In the hope of not inviting the wrath of the Scientology tech department with this article (surely they have a team of hackers on sabotage duty somewhere), I’d like to share some fascinating images from the 1994 Scientology handbook that have recently surfaced on the web…
The handbook is a massive 871-page hardcover book available to buy on Amazon, featuring over 700 bizarre comic book-style visual aids, which an Instagram account recently started posting after coming into possession of a copy, using the hashtag #scientologyvisualaidz.
Here’s an excerpt from Amazon’s “About the Author”:
To date, more than 320 million copies of his works are in circulation worldwide … including nineteen New York Times bestsellers. Accordingly, and in testament to the magnitude of his literary legacy, there are his four Guinness World Records: most published author, most translated author, the author with the most audiobook titles and the single most translated non-religious work. Yet the essence of L. Ron Hubbard’s legacy is perhaps best expressed in his simple declaration: “I like to help others and count it as my greatest pleasure in life to see a person free himself of the shadows which darken his days. These shadows look so thick to him and weigh him down so that when he finds they are shadows and that he can see through them, walk through them and be again in the sun, he is enormously delighted. “
“If Scientology had a Bible, this would be it. It is a workable set of actions, concepts and suggestions to living a better life.”
I thought I’d also complement a selection of my favourite visual aids with a few quotes from the Amazon customer reviews, which not surprisingly all gave at least four stars…
“This book has several sections which I have found invaluable in terms of handling my children. The chapter called ‘Children’ has a ton of data on how exactly to handle children … I have found this to be extremely helpful for me. I have six kids, so it is really important to me to be able to really handle my job as a parent well.”
“It had everything I had ever been looking for to change my life and turn it around for the better.”
“This book would make the best gift to a son or daughter heading off to college, or for any adult that is not flourishing.”
“After I read the Scientology Handbook, I felt as if I could start a new life.”
“The intro, which states who this handbook can help, ranges from kids who can’t read who will learn to read through reading this book, to businessmen trapped in their suits and wishing for freedom. What it really boils down to is this: If you are a person, this book is for you.”
“It seems like I have written a review of this book before. I mentioned it comes also as 19-20 individual booklets at $5 each. It is easier to handle as booklets, as the hardback is quite large and heavy. Scientology Ministers use them as handouts when dealing with particular issues. Most Scientology materials seem to be written on an eight grade reading level. Those written by Hubbard are extremely wordy. It is an interesting book explaining many Scientology processes and assists.”
“Contains all kinds of wonderful data that can be used right away.”
“In one sentence, my decesion to buy this book was the best decesion I ever made in my life and it helped me become very happy and successful. I am 33, and the Chairman of an Internet Company set to go public. I always had a lot of ability and this book gave me the tools to bring out my abilities and use them. Without this book it would have been impossible. I know because the knowledge in it is invaluable. It gave me the knowlege and the tools to construct a life that I enjoy and taught me which direction to take in life to be happy! See it for yourself and you decide. Buy it now, apply it and watch your life expand!”
“With Hubbards extensive technology on how to handle human realtionships and his kind heart, I felt like I knew very well what Scientology was and I was very intersted in finding out more about.”
“It’s funny you never hear about things like this on Oprah, it seems like she’d be all over it…if only Dr. Phil would start giving out practical advice like this.”
“Extremely valuable information so that, as a Scientology Volunteer Minister, I can help people with their problems in life. Beautifully put together.”
“Essentially, Scientology is like Candy Crush; the more levels you clear, the more you spend… This handbook is a guide through all these levels, healthy living, cleaning up chaos, not having affairs, and generally being a pretty decent robot on Earth (I say robot because the pictures in this handbook indicate Scientologists as such) being one with satan or thetan or whatnot, and so on which can help you be anything. When I was 18 or so, I was working in a college library and came across this book. I read it from beginning to end, and came away with the realization that behind the tacky photographs, there lies a multimillion dollar idea which isn’t that unique but sounds like it is and is a great hobby for wealthy people who have the time and patience to hit their head against a wall until they don’t feel pain.”
“The first thing that jumped out at me was a section called ‘Conditions of Existance’. Basically, we are all in a certain condition,by using what was in this chapter I was able to improve my conditon, not only at work but in my marriage!”
“I use this book a lot: There is a section on Tone Scales, which are the different tone levels people are in, cheerful, grief, apathy, etc. The book tells what you can expect of people in different tones, and how to handle them. There is…there seems to be something for everyone. You should get this book. There, I said it. I’m on record. Anyone who from this point on comes up to me and complains that I had all the answers to their problems, but I didn’t share them and thus help them out is in error – as I said, this book has all the answers and I just told you to read it.”
“I really feel more in control of my life as a result of reading and putting to use the information laid out in this book. It also has many other useful chapters. I highly recommend this book for those who are interested in ‘improving their condition'”
“I was told that if I purchased this book, I would attain OT 3 status and get to have a conversation with Zenu. Unfortunately, my family had me committed to a mental Institution, where I now sit in front of a Bay window, rocking back and forth, auditing my self with two soup cans in the hopes that I will be reinstated as a general in the galactic confederation.”
[↑ This may not be the most genuine review of the bunch]
