Alt.religion.scientology
Week in Review Volume 6, Issue 42
2/10/2002 by Rod Keller [rkeller@...]
copyright 2002

Alt.religion.scientology Week in Review summarizes the most significant
postings from the Usenet group Alt.religion.scientology for the preceding
week for the benefit of those who can't follow the group as closely as
they'd like. Out of thousands of postings, I attempt to include news of
significant events, new affidavits, court rulings, new contributors,
whatever. I hope you find it useful. Like many readers of a.r.s, I have a
kill file. So please take into consideration that I may not have seen some
of the most significant postings.

The articles in A.r.s Week in Review are brief summaries of articles
posted to the newsgroup. They include message IDs for the original
articles, and many have a URL to get more information. You may be able to
find the original article, depending on how long your site stores articles
in the newsgroup before expiring them.

Free A.r.s Week in Review subscriptions are available. Subscriptions are
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Week in Review is archived at:
http://www.xenu.net/archive/WIR/
http://wpxx02.toxi.uni-wuerzburg.de/~krasel/CoS/ars-summary.html
http://www.uni-bonn.de/~uzs1dc/scientology/wir.html
http://www.religio.de/publik/arsfaq.html

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> Battle Creek

The Battle Creek Enquirer reported on February 5th that renovation of the
Hart Hotel to be the new Scientology org in Michigan has been delayed.

"The Church of Scientology has delayed moving into the former Hart Hotel
until late 2003. The church originally had planned to move out of its
present location at 66 E. Michigan Ave. this summer, but decided it would
be more beneficial to wait so the former hotel could be completely
renovated before the move takes place, said Mike Delaware, executive
secretary of the Battle Creek church.

"The later date will better accommodate contractors working on the
restoration of the building, said Larry Rizor, owner of Architects Inc.,
the firm that is doing architectural work for the church. 'It will be
tedious, time-consuming work for the skilled craftsmen,' Rizor said. 'The
contractors can move around a lot better if the building is vacant, rather
than partially occupied.'

"The church bought the hotel in April 2001 for $230,000 and moved into its
current location in the Elizabeth Building three months later. Since
acquiring the hotel, the church has pushed back its anticipated move date
three times.

"Properly restoring a building that has meant quite a bit to the city of
Battle Creek is more important than getting out of a temporary location
quickly, he said. The location on East Michigan Avenue 'is a temporary
space, but it works and we're happy here,' Delaware said. 'In the end (the
former hotel) is going to be a beautiful property. It fell into neglect
over the past 10 or 20 years, but a lot of important things happened here.
'We're trying to bring the luster back to something that is a source of
fond memories for people in this community.'"

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> Clearwater

Letters to the editor of the St. Petersburg Times on February 5th, 6th and
9th addressed the opening of the Fort Harrison Hotel to Clearwater's
community leaders for an evening event.

"I applaud our new county administrator, Steve Spratt, for not attending;
but I am disgusted that the Latvalas and our longtime, much-admired
Sheriff Everett Rice attended. The Scientologists are involved in every
aspect of the community in order to convert other clones, buy more time,
buy respect, buy acceptance - just like they bought up Clearwater. I
wouldn't lower myself to enter that building of pagans.

"I would be too embarrassed to even admit I had received an invitation,
much less attend such a 'Come hither, let's be friends' gala. Let it be
known that this community has never, nor will it ever, become more
accepting of this so-called church. - Dee Jackson, Palm Harbor

"Has Clearwater given up? They sure act like it. Scientology, as owner of
the Fort Harrison Hotel, has a public relations coup with the 75th
anniversary of the county landmark. Some of our county 'leaders' couldn't
wait to cozy up to the cult. I guess they have conveniently forgotten
about the thousands of lives the cult has ruined, the real estate scams,
the infiltration of the public school system in the Boston area, the
mysterious deaths, the harassment of members and former members.

"Why is it that Scientology doesn't want the press in the hotel? The cult
hasn't changed, it has just gotten better at covering up its misdeeds. The
rest of the world might look at the United States, see we have given up
and wonder why they should fight. If a cancer invaded your body, wouldn't
you do everything you could to fight it? Clearwater should not forget and
not give up the fight. - David Rodman, Dunedin"

"This is not about a 75th anniversary of the old Fort Harrison Hotel but
more about getting the people in power over to their side. How can our
elected officials go along with such a farce? I have lived here more than
44 years and can remember when the downtown area was a nice place to shop,
and I also remember the Fort Harrison when it was a nice place to go for
lunch or dinner. Are we going to continue to allow Scientologists to
gobble up the rest of Clearwater and perhaps rename it Hubbardville? It
would seem that's the direction we are heading in. - Shelby Sabathe,
Clearwater

"Scientology takes out newspaper ads and hosts 'gala black tie events'
attempting to blithely link itself to a 75-year history of a Clearwater
landmark. Any true history of this hotel should include Scientology's own
history with it. The group slithered into Clearwater under the false name,
'United Churches of Florida,' when it acquired this historic building. The
St. Petersburg Times reported the first instances of Scientology's
fraudulent behavior in Clearwater nearly three decades ago.

