August 14 in Scientology history

Colombia's National Police is unable to shake controversy over the institution's ties to the Scientology Church. Photos published on policewomen's social media show 22 female officials aboard a Church of Scientology boat in August 2017. The policewomen spent one week aboard the controversial church's vessel 'Freewinds', reported newspaper El Tiempo. On that same ship, Scientology carries out religious training and personal improvement sessions as it tours around the Caribbean islands.

Tags: Carlos Ramiro Mena, Colombia, Freewinds, Guillermo Botero, Jorge Nieto

Tony Ortega today posted a most interesting article on Efrem Logreira, the 75 year old man whom the Church of Scientology clipped for $75,000 in a credit card scheme. Scientology wants to return the $75,000 to Logreira as this scam has blown up in its face. However, Mr. Logreira has been paying crippling amounts of monthly interest on the balance on the cards and therefore demands to recover interest in order to be made whole on the entire amount. Scientology does not appear interested in making Logreira whole and wants to pay only the balance on the credit cards less interest. As we learn in Ortega's story, Scientology's long-time attorney Mr. Moxon presented Mr. Logreira's counsel Graham Berry with the check shown above. This is where the Scientology Money Project is extremely interested as the check posted by Tony Ortega shows the Church of Scientology of Los Angeles Claims Verification Board to have its account with the California Bank & Trust Los Angeles Metro Branch. California Bank & Trust Los Angeles Metro Branch is a subsidiary of Zions Bancorporation, one of America's largest banks. Founded in 1873 by Mormon leader Brigham Young, the Mormon church once owned a majority interest in Zions Bank. Even after selling its interest, CEO Harris Henry Simmons is a Mormon as are many of Zions' employees. Several Zions employees also hold political office in Utah.

Tags: 2005, 2006, 2007, 2011, Brigham Young, California, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, CIA, Claims Verification Board, Clear, Continental Liaison Office, DC, Efrem Logreira, Graham Berry, Jean Huysmans, Los Angeles, Mexico, Mormon, Quicky, Salt Lake City, Tony Ortega, Utah, Zions Bancorporation

Thanks to the tipster who forwarded us pages from the new Impact magazine, we have your mid-year Scientology whale watching update! If you're new around here, we'll catch you up by explaining that every October, Scientology leader David Miscavige recognizes Scientology's biggest donors (we call them "whales") by handing out huge trophies. We usually get photos of that celebration in late January or February, although this year we got them early. Then in June, Miscavige does a smaller mid-year celebration of his whales at the Maiden Voyage week aboard the cruise ship Freewinds in the Caribbean. We have that update for you today. We're always sensitive to small changes in how these honors are presented, and last time, in November, we noticed that the the whales were encouraged to make cute poses with their trophies. That has continued this time, with lots of hamming it up, but with a big difference — no trophies! We don't know why the hardware has been left out of the photos. Were we drawing too much attention to them? Who knows.

Tags: 2006, Adriana Scarpellini, Alfreddie Johnson, American Power and Gas, Andrea Abbate, Atkinson-Baker, Austin, Brandon Marion, Caribbean, Christine Wright, Claire Taylor, Dallas, David Miscavige, Dennis Romeiser, Diamond Excalibur, Diamond Invictus, Diamond Laureate, Diamond Maximus, Diamond Meritorious, Facebook, Ferguson, Florida, Freewinds, Gerhard Lidl, Gold Meritorious, Hans Ruscheweyh, International Association of Scientologists, Irving Sorrentini, Jason Bennick, Jeff Harris, Jim Bridgeforth, Kathy Feshbach, Laura Betterly, Lesley McCaffrey, Lucia Kuo, Maiden Voyage, Marne, Michael Brown, Nola Aronson, Paolo Tucci, Patron Excalibur, Patron Invictus, Patron Laureate, Patron Maximus, Patron Meritorious, Patron with Honors, Photoshop, Pinellas County, Platinum Excalibur, Platinum Invictus, Platinum Laureate, Platinum Maximus, Platinum Meritorious, Rod Keller, Shahab Emrani, Sheri Hamilton, Silver Meritorious, Simone Hafenmayer, Simone Lorenzen, Steve Wu, Susan Wehner, Terri Novitsky, Tom Cummins, Ulrich Katzschmann, Victoria Cummins, Whale

Here is ALL you need to know about the so-called "ideal orgs"... It has NOTHING to do with "expanding scientology" or "servicing the public" or anything other than MAKING MONEY. This guy is not a scientology official. He is not in church management. He is not even on staff in an org.

