http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=417782&in_page_id=1770 [long link]
Police officers accepted gifts from Church of Scientology
By BEN TAYLOR
Dozens of police officers have accepted film premiere tickets, banquet invitations and the use of a jazz band from the controversial Church of Scientology, it has emerged.
The wealthy religious movement has spent thousands of pounds cultivating contacts in the City of London police.
Officers have received sought-after free invitations to film premieres and L500-a-head charity dinners where the guest of honour is Hollywood superstar and renowned Scientologist, Tom Cruise.
They have even been provided with the free use of a L5,000-a-night jazz band to play for officers and guests at a police station function.
As a result of the revelations, an internal review of the force's hospitality policy has been launched.
The officers who have accepted freebies from the church - which has been accused of "brainwashing" their converts - range in rank from constable to chief superintendent. It is understood they include a member of the force's Special Branch.
The details were obtained by a Freedom of Information request made by the Daily Mail - requesting details of all hospitality accepted by officers since July last year. Many more officers are said to have turned down the offers.
Sources inside the City of London Police have described the church as "grooming" selected officers in the hope of winning powerful influence inside the force. But nearly all the offers received official approval from senior officers at the City of London - which has just fought off government plans to merge it with the Metropolitan Police.
Other forces in Britain have banned their staff from having any contact with the church - which holds that humans are descended from an exiled race of aliens called Thetans.
The church openly targeted the force in the run-up to the opening of a L24 million centre in the City which was unveiled in a blaze of publicity last month.
During the ceremony, the force was criticised for sending one of its most senior officers to welcome the scientologists to their new home.
Chief Superintendent Kevin Hurley told the audience that the church, which has been the subjected of repeated investigations by the FBI since it was founded in the 1954 by science fiction writer L Ron Hubbard, was a "force for good" and was "raising the spiritual wealth of society".
His presence at the ceremony was later explained away by the force who said he was their lead officer on "faith issues" and indeed there is no suggestion that Mr Hurley has personally benefited from any hospitality.
But sources within the force say that the church began targeting officers in the aftermath of the July 7 bombings last year when it provided free refreshments to officers manning the police cordon at the scene of the Aldgate blast.
Since then, the Daily Mail can reveal, officers have accepted at least nine offers of formal hospitality. They include a trip for two constables and a sergeant to the premiere of Mission Impossible 3 in London's Leicester Square earlier this year.
The film's star, Tom Cruise, was present at the screening although it is unclear whether the City trio met the Hollywood actor.
Six months later, a further four officers attended a lavish charity dinner at the scientologists' British base in East Grinstead, East Sussex. They included Chief Superintendent Ken Stewart, a Special Branch detective, a constable and a detective constable.
Again, Cruise was present and he and his fellow diners feasted on foie gras, Aberdeen Angus beef and a dessert of chocolate, passion fruit and papaya tart.
The price per head that evening started at L500 and went up to L1,500 for VIP guests, who were able to sit near Cruise.
Three days later, another four officers - including two sergeants - enjoyed a 'Jive Aces' concert, courtesy of the church.
The same band, who music industry sources say can charge up to L5,000 a night, had previously given their services free to a concert at Bishopsgate police station for a fund raising event.
In addition, the scientologists have made donations of L6,250 to the City of London Children's Charity.
Last night Audrey Chaytor, of the Family Action Information Resource Centre, which works with families who have been indoctrinated into cults, said: 'This is appalling. Police officers should not be accepting these kind of invitations.
'The scientologists have one motive when they are doing this and that is to gain influence in the corridors of power.
"I cannot believe the police have been so naive."
A City of London Police spokesman said: "We are conducting a review to ensure that all members of staff are aware of the force policy on accepting hospitality an to assess whether clarification or amendment of this policy is necessary."
--
On November 22, 2006 the Guardian UK reported:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/religion/Story/0,,1953996,00.html
Gala dinners, jive bands and Tom Cruise: how the Scientologists woo City police
Unlikely relationship has blossomed since July 7
Contacts are mutually beneficial, claims group
Sandra Laville
Wednesday November 22, 2006
The Guardian
It began with tea and biscuits for constables at the police cordon after the July 7 terrorist attacks, progressed to lunches with senior officers and continues with regular invitations to gala nights and jive concerts.