"This so-called church attempted to run covert operations to smear former
Clearwater Mayor Gabe Casares to silence his exposure of it in 1976 and
has never stopped this kind of unsavory behavior since. We still have the
pending civil case in the death of Lisa McPherson, who died in Scientology
'care' at the Fort Harrison, and the admission from a court case reported
by the Times just last year that Scientology has more than 100
surveillance cameras trained on the residents of Clearwater. We have
witnessed this 'church' hiring private investigators to frame another
outspoken critic of its behavior, Jesse Prince, with marijuana charges
just a few months ago. We have heard the courts state that the Clearwater
Police Department was coming dangerously close to becoming Scientology's
private police force as a result of its influence.

"Kudos to the Times for listing those who chose to dine at Scientology's
trough and those who refused. Let's hope the Pinellas County and
Clearwater voters don't forget. - Randy Enerson, Port Richey

"When I see people cynically mentioning 'cult' as if they were experts,
and sharing their attitudes of animosity, it only reminds me of the
trouble spots in the world today, all created by intolerance, exclusion of
others and hate. When the Church of Scientology opened its doors for the
75th Anniversary Celebration, it opened to the community a sincere
demonstration of its intentions and activities of public good. Case in
point: Did you know that the Clearwater Church of Scientology had bus
loads of Scientology Volunteer Ministers that were highly effective and
recognized as such at 'ground zero' in New York City since Sept. 11?

"I therefore acknowledge Clearwater Mayor Brian Aungst for his open-door
policy of tolerance, and for demonstrating by his presence at the Fort
Harrison 75th Anniversary Celebration, that a united community working
together to improve conditions and to flourish and prosper is America's
best civil defense. - Luis Colon, Belleair"

The St. Petersburg Times reported on February 6th that the Clearwater area
bus authority is reconsidering the ban on non-commercial ads on county
buses. The ban was placed after Scientology critics advertised on buses
for a protest on the anniversary of Lisa McPherson's death.

"Pinellas County's transit authority is reconsidering its ban on nonprofit
advertising after Crime Stoppers questioned why it couldn't put its slogan
on buses. Crime Stoppers asked PSTA to reconsider its policy last month.
The request comes two years after the agency decided to allow only
advertisements from commercial businesses. That decision came after the
transit authority found itself tangled between the Church of Scientology
and a group of church critics who purchased anti-Scientology ads in
December 1998.

"The agency said in 1999 that it didn't want to become a 'public forum'
for advertisers. The downside of the policy, though, was that public
service announcements traditionally purchased by nonprofit groups such as
Crime Stoppers would no longer be allowed. Since then, groups requesting
to advertise on buses have been turned down, including the state Health
Department. Another group, Focus on the Family, has challenged PSTA for
rejecting its bus shelter ads promoting a conference in Brandon that
addressed preventing homosexuality among youth. The advertisements didn't
appear at shelters in Pinellas, and Focus on the Family filed a motion
seeking an injunction against PSTA that is pending.

"PSTA administrators say they have to be careful and can't base a decision
on the content of the ad. 'The more it's based upon the message, the more,
again, that you can be challenged in your decision,' said Alan Zimmet, an
attorney representing PSTA."

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> Volunteer Ministers

The St. Petersburg Times reported on February 8th that Scientology is
placing billboards to advertise their Volunteer Ministers program.

"For Americans troubled by economic uncertainty, fear and grief, 1,100
Church of Scientology billboards going up in major U.S. cities claim to
have an answer. 'No matter how bad it is ... SOMETHING CAN BE DONE ABOUT
IT.' The billboards are part of an unprecedented national media campaign
by Scientology to reach what it calls 'a nation still troubled by the
Sept. 11 attacks.'

"But the blitz disturbs some mental health experts who express concern
about both the church's motive and its expertise in treating emotional
distress. The advertisements promote the services of Scientology's
volunteer ministers, parishioners trained in basic Scientology principles
that the church says can solve problems ranging from grief to marital
difficulties to drug addiction.

"The Church of Scientology is spending $1.1-million on the billboards,
which have gone up in New York, Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco,
Sacramento, San Jose, Cincinnati and this week in Clearwater. More are
slated for Atlanta, Boston, Miami, Washington, D.C., Chicago and St.
Louis. In New York alone, there are 1,000 billboards, many mounted in the
subway system. Clearwater, the spiritual headquarters of Scientology, is
getting eight, and some of those will rotate to Tampa.

