Daily Nonsense

Apparently the French government has decided that the Cult of $cientology is an ‘organized fraud’ and is "illegally practicing as pharmacists."  This is in keeping with France’s refusal to recognize the Cult as a religion.  Since the French government has declared that the Co$ is a commercial enterprise they are not bound by the same protections as a real religion might be.

I say a real religion because it is my understanding that you need a deity to be considered a religion and all evidence point to the fact that the cult only worships the money that they are accused of extorting from their members.

Some links to other articles follow……

Scientologists charged with fraud in France

By Thierry Leveque

Reuters
Monday, September 8, 2008; 11:27 AM

PARIS (Reuters) – A French judge has ordered two departments and seven prominent members of the Church of Scientology in France to stand trial on charges of organized fraud, a judicial source said on Monday.

The case is the latest in a series of legal battles that have pitted the French judicial system against the Scientologists, who could be forced to stop their activities in France if found guilty.

The latest suit centers on a complaint made in 1998 by a woman who said she was enrolled into the Church of Scientology by a group of people she met outside a metro station.

In the following months, she said she paid 140,000 francs (21,340 euros) for "purification packs" and books which she said were a fraud. Other complaints then surfaced, prolonging the investigation.

Judge Jean-Christophe Hullin ruled that the Scientologists’ Celebrity Center, bookstore and seven Church leaders should be tried for fraud and "illegally practicing as pharmacists."

The Church of Scientology is registered as a religion in the United States but has struggled to be accepted in Europe, with French authorities seeing it as a sect masquerading as a church to make money.

The Church of Scientology denounced Monday’s ruling, saying it was being "stigmatized" by the courts.

"The special treatment reserved for the Church of Scientology Celebrity Center raises questions about the equality of the justice system and the presumption of innocence," it said in a statement.

The public prosecutor had said the case should be shelved. In a relatively rare move, Judge Hullin ignored the recommendation and ordered a trial, which is not expected to start for at least six months.

The Scientologists said the suit was "empty and concocted," adding that the original plaintiff had been reimbursed.

The Church of Scientology, which counts actors Tom Cruise and John Travolta among its members, was founded in 1954 by science fiction writer L. Ron Hubbard.

It has faced numerous setbacks in France, with members convicted of fraud in Lyon in 1997 and Marseille in 1999. In 2002, a court fined it for violating privacy laws and said it could be dissolved if involved in similar cases.

(Writing by Crispian Balmer; editing by Elizabeth Piper)

[Thanks, Washington Post]

• Scientology ‘faces French trial’ @ BBC News
• Church of Scientology in France accused of fraud; ordered to stand trial @ WikiNews
• French court to try Church of Scientology @ UPI

I stumbled across this interesting dissertation on the Cult of $cientology, L. Ron Hubbard’s delusions and the current ‘leaders’.  It’s one of the first articles I’ve seen that spells out the enormity of the con that they are running.

What You Didn’t Know About Scientology

- by Mark Owen ©, Jan. 27th, 2006

All men shall be my slaves.
All women shall submit to my charms.
All mankind shall grovel at my feet.

- L. Ron Hubbard Affirmations

There has been a revival of interest in Scientology recently, largely driven by the ministrations of Hollywood jackanapes Tom Cruise.

An episode of South Park titled ‘Trapped in the Closet’ aired in late 2005. The cartoon featured Scientologists Nicole Kidman and John Travolta trying to coax Cruise out of a closet, a reference to rumors concerning his sexual preference. Also featured was an L. Ron Hubbard character denigrating Cruise’s acting ability. The extremely litigious Cruise immediately threatened Paramount with legal action, and it is unlikely that the episode will air again.

It is perhaps timely to revue some of the history of the ‘church,’ its membership and especially its mercurial founder Lafayette Ronald Hubbard.

Various Scientology hagiographies of Hubbard are widely divergent from known facts. This is mainly due to the phantasmagoric history that Hubbard fashioned for himself and repeated ad nauseum to his followers.

Hubbard would often boast of a distinguished pedigree, claiming descent from nobility going back to the Norman Invasion. He also claimed at various times to have been a barn-stormer in a circus, a great white hunter in Africa, an explorer of the upper Amazon and a heavily decorated naval officer, the recipient of more than 2 dozen medals and palms. He also claimed that his naval exploits were the inspiration for Henry Fonda’s character in the film Mister Roberts. On the day the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor he stated that he was the only person to survive the sinking of the destroyer he was on near the coast of Java and that he swam ashore and lived for weeks on the jungle flora. Later he would be wounded in the back and kidneys by machine-gun fire, making urination difficult.

The truth is somewhat more prosaic. In fact, Hubbard’s urinary difficulties stemmed from a bout of gonorrhea contracted after sex with a prostitute named Fern. Court documents in Hubbard’s own handwriting later confirmed this.

[Thanks, Mark Owen]

Much like his recent performance in Lions for Lambs, Tom Cruise failed to pack ‘em in to the $cientology Celebrity Center’s black-tie affair in Hollywood this weekend.  After setting the table for more than 1500 invited guests, reports have trickled in indicating that less than half that number blew $600.00 a plate to rub shoulders with Cruise, Travolta and Beck.  I’m not seeing anyone at all in the pictures……

A number of Los Angeles City Council members declined the invitation, citing “prior commitments”. Only three limousines were spotted, indicating the low turn out of dignitaries promised in the $cientology press release.  The vast majority of the guests seemed to be local $cientologists, most arriving on foot.  I wonder how many of those were subsidized and compelled to attend.

What I find titillating is the fact that Katie Holmes, bagged the event and stayed in New York with daughter Suri.  Tom couldn’t even get his own wife to attend.  Loser!

Despite Celebrity Shills, Scientology Cult Fails to Win Friends and Influence People

by Brandon Walsh
Sunday Aug 10th, 2008 5:17 PM

HOLLYWOOD, CA–In an attempt to improve their sagging image worldwide Scientology held a black-tie gala on saturday August 9 to glorify 39 years of the Celebrity Centre. Though only about half of the anticipated 1,500 guests attended, Anonymous was lining the streets in colorful evening wear and their signature masks to inform the arriving guests about Scientology’s human rights abuses, suppression of free speech and criminal malfeasance.

At the event began at 6pm with Scientology celebrities like Tom Cruise, Beck and John Travolta on hand planning to rub elbows with government officials and members of the entertainment industry Scientology would like to influence.  Unfortunately, despite the star power, attendance was surprisingly low. A number of Los Angeles City Council members declined the invitation, citing “prior commitments,” while the majority of guests seemed to be local Scientologists, some arriving on foot. Only three limousines were spotted, indicating the low turn out of dignitaries promised in the Scientology press release.

