An Introduction to RTC

The scriptural materials of Dianetics and Scientology comprise millions of published words, recorded lectures and films of the religion’s Founder, L. Ron Hubbard. The Scientology religion follows a long tradition of religious practice. It is the spiritual cornerstone for millions of people across all continents. At the heart of this fastest-growing religious movement on Earth is a unique view of Man as an inherently spiritual being—intrinsically good, immortal and omnipotent.

Thousands of new people discover Scientology each week and take their first step toward true spiritual freedom, while new Scientology Organizations regularly open their doors to meet the ever-increasing demand for Mr. Hubbard’s spiritual technologies. Scientology has become the most broadly inclusive movement to emerge in the 20th century, embracing people from all walks of life.

The spoken and written words of Mr. Hubbard form the Scientology Scripture. It is a core belief of the religion and all Scientologists that if Mr. Hubbard’s religious technologies are applied precisely and are not altered in any way, conditions will improve for Man and spiritual freedom and happiness will be achieved for all. It is for this reason that no one in any Scientology Church, Mission or Group interprets or gives his or her opinion about any of the materials of Dianetics and Scientology. To do so would result in alterations of Mr. Hubbard’s writings which would, in turn, inhibit a person’s progress toward full spiritual freedom.

In the religion’s formative years, Mr. Hubbard personally supervised its practice and wore the hat of keeping Scientology pure and true. To prevent misuse and misrepresentation of his writings, Mr. Hubbard also registered as trademarks many of the words and symbols used within the religion, such as Dianetics and Scientology. These trademarks prevent anyone from delivering alterations of Mr. Hubbard’s technologies, while claiming they are delivering standard Dianetics or Scientology.

Religious Technology Center (RTC) was formed in 1982 and received ownership of the trademarks from Mr. Hubbard.

Religious Technology Center⁠ Formed

Following the formation of Religious Technology Center (RTC) in 1982, Mr. Hubbard granted this Church ownership of the religious trademarks of Scientology. RTC thus became the Church responsible for the protection of the religion. It guarantees the orthodox application of Mr. Hubbard’s technologies, and further ensures that only authorized Church Organizations may use the religious marks. As RTC is not part of the management structure of the Church of Scientology and is not involved in managing day-to-day affairs, it is not subject to the daily exigencies of management and so can more effectively perform its functions.

Thus, while Church of Scientology International serves as the Mother Church, and is responsible for the overall ecclesiastical management of Scientology Churches around the world and for the dissemination and propagation of Scientology, Religious Technology Center serves as the protector of the religion. While each Scientology Organization and, indeed, every Scientologist is expected to enforce the standard application of Dianetics and Scientology, RTC is the final arbiter of orthodoxy.

Since receiving ownership of the religious trademarks, RTC has continued to register them in countries around the world—even those that do not yet have a Scientology Organization. This was done to ensure that the religious marks are protected in those countries and that their citizens know that when they participate in services at an Organization using the Dianetics and Scientology trademarks, genuine L. Ron Hubbard Technology is being ministered.

All of RTC’s activities add up to performing its basic ecclesiastical functions: ensuring that anything represented as Dianetics or Scientology is genuinely so; protecting the general public by not allowing any organization or individual to misrepresent itself as Dianetics and Scientology while doing something entirely different; and not allowing any organization or individual to deliver Dianetics or Scientology while calling it something else.

Chairman of the Board⁠ RTC, Mr. David Miscavige

David Miscavige became the Chairman of the Board of Religious Technology Center in 1987. Mr. Miscavige, a Scientologist since his childhood, has been involved with nearly every aspect of the Church’s activities for some 40 years and personally worked closely with Mr. Hubbard. His unselfish dedication to the betterment of Mankind and his effective leadership have resulted in unprecedented expansion of Scientology and its Social Betterment programs into every geographic zone.

Mr. Miscavige has worked relentlessly to guarantee the authenticity and purity of Mr. Hubbard’s technologies by ensuring that all of Mr. Hubbard’s writings are verified, word for word, against original manuscripts and recordings.

His programs to ensure 100 percent standard ministry of Mr. Hubbard’s technologies are now renowned world over and have resulted in parishioners receiving the benefits of Scientology precisely as Mr. Hubbard intended. His programs to create a whole new breed of Scientology Church have resulted in Churches that not only provide ideal facilities to service Scientologists on their ascent to higher states of spiritual freedom, but they also serve as a home for the entire community and a meeting ground of cooperative effort to uplift people of all denominations. Through the Church’s extensive religious and Social Betterment activities, Scientology Churches are providing real, effective solutions to the most pressing problems Mankind faces. These solutions represent a message of life, hope and the certainty that “something can be done about it.”