Illawarra Mercury (Wollongong, NSW), Thu 04 May 2000, p14

Founder misquoted

I REFER to the Mercury (April 1) and the article "Friends friendly for top dollar" by John Michael Howson.

Yet again the founder of Scientology, L Ron Hubbard, was misquoted: "If you want to become a millionaire, set up a religion."

The actual author of this quote was George Orwell who wrote in a letter to his friend in 1938: "But I have always thought there might be a lot of cash in starting a new religion, and we'll talk it over some time."

Also, in an overseas court case in Germany, a newspaper was legally stopped from attributing this quote to Mr Hubbard, as he never said it in the first place.

- LINDA FITZPATRICK,
Public Relations Officer,
Church of Scientology, Sydney.


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