# How did L. Ron Hubbard claim to have learned about Xenu? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 1, 2008, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-l-ron-hubbard-claim-to-have-learned-about-xenu/435858 "2008-02-01T16:06:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2008, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-l-ron-hubbard-claim-to-have-learned-about-xenu/435858/21 "2008-02-04T20:01:13Z")
[QUOTE=Beware of Doug] Really now. One would have sufficed. [/QUOTE] It’s from [this Episode](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_About_Mormons) of _South Park_. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2008, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-l-ron-hubbard-claim-to-have-learned-about-xenu/435858/22 "2008-02-05T01:51:45Z")
[QUOTE=DocCathode] IIRC Hubbard claimed to have remembered it all through autohypnosis after much self auditing. I know [Xenu.net](http://Xenu.net) has records of Scientologists claiming to have recovered memories of incarnations in the Xenu era. [/QUOTE] I believe he channeld Xenu through an IRS agent, during an audit. ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2008, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-l-ron-hubbard-claim-to-have-learned-about-xenu/435858/23 "2008-02-05T01:53:23Z")
In the mid-1960’s Hubbard had a ship in the Mediterranean-which was used to “train” his “Sea Org” members-to join, you sign a billion year service contract! Any way, Hubbard claimed that he would find vast stores of ancient treasures, from recalling his past lives as a roman emperor, etc. When none of his crazy predictions panned out, didn’t the word get out? Everybody can get away with a few lies-but after telling a few hundred, how can you maintain ANY credibility? Dianetis (Hubbard’s firts invention) was proven false, Scientology was proven false-so why do people buy into it? ---
**Author:** ![Jragon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Jragon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jragon)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2008, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-l-ron-hubbard-claim-to-have-learned-about-xenu/435858/24 "2008-02-05T02:08:28Z")
[QUOTE=ralph124c] In the mid-1960’s Hubbard had a ship in the Mediterranean-which was used to “train” his “Sea Org” members-to join, you sign a billion year service contract! Any way, Hubbard claimed that he would find vast stores of ancient treasures, from recalling his past lives as a roman emperor, etc. When none of his crazy predictions panned out, didn’t the word get out? Everybody can get away with a few lies-but after telling a few hundred, how can you maintain ANY credibility? Dianetis (Hubbard’s firts invention) was proven false, Scientology was proven false-so why do people buy into it? [/QUOTE] Because by the time you join teh church"for kicks" and reach OTIII or something around that level you’ve dumped in so much money and time you’ll rationalize ANYTHING to be true so you don’t feel you just wasted tons of money. Also, the CoS isn’t exactly known to be KIND to quitters… ---
**Author:** ![InLucemEdita](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/7ab992/32.png) [@InLucemEdita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/InLucemEdita)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2008, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-l-ron-hubbard-claim-to-have-learned-about-xenu/435858/25 "2008-02-05T03:43:36Z")
[QUOTE=ralph124c] BShow do educated people fall for this crap? [/QUOTE] Yeah it really is incredible isn’t it. But I can’t take the time to really get into the details right now because I’m trying to figure out what to give up for Lent. Getting ready to celebrate the arising from the dead of my immaculately-conceived, water-walking deity. Later. ---
**Author:** ![Jragon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Jragon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jragon)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2008, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-l-ron-hubbard-claim-to-have-learned-about-xenu/435858/26 "2008-02-05T03:46:57Z")
[QUOTE=InLucemEdita] Yeah it really is incredible isn’t it. But I can’t take the time to really get into the details right now because I’m trying to figure out what to give up for Lent. Getting ready to celebrate the arising from the dead of my immaculately-conceived, water-walking deity. Later. [/QUOTE] Zombie Jesus wants your soul. His dad also needs you to have a one sided conversation with him (you see… he’s mute, but he does enjoy being talked to). ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2008, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-l-ron-hubbard-claim-to-have-learned-about-xenu/435858/27 "2008-02-05T04:28:57Z")
[QUOTE=Jragon] Zombie Jesus wants your soul. His dad also needs you to have a one sided conversation with him (you see… he’s mute, but he does enjoy being talked to). [/QUOTE] And later, he wants you to cannibalize his remains. ---
**Author:** ![aldiboronti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2008, 5:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-l-ron-hubbard-claim-to-have-learned-about-xenu/435858/28 "2008-02-05T05:39:10Z")
Yep, faith scoffs at reason. As Tertullian said of Christianity centuries ago, “I believe it _because_ it is impossible.” The first thing people ditch when they join a cult is their rationality. The more people laugh at them the more convinced they are that they’ve found the secrets of the cosmos. Such people are sitting ducks for old charlatans like Hubbard. ---
**Author:** ![Cardinal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardinal/32/4000_2.png) [@Cardinal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardinal)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2008, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-l-ron-hubbard-claim-to-have-learned-about-xenu/435858/29 "2008-04-22T21:50:46Z")
[QUOTE=aldiboronti] Yep, faith scoffs at reason. As Tertullian said of Christianity centuries ago, “I believe it _because_ it is impossible.” [/QUOTE] As one of the most churchified people on this board, I want to say that I have no idea what he could have meant by this, and that I don’t identify with it at all. ---
**Author:** ![happywaffle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ee59a6/32.png) [@happywaffle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/happywaffle)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2008, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-l-ron-hubbard-claim-to-have-learned-about-xenu/435858/30 "2008-04-22T21:57:55Z")
[QUOTE=Cardinal] As one of the most churchified people on this board, [/QUOTE] Whoa, there’s more than one of us? High five! ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2008, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-l-ron-hubbard-claim-to-have-learned-about-xenu/435858/31 "2008-04-22T22:10:54Z")
