I've read some of his fiction (well, the fiction he labeled as fiction and not religion), and the Scientology isn't there as strong as some people let on. It certainly doesn't work as a recruitment tool. He's also nowhere near as good as Heinlein.
Ah, memories coming back. Hubbard's books were mainly just a dumb good ride, while I actually learned things from Heinlein. It was one of his books where Lazarus Long was burning cash back behind his bank and almost got lynched for it where I first learned about monetary policy, and how a greedy, ignorant populace using the power of government can screw it up.
Well, that's just it. Both Hubbard and Joseph Smith learned they could write novels (Hubbard, sci-fi; Smith, psuedo-"historical") in a "reality-TV" kind of way before "Reality TV" was fully launched as a concept.
IOW, all Scientology is -- is established fiction tinged with a religious worldview underneath it all...
Smith did the same thing with Mormonism. Whereas Hubbard's trial run for Scientology was his sci-fi novels, Smith's occurred during his upper teen years as he would use the traditional story-telling route of his day -- tall tales!
If Mormons don't believe me, all they have to do is read this excerpt from Joseph's mother, Lucy Mack Smith, re: what she said about her then 17 yo son, Joseph Smith, Junior:
"During our evening conversations, Joseph would occasionally give us some of the most amusing recitals that could be imagined. He would describe the ancient inhabitants of the continent, their dress, mode of traveling, and the animals upon which they rode; their cities, their buildings, with every particular; their mode of warfare; and also their religious worship. This he would do with as much ease, seemingly, as if he had spent his whole life among them. On the twenty-second of September, 1824, Joseph again visited the place where he found the plates the year previous; and supporting at this time that the only thing required, in order to possess them until the time for their translation, was to be able to keep the commandments of God...he fully expected to carry them home with him. (Lucy Mack Smith, edited by Preston Nibley, History of Joseph Smith, p. 83, Bookcraft, Salt Lake City, 1958)
What Mormons might miss in this account is that Lucy Mack Smith was saying Joseph gave these storied details before he ever even "interpreted" these gold plates! A lot of it was already there -- in his active, imaginitive mind!
Even in today's Mormon Times, a Mormon apologist (Peterson) doesn't frown on this quote from a Mormon author about the potential fictional characters created by Smith in the Book of Mormon:
"It does not matter much to my approach whether these narrators were actual historical figures or whether they were fictional characters created by Joseph Smith; their role in the narrative is the same in either case. After all, narrative is a mode of communication employed by both historians and novelists." Source: Daniel C. Peterson: 'Understanding the Book of Mormon: A Reader's Guide'
So even Lds authors are conceding Smith's work may have been fictional in full or in part...and are saying, "What does it matter?"