Scientology and Mormonism share a pattern of secrecy regarding their more unconventional practices. Following are some highlights of comparisons and potential concerns:
Graded Knowledge: In Scientology, the structure of belief revelation is notoriously tiered, where core tenets and esoteric knowledge are disclosed only after members have committed substantial financial resources. The Church of Scientology employs what’s known as the “Bridge to Total Freedom,” a series of progressively expensive courses and auditing sessions that purportedly lead to spiritual enlightenment. However, the most controversial and secretive teachings, such as those involving Xenu, the Galactic Confederacy, and Thetans, are reserved for the highest levels of membership, known as Operating Thetan levels, which can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars to reach. This system not only maintains secrecy but also fosters a sense of exclusivity and commitment among those who have paid to advance.
Similarly, Mormonism, officially known as The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), practices a form of religious secrecy with its temple rituals. While basic doctrines are public, certain sacred rites and ceremonies performed in LDS temples are kept confidential. These include the Endowment ceremony, which involves symbolic washing and anointing, receiving temple garments, and making covenants with God, all of which are not shared with the public or even with most members who haven’t yet been deemed worthy to enter the temple. Only after a member passes a series of interviews evaluating their adherence to church standards can they participate in these rituals, which are central to Mormon theology but are often only explained in vague terms before one’s temple recommend is granted.
This approach to secrecy in both religions can be seen as manipulative because it withholds critical information from potential converts until after they have made significant commitments, either financially or through baptism and lifestyle changes. In Scientology, the financial commitment can be immense, leading individuals to invest in a path they might not fully understand or agree with if all information were available upfront. In Mormonism, the secrecy around temple rituals means that converts might not fully comprehend the spiritual and cultural implications of their conversion until they are deeply integrated into church life. This can lead to a sense of betrayal or confusion if the practices do not align with their expectations or personal beliefs once they are finally revealed. Such practices raise ethical questions about informed consent and the right of individuals to make fully informed decisions regarding their spiritual lives.
Financial Pressure:The Church of Scientology operates under a unique “pay-to-progress” system, where members must pay substantial fees to advance through its spiritual hierarchy. The structure of Scientology is designed around the “Bridge to Total Freedom,” a series of levels that purportedly leads to higher states of spiritual awareness and personal freedom. Each step on this bridge, from basic auditing sessions to advanced Operating Thetan (OT) levels, comes with a price tag that can accumulate into tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars over time. For instance, the cost of the OT levels, which are considered the pinnacle of Scientology’s spiritual teachings, can be extremely high, with OT VIII alone reportedly costing upwards of $10,000. This financial commitment is not just a barrier to spiritual growth but also a significant economic burden on members, especially those who seek the “truths” at the highest echelons of the church’s doctrine. The financial aspect is often criticized as a means of control, where the promise of deeper understanding or personal betterment is dangled in front of members, contingent on their ability to fund their spiritual journey.
In contrast, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), commonly known as Mormonism, does not have a direct pay-to-progress system for accessing core religious teachings or rituals. However, the principle of tithing, which mandates that members give 10% of their income to the church, can place considerable financial pressure on adherents. This practice is not just about financial sacrifice; it’s a requirement for temple worthiness. To participate in temple ordinances, which are seen as crucial for salvation and family unity beyond this life, members must be “full tithe payers.” This means that even those with limited financial means are encouraged to prioritize their tithe, sometimes at the expense of personal financial stability. The pressure to conform to this standard can lead to significant stress, particularly for those living paycheck to paycheck or facing economic hardships. Although not as overtly transactional as Scientology’s model, the expectation of tithing in Mormonism still serves to ensure financial commitment to the church, which can be interpreted as a form of financial gatekeeping to sacred practices.
Dissident Voices: The sheer volume of cautionary tales and critical accounts from former members of both Mormonism (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) and Scientology serves as a significant red flag regarding the inner workings and ethical practices of these organizations. These warnings often focus on manipulation, control, and hidden or controversial practices, which are vital to consider when evaluating the nature and impact of these groups.
