LA Stories: The Celebrity Scientology Centre

There is a common misconception that Los Angeles, Hollywood in particular, is not a religious place, void of any 'spirituality.' Nothing could be further from the truth. 'Spirituality' is a slippery term that can mean a million things to a million people, but for the sake of this entry I'll define it as "man's quest to satisfy the God-shaped hole with some type of religious practice." We all have that God-shaped hole within us, a result of the Fall and our alienation from God because of our fallen nature. What we do to fill that hole...well, that is the penultimate question.

Hollywood is a place where people are disposable. People come to Los Angeles to chase their dreams and so many are chewed up, spit out and discarded like so much human refuse. There is a tangible sense of emptiness, loneliness and despair in Hollywood. Beneath the lights and apparent glamor is this emptiness that comes from chasing the wind. Meaninglessness.

Like Solomon, who spent a good portion of his life 'chasing the wind,' most people eventually come to some conclusions: One, there has to be something more. Two, there has to be something, or someone who can bring meaning and order to life-and for many, that realization is in part fueled by a desire to be successful. People who come to Hollywood to 'make it' soon find out it's much more difficult than they imagined. The industry is a harsh, unforgiving machine that cares little for the individual other than what it can extract or take.

So there are a lot of people searching for answers. A part of our trip as we sought to understand Los Angles before immersing ourselves among the least of these was to understand the spiritual forces that influence the city-and there are many. Like Athens in Acts 17, Los Angeles is a city of many 'gods'-and people will turn to anything or anyone that offers some kind of construct for meaning.

Last year we visited the Scientology Celebrity Centre as well as the "Self Realization Temple." This year we returned to the Scientology Centre as well as the largest Buddhist Temple in the US. I'll talk about the Buddhist Temple in the next entry. For now, Scientology...

Scientology may seem foreign or on the fringes to people living outside of California, Los Angeles specifically, but they are a very visible and powerful influence in the "City of Angels"-especially in the concentrated areas of power, namely Hollywood.

I don't have time to get into the theology of Scientology. It is quite complex and so foreign it would take a book to go over the tenets, practices and beliefs. I will focus instead on the impressions from the center.

We pulled into the facility knowing we were under observation. The Scientology Centre is rather wary, if I can use that word, of outsiders who come to their facility. They knew up front that we were a student group coming to learn about Scientology and what they believed. To say that our point person, Jenny, was a little suspicious would be an understatement. If we had arrived as a group "seeking answers" we would have been welcomed and aggressively 'evangelized.'

As my vehicle entered the lot my phone rang. It was Jenny. She said, "I see you are here, come on up to the Garden and cafe area." These kind of phone calls are a bit unnerving. We knew prior to coming (from our last visit) that there are cameras throughout the building and that we would be monitored and our tour would be tightly managed. We would see and hear what they wanted us to see and hear.

We spent 2 hours at the center. Several things particularly struck me: The first perhaps being that I can understand how someone who is at the end of their rope, or desperately looking for answers, would find Scientology appealing. They have a plan for EVERYTHING. The religion is very much a "do it yourself" kind of religion, where you, by learning, by growing as a student of Scientology, can become the master of your own destiny. It promises answers to everything and 'technology' to help you achieve whatever your dreams and goals are. It promises a full and exciting and whole life...no obstacle too big, no problem too large, everything can be overcome by applying the teachings of L.Ron Hubbard.

Christianity promises infinitely more for both this life and the life to come, but the promises are the exact opposite of Scientology. Contrasting the Beatitudes and the Sermon on the Mount with the teachings of Scientology is a the difference between night and day. Scientology says: "You can do this on your own and with our help you will achieve your dreams and goals." Christianity says, "You can't do this on your own-you need a Savior, and in following Him, true life will be found." Christ never promises earthly success or wealth or a trouble-free life. Scientology offers success, prosperity, the ability to overcome any trouble.

Our tour guide, a man named Salvador I believe, was from Argentina. I would like to say I know more of his story, but everything on that tour is absolutely controlled. Information is given, there is little give and take in terms of dialogue. There are opportunities to ask questions, but honestly, they are only concerned with questions that reflect well on Scientology, certainly not anything that might call into question their teachings.

So we take the tour, watch the videos, the demonstrations, visit the bookstore (and to be a good Scientologist one must purchase a LOT of books because one needs the answers to every life issue and or possible life issue), and watched the orientation film, which by the way, you can still, I believe, check out on YouTube.

Another thing that struck me was what we observed while we were hearing about the wonders of Scientology and how it brings happiness and wholeness and empowers the practitioners. As we walked around the center, I observed the employees and honestly, there didn't appear to be much in the way of joy or happiness. Some looked flat out miserable.

Before you judge, insert your own observation about many Christians and the church.

Last year, we had opportunity both while there (with our tour guide, Desiree) and after leaving (on Hollywood Blvd) to take what we had learned of Scientology and share Christ with Scientologists. This year, our tour was so tightly managed and every moment so controlled, we did not have that opportunity to slow our guide down and talk Gospel.

So why go? What good came from that?

