Scientologists

A Scientologist is a person who adheres to the beliefs and practices of Scientology, a movement founded by L. Ron Hubbard in the mid-20th century. The term is used for individuals who participate in Scientology services or training offered by the Church of Scientology, whether as public members or as part of the organization's staff. Estimates of the number of Scientologists vary widely, with the Church claiming worldwide membership in the millions, while national censuses and independent surveys indicate global totals in the tens of thousands.

Definition

A Scientologist is an adherent of the doctrines and practices of Scientology. The Church of Scientology states that "Scientologist" is a collective membership mark indicating membership in affiliated Scientology churches and missions.

Public Scientologists are those individuals who are not staff. They pay the Church of Scientology for training or auditing services, and live and work independently of the organization. Collectively, non-staff Scientologists may be referred to as "members", the "public", or the "field". Even though public members are not employed by the organization, they are ranked within the Church's chain of command and defer to all staff personnel, who are regarded as their seniors. Public members are frequently pressed into service for clerical or promotional tasks or to recruit new members. Public members who recruit people for Scientology services are called "field staff members" (FSMs) and are paid a commission of 10%–15% of the amount their recruit pays for a service.

Scientologists not in trouble with the ethics department are considered "in good standing" and are allowed to be on Church of Scientology premises, receive services, and attend events. Those who practice Scientology‑derived techniques outside the Church in what is known as the Free Zone, or independent Scientology, are not recognized by the Church.

Membership statistics

It is difficult to obtain reliable membership statistics. The International Association of Scientologists (IAS), the official Church of Scientology membership system since 1984, has never released figures. Other Church spokespeople have cited membership numbers in the millions, though that represents a cumulative number of anyone who ever took a service or purchased a book from the organization. Census and survey data have shown those numbers to be greatly exaggerated, and census tallies are declining in several countries.

Census and survey data

(in decreasing order of membership)

; United States

: A 2008 survey of American religious affiliations by the US Census Bureau estimated there to be 25,000 Americans identifying as Scientologists, as did a 2008 Trinity College survey that also concluded there were 25,000 Scientologists. The American Religious Identification Survey (ARIS) found 45,000 Scientologists in the United States in 1990, 55,000 in 2001, and 25,000 in 2008.

; Germany

: In 2005, the German Office for the Protection of the Constitution estimated a total of 5,000–6,000 Scientologists in the country, and mentioned a count of 12,000 according to Scientology Germany. Germany's government counted 3,600 German members in 2021.

; United Kingdom

: The 2001 United Kingdom census contained a voluntary question on religion, to which approximately 48,000,000 chose to respond. Of those living in England and Wales who responded, a total of 1,781 said they were Scientologists. The 2021 census in England and Wales recorded 1,800 Scientologists.

; Australia

: In 2006, Australia's national census recorded 2,507 Scientologists nationwide, up from 1,488 in 1996, and 2,032 in 2001. The 2011 census however found a decrease of 13.7 percent from the 2006 census. The Australian census reported 1,488 Scientologists in 1996 and 2,032 in 2001, before dropping to under 1,700 in 2016.

; Canada

: Statistics Canada, the national census agency, reported numbers of Scientologists as: 1,215–1,220 in 1991, 1,525 in 2001, 1,745 in 2011, and 1,380 in 2021.

; Switzerland

: In 2011, SonntagsZeitung reported that support for Scientology in Switzerland had experienced a steady decline from 3,000 registered members in 1990 to 1,000 members and the organization was said to be facing extinction in the country. A Church of Scientology spokesperson rejected the figures claiming that the organization had 5,000 "passive and active members in Switzerland".

; New Zealand

: In the 2006 New Zealand census, 357 people identified themselves as Scientologists, although a spokesperson for the organization said there were between 5,000 and 6,000 Scientologists in the country. Earlier census figures were 207 in the 1991 census, 219 in 1996, and 282 in 2001.

; Finland

: In 2011, the "Scientology Association of Finland" had approximately 120 members.

Across all countries with available data, the number of self-identified Scientologists is small and in many cases declining.

