What's Your Clear Number?
One of Scientology's main goals is to "clear the planet" - to get everyone on Earth to the state of Clear.
Based on data compiled from Scientology magazines - particularly The Auditor, which typically lists all new Clear attests - the majority of Clear attests happened during the late 1970s. During that time period, it was common for hundreds of Scientologists to attest to Clear each month. In the past few years, Clear attests have dwindled to a few dozen a year.
Clear Lists | Examining the Data | Graph | Table
The Clear List project is dedicated to Ida Camburn. Ida has been a tenacious Scientology watcher ever since her once-loving son became involved in Scientology and disconnected from her. For years, Ida collected Scientology publications and scanned the lists of names, searching for news of her son and making notes on Scientology movers and shakers along the way. In accordance with Scientology's vengeful policies, Ida's actions - including attending support groups, writing to her elected officials, and sharing information with other disconnected families - have been met with stalking and harassment by Scientology operatives. This project honors the pioneering work Ida did, and the loving concern she shares with the thousands of others who have lost family members to Scientology's practice of disconnection. |
Clear Lists
The primary sources for these statistics are Scientology's Auditor magazine.
I have a complete run of Auditor magazines from 1977, 1978, and 1979. This was the most productive period for Clear attests in Scientology history: recent Auditors contain the claim that "There are now more than 50,000 Clears!" Nearly 20,000 Clear attests were announced between issue 131 - January 1977, which claimed 5812 Clears - and issue 166 - November 1979, which claimed over 26,000 Clears.
Note that the magazine stopped listing Clear Numbers in 1986 and stopped printing even an approximated total number of clears ("nearly 50,000" or "over 50,000") in 1999.
The following lists of Clear attests were taken from Auditor magazines. More will be added as I get them.
Issue | Approximate Date |
Number of Clears Listed |
Stated Total Clears |
Highest Clear Number Listed |
Auditor 119 | January 1976 | 33 | 5100 | 5100 |
Auditor 120 | February 1976 | 38 | 5138 | 5138 |
Auditor 121 | March 1976 | 21 | 5190 | 5190 |
Auditor 122 | April 1976 | 56 | 5246 | 5246 |
Auditor 123 | May 1976 | 45 | 5331 | 5331 |
Auditor 124 | June 1976 | 38 | 5390 | 5390 |
Auditor 125 | July 1976 | 15 | 5405 | 5405 |
Auditor 126 | August 1976 | 63 | 5488 | 5488 |
Auditor 127 | September 1976 | 53 | 5541 | 5541 |
Auditor 128 | October 1976 | 54 | 5615 | 5615 |
Auditor 129 | November 1976 | 54 | 5669 | 5669 |
Auditor 130 | December 1976 | 62 | 5792 | 5792 |
Total for 1976 | 532 | |||
Auditor 131 | January 1977 | 20 | 5812 | 5812 |
Auditor 132 | February 1977 | 40 | 5853 | 5853 |
Auditor 133 | March 1977 | 27 | 5880 | 5880 |
Auditor 134 | April 1977 | 37 | 5917 | 5917 |
Auditor 135 | May 1977 | 11 | 5928 | 5928 |
Auditor 136 | June 1977 | 38 | 6044 | 6044 |
Auditor 137 | July 1977 | 21 | 6066 | 6066 |
Auditor 138 | August 1977 | 39 | 6106 | 6106 |
Auditor 139 | September 1977 | 45 | 6192 | 6192 |
Auditor 140 | October 1977 | 11 | 6203 | 6203 |
Auditor 141 | November 1977 | 27 | 6230 | 6230 |
Auditor 142 | December 1977 | 23 | 6253 | 6253 |
Total for 1977 | 339 | |||
Auditor 143 | January 1978 | 22 | 6322 | 6322 |
Auditor 144 | February 1978 | 12 | 6334 | 6334 |
Auditor 145 | March 1978 | 20 | 6353 | 6353 |
Auditor 146 | April 1978 | 17 | 6370 | 6370 |
Auditor 147 | May 1978 | 25 | 6395 | 6395 |
Auditor 148 | June 1978 | 12 | 6487 | 6487 |