Francis of Assisi said something to the effect of "preach the Gospel at all times, use words when necessary." In other words, our very lives should be a reflection of Christ-our words, our response to others, our actions...

And Christ was shining through our group. I don't think Salvador knew what to make of this group of students who were not Scientologists, but had this sense of peace, joy and happiness that we never saw inside the center. He was briefly disarmed and lowered his guard as we had opportunity to hang out with him in a garden area. He relaxed for a moment and as I watched him I could almost see the wheels turning in his head, wondering, "What is it with theses people? What do they have?"

Yes, I did have opportunity to tell him and another that we were followers of Christ. I pray the Spirit uses that knowledge to pique interest and curiosity.

Jenny, the coordinator was also curious on some level. Our conversations on the phone and brief personal meeting made some kind of impression on her. Later that day, she called to thank us for coming and asked if we had an enjoyable time. She also said we were a 'really great group.' Last year there were no follow up phone calls. As we prayerfully walked through that center we were asking Him to use us in some way. I honestly believe those we interacted with saw something different in us and they had no framework for understanding what that something different was, but it was appealing on some level.

The woman (and now I've forgotten her name, please forgive-but she is on our prayer list that we developed of every person we encountered in LA and prayed for every night-perhaps we will publish that list once it is typed) but this woman who spoke to us after the orientation film stood out the most. We were supposed to be out of the doors by 12:00 noon-but she wouldn't let us go. It wasn't that she was holding us hostage, she was just pouring out her life story. You see, she is a 'pastor' in the church and as she shared her story (from Woodstock hippie to Buddhist monastic to various other religious stops along the way to Scientology) it was so obvious that inside, in her core, she was still searching. So, alone with her in this room, she told her story and kept talking and talking-almost a cathartic experience for her. We listened and spoke as she gave us opportunity, but for her, she just needed to unload.

She stuck in our minds. Even as a 'pastor' in the church, she was still seeking...and we are praying for her. She enjoyed our group to the extent that we stayed approximately 20 minutes beyond our scheduled time (and believe me, the Centre runs a very tight ship) to listen to her.

The follow up is important. Thank you cards were sent to Jenny and to the 'pastor'-and I will be following up with Jenny by phone, to see if I might get her email (again, they are very guarded-so please pray she is open) so perhaps a two-way conversation can develop.

The great irony from our time there was the tangible sense of darkness, of control. While offering freedom and liberation from human limitations, Scientology instead brings a form of servitude and slavery. I can only imagine how difficult it is for someone who is immersed in the religion to walk away and break free without a lot of intimidation and harassment.

What are some take away points from this visit:
1) There is a lot going on in the unseen realm that truly shapes people, cultures, structures and communities-and Scientology is definitely one of those spiritual forces shaping Los Angeles.
2) There are times when you may not be able to present the story of Christ (Security would have ushered us out and those we interacted with would have been further driven from the Truth), but Christ can and will shine through you as others see the difference in your life that comes from Him being your life.
3) Scientology has a well-thought out vision, strategy and methodology and they are executing it exceptionally well. I think of the church, and honestly, we have the Truth, we have a much greater mission, but sometimes it seems we are so...unintentional about what we are doing. It's almost as if we have (not all, but enough to be cause for concern) this attitude: "Well, I'm in-I've got the whole eternal life thing...if 'they' want us, they know where to find us." It's like we've substituted the Great Commission for something we might call "The Not So Great Invitation." Go up and down Hollywood Blvd and you'll see not only the presence of Scientology but practitioners aggressively sharing their story to win 'converts.'
4) To walk into the heart of a dark place and to be able to establish relationships on some level with people in bondage is something God can and will use. Often we think if we don't whip out the 4-Spiritual Laws, tell the story, we've failed. But if we are really honest with ourselves, a lot of times when we do this, it is akin to a 'spiritual drive-bye" -we unload and drive off. If the person accepts the Message, we're pleased with ourselves. If they don't, or if they have more questions, we wash our hands and move on. We've 'done our job.' Perhaps there are cases when the most important thing to do is to let Him be seen in us and to intentionally develop relationships through which the Gospel will flow. It's much more difficult to invest long-term in someone, but many times, that is what is needed.
5) Sometimes our job is to simply till very hard spiritual ground. We all have a role in the harvest. Some work the soil, some come along and plant, others water...God provides the harvest. As such, we must remember that every encounter with every person we meet is opportunity for us to be used in some way by God in that person's life for His purposes. At the center we did some tilling and some sowing. We are praying that God will continue to bring others along to water and cultivate.
6) Which leads to the last point: The power of prayer. Followers of Christ affirm belief in the power of prayer, but often we live our lives as if we believe otherwise. Our group bathed our new 'friends' in prayer and will continue to do so. We believe God is Big enough, Powerful enough to continue to bring more followers of Christ into the lives of people like Jenny and Salvador. I ask that you pray for these two as well as our Scientology pastor friend. God is not bound by time, geography or anything. Wherever you are, you can pray for these three people created in His Image, these three for whom Christ died to ransom. Do you believe He is able?