Tags: Ideal Org, OT, Quicky, Tom Cummins

Tomorrow, Leah Remini and Mike Rinder launch season two of Scientology and the Aftermath with an episode which is going to eclipse everything they've done before. (Yes, we've seen it, and we're going to tell you more about it tomorrow morning.) Once again, social media will be swamped with people expressing shock at what they're seeing on their television screens, and this place will gain curious new onlookers and commenters. But all of that is tomorrow. Today, we figured it would only be fair to give Scientology a turn. Thanks to Rasha, we have a copy of Scientology's new Expansion magazine, and it contained one article that we thought spoke about as well as any other for what Scientology is trying to bring to the world, in its own words.

Tags: Amanda Townsend, Clear, David Miscavige, Going Clear: Scientology, Hollywood, and the Prison of Belief, Grade IV, Humanitarian, Ideal Org, IRS, Kansas City, Leah Remini, Mike Rinder, New Civilization Builder, New York, OT, Quicky, Scientology and the Aftermath

Here is a new pitch from one of the next "ideal orgs." Learn how to recover people. It's a scary prospect.... I can guarantee there are more EX public in this org than there are current public. And that goes for EVERY scientology org on earth except perhaps Taiwan.

Tags: Field Staff Member, Going Clear: Scientology, Hollywood, and the Prison of Belief, Pete Sokoloff, Potential Trouble Source, Quicky, Taiwan

The Emmy-nominated series, Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath, returns for a second season on August 15th at 9P on A&E. #ScientologyTheAftermath Subscribe for more from Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath and other great A&E shows: http://aetv.us/subscribe_ae Find out more about the show and watch full episodes on our site: http://aetv.us/ReminiScientology

Tags: Facebook, Google, Leah Remini, Quicky, Scientology and the Aftermath, Twitter

The show where I answer viewer questions from comments in my Q&A videos or sent to me by email at AskChrisShelton@gmail.com. This week, the questions I take up are: (1) I notice people talk about the Scientology community in Clearwater and Los Angeles. How is the community in NYC and Chicago? The reason I ask is because nobody ever mentions those two major cities in America. The org in NYC is huge and the one in Chicago is like hole in wall that's falling apart. (2) When in the Sea Org, do members continue to do auditing and courses? Or must one first get to OT VIII before joining? If they continue with the auditing and coursework, how do they find the time when they are expected to work very long hours in their job position?

Tags: Chicago, Clearwater, Critic, Los Angeles, New York City, OT VIII, Quicky, Rehabilitation Project Force, Sea Org

Originally Uploaded on Nov 25, 2009 Radio Skidrow continue their fantastic serial analysis on Scientology, in light of Senator Nick Xenophon's recent surprise attack on Scientology in federal Parliament. This time we are given the pleasure of listening to reformed "monster" Aaron Saxton in his brave, honest and eye-opening interview on his experiences in the Sea Org as a CMO officer.

Tags: 2009, Aaron Saxton, Commodore's Messenger Organization, Nick Xenophon, Quicky, Sea Org

Rod Keller keeps an eye on Scientology social media for us, and this week he spotted something he decided to dive into in more depth. Take it away, Rod... On August 7 Scientology held a Purple Heart Day Banquet at the Fort Harrison Hotel in Clearwater, Florida. The Purple Heart is a medal awarded to those wounded or killed in combat in the U.S. armed services. The event was sponsored by CCHR, the Citizens Commission on Human Rights, Scientology's front group that is dedicated to fighting the psychiatric profession. CCHR has an office in Clearwater on a block along with Scientology's other "Fourth Dynamic" groups such as Criminon and The Way to Happiness. In Scientology, the Fourth Dynamic refers to all of humanity, so CCHR exists to foster survival of the human species. This excerpt from the booklet "Clear Expansion Committees" explains how they intend to do this.

Tags: 1940, 1969, 1972, 1982, 2005, AMA, Catholic, CCHR, CCHR Florida, Clear, Clearwater, Clearwater Police Department, Criminon, Diane Stein, Dunedin, Florida, Fort Harrison, Lawrence Wright, New Yorker, Office of Special Affairs, Police, PTSD, Purple Heart, Quicky, Rod Keller, Sea Org, Sebastian Egloff, The Way to Happiness, Thomas Szasz, Vietnam, Violence

The Perseid meteor shower by our brilliant contributor Andy Porter. It has no relevance to this posting. It is simply a beautiful and timely shot. To see more visit his website. Here is how they manufacture "success" stories in scientology... They actually send people a template on what to say!