But Anonymous made a huge splash, with over seventy Anonymous carrying signs and fliers to inform the public and media about Scientology’s dark underbelly. A contingent from San Diego came up for the night, plus a London Anonymous member in town on business joined the group and Barney the friendly dinosaur also danced alongside the masked members of Anonymous. The media was also out in full force to cover the event, giving Anonymous the opportunity to inform journalists and paparazzi about the cult’s nefarious actions.

“Most of people have no idea that Scientology has an armed paramilitary,” says one Anonymous. Scientology’s private international navy, based in every country where Scientology has a presence, is known as the Sea Organization, and trains to be ready for attack. Members have signed a billion year contract. Armed members guard at least one of the cult’s outposts in Hemet, California.

Former celebrity Janeane Garofalo, walking by wearing bright green leotards and a bright pink T-shirt, was clearly not invited for the black tie event, but she offered her ill-informed opinion of Anonymous, calling them “fucking bigots,” which is odd given Anonymous’ open support of gay and lesbian rights.

Scientologists themselves hold incredibly biogoted views towards gays and lesbians. In the book Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health, Scientology founder, science fiction writer L. Ron Hubbard, calls homosexuals “perverts” who should be removed from society “without remorse,” a view the fundamentalist cult condones and perpetuates to this day.

However Garofalo’s view towards Anonymous was decidedly a minority opinion. Residents of the upscale Franklin Canyon area just north of Hollywood were thrilled to see Anonymous, greeting the protesters with applause and hand shakes, some posing for pictures, while drivers honked their horns and waved. Meanwhile, private investigators hired by the cult and members of Scientology’s private intelligence agency OSA photographed protesters from rooftops and drove up and down the streets snapping picture of license plates.

“Scientology are bad neighbors,” said a woman who owns a home close by. “They chase us on bicycles when we take walks and are rude.”

“Plus they are poor tippers,” added a waiter on his way to work in a restaurant on Franklin Avenue. “Though they do leave information about free stress tests and The Way to Happiness.”

The event, which was approved by Los Angeles City Council after being presented by councilman Tom LaBonge, presented a danger to the residents of the nearby hills, as Scientology’s valet parking staff closed the driveway in front of the nearby fire station, forcing the fire company engine and emergency response van to park on a public street.

“Look at this!” exclaimed a resident, pointing a rented white van blocking a red zone and fire hydrant. “This is typical of their behavior, they act like they own the streets!”

That van and other rented commercial vehicles were strategically placed in red zones to block traffic from seeing the Anonymous protesters. “They were parking vans this afternoon in the red zone in front of our building on Franklin,” said another resident pointing to a three-story building across from the Celebrity Centre, “And my landlady came out and gave them hell, so they moved them.”

The blockade of illegally parked vehicles did not stem Anonymous’ enthusiasm as they danced, waved and passed out fliers explaining Scientology’s deceptive practices including their “drug rehab program” Narconon which uses toxic doses of niacin and saunas in conjuction with Scientology workbooks to “release toxins.”

The Scientology Celebrity Centre event seemed to have caused severe plumbing problems along Franklin Avenue, with sewage backing up in restaurants across the street. As Scientology’s leader David Miscaviage stood on stage delivering a speech which was drowned out by Anonymous’ chants of “Davey, Davey, Davey, cult, cult cult!” city sewer repair began pumping refuse from clogged pipes in front of the Celebrity Centre, filling the evening air with the pungent stench of rotting fecal matter.

“It’s so appropriate,” laughed a resident. “It just shows what Scientology is full of!”

[Thanks, IndyBay]

Here’s an interesting turn of events, Tom Cruise is named as a defendant in a 250 million dollar lawsuit that cites the RICO (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization) law as reason for the government to break up the Scientologists.  The claim by the plaintiff is that the CoS is a crime syndicate and needs to be systematically dismantled like the Gambino crime family.

Along with Tom, Scientology head David Miscavage is mentioned in the lawsuit.  A quote says that Miscavage is "aided and abetted by the actions of Tom Cruise, his right-hand man for foreign and domestic promotion, as well as for foreign and domestic lobbying. He has assisted the syndicate in acquiring funds and [made] his own donations of money believed to be in the multiple tens of millions of dollars."

Articles abound on the interwebs, but here’s a short one from FauxFox News.

Report: Tom Cruise Named in $250M Suit Against Scientology

Thursday, July 31, 2008

Tom Cruise is named in a $250 million federal lawsuit that is using the RICO statute against the Church of Scientology, the New York Daily News reports.

Ex-Scientologist Peter Letterese, a longtime critic of the church, filed suit in Southern District Court in Florida on July 15 alleging, among other things, that members of the church harassed him after he left.

Letterese calls the church a "crime syndicate" and wants it broken up under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization law, just as the feds have broken up Mafia families.

He singles out Cruise, saying that Scientology head David Miscavage is "aided and abetted by the actions of Tom Cruise, his right-hand man for foreign and domestic promotion, as well as for foreign and domestic lobbying. He has assisted the syndicate in acquiring funds and [made] his own donations of money believed to be in the multiple tens of millions of dollars."

[Thanks, Fox Mulder News]

Tom Cruise has recently been making a lot of headlines, but not as a headliner.  With his acting career overshadowed by his space alien affiliations, Tom has become just another aging, mediocre actor.

In the opinion of many, Tom’s career peaked with his 1983 portrayal of Joel Goodsen, the manic undies-clad pimp in Risky Business.

FauxFox News noted a recent snub to Tommy boy by Columbia Pictures regarding the role of Edwin A. Salt, a fictional CIA officer who is exposed as a spy.  It seems like the $20 million he demanded for the role was much too much moola for the producers to even consider.

Tom Cruise, ‘Salt’-Free: Comeback Hopes Dashed

Friday, July 18, 2008
By Roger Friedman

It looks like there’s a snag in Tom Cruise’s big career comeback film. According to sources, Cruise is probably not going to be playing the role of Edwin A. Salt, a fictional CIA officer who is outed as a spy.

"Edwin A. Salt," which is set at Columbia Pictures, has had a rocky road. First Terry George was set to direct. He left and was replaced by Philip Noyce.

But now Cruise is out, and I’m told it’s because of money. Apparently, Tom is unaware of the change in his status in the Hollywood community. Where once he was the top-paid star, Cruise now is in a position where a $20 million salary is not possible. I’m told an internal memo went around among the film’s producers and top creators in which the Cruise situation was discussed and names were gathered for a replacement.

The reasons for Cruise’s departure are not just his diminished popularity, negative public opinion and Scientology — although those would be good enough. It’s also just generational. Cruise is 45. His heyday as a box office star — if he ever had one — is over.