"The campaign grew out of Sept. 11, said spokeswoman Linda Simmons Hight
of the Church of Scientology International in Los Angeles. Since the
attacks, the ranks of the volunteer ministers have grown from 5,000 to
14,000, she said. Scientologists wanted to help at ground zero, and many
did. 'That's what brought it together,' Hight said. 'We have volunteer
ministers. We're soon to have 6,000 more and we can do something about any
situation in life.'

"Mental health leaders say the campaign looks like a recruitment technique
that could mislead emotionally vulnerable people. 'We are concerned
Scientology may be playing on people's vulnerability to increase their
membership,' said Cynthia Folcarelli, executive vice president of the
National Mental Health Association, the country's oldest and largest
nonprofit mental health research and advocacy organization.

"Volunteer ministers study a 19-chapter text called The Scientology
Handbook that provides lessons such as improving communication skills,
resolving conflicts, getting people off drugs, handling confusion in the
workplace and improving domestic relations. The ministers also learn how
to conduct 'assists,' procedures Scientologists believe help people
overcome physical or emotional difficulty. It takes about 40 hours to
complete all the chapters, although some volunteers study only select
ones, said Sarah Gorgone, who coordinates about 200 volunteer ministers in
the Clearwater area. Volunteer ministers do not proselytize, nor is the
campaign about recruitment, she said. 'It's Scientologists who have
solutions to problems who are willing to go out of their way to share that
with other people,' Hight said."

Mike O'Connor described Volunteer Minister ads that have been running on
CNN.

"View of Ground Zero. Rubble, busy hard-hatted rescuers bending down in
foreground. The color has been sapped from the scene, leaving everything
in the scene black and white, except for a large flag in the background
and the back of the yellow windbreaker of one man in the foreground, on it
written 'SCIENTOLOGY VOLUNTEER MINISTER.'

"'There are disasters that affect a nation.'

"Fade through black to another scene, a flooded street with a boat making
its way slowly, a few people slogging through the water, helping it
through. 'And disasters that affect a community.'

"Fade through black to a well-attended funeral scene at a gravesite, most
color drained from the scene. 'Some disasters affect a family.'

"Fade through black to a nighttime view of a window looking in we see a
woman crying, raising her hands to her face, and a man with her,
apparently arguing. 'And there are those smaller disasters affecting your
life right now.'

"Fade through black to a solitary man in silhouette, slowly walking away
from us down a long, dark, wet tunnel. 'Whatever difficulties you may be
facing'

"Fade through black to a desaturated scene of many commuters exiting a
train. 'With your job'

"Fade through black to a black and white scene in a home, at the bottom of
a staircase, a man and wife arguing, guesturing. 'Relationships'

"Fade through black to a dark scene, the camera at the bottom of the
stairs, a child sitting at the top in the shadows. 'Your children'

"Fade through black to desaturated scene of a man in a plaid shirt and
jacket, hands in pockets, walking down a dank city street at night. 'Or,
well-being'

"Fade through black to a desaturated scene of crowds of people waking down
a city street. 'Life's disasters can be overcome.'

"The crows scene fades into a beautiful amber-colored sky, the sun rising
through the clouds. 'There are workable solutions for the problems you are
experiencing in life.'

"The sunrise fades into an amber-tinted scene of a not-crowded town
street. A black man walks contentedly toward the camera, fade to a happy
pony-tailed woman doing the same, fade to a man walking away from the
camera now, the back of his yellow windbreaker filling the screen,
lettered 'SCIENTOLOGY VOLUNTEER MINISTER.' 'A Scientology volunteer
minister is trained'

"As the walkaway scene continues, letterboxing appears, and in the top
black bar 1-800-HELP-YOU appears. In the bottom bar,
www.volunteerministers.org appears. 'to help you handle life's disasters.'

"The center scene fades to black. The black screen still shows the phone
number and web site. In the center, 'SOMETHING CAN BE DONE ABOUT IT'
appears. 'Something can be done about it. Contact your local Scientology
volunteer minister.'"

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> Olympics

An email sent to Scientologists asked for volunteers to help recruit at
the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City.

"The tone is like one of our BIG events when we have all just received
some really good news! These athletes are very very special, SO uptone -
lets face it these guys are OT...man do they ever know what it means to be
cause over mest!

"We have permits to work in the Olympic Squares of each city involved,
which is Provo, Salt Lake, Park City, Farmington and Snow Basin. We need a
shoulder to shoulder effort, all Scientologist from everywhere to show up.
We need help in the areas of selling Dianetic books, doing VM activities,
PR Actions and managing the LRH Life exhibition.

"There is a meeting this SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 2, at 4:00PM at CCI in room
101. At this meeting we will drill on this and other aspects of PR.
Briefing Sheets and booklets on the most commonly asked questions were
prepared by OSA and will be handed out. You will be provided with warm
Dianetic jackets, headbands to keep your ears warm and gloves, you just
need to bring black pants to go with them. It is quite real to win up to
1500 dollars in training awards or more."