Tags: Andy Cook, Andy Porter, Quicky, Vladimir Leskov

Courtesy of the Tampa Bay Times series entitled The Truth Rundown. This is a stunning expose of abuse at the top level of the Church of Scientology. Listen to . CNN's Anderson Cooper historic report on the Culture of Abuse inside of the Church of Scientology. This video describes David Miscavige assault and battery . Protesters spontaneously descend on Hollywood Boulevard Scientologists to discuss how cult spokesman Tommy Davis routed out (left the priesthood).

Tags: Abuse, Anderson Cooper, Australia, Bryan Seymour, CNN, Cult, David Miscavige, Hollywood Boulevard, Quicky, Tampa Bay Times, The Truth Rundown, Today Tonight, Tommy Davis

The Center for Inquiry today challenged the Department of Defense's funding of dangerous pseudoscientific experiments on veterans suffering from Gulf War Syndrome. These experiments involve the Church of Scientology's "Purif" detoxifications, a sham treatment based on religious tenets, not science. These experiments not only put desperate veterans' health at risk, but also blatantly violate the separation of church and state. CFI, which advocates for science, reason, and humanist values, will urge the Department to immediately end these experiments and investigate how they were ever approved. Journalist Brandy Zadrozny revealed on August 12 in The Daily Beast that the Department of Defense has paid $633,677 since 2009 to fund the experimental study of a so-called "Purification Rundown," or "Purif," a religiously based "detoxification" regimen invented by Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard — a man with no scientific or medical training whatsoever — as a potential treatment for Gulf War Syndrome (GWS). Involving such risky methods as overexposure to saunas and massive doses of vitamins, Purif programs have in the past also been used by the Church as a recruitment tool, with promises to "remove biochemical factors inhibiting your spiritual freedom."

Tags: Ashton Carter, Brandy Zadrozny, Daily Beast, Gulf War Illness Veterans Research Program, Gulf War Syndrome, Purification Rundown, US Department of Defense

Last month, we scrambled to bring you the story of Brian Sheen. A local television story in Florida had done a story on a man who had made a "civil rights complaint" to the state of Florida about the Church of Scientology denying him access to his daughter, but the story was short on details and somewhat confusing. We interviewed Brian at length to learn his interesting story about having been very involved in Scientology in the early 1970s — he'd even been trained as an auditor on the yacht Apollo while L. Ron Hubbard was running Scientology from it. But then, in the late 1970s, Brian had broken away from Scientology after a bad experience being hit up for money by the organization. Fast forward a few decades, and Brian had found himself suddenly "declared" a "suppressive person" by Scientology after 36 years of having no relationship with the organization. That caused his daughter Springsong, who is still a member, to cut off all ties from him, just months after she had married into one of the most prominent current families in the church. Stunned that he suddenly had no access to his 38-year-old daughter, Brian began trying to find out why Scientology suddenly, after so long, had declared him an enemy.

Tags: 1970, Alan Atkinson-Baker, Apollo, Atkinson-Baker, Bob Duggan, Brian Sheen, California, Disconnection, First Amendment, Florida, Florida Commission on Human Relations, Freewinds, Grant Cardone, International Association of Scientologists, Quicky, Ryan Atkinson-Baker, San Francisco, Sheila Atkinson-Baker, Suppressive Person

Tags: Quicky, Regraded Being

Oh, the "impacting force" of it all... This document, though Quinn the Eskimo apparently doesn't realize it, is a scathing indictment of the scam that is the "ideal org" program. The building was purchased in April 2009. That is more than 5 years ago. Yet this is the highest priority, most urgent thing in the world of scientology. This is, according to Quinn, one of the most important "ideal" orgs on earth, just a couple of miles down the freeway from CSI, ASI, CC, PAC Bridge and Bridge Publications.

