Free Zone

The Freezone, also known as Independent Scientology, is a term used by several individuals, organizations, and small groups which practice Dianetics and Scientology but are not part of the official Church of Scientology. Most (but not all) of them are former Church of Scientology members who either left or were kicked out in Scientology's frequent internal purges, especially since the early 1980s. The Church of Scientology's practice of declaring members "SP" on a whim ("suppressive persons," referring to somebody declared persona non grata in the organization and effectively making them non-members) led to the inevitable as many of these people continued to believe in and practice Scientology. Think of it as diet koolaid.

Freezone adherents vary. Many believe that L. Ron Hubbard's writings are infallible, and they believe the current Church of Scientology has strayed from Hubbard's teachings. Thus, Freezone can be a form of fundamentalist Scientology. Others' beliefs are not so fundamentalist, in that they believe Scientology is valid but mix it with other practices, or try to glean what they see is good from Scientology while discarding other parts. Some Freezone sects even still revere their founder over L. Ron Hubbard, or in recent years, as L. Ron Hubbard. For many, especially being the case for those Freezoners never in the Church, the attraction of Freezone Scientology is simply that they recognize the Church of Scientology organization is a money-sucking cult which they wish to steer clear of, but are attracted to Scientology's teachings as opposed to the organization.

Several Freezone websites exist, and they have created their own homebrew alternatives to Scientology's "E-Meter" and a body of writings based on Scientology. These writings are free of the copyright on the original works held by the Church of Scientology, which is notoriously litigious toward those who attempt to promote Scientology outside the "Org." The Church of Scientology has its own term for the Freezoners: "squirrels". Freezone websites generally have a web page design suggestive of 1997 and split their effort between archived self-published "clearing technology" and heavy, albeit well-deserved, criticism of the current CoS leadership.

Don't be too hard on the Freezoners. Yeah, they believe in some weapons-grade woo, but unlike those in the CoS, they're doing it of their own free will...presumably.