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The term ''Free Zone'' was originally only used by the organization founded by "Captain" Bill Robertson in ] (now known as '']''), but the term is now commonly applied to all non-CoS Scientologists, although many dispute the application of the term to themselves. The term ''Free Zone'' was originally only used by the organization founded by "Captain" Bill Robertson in ] (now known as '']''), but the term is now commonly applied to all non-CoS Scientologists, although many dispute the application of the term to themselves.


The German Government sees the Free Zone as a type of "methadone program for Scientologists," and, in any case, "the lesser evil."<ref></ref> The German Government sees the Free Zone as a type of "methadone program for Scientologists," and, in any case, "the lesser evil."<ref></ref> Over the past years the Free Zone helped the German Government to destroy Scientology.<ref><i>"Maybe it makes you feel more confident, for example, if you learn that the office for safeguarding the constitution (Verfassungsschutz) of the German state of Baden-Wurttemberg has stated years ago that the Ron’s Org is not a part of the Church of Scientology and that there is no need to observe them as the Ron’s Org has no anti-constitutional goals. Indeed, there is some cooperation between members of the Ron’s Org and state authorities who observe the Church of Scientology and investigate their activities.</i></ref>.


It is hard to estimate the number of people involved in the Free Zone, one reason being that some don't want to be public about their involvement to avoid possible harassment by the Church of Scientology.{{Fact|date=April 2007}} It is hard to estimate the number of people involved in the Free Zone, one reason being that some don't want to be public about their involvement to avoid possible harassment by the Church of Scientology.{{Fact|date=April 2007}}

Revision as of 23:38, 10 April 2007

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Template:ScientologySeries The Free Zone (or independent Scientologists or Scientology Freezone) comprises a variety of groups and individuals who practice Scientology beliefs and techniques independently of the Church of Scientology (CoS). Such practitioners range from those who closely adhere to the original teachings of Scientology's founder, science fiction writer L. Ron Hubbard, to those who have so far adapted their practices to be almost unrecognizable as Scientology. The term Free Zone was originally only used by the organization founded by "Captain" Bill Robertson in 1982 (now known as Ron's Org), but the term is now commonly applied to all non-CoS Scientologists, although many dispute the application of the term to themselves.

The German Government sees the Free Zone as a type of "methadone program for Scientologists," and, in any case, "the lesser evil." Over the past years the Free Zone helped the German Government to destroy Scientology..

It is hard to estimate the number of people involved in the Free Zone, one reason being that some don't want to be public about their involvement to avoid possible harassment by the Church of Scientology.

In 2005 Beliefnet.com gave members of the Free Zone their own discussion board, giving them equal status with Church of Scientology members.

The Church of Scientology and the Free Zone

The Church labels all practitioners of and believers in Scientology without its sanction "squirrels" — a term Hubbard coined to describe those who alter Scientology "technology" or practice it in a nonstandard fashion. Among Scientologists, the term is pejorative, and comparable in meaning to heretic. In practice, orthodox Scientologists use it to describe all of those who practice Scientology outside the Church, regardless of their degree of adherence to the tech. This usage is at odds with the meaning Hubbard originally attributed to the term. Many "squirrels" are former Church members who left the Church for various reasons — the Church frequently states they were dismissed for "unethical activities", but many observers say that because of the different meaning the word ethics has in Scientology, this merely translates to a general accusation they did something that Church officials viewed as detrimental to the Church.

The Church has taken steps to suppress the Free Zone and shut down dissenters when possible. CoS has used copyright and trademark laws to attack various Free Zone groups. Accordingly, the Free Zone avoids the use of officially trademarked Scientology words, including 'Scientology' itself.

Many Free Zone advocates say that everyone has the right to freely practice the teachings of L. Ron Hubbard, whether sanctioned by the Church or not. In support of this they cite Hubbard himself:

Dianetics is not in any way covered by legislation anywhere, for no law can prevent one man sitting down and telling another man his troubles, and if anyone wants a monopoly on dianetics, be assured that he wants it for reasons which have to do not with dianetics but with profit. —L. Ron Hubbard, Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health (1950)

Other Free Zoners assert basic human rights protections in order to freely follow their chosen religion.

Controversy over the origins of the word Scientology has given Free Zone a way to contest Scientology's trademarks. They note a German book, entitled Scientologie, Wissenschaft von der Beschaffenheit und der Tauglichkeit des Wissens (1934), by Dr. Anastasius Nordenholz (as opposed to Hubbard's Scientology: The Fundamentals of Thought, 1953), which they use as the basis of their challenge to Scientology's trademark claims. Because Scientologie was not written by Hubbard, they argue, the Church is exerting unfair control over its practice, and attempting to enforce a monopoly. So far, legal efforts to challenge Scientology have failed.

References

  1. Article in "Die Woche", December 11, 1998
  2. "Maybe it makes you feel more confident, for example, if you learn that the office for safeguarding the constitution (Verfassungsschutz) of the German state of Baden-Wurttemberg has stated years ago that the Ron’s Org is not a part of the Church of Scientology and that there is no need to observe them as the Ron’s Org has no anti-constitutional goals. Indeed, there is some cooperation between members of the Ron’s Org and state authorities who observe the Church of Scientology and investigate their activities.English FAQ on German Ron's Org site

External links

International Organizations

Regional Organizations

Other links

Criticism of the Free Zone

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