I am currently reading the book „EXCALIBUR Revisited – THE AKASHIC BOOK OF TRUTH“ by Geoffrey C. Filbert, published in 1982!
As he was in Scientology during the time, when LRH vanished, he pinpointed the zenit and downfall of Scientology very precise without knowing the reason: the takeover since 1973.
I quote from his book (pdf-version, page 55):
„The history of Scientology starts around 1954 and grew to its height in 1977 as far as numbers and cash flow. The actual evolution of the technology of Scientology seemed to zenith somewhere around 1972, 1974 with nothing new being introduced after that of substance or consequence.
So, that is the truthful history of Scientology, Dianetics and L. Ron Hubbard.
It actually reached its peak as far as overall activity around 1974, if you are measuring its activity by either the number of people, quantity of students studying or quantity of people being counselled. It declined from 1974 to present. The reasons for its decline are: (1) the continued friction with various governments, (2) bad public relations, (3) not keeping its promises it had made to its practitioners, (4) heavy handed, incorrect, internal judicial actions against people within and outside the church, (5) excessive emphasis on the Sea Org itself as a senior management structure, (6) medieval administration, (7) very little interest on the development or encouragement of people studying the religion of Scientology and (8) not knowing or having the correct technology.
It finally reached the absurd situation in the late 70’s when there were over 600 people on staff in the Guardian Offices which were protecting the church, making sure that the church would be there, fighting governments, during that period of time when there were less than 600 people who were studying, applying and even receiving Scientology counselling. Three-fourths of the people in the church were in administrative positions. In the little churches, like Washington, D.C., Seattle, Denmark or Toronto, they had 50 people handling the paperwork and 2 people doing the counselling or auditing, and a few people on the courses. The Clearwater facility had a number of people on courses and counselling, and very high cash flow. It is essentially a status religious retreat where a lot of funds change hands and essential Scientology services are merchandised in such a manner that parishioners get traditional services and pay a substantial amount of money.
It is ironic that people will pay almost any amount of money for real service. The Clearwater facility is prohibitive of people receiving service unless one is extremely wealthy.
So, the para-military organisation, its bureaucracies and the cult worship of the man himself filled in and replaced the religion itself which disappeared throughout the 70’s.
The religion became extinct by 1978. Hubbard’s son, Quentin was extremely distraught over this for years. He actually lost his will to live over this particular subject and died. His continued appeals to his parents fell on deaf ears.
The symbols, the legal structure and (most certainly) the wealth of the church have survived but the religion itself has completely vanished from 1975 to present.
It has vanished in the sense of being there for anyone to walk in, find out about themselves, get cleaned up and raise their awareness to higher states.
Thus, the religion of Scientology, the psychotherapy of Dianetics and the man himself have recently become extinct by default. It appears that all three got eaten up by their postulates.
They considered their neighbours to be so mechanically conscious (that there was actually no other life out there other than themselves) that they ended up being so.
… Anything that is grounded in truth doesn’t vanish. Only lies erase. That church erased.“