The Church of Scientology appears to be involved in an effort to woo officers from the City of London police - an unlikely partnership perhaps, but one that seems to be blossoming. Details of how more than 20 officers, from constables to chief superintendents, have been invited to a series of engagements by the scientologists over the last 15 months have been revealed by a freedom of information inquiry by the Guardian.
The hospitality included guest invitations in May for two constables and a sergeant to attend the premiere of Mission Impossible 3 in Leicester Square, where they were able to rub shoulders with the best known Scientologist of all and the star of the film, Tom Cruise.
The Guardian requested details of meetings between police and scientologists after a senior officer from the City appeared as a guest speaker at the opening of the L23m Scientology centre near St Paul's Cathedral last month.
At the lavish ceremony, Chief Superintendent Kevin Hurley, the fourth most senior officer in the force, praised the scientologists for the support they had provided after the July 7 attacks, when followers of L Ron Hubbard's movement appeared at the police cordons of the Aldgate bomb site offering help to those involved in the emergency operation. The relationship flourished in the following months, according to the City police's register of hospitality, which all officers are required to fill out.
Since July 7 the Church of Scientology has invited four police constables, an inspector and a chief superintendent to a charity dinner at their British headquarters, Saint Hill Manor in East Grinstead, West Sussex, where the officers received a donation of L5,000 for a City of London children's charity.
The hospitality continued with a member of the Hubbard Foundation buying lunch for about £20 for a chief superintendent at Boisdale restaurant in Bishopsgate, central London, where the L28 set menu currently includes mini-Macsween haggis, fish or meat of the day and raspberry cranachan.
Most of the engagements detailed in the register of hospitality were approved by a senior officer: either Frank Armstrong, the assistant commissioner of City police, Mr Hurley or his colleague Chief Superintendent Ken Stewart.
But the register of hospitality contains gaps on at least two occasions, where it is not known which officer attended an event or who authorised it.
The invitations to the Mission Impossible 3 premiere in May for three officers were followed in August by another event at the East Grinstead centre for an unknown number of officers. In September the register does not specify how many officers attended a concert at Bishopsgate police station by the Jive Aces; a band made up of Scientologists whose advertising states that they play "hot jive" and "big band swing".
The night before last month's grand opening of the Church of Scientology's centre in the City, one of the force's two chief superintendents joined a detective superintendent, a uniformed constable and a detective constable at a star-studded charity dinner at Saint Hill Manor, where prizes are awarded to followers who donate the biggest sums to the movement.
The dinner was attended by Cruise, who sat at a special table nearest the past year's biggest donors.
The next day, Sunday October 22, a sergeant recorded being offered refreshments worth between L3 and L5 by scientologists as he was policing the opening of the London centre. Another officer, a constable, was a guest at a charity gala in East Grinstead the following night, where he recorded receiving L50 worth of hospitality. Most recently, on October 24, two sergeants and two constables attended a Jive Aces concert at Saint Hill.
The relationship between the police and the scientologists comes despite controversy that the tactics adopted by the church are akin to that of a cult and the Charity Commission's refusal to recognise it as a religion in the UK.
The scientologists have also been criticised in the US over their role in counselling firefighters and police officers after the September 11 attacks when they set up a a medical clinic two blocks from Ground Zero in New York for professionals involved in the emergency operation.
Inside the centre some firefighters abandoned the medical care and emotional counselling provided to them by the fire department's doctors, and instead took up a treatment devised by Hubbard. This included saunas, physical workouts and taking pills; a treatment which constitutes the scientologists controversial detoxification programme.
Mark Salter, a London-based psychiatrist said the scientologists were trying to replicate their ideology by disseminating it as widely as possible.
"You may well find that one or two police officers become followers. Look at the masons, I am sure they are well represented inside the police force," he said.
"They are a cult who are trying to maximise their influence by putting feelers out and using spin to make contacts and network in quite dangerous ways."
Janet Kenyon-Laveau, spokeswoman for the Church of Scientology in the UK, said the relationship between the police and followers was mutually beneficial, with followers engaged in clean-up campaigns in drug ridden inner city areas, which were praised by the police.
The City of London police declined to comment.
Message ID: 18555-4563B91D-1253@storefull-3332.bay.webtv.net
Message ID: MPG.1fce4f8abaa33a5c989975@news.thundernews.com
Message ID: _Ik9h.6203$ya1.3408@news02.roc.ny
Webbed at:
http://www.gerryarmstrong.org/50grand/writings/armstrong-ltr-miscavige-2006-11-23.html
November 23, 2006
David Miscavige
Religious Technology Center
1710 Ivar Avenue, Suite 1100
Los Angeles, CA 90028 U.S.A.
