Scientolgy as a Religion

One of the primary themes in "Inside Scientology" is the status of the organization as a religion. The author, Reitman, makes it clear from the beginning of the novel that she believes, based on the testimony of several ex-members, that Scientology is merely a cash cow version of Dianetics. Since Dianetics was not a religion, it is questionable as to whether Scientology is either. It is clear from the battle of the IRS and the organization that it too struggled with calling Scientology a religion, but at the same time, if the book is to be believed, the IRS succumbed to pressure and gave the church its tax exemption status. However, this does not necessarily make the organization a religion, according to some, but simply shows its power through harassment and intimidation.

Some argue that Scientology is more of a cult than a religion since...