Tags: 2009, Author Services Inc, Bridge Publications, Chairman of the Board, Class V, David Miscavige, International Association of Scientologists, Keep Scientology Working, Los Angeles, Quicky, Religious Technology Center

Our readers know that we are huge fans of A Queer and Pleasant Danger, Kate Bornstein's remarkable memoir about her experience in Scientology's "Sea Org" and her later transformation into a nationally-celebrated trans performance artist. Kate's book Gender Outlaw is considered a classic in the field, and she's constantly in demand for speaking engagements at universities. But her many fans were stunned when she announced last year that she had been diagnosed with lung cancer. She raised more than $100,000 in less than a week after breaking the news, an indication of just how much she means to people. She's been through the wringer since then, had a film come about her, and she scared us when she indicated that after some initial success, her cancer had come back.

Tags: 1972, 1982, A Queer and Pleasant Danger, Clear, Foundation for a Drug-Free World, Gender Outlaw, Kate Bornstein, New York, Queens, Quicky, Sea Org

A three-justice panel of the 2nd District Court of Appeal reversed that decision in June 2011, sending the case back to Sohigian to determine whether the church could raise the statute of limitations as a defense. Years after joining the church in Orange County, DeCrescenzo claims she was 12 when she was recruited to join its elite Sea Org, for which she claims to have been initially required to work for daily from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Two more hours a day were later tacked on, she adds. DeCrescenzo says she became pregnant in February 1996, alleging the church persuaded her to abort her fetus to show her allegiance to Sea Org and the long hours. It's an allegation other women have made dating back to Sea Org's operations at sea during the mid-1970s through the opening of the Scientology and Sea Org land base in Hemet.

Tags: Abortion, Bert Deixler, Human trafficking, John Blumberg, Judge Leslie Swain, Judge Richard Rico, Judge Ronald Sohigian, Laura DeCrescenzo, Orange County, Sea Org

Just when you thought it couldn't get cheesier. Give us $10,000 and we will give you a special pin to commemorate the 20th Anniversary of the IAS event. Note, the event was held on 8 October, but the commemorative pin "expires" Thursday 15 August at 2pm! Gimmick much? With this pin, you are being "given the chance" to "be a part of this historic movement." A pin now makes you part of a historic movement? This event was a movement?

Tags: David Miscavige, Fines, Humanitarian, International Association of Scientologists, Membership, Quicky

After we reported last week that the National Council of Churches had filed an amicus brief to the U.S. Supreme Court supporting the Church of Scientology's petition in the forced-abortion lawsuit of Laura DeCrescenzo, at least one member of the NCC has expressed its disapproval. Readers of the Underground Bunker reached out to members of the NCC, and one of those members — the Episcopal Church — reacted by saying it was never informed by the NCC that it was filing the brief, and informed the NCC that it objected to being included. From the details of the amicus brief, it was hard not to conclude that the NCC was unaware that the lawsuit brought by DeCrescenzo is about a 17-year-old girl forced to have an abortion so she could continue to work 100-hour work weeks for pennies an hour in church employment.

Tags: 2012, Abortion, Appeal, Brian Culkin, California, California Supreme Court, Catholic, Facebook, First Amendment, Florida, Laura DeCrescenzo, Legal, Los Angeles Superior Court, Luis and Rocio Garcia, Massachusetts, National Council of Churches, OT, Quicky, Ray Jeffrey, Robert Johnson, Ronald Weil, Tampa, Ted Babbitt, Unification Church, US Supreme Court, Village Voice

Misogyny is described in Wikipedia as follows: Misogyny /m?'s?d??ni/ is the hatred or dislike of women or girls. Misogyny can be manifested in numerous ways, including sexual discrimination, denigration of women, violence against women, and sexual objectification of women. Misogyny has been characterised as a prominent feature of the mythologies of the ancient world as well as various religions. In addition, many influential Western philosophers have been described as misogynistic. Misogyny within Scientology has been so prelavent that Wikipedia's entry on the former includes a section on the latter:

Tags: 1965, A New Slant on Life, Alan Scherstuhl, Baylor University, David Miscavige, Gordon Melton, Quicky, Village Voice, Wikipedia

Three deaths have occurred at the center since October, and the most recent of them, Stacy Murphy, 20, was found on the morning of July 19. A former patient who knew Stacy told us what conditions were like at the center, which uses Scientology's odd "training routines" rather than drug counseling. We also talked to a former employee of the facility who told us about the shaky history of Narconon Arrowhead's certification by the state of Oklahoma. Even before the recent deaths, he told us, officials at the center had worried that its certification was "vulnerable." And now, we have startling information about the connection between Narconon and Scientology itself which, like so many other stories we've explored here, brings us right back to church leader David Miscavige's concentration camp for executives, known as "The Hole."

