Following accusations by Sydney's Nick Xenophon of "false imprisonment, coerced abortions, embezzlement of church funds, physical violence, blackmail and the widespread deliberate abuse of information obtained by the organization," Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd is the latest leader to express concern over allegations of "a worldwide pattern of abuse and criminality" by the Church of Scientology, and is contemplating a parliamentary inquiry, according to The Guardian UK.
The organization is under police investigation, and yesterday angry ex-Scientologists, spurred on by the claims, converged on its Australian headquarters calling for its tax-exempt status to be revoked.
A new book called Blown for Good: Behind the Iron Curtain of the Church of Scientology by Marc Headley, an employee of the church's Los Angeles headquarters for 15 years, details allegations of systematic abuse and bizarre episodes, such as the three weeks Headley claims he spent under instruction from Tom Cruise in how to move bottles and other objects by concentrating on them.
Headley's book follows a year in which Scientology has been plagued by unwelcome revelations from high-profile defectors and fresh media investigation into its practices. The so-called "church" was recently convicted of widespread fraud in France, where it is considered a cult.
In Belgium, Scientology is also embroiled in a criminal investigation. Oscar-winning director Paul Haggis (Crash), an adherent of 30 years, abandoned Scientology in October, accusing it of homophobia.
The church faced global ridicule after an internal videotape by Cruise, the church's most high-profile member, was leaked and went viral on the Internet. It showed a rambling Cruise laughing inexplicably while saying that Scientologists were uniquely equipped with the knowledge necessary to cure most of the world's ills, including crime, drugs, mental health problems and violence. [Scroll to the bottom of this article to see the video].
Scientology has attempted, unsuccessfully, to sue the media, including U.S. mainstays the Washington Post and Time magazine. The repeated attempts to use the courts to silence critics have been criticized in the judgments that have been upheld against Scientology, including one in 1996 that described its "documented history of vexatious behavior" and abuse of "the [US] federal court system ... to destroy their opponents, rather than to resolve an actual dispute over trademark law or any other legal matter".
American actor Jason Beghe (Californication) was the first of Scientology's celebrity followers – for whom the church maintains a "Celebrity Centre" in L.A. – to break with it, after giving the church more than $1 million in donations over 12 years.
Beghe warns that the church is "destructive and a rip-off". He claims that since his renunciation of Scientology he has been pursued to seminars in Europe – held to speak of its dangers – by private investigators employed by Scientology and "disconnected" from former friends who remain within it.
The decision of Beghe and Haggis to quit Scientology appears to have caused the movement its greatest recent PR difficulties, not least because of its dependence on Hollywood figures as both a source of revenue for its most expensive courses, and an advertisement for the religion. The involvement of such high-profile figures as Haggis, Cruise and John Travolta has acted as a reassurance for potential recruits against the allegations of its critics.
After a bad year for Cruise's church, things could be about to become a whole lot worse.
For more information:
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Celebrities lead charge against Scientology
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Following French fraud conviction, Scientology under fire for tracking down defectors
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Scientology Celebrity Centre International
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Comments
Nice article, thanks. By the way, cult founder L. Ron Hubbard wrote that LGBT folks should be "quarantined and institutionalized," and if they wouldn't conform, should be "disposed of quietly and without sorrow."
Your link to the Blown for Good book is messed up (an extra 'http' in the URL).
Hi Maria, thanks. The link is working correctly now. Examiner.com is upgrading its publishing tool and we are working out the glitches. Sorry for the inconvenience!
Kelvin
Excellent article, sir. This is a great summary of the fail and fail again that the church has experienced recently, and just one more piece of encouragement to add to the already heaping pile of win that Anonymous has accumulated. So, thank you for your courage and dedication to the truth. <3 PDXanon
Good summary. One of the Australian 7, ex-Scilons who wrote to Xenophon about the abuse, is Aaron Saxton.
If you search for his name on YOUTUBE, you will find his 7-part series, which is the most compelling, honest, and shocking video testimony ever given by a former Scientologist.
Aaron talks about the process by which he was turned from a victim, led into the cult by his Scilon parents, to a Sea Org machine more than human, forcing women to have abortions, training other people into machines, all to keep selling Scientology, that is, Keep Scientology Working at all costs.
Aaron exposes the scam, in a very personal, courageous way, quite unlike any member before him.
He's been on a few Australian TV programs, but his story is way beyond the sound-byte treatment, and if there's any justice, Aaron will be in high demand, in worldwide media, to tell his story.
