Unauthorized Entry into Scientology Church... What Is the "Speed Running" Challenge Trending on TikTok?

Scientology, Known as the Religion of Tom Cruise

"Speed Running" Challenge: Church Break-ins Spread on Social Media

In the United States, the so-called "speed running" challenge, which involves unauthorized entry into Scientology church buildings, is spreading across social networking services (SNS), leading to a series of related incidents.

Scientology Church: "Teenagers Forcibly Break into Worship Spaces"

Videos related to 'Speed Learning' are being uploaded one after another on TikTok. TikTok

According to reports from outlets such as The Guardian in the United Kingdom, a group of teenagers forcibly broke into the Church of Scientology on West 36th Street in Manhattan, New York, on May 3 (local time). The group broke down a locked entrance door, entered the building, threw objects, and damaged facilities. It has been reported that one staff member was injured during the incident.

At the time, church members and visitors were reportedly attending a seminar. In a statement, the Church of Scientology said, "The injured staff member received medical treatment, and another staff member was subjected to racist verbal abuse." The statement continued, "This incident was neither a peaceful visit nor a legal protest. It was an organized act involving forcible entry into the worship space, property damage, and even physical assault."

"Speed Running" Videos Spreading on Social Media

Hollywood actor Tom Cruise. Photo by Yonhap News

Previously, on platforms such as TikTok, videos of individuals infiltrating as deeply as possible into Scientology facilities, filming the act, and sharing it have gone viral as part of the "speed running" trend. In particular, videos of people breaking into the Scientology headquarters on Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles have quickly gone viral, racking up millions of views.

The Church of Scientology commented, "Online, this is referred to as 'speed running,' but in reality, it is merely a series of organized trespassing incidents designed to attract attention on social media." They added, "The church welcomes lawful visitors, but it will not tolerate forcible entry, property damage, threatening or injuring people, or using religious facilities as fodder for online content." In fact, on April 25, dozens of people forcibly entered the Los Angeles Scientology facility. During the incident, staff members were pushed and injured, with at least one person reportedly requiring medical treatment.

This challenge is believed to have started in March when an 18-year-old content creator known as "Swhileyy" uploaded a video of himself breaking into a Scientology facility on Instagram. Although the video attracted significant attention, he later deleted it and stated that he does not condone such actions. He said, "I have never encouraged anyone to run around there or try to break my record."

Meanwhile, Scientology is a new religious movement founded in 1954 by American science fiction writer L. Ron Hubbard. Followers are known to reject the idea of a godlike transcendent being and believe that science and technology can expand the human mind. The religion is especially known for having Hollywood actors such as Tom Cruise and John Travolta among its members.

However, actress Leah Remini, who has continued to expose the church after leaving Scientology, stated, "The speed running challenge will reinforce the misguided belief among followers that 'the outside world is full of lunatics' and further strengthen the solidarity among Scientology members." She urged, "Please focus on exposing the dangers of Scientology, and do not turn this into a spectacle."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.