Tags: 1966, 1968, 1970, 1977, 1980, 1982, 1988, 1989, 1991, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2010, ABLE, Abortion, Applied Scholastics, Arizona, Arrowhead Lodge, Arthur Maren, BBC, Bill Benitez, Bob Lobsinger, California, Celebrity Centre, Chris Owen, Claire Headley, Clearwater, Criminon, David Miscavige, E-meter, Facebook, FBI, Flag Mecca, Florida, Freedom Medal Winner, Gary Soter, Georgia, Guardian's Office, Henning Heldt, Hollywood, Int Base, International Hubbard Ecclesiastical League of Pastors, IRS, Jeff Pomerantz, John Brousseau, Kirstie Alley, L. Ron Hubbard, Los Angeles, Marc Headley, Marty Rathbun, Mary Sue Hubbard, Mental Health, Michigan, Mike Rinder, Narconon, Narconon Arrowhead, Narconon Chilocco, Narconon death, NBC, Neil Gaiman, Newkirk Herald Journal, Oklahoma, Ponca, Quebec, Religious Technology Center, Rena Weinberg, Riverside County, Rock Center, Sea Org, Snow White Program, South Africa, Stacy Murphy, Super Power, Super Power Building, The Hole, The Master, The Way to Happiness, Tom Cruise, Touch Assist, Tulsa World, Volunteer Ministers, Washington, Watchdog Committee, WISE

Stacy Murphy was like any other young woman her age. The pretty blonde, who was 'loved by everyone', was a cheerleader, went to church regularly and had dreams of being a vet. But the 20-year-old died last month while she was a patient at Narconon Arrowhead in Oklahoma, the home of Scientology's drug treatment program.

Tags: 1966, 2005, ABLE, Africa, Ally, Ashtrays, Australia, Brian Williams, Celebrity, Europe, Gabriel Graves, Gary Smith, Hillary Holton, John Travolta, Kirstie Alley, Melbourne, Narconon, Narconon Arrowhead, Narconon International, NBC, Niacin, Oklahoma, Quicky, Robert Murphy, Rock Center, Russia, Scott Miller, Stacy Murphy, Texas, Tom Cruise, Village Voice

Narconon claims it is a non-medical rehabilitation program with around 150 patients, one of whom - Stacy Murphy, top right - died whilst being treated there, sparking a police investigation into the program.

Tags: 1966, 2005, ABLE, Africa, Ally, Ashtrays, Australia, Brian Williams, Celebrity, Europe, Gabriel Graves, Gary Smith, Hillary Holton, John Travolta, Kirstie Alley, Melbourne, Narconon, Narconon Arrowhead, Narconon International, NBC, Niacin, Oklahoma, Robert Murphy, Rock Center, Russia, Scott Miller, Stacy Murphy, Texas, Tom Cruise, Village Voice

by Mike Rinder To hear Miscavige tell it, Scientology is expanding like never before. "10X expansion in the last decade than in the 50 previous years" etc etc. Of course, there are no new orgs in decades, but that gets fudged over with the A=A=A of new building=new orgs. And never mind the fact they are empty.

Tags: 1997, 2006, 2008, Applied Scholastics, Bennetta Slaughter, Clearwater, Daily News, Dan Sherman, David Miscavige, David Slaughter, Google, International Association of Scientologists, Isaac Hayes, Lisa Marie Presley, Lisa McPherson, Memphis, Mission, Mission Network, Quicky, St. Louis, Tennessee

by Mike Rinder To hear Miscavige tell it, Scientology is expanding like never before. "10X expansion in the last decade than in the 50 previous years" etc etc. Of course, there are no new orgs in decades, but that gets fudged over with the A=A=A of new building=new orgs. And never mind the fact they are empty.

Tags: 1997, 2006, 2008, Applied Scholastics, Bennetta Slaughter, Clearwater, Daily News, Dan Sherman, David Miscavige, David Slaughter, Google, International Association of Scientologists, Isaac Hayes, Lisa Marie Presley, Lisa McPherson, Memphis, Mike Rinder, Mission, Mission Network, Quicky, St. Louis, Tennessee

To touch the end of time To walk with the sublime To dance to the mystique

Tags: Grade II, Quicky

In less than a year Scientology will move its Sea Org members to this new compound near Orangeville, ON north of Toronto. Construction of a perimeter fence has already begun, and the once open entrance is now locked. The former retreat is being transformed into a prison.

