A September 20, 2004 Deseret News report stating that Scientology headquarters in Los Angeles claimed more than 8 million members in 159 countries, while noting religion scholar J. Gordon Melton's assessment that the church's own count includes anyone who ever purchased a Scientology book or took an introductory course, regardless of continued involvement.
Facts
Citation
PublisherDeseret News
Publication Year2004
URLhttps://www.deseret.com/2004/9/20/19850899/scientology-church-now-claims-more-than-8-million-members/
Source Typenews
Assessment
Reliability Tier2
A national newspaper report relaying the Church of Scientology's own headquarters claim of over 8 million worldwide members, a self-reported institutional figure relayed by independent journalism rather than independently verified; the same report quotes religion scholar J. Gordon Melton describing the figure as a significant overstatement given the church's own counting method. Cross-Tradition Connections
Associated With
This source names Los Angeles directly: "that Scientology headquarters in Los Angeles claimed more than 8 million members in 159 countries, while noting religion scholar J."
Claims Backed By This Source (11 claims)
This source backs 11 claims across the atlas. As facts: 9 well-attested. As cited relationships: 1 holds. Plus 1 entities citing it as a general reference with no single fact or relationship attached.
Disposition By Topic
- Sources, 7 claims: 6 well-attested, 1 holds.
- New Religious Movements, 4 claims: 3 well-attested, 1 general references.
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