Mormonism:Ex-Mormons frequently share experiences of feeling misled or manipulated by the church’s teachings and practices. One common critique is the way historical facts are presented or omitted, such as the church’s past policies on race, polygamy, or its founder Joseph Smith’s personal life. Many ex-members discuss the pressure to conform to strict lifestyle rules, including tithing, which requires members to donate 10% of their income to the church, often under the guise of spiritual necessity. There are also accounts of the emotional toll caused by the church’s stance on issues like homosexuality or gender roles, where individuals feel coerced or shamed into conforming to traditional norms. The temple ceremonies, once viewed as sacred, can become sources of discomfort or disillusionment for those who leave the faith, feeling that these rituals were not fully explained or justified before commitment.
Scientology: Similarly, former Scientologists provide a wealth of testimonies about the manipulative tactics used within the church. Ex-members often speak about the “Fair Game” policy, where critics or defectors might be targeted with harassment or character defamation. The church’s auditing sessions, while marketed as a path to personal enlightenment, are described by some as invasive, with personal secrets used as leverage to keep members compliant or to extract more financial contributions. The Sea Organization, Scientology’s clergy, is another point of contention, with many ex-members recounting experiences of working long hours for little to no pay, under conditions they describe as akin to indentured servitude. The financial demands to progress through Scientology’s “Bridge to Total Freedom” are criticized as exploitative, with the promise of spiritual revelation being tied to one’s ability to pay.
Here are some additional comparisons:
Claims of Exclusivity: Both Scientology and Mormonism claim to possess unique insights or divine statuses that set them apart from other religious traditions, creating an aura of exclusivity that can be perceived as either controlling or alienating.
In both cases, the promise of special knowledge or status serves as a powerful tool for retention and control. While it can create a strong community bond among those who feel part of this elite group, it can also lead to a sense of alienation from the broader society or from within the religion itself for those who do not or cannot attain this status. This dynamic raises questions about the ethics of spiritual exclusivity and the psychological impact it might have on individuals seeking spiritual truth or community.
It will be noted that comparisons can only go so far. Scientology and Mormonism have distinct histories and practices. However, their shared secrecy and concerns raised by ex-members are valid reasons for further investigation before joining either group.
There are significant numbers of critics and researchers who have questioned the practices of Scientology and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) to a much greater extent than mainstream Christianity. Here’s a breakdown:
Scale of Criticism:The volume of criticism towards Scientology and the LDS Church is substantial. There are numerous books, documentaries, websites, and ex-member testimonies raising concerns.
Orthodox Christianity:
Nature of Criticism:Criticism of Christianity is more diverse and comes from various viewpoints, including atheism, agnosticism, and other religions. Common criticisms include the historical accuracy of the Bible, the nature of God, and the role of the Church.
Scale of Criticism:While significant, criticism of Christianity is spread across a wider range of topics compared to Scientology and LDS Church. There may not be the same level of concentrated criticism focused on specific practices.
Here’s why the difference exists:
Age and Transparency: Christianity is a much older religion with established traditions and scholarship. The LDS Church and Scientology are younger, and some practices are less transparent, attracting more scrutiny.
Exclusivity Claims: Both Scientology and the LDS Church claim a form of exclusive knowledge or path to salvation, which some find controversial. Christianity has a wider range of denominations with varying views on exclusivity.[/dropshadowbox]
It’s important to note that both the LDS Church and Scientology have their defenses against these criticisms, and many of the claims are contested. However, the sheer volume of critics and researchers focusing on their practices is undeniable compared to mainstream Christianity. Numerous books, documentaries, and testimonies from former members of both organizations have brought scrutiny to their secretive practices, financial demands, and allegations of control over members’ lives. For Scientology, high-profile defectors like Leah Remini have brought attention to what they describe as coercive practices, including disconnection from family members critical of the church and aggressive legal tactics against dissenters. Similarly, the LDS Church has faced criticism over its historical revisionism, the treatment of women and minorities within the church, and past policies like the exclusion of Black members from the priesthood until 1978.