Also by E-mail
Dear Mr. Miscavige:
As you know, I am the Gerry Armstrong identified on the Scientology web sites religiousfreedomwatch.com, religiousfreedomwatch.org and religiousfreedomwatch.net. This letter is a demand that you immediately have all references to me removed from these sites.
http://www.religiousfreedomwatch.com/anti-religious-extremists/gerald-armstrong/
http://www.religiousfreedomwatch.org/anti-religious-extremists/gerald-armstrong/
http://www.religiousfreedomwatch.net/anti-religious-extremists/gerald-armstrong/
You and Scientology first published the web pages on your sites that now contain references to me on or about October 20, 2006.
As you know, your Scientology organization junior Joel Phillips is identified as the administrative contact for these three sites, and I am therefore copying this demand to him.
Because of your reported policy and practice of denying receipt of communications that are sent to you directly from your targets and victims, which includes me, I am also copying this demand letter to a number of other Scientology organization personnel and components junior to you in the global Scientology enterprise. In that way, since you control every component of Scientology and direct all organization personnel, and since you require publicly that all personnel report all such communications and situations as mine to RTC, I am prudently doing what is reasonable to reduce or eliminate any temptation you might entertain to delay responding to this demand by pretending you didn't get it. If you say you get it and you'd like to communicate one to one without the whole world having to have every word, that would be fine with me.
The truth, known to you beyond any rational doubt, is that I am not an anti-religious extremist, in any sane meaning of the term. The clear and unlawful reason that you have positioned and labeled me on these sites as an anti-religious extremist is to facilitate my obliteration. Positioning and identifying me as an anti-religious extremist is black propaganda, and done to cause the intended effect for black PR stated in your Scientology scriptures, which you know and enforce.
As you know, I am as far as a person can reasonably get in a lifetime from being an anti-religious extremist. Your libel that I am an anti-religious extremist is particularly hurtful, insane and threatening because you are actively prosecuting a massive, multimillion dollar anti-religious judicial and extra-judicial campaign to suppress and destroy my basic human rights, including, most egregiously, my freedom of religion. Virtually all your juniors in the Scientology religion and organization in every country of the world, including Phillips, participate in this religious persecution campaign against me that you control and direct. As I have often pointed out, you are all contracted legal beneficiaries in your litigation war against me, which is using wog secular courts, agencies and lines of communication to suppress and destroy my religious liberty and the religious liberty of my classes, widely "Suppressive Persons" and narrowly those SPs acting in concert with me I am not arguing that anti-religious extremists do not exist, and indeed I would argue that you yourself are, on a gradient scale of anti-religious extremists, an extreme or extremely anti-religious extremist. I cannot, however, speak for or about all the other people on your sites whom you identify as anti-religious extremists, and I have, as you cannot but know, no way of knowing if some are anti-religious extremists or not. A few of them very well may be anti-religious extremists. Some of them, in fact, may very well be your agents or covert operatives, and included on your sites because perhaps they act the part of anti-religious extremists. You then associate and position me, and whoever else isn't an anti-religious extremist and doesn't act the part, with your actors. I don't know. I do know, however, with complete clarity, that I am not an anti-religious extremist in any sane meaning of the word. I also know, as I said above, that you cannot but know that I am correct, and that you are willfully falsely identifying and labeling me as an anti-religious extremist with manifest malice.
With the understanding that I cannot know if some of the people you identify and classify as anti-religious extremists may be anti-religious extremists, I do know that those I know personally reasonably well, are most certainly, like me, absolutely not anti-religious extremists in any sane meaning of the term. I will also copy these people and suggest that they also protest their being falsely, maliciously and threateningly vilified as anti-religious extremists on your sites, and demand you remove any reference to them. There is, however, no reason for me to take up their cases with you at this time. I know how thoroughly wrong you are about me, and I reasonably extrapolate you being just as wrong about more people around the world, including a significant percentage of the people identified and attacked on your web sites as anti-religious extremists.