Tags: AOSH Canada, Orangeville, Quicky, Sea Org, Toronto

The Mentos commercial that the Church of Scientology doesn't want you to see. To learn more about why some Scientology protesters wear masks to conceal their identities, read about Scientology's policies for attacking critics, like in their criminal plan "Operation Freakout":

Tags: Anonymous, Chicago, Operation Freakout, Video

When I worked as Legal Executive at Author Services Inc in the mid eighties, most nights I drove across Hollywood from the office to the complex after 1 a.m. One night I noticed a man beating the shit of out of a woman just off Sunset Blvd. I pulled my car over and approached the man rather aggessively. He back peddled rapidly. I then approached the woman and asked her if she was all right. As she began to speak, the man butted in from several yards away, "you talk to him bitch, and I will kill you!" I turned and told the guy to shut his mouth and asked the woman again,adding "you need help getting home?" She looked up fearfully at the man that had just pumelled her then looked at the side walk and said to me, "you just gonna have to get the fuck out of here cracker, just leave me alone." I noticed the man smirking. I recognized I had intervened between a pimp and one of his employees and the employee made it clear she wanted to remain connected to a very real and present source of suppression. Only then did I drive home. Was I wrong to suggest the woman perhaps disconnect from the pimp, if even for the evening? Some people who opt to throw the Scientology baby out with the bathwater have effectively, and assertively suggested as much to me. I have got some idiots running a campaign against me because I don't choose to listen to their abusive, infantile comm. Comm that clearly has no other objective than to enturbulate. I happen to agree with LRH's observation that with the First Amendment freedom to speak comes the corollary right not to receive communication one is not interested in receiving. It is not only LRH who suggests it. The US Supreme Court has recognized that the First Amendment includes a right to privacy component. Don Migel Ruiz (The Four Agreements) suggests that for spiritual growth it is wise not to communicate with entheta merhants. He calls it those who traffick in black magic.

Tags: Author Services Inc, David Miscavige, Disconnection, First Amendment, Hollywood, L. Ron Hubbard, Legal, Quicky, Suppressive Person, US Supreme Court

L Ron Hubbard, founder of the ridiculous Scientology cult, shows just how out there he really is as he describes his time on Venus.

Tags: L. Ron Hubbard, Quicky, Venus

It's not easy being police chief. Ask Sid Klein, who's served as Clearwater's top cop for nearly 30 years. He'll tell you how it is. "I've learned to be a good politician, but how to stay out of politics," said Klein, who announced Thursday he will retire in January. "I've had to sharpen my claws a few times. I've been scratched and bit a few times." Klein, 67, has seen a lot of people come and go during his time as Clearwater's police chief. He's served five mayors and countless City Council members. Interestingly enough, he's also stayed in place through a parade of chiefs in Tampa Bay's two biggest cities — Tampa and St. Petersburg — and nearby Largo. He's shaped a growing police force, changing it to suit the times. For Klein through the years, it's a ride to be remembered. By the numbers with Sid Klein Money

Tags: 1959, 1962, 1963, 1970, 1978, 1981, 1985, 1993, 2000, 2010, Clearwater, Clearwater Police Department, Largo, Police, Quicky, Sid Klein, St. Petersburg, Tampa

This Scientology tract features a photo of the world's religious icons, from Muhammad to Jesus to Moses to Confucius (?) standing in awe beneath an usher who also happens to be a Scientologist and is therefore the most powerful God. Kansas City's alt-weekly The Pitch has the scans, and points out that depicting Muhammad is something of a no-no in certain parts of the Islamic world, especially when he's clearly depicted as subordinate to some guy in a blazer. Shouldn't Scientologists know better than anyone what can happen when you screw around with violent, angry, religious zealots who brook no dissent and will stop at nothing to defend their twisted authoritarian cult?

Tags: Muhammad

As we pointed out in yesterday's Studies in Crap post, the hilariously titled promotional pamphlet "Scientology: Something CAN Be Done About It" features a doozy of a photo-illustration guaranteed to offend, say, three-fourths of the world's religious believers. It presents the great leaders of religious history, from Buddha to Christ, all lined up evolution-chart style beneath a dinner-jacketed Scientologist wielding his oversized official handbook. The implication: All of religious history has been building to this schmo measuring your thetans.

