Why was the Guardian’s Office created by the Church of Scientology?

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Father of Scientology — Scientology L. Ron Hubbard's seminal – and controversial – work was *Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health*, written in 1950.

The Church of Scientology established the Guardian’s Office in 1966 specifically to vigorously defend the organization against various external attacks and legal challenges.1

During the 1960s, the church faced significant pressure from government agencies, including the Internal Revenue Service regarding its tax-exempt status and the Food and Drug Administration, which seized E-meters on the grounds that they were unauthorized medical devices. In response to these actions and similar government scrutiny in countries like Australia and the United Kingdom, the Guardian’s Office was tasked with protecting the church’s interests.1

The office’s activities included pursuing legal action against publications deemed libelous and conducting global intelligence operations to monitor perceived threats. The office was eventually disbanded following a major scandal in the late 1970s, when members were convicted for illegal activities, including the infiltration of U.S. government agencies.1