The guy who leads the Church of Scientology

So with all the great things I've been talking about over the last couple of days the obvious question is: Who is behind all this expansion?

The answer is Mr. David Miscavige. He has been the leader of the Church since the 1980s and has taken it into the greatest period of expansion it has ever seen.

You can read more about him below.

References:
David Miscavige And The Scientology Renaissance
David Miscavige: The Peacemaker
David Miscavige: International News
David Miscavige Biographies and Articles
Mr. David Miscavige
David Miscavige Opening Speechs
A Most Special Guest, Mr. David Miscavige

Scientology: Social Betterment Campaigns

I've been talking a lot about the huge expansion of Scientology and perhaps if you are not a Scientologist you are thinking, "Big deal, so the Church is expanding, so what?"

Well, believe it or not, all this expansion benefits you too. The Church and its members sponsor many social betterment campaigns which help improve life for everyone, not just Scientologists.

For example,

• The massive human rights campaign that the Church sponsors: Human Rights.
• The largest non-governmental anti-drug campaign in the world: Foundation for a Drug Free World.
• The campaign to bring about a calmer and safer world: The Common Sense Guide to Better Living
• The largest non-governmental volunteer disaster relief force in the world: Volunteer Ministers

These programs benefit all of mankind, not just members of the Scientology religion. As the Church of Scientology expands, so do these programs and so do the benefits felt by all.

Ideal Churches of Scientology

It's not an easy thing to meet the world wide demand for Scientology, but in 2004 David Miscavige came up with a way to do it.

It is called the Ideal Orgs Strategy and the idea behind it is to transform all existing Churches of Scientology into Ideal Churches of Scientology. So what does Ideal mean?

Here is a quote from L. Ron Hubbard that gives you an idea:

You are creating an island of friendliness, decency and succor in the sea of a violent world.... Sometime in the future the islands will become the sea.

A more formal definition would be: An Ideal Org (for “organization”) is a Church configured to provide the full services of the Scientology religion to its parishioners and to the community.

You can read more about it here: Meeting the Global Demand for the Scientology Religion

More Scientology Expansion in Florida

Yesterday I wrote about the Fort Harrison hotel, today I'm writing about the building right next door to it, which is called the "Scientology Mecca" because it represents the spiritual center of the religion.

This beautiful building will be delivering some of the most advanced and spiritually beneficial services that exist in Scientology. When the renovations on the Fort Harrison were completed, the final phase of construction began on the Scientology Mecca. You can read more here: Planned to Perfection: Scientology Mecca Enters Final Construction Phase.

Scientology Expansion: The Fort Harrison

The Church of Scientology's spiritual headquarters is the "Flag Land Base" in the Florida city of Clearwater. The HQ used to be on a ship, but moved to Clearwater in 1975, hence the name "Flag Land Base".

Clearwater is a beautiful city, with one of the best beaches in the world, so its a great place to visit or to live in. Thousands of Scientologist live here and thousands more visit every year to avail themselves of the services offered at Flag.

Not surprisingly the Church is the largest property tax contributor on the tax rolls of downtown Clearwater. And also not surprisingly is very active in maintaining and improving its properties.

Just this March the renovations of the Fort Harrison hotel, a cultural landmark purchased by the Church in 1975, were completed and the building reopened. The work done to beautify the FH was just a typical example of what the Church and its members are doing all over the world to new Church buildings that are being purchased as part of the enormous expansion Scientology is experiencing.

You can read more about it here: Fort Harrison Grand Re-opening

Scientology Expansion since 2004

Wow! I knew Scientology was expanding but I had no idea of the magnitude.

For example: 60 million books and lectures distributed in the past two years—more than the combined total in the first 50 years of Dianetics and Scientology.

That's amazing.

Or: Church premises increased from 5.6 million square feet to more than 11 million square feet since 2004

Or: 2.4 million L. Ron Hubbard Dianetics and Scientology books placed in 97,997 libraries in 155 countries since July 2007.