Independent estimates

One 2014 estimate indicates there were about 30,000 Scientologists. An estimate given by former high-level Church of Scientology employee Jefferson Hawkins in 2011 was of 40,000.

Andersen and Wellendorf estimated that there were between 2000 and 4000 Scientologists in Denmark in 2009, with contemporary estimates suggesting between 500 and 1000 active Scientologists in Sweden. Observers have suggested between 2000 and 4000 in France.

Church membership claims

The organization has said that it has eight to fifteen million members worldwide, but this figure is known to be an aggrandizing fabrication. Religious scholar J. Gordon Melton has said that the organization's estimates of its membership numbers are exaggerated: "You're talking about anyone who ever bought a Scientology book or took a basic course. Ninety-nine percent of them don't ever darken the door of the church again." Melton has stated that if the claimed figure of 4 million American Scientologists were correct, "they would be like the Lutherans and would show up on a national survey".

By the start of the 21st century, the organization was claiming it had 8 million members. Several commentators observe that this number is cumulative rather than collective: that is, it represents the total number of people who had any interaction with the Scientology organization since its founding, some of whom only had one or two auditing sessions. The organization also maintained that it was the world's fastest growing religion, a title also claimed by several other groups including Mormons, modern Pagans, and Baháʼí.

Demographics

Scientologists are found mostly in the US, Europe, South Africa and Australia. Within the US, higher rates of Scientology have been observed in the western states, especially those bordering the Pacific Ocean, than further east.

Internationally, the Scientology organization's members are largely middle-class. In Australia, Scientologists have been observed as being wealthier and more likely to work in managerial and professional roles than the average citizen.

Scientology is oriented toward individualistic and liberal economic values; the scholar of religion Susan J. Palmer observed that Scientologists display "a capitalist ideology that promotes individualistic values". Interviewing members of the Church of Scientology in the United States, Westbrook found that most regarded themselves as apolitical, Republicans, or libertarians; fewer than 10 percent supported the Democratic Party. A survey of Danish Scientologists likewise revealed that nearly all voted for liberal or conservative parties on the right of Denmark's political spectrum and took a negative view of socialism. Placing great emphasis on the freedom of the individual, those surveyed believed that the state and its regulations held people down, and felt that the Danish welfare system was excessive.

Recruitment

thumb|Scientology stress tests being offered on public sidewalk

Most people who join the organization are introduced to it via friends and family. It also offers free "personality tests" or "stress tests", typically involving an E-Meter, to attract potential recruits. It hopes that if non-Scientologists purchase one service from the organization and feel a benefit from it– a "win" in Scientology terminology– they are more likely to purchase additional services from it. Other recruitment methods include lectures and classes introducing non-Scientologists to the subject.

The Church of Scientology's own statistics, published in 1998, reveal that 52.6% of those who joined did so through their family and friendship networks with existing members. 18% were drawn in through personality tests, 4.8% through publicity, and 3.1% through lectures. Westbrook's interviews with members determined that most people who joined the organization were initially attracted by "the practical benefits advertised". Westbrook found that various members deepened their involvement after having what they considered to be a spiritual experience, such as exteriorization or a past life memory, in their first few weeks of involvement.

== Notable Scientologists ==

The list below contains names of public Scientologists. For Scientologists who are, or were, on staff, see . This list includes members who were still Scientologists in the Church of Scientology at the time of their death.

