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This is a brief guide to some of the Scientology-related jargon used on these pages. For a more complete list, see Martin Hunt's Terminology FAQ.

The newsgroup alt.religion.scientology . Also known as ARS or a.r.s.

The name for the progression from "wog" or "raw meat" through the state of "clear", up to the highest OT levels.

According to Hubbard, "A person who through the technology of Scientology has achieved the extremely high state of being able to be at cause knowingly and at will over mental matter, energy, space and time as regards the first Dynamic (survival as self)." To put it more clearly, a Clear is supposed to be free of the "reactive mind" (similar to Freud's "unconscious mind"), and is theoretically responding to stimuli only by conscious control.

The practice of attempting to reduce or remove the threat posed by a critic of Scientology by taking actions designed to destroy his or her credibility. This has taken several forms on ars, including forged messages wherein the victim appears to admit to illegal, immoral or deviant behaviour, and repeated claims about one critic putting peanut butter in his underwear.

According to L. Ron Hubbard, Ethics is defined as "that additional tool necessary to make it possible to apply the technology of Scientology." Note that this is not the definition used by the rest of the world, so any discussion of this topic between a Scientologist and a non-Scientologist runs the risk of being hindered by dissimilar assumptions of what the actual subject is.

The oldest Advanced Org, where the highest levels of Scientology Training are given (see OT), located in Clearwater, Florida. There are six Advanced Orgs in the world; the only other one in the United States is LA Day Org, in Los Angeles, California.

Also known to Scientologists as the Admiral, the Commodore, LRH, Ron, or Source, Hubbard created Dianetics and Scientology. The nautical titles were bestowed upon him by L. Ron Hubbard.

Critics tend to refer to him by somewhat different names.

Office of Special Affairs, the Church of Scientology's intelligence and espionage branch. The OSA is the successor to the former Guardian's Office, which was indicted on conspiracy charges after breaking into a number of government offices to destroy files which portrayed the Church of Scientology in a negative light (Operation Snow White).

Operating Thetan. A thetan is the Scientology equivalent of the soul, reincarnated time and time again. Once one has passed the state of Clear, one can progress through the OT levels, gaining more and more powers, eventually being able to control MEST (Matter, Energy, Space and Time) itself. An OT VIII (the highest OT level released so far) can purportedly kill with a thought.

Not following the Scientology version of Ethics. The out- construct is common in Scientology; following in this tradition, one critic coined the term out-netiquette to describe the manner in which many Scientologists post to ars.

The Rehabilitation Project Force, where people are sent if they threaten to "blow" (leave the Sea Org). The RPF is used whenever menial or difficult labour is needed; the Fort Harrison Hotel and the Clearwater Bank building were renovated using RPF workers. An RPF worker must spend 14 hours a day working and 4 hours a day doing "auditing", or spiritual counselling sessions. The stereotypical RPF diet is rice and beans, and water; workers often have to subsist on this diet for months at a time. Scientologists must not associate with or speak to RPF workers except to give orders, and RPF workers may only speak when spoken to.

The elite inner circle of Scientologists, who have signed billion-year contracts to help "clear" the planet (bring everyone on the planet to the state of clear or higher). They wear naval uniforms which hearken back to the days that L. Ron Hubbard bought a fleet of boats and sailed from port to port trying to find a country that would allow him to stay within its borders. He eventually found such a haven in Clearwater, Florida, but only after the Fort Harrison hotel had been bought under a fictitious name.

Disparaging term for a non-Scientologist. Hubbard's "Tech Dictionary" lists the term as meaning:

1. worthy Oriental gentleman. This means a common ordinary run-of-the-mill garden-variety humanoid. 2. a wog is somebody who isn't even trying.