Editing Operating Thetan (section)

== Confidential materials ==

Since the 1960s when Hubbard invented the OT levels, they have been considered confidential. Those who read such documents do so in locked rooms, transport them in locked briefcases attached to their wrists, and the documents are securely locked up when not in actual use. Members are forbidden to discuss the OT levels with anyone, may not disclose the contents or procedures, and may not make copies or even notes.{{r|urban|pages=100–102}}{{r|reitman-rs}}

One must be "invited" to do the OT levels. ''OT preps'' are preparatory steps to ensure that one is ready for them, and this includes security checks (confessionals) to make certain that the person is not a security risk and will keep the confidentiality of the OT materials.{{r|wright|page=17–19}}{{r|reitman-rs}}

Scientology has been active in litigating to keep their OT levels secret. In the 1980s [[Wollersheim v. Church of Scientology|Wollersheim case]], the OT III materials were entered into evidence by Wollersheim to show how they made him psychotic, eventually getting published in the news when an agency got their hands on a copy from the courthouse. In the 1990s [[Church of Scientology International v. Fishman and Geertz|Fishman case]], the entire OT levels from I to VIII were presented, eventually leading to others obtaining them and later duplicated on the internet.{{r|urban2017|page=19}} This led to several raids of homes and offices, and lawsuits against several people who had put copies on the internet. Such acts collectively became known as [[Scientology and the Internet|Scientology versus the Internet]].

On March 24, 2008, [[WikiLeaks]] published on its website the previously secret training instructions for all eight OT levels. Three days later the law firm of [[Moxon & Kobrin]] sent a letter to Wikileaks on behalf of the Church of Scientology demanding to have the documents removed. In response, Wikileaks stated they would not comply and would instead post even more Scientology documents. The Church of Scientology failed to get the documents removed from the website.<ref name="metz">{{cite web |last=Metz |first=Cade |date=2008-04-08 |title=Scientology threatens Wikileaks with injunction |url=https://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/04/08/church_of_scientology_contacts_wikileaks/ |access-date=2008-04-10 |work=The Register}}</ref><ref>{{multiref2 |1={{Cite web| last = Kushner| first = David| title = Click and Dagger: Inside WikiLeaks' Leak Factory| work = Mother Jones| access-date = 2023-11-25| url = https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2010/06/click-and-dagger-wikileaks-julian-assange-iraq-video-updated/ |quote=Even the hyperlitigious Church of Scientology has failed to get its materials removed from the site. ... In response to Scientology's "attempted suppression," [Wikileaks] has posted even more church documents.}} |2={{Cite web| title = Scientology threatens Wikileaks over secret cult bibles - Press release |date=April 7, 2008 | access-date = 2023-11-25| url = https://wikileaks.org/wiki/Scientology_threatens_Wikileaks_over_secret_cult_bibles |quote=Wikileaks will not comply with legally abusive requests from Scientology ... Indeed, in response to the attempted suppression, Wikileaks will release several thousand pages of additional Scientology materials next week.}} |3={{Cite web |date=2008-03-24 |title=Church of Scientology collected Operating Thetan documents |url=https://www.wikileaks.org/wiki/Church_of_Scientology_collected_Operating_Thetan_documents |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080328173624/https://www.wikileaks.org/wiki/Church_of_Scientology_collected_Operating_Thetan_documents |archive-date=2008-03-28 |website=Wikileaks.org}} }}</ref>

Hugh B. Urban explores the purpose of secrecy in the Operating Thetan levels in the Church of Scientology by discussing its related controversy. He claims that secrecy is a motivating tool for Scientologists to desire to climb "The Bridge of Total Freedom," specifically to attain the level of OT VIII.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Dericquebourg |first=Regis |title=Scientology: From the Edges to the Core |journal=Nova Religio |volume=20 |issue=4 |year=2017 |pages=5–12 |doi=10.1525/nr.2017.20.4.5}}</ref>