Like past huge leading action stars such as Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger, Cruise must face the brutal facts of aging. Ironically, he’s been replaced by Will Smith, whom Cruise has courted for Scientology. Talk about rubbing "Salt" in a wound!

Of course, it doesn’t help that his last big feature, "Mission: Impossible 3," was eons ago, in Hollywood terms — 2006. On top of that, even a film shot now and released next summer would have to erase in the audience’s mind Cruise’s upcoming release, "Valkyrie," aka The Nazi Movie, due next February.

And still, "Salt" was not even going to be released by United Artists, the studio where Cruise has a financial interest. With "Salt" back in the shaker, maybe he can concentrate on projects with partner Paula Wagner at UA, instead.

Meantime, Cruise remains at the center of the mystery concerning his kids Isabella and Connor’s continued absence from their mother, Nicole Kidman. The kids, I’m told, still have not visited Kidman in Tennessee nor met their new half-sister, Sunday Rose. This kind of thing, Cruise doesn’t seem to comprehend, only adds to his career predicament.

[Thanks, Fox News]

Last weekend marked the 6th monthly protest by Anonymous against the Cult of Scientology. Their objective was to expose the dangerous and secretive Office of Special Affairs (OSA) within the Cult, whose sole objective is to silence critics both within the cult and in the general populace (that means you!).

In two cases this past weekend, the Cult has shown that it can’t stand the public criticism nor will it stand still under the spotlight of public inquiry.

In the first case that has been highlighted, two members of the ‘Church’ in Battlecreek, Michigan assaulted Anonymous members who were staging their protest across the street from the entrance to the Church itself.

And in this second case the rarely altruistic Scientologist group tried to force a disabled woman to take a difficult and much longer route home because of barricades set up by the LA Scientology Org used to keep protesters away from their “store fronts.”

Is this the way a real religion acts when faced with public criticism?   Is this the kind of overall mentality you want and expect from the leaders of your faith?

Those lovable scamps over at Anonymous are planning their next little intervention against the Cult of Scientology (Co$).  On July 12th, 2008, the loosely knit group of protesters will take to the streets and byways surrounding Co$ ‘churches’ to bring public attention the intelligence arm of the organization called the Office of Special Affairs (or ‘OSA’).

The OSA is charged with the chores of gathering intelligence and administering "justice and punishment" to its perceived foes (we can assume that the retribution that certain members of Anonymous have suffered were orchestrated and carried out by members of the OSA).

It is also charged with providing the agents that carry out the now infamous "Fair Game" policy.  Fair Game is the official policy where critics of the Church of Scientology are targeted, harassed, threatened and intimidated in an attempt to silence or punish them.  And if certain rumors are true, the attempts to silence someone can be of a permanent nature.

What I find compelling in all of this is that each and every month the members of Anonymous can bring to the table a different aspect of this so-called religion.  And this facet of the bigger picture is more than worthy of increased scrutiny.  Read some of the links supplied at the end of the article and ask yourself if there is any other true religion that is surrounded by this much controversy.

Spy vs. Sci: Anonymous Challenges Scientology’s Intelligence Division The OSA

By Anonymous

On July 12th, 2008, at 11:00 am local time, in cities all around the world, Anonymous intends to don its best tux, order "shaken not stirred" cocktails for everyone and bring the activities of the Church of Scientology’s intelligence agency, known as the Office of Special Affairs (or ‘OSA’), to wider attention and greater scrutiny.

Last month’s protest was pirate themed, in order to parody and expose the abuses that occur within Scientology’s private navy, the Sea Org, but now it’s "Spy vs Sci" as Anonymous asks the question:

"Why does something that describes itself as a religion need an intelligence agency that aggressively persecutes critics?"

The OSA is a highly organised sub-division of the Church of Scientology that has a license to gather intelligence and administer "justice and punishment" to its perceived foes.

It also provides the agents that carry out the "Fair Game" policy, by which critics of the Church of Scientology are targeted, harassed, threatened and intimidated in an attempt to silence or punish them.

Most Scientologists are unaware of the functions of the OSA and accept what their leaders tell them about it. However, there is a growing body of evidence that OSA agents operate to attack perceived enemies by using infiltration, bribery, burglary, and blackmail, in addition to threats, intimidation, assaults and worse.

A well-documented example of the illegal actions of the OSA was ‘Operation Snow White’, a wide scale and sophisticated infiltration of the U.S. Government itself. Another example was ‘Operation Freakout’, a long campaign of harassment and intimidation against Paulette Cooper (writer of the book ‘The Scandal of Scientology’), which involved distributing false propaganda about her as well as fabricating evidence in an attempt to frame her for making bomb threats.

Anonymous can also point to many other examples and if required can back all these up with facts, testimonies and evidence.

Who and what is Anonymous?

We are a collection of individuals united by ideas. Anonymous chose Scientology as a campaign target because of the events surrounding the now infamous Tom Cruise Scientology video; whilst the video itself was not enough to spark interest (although it was amusing), the aggressive actions that the Church of Scientology attempted to take to remove it did get our attention. When Anonymous found out even more about the crimes and abuses of the Church of Scientology, action became inevitable. Anonymous is the voice of the body politic and the consciousness of the Internet that has stepped offline and into the real world.

Since its campaign began, Anonymous has uncovered or brought to the public eye many of the illegal actions, fraudulent activities, and human rights violations perpetrated by the Church of Scientology.

Although described as "terrorists" by the Church of Scientology, Anonymous’ methods have been peaceful. Conversely, there have been several incidents of assaults on Anonymous members by Scientologists, mostly as attempts to unmask and identify them so that the OSA can target them for harassment.

But instead of being scared off, these incidents have strengthened our resolve and add more credence to one of Anonymous’ core messages: that the Church of Scientology is both willing and prepared to go to any lengths to silence those who would speak out against them.

However, Anonymous is not intimidated, because the nature of Anonymous is irrepressible.

We are Anonymous
We are legion
We do not forgive
We do not forget
Expect us

For more information
http://whyweprotest.net
http://exscientologykids.com
http://www.enturbulation.org
http://xenu.net
http://whyaretheydead.net

[Thanks, News Blaze]

In a stunning move for the fight against the Cult Church of $cientology (Co$) one of their rank and file members has assaulted a peaceably protesting member of Anonymous.  I can only assume that the Christian value of ‘turn the other cheek’ has little or no value to a $cientologist.  (What am I saying, of course it doesn’t have value for them, this is after all the organization that has a POLICY called Fair Game).

The editors over at GlossLip have responded to a request by Anonymous to assist them in tracking down the woman responsible for the assault.  Full text, pictures and links to the film can be found in the following article.  If anyone knows this criminal please contact someone over at GlossLip.  I’m sure a simple and anonymous comment would more than suffice.

