is it a perfect record", and claims that "any differences are extremely minor (if at all)." The author writes, "What is presented here are reconstructions of those materials by people who have trained and delivered them before leaving that organization. If the original materials should become available at a future date, a revision of this volume will done to include them." The document also includes a legal disclaimer that reads, "In the absence of the original materials, the following are presented on an 'as is' basis and are used at your own discretion. No warranty is conferred or implied." The author of the revised edition is not identified but, since it was written five years after his death, the current edition of OT VIII could not have been authored by L. Ron Hubbard. The author states that the purpose of this auditing level is to learn the secret of the relationship between "the Supreme Being" and the Thetan. Both are infinite, but the Thetan is unable to perceive its infinite identity due to confusions and distortions caused by the MEST. The purpose of this OT level is to remove those impediments and, thus, know one's identity from origin to infinity. The author states that anyone who is not "flat" on the previous OT levels should continue to retake them (presumably at full price) until they are. The author also states that this information is to remain confidential from "squirrels" or scientologists not in the church. Legacy Similarities with science fiction apocalyptical genre In a 1968 lecture, Hubbard acknowledged similarities between his teachings and the science fiction sub-genre space opera. Hubbard said: "This planet is part of an earlier federation and passed out of its control due to losses in war and other such things. Now, this larger confederacy, this isn't its right name, but we have often called it and referred to it in the past as the Marcab Confederacy. And it has been wrongly or rightly pointed to as one of the tail stars of the Big Dipper, which is the capital planet of which this planet is. Now, all this sounds very space opera-ish and that sort of thing, and I'm sorry for it, but I am not one to quibble about the truth." The Church of Scientology has denied claims that their religion is based on science fiction. However, with the release of OT VIII, all three