What does freedom mean for the scientologist?
Did Hubbard confuse freedom with power? Power with control?
Is the ultimate picture of freedom - omnipotent thetans throwing ‘galaxies’ at each other? Or is it the picture of ultimate power?
How do scientologists perceive freedom?
I think Hubbard's conception of Freedom can be summarized as "Do what thou Wilt" as outlined by his friend and mentor Alestair Crowley. The idea that Hubbard' s conception FREEDOM for anyone other than himself, excepting that it allowed HIM to "Do What he wilt", is nonsense.
He was clearly, based on the massive weight of objective evidence, a schizophrenic, possibly bi-polar, mentally unstable, narcissist. I would submit, it is better when thinking of him & his CO$ (the CO$ today is simply natural progression of Hubbards KSW) to think in Orwellian Terms.
A)Freedom = Enslavement of others by whatever means (trickery, deceit, threats) in the service of Hubbard's Freedom to "Do what he Wilt"
B)Power=powerlessness of others except in the service of Hubbard's machine (CO$- carefully crafted to enslave others) which was designed to allow him to "Do what he Wilt"
Everything else Hubbard did-all that he spoke, thought or acted was designed to achieve the two things above.
As an aside Lawrence Wright carefully noted that many on board the Apollo would pass by Hubbard's office/quarters and see him diligently working with his "hands on the cans" auditing himself and taking notes for hours or days on end. These SO and CO$ members took this as evidence of his sincerity and determination. And they were correct- but all of that work and time was focused, from my perspective, on two things:
1> A vain attempt at Freeing himself from the very real mental demons and schizophrenia that haunted him (as Wright says OT3 onwards is simply a tour of Hubbards tortured mental states)
and
2> Building the giant Orwellian Man (and Woman)Trap of CO$ in order to ensnare people in GIANT scheme to serve his purpose (And enable his Freedom to "do what he wilt, AND give him the adulation, income (he was not in it for money) that his warped and wicked mind needed.
So your questions about power, freedom etc assume that Hubbard's notion of such matches with societal norms and the definitions society gives such.
But George Orwell holds the key to understanding Hubbard.
Freedom is SLAVERY
Looking back- prior to starting my Internet and CO$ scouring- the most important books I read were
1984
and
Animal Farm.