His record there described Charlie as having "a tremendous drive to call attention to himself. Generally he is unable to succeed in positive acts, therefore he often resorts to negative behavior to satisfy this drive. In his efforts to "find" himself, Manson peruses different religious philosophies, e.g. Scientology and Buddhism; however, he never remains long enough with any given teachings to reap meaningful benefits."

Flirted with Scientology in prison:

A cell partner turned me on to Scientology. With him and another guy I got pretty heavy into Dianetics and Scientology. Through this and by other studies, I came out of my state of depression. I was understanding myself better, had a positive outlook on life, and knew how to direct my energies to each day and each task.

— Manson: In His Own Words

I also learned from the documents that they were suing me for things that were true. For example, they repeatedly sued me for saying that Charles Manson was a Scientologist, and there were fifty to a hundred documents showing how they were trying to hide the fact that Charles Manson had studied Scientology. [...]

Court Bailiff Rusty Burrell testified that he was present, during the Bugliosi-Manson discussion and said it was mostly a talk about philosophy, including conversation on Scientology. [...]

"In 1971, I began to write an article, "The Rise of Sirhan Sirhan in the Scientology Hierarchy" for my satirical magazine, The Realist. Then, in the course of my research, a strange thing happened. I learned of the actual involvement of Charles Manson with Scientology. In fact, there had been an E-Meter at the Spahn Ranch where his "family" stayed. Suddenly, I no longer had any reason to use Sirhan Sirhan as my protagonist. Reality will transcend allegory every time. So, although I had announced that I was going to publish that article, I started investigating the Manson case instead. Nevertheless, Scientology sued me for $750,000 for just those nine words- whoops, there goes the whole petty cash account-but I chose to fight them on l st Amendment grounds, and they eventually dropped the suit."

Manson got super-energetic & flipped out when he'd been audited and would, for a time, talk about nothing but Scientology to the extent that people avoided his company. [...]

One famous, in fact infamous person interested in Scientology that they do not boast about, talk about, or probably even want is Charles Manson, the convicted murderer of Sharon Tate and her friends. The New York Times stated that Manson first got interested in Scientology while he was incarcerated in the McNeil Island Penitentiary in Washington (Scientology has programs for prisons).

After his release, The Times reported, he went to Los Angeles where he was said to have met local Scientologists and attended several parties for movie stars, possibly the July 18 dedication of the celebrity center.{19} Scientology literature was also said to be found at the ranch when Manson and his family were captured.{20} But for reasons unknown, it is claimed that Manson may have been made a "suppressive person" by the Scientologists, and there have also been hints that he may have joined the Process, the sex and satan group which originally broke away from Scientology.{21}

Another bit of publicity that the Scientologists are probably not too pleased with concerns the murder of three people in Los Angeles.{22} Two were Scientologists. According to The New York Post, all three were brutally beaten, ritualistically stabbed, had their right eyes cut out, and were dumped 100 yards from a Scientology commune. One of the girls, Miss Doreen Gaul, nineteen, who came from New York to study Scientology, was naked except for a strand of Indian beads. The boy, James Sharpe was fifteen years old. The third was unidentified. Doreen Gaul's father allegedly told a New York Post reporter that she had lately become disenchanted with Scientology. [...]

Neither Charles Milles Manson nor any of his band of hate-oriented hippies were members of the Church of Scientology, a spokesman claimed as the organization offered a $30,000 reward to halt what it called "a vicious and well-organized rumor campaign."

The Rev. Gordon Mustain, public relations director for the Church of Scientology in the United States, told newsmen at the Los Angeles Press Club information linking the Manson "family" to a "satanically oriented group called 'The Process'" originally came from his organization. [...]

An investigation is being conducted into possible links between the seven Tate-LaBianca slayings and the Nov. 5 stabbing deaths of two young Church of Scientology members, police said today. [...]

Manson "conditioned" his disciples, Flynn said.

"HE HAD STUDIED Scientology — he apparently was a top man in it — and he used what he learned with the 'family.' [...]

A local sect steeped in the philosophy of Scientology may be the key to the mystery surrounding the brutal murders of two young women and a teenaged boy earlier this month.

The disclosure was made by Rampart Division Police Lt. Earl A. Deemer, who said he had "strong reason to believe" a girl found stabbed last Nov. 16 in the Hollywood Hills may have belonged to the American Saint-Hill organization, a Scientology sect headquartered at 2723 W. Temple St. [...]