I’ve been told by a very knowledgeable novelist friend that Hubbard, a sort of mid-level sci-fi writer, bet another writer that he could invent a religion and get people to believe in it. He won the bet with “Dianetics” which later became “Scientology”. I wonder how God reacts when these poor dummies die and are called to the judgement? He might just let them off the hook as “mentally deficient” and not responsible for believing this stupid crap.
In this life, I figure they serve a useful purpose, though, by giving Jehovah’s Witnesses somebody to laugh at.
I believe I heard the same thing. I think I also read about it in Asimov’s autobiography.
“I’ve been told by a very knowledgeable novelist friend that Hubbard, a sort of mid-level sci-fi writer, bet another writer that he could invent a religion and get people to believe in it. “
i heard that story too. no idea if it is correct but if it is this guy was a genius in his way. create a religion out of thing air - sell lots of books and religious items via a pyramid scheme - laugh all the way to the bank
He was lousy. His books practically unreadable.
He was far more successful as a founder of a ‘religion’ than as a sci-fi writer.
You heard right: Hubbard won a bet with Robert Heinlein that he could not “create a new religion.” Knowing this helped me keep my sanity when I lived in Clearwater, FL, which is basically owned and operated by Hubbard’s “church.”