Sea Org

Infobox Organization


size = 120px
caption = The Sea Org logo
name = Sea Org
formation = 1968
type = An association of Scientologists
status =
purpose =
headquarters = Hemet, California, USA
leader_title = Chairman of Religious Technology Center
leader_name = David Miscavige
num_staff =
num_volunteers =
budget =
website = [http://Scientology.org Scientology.org ]
remarks =

The Sea Organization or Sea Org is an association of Scientologists established in 1968 by L. Ron Hubbard, the science fiction writer and founder of Scientology. Its members are found in the central management organizations of the Church of Scientology as well as in individual churches. While it was initially created around maritime customs and traditions while at sea, those customs and traditions persist today even in the land-based branches of the organization.

History

On 1 September 1966, L. Ron Hubbard officially resigned from all directorships and management of Scientology churches. He then formed the "Sea Project," which he claimed would assist him with researching tests regarding past life recollections. Called the "Sea Project", because it operated on ships and was intended as a temporary project, it was made up of a small group of Scientologists. In early 1967, upon seeing that Scientology churches were going into a decline, L. Ron Hubbard resumed management of the church in a non-directorship capacity. With the help of the Scientologists that had helped him on the project, he declared that the project was now to be a permanent organization called the "Sea Organization" or "Sea Org". He declared himself "Commodore" and organized the Scientologists with titles and uniforms similar to US Navy design; the Sea Org subsequently became the upper management group within the Church of Scientology. It operated for eight years in the Mediterranean Sea and over this time controlled a number of ships (hence the term "Commodore").

In 1975, they sold the ships they were working from and moved to "land bases" that now operate around the world (including Clearwater, Florida). In 1987 they purchased a ship called "La Bohème", which they later renamed to "Freewinds". The highest levels of Scientology are taught on this ship. The Sea Org acts as goodwill representatives and administrators of Scientology with the stated purpose to "get ethics in on the planet" (Scientology Ethics rather than ethics in the conventional sense.)Hubbard, L. Ron. Dianetics and Scientology Technical Dictionary. Publications Organization, Los Angeles 1975 ISBN 0-88404-037-2] Another primary function is "To safeguard the advanced levels of Scientology". According to the church, the Sea Org is a fraternal religious order rather than an incorporated entity. [cite web | title=What is the Sea Organization? | work=Basic Facts About the Scientology Religion | url=http://www.scientology.org/html/opencms/cos/scientology/en_US/news-media/faq/pg026.html | accessdate=2006-06-23]

In more recent times, the Sea Org is primarily based on land; however, the highest levels of Scientology were still delivered at sea on board the Sea Org's vessel, the Freewinds, until April 2008 when it was sealed for extensive asbestos contamination, and the Sea Org still maintains its naval uniforms and character.Jon Atack, A Piece of Blue Sky 1990. [http://www-2.cs.cmu.edu/~dst/Library/Shelf/atack/ Link to online version] ] Only Sea Org members are staff members in Scientology's Advanced Organizations.

pace Opera and the Sea Org

According to Hubbard's teachings, the Galactic Confederacy was the political unit formerly ruled by the tyrant Xenu. It ruled a broad swath of the galaxy, and lasted for "eighty trillion years" [Hubbard, "The ITSA Line"] , an assertion disputed by scientists who place the age of the universe at around 13.7 billion years. Hubbard claimed that 75 million years ago, at the time of Xenu's mass murder, the Galactic Confederacy comprised 26 stars and 76 planets, including Earth (then called Teegeeack). [Hubbard, "Assists"]

The Church of Scientology consciously models itself on aspects of the Galactic Confederacy. The Sea Org's insignia has a laurel wreath said by Hubbard to be based on the symbol of the "Loyal Officers", an anti-Xenu faction within the Galactic Confederacy. Each of the leaves on the laurel wreath is said to represent one of the Galactic Confederacy's stars. According to the "Dianetics and Scientology Technical Dictionary", "the Sea Org symbol, adopted and used as the symbol of a Galactic Confederacy far back in the history of this sector, derives much of its power and authority from that association."

Billion-year contract

Members of the Sea Org sign an employment contract with the organization for one billion years. [ [http://www.latimes.com/media/acrobat/2005-12/21006456.pdf Copy of Sea Org agreement form] , LA Times.] Sea Org members, in accordance with Scientology beliefs, are expected to return to the Sea Org when they are reborn. The motto of the Sea Org is, "Revenimus" or "We Come Back" in Latin. Official statements from the Church of Scientology contend the contract is merely symbolic of the dedication members are expected to hold to the organization, and that members are free to leave if they wish. It has, however, been alleged by former Sea Org personnel that members are restricted from leaving. Members who do leave are issued a "Freeloader's bill", retroactively billing them for any auditing or training they have received. [cite news |author = Robert Farley |url = http://www.sptimes.com/2006/06/24/Tampabay/The_unperson.shtml |title = The unperson |publisher = St. Petersburg Times |date = 2006-06-24 |pages = 1A, 14A|accessdate = 2006-08-15] These Scientologists may not receive any services at any Scientology organizations until they pay off this bill and perform an amends project.

