[hummingbird]

I seem to recall a thread around here in the not too distant past in which a FReeper w/some knowledge of the cult related the story that Scientology originated when Hubbard made a bet with some other guy (name would be recognized by most, but I don't recall it) that he could write a book of total horseshi'ite and be able to palm it off on enough people as 'religion' to get rich.

I've read something like that, too, only it wasn't on Free Republic. Was the other person Aleister Edward S. Crowley, British occultist (d. 1947)? If not Crowley, it was someone Hubbard and Crowley each had a connection with.

[tomkat]

No, that name doesn't ring bells.
Seems it was a writer or media person most would have heard of...

<sometimers strikes again>