Scientology front groups are those groups named or operated in such a way as to disguise their association with the Church of Scientology (COS). COS uses front groups to promote its interests in politics, to make itself appear legitimate, and to recruit. The Times published, "[The church attracts] the unwary through a wide array of front groups in such businesses as publishing, consulting, health care and even remedial education." Many of the groups are founded on pseudoscience, named disingenuously, and underplay their links to Scientology.[1][2]
There are four types of front groups:
those groups which are part of the Scientology network of corporations and are managed directly within the Church of Scientology but bear names disguising the connection,
those operated under "secular" subsidiary corporations but still managed or overseen within the Church of Scientology,
groups or projects made up of volunteer Scientologists while still overseen and guided by the organization, and
companies owned by Scientologists and operated using Scientology principles of management and administration under licenses from Scientology.
According to Benjamin Beit-Hallahmi, "The majority of activities conducted by Scientology and its many fronts and subsidiaries involve the marketing of secular products such as the "Clear" program, Sterling Management Systems executive training, and self-improvement in scholastics."[3] Some Scientology products are defined as religious in one setting but secular in another. For example, Study Technology is sold in Churches of Scientology but is also taught in some schools under claims of being secular and non-religious.[3]
Scientology is unique among religions for its quantity of front groups, which has been part of its policy since its beginnings and was outlined by Hubbard in his 1960 document "Special Zone Plan".[3] Along with their own front groups, Scientology engages in infiltration of civil society groups and government agencies.[3][1] Their front businesses are a major source of income for Scientology and are used as a way of obtaining funds from government and charity sources.[3] Per Beit-Hallahmi, "This use of fronts has been a major part of the organization's activities, and it indicates an acknowledgement of having something (or more than just something) to hide."[3]
^ abCite error: The named reference behar was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^Stark, Rodney; Bainbridge, William Sims (1987). A Theory of Religion. Peter Lang. p. 214. ISBN 0820403563. OL 2375931M. We know many cult movements that maintain client services as front organizations facilitating recruitment to the sponsoring movement. Examples include Scientology...
^ abcdefCite error: The named reference BBH was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
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