A quick look at the video indicates that this pink-shirted jackhole doesn’t even know what assault is!  I think this particular issue will be one to follow…..

Clearwater Scientologist Assaults Member Of Anonymous

I was asked to put out a post to help identify a woman suspected of assaulting a member of Anonymous protesting the Church of Scientology in their mecca of Clearwater, Florida.

The video of “pink lady” assaulting a protester can be seen here. Above is a still of her from the alleged assault where she attempted to rip the mask off of a member of Anonymous.

I don’t have a lot details on this assault, but this is part of a growing trend it seems as the Church of Scientology becomes ever more agitated by the continued pressure put forth by the internet activist group Anonymous.

This past weekend marked the fifth in a series of monthly protests against the Church organized by Anonymous — themed “Sea Arrrgh”, a tongue-in-cheek reference to Scientology’s pseudo-military group the Sea Organization. The Sea Org, as it is often referenced, is Scientology’s most devout group, and as such, they are most prone to the cult’s worse abuses, including forced labor camps, coerced abortions and the cruel “disconnection” policy enforced by the Church.

Anonymous is group of individuals from all walks of life who’ve come together for the common goal of exposing the abuses of Scientology, a cult which uses famous celebrities like Tom Cruise and John Travolta to help them recruit members to their organization.

To read Glosslip’s extensive coverage of this global effort, and to find out more about Scientology’s many abuses, click here.

Well, it seems like the reason Tom has turned his life, wife and child over to the ministrations of the Cult of $cientology might be related to some deep-seated issues resulting from the neglect he suffered as a child.  Tom has come clean about the way he was treated by his "bully and coward" dad.

Drew Pinsky, host of the reality show, Celebrity Rehab, recently made some comments regarding Tom, $cientology, cultish evironments, and neglect.   And rather than thanking Dr. Pinsky for the valuable insight, Tom had his lawyer side-kick attack and allude that Pinsky was no better than Joseph Goebbels, Minister for Public Enlightenment and Propaganda in Nazi Germany from 1933 to 1945.

Really?  Joseph Goebbels?  The guy responsible for the book burnings in the Bebelplatz in Belin?  That’s the last time they heard garbage like that?  And from such a well respected doctor, teacher and scholar. I can only guess that the lawyer isn’t a $cientologist, otherwise he would have heard garbage like that at his last audit.

Tom Cruise Proves Sanity By Calling Shrink A Nazi

Drew Pinsky is downright respectable, at least by TV doctor standards. Unlike "Dr. Phil," he has an actual medical degree, practices medicine and even teaches psychiatry. His reality show, Celebrity Rehab, is both more gripping and responsible than other celebrity "reality" vehicles. But Tom Cruise has allowed his lawyer to compare "Dr. Drew" to Nazi propagandist Joseph Goebbels, because the doctor told Playboy the following about movie star Cruise’s fevered devotion to the Church of Scientology:

A lot of people in the public eye who behave strangely have mental illness we can learn from, and much of it is based on childhood trauma, without a doubt. Take a guy like Tom Cruise. Why would somebody be drawn into a cultish kind of environment like Scientology? To me, that’s a function of a very deep emptiness and suggests serious neglect in childhood – maybe some abuse, but mostly neglect.

Cruise’s high-powered attorney, Bert Fields, a frequent client of convicted wiretapper and racketeer Anthony Pellicano, called Pinsky an "unqualified television performer who is obviously just looking for notoriety," adding, "The last time we heard garbage like this was from Joseph Goebbels."

Cruise has already spoken on record about his abusive father. Strange, then, that he would snap so viciously over speculation he was neglected.

Perhaps the megastar interprets Pinsky’s statements as a slam against his mother, the presumptive neglector. More likely, it was the line about Scientology’s "cultish" environment that sent Cruise, a church bigwig, into attack mode.

But a slam this over the top only makes Cruise look more crazy while drawing attention to his own deep involvement with the sect.

[Thanks, Gawker]

A 16 year old boy was arrested during a peaceful protest in front of the $cientology Headquarters in London on May 10.  His crime?  Carrying a placard that read "Scientology is not a religion, it is a dangerous cult."  After being confronted by police officers, the youth cited a British court judgment from 1984 in which the organization was labeled a  cult.

Earlier today the Crown Prosecution Service announced that it had decided not to take action.  Another victory for free speech!

Schoolboy avoids prosecution for branding Scientology a ‘cult’

Anil Dawar and agencies
guardian.co.uk,
Friday May 23 2008

A teenager who was facing legal action for calling the Church of Scientology a cult has today been told he will not be taken to court.

The Crown Prosecution Service ruled the word was neither "abusive or insulting" to the church and no further action would be taken against the boy.

The unnamed 16-year-old was handed a court summons by City of London police for refusing to put down a placard saying "Scientology is not a religion, it is a dangerous cult" during a peaceful protest outside the church’s headquarters near St Paul’s Cathedral earlier this month.
Police said they had "strongly advised" him to stop displaying the sign but he refused, citing a high court judgment from 1984 in which the organisation was described as a cult.

The summons was issued under the Public Order Act on the grounds that the sign incited religious hatred.
A file was passed to the CPS, which today told City of London police it would not be pursuing the boy through the courts.

A spokeswoman for the force said: "The CPS review of the case includes advice on what action or behaviour at a demonstration might be considered to be threatening, abusive or insulting.

"The force’s policing of future demonstrations will reflect this advice."

A CPS spokesman said: "In consultation with the City of London police, we were asked whether the sign, which read ‘Scientology is not a religion it is a dangerous cult’, was abusive or insulting.

"Our advice is that it is not abusive or insulting and there is no offensiveness, as opposed to criticism, neither in the idea expressed nor in the mode of expression. No action will be taken against the individual."

The teenager’s mother said the decision was "a victory for free speech".

"We’re all incredibly proud of him. We advised him to take the placard down when we realised what was happening but he said ‘No, it’s my opinion and I have a right to express it’," she said.

Human rights activists were outraged when news of the police action against the teenager broke earlier this week.

A simultaneous demonstration on May 10 outside a Scientology office in London’s West End featured protesters waving similar placards but the Metropolitan police did not confiscate them or issue any summonses.

Two years ago, the City of London police attracted criticism when it emerged more than 20 officers, ranging from constable to chief superintendent, had accepted gifts worth thousands of pounds from the Church of Scientology.

The City of London chief superintendent, Kevin Hurley, praised Scientology for "raising the spiritual wealth of society" during the opening of its headquarters in 2006.

