Church of Scientology
What is the Church of Scientology?
The Church of Scientology was set up originally by Lafayette Ron Hubbard many years ago. A full history is available on the net so I am not going to bore you with that here. One of the best places to go however is scientology.wiki where you can get a balanced history of the church. Also other sites are Mary Sue Hubbard and L. Ron Hubbard - Tribute.
Currently the Church is administered by the Church of Spiritual Technology (CST) . The CST is NOT a church but a private company. A business. This business is run by one Meade Emory. Meade Emory is founder of the Church of Spiritual Technology (CST).
The Church of Spiritual Technology is registered with the Secretary of State of California. Anyone can go to the SOSC website, kepler.ss.ca.gov, and get all the public information available, including the CST's "Agent for Service of Process". As to who its shareholders are, we understand that it doesn't have any. It was, we are given to believe, created as a charitable corporation. It does have 4 Special Directors, appointed for life, with the sole qualification being that they be members of the State Bar of California. The website shows the following:
Corp Id Number: C1074287
Date of Incorporation: 5/28/1982
Registered Name:
CHURCH OF SPIRITUAL TECHNOLOGY
419 N LARCHMOUNT BLVD #86
LOS ANGELES, CA 90004
Agent for Service of Process:
SHERMAN LENSKE
6400 CANOGA AVE STE 315
WOODLAND HILLS, CA 91367
So 1t isn't a church, and it isn't a library. In fact it is a corporation. The richest and most powerful corporation in the entire scientology empire, owner of all the existing up to date copyrights, owner and controller of the most important trademarks, and thought to be run by the Internal Revenue Service through three non-Scientologist tax attorneys hand-picked by Meade Emory and "the Service"--IRS--to be Special Directors of CST for life.
In addition the CST is apparently listed as a non-profit, charitable, corporation and therefore under U. S. Laws not only doesn't have to have any shareholders (since the purpose of shareholders is to make money) but it's books are not open to public scrutiny. It is not possible therefore to find out how much money indeed the CST does make or what it does with the funds or what fees the directors get.
The articles of incorporation are a matter of public record available from the Secretary of State of the State of California and are show here for interest only.
[STAMP]: -------------------------------- ENDORSED
FILED
in the office of the Secretary of State
of the State of California
MAY 28 1982
MARCH FONG EU, Secretary of State
----------------------------------- [END STAMP]
ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION
OF
CHURCH OF SPIRITUAL TECHNOLOGY
ARTICLE ONE
Name of the Corporation
The name of the corporation shall be Church of Spiritual Technology.
ARTICLE TWO
Duration of the Corporation
The duration of the corporation shall be perpetual.
ARTICLE THREE
Purpose of the Corporation
The corporation is a religious Corporation and is not organized for the private gain of any person. It is organized under the Nonprofit Religious Corporation Law exclusively for religious purposes. Specifically its purpose is to espouse, present, propagate, practice, ensure, and maintain the purity and integrity of the religion of Scientology, as the same has been developed and may be further developed by L. Ron Hubbard to the and that any person wishing to, and participating in Scientology may derive the greatest possible good of the spiritual awareness his Beingness, Doingness and Knowingness. More particularly, the corporation is formed for the purpose of providing a corporate organization through which and by means of which the operations and activities of a church, may be accomplished. Its purpose is to protect and preserve the religion of Scientology through establishment of religious scholarship funds, museums, librarys [sic] and such other institutions which will ensure the benefits of Scientology to future generations. More particularly, the corporation is formed for the accomplishment, without limitation, of the following more specific Purposes:
a. To serve as a means of promulgating, preserving and administering the religious faith of Scientology throughout the World; and
b. To regulate and conduct religious services, including services, [sic] for its parishioners; and
c. To conduct religious and educational activities of various kinds; and
d. To foster and enhance the spiritual welfare of its followers, which shall be deemed to be Scientologists throughout the world.
ARTICLE FOUR
Power of the Corporation and Limitations Thereon
In the conduct of its activities and the accomplishment of its purposes, the corporation shall have, shall enjoy, and may exercise, to their fullest extent, all powers which nonprofit corporations are permitted by law to have and to enjoy; PROVIDED HOWEVER, that:
a. The property of the corporation is irrevocably dedicated to religious purposes, and no part of the income or assets of the corporation shall ever inure to the benefit of any private party or individual; and
b. No substantial part of the activities of the corporation shall be devoted to attempts to influence legislation by propaganda or otherwise, and the corporation shall not participate or intervene, directly or indirectly, in any political campaign on behalf of or in opposition to any candidate for public office; and
c. The corporation shall not carry on any activities not permitted to be carried on by an organization
exempt from federal income tax under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954, or successor statutes of similar import; and
d. The corporation shall not carry on any activities not permitted to be carried on by a corporation described in Section 170(c)(2), contributions to which are deductible under Section 170(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954, or successor statutes of similar import.
ARTICLE FIVE
Initial Agent for Service of Process
The name and address in this state of the corporation's initial agent for service of process is SHERMAN D. LENSKE, 6400 Canoga Avenue, Suite 315, Woodland Hills, California 91367.
ARTICLE SIX
Members of the Corporation
This corporation shall have no members.
ARTICLE SEVEN
Disposition of the Corporation's Assets Upon Dissolution
In keeping with the religious purposes to which the corporation's property is irrevocably dedicated, upon the winding up and dissolution of the corporation, and after payment or adequate provision is made for its debts and obligations, the corporation's remaining assets shall be distributed to one or more nonprofit funds, foundations, trusts or corporations which are organized and operated exclusively for religious purposes, and which have established or are entitled to receive tax exempt status under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954, or successor statutes of similar import.
ARTICLE EIGHT
Amendment of the Corporation's Articles Of Incorporation
Notwithstanding any provision of the law permitting their amendment upon the affirmative act of less than all of the corporation's incumbent directors, the articles of incorporation of this corporation may be amended only upon the unanimous vote of all the Directors of the corporation then incumbent.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, we and each of us, have subscribed these Articles of Incorporation, in duplicate, on this, the 27th day of May, 1982.
____________[signature]_____________
SHERMAN D. LENSKE,
Incorporator
The undersigned declares that he is the person who executed the above Articles of Incorporation, and such instrument is his act and deed.
____________[signature]_____________
SHERMAN D. LENSKE
In view of the numerous alterations and 'changes' being made on an ongoing basis to the original technology developed by Ron Hubbard it is difficult to fully believe that the purpose outlined above and quoted here: "Specifically its purpose is to espouse, present, propagate,practice, ensure, and maintain the purity and integrity of the religion of Scientology, as the same has been developed and may be further developed by L. Ron Hubbard ..." is being honestly and truly followed. For further information one can go to
www.sc-i-r-s-ology.pair.com which explains in further detail what happened to the Church of Scientology(tm) and who now owns and controls it.