The following Scientology/Mormonism comparison is excerpted from MormonThink.com…
The Purpose of MormonThink
The purpose of MormonThink is to explore historical and doctrinal facts of the LDS Church that are known to the Church hierarchy, yet, surprisingly, not by the majority of the general membership.
There are dozens of creators and contributors to the MormonThink website, many of us live in Utah. All of us have been active members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We have held positions ranging from Gospel Doctrine teacher, YW President, Bishop, CES instructor, Stake President, YM President, Bishopric Counselor, etc. Some of us have written faith-promoting articles published in the Ensign and other Church publications. Most of us have served missions and almost all of us have been married in the temple. We’re just ordinary people with a deep interest in learning accurate Church history and doctrine.
After the documentary “Going Clear” aired, it became apparent that many former and questioning Latter-day Saints saw similarities with Mormonism to the things being exposed in the Church of Scientology. Another interesting thing I noticed is when I told current, devout Mormons about the documentary on Scientology and how interesting it was, the majority of them had no interest in wanting to watch it. Perhaps they might feel uncomfortable watching another religion’s secrets exposed when they know that Mormonism has its share of uncomfortable truths that it prefer not to be exposed on national TV.
10 Things common to both Scientology and Mormonism
1 Keeping secretsabout the religion from its members.
Scientology does not reveal the most secret and unusual beliefs of its religion to people investigating Scientology or even to members who have been in it for several years. Members in Scientology progress in knowledge about the deeper beliefs as they continue to pay money to advance to higher and higher levels.
Similarly, in Mormonism, investigators of the LDS Church and even life-long members are not told about the unusual ceremonies that occur in the LDS temples. The signs and tokens are never explained, the Masonic roots of the endowment ceremony are not disclosed (such as the Five Points of Fellowship that was finally removed in 1990).
2 You’ll be lostwithout the Church.
The documentary clearly shows that those who left the control of Scientology are much happier now. Regarding Mormonism, members need only visit post- and ex-Mormon discussion boards to see that the majority of former Mormons are happier being out of the LDS Church as well.
3 Excessive financial conditionsfor Church membership.
By contrast, Mormons are required to pay tithing to the LDS Church which is defined as 10% of your income (before taxes) every year of your life as members. Many apologists disagree that tithing is “required”—it is true that one can be a member of the LDS Church without paying tithing, but those who do not pay tithing are not allowed to go to the temple, which must be done to achieve the highest degree of glory in heaven and to be allowed to attend the wedding of children, or other loved ones.
4 Believers often defend the religionwith the comment that “it’s a good organization”, whether or not it is true.
Many Latter-day Saints often steer clear of discussing the more controversial aspects of Mormonism, opting instead to share deeply personal and emotional testimonies. They recount how their lives have been profoundly enriched by their faith, emphasizing the warmth and joy it brings them. These members speak with heartfelt emotion about the comfort, community, and personal growth they’ve experienced, focusing on the love they feel from being part of the church and the spiritual fulfillment that comes with their beliefs. It’s this emotional connection, the sense of belonging and the profound peace it instills, that they prefer to highlight, rather than delve into the less celebrated or contentious elements of their religion.
5 Read only faith-promoting materialsproduced by us.
Both organizations have a history of telling their members to avoid reading anything negative about their religion, to read only faith-promoting material produced from their church and to be wary of using the Internet to further their knowledge about their church.
Both the Church of Scientology and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) have historically advised their members to be cautious about external sources of information concerning their faiths. They encourage followers to focus solely on faith-promoting materials produced by their respective churches. Members are often warned against reading critical or negative content about their religion, with the reasoning that such materials could lead to doubts or misunderstandings. This guidance extends to the use of the Internet, where both organizations have expressed caution, urging members to be selective and skeptical when encountering information online. The Church of Scientology has gone as far as labeling certain websites or materials as “entheta” (negative or suppressive), while the LDS Church has issued statements and even produced guides on how to navigate online information in a way that supports faith rather than challenges it. This approach is framed as a means to protect the spiritual well-being of members, although critics argue it fosters an echo chamber that limits exposure to diverse perspectives or factual critiques.
