Zenith Applied Philosophy (ZAP) is a Christchurch, New Zealand based organisation founded by John Dalhoff (aka John Ultimate) in 1974. ZAP has a world view which is a combination of Scientology, Eastern mysticism and the ideas of the American John Birch Society. There was extensive overlap between the organisation and the Tax Reduction Integrity Movement. Members (sometimes called students) abstain from drugs and practice "mental discipline and applied philosophy". History While studying at Massey University in the 1960s John Dalhoff became attracted to the Church of Scientology and in 1965 travelled to the United Kingdom to study at the Saint Hill Manor Scientology Centre, returning to New Zealand as a full-time Scientology worker. However, in 1972 he was expelled from the church for "failure to comply with the ethical codes of the Church of Scientology". In August 1974 he declared that he had reached "the ultimate state" and on 7 September announced publicly that he was "John Ultimate" and that his Christchurch home was the center of the universe. ZAP members phoned world leaders to inform them of Dalhoff's revelation. He and another ZAP member were later charged with obstructing a road when trying to inform a passerby. The Church of Scientology placed ZAP out of bounds to its members. Members of ZAP would approach people on the street and customers at ZAP-run businesses asking questions such as "Are you interested in world affairs?" or "Are you worried about creeping communism?" Positive responses were followed by an invitation to buy material, most commonly publications from the John Birch Society such as None Dare Call it Conspiracy (by Gary Allen and Larry Abraham, 1972). People seen as "achievers" or "high-tone" were invited to take personality tests; they were then encouraged to take courses costing from $160 to $680 (1979). The courses had emphasis on self-control and self-improvement; one of them had the aim of taking the student to the "ultimate state" which Dalhoff had reached. The Church of Scientology has agreed that the selling methods and purpose of the ZAP courses are similar to their own. In 1980 The Press estimated that there were between 4 and 5 thousand ZAP students, though the same newspaper said in 2008 that "At its feisty peak the sect probably had no more than a few hundred recruits" by 1990 the membership had dwindled to about 20 to 30 people. According to The Press ZAP