What Scientology teaches
Engrams and the reactive mind
Dianetics teaches that painful moments are recorded as engrams in a hidden reactive mind, which drives irrational behaviour until it is cleared.
The teaching
In Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health (1950), Hubbard divided the mind into the analytical mind, which reasons, and the reactive mind, which stores engrams: full recordings of moments of pain and unconsciousness. Later, similar circumstances restimulate the engram and the person reacts irrationally.
Auditing aims to locate and discharge engrams. A person with no reactive mind of their own is called Clear.
Beside the Bible
Painful experiences do shape us, and the Bible is full of compassion for the wounded. But it does not say our wrongdoing is a recording that plays us. It says it comes from the heart, and that God offers a new one. Scientific research has found no evidence for engrams or a reactive mind as Hubbard described them.
21For from within, out of the hearts of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, sexual sins, murders, thefts, 22covetings, wickedness, deceit, lustful desires, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, and foolishness. 23All these evil things come from within and defile the man.”
Mark 7:21-23 (WEB) · context
18Yahweh is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves those who have a crushed spirit.
Psalms 34:18 (WEB) · context
26I will also give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit within you. I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh.
Ezekiel 36:26 (WEB) · context
Reason 2: We are not basically good: we need a Saviour Reason 10: Test every teacher: Hubbard's claims did not hold
Sources
- Scientology source L. Ron Hubbard, Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health (1950).