It's a cross between a pyramid scheme, a UFO cult and general confidence scam.
It was all created by Laffayette Ron Hubbard, a science fiction writer, who also wrote a self-help book "Dianetics". The book was so popular, he created an organization around it and started creating classes. He promised you could increase you IQ, gain a perfect memory, never get sick and even stop needing glasses. He went from state to state opening up franchises of his mental health schools. After problems with various medical organizations for Dianetics' outrageous medical claims, as well as the IRS for not paying taxes... he started calling it a religion. Religions don't have to pay taxes and have little to no regulation. In this way, he was able to keep writing course levels and charge large amounts of money.
You can't learn about any higher levels without paying for them. The higher level courses are all about aliens and past lives and bullshyte like that... but many Scientologists don't know it. This is the main reason it's a scam. Would you join a "religion" if it told you upfront that hey believed aliens ghosts were the source of all our sorrows? Instead, they make you take hundres of courses, paying thousands of dollars, before you find out about the aliens.
There are plenty more crimes where that comes from.
This is a forum for organizing a comic protesting the general lameness of the Co$
Go to
http://www.southparkstudios.com/And look up "Trapped in the Closet" in Season 9
You tube has alot of vids as well, but SouthPark is hilarious
(BTW, it's not just a cartoon, the claims they make in SouthPark have been confirmed for years)