Life of L. Ron Hubbard from 1953 to 1967

From 1953 to 1967, L. Ron Hubbard was the official leader of the Church of Scientology.

In 1954 L. Ron Hubbard gained tax-exempt status in the United States for his Scientology organizations, and lost it in 1958 when the IRS determined Hubbard and his family were profiting unreasonably from Scientology. Hubbard became aggressive towards his enemies and detractors, claimed conspiracy theories against him, and declared all out war against psychiatry.

Hubbard moved to England, purchasing the country estate Saint Hill Manor as the new headquarters for Scientology worldwide. Trouble followed: in 1959 Hubbard's eldest son departed Scientology in disgust, Hubbard's medical claims for Dianetics and Scientology got him in trouble with the US Food and Drug Administration, and a governmental inquest in Australia resulted in a damning report on Scientology. By 1965 Hubbard invented ethics and justice procedures to tighten discipline, created the Guardian's Office, and wrote his infamous fair game policy.

Criticism against Scientology in England caused Hubbard to try Rhodesia for a while, until he was forced to leave there. Returning to England, Hubbard acquired three ships. In 1968, foreign Scientologists were prohibited from entering the United Kingdom and Hubbard was ejected from the country. Hubbard took to the sea with a handful of his followers.