Church of Scientology the "United Churches of Florida" the citizens and City Council of Clearwater did not realize that the building's owners were actually the Church of Scientology until after the building's purchase. Clearwater citizens' groups, headed by Mayor Gabriel Cazares, rallied strongly against Scientology establishing a base in the city (repeatedly referring to the organization as a cult), but Flag Base was established nonetheless. In the years since its foundation, the Flag Land Base has expanded as the Church of Scientology has gradually purchased large amounts of additional property in the downtown and waterfront Clearwater area. Scientology's largest project in Clearwater has
Scientology in the United States Scientology in the United States Scientology was founded in the United States by science fiction author L. Ron Hubbard and is now practiced in many other countries. Hubbard characterized Scientology as a religion, and in 1953 incorporated the first Church of Scientology in New Jersey. In 2007 a Church official claimed 3.5 million members in the United States but, according to a 2001 survey published by the City University of New York, 55,000 people in the United States would, if asked to identify their religion, have stated Scientology. Tom Cruise is the most well known Scientologist in the US as