Human origins on earth:

The pineal in biology:

All cultures have belief systems, based to a large degree on faith. Scientology claims to be the only religion where faith is not required. However in this chapter, you will learn about one of the fundamental Scientology myths, the origin of humanity as we now exist in our physical bodies here on earth.

This whole topic centers around a small gland in our brains called the pineal gland. Scientists recognise the pineal gland as both very ancient in evolutionary origin and quite significant in present time.

This gland is involved in the regulation of melatonin synthesis. It acts as a link between the nervous system and the endocrine (hormonal) system. A rhythmic melatonin signal from the pineal controls photoperiod (day length differences of summer and winter) responses in many species showing seasonal cycles in reproduction, moulting and other processes.

Ancient reptiles such as the Tuatara (its been around for 200 million years) have a well developed pineal gland. It is found as a cluster of light-sensitive cells situated on top of its brain, just below a small hole in the skull. This third "eye" probably serves to regulate the tuatara's exposure to the sun and so regulate its body temperature. In birds, today recognised as evolved from the dinosaur lineage, it is used in long-distance navigation, posessing some form of response to magnetic fields. As such, this gland has been with vertebrates for a very long time.

Scientology myth of how humans arrived on earth.

Having learn about the pineal, let us trace how it is central to Scientology mythology.

Hubbard starts his story in incidents before earth by saying: “ . . .your organism is adapted to Earth, or you have adapted this organism to Earth.”

“The possibilities are high that you have, actually, an evolutionary line here on Earth - that your organism did an evolution here on Earth. But this in no wise means that you, as a theta individual, are that evolutionary line. Because, you see, that is a protoplasm line. That is what we're calling the genetic line: protoplasm.”

A “theta individual” is you as a spiritual being or soul. Here he clearly distinguishes the body and the soul as separate entities. This same belief is found in Islam, Judaism and Christianity. In modern terms, our bodies can be termed our genetic line, as it is the genetic constitution that is transmitted through reproduction generation after generation.

However, Hubbard describes a very different history, explaining that “probably you weren't even in the organism (ape ancestors) at the time it came up that line.” Rather, he describes humanity as an evolutionary race that goes back into the depths of our galaxy. Our body is then according to Hubbard, “The organism which you inhabit . . .It has a background which is a genetic background.” In this scheme, theta beings occupied various “streams of protoplasm” as different species here on earth. Over time, we migrated from one creature to another in an arbitrary fashion.

Having established that the evolution of life on earth had little to do with human history and origins, Hubbard goes on to explain the Scientology version of human history. He explains that the native mystic race of humanity, living somewhere in this universe, was infiltrated by another race. This invader race had an electronic technology. As Hubbard explains, “They knocked us off with a very simple apparatus, and that simple apparatus consisted of something that went around your head and across the top of your head and under your chin - under your throat - and back of your head. And everything pointed at the pineal. They turned on the juice and something came in the middle of the head toward the pineal, three points on the top of the head toward the pineal, from under the throat up at the pineal, from the back of the head into the pineal and from the sides of the jaws into the pineal. In other words, every point of entrance toward the pineal was hit suddenly and hard and very excruciatingly.

The net result: the pineal gland, which at that time occupied what you had as a skull and was practically all the skull there was, practically folded up.”

Wow! Here you have the mythology accepted faithfully by Hubbard’s followers as the truth and reality. Hubbard explains that, “this line does not come down to Earth carrying any body”, yet it had a pineal gland that occupied the whole skull! This is the same pineal gland found deep in evolutionary history, as far back as early reptiles over 200 million years ago. Somehow, these spiritual beaings also had this gland far away in another part of the galaxy. This gland is a distinct part of vertebrate history on earth.

After this episode, Hubbard explains that we “ got so bad as a race that” perhaps a million years later we were brought before another crew who judged us and sent us to “jail”. “And they shipped you off and you wound up here” on earth joined to bodies. So there you have it - the truth, Scientology style. Hubbard concludes for his faithful, “ And Earth is hell and you're here, I guess, until you get reformed.” (from Principal Incidents on the Theta Line; from The Dawn of Immortality lecture series)

The Earth in Islam:

We are told in the Holy Quraan:

SURAH 29: AL `ANKABUT (The Spider), verse 20

, “Say: Travel through the earth and see how Allah did originate creation; so will Allah produce a later creation: For Allah has power over all things.” For more, see the chapter titled “The Earth”.

SURAH 2: AL BAQARAH (The Heifer).

-30- Behold, Thy Lord said to the angels: "I will create a vicegerent (#1) on earth." They said: "Wilt Thou place therein one who will make mischief therein and shed blood?- whilst we do celebrate Thy praises and glorify Thy holy (name)?" He said: "I know what ye know not."

-31- And He taught Adam the names of all things; then He placed them before the angels, and said: "Tell Me the names of these if ye are right."

-32- They said: "Glory to Thee: of knowledge we have none, save what Thou hast taught us: in truth it is Thou Who art perfect in knowledge and wisdom."

-33- He said: "O Adam! tell them their names." When he had told them, Allah said: "Did I not tell you that I know the secrets of heaven and earth, and I know what ye reveal and what ye conceal?"

#1: vicegerent: A person appointed by a king or other ruler to act in his place or exercise his powers, authority, or administrative duties; deputy.

SURAH 7: AL A`RAF (The Heights)

-10- It is we who have placed you with authority on earth, and provided You therein with means for the fulfillment of your life:

References:

• http://biology.about.com/library/organs/brain/blpineal.htm
• http://anatomy.uams.edu/htmlpages/anatomyhtml/atlas_html/n2a2p3.html
• http://www.udel.edu/Biology/Wags/histopage/colorpage/cen/cenpnss.GIF
• http://www.panda.org/kids/wildlife/fmtuatar.htm
• http://serendipity.magnet.ch/mcclay/pineal.html
• http://isd.saginaw.k12.mi.us/~mobility/pineal.htm