Kirstie Alley (1951–2022) actress.
Anne Archer (b. 1947) actress, and mother of former Scientology spokesperson Tommy Davis.
Jennifer Aspen (b. 1970) actress.
James Barbour (b. 1966) Broadway actor and singer.
Lynsey Bartilson (b. 1983) actress.
Catherine Bell (b. 1968) actress.
Karen Black (1939–2013) actress.
Sonny Bono (1935–1998) entertainer and congressman, identified as a Scientologist by his ex-wife who stated that "Sonny did try to break away at one point, and they made it very difficult for him".
Tim Bowles, Scientologist since 1975. Attorney who has represented Scientology and worked for some of the Church's organizations.
Stephen Boyd (1931–1977) actor, rose to OT IV, utilized Scientology techniques while filming a movie in Louisiana.
David Campbell (b. 1948) composer.
Elena Cardone, wife of Grant Cardone and major donor to Scientology.
Grant Cardone (b. 1958) CEO of Cardone Capital, reached the OT VIII level.
Nancy Cartwright (b. 1957) voice-over actress, voice of Bart Simpson.
Kate Ceberano (b. 1966) actress and musician; a third-generation-Scientologist; her grandmother worked as a governess for the children of Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard.
Erika Christensen (b. 1982) actress, raised Scientologist.
Stanley Clarke (b. 1951) musician and composer.
John Coale (b. 1946) American lawyer, married to Greta Van Susteren.
Keith Code, motorcycle racer.
Tom Constanten (b. 1944) former keyboardist for the Grateful Dead.
Chick Corea (1941–2021) musician.
Tom Cruise (b. 1962) actor.
Sky Dayton (b. 1971) founder of EarthLink.
Greg and Janet Deering (?) founders and owners of Deering Banjo Company
Eddie Deezen (b. 1957) actor and comedian
Doug Dohring (1957–2023) ex-owner of Neopets and father of Jason Dohring
Jason Dohring (b. 1982) actor, raised Scientologist
Denice Duff (b. 1965) actress
Robert Duggan (b. 1944) billionaire investor and CEO
Bodhi Elfman (b. 1969) actor
Jenna Elfman (b. 1971) actress.
Richard Elfman (b. 1949) writer and director
Stacy Francis (b. 1966) singer
Doug E. Fresh (b. 1966) Producer and rapper.
Peaches Geldof (1989–2014) columnist, television personality, and model.
Denise (Miscavige Licciardi) Gentile (b. 1960) twin sister of David Miscavige and former executive at Digital Lightwave.
Isaac Hayes (1942–2008) musician and actor.
Nicky Hopkins (1944–1994) musician
Gary Imhoff (b. 1952) actor
Mark Isham (b. 1951) musician and film music composer
Craig Jensen (?) founder of Condusiv Technologies, formerly known as Diskeeper Corporation
Brent A. Jones (b. 1963) lawyer and business owner
Milton Katselas (1933–2008) acting teacher
Charles Lakes (b. 1964) elite gymnast and Olympian
Geoffrey Lewis (1935–2015) actor
Noah Lottick (1966–1990) Scientologist whose suicide was the focus of the Time magazine article "The Thriving Cult of Greed and Power"
Alanna Masterson (b. 1988) actress
Christopher Masterson (b. 1980) actor
Jim Meskimen (b. 1959) actor and improviser
Julia Migenes (b. 1943) opera singer.
Sofia Milos (b. 1969) actress
Elisabeth Moss (b. 1982) actress, raised a Scientologist.
Tony Muhammad (?) anti-vaccination activist and 2017 recipient of a Freedom Medal award from the International Association of Scientologists
Floyd Mutrux (b. 1941) film director and writer
Haywood Nelson (b. 1960) actor
Marisol Nichols (b. 1973) actress.
Judy Norton [aka Judy Taylor] (b. 1958) actress
Eduardo Palomo (1962–2003) actor
Don Pearson (?) former management consultant (trainer) who taught Hubbard administrative techniques to executives and managers
Michael Peña (b. 1976) actor
Elli Perkins (1949–2003) businesswoman; who was murdered by her son who suffered from an untreated mental illness
Jeff Pomerantz (b. 1943) actor
David Pomeranz (b. 1951) singer, songwriter, composer
Kelly Preston (1962–2020) actress.
Lee Purcell (b. 1947) actress
Patrick Renna (b. 1979) actor
Giovanni Ribisi (b. 1974) actor, raised Scientologist.
Marissa Ribisi (b. 1974) actress, raised Scientologist.
Michael D. Roberts (b. 1947) actor
Pablo Santos (1987–2006) actor
Billy Sheehan (b. 1953) rock bassist
Juliet Simms (b. 1986) musician, former contestant on The Voice
Michelle Stafford (b. 1965) actress
Ethan Suplee (b. 1976) actor
Ian Tampion (1938–1997) Australian rules footballer who fought legal proceedings to have Scientology recognised in Australia as a church
John Travolta (b. 1954) actor
Mick Woodmansey (b. 1950) rock drummer, part of David Bowie's backing band The Spiders from Mars

