JoeD: "both websites seem to go on about how good scientology is but I can't find the right link to give me the basic rundown on what they believe"
LOL.. aint that always the way?
From what I can gather the Scientologists basically believe in taking control of your life in the modern world. Their have been a number of similar organisations.. one even called themselves 'Own Your Life' - somewhat lacking in originality I know.
Scientology is family orientated, values driven and claims to be modern and up to date with world events and advances.
What they don't mention too often is that they are a full blown money making corporation. They gather money from followers and this is turned into investments with the controllers of the cult receiving the bulk of dividends. They use mind control techniques to lure people into their organisation.
L Ron Hubbard, aChristian from the Calvanist fold,founded icientology in the 1950s after several attempts to become a science fiction writer. He called his methods 'Dianetics' which is a form of pyshcotherapy only its more in line with regressive therapy.
In short, by combining christian / calvanist values, science fiction and regressive therapy, Hubbard came up with a spiritual doctrine that enabled himto makemoney... and it developed from there.