Last year, a video praising Scientology emerged featuring Ken Stewart, another of the City of London’s chief superintendents, although he is not a member of the group.

Scientology was founded by the science fiction writer L Ron Hubbard in 1952 and espouses the idea that humans are descended from an exiled race of aliens called Thetans.

The church continues to attract controversy over claims that it separates members from their families and indoctrinates followers.

[Thanks, Guardian]

A situation eerily familiar to those who have followed the recent Anonymous vs. $cientology brouhaha, Wikileaks has announced that certain Church of the Latter Day Saints (AKA Mormon) documents have surfaced.  In a knee-jerk whiplash of a reaction the Mormon hierarchy has sent multiple copyright infringement notices demanding that the documents be removed from the Internet.

Really, what a bunch of morons.  This kind of rabid reaction is surely destined to simply incite more interest in the documents.  It certainly won’t actually make them disappear from public view.  In fact, it will only fuel the fires and create more and more copies strewn through the Interwebs.  Here’s one now:  DOWNLOAD ME!

Another Scientology-like Web war? Mormon Church documents put online

05:20 PM PT, May 14 2008

Wikileaks has posted a confidential document from the Church of Latter-day Saints called the Church Handbook of Instructions, which is a guide for the church’s lay leadership and is not available either to parishioners or to the public. The LDS, following in the questionable steps of the Church of Scientology, has now issued multiple copyright infringement notices in an effort to get the information taken down. As we know, this strategy is unlikely to do anything but win the Mormons a share of the online community’s unsympathetic attention, a quantity that until now Scientology has been enjoying alone.

It’s well-known by now that Scientology’s secret documents contain many indecipherable dictates and fantastical histories, like the following passage from the L. Run Hubbard-authored document describing the "Gorilla Goals":

This same pattern, but given in an amusement park with a single tunnel, a roller coaster and a Ferris wheel, was used between about 319 trillion years ago to about 256 trillion trillion years ago, a long span.

So in comparison, the information in the LDS Handbook, now available for all to see, can feel rather bland and grown-up. The document covers disciplinary actions like "disfellowshipment" and its more serious consequent, excommunication. It also details the repercussions members face for apostasy ("clear, open, and deliberate public opposition to the Church or its leaders"), abortion, and transsexual operations.  But the majority of the text is humdrum procedural information, surely nothing you would classify as embarrassing, rife with "trade secrets," or necessary to keep under wraps for the good of the parishioners. So then why is LDS making an attention-drawing stink about its publication?

Organizations have long had control over which part of their inner workings they want public and which they don’t.  But now that the Internet is getting better at sniffing out documents that people don’t want public, we’re getting a nice picture of how much of this secret information was secret for its own sake.  In other words, you have to wonder if there’s any reason for LDS to want to keep its boring bylaws in a vault other than, simply, because it has always done so.

The same holds true for Scientology and no doubt for every other organization, religious or secular, that has arrogated to itself the default right to keep its membership in the dark.  This is certainly a privacy issue, but if you’re like me, you don’t think large organizations should have the same right to privacy that an individual does–especially those that claim to be devoted to the best interests of their membership. Actually, scratch that–the ones that don’t care about anyone’s well-being should have an even tougher time keeping secrets.

(Hat tip Ars Technica)

My thanks to the LA Times

Wow, kind of like a left hook-right cross combo to the jaw of Co$.  Two developing stories and the ongoing media attention by the Anonymous group must have David and Tom reeling on the ropes.

First, from Norway, a tragic story of a ‘church’ supposedly charged with the nurturing of individuals being responsible for the suicide of a young, 20 year old student.

Daughter of Norwegian Parliament Member Took Own Life

A little over two weeks ago Kaja Bordevich Ballo (20) committed suicide – a few hours after she’d recieved a devastating result on a personality test administrated by the Church of Scientology.

Kajas father is the noted politician Olav Gunnar Ballo (SV), a member of parliament for years, vice president of Odelstinget and fearless healthcare spokesperson for his party.

[Thanks, GlossLip]

Second, from Hollywood, noted actor Jason Beghe, a Scientologist for some years now has left the cult claiming… “Scientology is destructive and a rip-off.”  I’m particularly pleased with the final quote in this news story from TransWorldNews, "If Scientology is real, then something’s fucked up.”

Jason Beghe of GI Jane Leaves Scientology and Calls it a Rip-Off

Beghe leaves Scientology after years of taking courses.

Atlanta, GA 4/15/2008 06:29 PM GMT (FINDITT)

Jason Beghe, featured in hit shows, such as X-Files, Criminal Minds, Numb3rs and CSI, as well as the feature films, Thelma and Louise and GI Jane, joined the Scientology organization in 1994. by 2005 he appeared in promotional spots for the Church of Scientology. Year’s later a disgruntled Beghe has left the church saying “Scientology is destructive and a rip-off.”

After taking several courses, bringing him to a level of OT 5, or top Scientologist, Beghe was among the ranks of Tom Cruise, John Travolta and Kirstie Alley. He says “It’s very, very dangerous for your spiritual, psychological, mental, emotional health and evolution. I think it stunts your evolution. If Scientology is real, then something’s f—ed up.”

[Thanks, TransWorldNews]

And third, continuing efforts by those masked marauders to bring media attention to some of the destructive practices routinely applied to their members under the guise of ‘protecting’ them.  The most recent policy that Anonymous has highlighted for the media is called ‘disconnection’.  That is the process of forcing members to stop associating with non-believers, most notably family members who might have some influence over the member.

Controversial group protests Church of Scientology

By Anthony Shelley
April 14, 2008

Last Saturday, members of the group Anonymous staged a protest against the Church of Scientology. Protesters were upset with aspects of the Church’s doctrine, which purportedly breaks up families.

The protest is the third in a series of demonstrations against the Church of Scientology in the Seattle area and worldwide.

The group trekked from Key Arena and ended their march in front of the Church, a mostly red brick building with several cameras perched on its roof. Demonstrators stood alongside Aurora Avenue, waved signs, ate chocolate cake, and cheered as drivers honked their horns in support.

“Well, it’s a good waste of a beautiful day,” said Sandy Finn, a longtime member of the Church, when asked what she thought about the crowd outside. “I don’t really know what the issue is. It appears that the age group seems to be between 16 and 22. They’re not Scientologists. They have nothing better to do.”

What makes Anonymous protests unusual is the group’s strong condition of anonymity and their work in Internet vigilantism. Anonymous is an organization that lacks a leader. Its members wear various masks and disguises to protect their identities from what they perceive as a genuine threat from the Church; parishioners of the Church also view Anonymous as equally threatening and accuse the group of cyber-terrorism.

Enigma, an Anonymous member, expected 100 to 150 people to show up for the protest.

