Presenting Rod Keller's
Alt.religion.scientology Week in Review

Volume 7, Issue 16 - July 21 2002


Narconon

The Battle Creek Enquirer reported on July 19th that Scientology is planning a new Narconon program in Battle Creek, Michigan. "Renovation efforts are in full swing at Narconon Stone Hawk, a drug rehabilitation center on St. Mary's Lake, after its owners overcame community objections and satisfied zoning requirements. The residential treatment center was expected to open in August, but owners Kate and Per Wickstrom moved the opening date to mid-September to accommodate further renovation." Message-ID: 3D388C9B.9040408@voicenet.com

Turncoats

Deseret News reported on July 20th that Scientology planned a lecture in Salt Lake City, Utah on turncoats. "The Church of Scientology's lecture Sunday, July 21, at 11 a.m. will focus on 'What to do when a team member has taken on the colors of enemy?' The public is welcome to this service." Message-ID: kl0jjusk0hk474kthn9obbhr3pg0b4js6p@4ax.com

Drug Free Marshals

The Times newspaper in Gary, Indiana reported on July 19th that Scientology held a Drug Free Marshals event at a local Independence Day celebration. "The Drug-Free Marshals were on hand at the Harvey 4th of July celebration held at Gloria J. Taylor Park. Kids were invited to sign the 7-point Drug-Free Marshals Pledge and make a promise to themselves to live their lives free of drugs and to help friends and families do the same. "Sponsored by the Church of Scientology International, the Drug-Free Marshals have become a familiar sight at Gloria J. Taylor, participating for the past four years in such events as Gospel in the Park, the annual Halloween Party, and Dells Day. 'The kids are always eager to sign the pledge and receive their official Drug-Free Marshals badge, and many stop by year after year to renew the promise they have made to create a bright future for themselves,' stated Sue Strozewski, regional director for the program. "The Drug-Free Marshals are sponsoring a regional essay and poster contest throughout the states of Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin. Children between the ages of 7 and 14 are invited to write an essay, compose a song or draw a picture based on the theme, 'How I can help create a drug-free community.' "Drug-Free Marshals will participate in the Ingalls Hospital and Harvey Park District Kids Fest and Flea Market on July 27, and will again be in attendance at Gloria J. Taylor Park for Gospel in the Park on August 17." Message-ID: 3D39556D.8050209@voicenet.com

Protest Summary

Keith Henson reported a protest at the Toronto, Canada org on July 14th. "Gregg was in his spiel about Scn committing criminal acts and our new thing about the tax scam. Gregg was on a roll, 'Scientology is a criminal organization full of criminal people committing criminal acts like criminal harassment. Isn't that right Bobby Hill?' "Bobby turns around and comes back toward Gregg and points at Gregg and says,' Don't harass me personally.' Gregg says 'I can talk to you, I've got tape you harassing me all the time.' "Gregg now turns to address 3-4 curious bystanders one of whom reaches for a flyer. 'That's scientology's way of handling critics, they lie to the police. I have them on hours of tape surrounding me on the sidewalk, trying to drive me into the street, screaming and yelling at me insulting me, my wife and my family, my relatives, insulting the clothing I am wearing.' "The first officer contacts Gregg. There is a long rap about the long involved history of Scientology harassing Gregg, his family, friends, fellow picketers, employers, etc. A female officer, starts talking to Gregg. She proceed to try to intimidate Gregg by claiming that any member of a religious could commit any libel, defamation, assault, etc upon a critic and that was just fine, but the critic would be guilty of a hate crime if he talked to one of them about their criminal conduct or the criminal conduct of their organization. Gregg made a mockery of that unique interpretation and she was reduced to threatening Gregg with arrest for disturbing the peace. "Gregg blew off her threats and the officer then informed Gregg that he was cautioned about his 'hate crimes' activity and that caution was going into her incident report. Gregg's reply was to caution her in return about misinterpretation of the law, charter rights, and taking the unsupported word of lying street scum like Bobby Hill The first officer didn't say much but was trying to call her attention to the camera focused on her. He finally got her attention. "We learned later from contact inside the police ranks that this officer, once she realized she was on video tape while threatening Gregg, had finally consulted informed agents about the nature of the criminal cult's tactics, reputation and absolute hysteria about peaceful picket. Gregg was assured that his actions were entirely within the law - and Gregg as the videotape to prove it. Despite the hubbub or maybe because of it, we gave out about 100 of the new flyers and 50 Xenu flyers." Message-ID: 3d363147.449195602@news2.lightlink.com

Russia

The Associated Press reported on July 18th that Scientology has won a case in Russia in which the Justice Ministry was attempting to disband the organization. "The Church of Scientology's Russian branch won a legal victory Thursday when the Moscow City Court upheld a lower court's ruling allowing the group to continue operating in Russia. Authorities in the Justice Ministry had sought to shut the group down based on a widely criticized 1997 religion law that requires all religious groups to register with Russian authorities. "A Moscow district court dismissed the ministry's request in May, arguing that liquidating a religious organization that doesn't pose a threat to public order is a violation of freedom of religion. The Church of Scientology said it has tried to register eight times since 1998, but was either ignored or met with refusals. In Russia, the church has 200,000 members and 73 centers." From the BBC on July 18th: "The Moscow department of the Russian Justice Ministry is unlikely to file any more suits to liquidate the Church of Scientology, Anton Lychkin, the president of the Moscow Church of Scientology, told Ekho Moskvy radio. The Church asked the Justice Ministry for re-registration more than once, but all our applications were ignored so we had to address them again and again. Another application submitted by us is considered now, Lychkin said." From Pravda on July 20th: "The Moscow Church of Scientology president, Anton Lychkin said, 'I am very glad that we have won, though it is not only the victory of scientologists; this also signifies religious freedom in Russia.' "The head of sect department at the St. Tikhon Orthodox Institute, Alexandr Dvorkin stated that the Justice Ministry had intended to deprive the Moscow church of Scientology of registration for formal reasons: this organization had not completed the necessary documents in proper time. However, the organization's lawyers managed to settle this question in legal form in favour of the organization. "According to Dvorkin, there are [Scientology] groups that have a medical, scientific, or educational status. They have different names: Hubbard-College, Dianetics Center, etc. Scientologists use different masks, hiding behind other organizations created by them. 'Sometimes, it is difficult to identify them from the name of the organization. For example, in the city of Nizhny Novgorod, there is an organization called Zemlyane (Inhabitants of the Earth), registered as a financial and industry group which, according to the local press, has already put under its control the biggest part of the city and of the region.' "The St. Iriney of Leon Center reports that in Ukraine, an officially registered party called The Party of the Seriously Ill Rehabilitation (PRTU) is connected with Scientologists. According to the experts of the center, this could be seen at least from the program of the party, which promises to Ukrainian citizens topazes and making them almost the richest people and turning Ukraine into a world leader. This sounds like a speech of Ron Hubbard." Message-ID: 3D378622.90104@voicenet.com Message-ID: 3D3786DD.6060806@voicenet.com Message-ID: 3D380EB6.5060300@voicenet.com Message-ID: 3D3957B5.8060409@voicenet.com


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A.r.s. Week in Review is put together by Rod Keller © This collection is organised for WWW by Andreas Heldal-Lund. Only edits done by me is replacing word encapsuled in * or _ with bold and underscore, and made links into HTML.


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