As I've documented and demonstrated in several legal proceedings, your Scientology head predecessor L. Ron Hubbard spelled out in your scriptures what you are doing in black PRing me as an anti-religious extremist on your sites, and why you and your Scientology juniors are doing it. In his 1969 directive "Battle Tactics" Hubbard ordered that Scientology and Scientologists are to degrade the images of people like me to beast level, and drive public opinion into a frenzy of hate against us. He ordered that Scientology and Scientologists are then to just go all the way in and obliterate us. You had the "Battle Tactics" scripture reissued in 1987, the year after Hubbard's death, and you had it included in Scientology intelligence training manuals in 1991. You are responsible, Scientology wide, for the enforcement of all scripture, and all application of scriptural directives, including Battle Tactics.
Obviously, the most beastly, degraded image imaginable is of anti-religious extremists. The public hates anti-religious extremists, and hates to be associated with anti-religious extremists. The public accepts that anti-religious extremists are so hateful it's legitimate to attack or pursue them, to cut off their communications, funds and connections, to deprive them of political advantages and power, to raid and harass them, and to take over their possessions and territories. Clearly, by obliteration and by your behavior, you mean me death or physical harm as well as other forms of harm, and consequently I have been at all times and continue to be in physical danger as well as in other forms of danger from you and your juniors and agents. Your hate sites black PRing me as an anti-religious extremist are intended to generate so much public hatred against me that the world cheers when I'm obliterated, and to generate so much hatred against me within your Scientology enterprise that it's a snap getting someone to just go all the way in to do the obliterating.
I recognize that your three hate sites listed above that willfully, wrongly, maliciously and threateningly vilify me as an anti-religious extremist comprise only one weapon system in one channel in a multi-channeled and international campaign to suppress and destroy me. Removing references to me from these sites will not guarantee, or even mean, that you and your juniors have ended your war on me. There are many more actions you and Scientology must take, and other actions you must stop taking, to work toward peacefully ending the Scientology v. Armstrong or Miscavige v. Armstrong war. The corrections and reparations you and Scientology must make are also on multiple channels, and will extend through some time. The first action toward that end, however, which you can do immediately, is to have any reference to me removed from your Internet hate sites.
[...]
Gerry Armstrong
http://www.gerryarmstrong.org
Message ID: j82cm2t0hnfv2pja43b4pvt23uf76jleko@4ax.com
The residents of Leona Valley have done it again. Just released: 183 pages documenting Narconon's lies and extensive history of violations of California ADP (Alcohol and Drug Programs) regulations. A text version of the report is appended below, but to read all the exhibits, go to the web site:
http://Stop-Narconon.org/LeonaValley/credibility
Please have a look at this material and post your favorite excerpts. I hear Exhibit 11 has some juicy stuff.
Dave Touretzky: "This is your brain on Narconon."
http://Stop-Narconon.org http://Narconon-Exposed.org
Narconon Credibility Investigation
Prepared for:
Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors
Appeal Hearing
Conditional Use Permit No. 04-023-(5)
July 25, 2006
Investigation conducted by:
Bouquet Canyon Resident
INVESTIGATION SUMMARY:
On January 4, 2006, Los Angeles County Regional Planning held a CUP (Conditional Use Permit) hearing where Narconon representatives and supporters testified, under oath, regarding the safety and efficacy of the drug and alcohol rehabilitation center to be located on Bouquet Canyon Road. During testimony, Narconon representatives compared their current Warner Springs facility with the proposed Bouquet Canyon Facility. Narconon representatives also told the Regional Planning Commissioners that the comments from some community members who were against the CUP were "wild rumors" and "unfounded."
On January 9, 2006, there was a Town Council Meeting held in Leona Valley where Narconon representatives held a question and answer session for the community members in attendance.
Since much of the information Narconon representatives were providing seemed "too good to be true," an investigation was initiated to determine the validity of the information which was provided to the Regional Planning Commissioners and the community. The investigation consisted of comparing the testimony from the Narconon representatives at the CUP hearing and information provided to the community members at the Town Council meeting with 1,546 pages of documents from the official files from the State of California, Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs. Also, to assist with the investigation, the two audio tapes from the CUP hearing were reviewed and notes taken by the investigator at the Town Council meetings were reviewed. (Note: the Leona Valley Town Council tape records their meetings and the tapes are in their possession for reference.) (Exhibit 1)
The investigation revealed the testimony provided by Narconon representatives to the Regional Planning Commissioners and statements by Narconon representatives at the Town Council Meetings conflicted with official documents from the State of California. Narconon representatives also failed to disclose problems associated with their Watsonville facility, which is also in a rural location. Disclosing this information would have been important to the Regional Planning Commissioners in making their decision on the impact of a Narconon facility in Bouquet Canyon and surrounding communities. Narconon also failed to carry out a directive from the Regional Planning Commission as discussed during the January 4, 2006 hearing to make contact specifically with the residents on Bouquet Canyon Road.
