Scientology teaches to act for oneself

I am writing in response to a letter written on Nov. 7 ("Scientology extortion should not be on campus") in which a student decided he would write down "some important facts" about the Church of Scientology. My latest understanding of "facts" is something that has to do with truth. In fact, the definition right out of the dictionary states that a fact is "a piece of information presented as having objective reality - truth."

I have been a Scientologist for 15 years and have never seen, heard, or experienced any of the "facts" that Mr. Stein wrote about. In searching for the truth, one actually needs to go to the source and observe for oneself. Mr. Stein readily quotes the media and I would invite him to actually find out for himself versus believing what he has read in the media. In fact, in an article by L. Ron Hubbard, the founder of Scientology, entitled "Personal Integrity" Hubbard writes, "What is true for you is what you have observed yourself and when you lose that you have lost everything...What is personal integrity?...Personal integrity is knowing what you know." He goes on to say, "Nothing in Dianetics and Scientology is true for you unless you have observed it and it is true according to your observation." This rings home for me.

I myself did much research and soul searching before I ran into Scientology in 1990. I had especially been looking for a religion or a church. I was, and am, more interested in philosophy and helping my fellow man. I was wary of churches and I found no indoctrination or dogma in Scientology as I had found in other religions.

Scientology is the first "religion" that I have found that helps the individual learn to think and act clearly for himself. This is done through education and training in basic life skills such as relationship development, communication, and study skills for life. Hubbard taught that one can have high survival for himself and others if one works on supporting the individual, his family, his groups and the people and life forms on earth.