Mr. Pomerantz said he "grew up with
a strong background in Judaism" and al-
ways "cherished the idea that I was en-
couraged to question." He became
interested in Scientology after reading
the article, "On Personal Integrity," by
L. Ron Hubbard. He was impressed by
Mr. Hubbard's remark, "Nothing is true
for you unless you've observed it, and it's
true according to your own observation."
Mr. Pomerantz says Scientology has im-
proved every aspect of his life and made
him a better person. He defines himself
as "a Jewish Scientologist."
Scientology is not without its critics,
among them the Internal Revenue Ser-
vice and psychiatrists. What Is Scientol-
ogy? reports that the IRS, which on more
than one occasion has faced the Scien-
tologists in court (often over Scientology's
status as a religion), had plans that
"called for nothing short of complete de-
struction of the Church." The book also
says modern psychiatry offers "no valu-
able contribution to society whatsoever."
.,z,„:;i 7R opiRmgewiR
Psychiatrists have said essentially the
same about Scientology.
Scientologists often liken their rela-
tionship with the U.S. government to the
plight of Jews in Nazi Germany. There
has been "a long string of (anti-Scientol-
ogy) stories through the years" accord-
ing to What Is Scientology?. "It was a
similar pattern to that which occurred in
Germany in the 1930s — the very suc-
cessful media actions to create public 'in-
dignation' that would legitimize not only
the most blatant violations of civil rights,
but, indeed, the Holocaust."
Ron Hubbard was the only child of a
Navy captain and his homemaker
wife — on this point just about every-
one agrees. But Scientologists part
company with non-Scientology biogra-
phers on virtually everything else.
A number of books and newspaper and
magazine articles, written by non-Scien-
tologists, often paint a dark picture of Mr.
Hubbard. They generally describe him as
an adventurous young man with a vivid
imagination and a good science-fiction Master Mariner, showing Capt. Hubbard
writer, but ultimately a con man.
aboard ship.
Church officials and members, of course,
And then there are his books — they're
see it quite differently. They call Mr. Hub- everywhere. Church officials say Mr. Hub-
bard, whom they usually refer to as "LRH," bard wrote "more than 14 million words
a genius. According to What Is Scientol- in his lifetime." Some of these books can
ogy?, by the time he reached his teens, L. be very confusing to the "preclear," even
Ron had been "initiated into the various when terms are defined in a glossary. (An
secrets" of the Blackfoot Indians; heard "Operating Thetan" is "a state of being
all about the "essentials of Freudian the- above Clear, in which the Clear has be-
ory" from a commander with the U.S. come refamiliarized with his native capa-
Navy Medical Corps who had studied un- bilities. An Operating Thetan is knowing
der Freud; and made several voyages and willing cause over life, thought, mat-
abroad, where he "befriended and learned ter, energy, space and time.")
from ... a thoroughly insightful Beijing ma-
The Scientology program begins with
gician who represented the last of the line the "Purification Rundown," a regimen of
of Chinese magicians from the court of exercise, vitamin taking and sitting in a
Kublai Khan" and watched monks "med- sauna. Wendy Bellinger, who several
itate for weeks on end, contemplating years ago went through the "Purification
higher truths."
Rundown," recalls, "Everything I had ever
Although not recognizable as a church taken was sweated out." She even felt
the way most envision such a building ether from childhood operations seeping
(there are no crosses, no pews, no organs, from her body. After the rundown, "My IQ
no stained-glass windows) the Church of actually went up and I felt more alert than
Scientology in Royal Wk stands as a tes- I had for years and years and years."
The main bulk of Scientology consists
of "auditing," private sessions with a Sci-
entology minister who uses the "E-meter"
to help a client work through his problems.
There's no limit to how long this can take,
though it's usually years. The cost for au-
diting ranges from $20 to $200 an hour,
Mrs. Bellinger says, adding that free ser-
vices are available to those who cannot af-
ford to pay.
The ultimate goal, which will reached
by only a very few, is to become an "Op-
erating Thetan (OT) XV." It's difficult to
say, though, exactly what secrets are re-
vealed at this point. Because while Sci-
entologists are quite open about what
happens as one works toward becoming a
"clear," details about "processing" after
tament to followers' commitment to LRH. that are marked "confidential."
As with every Church of Scientology
lan Kelman is one of the local
throughout the country, the Royal Oak
church's most outspoken supporters.
building houses an empty office for the late
An attorney specializing in ad-
Mr. Hubbard. "It's not that we don't know
miralty law, he is married to Ur-
he's dead," Mrs. Bellinger explains as she sula, who owns her own business. The two
walks through the halls. "We simply do it are high up on the Scientology chart
out of respect, recalling the time when Mr. (though not yet OT XVs, they have
Hubbard was alive and often visited the reached the status of "Operating Thetan")
churches."
and are studying to become auditors them-
(Several years ago one author suggest- selves.
ed that followers continued to believe Mr.
Mr. Kelman was born and raised in De-
Hubbard was walking around right here troit. He went to Mumford High School,
on Earth, though clearly he was dead.)
then the University of Michigan and
Across from Mr. Hubbard's office there is Wayne State Law School. Later, he at-:
a shelf on which sits the "electrometers," or tended the London School of Economics.
"E-meters," consisting of a rectangular box
Mr. Kelman's father served on the board
and two round metal containers (which look of the United Hebrew Schools, but the
like narrow orange juice cans), held by the family was not observant. His parents sent
parishioner during "auditing" sessions.
Alan to Hebrew school, "but I quit for lack
Critics say the E-meter, designed by Mr. of interest." Alan says he never believed
Hubbard, is no more than a glorified poly- in God.
graph machine, though Scientology ad-
After he became bar mitzvah at Con-
herents regard it as indispensable.
gregation Ahavas Achim in Detroit, Alan
"An E-meter is so much more sophis- essentially abandoned Judaism.
ticated (than a polygraph)," Ms. Bellinger
His first wife was in a similar situation,
says. "What it does is read the electrical though she had taken it a step further.
field of a body to detect spiritual injuries. She was born a Jew, but by the time she
It's an amazing tool."
and Mr. Kelman married she had become
Magazines, all with LRH on the cov- a member of the Church of Scientology.
er, carry titles like The Philosopher, pic-
His wife's religious affiliation "meant
turing Hubbard on the beach; The Music nothing to me," he said. She never pres-
Maker, with Hubbard at the piano; and sured Mr. Kelman to become involved in
Scientology has
received a big boost
thanks to support
from Hollywood stars
like John Travolta,
Tom Cruise
and Anne Archer.
34
Ursula and Alan Kelman say Scientology has dramatically
changed their lives.