Additionally, it was discovered the Regional Planning Commissioners' conditions cannot be carried out due to logistical and legal restraints in regard to keeping the addicts from leaving the facility or picking them up once they leave the facility. There are also logistical problems regarding the usefulness of a dedicated phone line for the residents.
[...]
--
On November 24, 2006 "David Touretzky" posted:
Here is a 3 minute Quicktime video clip of an interview with Barbara Roy and Linda Orozco, two neighbors of Narconon Newport Beach:
http://Stop-Narconon.org/Newport-Beach/neighbors-interview.mov [video file]
(I could use a transcript of this video if anyone has the time to produce one.)
Following the interview is a clip of sound recorded outside the Narconon Warner Springs facility on June 4, 2006, at 8:05 pm. You can hear yelling and whooping and lots of noise; this is what the neighbors have to endure every night.
Narconon is not a good neighbor.
Message ID: 45668f69$1@news2.lightlink.com
Message ID: 4567c3e1$1@news2.lightlink.com
Twenty-five years ago, while working on the Hubbard biography project, I wrote this dispatch to Cirrus Slevin, then the HCO Cope Officer in the Commodore's Messenger Organization International at the Gilman Hotsprings base. I copied David Miscavige, the Special Project Project Ops. On December 12, I left the Sea Org and Scientology forever. The little fakir didn't take it well.
[Quote]
HCO Cope Officer CMO Int
LRH PA Archivist c/o CECP
25 Nov 1981
cc: Spec Pjt Pjt Ops
cc: Spec Pjt IC
cc: Spec Pjt 2nd (NS)
re: Norman's Report/Biog Research
Dear Cirrus:
re: Norman's Report/Biog Research
Dear Cirrus:
Thank you for showing me Norman Starkey's report on me. I understand his stand and attitude, although some of the statements presented are not totally accurate. I feel too that he missed the main point I was making, as this was not mentioned in his despatch.
I will go over that "main point" then cover the various points Norman touches on in his report.
What I brought up when talking to Norman, and in fact my working basis as a biographical researcher, is to not present anything for publication on LRH which is not known to be fact.
C of S published biographical sketches, copyrighted in LRH's name, have in the past contained a number of easily disprovable claims. These things have been disproved and shot at by various enemies at various times.
I've attached what is in fact a "false report correction" on some of our claims, prepared by an enemy researcher, Michael Linn Shannon. Much of Shannon's material is accurate. The slant he gives the material is entheta. My emphasis, and I think the emphasis we all must give, to the handling of LRH biographical material is accuracy with a theta slant.
If we present inaccuracies, hyperbole or downright lies as fact or truth, it doesn't matter what slant we give them, ifdisproved the man will look, to outsiders at least, like a charlatan. This is what I'm trying to prevent and what I've been working on the past year and a half.
I'm sure you've seen examples of this. Take Kima Douglas. For years she claims to be "registered nurse". And for years she handles LRH's medical needs, apparently successfully. Something happens and it is "found out" that she never was an RN. Kima and all that she did are
-2-
thrown into discredit and she carries her blemish with her. And it doesn't matter even if Kima was better than many certified RN's.
Even in our system it would be severely dealt with if someone pretended certification. Someone claiming to be a Class XII when in fact he had not completed his Academy Levels, or someone claiming to be a C/S when he had only read some HCOBs does not last long. All his work becomes suspect.
It seems to have the effect in people's minds of lessening the stature of not only the person but his work and products when claims he has made, or others have made about him, are debunked.
And that is why I said to Norman that it is up to us to ensure that everything which goes out about LRH is 100% accurate. That is not to say that opinions can't be voiced, they can. And they can contain all the hype you want. But they should not be construed as facts. And anything stated as a fact should be documentable.
We are in a period when "investigative reporting" is popular and when there is relatively easy access to documentation on a person (see Shannon again). We can't delude ourselves I believe, if we want to gain public acceptance and cause some betterment in society, that we can get away with statements, the validity of which we don't know.