Former Scientologists

{|class="sortable wikitable"

! width="100" | Name

! width="75" | Lifetime

! width="50" | Left

! class="unsortable" | Notes

|- valign="top"

| 1952–

| 2009

|Actor, star of Orientation: A Scientology Information Film, left the church in 2009 and requested his money back.

|- valign="top"

| 1946–

| 1981

| Former Sea Org member for ten years and involved in a series of Scientology related lawsuits, collectively Church of Scientology of California v. Armstrong.

|- valign="top"

| 1955–

| 1983

| Whistleblower and noted critic of the church.

|- valign="top"

| 1960–

| 2007

| Actor, rose to Operating Thetan level V (OT V), left Scientology and subsequently spoke out publicly against the church in 2008. He joined the church through Milton Katselas' acting class, connecting with Bodhi Elfman and Mary Thompson.

|- valign="top"

| 1974–

| 2017

| Musician.

|- valign="top"

| 1980–

| Actress, her mother was a Scientologist.

|- valign="top"

| 1948–

| 1981

| Transgender author, playwright, performance artist and gender theorist. Was previously a spokesperson for Scientology.

|- valign="top"

| 1949–

| 2020

| Producer.

|- valign="top"

| 1935–2026

| American football player, credited Dianetics with his recovery from a sports injury; left after some of his friends "were expelled and harassed during a power struggle with church management".

|- valign="top"

| 1952–

| 1989

| Former managing editor of Freedom magazine and a Scientologist for over twenty years. She has since become president of the Lisa McPherson Trust and an expert witness in many high-profile Scientology lawsuits.

|- valign="top"

| 1914–1997

| 1960s

| Author and poet. Joined and left the church during the 1960s. In talking about the experience, he claimed that the techniques and philosophy of Scientology helped him and that he felt that further study into Scientology would produce great results. He was skeptical of the church itself, and felt that it fostered an environment that did not accept critical discussion. His subsequent critical writings about the church and his review of Inside Scientology by Robert Kaufman led to a battle of letters between Burroughs and Scientology supporters in the pages of Rolling Stone magazine. He wrote the book Ali's Smile: Naked Scientology.

|- valign="top"

| 1953–

| 1993

|Actress; critical of Scientology's "straightforward" desire for money.

|- valign="top"

| 1947–

| 2000

| Whistleblower and noted critic of the church.

|- valign="top"

| 1935–

| With wife, Marry Anne DeGrimston, founder of The Process Church of The Final Judgment.

|- valign="top"

| 1922–2009

| 1954

| Author and journalist; at one point a personal assistant to L. Ron Hubbard.

|- valign="top"

| 1963–

| Whistleblower and noted critic of the church.

|- valign="top"

| 19xx–

| 1982

| Former high-ranking official in the church and later critic of Scientology who joined the alt.religion.scientology discussion group on Usenet in late July 1994.

|- valign="top"

| 1934–

| 2011

| Actor

|- valign="top"

| 1960–

| Novelist, graphic novelist, and screenwriter. Son of David Gaiman, raised Scientologist in East Grinstead. Has left the church, although prefers not to speak publicly about it.

|- valign="top"

| 1978–1998

| Massachusetts Institute of Technology student and primary developer of EarthLink's innovative Internet service provider software; died by suicide in 1998.

|- valign="top"

| 1953–

| 2009

| Film director, Academy Award winner; Left in response to the San Diego branch's public support of California Proposition 8 and other factors. He progressed up to OT VII in the 1980s where he remained until he left the church.

|- valign="top"

| 1974–

| 2005

| Whistleblower and critic of the church.

|- valign="top"

| 1933–

| 1981

|Self-published author and founder of the Genesis II Church

|- valign="top"

| 1941–2019

| 1999

| Lyricist for the Grateful Dead.