Enigma and members of Anonymous strongly disagree with the Church’s policies and tax exemptions.

Their most recent protest brings attention to the Church’s “disconnection policy,” a policy described as a practice “that any Church member who has family and friends that disagreed with Church policy should be removed entirely from that person’s life” according to a forwarded email.

“[The disconnection policy] has broken up many families; this is part of why the Church is considered a cult,” the email states.

In retaliation, the Church of Scientology released a statement explaining that Anonymous “destroyed the Web sites of thousands of MySpace users” and perpetrates “religious hate crimes … for no reason other than religious bigotry.” The Church claims that Anonymous attempts to suppress “free speech through illegal assaults on Church Web sites so as to prevent Internet users from obtaining information from the Church.”

“I’ve been a critic of Scientology for a long time,” Enigma said. “Anonymous has really allowed everyone to voice their opinion without being subjected to Fair Game by the [Church of Scientology].”

According to Norway-based Operation Clambake, a Web site that offers information critical of Scientology, Fair Game is a previously banned practice against so-called enemies of the Church.

Church documents reveal that enemies are considered “fair game” and “May be deprived of property or injured by any means by any Scientologist without any discipline of the Scientologist. May be tricked, sued or lied to or destroyed.”

Church documents also show that Fair Game was eventually cancelled affirming that “The practice of declaring people FAIR GAME will cease. FAIR GAME may not appear on any Ethics Order. It causes bad public relations.”

However, Operation Clambake argues that the document “only cancels the use of the term ‘Fair Game.’ It states clearly that the practice described in the policy … is not cancelled. The Church of Scientology does not change anything because it’s wrong … they change it because it gives bad [public relations].”

Anonymous also believes that the Church continues its policy of Fair Game to this day.

The conflict between Anonymous and the Church of Scientology began in February 2008 when Anonymous posted a declaration against the Church in response to a leaked video of Scientology advocate and celebrity Tom Cruise.

Since then, the Church has worked to keep anything related to its doctrine off the Web “‘due to a copyright complaint from the Church of Scientology’ which makes it very difficult for normal people to understand what is going on” according to Anonymous.

Anonymous added that the Church “went so far as to try to get a restraining order against all protestors.”

“They really attack ruthlessly with their lawyers,” Enigma said describing Church tactics. “They ruthlessly attack any critic, anyone of the church.”

The Church of Scientology produced a DVD to counter claims made by Anonymous and released audio clips of assumed Anonymous callers avowing violence, declaring to the Church that “Death will come” and “You should fucking kill yourself” among millions of expletive-laced phone calls, death threats, bomb threats, emails, acts of vandalism, and derogatory faxes.

Finn equated the demonstrators against the Church with former members of other faiths such as Catholicism and Buddhism. She pointed out that all faiths will have ex-members who will speak out against past beliefs.

“You find that in all religions,” Finn said.

The struggle between the Church and Anonymous won’t end anytime soon. Both sides don’t intend to step down from their accusations and the escalating rhetoric is becoming stronger if not nastier.

“These people that are in [the Church of Scientology] are trained not to look,” a former Scientologist and protestor said. “They’re trained not to think. They’re drones coming off the assembly line cross-eyed.”

You can read more about the Seattle Church of Scientology at www.scientology-seattle.org and its main headquarters at www.scientology.org/home.html.

You can also find out more about Anonymous by visiting www.whyweprotest.org and www.enturbulation.org. The local Seattle Anonymous forum is www.lulznw.com.

[Contact Anthony Shelley at news@thedaily.washington.edu.]

[Thanks, The Daily at UW]

In Christianity we are supposed to live under a series of rules.  Some of these rules have been codified for us in the 10 Commandments, while others are more like suggestions that illustrate a way to live.

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus used the expression ‘Turn the Other Cheek’ to illustrate a way of life that allows for different points of view and the anger so commonly associated with that.

I guess it’s foolish of me to expect that kind of humanity from a cult based upon genocide committed by an alien.

Not only are they not turning the other cheek toward Anonymous, but they are actively persecuting individuals they believe belong to Anonymous.  Even if they’re mistaken about the identities like the case of poor little Rosalie Fair, a Starbuck’s employee who was identified as an Anonymous member when she went into her place of work during the demonstration in Clearwater last February 10th.

Wanting to check her upcoming schedule Rosalie walked through the protestors and entered her place of work.  I guess it was simply the proximity to a ‘real’ Anonymous protester that got her targeted, but her name started appearing in the scientologist’s bilious condemnations of the group and the individuals.

I guess the point here is that the Scientology drones don’t want to believe that what they have paid so dearly for (both in cash and in self-respect) is based on a get rich quick scheme by a science fiction writer.

Well, now the focus has passed from Rosalie to Boston’s own Gregg.  GlossLip reports:

Member Of Anonymous In Boston Being Fair-Gamed By Scientology

I keep reading more and more stories about members of Anonymous being tracked down, harassed, entrapped and incarcerated at the hands of the Church of Scientology.

In some ways, this should come as no surprise based on the vicious and litigious history of the CoS, but in this day and age you would think a legitimate religion could withstand criticism and continue to thrive and move forward. But therein lies the problem, Scientology is NOT a legitimate religion in its current form. I am even beginning to suspect it may not be a legitimate philosophy in any form.

Up until now, I have reserved calling the Church of Scientology a cult. Well, I guess the time has come for me to take off the rose-colored glasses, as clearly David Miscavige and those within the Church of Scientology who support him are in fact running a brutal and ruthless CULT for the sole purpose of destroying lives, obtaining power and making as much money as possible.

Let’s talk about Gregg. He is a young man who lives in Boston. Here’s his story as it was relayed to me:

“Today Gregg received a summons for criminal trespass and criminal harassment.

An 8 inch stack of complaints have been filed against him by the cult. But they finally got one to stick.

The Boston anons go out flyering every weekend. On March 9th the anons that Gregg was with decided to hand deliver the flyers to the Church on Beacon Street in Boston .

As the anons walked up the front stairs to the Boston Church, 4 Scientologists came rushing out and Gregg and the anons handed the Scientologists the flyers. The Scientologists asked the anons to leave and so they did leave, immediately. The anons have it all on video.

However the Church as managed to somehow get this one to stick and brought charges against Gregg.

Gregg will be making a scan of the summons for people to see.”

There are several caveats to this story which I am not including, but suffice it to say that Gregg was singled out for a reason, and like the predator the CoS is, they pounced on Gregg and are using him to set an example.

The reason they’ve been allowed to do this, they being Scientology, is because the mainstream media, or as Andrew Morton called them, “the elite media” (and out of touch I’d add) refuse to follow up on the story in any way. Without the pressure of the big media, Scientology will be able to destroy people like Gregg, and anyone else they single out of the herd.