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> Lisa Marie Presley

The Evening Standard published an article on February 7th on Scientology
celebrity Lisa Marie Presley.

"No one in Hollywood is the least surprised that Lisa Marie Presley and
actor Nicolas Cage have broken off their 10 month relationship. Insiders
say the turning point came when Cage flatly refused to agree to Presley's
insistence that they set a date to wed. The other reasons for the split
lie in Presley's complex attitude to sex, and her commitment to
Scientology.

"Her descent into cocaine addiction had only halted when John Travolta
introduced her mother to Scientology in 1987. Priscilla Presley forced
Lisa Marie into drug treatment at the Scientology Centre in Holly wood.
Several months afterwards Lisa announced that the treatment had 'saved her
life' and she'd become a committed Scientologist. It was at the
Scientology Centre that Lisa met Danny Keough, whom she married in October
1988 at the age of 20. They were together for five years, although just
before their divorce in April 1994, he was to complain bitterly that she
could be 'cold, distant and aloof'.

"To illustrate the differences between them you need look no further than
the evening in March last year when Cage telephoned Lisa Marie to ask if
she would go out to dinner with him. Presley refused - point blank. He was
still going through his divorce from Patricia Arquette, and she knew that
he'd changed his mind about it before. Sex with a married man, on the
brink of divorce or not, was not on Lisa Marie's Scientology-led agenda.

"Meanwhile, Elvis's little princess has returned sadly to her gated Los
Angeles home, consoling herself by confiding in her ex, musician John
Oszajca, with whom she's been seen out in the past two weeks. The poor
little rich girl's attitude to sex and Scientology has cost her dearly."

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> Russia

Pravda reported on February 7th that a Russian politician who was involved
in Scientology is now being accused of creating a criminal group.

"Duma deputy, chairman of the state commission for chemical disarmament
Sergey Kirienko, member of the Union of Right-wing Forces, is accused of
establishment of a criminal group. The claims have been presented at the
Duma's session yesterday by deputies Vyacheslav Olenyev, deputy chairman
of the Duma's Ecology Committee and a member of the Agrarian Group, and
Sergey Shashurin, a member of the People's Deputy group. The deputies have
substantiated their accusations on the materials of the Institute for
public opinion research attached to the Russian Academy of Sciences,
concerning Sergey Kirienko's activity.

"In the mid 90-s Sergey Kirienko, being a bank president, completed a
Scientology course; moreover, he obliged the whole bank staff to attend
the courses. Thomas Gandov, a German expert for totalitarian sects says:
'Scientology strives for the world domination. Kirienko may pose a threat
to the security.'

"It is well-known, participants of the Scientology courses are subject to
a so-called 'Scientologic brain cleansing,' when the human psyche and
mentality are drastically affected. At that, even if people give up
Scientology, the negative consequences of the studies will show up.
Russian intelligence services and the General Office of the Public
Prosecutor warn against the negative influence of Scientology nowadays."

The Washington Post reported on February 8th that Russia refuses to
officially register Western religions and cults.

"For the past five years, ministry officials have refused to register the
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as a religious organization.
Since June, church elders have filed five applications, each turned away
for a different nit: a missing signature, an incomplete date of birth, a
stylistic error. The region's human rights commissioner, Yekaterina
Gorina, denounced the church in a 1999 newspaper article as 'a strange
neo-religion.' She said that 'disregard of the rights and laws of others
is practically a national characteristic of Americans.'

"Post-communist Russia initially gave religious creeds free rein. But the
ensuing flood of foreign evangelists and missionaries raised an outcry,
especially among nationalists and Communists, that Russia's moral fiber
and even its national security were at risk. The government's response was
to toughen a rule that had previously been thought of as a formality: the
requirement that all religions register with the state. Under a law
enacted in 1997, only religions that can prove a 15-year presence in
Russia or that registered before the law's passage can practice in an
organized fashion, with the right to rent space, open bank accounts and
invite foreign clergy. The remainder are tightly circumscribed.

"Denial of registration means a religious group cannot rent or own
property, open a bank account, proselytize, publish literature, provide
religious training or invite foreign clergy. This is a major setback to
new faiths that must essentially start from zero.

"In a July 2000 letter, deputy education minister Yelena Chepurnykh warned
schools against the influence of the Unification Church, the Church of
Scientology, Jehovah's Witnesses, the Mormons, the New Apostolic Church
and the Salvation Army. The groups, all identified as U.S. or
German-funded, use 'religious cover' to collect social, political,
economic and military information about Russia, to incite separatist
sentiments and to create a generation of Russians who 'would be steadily
oriented toward Western values,' Chepurnykh wrote. Russia's law
enforcement agencies have evidence that non-traditional religious groups
'do damage to the individual, the Russian society and the state,' her
letter said."

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