SCIENTOLOGY: NO RIGHTS, PLEASE

pagesix ^ | 09/04/03 | P6

[Pikamax]

TOM Cruise, John Travolta, Lisa Marie Presley, Kirstie Alley, Juliette Lewis and other Scientologists may have signed away many of the rights that most Americans take for granted. As they move up into the higher levels of the Church of Scientology, members sign documents giving up their right to psychiatric care and to see their families.

[Petronski]

Instead, the Scientologists are subjected to the "Introspection Rundown," an "intensive, rigorous Religious Service that includes being isolated from all sources of potential spiritual upset, including but not limited to family members, friends or others."

Also known as "the Full McPherson."

[Centurion2000]

Is it true that he started it on a bet?

Pretty close.

[syriacus]

[Clearwater] Police work for Scientology

St. Petersburg Times. St. Petersburg, Fla.: Mar 22, 2001.  pg. 14.A Abstract (Article Summary)

Pinellas-Pasco Circuit Judge Thomas Penick, who has the unenviable task of refereeing sidewalk skirmishes between the Church of Scientology and anti-Scientology protesters in Clearwater, recently pointed to an arrangement that allows off-duty Clearwater cops to work for Scientology and noted, "They are coming very dangerously close to becoming a private security force for the Church of Scientology."

The situation seems bizarre to observers who know that since the church moved into Clearwater under a false identity in the 1970s, the relationship between Scientology and the Clearwater Police Department has been cool at best, outwardly hostile at worst. The police gathered intelligence on Scientology for years, amassing an enormous investigative file. The church struck back by writing attack pieces about the police, printing them in Scientology publications and throwing them on residents' lawns. The relationship worsened after the suspicious death of church member Lisa McPherson in a Scientology hotel and the arrival of the Lisa McPherson Trust, which is organized and operated out of downtown offices by Scientology critics. Copyright Times Publishing Co. Mar 22, 2001

[syriacus]

Hubbard's 1975 plan was to find "dirt" on local officials in Clearwater order to control them.

From Bare-faced Messiah, p. 337

The aim of `Project Power' was to `establish the indispensability of United Churches' in the community and the means of achieving the objective involved classic Hubbardian strategy.

`The overall plan is to locate opinion leaders -- then, their enemies, the dirt, scandal, vested interest, crime of the enemies (with overt data as much as possible). Then turn this over to UC [United Churches] who will approach the opinion leader and get his agreement to look into a specific subject (which will lead to the enemies' crimes). UC then "discovers" the scandal, etc, and turns it over to the opinion leader for his use. Ops [operations] can be done as a follow up to remove or restrain the enemy.'

Anyone who wants to read Bare-Faced Messiah can find it online.

There is a good index for the book (google-cache page takes a while to load).

[syriacus]

Deaths associated with scientology

[Revolting cat!]

Many incarnations ago I actually followed one of their street recruiters to one of their, uhm, cathedrals. The moment I saw a pair of those used dog food aluminum cans I burst out laughing. It was dowhill from there (from their point of view - I was having a blast!)

[TomB]

I just love looking at that completely vapid expression on Travolta's face. You can tell from that expression that the auditor could tell him he was a seven foot tall, 300 pound, black ballerina (um, male), and he'd easily believe it.

Give old L. Ron credit though. It's a GREAT scam. Creating a "religion" to prey on the rich, stupid among us.

[callmemrpurpose]

I cannot believe how utterly offending and prejudice most of these posts are. I thought this site was edged towards "conservatism" but I have been disabused of that notion.

Most of the statements are generalities and obviously bias. And, to say that scientology "preys" on the rich is a bit silly if you really know the religion and the people in it.

If you are against the church of scientology for receiving support in the form of money, paid willingly by it's people, then why not feel the same about the christian church or any other church or for that matter? They all receive money from their people. I am baffled by this.

I can tell you now that I was drawn towards "conservatism" because I thought that people actually believed in what it was about but this whole string of posts gives me something else to consider.

I think I'll just remain independent.

[Right Wing Professor]

I cannot believe how utterly offending and prejudice most of these posts are. I thought this site was edged towards "conservatism" but I have been disabused of that notion.

Methinks we have a clam infestation.

[TomB]

I cannot believe how utterly offending and prejudice most of these posts are. I thought this site was edged towards "conservatism" but I have been disabused of that notion

Why? Because people around here think the idea of a "religion" based on a guy named "Xenu" taking billions of people hostage and flying them to earth across space in ships that look like DC-8s and deposting them into volcanos that are then blown up with H-bombs, is extremely silly. And the fact they are tax-exempt is even more of an insult.

[Elliott Jackalope]

Once one has perused the extensive archives at http://www.clambake.org it is pretty hard to remain neutral concerning $cientology. Of course, now I'll probably end up being accused of being a child molestor or a wife beater by some shill for the "church".

[TomB]

Once one has perused the extensive archives at http://www.clambake.org it is pretty hard to remain neutral concerning $cientology. Of course, now I'll probably end up being accused of being a child molestor or a wife beater by some shill for the "church".

You know, for the most part I don't mind cults, they keep the nuts out of the mainstream. But these people are just plain NASTY.

Hey, what are the chances I'll get sued for mentioning Xenu?

[Ladysmith]

On the contrary, the posts are showing how informed these folks are about this cult. Check out xenu.net with an open mind and see how close to the truth they are.

[TomB]

Whoops, I missed this:

And, to say that scientology "preys" on the rich is a bit silly if you really know the religion and the people in it.

Yes, if I said that, it would be silly. But I didn't say it.

I said "prey on the rich, STUPID among us". That is quite different, and very accurate for scientologists.

[Petronski]

I suspect calmem's openmind has long been washed away...and since been replaced with white clam sauce.

Mmmm....linguini with clam sauce.

[A Broken Glass Republican]

Don't you know? The only proper way to worship is the way the Protistants teach.

Everything else is a "Death Cult".

[Petronski]

I'm Roman Catholic.

[Ladysmith]

All the more reason to show patience then...

[weegee]

All that I need to know is that Charles Manson reportedly tested "clear". I think that he swiped an E-meter and used to run it on people back at the ranch.

[TomB]

Gee, I wonder what happened to our one-post-wonder?

Maybe he had to run off to for a quick auditing session.

......that'll be $250 please.