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How is the Church of Scientology faring these days? After some rather spectacular stories a couple of years ago (mysterious deaths, censorship, negative exposure) I have heard very little. At least in my neck of the woods.
Ship-in-a-Bottle: For me the issue of Scientology exposes not only American society, or the cult itself but religion in general. I tend to see it as a “ship in a bottle”, a model of the larger society and one that could only have arisen within the boundaries of the United States itself. The cult is deceitful, greedy, secretive, totalitarian and uses intimidation and frivolous lawsuits to accomplish its goals. They also employ innocent-looking front organizations like Religious Freedom Watch, Cult Awareness Network, PsychCrime and Freedom Magazine just to name a few. They also hide behind other religions using them as “religious shields” of conscience and they often try to confuse themselves with human rights groups, and make pseudo-scientific claims.
COS proponents have worked long and hard at equating their newfound “belief system” with much older forms of religion. And often succeeded at gaining church status in various countries around the world. While it has horrified many of the church opponents and members of other religions there is a sort of cruel irony to this. By attempting the formation of a new religion (because they ARE correct, little separates the COS from any other church) in a world permeated by mass media, they also expose some of the fundamental lies and illusions that exist in all religions but have been, over time, largely accepted (or forgotten rather).
The US government: Governor Jeb Bush recently singled out and praised the efforts of Scientologists in the aftermath of the hurricane season. More ties to the Bush administration are also evident.
Celebrities: Tom Cruise was treated to some rather difficult questions by Spiegel. For some reason they did not take Cruise’s assurances that “Narconon” (a pseudo-scientific COS detox program) was the _only_ successful program but rather contested his claims. Apparently Spiegel didn’t “understand” because they had examined the facts and come to a different conclusion whereas Cruise just rambled on with his indoctrinated propaganda. Does that sound like a policy that we’re all familiar with by now?
Also, there were COS volunteers loitering on the “War of the Worlds” set and a tent set up promoting Cruise’s “religion”. Spielberg did not seem overly amused and commented by saying that it was “an information tent” promoting a “belief system”. Cruise seemed more proud of it for some reason.
In other news, Cruise is allegedly presently in Rome and has for some inexplicable reason managed to wrangle time away from the Italian president, Carlo Azeglio Ciampi. Over the years the same Cruise has been a very successful and visible envoy for the cult. This is something that one has to be wary of. The low water mark came when Cruise was invited to the Nobel Peace Price Concert last year.
And talking about celebrities, Russel Crow recently talked about his close encounter with the COS, saying that when he first arrived in Hollywood he read books (”Dianetics”) by the sect founder L. Ron Hubbard and watched videos on their bizarre beliefs. But the actor said “the cult movement is for those who feel insecure and need guidance in their lives.”
“Human Rights” and the US: Also, in its annual report on “human rights” (the pot is calling the kettle black again), the US State Department has accused Germany of religious persecution of Scientologists. Or in other words, they were under covert surveillance for having anti-constitutional aims. This is something that they can no longer do due to a recent court order.
The US continues to post these reports even to this day and make every effort of defaming other nations on various topics such as for example “religious tolerance”. It’s staggering that the US can even bring themselves to issue a report on a subject that they know nothing about and certainly don’t live by.
They also make a lot of hot air with their own “exposure” of “human rights” offences. Like with Human Rights France for instance. Very shrewd and timely considering the French sentiments that still soar (and are being fueled) in the United States.
The Russians weren’t too pleased by COS members showing up at Beslan offering their “religious and psychological services.”
Expansion: We know by their own PR that the COS and its various branches are trying to expand in Asia. Just like everything else these days in the corporate sector. A little modern evangelism with “cruisefix” and sword. It’s a shame really what we unleash upon the less-industrialized world. As if sweatshops, expropriation, exploitation and human rights abuse weren’t enough, now they also have to take it from the L. Ron Hubbard fanatics (and other religious opportunists as well). Considering the kind of influence that the US has over SE Asia and the official support for the Scientology Cult that we’ve seen in recent years, this is a disturbing development. Religious contractors?
It is apparent that the COS has hardly thrown in the towel. Their continued expansion must be scrutinized and halted where possible. Just because we seem to be temporarily safe in nothern Europe doesn’t mean that the world is safe. Information about the purpose of the “church” must reach even the most remote areas of the world or we could have a religious pandemic of greed and exploitation on our hands, one that is orchestrated from the United States no less.
Anti-COS sites:
