Re: Scientology Membership - I'm curious

agarrett@saturn.phys.ufl.edu (Andrew Garrett) wrote:

> I've been following this newsgroup for a while now as a lurker (yes, there
>are quite a few of us out here.) I have started to wonder what the
>membership of the COS is. Does anyone have any number? Any sources for
>same?
8 millions according to them. It is of course phony, since scienos routinely overrate themselves and inflate statistics (the alternative: rice and beans, which can be deadly). A good value would be the # of IAS members. I have asked for this again and again, but never got a response. Anon poster "Andrew McPherson" posted materials that IAS tries to increase its membership up to 100,000 (so it could be 25,000 or 50,000 now).

IAS membership is "only" $300 per year (peanuts compared to the prices for courses).

Here are a few posts that tell similar data:

Newsgroups: alt.religion.scientology From: harringtonj-smtc@nova.novanet.org (harringtonj-smtc) Subject: Re: 8 million members still??? Date: Thu, 23 Mar 1995 06:35:00 +0000

8 MILLION members indeed! More OSA falsehoods.

According to FACTNET records, a 1987 internal Church document indicated less than 50,000 members.

I have personal knowledge that in 1990 the Central Files at the Flag Service Org (FSO) contained about 40,000 names. Per Church policy, the names of any person who purchases services at a lower org are forwarded to the FSO, for inclusion in their central files. Many of these names were duplicates, the same people with previous or incorrect addresses. Many had not purchased services for over ten years, some were deceased.

In 1991, the total annual worldwide income of the Church of Scientology International was reported to be approximately 300 million dollars.

Based on simple mathematics, I believe 40,000 ACTUAL members is a more realistic estimate.

Assuming there were 8 million members:

300 million dollars annually/8 million members = $37.50 expended by each member.

$37.50 a year, per member, would not even cover the cost of printing and postage for the numerous bulk mailings that the Orgs send out.

Assuming there are ACTUALLY 40,000 members:

300 million dollars annually/40,000 members = $7500.00 expended by each member. At an average price of $300 an hour for auditing, each member could afford 25 hours of auditing a year.

All the indications are that the membership is falling, not rising. Scientology Inc. is a California phenomena, and the majority of members and organizations are located in Los Angeles County. The income brackets in Southern California, and the Hollywood celebrities, make that area a lucrative market for Scientology services. Most, if not all, of the Church members and OSA agents posting on ARS are located in LA county.

There are NO organizations in Maine, Vermont, or New Hampshire. There are very few in the Southern USA. There are NO organizations in the Canadian Maritime provinces.

Recent court decisions in Germany point to the likelihood that all Scientology "Churches" will have to register as commerical enterprises and will not be recognized as operating for religious or charitable purposes.

Scientology in France is reportedly in receivership for tax purposes. Spain does not recognize Scientology as being organized for religious and charitable purposes and 22 org staff and OSA members are facing criminal prosecution later this year.

The "Growth" of NEW organizations is mere paper shuffling. Most if not all of the "Social Action" and "Community Service" corporations are empty shells, "front" groups with the "Central Office" located at some empty desk in a large building in Los Angeles.

After 40 years in existence, the fall 1994 issue of the "Auditor" newsletter listed a total of 49,150 "Clears" worldwide.

However, with just the interest from all the laundered money that LRH squirreled away in foreign bank accounts in the 70's, Scientology Inc. can continue this charade for a long time, and Miscavige and his cronies can enjoy quite lucrative, and perfectly legal, salaries and perks. Deception under the cloak of religion is apparently acceptable in this country.

Joe

Newsgroups: alt.religion.scientology From: schaf@cgl.ucsf.edu (Chris Schafmeister) Subject: Will the real Scientologists please stand up. Date: Mon, 13 Mar 1995 02:18:41 GMT

The number of about 40,000 active Scientologists in the United States was obtained from a nation wide poll (I don't remember the name of it, I think Don Lindsay might though), that took place in the last year or so, The poll asked people what religion they belonged to. The numbers were then scaled to the entire US population.

I think it is a pretty good estimate because if I remember correctly the poll was a general religion poll and not targeted specifically at Scientologists. Making it less likely that the poll was biased towards one group.

So either there are only about 40,000 Scientologists or the millions claimed by Heber Jentzche(sp?) haven't got enough... uh spine? to admit it (or they can't afford to have phones?).

I personally think that they cause quite a lot of unpleasantness for such a tiny group of people.

But then, practice makes perfect.

.Chris. -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Christian E.A.F. Schafmeister Biophysics graduate student University of California, San Francisco UUCP: ucbvax!ucsfcgl!schaf "Biophysics . . . THE future." INTERNET: schaf@cgl.ucsf.edu

From: cultxpt@primenet.com (Jeff Jacobsen) Newsgroups: alt.religion.scientology Subject: 4.5 million Scientologists in '83 Date: 13 May 1995 18:27:41 GMT

I have a letter of resignation from the Church of Scientology from the Center for Personal Achievement, a church that split off from the CofS. In it is a list of 618 people declared Suppressive Persons by Scientology. Interestingly, it says Scientology's lawsuit against the Church of Scio-logos in Omaha (another split-off) includes the charge that one of the Omaha people "used the words 'suppressive person' in reference to a top church official. The top church official is calling this derrogatory and slanderous." The CPA people did a survey in the US to try to determine how many Scientologists there actually were (they were trying to determine how close the 618 declared number was to 2 1/2 percent of the church). They

concluded that there were 6582 active Scientologists, at the same time the church was claiming 4.5 million members in the US. Now this 4.5 million in the US is interesting. I see in What Is Scientology that 50% of the staff in CofS is in the US. So, if we then say that 50% of SCientologists are in the US (I don't see any reason to doubt this), then the church in 1983 was claiming 9 million worldwide. From 1991 through today the church has claimed 8 million members worldwide. So, by the estimate above the church has lost 1 million members since 1983. Of course, I believe there are probably 70-100,000 Scientologists worldwide.

-- "You only create hate. You are seeking to destroy freedom of religion.

Woody"

------------    

cultxpt@primenet.com  Jeff Jacobsen  PO Box 3541  Scottsdale AZ  85271
For Info on Scientology anonymous ftp.primenet.com /users/c/cultxpt OR
<a href="http://www.mit.edu:8001/people/rnewman/scientology/home.html">http://www.mit.edu:8001/people/rnewman/scientology/home.html</a> OR
<a href="http://www.sky.net/~sloth/sci/sci_index.html">http://www.sky.net/~sloth/sci/sci_index.html</a>



Newsgroups: alt.religion.scientology
Subject: scientology is contracting - proof!
From: smokesig@ix.netcom.com (Neal Hamel)
Date: 20 May 1995 04:24:24 GMT



We have seen over a period of time, the Woodbot et al assert ad nauseam
that scientology is expanding.  

I have proof it is contracting!

I have in my hands a slim book, "Death's Deputy", by the infamous cult
founder Lumpy Ron Hubbard.

Quoting from the frontpiece of the book

    He [Hubbard] is also renowned as the founder of Scientology
    and the creator of "Dianetics" with an estimated 15
    million adherants around the world.

This book was reprinted in 1970 (to huge yawns).   




--- Tilman Hausherr       [KoX; awards: DB, SP decl. by Koos]

Praise Xenu, Mozilla and "Bob"! (and say "Hi" to Warren McShane !)