Scientology stands a chance

Jean E. Rosenfeld, historian of religions at the UCLA Center for the Study of Religions, responds to LA Times Guest Editorial on Scientology

Seldom does a new religious movement survive its founder's death, as Scientology has, and take root during subsequent generations, gain followers and become established as a church. But those movements that do succeed are vilified at the beginning, when they have no advocates and no power. President Buchanan sent the U.S. Army to try to take control of the Mormon colony in Utah; Seventh-day Adventists ("Millerites") were ridiculed for falsely predicting the date of the apocalypse twice; Pentecostals were regarded as devil-worshipers and "holy rollers" because of their ritual encounters with the Holy Spirit. Today all are established mainstream religions.>>

^{A civilization 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, are the aims of Scientology.~~~L. Ron Hubbard, founder of the Scientology religion}