The real disservice to LRH, and the ultimate make- wrong is to go on assuming that everything he's ever written or said is 100% accurate and publish it as such without verifying it. I'm talking here about biographical or non- technical writings. This only leads, should any of his statements turn out to be inaccurate, to a make-wrong of him, and consequently, his technology.
[...]
Message ID: mqqhm2p51o9dqh139jrb86aea8a2agtcfs@4ax.com
http://www.buffalobeast.com/110/cult_classic_scientology.htm
Cult Classic
Pseudoscience and Psychedelics in the Church of Scientology
Ian Murphy
"I'm going to invent a religion that's going to make me a fortune. I'm tired of writing for a penny a word."
- L. Ron Hubbard
"If you leave this room after seeing this film, and walk out and never mention Scientology again, you are perfectly free to do so. It would be stupid, but you can do it. You can also dive off a bridge, or blow your brains out; that is your choice." - From the Scientology recruitment film Orientation.
"Hulk want PARTY!!!"
- The Incredible Hulk, upon being denied entrance to the Scientology Halloween party.
First Contact
"Hey! Do you want to watch a free movie?" a spry older woman shouted at my back, pouncing onto the sidewalk at the corner of Virginia and Main. For some time at The BEAST, we’d been toying with the idea of infiltrating The Church of Scientology. Recognizing an opportunity, I turned, cordially introduced myself as "Robert Stevens," and told the woman that a free movie would be "awesome." Smiling broadly, she said her name was Zonnie. I could feel the power of Scientology oozing from her chapped face. I would come to like Zonnie, an ex-choreographer from the west coast who curses abundantly when riled. After some small talk, I was led through an ornate, vaulted lobby to an intimate twenty-seat projection screen theater. Zonnie pushed a few buttons on a wall console and said she’d be back in about half an hour, leaving me alone in blackness. For a moment, panic washed over me as I imagined the room filling with poison gas. Then the movie started.
Accompanied by a frenetic chorus of tortured, synthesized moans, asteroids whirled toward me in the darkness. Planet earth entered the shot, and optimistic music overtook the terrifying cries. What followed resembled nothing more than a poorly produced infomercial for the prolific ravings of an oddly persuasive schizophrenic, with an unnerving emphasis on the Scientology’s legal status as a bona fide, tax-exempt religion. Even after his death, L. Ron Hubbard’s followers parrot his run-of-the-mill delusions of grandeur and persecution at the hands of a grab-bag of the usual shadowy enemies of siege mentality head cases. In fact, all of Hubbard’s gibberings against psychology seem to be nothing more than an elaborate justification for denying his own painfully obvious neuroses.
[...]
But some things don’t change: As the half-hour film approached its conclusion, the pitch man went into hard sell mode, offering the same heaven-or-hell choice religions have offered forever. I was "at the threshold of [my] next trillion years," he said. I could live it "in shivering agonized darkness," or "triumphantly in the light."
Naturally, when the credits began to roll, Zonnie burst in carrying three of the books featured in the film. "What did you think of the movie? Do you have any questions?" she asked, arranging the books to display their titles.
"When do I learn about Xenu?" I asked impatiently. First revealed to the public in a 1991 Time cover story on Scientology and featured in a recent episode of "South Park," the tale of Xenu is a strange one, unless you consider that Hubbard was a pulp sci-fi novelist by trade: 75 million years ago, Xenu, alien ruler of the "Galactic Confederacy," flew billions of frozen alien spirits, or "thetans," to earth in planes resembling the DC-8. The "thetans" were then stacked around volcanoes and blown up with hydrogen bombs. Upper level scientologists are taught this doctrine, and told the scattered "thetans" are the source of man’s troubles, as they cluster around us, and cloud our judgment. They are also told not to talk about it. The reason for this secrecy surrounding Scientology’s core mythology isn’t much of a mystery—it’s just so silly that you’d have to already be completely brainwashed to believe it.
[...]
My budget nearly depleted, there was but one chapter remaining in my adventure into sci-fi cultism: The Scientology Halloween party. I was encouraged by the church members to bring as many friends along as possible. I could only find one "thetan" brave enough to take the challenge.