Tags: Bogus, Buddha, Holocaust, Jesus Christ, Mohammad

As we pointed out in yesterday's Studies in Crap post, the hilariously titled promotional pamphlet "Scientology: Something CAN Be Done About It" features a doozy of a photo-illustration guaranteed to offend, say, three-fourths of the world's religious believers. It presents the great leaders of religious history, from Buddha to Christ, all lined up evolution-chart style beneath a dinner-jacketed Scientologist wielding his oversized official handbook. The implication: All of religious history has been building to this schmo measuring your thetans.

Tags: Bogus, Mohammad

They run summer camps for children and teach them all about love, modesty, and safe sex. They even hand out awards. Yet, it turns out that behind the volunteers of the Association for Prosperity and Security in the Middle East stands the disputed Scientology sect. Association members insist they are not missionaries. "Our aim is to teach values," they say. The surprised parents are not convinced. "How come they run such activities without even asking us?"

Tags: Israel, The Way to Happiness, Youth for Human Rights International

"Scientology conjures up such negative images that it looks suspicious," said Setta, who appeared on National Public Radio's "On Point" program on WBUR last month to talk about the religion. "If the Episcopal Church had a tutoring program in Dorchester, no one would worry about it. The assumption is that they [Scientologists] are doing something for an ulterior motive, that there is something sinister. That's a problem for them."

Tags: Joe Onujiogu, Robert Castagna, Volunteer Ministers

The church now has 565 hotel rooms in and near downtown Clearwater. In a typical week, about 1,300 visiting Scientologists from around the world lodge there while receiving spiritual counseling and training. The newest expansions at the Sandcastle retreat and the Osceola Inn are part of a construction boom that marks Scientology's fastest period of growth in Clearwater since it arrived in 1975. Construction continues on the massive $50-million Flag Building downtown slated to open in March 2003.

Tags: 1975, 1998, 2003, Clearwater, Cleveland Street, Flag Building, Fort Harrison, Jim Damaske, Mike Rinder, Osceola Inn, Real estate, Sandcastle, Super Power, Tom DeVocht

The sect, La Citadelle, made the headlines when its activities came to light in 1988, exposing heart-rending cases of brutality that fuelled public demands for a crackdown on fringe religious groups. That mood, spurred by scandals involving the Church of Scientology, culminated in new laws this year that place sects under tight official scrutiny.

Tags: France, La Citadelle, New Zealand

After more than seventeen years of litigation, Lawrence Wollersheim knows that talk isn't cheap -- not when you"re talking to lawyers and your life's work happens to involve badmouthing the Church of Scientology. But the price of silence is even higher. Too high, in Wollersheim's estimation, which is why he says he walked away from an alleged settlement offer by the church that would have netted him and a few colleagues $12 million in exchange for abandoning their crusade against Scientology.

Tags: alt.religion.scientology, alt.scientology.war, Arnaldo Lerma, Bob Penny, Cult Awareness Network, FACTNet, Graham Berry, Judge John Kane, Lawrence Wollersheim, Michael Flynn, Mike Rinder, Religious Technology Center

The Church of Scientology of Toronto has received "considerable" financial assistance from its U.S.-based "mother church" and should be able to pay a $1 million fine despite a plea of poverty, a crown attorney says. James Stewart is seeking a fine of at least $1 million for the church. He suggested jail terms of six months for church "case officer" Jacqueline Matz and of 30 to 90 days for Scientology "plants" Janice Wheeler and Donald Whitmore. Stewart revealed yesterday that one of the mortgages, worth almost $3 million (U.S.), is owed to the U.S.-based Scientology International Reserves Trust.