6 Churches use Internet filtersto block some websites that frankly discuss some of the problems of their organization.
Scientology blocks sites critical of Scientology from their Internet wifi.
The LDS Church blocks this site (MormonThink.com) from all of their chapels. Try to access it in your local ward building using their wifi and you will see this is the case.
Also, the iPads the missionaries use have filters on them to block all websites not approved by the Church.
7 Detractorsof the faith arelabeled as liars and “anti.”
The Church of Scientology mounted a fierce counterattack against the documentary “Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief.” Not only did they vehemently criticize the film’s content, but they also took direct action by contacting film critics to challenge their reviews. They issued complaints, describing the documentary as a collection of falsehoods and distortions. Additionally, the church publicly denounced the filmmakers, particularly director Alex Gibney, and the former members who appeared in the documentary, branding them as liars or disgruntled ex-members with axes to grind. This response was part of a broader strategy to discredit “Going Clear,” aiming to mitigate its impact on public perception of the church.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), along with many of its members, are quick to label anything that criticizes the church or its practices as “anti-Mormon”. This term serves not only as a dismissive label but also carries an inherent suggestion that such critiques are inherently false, untrustworthy, and potentially influenced by malevolent spiritual forces, often implying that it’s the work of Satan. This labeling tactic is used to discourage members from engaging with or even reading such materials, fostering a culture where questioning or seeking information outside of church-approved sources is viewed with suspicion or as a threat to one’s faith. The implication is clear: by categorizing critical views as “anti-Mormon”, the church aims to protect its members from what it perceives as spiritual harm, though critics argue this also prevents open discussion and critical thinking about church doctrines and history.
8 The foundersand top leadersare hero-worshiped.
Scientologists revere their founder L. Ron Hubbard in a fanatical way, viewing him as a visionary leader and spiritual guide of unparalleled significance. Within the Church of Scientology, Hubbard is not just remembered but actively celebrated; his writings, speeches, and life are held up as the epitome of wisdom and innovation in spiritual matters. Members express their adoration through various rituals, including special events on his birthday, dedicating buildings in his name, and quoting his works as the ultimate authority. This reverence extends to a point where questioning or critiquing Hubbard is seen as a direct challenge to the very foundation of Scientology, fostering a culture where his legacy is to be acknowledged with profound respect and veneration.
Members of both groups are expected to do what their leaders say without question. If members of the LDS faith publicly disagree with what the Mormon Prophet has said, they face disciplinary action and can be excommunicated from the church. This practice underscores the church’s emphasis on unity and obedience to prophetic guidance. Adding to the complexity of this doctrine, Brigham Young, the second president of the LDS Church, once taught that entry into the highest degree of heaven, the celestial kingdom, is contingent upon receiving the consent of Joseph Smith, the church’s founder. This teaching, recorded in the “Journal of Discourses,” suggests a hierarchical structure even in the afterlife where Joseph Smith holds a pivotal role, further illustrating the church’s unique theological views on authority and obedience.
9 Tear families apart.
In Scientology, if a family member wants to leave the religion or are critical of Scientology they are labeled a Suppressive Person. If the church fails to educate its members into aligning with its doctrines, dissidents are then subjected to a practice known as “disconnection.” This policy involves the complete severance of all personal and social ties between a practicing Scientologist and anyone, be it a friend, colleague, or even family member, who is considered antagonistic towards Scientology or labeled as a Suppressive Person (SP). This means no communication, no interaction, and often, no acknowledgment of the relationship’s existence, effectively isolating the dissident from their social support network. The aim is to protect the church’s teachings from what they perceive as negative influences, but it often results in profound personal loss and emotional distress for those involved
When members leave the LDS Church after careful studying of its history, especially if they are open about their reasons for disbelief, it tragically can lead to parents and children effectively shunning the ex-member by refusing to associate with them ever again. This has unfortunately been the case with several significant contributors to the MormonThink website. Also, it is quite common for members to end friendships with former members for fear that they will inspire doubt in either themselves or other believing members of their family.