And that's just a small taste. For a longer list check out: The True Face of Scientology: Unparalleled Growth Since 2004

Psychiatic Drug Side Effect Search Engine

If you shop on Amazon or many other online sites you will be able to read reviews of a product before you purchase. These reviews are usually written by other consumers like yourself who have bought and used the product. Their comments give you information you can use to make an informed decision.

So where do you go to get the same type of reviews for prescription drugs?

The commercials or magazine ads were written by the drug company. They are selling the drug so they will paint the rosiest possible picture. Articles about the drugs on news sites are suspect because of the huge clout drug companies have due to their enormous advertising budgets. (You aren't going to say nasty things about one of your biggest advertisers.)

You could go to the FDA website and hunt around for data but that's not necessarily easy to do.

Until now it's been tough for consumers to get the facts on prescription drugs, but not anymore. Now you can check out the facts about psychiatric drugs by going to the Psychiatric Drug Side Effect Search Engine, an easy-to-use website that will tell you the other side of the story.

When you go to the site check out the two videos linked to in the top left corner of the page. They tell you what the search engine is and how to use it.

Don't be fooled by the marketing, the glossy ads and the drug company funded research. Get the facts.

Answer to Jim regarding Psychiatry and Scientology

Jim Gatos said:

Grahame,

I saw this article;

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32271786/ns/health-kids_and_parenting/

thought I'd bring it here.

I'm curious, what's the "connection" with Scientology and Psychiatry?"

Thanks
Jim

Hey Jim,

The only "connection" is that we in Scientology are opposed to the abuses in Psychiatry.

The article you link to is typical of these abuses. Psychiatry and its main sponsor, the Pharmaceutical Industry, need to expand their profit base so Big Pharma finds some willing psychiatrists, hands them a study they can put their names to and the results are published.

The questions to ask before falling for the marketing propaganda in an article such as this are:

1. What are the financial ties between the researchers and the pharmaceutical industry?
2. What actual physical tests were carried out to determine that these 3 year old kids have "depression"?
3. If no physical tests were carried out then how can anyone possibly assert that these kids have "depression"?
4. Do physical tests actually exist to show that someone has "depression"?
5. If not then how come so much money is being made from the widespread prescription of drugs that address a "disease" that cannot be proven to exist.
6. What treatment is recommended for toddler depression? What are the side-effects?
7. What are the long-term effects of giving psychiatric drugs to toddlers?

(The most common side-effect of psychiatric drugs in toddlers, according to the FDA's adverse reactions database, is death.)

By-the-way, I don't say that the set of symptoms that have been labeled as "depression" don't exist. What I say is that they are a set of symptoms for which the underlying condition has not been accurately diagnosed.

Many real, treatable diseases can cause the symptoms that are labeled "depression". Here is an example from the CDC web site: Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Symptoms.

References:
The Corrupt Alliance of the Psychiatric-Pharmaceutical Industry
Psychiatric Drug Side Effects Search Engine
Video: Where the Truth Lies
Video: What Consumer, doctors and pharmacists say about Psychiatric Drugs
Video: How to use the Psychiatric Drug Side Effects Search Engine

Some Questions about Scientology

Luca said:

I like your honest answers. It's indeed so difficult to discuss religion in civilized manner that I really hope you can answer me on some points.

1) I see lots of talk about "salvation of man" in scientology. Salvation from what?
2) Most religions believe that God revealed to some chosen man about his existence, his name, his plans etc. Apparently Hubbard never claimed that God revealed anything to him but he rather speaks of "discoveries". Is this right? Why your God does not reveal his religion to "prophets"?
3) If salvation comes only from becoming scientologists, what happened to people before scientology? If one can be saved without becoming scientologists, then why should one choose to become one?
4) Sometimes I see written that scientology is compatible with other religions. Is that right? If is right, how comes no monotheist religion believes in reincarnation? How can the Bible or Qu'ran pass over this crucial fact unless they are false and/or misleading?

Many thanks for your attention.

Luca

Hey Luca,

Those are really good questions. I'll do my best to give good answers.

