The Factors in Scientology are the fundamental actors, elements or ingredients that make up the universe of our experience. There are thirty of them, numbered and thus appearing sequential.

Let’s take up the first and the second:

1. Before the beginning was a Cause and the entire purpose of the cause was the creation of effect.

2. In the beginning and forever is the decision and the decision is TO BE.

From this we can see that the first effect that was created, was the beginning. We also see that a Cause existed to effect this beginning. The second factor provides a non sequitur. ‘TO BE’ means to exist but existence was already in existence at the time of the creation of the first effect. Furthermore it was a decision, which implies that the decision might have turned out NOT TO BE.

If there is a decision, a decision maker must exist. This anonymous decision maker, theoretically could have decided NOT TO BE as the creation of an effect according to Factor 1. This would have to be the case in order for it to then change its mind and decide TO BE.  The problem with this explanation is however that the decision TO BE is forever.

Exercise for scientologists: Find the author’s misunderstood!