Down With OT III
"If we’re going to do this," said BEAST staffer Josh Bunting, divvying up a hefty pile of powerful blue-stemmed mushrooms, "we may as well do it right." I couldn’t have agreed more. We choked down the decidedly unsavory psychedelics, rolled a joint, and started talking strategy.
"What do you think?" I asked, donning a latex alien mask and affixing a "Hello, my name is Xenu" sticker to my lapel. Bunting grunted his approval, then pulled an Incredible Hulk mask from a bag and started laughing maniacally. The fungi had begun to take hold. We quickly conceived and executed one last detail, designing and printing a stack of pro-Xenu educational leaflets to distribute at the party [see fact sheet].We had our shtick, and we were out the door.
Traveling on foot, we put on our masks as the church entered sight. There was no evidence of a party. We crept around to the side entrance to see what we could see. A lone receptionist manned a wide desk in front of the elevators. She was not in costume. Her name was Tiffany, a very bone-able specimen I’d meet earlier in the week. We rushed in like kamikaze. "Hi!" she screeched with child-like exuberance, fixing her widened peepers on us and grinning ear to ear. As quickly as her expression reached its exalted apogee it came crashing down in a painful wince as her eyes panned across my nametag. "That’s real funny guys, real cute," she sneered. Pleased by her obvious discomfort, we advanced insidiously on rubbery legs.
"RAAARGH! I’m Xenu!" I growled, fighting uncontrollable tremors and producing the pro-Xenu leaflets from my breast pocket. I handed her one over the desk, and asked where the party was. "Fifth floor," she said curtly. "Is there booze up there?" I inquired. There wasn’t. Though it had been billed as a free party, she claimed there was a $5 cover in an effort to be rid of us. The Incredible Hulk fished through his wallet. I could tell he was getting angry. The scientologists wouldn’t like him when he’s angry. She told us to sign in. My rattled nervous system uncooperative, I made a mark resembling a seismic reading. Tiffany called upstairs and told us we needed to see Teresa’s "really great, really funny costume." I helped myself to the candy dish, and we waited anxiously. Tiffany, meanwhile, wore a shit-eating grin, like she had just told on us and we were about to be grounded.
[...]
Message ID: 1163985078.258642.104780@h54g2000cwb.googlegroups.com
Interesting blog...here's an excerpt
Autism and Scientology
Everybody knows that Scientology has an almost rabid outlook on psychiatry and what they deem psychiatric labels. Its so bad that Xenu-lover John Travolta is allegedly hiding the fact of his son's autism for fear of offending his masters in Scientology.
Scientologists have a natural theoretical affinity with the mercury militia and in particular the DAN! ideology. They are firmly against medication and firmly in favour of 'detoxification' when combined with saunas. The belief is that detoxification 'loosens' the toxins which are then sweated out in intense saunas. Sounds familiar right?
Just like the moonies, scientology has untold business interests in all-natural and CAM based treatments, particularly detoxification treatments. So, when you combine business interests with religious zeal you get people highly motivated to move in on people they target.
Are there any scientologists targeting autism? Oh yes. Scary but true.
There is Nancy Mullan, MD, nutritional psychiatrist and Scientology owned Safe Harbor Medical Director. She attended a conference wherein she:
...reviews one of the most critical nutritional biochemical cycles which, when faulty, can contribute to autism, schizophrenia, depression, and bipolar disorder.
I've also been notified by commenter 'culvercitycynic' that Ms Mullan is also a registered DAN! doctor.
And here's another Scientology front: Narconon Arrowhead. The Medical Director is a man named Gerald D. Wootan - he's also a DAN doctor. Thank you to my anonymous friend who forwarded me that info Then there is Dr. Julian Whitaker who is with the Citizens Commission on Human Rights, established by the Church of Scientology to expose what the church calls psychiatric violations of human rights and who pushes a variety of CAM treatments including chelation . Guess who he's friends with?
a special thanks to some special people - [...] Dr. Julian Whitaker, Dr.Rashid Buttar...
Then there's scientologist David Minkoff who once attended a Defeat Autism Yesterday conference, sharing a platform with Rashid Buttar, DAN! doctor Gunnar Heuser and Erin Giffin of Amy Yasko's practice.
Minkoff is also well regarded by teh folks on Evidence of Harm email list such as MarK Sircus who says of the Scientologist:
...a fine physician...in the chelation and toxicology field like Dr. David Minkoff...
