Years in the planning, the Church’s new television network reaches every corner of the planet with a message about helping others.

The Scientology Network went live with the flip of a switch at 8 p.m. on March 12, 2018, instantly ushering in a momentous new era by which the religion is disseminated to millions of people across the United States and hundreds of millions more worldwide over the internet. From the three-story atrium of the Church’s landmark Flag Building at its spiritual home in Clearwater, Florida, Mr. David Miscavige, ecclesiastical leader of the Scientology religion, welcomed the world to the network with a powerful introduction during its first minutes on the air to explain the mission of something that redefines religious broadcasting.

“You’ve probably heard of Scientology,” Mr. Miscavige stated. “In fact, every six seconds someone searches the question, ‘What is Scientology?’ There’s a lot of talk about us, and we get it. People are curious. Well, we want to answer your questions, because, frankly, whatever you have heard, if you haven’t heard it from us, I can assure you, we are not what you expect.”

“Scientology is a dynamic and expanding religion, and we’re going to be showing you all of it.”

Mr. David Miscavige, Ecclesiastical leader of the Scientology religion

Mr. Miscavige described to the audience watching on TV screens, computers and mobile devices worldwide the purpose of the new Scientology Network—let viewers see and experience the religion for themselves with a fresh take on the religious broadcasting genre. People would view what they never see in the media today—who Scientologists are, what Scientology is and what Scientology can do—as told by Scientologists themselves around the world for the first time on any network. “Scientology is a dynamic and expanding religion, and we’re going to be showing you all of it.”

Mr. Miscavige continued: “Let’s be clear, we’re not here to preach to you, to convince you or to convert you. No, we simply want to show you. Because, after all, the first principle of Scientology is that ‘It’s only true if it is true for you.’”

With the launch of the Scientology Network, as outlined within this special edition of Freedom magazine, the Church is opening new frontiers in its global effort to bring about a better world.

The Scientology religion is expanding at an ever-quickening pace. It is attracting new members daily. New Churches are being built around the world to accommodate the demand, and to serve as centers for its humanitarian missions, including its efforts to reduce drug abuse and dependence, to improve learning through educational programs, to encourage and support social justice and human rights and to teach the lessons that Mr. Hubbard found crucial in fostering change.

As you will read in this special edition, the Church of Scientology now has the means to tell its own story by showing the world who Scientologists are, what they do and the work they do to help bring about an advanced civilization and society, developing and perfecting the technological expertise behind the message. And that message is, and has always been, to realize the goal of a world without insanity, without criminals, without war—one, as Mr. Hubbard envisioned, where man is free to rise to greater heights.

The Church has been dedicated to doing this work for many years, and it has had an impact. Its humanitarian programs have reached tens of millions of people, bringing opportunity and hope. As the world’s youngest major religion, and the only one able to bring the world the unadulterated words and insights of its Founder, it is now embarked on a greater mission: to bring Scientology solutions and Scientology spiritual understanding to millions more people on every continent of Earth.

But, for many around the world, the story of Scientology and its benefits and insights into human spirituality have been misunderstood and mischaracterized, sometimes purposely distorted. That has not been unexpected, because the Church has faced what all world religions have faced, especially when they are new: skepticism, doubt and critics. But now, as this new era of communication unfolds, the Church can begin to tell its own story, factually, frankly and fully.

Those who come with curiosity about Scientology find it represents something unique: its technology is neither obscure nor in dispute. Scientologists the world over have the benefit of the living words of the Church’s Founder, who devoted his life to developing a gift to Mankind—the gift of understanding oneself, of reaching greater spiritual awareness, and the important recognition that Man’s inalienable human rights are shared by the souls of men. These have been important steps within the religion’s quest for human and spiritual freedom, and are reflected in the accounts that follow of how, and why, the Church has reached this historic moment in time.

From its history and development to its principles and acceptance throughout the world, this is a story like none ever told of any religion before, with elements both ancient and modern. And it is now told in the most modern way possible, by bringing the Church’s own television channel to the nations of the world.

Scientology not only helps individuals discover their own spirituality, it honors good works, creativity, imagination, compassion and goodwill. It reaches out to people around the world to disseminate its primary message: that the greatest human right is the right to help. And that is its overarching purpose, its intent and its mission, bound by its Founder never to forsake.

Church members have expressed their excitement to come to this place in the Church’s history, and from here they see a bright future. Scientologists know Scientology works for millions. And through this new network, viewers can discover how seriously the work of the Church is taken—work to clear the pathways to peace and happiness that Founder L. Ron Hubbard discovered, explained and codified. Viewers will see how it positively affects the lives of Scientologists.

This is the Church’s story, its vision and realization of the technology that allowed it to develop the kind of communication to help achieve its aims and its hopes for all of Mankind. Hearing the true story, learning about the unique insights that Scientology technology offers to Mankind, and sharing with Scientologists everywhere the message of hope that the Church has for a better world, introduces new perspectives on ancient questions. The Church is intent on bringing new light to an old world in a bold, new way, and with unassailable aims, on the path that its Founder envisioned, with the road ahead clearly marked by his insights on the human condition.

THE COUNTDOWN TO LAUNCH

While the launch of the Scientology Network on DIRECTV Channel 320 had its challenges, the purpose of the journey was always clear: to bring viewers the inside story of Scientology.

The network’s all-original programming shows Scientologists as they’ve never been seen before, living everyday lives while dedicating efforts toward solving life’s problems and helping others do the same. Unlike major TV networks, the channel has no paid advertising. The Scientology Network is on satellite television around the clock, appearing as part of DIRECTV’s standard HD package. With DIRECTV currently reaching more than 20 million households, the network’s programs are accessible to between 37-50 million viewers daily on U.S. television alone.

In this era, when people get their programming from a variety of devices, the network’s over-the-top streaming capabilities allow viewers to watch on computers, tablets, internet TV and mobile devices, and through websites and social media. The channel is available on Apple TV, Android TV, Amazon Fire TV, Roku and Scientology.tv, reaching every corner of Earth with an internet connection.

It was the vision of Mr. Hubbard that the story of the religion, its beliefs and practices and of the people who have been helped by it, be made widely available. With the technological means now at hand in its Hollywood studio, that plan of global communication is realized.

“As the saying goes, if you don’t write your own story, someone else will,” Mr. Miscavige noted at the studio’s official 2016 opening. “So we’re now going to be writing our own story—like no other religion in history.”

When Mr. Hubbard founded Scientology, he first delivered his message in lectures and books. Both are part of a vast library of work he had already created, now recognized by three Guinness World Records: Most Published Author, Most Translated Author and Most Audio Books Published for One Author. The Church built publication and dissemination facilities to make his works widely available. But clearly, television offered something more.

“Shortly after the turn of this decade, and with everything now in place for broadscale delivery, the next inevitable step was global communications,” Mr. Miscavige said. “Why not our own dedicated television network?”

THE TURNS OF FATE

That goal became a top priority and shortly after, the Church became aware that an independent public TV station, KCET, was relocating. The aging studio was the longest continuously operating film and broadcast studio in Los Angeles.

Only after the acquisition did Church executives learn that this historic studio was the very same one where L. Ron Hubbard began his screenwriting career.

“Even if we don’t necessarily believe in fate,” Mr. Miscavige said, “… I’m willing to believe it.”

“The fact is, it’s a history L. Ron Hubbard himself laid into Scientology,” Mr. Miscavige said, “to share what wisdom we possess, to help others help themselves. We know Man can be helped. And even more than that, we know how to do it.”

That vision is now a reality.