10 Have beenlabeled as a cultand the members as brainwashed.
The term “cult” has been used by outsiders for decades to describe both Scientology and Mormonism. The former members of Scientology in the “Going Clear” documentary referred to the Church of Scientology as a cult and said that they were in fact “brainwashed.” Indeed, this may be the prevailing view of much of the world concerning Scientology. Even L. Ron Hubbard’s grandson describes Scientology as a “dangerous cult.” Follow this link to our post, “The Rise and Fall of Scientology’s Magic: A Case Study in Cult Evolution.”
Mormonism is not quite so easy to label as a cult. Although mainstream Christian preachers have often referred to Mormonism as a cult, some knowledgeable former members say it has cult-like behavior but fall short of using the term cult as it conjures up images of Hare Krishnas and Moonies. Other former members of the LDS Church unequivocally believe Mormonism is a cult and considered themselves “brainwashed.” This is not the case with mainstream Christian churches, like the Lutherans, for example.
Conclusion:
It only takes a quick Google search to see the excessive number of websites, discussion boards, videos and social media from former members of both Scientology and Mormonism warning people not to join these religions because something is wrong with them. There are not hundreds of websites dedicated to warning people about churches like the Methodist Church, Episcopalian Church or Baptist Church. There are no “Recovery From Lutheranism” websites (that I know of).
L. Ron Hubbard is to Joseph Smith as David Miscavige is to Brigham Young: in other words, 21st century Scientology is perhaps more comparable to Brigham Young’s reign of Mormonism than it is to the modern LDS church. To compare the modern LDS Church to Scientology, you would likely need to wait another 100 or so years to see what Scientology becomes after more maturity.
There is a saying often told by faithful Mormons to ‘dismiss’ people that leave the faith. It goes, “People can leave the Church but they can’t leave the Church alone.” This is said to somehow imply that when people leave the church and speak about it that they are saying false things and should be ignored. In reality, most former members usually are much more informed about the historical problems of the LDS Church than current members. Their views should be listened to at least as much as active, believing members and probably be given more weight than the views of naive, 18-year-old missionaries who usually are not even aware of the significant problems of Mormon history.
In 2012, Damian Thompson, a columnist for the Daily Telegraph shared his thoughts on the similarities between Scientology and Mormonism.
We can take it for granted that Tom Cruise – whose divorce proceedings are already such a catastrophe for Scientology – will never talk in public about Xenu. The existence of this intergalactic emperor, who flourished c 75,000,000 BC, was top secret until the Church’s enemies took to the internet. Advice to journalists: if you ask Cruise about Xenu, the doors of Hollywood (where the Church wields immense influence) will slam in your face.
On the other hand, it’s safe to ask any Scientologist about Kolob. This is the star, or possibly planet, that is closest to the throne of God. Astronomers haven’t found it – yet – but it served as the inspiration for the planet Kobol in Battlestar Galactica.
Why is it safe to ask Cruise about Kolob? Because it’s Mormon, not Scientologist: it appears in The Book of Abraham, “translated” from Egyptian papyri by Joseph Smith, the founder of Mormonism. I use inverted commas because Smith couldn’t read Egyptian. The papyri were funerary texts.
The person you mustn’t ask about Kolob is Mitt Romney. The teaching isn’t a secret, but Latter-day Saints aren’t keen to discuss it. These days they stress their similarity with Christianity, and there’s no Kolob in the Gospels.
…
Yet there are striking similarities between the sects founded by Joseph Smith and L Ron Hubbard. These brilliant mavericks used popular culture to produce cosmologies that they marketed aggressively, though reserving some esoteric details for senior initiates.
Smith invented a journey by ancient Hebrews to America – a typical fantasy of that era – and dabbled in the occult. Hubbard mined the seam of mid-20th-century American science fiction, and also devised a brain-cleansing technique called Dianetics that was supposed to produce perfect recall. It failed hilariously.
