Editing Avatar Course (section)

== Scientology origins ==
[[File:L. Ron Hubbard influences.png|thumb]] 
In 1975 the Elmira Mission incorporated under the name ''the Elmira Mission of the Church of Scientology'' and the following year it gained a license to use all Scientology trademarks and service marks held and controlled by [[L. Ron Hubbard]]. In exchange for that right, Palmer paid 10% of the Mission's income as a [[tithe]] to Scientology.  Six years later Hubbard assigned his rights in all Scientology trademarks to [[Religious Technology Center]] (RTC), which the [[Church of Scientology]] had organized especially to own and protect all Scientology trademarks. RTC immediately increased the licensing fee. On September 9, 1982 Palmer signed a new License Agreement requiring the Elmira Mission to pay 15% of its income as well as additional fees to RTC in order to continue using the Scientology trademarks.  When in November 1984 Palmer ceased making any payments to the Church of Scientology, the Church filed a lawsuit against Palmer and the Elmira Mission for [[trademark]] infringement.

The Church won on appeal and the court [[record sealing|seal]]ed details of the settlement.<ref>[http://www.xenu.net/archive/CourtFiles/occf134.html Church of Scientology International, Religious Technology Center and Scientology Missions International v. The Elmira Mission of the Church of Scientology a/k/a Church of Scientology, Mission of Elmira, a/k/a Dianetics Center, a/k/a Scientology Elmira, a/k/a Center for Creative Learning, Harry Palmer and Avra Honey-Smith] — ruling in motion in case CIV-85-412T, United States District Court, W.D. New York, ruled August 1, 1985</ref><ref>[http://www.xenu.net/archive/CourtFiles/occf126.html Church of Scientology International, Religious Technology Center and Scientology Missions International v. The Elmira Mission of the Church of Scientology a/k/a Church of Scientology, Mission of Elmira, a/k/a Dianetics Center, a/k/a Scientology Elmira, a/k/a Center for Creative Learning, Harry Palmer and Avra Honey-Smith] — final ruling in case CIV-85-412T, United States District Court, W.D. New York, argued December 6, 1985, decided June 23, 1986</ref>

About this time Palmer produced the first of the Avatar-related materials, including the ''Thoughtstorm Manual''.

On 28 February 1998 (in a court case he lost against former employees before the State Labor Board) Palmer mentioned the renaming of "the Church of Scientology, Mission of Elmira, Inc. [...] on March 11, 1987, pursuant to Federal Court Order, [as] the Center for Creative Learning".<ref>NYS Department of Labor case hearings 07-87-0419 & 07-88-0136</ref>

The original Avatar materials made extensive use of [[Scientology terminology]]. Harry Palmer sold them to other Scientologists, claiming that they achieved "end of case" and "cover[ed] the entire [[The Bridge to Total Freedom|Scientology Bridge]], the Buddhic path and beyond."  Many of the terms continue in use in Avatar {{As of | 2008 | alt = today}}, such as [[Rundown (Scientology)|"Rundown"]], "Identities", and "handling"; and Avatar offers similar courses of the same names ("Integrity Course" and "Professional Course").<ref>
Original 1986 Avatar Course materials:
{{cite web
| url         = http://www.xs4all.nl/~jeta/avatar/avatar-beyond-buddha.html
| title       = Beyond the Buddhic Path with Avatar
| accessdate  = 2008-10-17
| last        = Palmer
| first       = Harry
| authorlink  =
| year        = 1986
| work        = Avatar Master-Wizard Harry Palmer speaks
| publisher   =
| location    =
| pages       =
| doi         =
| quote       = ( A "rundown" is a training exercise. It's an essential word/idea within Scientology. "Case" is also Scientologese: everyone is a "case" that need to be "handled". )
}}
</ref>

In addition to this history, similarities to Scientology in policies, structure, secrecy, and doctrine taught in higher levels have caused European news articles to refer to Palmer's Avatar Courses as "Scientology-Lite", picking up a term originally coined by [[Texas]] columnist Roahn Wynar.<ref name="Wynar">{{cite web
| url         = http://www.xs4all.nl/~jeta/avatar/avatar-scientology-lite.html
| title       = Gettin' That New Age Religion: Cults at UT
| accessdate  = 2008-10-17
| last        = Wynar
| first       = Roahn
| date        = 2007-03-27
| work        = Avatar for starters
| quote       = ... Avatar, which we like to call "Scientology Lite."
| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20080917031922/http://www.xs4all.nl/~jeta/avatar/avatar-scientology-lite.html| archivedate= 17 September 2008 | url-status= live}}
</ref>