Another census, and another country where Scientology is shrinking
Even today, Scientology claims that it is the “fastest growing religion in the world,” without a shred of evidence to back it up.
When reporters ask the church any sort of question — any question at all — they are directed by spokespeople like Karin Pouw to look at the number of new “Ideal Orgs” that have opened in recent years, as if nothing else should be reported about Scientology. Despite the new real estate, however, they can show nothing to prove that more people are actually joining.
In fact, when actual numbers do become available, they tend to show the opposite: Either stagnated numbers, or a decrease in the number of people identifying as Scientologists.
One way we know this is in national census numbers in countries that ask about religious affiliation, which tend to be on the order of about a hundred times less than what Scientology claims. Some recent results that we’ve told you about…
2022 Ireland: 132 in a country of 5 million
2021 Australia: 1,655 out of 25 million
2021 England and Wales: 1,854 out of 56 million (Scientology claims 118,000)
2021 Canada: 1,380 out of 37 million
And now, New Zealand has released its religious affiliation figures from its 2023 census, and once again, the trend holds.
In 2018, 321 people in New Zealand identified as Scientologists. In 2023, that number was down to 315.
In that same time period, New Zealand’s overall population went up from 4.7 million to 5 million, gaining 294,168 people — and losing 6 Scientologists.
Also, in 2017 Scientology opened its “Ideal Org” in Auckland after spending $10 million for the building and an additional $6 million to renovate it.
That’s $16 million to open the kind of facility that church leader David Miscavige promises (to the members who donate that money) will produce a flood of interest and new members.
Instead, in the seven years after that building opened, Scientology lost six members. In the entire country.
And with 315 members, Scientology is vastly outnumbered by Kiwis who identify as Jedi (17,682) and as members of the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster (3,297).
It’s just a fact: Scientology barely exists in New Zealand at all.
And once again, hard data tends to confirm our estimate that Scientology has dwindled to only about 20,000 active members around the world.
Scientology front groups making news overseas
While the census numbers are out in New Zealand, Scientology is also in the news for its sneaky front groups in other countries today.
Montreal’s French-based news outlet La Presse has published a great investigation asking why Scientology Volunteer Ministers are being given access to Canada’s penitentiaries.
Scientology is an “undemocratic and authoritarian” organization with an “unrealistic but dangerous” goal of bringing all of society under its direct influence, according to Stephen A. Kent, a professor in the University of Alberta's sociology department and the country's leading expert on the movement…
“Why are [Scientologists] allowed to offer workshops in a federal prison?” asks Professor Stephen A. Kent. “Neither Scientology nor its Volunteer Ministers are on the Canadian government’s list of charitable organizations,” he points out.
The Canada Revenue Agency confirms that the Church of Scientology has never been granted charitable status in the "promotion of religion" category, which prevents it from benefiting from tax advantages, for example. "With some exceptions, there must be an element of theistic worship, that is, the worship of one or more gods in the spiritual sense," the agency specifies, adding that it does not "regulate religion" or "determine the value of specific belief systems."
At the time of writing, neither the Church of Scientology nor its Montreal Volunteer Ministers division had responded to our requests for information about their presence in penitentiaries.
The article raises great questions, and we’re always glad to see the eminent Dr. Kent consulted in any story.
Meanwhile, in America Samoa, Scientology really has some local legislators coming and going.
According to the Samoa Observer, on Friday one member of Parliament endorsed a literacy program for teachers being run by the Church of Scientology. And then another MP from the opposition party added his own praise by noting that “there is no problem with what Scientologists believe as they were Christian beliefs.”
Yikes.
One of Scientology’s approaches for preparing the public for its planetary takeover is through founder L. Ron Hubbard’s supposed breakthroughs in education. Hubbard’s “Study Tech” is offered to schools through Scientology front group Applied Scholastics, and maybe it’s not too surprising to see it have some success in a place like American Samoa where maybe there has been less exposure to the organization’s controversies and abuses.
But Christian beliefs? See, this is why Hubbard decided in 1953 to call it a “Church” of Scientology after initially selling Dianetics as the “Modern Science of Mental Health.” It’s a very old trap, and it’s surprising to see people falling into it all these years later.
No, Scientology is not a Christian belief system. In fact, you can hear L. Ron Hubbard say in a 1968 taped lecture to his followers that “There was no Christ.” In his “Assists” lecture, Hubbard explained that all of the world’s religions were implanted 75 million years ago in what would later become humans on earth by an older civilization, led by the warlord Xenu.
We feel for the Samoan legislators and their literacy problem, but we hope they get a bit more literate about what Scientology is and what its actual aims are.
Seeing double in Los Angeles and London
We want to thank the vigilant reader who brought something interesting to our attention.
They noted that the young Scientologist who was seen in a video to acknowledge that the catastrophic fires in Los Angeles represented a “historic opportunity” for Scientology to get positive press…
…also showed up in the London Underground billboard that Alex Barnes-Ross was drawing attention to in complaints to Transport for London…
He is, in fact, Joe Vilardi, a musician in LA, and Alex tells us he may be in a bit of hot water now for getting so much attention.
Come on out, Joe, the water’s fine!
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For the full picture of what’s happening today in the world of Scientology, please join the conversation at tonyortega.org, where we’ve been reporting daily on David Miscavige’s cabal since 2012. There you’ll find additional stories, and our popular regular daily features:
Source Code: Actual things founder L. Ron Hubbard said on this date in history
Avast, Ye Mateys: Snapshots from Scientology’s years at sea
Overheard in the Freezone: Indie Hubbardism, one thought at a time
Past is Prologue: From this week in history at alt.religion.scientology
Random Howdy: Your daily dose of the Captain
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The number of people continuing to expose Scientology’s crimes is not diminishing. This continued vigilance and multiple personalities talking about the truth about the cult is like a body’s strong immune system attacking a virus with antibodies and massive white blood cell attacks. The virus is eventually destroyed. We need to support those who have selflessly shown the light of truth on the Scientology organizations. Because Tony and investigative journalists are effective.
It used to be a good thing to say you were a Scientologist. It’s nice to see the tide finally turning.