1) I've seen the word "salvation" used now and then in Scientology but not often. The basic idea of salvation is "the saving of somebody or something from harm, destruction, difficulty, or failure" (Encarta Dictionary). In the online Scientology Catechism, you will find this:

The Scientology religion offers practical tools one can use to better oneself and others. Some religions offer salvation in the hereafter, while Scientology offers certainty of eternal salvation now. (from the question: In what way does Scientology differ from other religions?)

In this sense the "from what?" is relief from the troubles and sufferings of existence. In Scientology we have practical tools that a person can use to improve their life in the here and now. Part of this is that you can gain a personal reality on your spiritual immortality through Scientology Auditing. (I know that I have.)

So you can see that the definition of "salvation" we are using in Scientology is different to the Christian definition of salvation which is "deliverance from sin through Jesus Christ." Scientology is not offering that sort of salvation and is not in competition with it.

2) You are correct that L. Ron Hubbard has never claimed to be anything more than a man who was curious about what made humanity tick, investigated it and shared what he found. (See: The True Story of Scientology - the full article is split into short pages, so make sure you keep clicking the "next" button till you get to the end.)

Early on in his investigations he divided life up into eight areas so it could be better understood. The article The Dynamics describes these areas. At that time he decided that the eighth area, called the "God Dynamic" should be left up to the individual and that Scientology would not intrude into that area. So Scientology stops at the seventh area, called the "Spiritual Dynamic".

Personally, I think this was a good idea. There are so many different ideas about what God is or isn't and so many claims about what is the correct belief to have and what is heresy and there has been so much conflict over the centuries that I think it is best to stay out of that zone and leave it up to personal conviction.

The best description of Scientology's viewpoint on God is covered in this article: Scientology and God. From that page I think you will understand why no assertions have been made of divine revelation in the development of Scientology.

(BTW: that entire web site (Scientology: Theology and Practice of a Contemporary Religion) is a great reference that will answer many, many questions not only about Scientology but also about how it relates to other religions.)

3) What we say in Scientology is that it is a workable route out of the sufferings and travails of life. We don't say it is the only possible route.

My own viewpoint is that I have found a workable route to personal spiritual improvement and so I'm following it. The results I've gotten so far have been phenomenal so I'm quite happy to continue to follow it. I definitely recommend it to others, and I think that with just a small investment of time anyone can see if it is going to be a workable route for them or not.

You ask: Why should one choose to become a Scientologist? My answer is "because it will help you to handle those things in your life that cause you upset and suffering then it will help you increase your abilities to levels you never thought possible and you can prove to yourself that it works with just a small investment of time and effort."

4) In Scientology there is no "conversion". A person can be a Scientologist and a member of any other religion. We don't insist they drop or renounce their other beliefs.

Beliefs in such things as past-lives are not dogma is Scientology. As an individual becomes more spiritually aware he or she gains personal reality on their present and past. No one insists that a person recalls a past life and if they do then no one insists that it is real. Whether the individual wants to accept it as fact or as a delusion is entirely up to them. All we care about is that their lives improve and they become more spiritually aware.

The tools we have in Scientology don't require belief in order to work.

Regarding the holy books of other religions. It is impossible to get everything about existence into one or two brief volumes. The Bible doesn't mention sub-atomic particles, yet they exist. The Qur'an doesn't mention other galaxies yet they exist. Neither of these omissions make those great works less than they are.

I hope I've answered your questions to your satisfaction, if not just ask me some more.

Psychiatrist hid records in Virginia Tech shooting

The missing mental health records of Virginia Tech shooter Seung-Hui Cho just turned up ... in the home of the psychiatrist who was treating him.

In 2007, Dr. Robert C. Miller claimed that he didn't know where these records were but they were recently found in his home, during a document discovery phase of a pending trial.

Parents of some of the victims of the shooting are smelling a cover-up.

To see the full details of this and more revelations in the case read: Virginia Tech Shooter's Psych Doctor Hid Mental Health Records for Seung-Hui Cho