Church of Scientology

The Church of Scientology is a group of interconnected corporate entities and other organizations devoted to the practice, administration and dissemination of <a href="/facts/Scientology/6U2NeyaG">Scientology</a>, which is variously defined as a <a href="/facts/Cult/PHvIWkYy">cult</a>, a <a href="/facts/Scientology_as_a_business/ryA3tvQM">business</a>, or a <a href="/facts/New_religious_movement/7Ttfr321">new religious movement</a>. The movement has been the subject of <a href="/facts/Scientology_controversies/LnTnpIYf">a number of controversies</a>, and the Church of Scientology has been described by government inquiries, international parliamentary bodies, scholars and numerous superior court judgements as both a dangerous cult and a manipulative <a href="/facts/Scientology_as_a_business/ryA3tvQM">profit-making business</a>.
In 1979, several executives of the organization were <a href="/facts/United_States_v._Hubbard/Bx2e3jMr">convicted and imprisoned for multiple offenses</a> by a U.S. Federal Court.: 168  The Church of Scientology itself was convicted of <a href="/facts/Fraud/VyU68aBy">fraud</a> by a French court in 2009, a decision upheld by the supreme <a href="/facts/Court_of_Cassation_(France)/uH3gtxnN">Court of Cassation</a> in 2013. The <a href="/facts/Scientology_in_Germany/eEpJDNe1">German</a> government classifies Scientology as an unconstitutional <a href="/facts/Sect/3q425T4l">sect</a>. In <a href="/facts/Scientology_in_France/D9FtmuzY">France</a>, it has been classified as a dangerous <a href="/facts/Cult/PHvIWkYy">cult</a>. In some countries, it has attained <a href="/facts/Scientology_status_by_country/kllLwUWl">legal recognition as a religion</a>.
The <a href="/facts/Church_of_Scientology_International/FkyPH3m4">Church of Scientology International</a> (CSI) is officially the "Mother Church", and is responsible for guiding the other Scientology centers.: 172  Its international headquarters are located at <a href="/facts/Gold_Base/EXUQRf6o">Gold Base</a> in <a href="/facts/Riverside_County%2c_California/Jegs2NMl">Riverside County, California</a>.: 275  The <a href="/facts/Church_of_Spiritual_Technology/awR5kKxB">Church of Spiritual Technology</a> (CST) is the organization that owns all the copyrights of the estate of <a href="/facts/L._Ron_Hubbard/s3h0I2wy">L. Ron Hubbard</a>.
All Scientology management organizations are controlled exclusively by members of the <a href="/facts/Sea_Org/HoNotAT6">Sea Org</a>, which is a paramilitary organization for the "elite, innermost dedicated core of Scientologists". <a href="/facts/David_Miscavige/1qbmAf7j">David Miscavige</a> is described by the Scientology organization as the highest-ranking Sea Org officer, and is referred to by the organization as its captain.

Church of Scientology open-in-new

Church of Scientology