Beware Xenu!
Posted on 12/09/2004 5:51:41 AM PST by Land_of_Lincoln_John
As fire raged inside the LaSalle Bank building, a band of serious-looking young adults in yellow jackets hustled past the police tape toward the action.
Their coats bore the words "Volunteer Minister." But these weren't your standard chaplains -- like the five Catholic, Jewish and Protestant clerics already on the scene.
The volunteer ministers are members of the Church of Scientology, a religious group founded in 1954 by the late science fiction writer L. Ron Hubbard and perhaps best known for celebrity followers such as John Travolta and Tom Cruise. Some critics -- including the German government, which views it not as a religion but a money-making scheme -- insist Scientology is a cult.
This was the first time the group's ministers responded in an organized fashion to a fire in Chicago -- and it probably won't be their last, even though their debut didn't go over too well with the Chicago Fire Department's chaplain corps.
"I threw 'em out," said one chaplain. "If they want to minister to the people on the sidelines, that's great . . . but they were standing in the triage and treatment area and they were making total chaos in there.
"We can't have untrained people at a time when things are very chaotic and you need a sense of order," he said. "Fire and police chaplains are trained in how to do this."
Mary Ann Ahmad, a spokeswoman for the Church of Scientology in Chicago, was told by her people that the volunteers were looking for someone in charge "to find out what was needed and wanted, and they were told, 'It's dangerous for people in here, so go outside.' "
If Scientology volunteers need special training, "they're totally willing," Ahmad said, adding Scientologists were at Ground Zero after the 9/11 attacks.
David Klarich, one of the Scientologists at Monday night's blaze, said the church is planning on regularly showing up at fires and other disasters in the region to offer an "assist" -- special techniques they use to aid the injured or traumatized.
A Chicago Fire Department spokesman was unaware of the situation but said he'd look into it.
Are you not aware that Judaism spawned both Christianity and Muslim faiths? "Given the Mohamed lived around 700 A.D., how can you believe that the religion he founded predates Christianity by thousands of years? NFP"
I said:
"A religion is open, Scientology's highest teachings are secret."
Open, as in contrast to secret. If you do not see concealment implied, you need remedial reading intervention.
Meanwhile, how again does Islam predate Christianity by thousands of years?
Not really correct either, we enjoy "grace" with God as a result of the ransom sacrifice Jesus made at his crucification. Otherwise we would have the same standing with God that Jews enjoyed, with no forgiveness of sins unless observance of the Mosaic law is practiced.
Did you really just say "crucification?"
So are Catholicism's secrets kept in the Vatican vaults. As I say all religions have secrets or higher levels of access based on loyalty or rank. If you do not see concealment implied, you need remedial reading intervention.
Silly boy lets keep it civil its just a discussion meanwhile, how again does Islam predate Christianity by thousands of years?
We have covered that one read up and keep up :-)
Yeah, right.
Can you read? we covered that
I want a bumpersticker that says "Xenu is my Co-Pilot"
Kinda like Wiccans, a D&D group for adults. Nothing more.
If you want to know about the teachings of Catholicism...all of them, you can access the Cathechism online. "Vatican vaults?" Are you a Jack Chick fan?
Pointing out your failure to understand the written word is not uncivil. It's charitable, actually.
Islam does not predate Christianity by thousands or even hundreds of years. That's ridiculous.
LLO the spell checker did that
If you can think of anything else that strictly distinguishes a cult from a religion, then be my guest!
Beware Xenu!
Hey, Hey . . . Let 'em in. It would be a great giggle to see these tin-foil hatted mopes working their voodoo on Jimmy Gorman, Mike Miller, Tommy Joyce, Bulllets Donnellan, and Johhny Collins. Jimmy Gorman and Jonny Collins are in ICU at the moment but they would have remarkable insights for the L.Ron Hubbard Cadets. It would be into the lion cage wearing a pork chop suit!
I think I was referring to your use of the word remedial :-) For the record I am French on my mother's side so English is my second language.
Remedial, as in, needing remedy.
:-) Thank you for the corrections
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