Auditor 149 | July 1978 | 29 | 6513 | 6513 |
Auditor 150 | August 1978 | 723 | Clear Tally Soars! | 7462 |
Auditor 151 | September 1978 | 17 | 6553 | 6553 |
Auditor 152 | October 1978 | 20 | 6573 | 6573 |
Auditor 153 | November 1978 | 21 | 6594 | 6594 |
Auditor 154 | December 1978 | 756 | 8731 | 8731 |
Total for 1978 | 1674 | |||
Auditor 155 | January 1979 | 244 | 8978 | 8978 |
Auditor 156 | February 1979 | 559 | 9538 | 9539 |
Auditor 157 | March 1979 | 1085 | 11733 | 11,733 |
Auditor 158 | April 1979 | 786 | 12534 | 12,534 |
Auditor 159 | May 1979 | 643 | 13176 | 13,176 |
Auditor 160 | June 1979 | 556 | 15744 | 15,744 |
Auditor 161 | July 1979 | 28 | 15773 | 15,773 |
Auditor 162 | August 1979 | 407 | 16182 | 16,182 |
Auditor 163 | September 1979 | 1070 | 19602 | 19,602 |
Total for 1979 | 5378 | |||
Auditor 164 | February 1980 | 880 | over 20,000 | 20,445 |
Auditor 165 | April 1980 | 0 | over 25,000 | (none) |
Auditor 166 | July 1980 | 654 | over 26,000 | 22633 |
Auditor 167 | October 1980 | 146 | over 27,000 | 22773 |
Auditor 168 | December 1980 | 121 | over 27,000 | 22894 |
Total for 1980 | 1801 | |||
Auditor 169 | May 1981 | 101 | (none) | 22999 |
Auditor 170 | September 1981 | 48 | (none) | 23050 |
Auditor 171 | November 1981 | 357 | (none) | 25118 |
Auditor 172 | December 1981 | 142 | (none) | 25385 |
Total for 1981 | 648 | |||
Auditor 173 | February 1982 | 270 | (none) | 25662 |
Auditor 174 | April 1982 | 93 | 32125 | (none) |
Auditor 175 | May 1982 | 219 | (none) | 27132 |
Auditor 176 | June 1982 | 49 | (none) | 27515 |
Auditor 177 | July 1982 | 45 | (none) | 27602 |
Auditor 178 | August 1982 | 260 | (none) | 27865 |
Auditor 179 | September 1982 | 55 | (none) | 28042 |
Auditor 180 | October 1982 | 174 | (none) | 28502 |
Auditor 181 | November 1982 | 39 | (none) | 28678 |
Auditor 182 | December 1982 | 136 | (none) | 30204 |
Total for 1982 | 1340 | |||
Auditor 183 | January 1983 | 94 | (none) | 24082 |
Auditor 184 | February 1983 | 102 | (none) | 24184 |
Auditor 185 | March 1983 | 26 | (none) | 26201 |
Auditor 186 | April 1983 | 66 | (none) | 28372 |
Auditor 187 | May 1983 | 47 | (none) | 26324 |
Auditor 188 | July 1983 | 62 | (none) | 26387 |
Total for 1983 | 397 | |||
Auditor 189 | January 1984 | 53 | (none) | 30630 |
Auditor 190 | April 1984 | 39 | (none) | 30511 |
Auditor 191 | June 1984 | 57 | (none) | 33017 |
Auditor 192 | July 1984 | 40 | (none) | 33020 |
Auditor 193 | September 1984 | |||
Auditor 194 | December 1984 | 42 | (none) | 31105 |
Total for 1984 | 231 | |||
Auditor 195 | March 1985 | 37 | (none) | 31927 |
Auditor 196 | May 1985 | 127 | (none) | 32691 |
Auditor 197 | July 1985 | 199 | 38926 | 38926 |
Auditor 198 | August 1985 | 32 | 38960 | (none) |
Auditor 199 | September 1985 | 7 | (none) | (none) |
Auditor 200 | December 1985 | 8 | (none) | 33054 |
Total for 1985 | 410 | |||
Auditor 201 | April 1986 | 6 | (none) | (none) |
Auditor 202 | June 1986 | |||
Auditor 203 | July 1986 | 7 | 33070 | 33070 |
Auditor 204 | September 1986 | 12 | 33075 | 33075 |
Auditor 205 | October 1986 | 5 | 33080 | 33080 |
Auditor 206 | November 1986 | 30 | 33082 | (none) |
Auditor 207 | December 1986 | |||
Auditor 208 | December 1986 | 6 | 33086 | (none) |
Total for 1986 | 66 | |||
Auditor 209 | January 1987 | 64 | 33086 | (none) |
Auditor 210 | March 1987 | 25 | 33086 | (none) |
Auditor 211 | May 1987 | 46 | 33088 | (none) |
Auditor 212 | August 1987 | 19 | (none) | (none) |
Auditor 213 | September 1987 | |||
Auditor 214 | October 1987 | 25 | (none) | (none) |
Auditor 215 | November 1987 | 21 | (none) | (none) |
Auditor 216 | December 1987 | 62 | (none) | (none) |
Total for 1987 | 262 | |||
