Although we've written hundreds of articles about Scientology over the years, and other news organizations have contributed hundreds more -- not to mention the numerous books, television programs, and countless websites dedicated to the subject -- without fail we regularly run into people who ask us, "Yeah, but what is Scientology?"

We can't blame them. One of Scientology's appeals is its complexity and secrecy, and it can take years to fully absorb some of its arcane concepts. So for those coming to the subject for the first time, as well as those who want a deeper understanding, we're starting off the new year with this handy guide to L. Ron Hubbard's creation. We'll introduce concepts at a basic level, and provide links to further reading. With the help of our amazing commenting community -- which includes former Scientology executives with decades of experience -- we'll all learn more about an enigmatic organization that begins another crucial year of transition.

After the jump: a science fiction writer unlocks the secrets of the human mind...

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There are many more facets to Scientology, its technology, its organizations, its history, and its controversies. Here at the Voice, we treat the church as a moving story, and one we try to write about every day.

Use this link to see what we've written about Scientology most recently.
Or keep an eye out for our regular features...

We start off the week with Sunday Funnies, and publish Scientology's most recent fundraising mailers that have been leaked to us.

Every Thursday, we do a roundup of stories from around the world, gathering Scientology's "stats" before the Thursday 2 pm deadline -- just as Scientologists do.

Fridays in 2012, we're posting excerpts from previously unpublished dispatches that L. Ron Hubbard wrote while sailing the Apollo in the Mediterranean between 1968 and 1971.

And every Saturday morning, we gather the week's best comments from our illustrious commenting community.

We also announce every new story at our Twitter account and on our Facebook author page. We hope you can become a part of our ongoing project.