Scientology isn't a cult any more than a phone-sex operator is a girlfriend. They don't want your soul, they just want another dollar.
Except the phone-sex operator will let you hang up when your credit card is maxed out.
The higher ups may understand this, but most of the people in Scientology very much behave like a cult. If you've ever met one or watched the endless videos of them on YT, you'd understand more.
My local used bookstore got a complete set of Scientology's books for a discount price, so I bought them and read them. When I went back to the bookstore, the complete set was back.