Auditor 217 | February 1988 | |||
Auditor 218 | April 1988 | |||
Auditor 219 | June 1988 | 15 | (none) | (none) |
Auditor 220 | August 1988 | 6 | (none) | (none) |
Auditor 221 | October 1988 | 18 | (none) | (none) |
Auditor 222 | December 1988 | |||
Total for 1988 | 39 | |||
Auditor 223 | February 1989 | 14 | (none) | (none) |
Auditor 224 | March 1989 | |||
Auditor 225 | May 1989 | 11 | (none) | (none) |
Auditor 226 | July 1989 | 49 | (none) | (none) |
Auditor 227 | September 1989 | 25 | (none) | (none) |
Auditor 228 | October 1989 | 18 | (none) | (none) |
Auditor 229 | November 1989 | 9 | (none) | (none) |
Auditor 230 | November 1989 | 12 | (none) | (none) |
Auditor 231 | December 1989 | 10 | (none) | (none) |
Total for 1989 | 148 | |||
Auditor 232 | January 1990 | 0 | (none) | (none) |
Auditor 233 | April 1990 | 24 | (none) | (none) |
Auditor 234 | April 1990 | 0 | (none) | (none) |
Auditor 235 | June 1990 | 0 | (none) | (none) |
Auditor 236 | October 1990 | 0 | (none) | (none) |
Auditor 237 | November 1990 | 16 | (none) | (none) |
Total for 1990 | 40 | |||
Auditor 238 | February 1991 | 8 | (none) | (none) |
Auditor 239 | April 1991 | |||
Auditor 240 | June 1991 | 6 | (none) | (none) |
Auditor 241 | September 1991 | 31 | (none) | (none) |
Total for 1991 | 45 | |||
Auditor 242 | May 1992 | 183 | (none) | (none) |
Auditor 243 | July 1992 | 70 | (none) | (none) |
Auditor 244 | August 1992 | 92 | (none) | (none) |
Auditor 245 | September 1992 | 93 | (none) | (none) |
Total for 1992 | 438 | |||
Auditor 246 | June 1993 | 138 | 47967 | (none) |
Auditor 247 | July 1993 | |||
Auditor 248 | August 1993 | 77 | 48133 | (none) |
Auditor 249 | December 1993 | 26 | 48518 | (none) |
Total for 1993 | 241 | |||
Auditor 250 | March 1994 | |||
Auditor 251 | June 1994 | 127 | 48999 | (none) |
Auditor 252 | September 1994 | |||
Auditor 253 | December 1994 | 0 | 49273 | (none) |
Total for 1994 | 127 | |||
Auditor 254 | September 1995 | 113 | 49539 | (none) |
Auditor 255 | October 1995 | 24 | 49607 | (none) |
Auditor 256 | November 1995 | |||
Auditor 257 | December 1995 | 26 | 49656 | (none) |
Total for 1995 | 163 | |||
Auditor 258 | February 1996 | 59 | 49715 | (none) |
Auditor 259 | March 1996 | 29 | 49764 | (none) |
Auditor 260 | June 1996 | 28 | 49880 | (none) |
Auditor 261 | September 1996 | 12 | over 50,000 | (none) |
Auditor 262 | November 1996 | 12 | over 50,000 | (none) |
Total for 1996 | 140 | |||
Auditor 263 | January 1997 | 25 | over 50,000 | (none) |
Auditor 264 | March 1997 | 0 | (none) | (none) |
Auditor 265 | April 1997 | 9 | over 50,000 | (none) |
Auditor 266 | May 1997 | 0 | (none) | (none) |
Auditor 267 | June 1997 | 26 | over 50,000 | (none) |
Auditor 268 | July 1997 | 0 | (none) | (none) |
Auditor 269 | September 1997 | 24 | over 50,000 | (none) |
Auditor 270 | December 1997 | 16 | over 50,000 | (none) |
Total for 1997 | 100 | |||
Auditor 271 | January 1998 | 5 | over 50,000 | (none) |
Auditor 272 | February 1998 | |||
Auditor 273 | March 1998 | 15 | over 40,337 | (none) |
Auditor 274 | June 1998 | 11 | 40,446 | (none) |
Auditor 275 | August 1998 | |||
Auditor 276 | November 1998 | 11 | nearly 50,000 | (none) |
Auditor 277 | December 1998 | |||
Total for 1998 | 42 | |||
Auditor 278 | January 1999 | 9 | nearly 50,000 | (none) |
Auditor 279 | March 1999 | |||
Auditor 280 | May 1999 | 32 | (none) | (none) |
Auditor 281 | June 1999 | 12 | (none) | (none) |
Auditor 282 | August 1999 | |||
Auditor 283 | November 1999 | 6 | (none) | (none) |
Auditor 284 | December 1999 | 8 | (none) | (none) |
Total for 1999 | 67 | |||
Auditor 285 | February 2000 | 22 | (none) | (none) |
Auditor 286 | April 2000 | |||
Auditor 287 | June 2000 | |||