alary and benefits to members

Most Sea Org members are given room, board and a small weekly allowance of about US$24 per week (though some sources list US$75). [http://www.whyaretheydead.net/krasel/aff_jp980727.html Jesse Prince affidavit] ] cite web | title = About Scientology | url = http://www.sptimes.com/2004/07/18/Tampabay/About_Scientology.shtml | work = Scientology's town | publisher = St. Petersburg Times | date = 2004-07-18 | accessdate = 2008-01-28 ] cite web | first = Robert W. | last = Welkos | coauthors = Sappell, Joel | title = Defectors Recount Lives of Hard Work, Punishment | url = http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-scientology062690,0,425562,full.story | work = | publisher = Los Angeles Times | date = 1990-06-26 | accessdate = 2008-01-28 ]

Rehabilitation Project Force

The Rehabilitation Project Force, or RPF, is a system of work campsReitman, Janet [http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/story/9363363/inside_scientology "Inside Scientology"] Rolling Stone, Issue 995. March 9, 2006. Page 57. ] set up by the Church of Scientology Sea Organization, intended to rehabilitate members who have not lived up to CoS expectations, failed Security checks or have violated certain policies.

Many ex-Sea Org members have reported grueling and torturous treatment, including Gerry Armstrong, who, during his time in the Sea Org, spent over two years banished to the RPF as a punishment. Says Armstrong:

"It was essentially a prison to which crew who were considered nonproducers, security risks, or just wanted to leave the Sea Org, were assigned. Hubbard's RPF policies established the conditions.RPF members were segregated and not allowed to communicate to anyone else. They had their own spaces and were not allowed in normal crew areas of the ship. They ate after normal crew had eaten, and only whatever was left over from the crew meal. Their berthing was the worst on board, in a roach-infested, filthy and unventilated cargo hold. They wore black boilersuits, even in the hottest weather. They were required to run everywhere. Discipline was harsh and bizarre, with running laps of the ship assigned for the slightest infraction like failing to address a senior with "Sir." Work was hard and the schedule rigid with seven hours sleep time from lights out to lights on, short meal breaks, no liberties and no free time...When one young woman ordered into the RPF took the assignment too lightly, Hubbard created the RPF's RPF and assigned her to it, an even more degrading experience, cut off even from the RPF, kept under guard, forced to clean the ship's bilges, and allowed even less sleep." [Gerald Armstrong affidavit, March 1986, pp.53ff, as cited in cite book | last = Atack | first = Jon | authorlink = Jon Atack | year = 1990 | title = A Piece of Blue Sky | publisher = Carol Publishing Group | location = New York, NY | id = ISBN 0-8184-0499-X]

Dating, marriage, and family

Marriage and family are discouraged in the Sea Org, as they are distractions from serving the Church. [Lattin, Don. [http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2001/02/12/MN171898.DTL "Leaving the Fold: Third-generation Scientologist grows disillusioned with faith"] , "San Francisco Chronicle", February 12 2001] [cite news|first=Carl |last=Kozlowski |url=http://www.rickross.com/reference/scientology/history/history71.html|title=Debunking a movement |work= Pasadena Weekly|date= 2005-08-01|accessdate=2006-05-25]

There are a number of statements from women formerly in the Sea Org who state that they were advised to get an abortion when they became pregnant so that they would not be sent to lower organizations.cite journal | author = Stephen A. Kent | authorlink = Stephen A. Kent | year = 1999 | month = July | title = Scientology — Is this a Religion? | journal = Marburg Journal of Religion | volume = 4 | issue = 1 | url = http://web.uni-marburg.de/religionswissenschaft/journal/mjr/kent.html | accessdate = 2006-05-25] [ [http://www.exscientologykids.com/seaorg.html ESK - The Sea Org / Cadet Org ] ] However, Scientology presents itself as a pro-life religion and actively speaks out against abortion both in its publications and commercials. cite journal | author = Times Writer | authorlink = Times Writer | year = 2004 | month = July | title = About Scientology | journal = St. Petersburg Times| url = http://www.sptimes.com/2004/07/18/Tampabay/About_Scientology.shtml] cite journal | title = Youth For Human Rights Ads | url = http://www.youthforhumanrights.org/watchads/psa03_h.html]

ee also

* Space opera in Scientology scripture
* Galactic Confederacy
* Incident (Scientology)
* Implant (Scientology)

Notes

External links

* [http://www.whatisscientology.org/html/part06/Chp26/ Church of Scientology statement on the Sea Org]
* [http://www.scientologytoday.org/Common/question/pg37.htm ScientologyToday.org: What is the Sea Organization?]
* [http://www.scientology.org/wis/wiseng/29/wis29_1k.htm Scientology.org: The Sea Organization Begin]
* [http://www.cesnur.org/2001/london2001/melton.htm CESNUR: The Sea Organization by J. Gordon Melton]
* [http://clambake.org/archive/so/index.html Operation Clambake Presents: The Sea Organization]
* [http://www.factnet.org/Scientology/jesse_prince_affidavit.html Jesse Prince Affidavit]
* [http://www.whyaretheydead.net/abortions.html Abortions in the Sea Org]
* [http://www.xs4all.nl/~bogie/dunkle_seite/ard14.html Interview with director of Planned Parenthood in Los Angeles, CA]