List of Scientology Security Checks
Encyclopedia
In Scientology
, the Security Check (or Sec Check) is a practice instituted by founder L. Ron Hubbard
in 1960. It involves an "Ethics officer" probing the thoughts, attitudes and behavior of an individual member by asking them large numbers of questions. The bulk of the questions deal with criminal
or sex
ual activity or intentions, or other things that the interviewee might be ashamed of. The questions also probe negative thoughts that the person might have about Scientology or Hubbard. As with traditional auditing
, the subject holds the electrodes of the E-meter
as they hear and respond to questions.
Hubbard described security checking as a remedy for "unreasonable action", specifically "the compulsion or obsession to commit actions" the person feels must be kept secret. Checks are given to all Scientologists on the Bridge to Total Freedom, every six months to all Operating Thetan
s, according to officials, "to make sure they're using the tech correctly", and to members who are leaving staff.
In a "Code of Reform" issued in 1968, Hubbard announced that he was cancelling security checks, along with the policies of Fair Game
and Disconnection
. However, later Scientology documents refer to the practice, and former members report that it still continues.
Sec Checks are also known in the Scientology Justice
system as "Integrity Processing" or "Confessional Auditing".
in traditional religions. However, it also differs from them in that it is not voluntary and that it explicitly gives power to the auditor
to scrutinise and control individual Scientologists. Hubbard told security checkers that "you are not merely an observer, or an auditor, you are a detective."
Susan Raine of the University of Alberta
observes that the questions asked in security checks show that L. Ron Hubbard was intensely preoccupied with scrutiny, surveillance and betrayal. She notes that this intense form of surveillance makes sense from a bureaucratic
perspective as a way of making sure all individuals follow (and internalize) the organisational goals. Bent Corydon, an ex-Scientologist, compares security checking to the use of thought police
in the novel Nineteen Eighty-Four
. He writes that Scientologists are punished for having negative thoughts about Hubbard or Scientology and so learn to think only positively. David Mayo, another former member, reported that sec checks included the question, "Have you ever had any unkind thoughts about LRH?" and that such "discreditable thoughts" could land a follower in trouble.
In 1972, the South African Commission of Enquiry published a report on Scientology. It recommended that there should be legislation against sec checks. However, no legislative action was taken as a result.
quotes some questions from this security check dating from 1961.
Amongst Hubbard's list of primarily crime-related questions is the question "Have you ever slept with a member of a race of another color?" Other questions include:
Hubbard concluded, "The end product is the discovery of a terrorist, usually paid, usually a criminal, often trained abroad."
Scientology
Scientology is a body of beliefs and related practices created by science fiction and fantasy author L. Ron Hubbard , starting in 1952, as a successor to his earlier self-help system, Dianetics...
, the Security Check (or Sec Check) is a practice instituted by founder L. Ron Hubbard
L. Ron Hubbard
Lafayette Ronald Hubbard , better known as L. Ron Hubbard , was an American pulp fiction author and religious leader who founded the Church of Scientology...
in 1960. It involves an "Ethics officer" probing the thoughts, attitudes and behavior of an individual member by asking them large numbers of questions. The bulk of the questions deal with criminal
Crime
Crime is the breach of rules or laws for which some governing authority can ultimately prescribe a conviction...
or sex
Sex
In biology, sex is a process of combining and mixing genetic traits, often resulting in the specialization of organisms into a male or female variety . Sexual reproduction involves combining specialized cells to form offspring that inherit traits from both parents...
ual activity or intentions, or other things that the interviewee might be ashamed of. The questions also probe negative thoughts that the person might have about Scientology or Hubbard. As with traditional auditing
Auditing (Scientology)
Auditing was developed by L. Ron Hubbard, and is described by the Church of Scientology as "spiritual counseling which is the central practice of Dianetics and Scientology".-Description:...
, the subject holds the electrodes of the E-meter
E-meter
An E-meter is an electronic device used during Dianetics and Scientology auditing. The device is a variation of a Wheatstone bridge, which measures electrical resistance and skin conductance. It is formally known as the Hubbard Electrometer, for the Church's founder, L. Ron Hubbard...
as they hear and respond to questions.
Hubbard described security checking as a remedy for "unreasonable action", specifically "the compulsion or obsession to commit actions" the person feels must be kept secret. Checks are given to all Scientologists on the Bridge to Total Freedom, every six months to all Operating Thetan
Operating Thetan
In Scientology, the state of Operating Thetan is a spiritual state above Clear. L. Ron Hubbard, the founder of Scientology, defined it as "knowing and willing cause over life, thought, matter, energy, space and time ". According to religious scholar J...
s, according to officials, "to make sure they're using the tech correctly", and to members who are leaving staff.
In a "Code of Reform" issued in 1968, Hubbard announced that he was cancelling security checks, along with the policies of Fair Game
Fair Game (Scientology)
The term Fair Game is used to describe policies and practices carried out by the Church of Scientology towards people and groups it perceives as its enemies. Founder L. Ron Hubbard established the policy in the 1960s, in response to criticism both from within and outside his organization...
and Disconnection
Disconnection
Disconnection, when used in Scientology, is a term used to describe the severance of all ties between a Scientologist and a friend, colleague, or family member deemed to be antagonistic towards Scientology. The practice of disconnection is a form of shunning. Among Scientologists, disconnection is...
. However, later Scientology documents refer to the practice, and former members report that it still continues.
Sec Checks are also known in the Scientology Justice
Scientology Justice
The Scientology Justice system is the Church of Scientology's internal means of assessing and dealing with violations of their code of ethics. These violations include those outside of the Church as well as within it....
system as "Integrity Processing" or "Confessional Auditing".
