Every year on March 13, Scientologists the world over celebrate the birthday of Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard.
In honor of the occasion, here are excerpts from one of his most beloved essays, My Philosophy, the full text of which is available on the L. Ron Hubbard website and is also featured on the Scientology Network.
The first principle of my own philosophy is that wisdom is meant for anyone who wishes to reach for it. It is the servant of the commoner and king alike and should never be regarded with awe….
The second principle of my own philosophy is that it must be capable of being applied.
Learning locked in mildewed books is of little use to anyone and therefore of no value unless it can be used.
The third principle is that any philosophic knowledge is only valuable if it is true or if it works.
These three principles are so strange to the field of philosophy that I have given my philosophy a name: Scientology. This means only “knowing how to know.”
A philosophy can only be a route to knowledge. It cannot be knowledge crammed down one’s throat. If one has a route, he can then find what is true for him. And that is Scientology.
Know thyself—and the truth shall set you free.
The full essay is available as an episode of L. Ron Hubbard Library Presents on the Scientology Network.
To watch the full episode, click on the image above.
The essay ends with these words:
So my own philosophy is that one should share what wisdom he has, one should help others to help themselves and one should keep going despite heavy weather, for there is always a calm ahead. One should also ignore catcalls from the selfish intellectual who cries, “Don’t expose the mystery. Keep it all for ourselves. The people cannot understand.”
But as I have never seen wisdom do any good kept to oneself, and as I like to see others happy, and as I find the vast majority of the people can and do understand, I will keep on writing and working and teaching so long as I exist.
For I know no man who has any monopoly upon the wisdom of this universe. It belongs to those who can use it to help themselves and others.
If things were a little better known and understood, we would all lead happier lives.
And there is a way to know them and there is a way to freedom.
The old must give way to the new, falsehood must become exposed by truth, and truth, though fought, always in the end prevails.
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In