Scientology's Lies: 8 Million Members

Scientology claims to have 8 million members worldwide. (Sometimes, they claim 9 million members.)

The most generous worldwide estimates from non-Scientology sources put the total at fewer than 500,000.

Evidence

The extensive American Religious Identification Survey estimates 45,000-55,000 Scientologists in the United States - Scientology's stronghold.

Former Scientology executive Robert Vaughn Young says that membership numbers were completely made up.

Former Scientology staffer "Warrior" (Mark Plummer) says that in 1983, there were only 250,000 names on Scientology's mailing list, and 70% of those were not members - people who had only bought a book, or who had asked to be taken off the list, or had died.

For further reading

How many Scientologists are there?

Is it the world's fastest growing religion?

Does it have millions of members?

How Scientology "Grew" to 8 Million Members

Does Scientology have 8 million members?


This page was last updated on April 2, 2002.