A pseudo-religious cloak for the pseudo-scientific "Dianetics".

When actual experiments failed to prove the existence of "engrams", L.Ron Hubbard created a level-based course system where members eventually learn that engrams are really "body thetans" only after spending enough money and time to reach OT III.

Membership recruitment involves using many front groups, including: Association for Better Living and Education, Applied Scholastics, Narconon, Drug Free Marshals, Criminon, Second Chance, Citizens Commission on Human Rights, Citizens for Social Reform, the Way To Happiness Foundation, Library Donation Service, World Literacy Crusade, Author Services International, Bridge Publications, Writers of the Future, Golden Era Productions, Effective Management Centers, Power Management Consultants, the Religious Freedom Crusade, and Volunteer Ministers Association.

Scientology is recognized as an anti-psychiatry hate group, mainly because it wants to be the single authority on mental health, but also because anyone studying psychiatry immunizes them against techniques of control used by Scientology on its membership.