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

Volume 7, Issue 22 - September 1 2002



Clearwater

A letter to the editor of the St. Petersburg Times on August 27th criticized the building of the Super Power building in downtown Clearwater, Florida. "Aren't we lucky. Scientology's largest facility in the world. Right here in Clearwater. As the article says, an unmistakable presence. In reality it is the last nail in Clearwater's coffin. This building is a monstrosity. It has scarred Clearwater's skyline. "Yes, people stare at the building, not because of the architecture but because of the evil it represents. Can you imagine how many lives and families were ruined to pay for this building? "Real churches, such as Peace Memorial Presbyterian Church, feel intimidated. That is what the cult does. They are not a real church so they make a structure that intimidates. Even the cult calls it a 'super power building,' not a church. Real churches inspire warmth and reverence to invite someone to worship. The cult instead shows off its wealth and opulence. It doesn't invite, it repulses. - David Rodman, Dunedin" Message-ID: FvIa9.99$AJ5.11560@news2.voicenet.com

Edmonton

The Edmonton Journal reported on August 30th that a government project to revitalize Edmonton, Canada has paid for repairs to the Scientology org. "An initiative to rejuvenate the faded east downtown is running out of time to spend $75,000 of the province's money with little to show for the $150,000 the effort has already spent. With just 31/2 months left in the three-year mandate of the Jasper East Village project, there's a risk the revitalization project will fail to spend a third of its $225,000 budget. "The Edmonton initiative boasts two major street-front restorations after almost three years when at least eight or 10 might have been expected, Conley said Thursday. Architect David Murray, who has worked on the Jasper East Village project since the beginning, said talks are still underway to restore the historical facades of two more buildings on 97th Street, although the province may have to agree the work can be completed next year. Murray said one prospect is the vacant building just south of the Fix & Smith law office and the other is home to National Cappuccino & Pasta. "He also cited two examples of smaller accomplishments: The program cost-shared a sign and canopy for the Edmonton Community Loan Fund when it had an office on 97th Street. Unfortunately, the company moved and took the sign and canopy. The Church of Scientology, also on 97th Street, got assistance with a new sign and offered to do street-front repairs." Message-ID: 6x2c9.160$AJ5.17623@news2.voicenet.com

Relational Disorders

The Washington Post reported on September 1st that the proposal to identify Relational Disorders as a form of mental illness is being criticized, in part because of the anticipated opposition of Scientology. "Some of the nation's top psychiatrists are advocating the creation of an entirely new category of mental illness that could profoundly alter the practice of psychiatry and result in tens of thousands of families being diagnosed with a psychiatric disorder. In a monograph being circulated by the American Psychiatric Association (APA), the doctors recommend that a category called 'Relational Disorders' be added to the next edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM), which is the psychiatric profession's official guide for defining emotional and mental illnesses. "This new type of disorder would identify sickness in groups of individuals and in the relationships between them. This is a profound conceptual shift from the medical model of psychiatry, in which illnesses are diagnosed solely in individuals. The psychiatrists calling for the creation of a 'Relational Disorders' category are led by Michael First of Columbia University, editor of the previous edition of the psychiatry manual, and David Reiss of George Washington University. They and others say that troubled relationships are the reason many people seek psychiatric help and that improving those relationships can lift people out of depression, improve cardiac and immune system functioning and even heal wounds faster. "Several psychiatrists oppose the move, portending a clash that could last for months or years - doctors are still in the early planning stages for the next edition of the manual. Some worry that the new category of disorders would fuel fears that psychiatrists are inventing disorders as a backdoor way to fix social problems. "'You can take road rage as a relational disorder. It's a relationship between the person and traffic,' said Bedirhan Ustun, a doctor with the World Health Organization. Robert Spitzer, a previous editor of the manual, said the new category would give fresh ammunition to critics of psychiatry, such as the Church of Scientology. 'There are Scientologists on the street making fun of our diagnoses,' he told First, referring to critics outside the meeting halls who spun a roulette wheel to offer passersby a psychiatric diagnosis. 'It's one thing to call something a problem. But to call it a disorder is to move away from the medical model.'" Message-ID: fJpc9.180$AJ5.18968@news2.voicenet.com

Tom Padgett

Arnie Lerma reported on September 1st that Tom Padgett has been arrested while waiting for his son to arrive for court ordered visitation. Tom has been fighting his ex-wife, a Scientologist, over visitation and alleged non-payment of support. "He was arrested last night at the Providence, RI airport where he was supposed to meet his son for visitation. He was arrested by a swarm of cops and then was taken to Warwick RI jail. I believe this for a 'failure to appear' charge against Mr. Padgett in Madison Kentucky, about a matter that was overturned on appeal, but is being used by his ex-scientology-wife to destroy him and his relationship with his son." "Tom said that the RI police said they received so many faxes to go after him that they thought he was Kentucky's 'most wanted criminal.' Other charges have been added besides the failure to appear, one being flagrant non-support. I believe that Kentucky will be there Tuesday morning with a governor's warrant to drag him back down there." Message-ID: 3d716be4.255067219@news.verizon.net Message-ID: 3d71a645.270014357@news.verizon.net


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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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