John Dalhoff, a.k.a. John Ultimate (29 January 1944–27 August 2001) was the founder of the organisation '

Zenith Applied Philosophy 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 Jo ...

' (ZAP) based in

Christchurch Christchurch (; ) is the largest city in the South Island and the List of cities in New Zealand, second-largest city by urban area population in New Zealand. Christchurch has an urban population of , and a metropolitan population of over hal ...

, New Zealand. While studying at

Massey University Massey University () is a Public university, public research university in New Zealand that provides internal and distance education. The university has campuses in Auckland, Palmerston North, and Wellington. Data from Universities New Zealand ...

in the early 1960s Dalhoff became involved with the

Church of Scientology The Church of Scientology is a group of interconnected corporate entities and other organizations devoted to the practice, administration and dissemination of Scientology, which is variously defined as a cult, a business, or a new religiou ...

and in 1965 he went to the

Saint Hill Manor Saint Hill Manor is a Grade II listed country house at Saint Hill Green, near East Grinstead in West Sussex, England. It was constructed in 1792 and had several notable owners before being purchased by L. Ron Hubbard and becoming the British he ...

Scientology Centre in the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

, returning to New Zealand as a full-time scientology worker. Spoonley, Paul ''The Politics of Nostolgia'' Dunmore Press, Palmerston North, NZ, 1987. pg 82–85 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 that year he publicly announced that he was "John Ultimate" and that his Christchurch home was the centre of the universe. During the 1970s and 1980s Dalhoff ran ZAP from his home and received an income from ZAP members paying a percentage of their wages as well as fees from ZAP courses, income from ZAP businesses and penalties imposed on ZAP members.

Quotes

"I am above nothing or below nothing. I am not god, and I have no wish to go down to that level." "...Jesus talked about being the son of God but no-one has talked about attaining the ultimate state. This has been obtained here at the centre of the universe... I am the ultimate now I have talked to many people recently in other places though different means (e.g in their

dreams A dream is a succession of images, ideas, emotions, and sensations that usually occur involuntarily in the mind during certain stages of sleep. Humans spend about two hours dreaming per night, and each dream lasts around 5–20 minutes, althou ...

, on their

telephones A telephone, colloquially referred to as a phone, is a telecommunications device that enables two or more users to conduct a conversation when they are too far apart to be easily heard directly. A telephone converts sound, typically and most ...

). Many people from other places are now on the way to the centre of the universe..."''General Letter'', c. November 1978, cited in Spoonley, pg. 85

References

1944 births New Zealand religious leaders Religious leaders from Christchurch 2001 deaths {{NewZealand-reli-bio-stub