Amazing how far Scientology has managed to insinuate itself into DAN! isn't it? But is that the end of it? Not by a long chalk.
Scientologist husband and wife team Jean Ross and karl Loren are actively marketing Chelation to autism customers
Another scientologist recently made national television in the US.
In 2002, a schizophrenic named Jeremy Perkins visited a Scientologist doctor called Conrad Maulfair at the behest of his Scientologist mother. Maulfair told Jeremy's mother that it wasn't Schizophrenia but in fact high levels of arsenic and metals that were causing Jeremy's issues. Maulfair had to say this as he cannot, by virtue of his belief in Scientology, accept or diagnose a psychiatric reason to explain Jeremy. He recommended chelation. Jeremy's mum decided on her own treatment - also not psychiatry - and then in 2003, in the grip of schizophrenia, Jeremy stabs his Scientologist mother to death.
This scientologist, Dr Conrad Maulfair, is a DAN! Doctor. His failure to correctly diagnose has now led to a death.
[...]
There's also significant Scientology representation amongst the law firms involved the autism/thiomersal litigation. For example, in June 2001 legal firm Baum Hedlund announced a class action lawsuit against thiomersal containing vaccine manufacturers as part of the now defunct Mercury Vaccine Alliance.
Paul Hedlund is described as;
has also been in business with several other Scientologist lawyers, including fellow Slatkin investor George "Skip" Murgatroyd. He and Michael Baum were also both investors with Scientologist ponzi artist Reed Slatkin.
And Michael Baum is described as;
....a former staffer with the Church of Scientology's Guardian Office (the Church's secret service operation that preceded the Office of Special Affairs) and is an Unindicted Co-conspirator for his work on Operation Snow White, the domestic espionage case which sent eleven Scientologists to prison, including L Ron Hubbard's wife.
Its clear to see that Scientology has its claws well into the mercury/thiomersal/chelation/autism community. What that community decides to do about that is a matter for their conscience.
Scientology and Recovery
Last year, Generation Rescue launched a full page advert thanking scientists for their work in establishing a thiomersal/autism connection. Embarrassingly, most of the quoted scientists co-signed a letter stating that their work had essentially been misrepresented.
The background of the advert used the image of a young boy called Baxter Berle who the advert stated was recovered from autism. KNBC News in the US presented a report which contained the following:
So, the school district first diagnosed Baxter and then later removed his diagnosis. What school did Baxter Berle attend at that time? Baxter Berle attended a school called 'The Learning Castle' which is an elementary 'feeder' school for the Renaissance Academy with which it shares a campus (there seem to be about seven separate units on campus all feeding the Renaissance Academy). Here's a little bit of information about the Director of the Renaissance Academy, Ann Hazen;
Renaissance Academy is truly bringing education back to life through the use of a full academic program, athletics, the Arts, a warm and caring staff coupled with the brilliant study and educational philosophies of humanitarian L. Ron Hubbard.
Yup, they're Scientologists too. Here's Ms Hazen's personal site and here's a Scientology official website featuring Ms Hazen.
For the full blog, see here:
http://www.kevinleitch.co.uk/wp/?p=463
--
Read how Cult of Scientology targets minors
http://buffaloscientologyinfo.com/
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http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,20793606-23109,00.html
Wedding a 'Scientology stunt'
By Fiona Hudson in London
November 21, 2006
THE fairytale Italian wedding of Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes has been branded a stunt after the pair admitted they got hitched days before the celebrity bash.
Critics labelled the lavish ceremony a sham intended to promote the Church of Scientology.
Bracciano Mayor Patrizia Riccioni is considering taking back the honorary citizenship she offered the couple before they wed because the small village was so offended by the behaviour of Mr and Mrs Cruise.
"It would have been nice for them to stop and wave," she said.
A Catholic priest in the village, Father Nicola Fiorentini, said the town felt insulted.
"It wasn't a wedding at all. It was just for publicity," he said.
The bride and groom are believed to be honeymooning in the Maldives - joined by best man David Miscavige, who is the head of Scientology in the US.
It has emerged a Scientology adviser sat at every table during the reception at the Odescalchi Castle to answer questions guests had about the unusual ceremony.
Message ID: 1164035619.772214.33540@h54g2000cwb.googlegroups.com
A.r.s. Week in Review is compiled by anonymous critics of CoS for your benefit. This collection is organised for WWW by Andreas Heldal-Lund.