Security Checks
A security check resembles the confessionalConfessional
A confessional is a small, enclosed booth used for the Sacrament of Penance, often called confession, or Reconciliation. It is the usual venue for the sacrament in the Roman Catholic Church, but similar structures are also used in Anglican churches of an Anglo-Catholic orientation, and also in the...
in traditional religions. However, it also differs from them in that it is not voluntary and that it explicitly gives power to the auditor
Auditing (Scientology)
Auditing was developed by L. Ron Hubbard, and is described by the Church of Scientology as "spiritual counseling which is the central practice of Dianetics and Scientology".-Description:...
to scrutinise and control individual Scientologists. Hubbard told security checkers that "you are not merely an observer, or an auditor, you are a detective."
Susan Raine of the University of Alberta
University of Alberta
The University of Alberta is a public research university located in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Founded in 1908 by Alexander Cameron Rutherford, the first premier of Alberta and Henry Marshall Tory, its first president, it is widely recognized as one of the best universities in Canada...
observes that the questions asked in security checks show that L. Ron Hubbard was intensely preoccupied with scrutiny, surveillance and betrayal. She notes that this intense form of surveillance makes sense from a bureaucratic
Bureaucracy
A bureaucracy is an organization of non-elected officials of a governmental or organization who implement the rules, laws, and functions of their institution, and are occasionally characterized by officialism and red tape.-Weberian bureaucracy:...
perspective as a way of making sure all individuals follow (and internalize) the organisational goals. Bent Corydon, an ex-Scientologist, compares security checking to the use of thought police
Thought Police
The Thought Police is the secret police of Oceania in George Orwell's dystopian novel Nineteen Eighty-Four.It is the job of the Thought Police to uncover and punish thoughtcrime and thought-criminals, using psychology and omnipresent surveillance from telescreens to monitor, search, find and kill...
in the novel Nineteen Eighty-Four
Nineteen Eighty-Four
Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell is a dystopian novel about Oceania, a society ruled by the oligarchical dictatorship of the Party...
. He writes that Scientologists are punished for having negative thoughts about Hubbard or Scientology and so learn to think only positively. David Mayo, another former member, reported that sec checks included the question, "Have you ever had any unkind thoughts about LRH?" and that such "discreditable thoughts" could land a follower in trouble.
In 1972, the South African Commission of Enquiry published a report on Scientology. It recommended that there should be legislation against sec checks. However, no legislative action was taken as a result.
HGC Pre-processing Security Check
HGC stands for "Hubbard Guidance Centre". Sociologist Roy WallisRoy Wallis
Roy Wallis, was a sociologist and Dean of the Faculty of Economics and Social Sciences at the Queen's University Belfast. He is mostly known for his creation of the seven signs that differentiate a religious congregation from a sectarian church, which he created while researching the Scientology...
quotes some questions from this security check dating from 1961.
- Are you a pervert?
- Are you guilty of any major crimes in this lifetime?
- Have you been sent here knowingly to injure Scientology?
- Are you or have you ever been a Communist?
Johannesburg Security Check
The Johannesburg (also known as "Joburg") Security Check was described by Hubbard as "the roughest security check in Scientology". An amended form continued to be used for some time thereafter.Amongst Hubbard's list of primarily crime-related questions is the question "Have you ever slept with a member of a race of another color?" Other questions include:
- Have you ever embezzled money?
- Have you ever been a drug addict?
- Have you ever bombed anything?
- Have you ever murdered anyone?
- Have you ever raped anyone?
- Have you ever had anything to do with a baby farm?
Only Valid Security Check
The contents of the Joburg were later revised into what became "The Only Valid Security Check". Added to the Sec Check are new questions such as:
- Do you collect sexual objects?
- Do you have a secret you are afraid I'll find out?
- Are you upset by this security check?
- Have you ever had unkind thoughts about L. Ron Hubbard?
Auditor's Sec Check
This sec check, comprising 170 questions, was meant for staff auditors and field auditors.
- Do you hope you won't be found out?
- Do you think there is anything wrong with having your privacy invaded?
- What do you wish you hadn't done?
- Are you upset by this security check?
Security Check Children
Designed to be applied to children aged 6 to 12. Issued by Hubbard as HCO Bulletin of 21 September 1961, also known as HCO WW Security Form 8. The procedure runs through 99 questions, such as:
- What has somebody told you not to tell?
- Have you ever decided you didn't like some member of your family?
- Have you ever taken something belonging to somebody else and never given it back?
- Have you ever pretended to be sick (ill)?
- Have you ever made yourself sick (ill) or hurt yourself to make somebody sorry?
Whole Track Security Check
This long Sec Check, consisting of hundreds of questions, takes stock of the subject's entire time track, including their recollections of all of their past lives. It includes questions such as:
- Did you come to Earth for evil purposes?
- Have you ever smothered a baby?
- Have you ever enslaved a population?
- Have you ever destroyed a culture?
- Have you ever torn out someone's tongue?
- Have you ever zapped anyone?
- Have you ever eaten a human body?
- Have you ever made a planet, or nation, radioactive?
Use outside Scientology
Hubbard sent the bulletin HCOB 30 March 1960 to all South African Auditors. It was titled Interrogation (How to read an E-Meter on a silent subject). In it, Hubbard describes how the Sec Checks can be used as an interrogation tool on involuntary subjects:"When the subject placed on a meter will not talk but can be made to hold the cans (or can be held while the cans are strapped to the soles or placed under the armpit), it is still possible to obtain full information from the subject."
Hubbard concluded, "The end product is the discovery of a terrorist, usually paid, usually a criminal, often trained abroad."