I have seen enough of this worldwide media that seeks to propagandize Scientology. Next there will be a witch hunt and many will join in simply because they were too lazy to question what they are seeing and reading in the media.
Forget that this has happened before and forget that religious minorities have been subjected to this kind of treatment throughout history--sometimes with disastrous consequences--and keep posting your inane comments as if you all know more than you do.
Look through the propaganda and go and meet some Scientologists and talk to them about what they are doing in the world and why they do it--if you are honest in your questions they will probably discuss this with you.
Coming on arrogant and ignorant, they probably will not. This is more to this story that what the media is telling you.
Knowing the effectiveness of the Scientology PR machine it is difficult to take any supportive comments seriously.
When I read any supportive comments on blogs or articles I have to take into consideration the significant possibility that those comments are a form of damage control initiated by the organisation.
Scientology's position on all the bad news about them is simple: believe no one but scientologists and their great leader L. Ron Hubbard. Those poor people in this cult must hide away from real world news and hide their true beliefs of space aliens or get laughed at. What a pathetic way to live.
I have no issue with what any religion believes. As for Scientology, in terms of raw probability, it's impossible that we are the only form of life in the universe, given its sheer enormity. However, what does concern me are the stories of coercion, blackmail, victimization, etc. that are coming from former members of Scientology. I'm not saying Scientology engages in such practices. I'm just passing along the news. That's my job.
RPF is violation of human rights
I have seen the materials that are talked about here with this Human Rights Campaign and I found it very educatineg and as I am a teacher my self, I will be using this material to teach my students about Human Rights. They need to know. It has nothing to do with the Church. I have seen it and read right through it. It just seems that any group that tries to get up and advocate free thinking and Human Rights gets attacked by those who are ignorant and blind to looking at the materials them selves. I think the people should have a chance to see and make up thier own mind www.humanrights.com That in it self is a human right to have a look your self and make up your own mind instead of taking the opinion of others and assuming that opinion without any inspection of your own. I want my kids to think for them selves, and not just live life by taking the opinions of others all the time.
Andrew, your religion, Scientology, advocates free thinking by hooking people up to lie detectors and asking them if they've had negative thoughts about L Ron Hubbard?
Andrew you shill, your cult, Scientology, has been stalking and harassing and silencing critics for decades, and if they had their way, all critics of Scientology (known as SP's) would be in labor camps. Yeah, way to champion human rights, ya douche.
@Stuart why don't you tell us what Scientology is doing in the world. I'm pretty sure it's not much besides taking money for services that cannot be shown to do anything. Your "religion" provides no charity, no relief efforts, nothing is free and nothing is accomplished, except BUSINESS.
Witchhunt? You should tell the OSA op who's in charge of communications to wordclear that word.
Parsons wrote to Crowley about Hubbard:
About three months ago I met Ron ... a writer and explorer of whom I had known for some time. He is a gentleman; he has red hair, green eyes, is honest and intelligent, and we have become great friends.
Although Ron has no formal training in magick, he has an extraordinary amount of experience and understanding in the field. From some of his experiences I deduce that he is in direct touch with some higher intelligence, possibly his guardian angel.
Deception is not a respecter of education or enlightenment...be it in Africa or in New York...it plays on human thirst for answers and can be well dressed up in clever psychology and "science" or more crudely targeted at a people desperate for some sort of escape...
This proves to me that there are no real vaccuums in the spiritual arena ... you need Jesus or you will find a strange alternative...sooner or later...
I've had experience with a family member in Scientology and his involvement has caused nothing but harm, damage and sadness in the family. It is one of the most despicable organizations I've ever had the misfortune to encounter. Their claims to being a religion are ridiculous. Their claims to help mankind are downright lies.
There is NO way that the "Cult of Greed and SIN" is going to look cut and innocent ever again.
Too many horror stories, too many scams and frauds have been exposed.
Too many Ex-scientologists have left, to the point that there are FIVE ex-scientologists to every active Ronbot.
I doubt that the cult will survive the truth, about $cientology being a Godless, for profit private corporation.
$cientology KILLS!!!
THE RONBOT HUNTER
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
I'm so glad that this cult is finally being exposed for what they really are.
OMG people, can you not see through the marketing of Blown for Good: Behind the Iron Curtain of the Church of Scientology by Marc Headley. This guy is just trying to sale his book.
I guess Anonymous people are hired to comment on these message boards. I hope they are because no one really cares about their protest. Even Wired Magazine said their movement seemed pointless.
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