I am angry, frustrated, mentally taxed, bewildered and disgusted that people who call themselves journalists are intentionally and flagrantly avoiding any kind of critical analysis of Scientology’s evil, vile practices and by way of this side-stepping, condoning the “fair gaming,” “disconnection policy,” “unfair tax protection and exemption” which the CoS is allowed to perpetrate unchecked.

I don’t know Gregg, but I don’t have to. I know the many, many mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, friends and associates who make up Anonymous, and any one of them could be Gregg. Gregg could be you some day, and Gregg, could definitely be me. It’s only a matter of time. This is how Scientology has managed to survive, no better yet, thrive. In the dark places where good people avoid, in secrecy, in veiled and implied threats.

This cannot go on. The destruction MUST stop.

Gregg needs legal counsel, assistance and likely, moral support in fighting these charges and I appeal to those with the means and know-how to contact me so we can help Gregg. In fact, I propose a fund or a network be set up to help folks like Gregg, for there will be more.

Anonymous has strength in its numbers, I challenge Anonymous to prove it is stronger than the CoS, more powerful than the media, more courageous than the authorities and more moral than the government.

It’s time to circle the wagon, protect the herd.

[Thanks, GlossLip]

I was very interested in this article I found on what is apparently a Scientologist’s blog.  He describes the malfeasance of Church ‘leader’ David Miscavige and everything he has done to further the plans of Anonymous.

Scientology’s Biggest Enemy

Anonymous’ biggest ally in its effort to bring down the corporation of Scientology is … David Miscavige, the leader of the Church of Scientology.

By this I mean that Miscavige has done and is doing more to damage the Church of Scientology than anyone else in its short history.

• He has destroyed the church hierarchy,
• He has destroyed the technology,
• He has abandoned any past workable activities within the church,
• He has gotten rid of or destroyed any effective leadership within the church,
• He has created enemies everywhere in the world,
• He has created an operating climate within the church that promotes criminal activity as the preferred method of operation,
• He has converted the church from a service organization to a parasitic donation-with-no-exchange organization,
• He has destroyed any credibility the church might have had by spouting his easily disproven lies,
• He has destroyed any legitimacy for his "religion" by always rejecting religious actions and always embracing aggressive business practices,
• He has and is alienating all the members of his church by treating them as enemies or, at best, a large money bag that can simply be squeezed for more money constantly,
• He has committed and continues to commit crimes that put the whole church at risk,
• And so much more.

The Church of Scientology is weak and getting weaker. The membership is shrinking so fast it could be said to be imploding. Money is flowing out of the church much faster than Miscavige can force the parishioners to cough up more.

The church can no longer spend money on its attacks in the quantity it used to.
However, do not be fooled into thinking that Miscavige is not dangerous. He is unstable and unpredictable. He is capable of great evil and he does not feel constrained by laws, ethics or morality. While his actions become less and less effective, they can also be randomly destructive.

One side note: I am truly sorry that those near Miscavige are getting hurt, and it is an unfortunate side-effect that the work to get rid of the criminals of Scientology does cause Miscavige to be even more cruel to those near him. I can only hope that those people can escape. However, the fact that people near Miscavige are getting hurt is no reason to mitigate the attacks.

When Anonymous says they are attacking the corporate evil that is the Church of Scientology, Miscavige "knows" that they are attacking him, personally. He is taking it very, very seriously.

So, it is important that Anonymous not take it seriously. The best weapon to use against Miscavige is Miscavige. Meaning: Laugh at him. He can’t stand being laughed at. Point out what an absolute fool he is. Let everyone know what he has done and is doing. He is insane. He is a criminal. He is unstable. Laugh at him because he is ridiculous. He may just take the final actions to destroy the corporation of Scientology himself.

I’ve seen various suggestions about what the theme of Anonymous’ May protest should be. May I suggest "Laugh!"?

[Thanks, Ask the Scientologist]

Scientology has come under a lot of scrutiny recently caused by a group known as Anonymous.  Taking on the visage of Guy Fawkes, as displayed most recently in the film V for Vendetta, the members of Anonymous have raise questions concerning the validity of the religious status of the Co$.

They maintain that the Co$ is a Cult and a monetary scam and have produced compelling arguments to that end.

But the tidbit in all of this that has caught my eye relates to stories that center upon children.

The first story that caught my eye had to do with a Co$ run kindergarten in Munich, Germany.  When the authorities discovered that the two ‘teachers’ used Scientological teaching methods on the young and impressionable minds the establishment was promptly closed.  (LINK) and another (LINK)

Well, now there is a second government that has closed down a Co$ day-care facility.  The Religions News Blog reports that three child care facilities operating in Tel Aviv have been closed by the government, ostensibly for operating without a license.

So, now we have two governments who don’t want these people toying with their childrens minds.

Unlicensed Scientology kindergartens operating in Tel Aviv

YNetNews, Israel
Mar. 21, 2008
Merav Schlomo
www.ynetnews.com

At least three kindergartens spread out through Israeli urban sprawl offer children educational teachings of controversial cultist movement. Only one institute received municipal approval, but failed to note its religious leanings.

Any kindergarten in Israel with more than 10 children requires the approval of the Education Ministry, but three kindergartens offering children the education teaching of the controversial Scientology movement are operating in Tel Aviv these days without the ministry being aware of their principles.

One of these kindergartens, in the Nahalat Yitzhak neighborhood has about 90 children. Although it received the Education Ministry’s approval, it failed to note its religious leanings.

The ministry has never even heard of the other two Scientology kindergartens, one in the Yad Eliyahu neighborhood and the other on Keren Kayemet Street in northern Tel Aviv.

The Scientology cultist movement was materialized in the United States in the 1950s. Its principles were developed from author L. Ron Hubbard’s set of ideas and practices regarding the relationship between the spirit, mind and body presented in the book “Dianetics“.

In the book, Hubbard developed ideas in regards to ways humans can release themselves from mental elements preventing them from studying, developing and reaching a deeper understanding of the world.

One of the issues characterizing education according to the Scientology ideas is teaching respect, human rights and friendship – expressed in addressing children at eye level. When a teacher speaks to one of his or her pupils, he or she will bend down in order to prevent significant height differences.

It should be noted that a visit to one of the three kindergartens did not reveal any strange or severe issues in the teachers’ treatment of the children, and yet these kindergartens are operating without a license and without being supervised by the Education Ministry.

Avi Katzover, an Education Ministry spokesman for the Tel Aviv District, said in response that “the kindergarten (in Nahalat Yitzhak) was granted an operating license after it was made clear that it has no security or health risks. The license is temporary until the end of the school year.