Auditor 288 | August 2000 | 9 | (none) | (none) |
Auditor 289 | October 2000 | |||
Auditor 290 | December 2000 | 2 | (none) | (none) |
Total for 2000 | 33 | |||
Auditor 291 | January 2001 | 1 | (none) | (none) |
Auditor 292 | February 2001 | 3 | (none) | (none) |
Auditor 293 | March 2001 | 1 | (none) | (none) |
Auditor 294 | April 2001 | 6 | (none) | (none) |
Auditor 295 | June 2001 | 5 | (none) | (none) |
Auditor 296 | October 2001 | 13 | (none) | (none) |
Auditor 297 | December 2001 | 11 | (none) | (none) |
Total for 2001 | 40 | |||
Auditor 298 | February 2002 | 4 | (none) | (none) |
Auditor 299 | March 2002 | 8 | (none) | (none) |
Auditor 300 | May 2002 | 14 | (none) | (none) |
Auditor 301 | July 2002 | 9 | (none) | (none) |
Auditor 302 | September 2002 | 15 | (none) | (none) |
Auditor 303 | December 2002 | 12 | (none) | (none) |
Total for 2002 | 62 | |||
Auditor 304 | January 2003 | 41 | (none) | (none) |
Auditor 305 | February 2003 | 30 | (none) | (none) |
Auditor 306 | March 2003 | 9 | (none) | (none) |
Auditor 307 | April 2003 | 13 | (none) | (none) |
Auditor 308 | May 2003 | 24 | (none) | (none) |
Auditor 309 | June 2003 | 3 | (none) | (none) |
Auditor 310 | July 2003 | 23 | (none) | (none) |
Auditor 311 | August 2003 | 4 | (none) | (none) |
Auditor 312 | September 2003 | 4 | (none) | (none) |
Auditor 313 | October 2003 | 0 | (none) | (none) |
Auditor 314 | November 2003 | 0 | (none) | (none) |
Auditor 315 | December 2003 | 11 | (none) | (none) |
Total for 2003 | 162 | |||
Auditor 316 | March 2004 | 1 | (none) | (none) |
Auditor 317 | May 2004 | 1 | (none) | (none) |
Auditor 318 | June 2004 | 11 | (none) | (none) |
Auditor 319 | July 2004 | 3 | (none) | (none) |
Auditor 320 | August 2004 | 7 | (none) | (none) |
Auditor 321 | September 2004 | 7 | (none) | (none) |
Auditor 322 | October 2004 | (none) | (none) | |
Auditor 323 | November 2004 | 18 | (none) | (none) |
Auditor 324 | December 2004 | (none) | (none) | |
Total for 2004 | 48 | |||
Total for Lists I've Tallied So Far | 15013 |
Examining the Data: Annual Number of Clear Attests
Cornelius Krasel's Growth of Scientology page cites total numbers of Clears from various Scientology publications between 1966 and 1996.
I have created my own table, based on his numbers; where there was no specific number available (for example, 1967-1973), I approximated an average number of new Clears based on the next year for which I did have data (so, for 1967-1973, I estimated an average of 500 new Clears a year). Those years are marked below with an asterisk in the last column.
I am in the process of adding to this table and linking to the lists that appear in each issue of The Auditor.
As you can see, the number of Clear attests in recent years is tiny compared to the late 1970s. The graph and table below provide more details.
Number of New Clears Each Year, 1966-1996
Year | Total Clears | New Clears | Data Approximated |
1966 | 1 | 1 | |
1967 | 500 | 499 | * |
1968 | 1000 | 500 | * |
1969 | 1500 | 500 | * |
1970 | 2000 | 500 | * |
1971 | 2500 | 500 | * |
1972 | 3000 | 500 | * |
1973 | 3500 | 500 | * |
1974 | 4000 | 500 | |
1975 | 4648 | 648 | * |
1976 | 5296 | 648 | * |
1977 | 5943 | 647 | |
1978 | 8300 | 2357 | |
1979 | 21300 | 13000 | |
1980 | 24050 | 2750 | * |
1981 | 26800 | 2750 | * |
1982 | 29550 | 2750 | * |
1983 | 32311 | 2761 | |
1984 | 38000 | 5689 | |
1985 | 41550 | 3550 | * |
1986 | 45100 | 3550 | * |
1987 | 48650 | 3550 | * |
1988 | 52200 | 3550 | * |
1989 | 55750 | 3550 | * |
1990 | 59316 | 3566 | |
1991 | 55591 | -3725 | |
1992 | 51866 | -3725 | * |
1993 | 48133 | -3733 | |
1994 | 48000 | -133 | |
1995 | 49656 | 1656 | |
1996 | 49880 | 224 |