earlier writings mention God, but they place their stress mainly on an individual’s abilities to gain godlike qualities and become “full cause” over the universe. Hubbard obviously rejected the Christian understanding of God, particularly the concept of the Trinity.

Scientology adheres to a view of deities similar to that of Buddhism, using “allness of all” terminology. Its founder therefore could comment that man is part god and can attain a godlike nature.

JESUS CHRIST

Scientology does not accept the biblical concepts of Jesus as God the Word incarnate. It also places no emphasis on the substitutionary death and resurrection of Jesus. Rather, it views Jesus as a proponent of reincarnation and other Eastern mystical concepts. Hubbard taught that Jesus was “a shade above clear,” or that Jesus met the standards (slightly at best) of living above the negative influences of his previous lives. Scientology’s upper-level materials tout the concept of Jesus as God as being a fiction that ought to be removed by “auditing.”

MAN

Scientology views man’s spirit as being the product of evolutionary processes. It rejects biblical concepts of man as being the creation of God and being fallen due to sin, with the need for repentance, faith, and salvation. Instead, Scientology maintains that we are primarily spiritual beings, that is, “thetans,” and creators of the universe. The goal of life is to “clear” oneself of one’s reactive mind and become “total cause over life, thought, matter, energy, space and time.”

SALVATION

The goal of Scientology is to press for the evolutionary improvement of oneself as a spiritual being. The removal of engrams (negative previous life experiences stored in the mind) through “auditing” by a Scientology auditor using an electronic meter makes life improvement possible. The movement rejects all concepts of a biblical understanding of salvation.