“The pedagogical aspect will be examined this year and we will then make a final decision whether to grant it a permanent license for the coming years as well.

“As for the Scientology issue, the Education Ministry is unaware of such principles being taught in the kindergarten. The supervisor examined the kindergarten’s education contents and did not spot any Scientology content. The teacher also denied any involvement in the cult.”

{Thanks, Religious News Blog]

There still seems to be quite a bit of controversy surrounding Anonymous and the Scientologist’s.   It’s funny, at least to me, how the compelling questions raised by the Anonymous group are not really being addressed by the Co$.

And of course I think that the first question we should be asking is ‘Where are the Children?’

Scientology center draws downtown protest
Former church members speak out about their experiences

by Daniel DeBolt
Mountain View Voice Staff

A strange standoff between the Church of Scientology and a group calling itself "Anonymous" played out during a downtown demonstration Saturday morning.

About 20 members of Anonymous, most wearing masks and carrying signs with anti-Scientology slogans, stood for about an hour across the street from the Dianetics center at 391 Castro.

The event was said to be one of several across the country organized on March 15 by the group, which uses the Internet for most of its communications.

It is not clear what exactly caused the friction between the two groups. Two Scientology members, giving a presentation to the Voice last Friday, said Anonymous is a terrorist organization with no real point to its actions beyond spreading fear and mayhem for their own sake. They presented videos to support their claims.

The previous Friday, two Anonymous members came to the Voice to decry the practices of the Church of Scientology, which they said has destroyed families and lives, and even caused the deaths of innocent people.

Two people taking part in Saturday’s demonstration said they were former church members, and claimed that the Church of Scientology has broken up their families.

"There’s real brainwashing going on — people will defend [Scientology] with their lives," said Bill Offerman, a former member of the church.

Offerman said he joined the church in 1969 in San Francisco, where he was a member for 14 years. "It seemed to promise self-betterment," he said.

Holding a sign that read, "Scientology split up my family," Offerman claimed his sister and her children were forbidden to speak to him after he became disillusioned with the church — an alleged practice known as "disconnection policy." His sister’s children also are not allowed to use the Internet, he said: "The Internet, I think, is the church’s worst enemy."

Anonymous members handed out fliers advertising a Web site called www.exscientologykids.com, where several former members, including the niece of the church’s president, talk about their experiences. "I was born, I grew up, I escaped," is the site’s tag line.

Offerman was reluctant to give his name at first, because of what he called the "fair game policy" — another alleged practice which he said Scientology has used to justify "some pretty horrible things" done to its perceived enemies.

As for the Anonymous members with him on the street that day, "These people aren’t terrorists," he said.

The Church of Scientology vigorously disagrees, and members of the Mountain View church, located on Easy Street, said they could prove it.

"I believe they are domestic terrorists," said public affairs director Matt Ward, presenting a package of information about the Internet-based group’s activities since it began its anti-Scientology campaign in January.

Since then, he says, Scientology churches have been subjected to hate campaigns all over the country. He said Anonymous tactics include thousands of abusive messages and threats <0×2014> including bomb threats — by e-mail and phone, Web site hacking, vandalism and other attacks. Ward said the local church is working with police to find the people who made threatening phone calls to Mountain View offices this year, but so far no leads have been found.

Ward played several videos, posted on YouTube, where supposed Anonymous members vowed to destroy the Church of Scientology. The videos were stylized to be disturbing and intimidating, and demonstrated that a group defined by its anonymity can’t be accountable for its actions.

"That’s what’s scary about it," said Darlene Bright, a Scientologist who accompanied Ward.

Ward said the videos and actions of Anonymous were more than just intimidating: In many cases they could be legally defined as hate speech. He provided documents showing racist and other offensive messages which the Church of Scientology attributes to Anonymous.

Protestors on Saturday had a different take on the group.

"Being anonymous is not our strength, it’s our numbers," said one member who called himself Dave. He admitted that "Most of us actually don’t know each other, we’re complete strangers."

With one exception, the only protesters not wearing masks were former members of the Church of Scientology. One such former member, Rose Velasco, told her story.

"It’s hard to talk about this because it sounds stupid," Velasco said. "I was a follower. I thought it was the answer to the universe."

She said she was recruited, like many others, during that "critical time after high school, when you are up against the world." She was 19, and remained a member for 30 years, attending Scientology churches in San Jose, Mountain View and Los Gatos.

Velasco said she endured constant requests for money at the San Jose and Los Gatos churches. "It’s a business," she said.

Velasco said she parked at the police station on Saturday, because she and her sister were followed to their cars after a similar protest in February — a typical intimidation tactic, say the protesters. Despite the perceived risk, she said the protests are "healing" for her.

[Thanks, Mountain View Voice]

There are some rumors going around that Will Smith and his wife Jada Pinkett are being groomed as the next spokespersons for the controversial ‘Church’ of Scientology.  This raises some very interesting questions.

1. Has Tom become ‘Risky Business’ for the church due to his ’short’ sighted couch jumping antics?
2. Why would someone DENY being associated with the C0S if that were a lie?
3. How come the church is grooming someone who flat out denies being a scientologist?
4. Why doesn’t the church pick someone from it’s already star-studded ‘congregation’?
5. If the Will-Jada deal falls through are Posh and Becks stupid enough to fall for the C0S scam?

Here are some links to just a few of the articles out there:

• Will Smith, wife deny being Scientology’s newest recruits
• Church of Scientology desperate to land Posh and Becks as followers
• Will Smith denies Scientology claims
• What’s The Skinny On Will Smith And Scientology?

Anonymous, describes itself as "chaotic, disorganized, organic, viral, confusing, amusing and growing. It is in this structureless, leaderless, anarchic environment that many find strength when put against an organization which is based on, and can only understand, the most rigid forms of authority."  It’s one true purpose is to knock down the Church of Scientology.  Some of the actions they attribute to the CoS and it’s members are pretty frikkin’ scary!

Read the full contents of their message HERE!

There is an interesting article over at Enturbulation.org that proposes a theory that L. Ron Hubbard, a mediocre S.F. writer, was not the original author of the ideas behind Scientology.  In fact, the article goes on to say that Dr. Anastasius Nordenholz originally wrote a book called "Scientology: Science of the Constitution and Usefulness of Knowledge" which was first published in 1934 by the Publishing House "Ernst Reinhardt" in Munich, Germany.

I guess it’s a Scientology banner week for bad publicity.

Where did Hubbard steal Scientology from?

From a German book written in 1934 he had read once. Now, through the miracle of the Internets you too can read it for the first time in …well …ever

[Thanks, Enturbulation]

The original text can be found HERE.