L. Ron Hubbard - Scientology's esteemed founder.

Good summary of Hubbard here -- L. Ron Hubbard - Scientology's esteemed founder. By Michael Crowley

"There's a deep chasm between the erudite, noble Hubbard of Scientology myth and the true identity of the church's wacky founder. To those not in his thrall, Hubbard might be better described as a pulp science-fiction writer who combined delusions of grandeur with a cynical hucksterism. Yet he turned an oddball theory about human consciousness—which originally appeared in a 25-cent sci-fi magazine—into a far-reaching and powerful multimillion-dollar empire. "