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In reply to the discussion: Post a true but little known fact about someone famous, living or dead -- Part 9 [View all]lapfog_1
(29,205 posts)at a bar bet between Robert Heinlein and L. Ron Hubbard about the ability to create a bullshit religion.
Heinlein had written a short story named "the Sixth Column" about a group of scientists who invent a new technology that is used to re-take America from the invading "PanAsians" and they use the creation of a fake religion to spread the revolution and the technology. Robert thought this was a completely bogus premise for his own story whereas Hubbard submitted that Americans were stupid enough to believe anything so long as presented as religion.
So they made a small wager... Scientology resulted. Harlan has said that he was designated to hold the money for the bet.
The account has been disputed.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sixth_Column
https://scifi.stackexchange.com/questions/2671/is-there-any-evidence-for-the-bet-between-robert-a-heinlein-and-l-ron-hubbard