A 1p typed letter signed by L. Ron Hubbard (1911-1986), founder of the Church of Scientology, as "L. Ron Hubbard" in blue ink above his additional signature in type as "L. Ron Hubbard." November 28, 1979. N.p. On eggshell textured stationery with Hubbard's name and the trademarked "New-Era" Scientology symbol (an "S" intersecting two 3-pointed triangles) embossed in green and yellow at the letterhead. Expected wear including a flattened horizontal fold. A minor closed tear touches the left edge, else near fine. 7" x 10."

Hubbard's bold question posed to Ohio autograph collector Jerry Shoemaker, "Have you read my book DIANETICS: THE MODERN SCIENCE OF MENTAL HEALTH?" reflected the ideologue's consuming interest in Scientology, the controversial belief system he first defined in the late 1940s. Hubbard's treatise, "Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health; A Handbook of Dianetic Therapy" (New York: Heritage House, 1950) first published in early May 1950, posited that the majority of physical and psychological ailments could be cured, or "cleared," through counseling. Traumatic experiences from current and past lives manifested as illnesses such as asthma, cancer, and diabetes, and as such were completely psychosomatic. Based on Hubbard's core ideas, the Church of Scientology first emerged in the early 1950s. It's estimated that there are fewer than 40,000 adherents worldwide at the time of this writing (2023).

Jerry Shoemaker (1944-2021) was an Ohio autograph collector. According to the Fall 2017 newsletter published by Shoemaker's congregation, the Kettering Seventh-day Adventist Church, Shoemaker collected celebrity autographs for over 50 years, eventually amassing over 3,000 autographs from the likes of Ronald Reagan, Muhammad Ali, Elvis Presley, and as we know, L. Ron Hubbard.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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