Critics accused Smith and Hubbard of telling porkies. The former’s interpretation of the Egyptian papyri, which he encountered in a travelling mummy exhibition, is plain embarrassing. As for Hubbard, his war service was a work of the imagination to rival the science fiction he wrote before he discovered religion and its tax-exempt status. Both organisations are extremely interested in money, and very good at acquiring it.
The two prophets were heartily interested in the opposite sex: Smith acquired as many as 40 wives, while Hubbard encouraged teenage girl “officers” to wear hot pants.
In a 2014 article at NPR, Sam Sanders wrote that the Mormon Church had admitted that their founder Joseph Smith had up to 40 wives:
Joseph’s polygamy was not widely known till the the last few months of his life. He denied it repeatedly until then. He also preached against polygamy, though he practiced it.
In an essay posted without fanfare to its website in late October, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints said for the first time that Joseph Smith, founder of the Mormon church, had as many as 40 wives. Some of those women were also married to friends of his. And one was only 14 when she became Smith’s wife.
The essay points out several details about Smith’s marriages. It says that an angel appeared to Smith “three times between 1834 and 1842 and commanded him to proceed with plural marriage.” The third time that angel appeared, the essay says, it threatened to destroy Joseph unless he obeyed. Smith’s wives were believed to be between the ages of 20 and 40 at the time they were “sealed” or married to him. But the youngest wife sealed to Smith was only 14 years old when she married him. This young bride was also the daughter of two of Smith’s close friends.
Jana Reiss, who blogs for Religious News Service and co-authored the book Mormonism for Dummies, told NPR that the church’s new statements on polygamy took up to two years to complete and are the “culmination of a very long bureaucratic process to get this researched, written and approved.”
Reiss says that approach can be harmful to some Mormons. “If you don’t find out about those controversial things at church … instead you find out about it in a late-night Google search when you’re at home alone, scratching your head, thinking why in the world did no one ever tell me this, then everything else is called into question as well.”
He surrounded himself with teen-age followers, whom he indoctrinated, treated like servants and cherished as though they were his own children.
He called them the “Commodore’s messengers.”
” ‘Messenger!’ ” he would boom in the morning. “And we’d pull him out of bed,” one recalled.
The youngsters, whose parents belonged to Hubbard’s Church of Scientology, would lay out his clothes, run his shower and help him dress. He taught them how to sprinkle powder in his socks and gently slip them on so as not to pull the hairs on his legs.
They made sure the temperature in his room never varied from 72 degrees. They boiled water at night to keep the humidity just right. They would hand him a cigarette and follow in his footsteps with an ashtray.
Messengers uniforms were white shorts, tie tops and platform shoes with knee high socks.
After being singled out by the IRS for evading taxes about 1970, Hubbard decided to escape on the open waters aboard a vessel known as the Apollo. During this time, he adopted the titles of “Commodore” and had children of Sea Org members, organized as the Commodore’s Messenger Organization (CMO) referred to as “Messengers,” attend to his needs, such as lighting his cigarettes, fetching his beverages, documenting his words, preparing his baths, and catering to his every desire. According to various reports, a significant number of these messengers were young women who were described as attractive and dressed in revealing attire, including hot pants and halter tops. This created a disturbing dynamic where underage individuals were objectified and exploited in a sexualized manner while serving Hubbard’s needs. These girls were not just messengers though, they were Hubbard’s enforcers and essentially his snitches. They were fiercely loyal to him and did whatever he said.
How did Scientology leader L. Ron Hubbard’s Messengers begin? Janis Gillham Grady gives first-hand stories about the early days of the Messengers (she was one of the original 4 girls) starting at age 12 and working directly with Hubbard 6 hours a day, 7 days a week, for many years. This Part 1 of a series includes never-before-seen photos from the early days of the Sea Organization, L. Ron Hubbard and his messengers- beginning in 1968 through the early 70s.
The Latter-day Saints cleaned up their act. But they were the Scientologists of their day – and they’re still evasive enough for the public to make the subliminal connection.
Bonus content #1: 50 Problems With The Mormon Church…