|Mark Janicello

|1962

|2003

|Actor, Singer and Dramatist. Author of Naked in the Spotlight: My Life with Sex, Singing, and Scientology in German and in English

| 1967–

| 1992

|Actress; Tom Cruise's ex-wife

|- valign="top"¨

| 1970–

| 2016

|Actor.

|- valign="top"

| 1950–2018

| 1977

| Son of a high-ranking member. Critic of Scientology who posted the Fishman Affidavit, including the Xenu story, to the Internet via the Usenet newsgroup alt.religion.scientology.

|- valign="top"

| 1973–

| 2021

| Actress

|- valign="top"

| 1934–2017

| Identified as a Scientologist during his time in prison. He ordered Manson Family member Bruce Davis to journey to the United Kingdom and work for the Scientology organization in London. Manson completed 150 hours of auditing while researching his own religious practices, which borrowed heavily from Scientology.

|- valign="top"

| 1936–2021

| 2012

| Father of David Miscavige, author and whistleblower.

|- valign="top"

| 1964–

| 2002

| Film director of The Underground Comedy Movie and pitchman for ShamWow.

|- valign="top"

| 1980–

| 2024

| Model and actress

|- valign="top"

| 1980–

| 2016

| Actress

|- valign="top"

| 1968–2023

| 2014

|Singer and songwriter who was the daughter of Elvis Presley.

|- valign="top"

| 1945–

| 2017

|Businesswoman and actress

|- valign="top"

| 1957–

| 2004

| Whistleblower, and critic of the Church.

|- valign="top"

| 1958–2024

| 2005

| Former rugby league footballer who was the father of Alanna Masterson and Jordan Masterson. He accused the church of framing him for financial misconduct and was estranged from his children at the time of his death. and critic of the church. She wrote an autobiography in 2015 entitled Troublemaker: Surviving Hollywood and Scientology, and produces and presents the A&E documentary series Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath.

|- valign="top"

| 1955–2025

| 2007

| Whistleblower and critic of the church.

|- valign="top"

| 1956–

| Actress

|- valign="top"

| 19xx–

| 2005

| Whistleblower and critic of the church.

|- valign="top"

| 1969–

| 2012

| Author and YouTuber; he was a member of the church for 27 years and has been outspoken about his experiences since leaving.

|- valign="top"

| 1974–

| 2006

| Former Sea Org member who had influential positions in Sydney as well as the United States. He received attention when Australian Senator Nick Xenophon quoted statements by Saxton about Scientology into the parliamentary record of the Australian Senate.

|- valign="top"

| 1949–2015

|Sentenced in 2003 to 14 years in prison for running one of the largest Ponzi schemes in US history, scamming more than $600 million from 800 investors.

|- valign="top"

| 1944–

| 2000s

|Actor, left when he was pressured to leave his second wife.

|- valign="top"

| 1908–1971

| 1959

| Spiritual writer and founder of Eckankar. Joined Scientology and achieved the status of "Clear".

|- valign="top"

| 1986

| 2025

| Singer-songwriter, actress.

|- valign="top"

| 1935–2004

| 1968

| Author and deprogrammer; wrote The Mind Benders which was the first book on Scientology to be written by an ex-member and the first critical book on Scientology to be published.

|- valign="top"

| 1983–

| 2008

| Musician, singer, songwriter, television presenter and actor, and bassist and co-vocalist of the pop band, Busted. Was recruited to the church following a stint in rehab, but left the church after they reportedly advised that he separate from his wife Emma Willis, who the church deemed to be a "suppressive person".

|- valign="top"

|19xx–

| 1979

| Former member and co-founder of the FACTNet, a non-profit organization that criticized the church, known for winning a multi-million dollar judgment against the church in a case about publishing material on the internet that the church claimed was protected by copyright.

|- valign="top"

| 19xx–

| 1982

| Former member of the Sea Org who was subjected to a smear campaign by the church.

References

</references>

Scientologists

Definition

Membership statistics

Census and survey data

Independent estimates

Church membership claims

Demographics

Recruitment

Former Scientologists

See also

References

Further reading

External links