Tags: Canada, Donald Whitmore, Jacqueline Matz, James Stewart, Janice Wheeler, Mortgage, Ontario, Scientology International Reserves Trust, Snow White Program, Toronto

NEW YORK -- By now there are so many cases -- each encompassing so many details of symptoms and injuries, medical histories, hospital records or coroners' reports -- that Leonard Finz's law firm has had to design a new computer database solely to keep track of its Prozac clients. Finz's associate Jerrold Parker, jabbing at the keyboard of his desktop computer, calls up a few examples. Here's the very first lawsuit, filed a year ago, after which "we became almost a national registry, the clearinghouse for Prozac," Finz likes to say. Rhonda Hala, a secretary in a Long Island public school, sought treatment for depression after a back injury necessitated a series of hospitalizations, Parker says, reading from his computer screen. Her doctor prescribed Prozac, the world's most widely used antidepressant. Hala subsequently slashed her body with razors and scissors and made six suicide attempts. Shortly after her doctor discontinued the drug, "the suicidal thoughts and self-destructive actions went away," Parker says. Compensatory and punitive damages sought: $150 million. Here's Robert Ackley of Johnstown, N.Y. Forty-one, married, a family man who was prescribed Prozac in 1989 because of depression associated with "job-related stress," the computer discloses. "Within a very short period of time, he went on a circuitous route to a distant bridge in the mountains of Upstate New York, jumped off and killed himself," Parker summarizes. Compensatory and punitive damages sought by Ackley's widow: $165 million.

Tags: 1969, 1984, 1988, 1989, 1990, American Psychiatric Association, Boulder, California, CCHR, Chicago, Eli Lilly, FDA, Hospital, Japan, Larry King, Lawyer, Legal, Long Island, Manhattan, Massachusetts, Medical, National Mental Health Association, New York, Newsweek, Pennsylvania, Peter Dockx, Prozac, Psychiatric treatment, Researcher, Scientology: The Cult of Greed, South Carolina, Time magazine, Trial, USA Today, Washington

NEWKIRK (AP) A hearing in which the state of Oklahoma will seek a temporary injunction against a drug treatment center operated by Narconon has been delayed until Sept. 7, officials said Monday. The hearing had been scheduled for today in Kay County District Court. District Attorney Joe Wideman claims the Chilocco New Life Center is treating patients without a state license. Narconon officials have said they intend to seek state certification, although they claim certification is not required because the center is on Indian trust land.

Tags: Joe Wideman, Kay County District Court, Narconon, Narconon Chilocco, Oklahoma, Tribal sovereignty

A hearing in which the state will seek a temporary injunction against a drug treatment center operated by Narconon has been delayed to Sept. 7, officials said Monday. The hearing had been scheduled for Tuesday in Kay County District Court.

Tags: Joe Wideman, Kay County District Court, Narconon, Narconon Chilocco, Tribal sovereignty

The Rev. W.S. Craig, pastor of the Apostolic United Pentecostal Church in St. Petersburg, says he has gone for 31 years without having to justify his church's tax-exempt status to county officials. "And after 31 years," he said, "they want to know about our finances, our church structure. They're infringing on our rights as a religion." Pinellas Property Appraiser Ron Schultz counters that he's merely trying to enforce the tax laws. Craig blamed Schultz's attitude on his long-running battle with the Church of Scientology in Clearwater. Each year since 1982, the Scientologists have sought an exemption, and Schultz has denied it. "The Church of Scientology of California Inc. was the first instance in my term of office where I found an institution calling itself a church that the courts agreed was not a not-for-profit institution," Schultz said.

Tags: 1982, 1986, Arbitration, Church of Scientology of California, Clearwater, Hernando County, Pasco County, Pinellas County, Property tax, Ron Schultz, Spring Hill, St. Petersburg, Vietnam, W.S. Craig

Craig blamed Schultz's attitude on the property appraiser's long-running battle with the Church of Scientology in Clearwater. Each year since 1982, the Scientologists have sought an exemption and Schultz has denied it. Schultz said Craig's statement is partly true. "The Church of Scientology of California Inc. was the first instance in my term of office where I found an institution calling itself a church that the courts agreed was not a not-for-profit institution," he said. After that 1981 case, he said, "I instituted subjecting all corporations to that scrutiny."

Tags: 1981, 1982, Christian, Church of Scientology of California, Clearwater, Cleveland, Florida, Florida Bar, Ron Schultz, St. Petersburg, Taxes, W.S. Craig

Our only regret is that you . . . mistook the publisher's synopsis in the book to be the opinion of the author. Los Angeles, while giving dianetics an excellent reception, is not entirely informed as to the science. Secondly, you would seem to make me over-evaluate dianetics in my own opinion. In 50 years a valid opinion as to what dianetics is doing or can do for the whole society may be expressed: I doubt anyone would be foolish enough to express such a wild enthusiasm about his own work, and I do not ...

Tags: L. Ron Hubbard