Church of Scientology

The Church of Scientology is the largest organization devoted to the practice and the promotion of the Scientology belief system.

While a number of governments now view the Church of Scientology as a religious organization entitled to the protections and tax relief that such status brings, other sources describe the Church as a pseudoreligion or a cult. Sociologist Stephen Kent published at a Lutheran convention in Germany that he likes to call it a transnational corporation. Sociology Professor James A. Beckford, Professor for Religion Per-Arne Berglie , Sociology Professor Alan W. Black , Professor for Religion Juha Pentikainen and several others generally found it to be a religious organization. In April 2007, the European Court of Human Rights acknowledged in Church of Scientology Moscow versus Russia that the Church of Scientology Moscow lawfully existed and operated in Moscow as an independent religious community,.

Other organizations exist which say they practice the techniques developed by Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard; these groups are sometimes collectively called the "Free Zone." The Church of Scientology asserts that such groups are not practicing true Scientology, but unauthorized variants, and regards itself as the only true source of Scientology.