Association for Better Living and Education

Association for Better Living and Education
Formation	1988
Type	Promotes Scientologists
Legal status	Non-profit
Purpose/focus	Legal affairs and public relations
Headquarters	Hemet, California, USA
Chairman of Religious Technology Center	David Miscavige
Website	able.org

The Association for Better Living and Education (ABLE) is a non-profit organization headquartered in Los Angeles, California. It states that it is "dedicated to creating a better future for children and communities." It promotes secular uses of L. Ron Hubbard's works, and has been classified as a "Scientology-related entity". Founded in 1988, their main office is located at 7065 Hollywood Boulevard, the former headquarters for the Screen Actors Guild.

Programs

ABLE acts as an umbrella organization for four entities:

• Applied Scholastics, educational programs based on Hubbard's study technology.
• Criminon, a rehabilitation program that brings Hubbard's teachings to prisoners.
• Narconon, a drug rehabilitation program founded by William Benitez, which use Hubbard based works.
• The Way to Happiness Foundation, dedicated to disseminating Hubbard's "non-religious moral code", which consists of 21 precepts such as "Don't be promiscuous", "Do not harm a person of good will" and "Respect the religious beliefs of others".

Criticism

Although various Scientology groups are registered as legally separate corporations and entities, critics note this has no bearing on whether or not they are controlled by the Church of Scientology. Studytech.org, a Scientology watchdog site, notes: "Applied Scholastics is indeed a legally separate corporation. However, it has so many ties to the Church of Scientology and its corporate alter ego, the Church of Spiritual Technology, that it cannot be regarded as being anything other than a Scientology subsidiary.

Nanette Asimov, reporter for the San Francisco Chronicle, in an article critical of ABLE and Narconon, summed it up this way:

A popular anti-drug program provided free to schools in San Francisco and elsewhere teaches concepts straight out of the Church of Scientology, including medical theories that some addiction experts described as "irresponsible" and "pseudoscience." As a result, students are being introduced to some beliefs and methods of Scientology without their knowledge.

ABLE and its groups were included in the 1993 closing agreement between the IRS and the Church of Scientology, and are classified as "Scientology-related entities".

See also

• Applied Scholastics
• Concerned Businessmen's Association of America (CBAA)
• Criminon
• Narconon
• The Way to Happiness

References

• "How the Church of Scientology found its way into British politics". Evening Standard. 2007-01-12. http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/article-23381539-details/How%20the%20Church%20of%20Scientology%20found%20its%20way%20into%20British%20politics/article.do. Retrieved 2008-03-16. 
• Clauss, Hunter (2007-09-12). "Greatest place on earth". Chicago Journal. http://www.chicagojournal.com/main.asp?Search=1&ArticleID=3414&SectionID=5&SubSectionID=5&S=1. Retrieved 2008-03-16. "the church aims to provide tutoring, anti-drug and criminal rehabilitation programs" 

External links

• "ABLE (Association for Better Living and Education)". Official site. ABLE International. http://www.able.org. 
• "How to Apply to Open a Social Betterment Group or Activity". ABLE's guidelines for creating new groups. ABLE International. Archived from the original on July 15, 2004. http://web.archive.org/web/20040715135637/http://www.able.org/pages/grp_forms/how_to_open.pdf. 
• "Scientology FAQs: What is ABLE?". Answer to a commonly asked question. CSI. http://faq.scientology.org/able.htm. 
• "What is Scientology - Social Betterment Activities: ABLE". A description of ABLE. CSI. http://www.whatisscientology.org/html/part10/chp31/pg0542.html. 
• "Scientology FAQs: What is Applied Scholastics?". Answer to a commonly asked question. CSI. http://faq.scientology.org/as.htm. 
• "Applied Scholastics and The Church of Scientology". A critical site of Scientology: Scientology's education fronts. Studytech.org. http://studytech.org/asi.php. 
• "Applied Scientology In Public Schools?". A critical article that highlights Scientology's role in Education. The Watchman Expositor. http://www.watchman.org/sci/appliedscientology.htm. 
• "Texts Highlight Scientology's Role in Education". An article from Education Week, September 17, 1997. Education Week; Solitarytrees.net. http://www.solitarytrees.net/pubs/scntexts.htm. 
• "A Drug Abuse Expert's Perspective". Article on the Narconon website.. http://www.narconon.org/narconon_results/narconon_studies03.