Are you ready for the Ultimate Secret of Scientology? The one that will totally blow your mind and disable your senses unless you have achieved the highest levels of clearance? Straight from old L. Ron himself; _“It’s all bullshit. I made it up. But keep your trap shut, because we have a good thing going here. If you’ve made it this far in the organization, you know how to enjoy it’s fruits. Shut up and have some fun.”_ Ok, I made this post up, but I assure you that it is 100% accurate. ---
**Author:** ![Cardinal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardinal/32/4000_2.png) [@Cardinal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardinal)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2008, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-l-ron-hubbard-claim-to-have-learned-about-xenu/435858/32 "2008-04-22T22:31:27Z")
[QUOTE=happywaffle] Whoa, there’s more than one of us? High five! [/QUOTE] Biola, even. Not that I claim that, much. I still have some issues with some profs there, and some of the stances the admin has taken. But, yes, that churchified. ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2008, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-l-ron-hubbard-claim-to-have-learned-about-xenu/435858/33 "2008-04-22T23:13:18Z")
I mean, after spending \>$100,000 getting to the stage of “clear”-you all of a sudden realize that: -you DON’T have an IQ of 140 -you have no marketable skills -you can get good readings on an “e meter”, but you can’t fix a broken faucet do most of these people get verydepressed, realizing they have wasted their lives? I feel pretty bad for somebody who swallows this BS ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Scrappy\_Hero\_Pup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ea5d25/32.png) [@Happy\_Scrappy\_Hero\_Pup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Scrappy_Hero_Pup)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2008, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-l-ron-hubbard-claim-to-have-learned-about-xenu/435858/34 "2008-04-23T04:34:51Z")
[QUOTE= InLucemEdita] Yeah it really is incredible isn’t it. But I can’t take the time to really get into the details right now because I’m trying to figure out what to give up for Lent. Getting ready to celebrate the arising from the dead of my immaculately-conceived, water-walking deity. Later. [/QUOTE] If you’re going to rag on something, at least put enough effort into it to do a Google search. The Immaculate Conception has nothing to do with Jesus’s conception. But hey, don’t let me stop you from knee-jerking something you demonstratively know nothing about. Where would be the fun in that? ---
**Author:** ![Melkor28](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Melkor28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melkor28)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2008, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-l-ron-hubbard-claim-to-have-learned-about-xenu/435858/35 "2008-04-23T05:43:34Z")
I’ll give L.Ron credit for one book… “Battlefield Earth” was abosutle great. The movie sucked though. And his ten book series, forget the name ( got 2 books into it) that sucked too. ---
**Author:** ![mr.jp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/48db29/32.png) [@mr.jp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mr.jp)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2008, 7:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-l-ron-hubbard-claim-to-have-learned-about-xenu/435858/36 "2008-04-23T07:38:16Z")
[QUOTE=Happy Scrappy Hero Pup] If you’re going to rag on something, at least put enough effort into it to do a Google search. The Immaculate Conception has nothing to do with Jesus’s conception. But hey, don’t let me stop you from knee-jerking something you demonstratively know nothing about. Where would be the fun in that? [/QUOTE] I’m sure he meant virgin born. And it’s not as if that makes it less silly. ---
**Author:** ![Cardinal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardinal/32/4000_2.png) [@Cardinal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardinal)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2008, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-l-ron-hubbard-claim-to-have-learned-about-xenu/435858/37 "2008-04-25T20:17:05Z")
Misread the intent of last post. Oops. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2008, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-l-ron-hubbard-claim-to-have-learned-about-xenu/435858/38 "2008-04-26T03:55:22Z")
[QUOTE=ralph124c] What I don’t understand..Hubbard was a notorious liar..about everything. His naval career was a disaster (he depth charged a submerged rock , thinking it was a Japanese submarine). His Sci\_Fi was pretty mediocre, and most of the other things he claimed to have done were exaggerated. The whole Xenu story is such BShow do educated people fall for this crap? [/QUOTE] Because they feel alone and are desperately searching for something to make sense. Religion fills a void if you do not think too hard. Even this one . Many years ago friends of mine graduated from U of Michigan and then joined Mahaji Ji. A truly stupid thing for intelligent people to buy in. They moved into an Ashram and the whole group made money in construction and gave it to the church. ---
**Author:** ![solkoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/919ad9/32.png) [@solkoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solkoe)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2008, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-l-ron-hubbard-claim-to-have-learned-about-xenu/435858/39 "2008-04-26T04:03:10Z")
Still waiting for Tom Cruise’s reply. ---
**Author:** ![Kevbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e47774/32.png) [@Kevbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kevbo)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2008, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-l-ron-hubbard-claim-to-have-learned-about-xenu/435858/40 "2008-04-26T04:09:08Z")
[QUOTE=happywaffle] So, how did he \*\*CLAIM \*\*to come across this information, anyway? Did it come to him in a dream, or what? [/QUOTE] I can’t believe I am the first to point out that there is no “I” in clam. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-l-ron-hubbard-claim-to-have-learned-about-xenu/435858.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-l-ron-hubbard-claim-to-have-learned-about-xenu/435858.md?page=3)