More Questions from a Nurse (3)

Taylor asked a number of questions here: More Questions from a Nurse. Here are more answers:

7. Can you describe some of your family's dietary habits and your personal preferences?
Our diet has nothing to do with our religion. There are no dietary rules in Scientology.

My adult kids don't live with us, so they eat whatever they want. My daughter tends to go for more organic and healthy foods. My son is more lax about what he eats.

Until about a year ago, my wife and I ate what we thought was a healthy diet, mainly organic, avoiding junk food, but eating along the lines of what you could call a "Standard American Diet" of mainly grains, a normal amount of meat (light on the red meats) and some vegetables.

In the last year we have become Nutritarians and eat a science based, high nutrient diet that is actually healthy and not at all like the Standard American Diet we used to eat. This is a personal choice and has nothing to do with our religion.

8. Are there any foods forbidden from you diet for religious or cultural reasons?
No. Although after watching the documentary Super Size Me you'd have to be nuts to eat junk food.

More tomorrow.

More Questions from a Nurse (2)

Taylor asked a number of questions here: More Questions from a Nurse. Here are more answers:

6. Who is the spokesperson for your family?
If we did or did not have a spokesperson, it would have nothing to do with Scientology. Such things are personal or traditional choices.

For our family, we don't have a "spokesperson". Not sure when or why we'd need one. My kids are adults living their own lives now but when they were still children my wife and I would always discuss things with them and come to an understanding. There were very few situations where we had to override their choices and if we ever did then there was full agreement between my wife and I. I guess we have more of a democratic set up than a dictatorial one.

Here is more data: What Does L. Ron Hubbard Say About Raising Children?

More tomorrow.

Anonymous Member Gets a Year in Jail

Brian Mettenbrink, of Grand Island, Nebraska is a member of the ... what shall we call it? Hate Group? Cyber Terrorist Group? I know, Yeah, let's call it the cyber terrorist and hate group Anonymous.

Two years ago he and his fellow criminals decided that they knew better than religious experts and courts and that in their infinite wisdom they were justified in breaking the law so as to harass and attack a religion they knew nothing about.

The sheer arrogance of these people is amazing.

Anyway, Mettenbrink has been caught tried and sentenced for his part in this criminal act and will be spending the next year of his life in jail. Read all about it here: Nebraska man sentenced in Scientology cyber attack.

He is the second Anonymous member to go to jail over these cyber attacks. The first was Dmitriy Guzner. Let us hope there are more to come.

More Questions from a Nurse (1)

Taylor asked a number of questions here: More Questions from a Nurse. I will answer them over a number of days starting with these answers:

1. What is your name?
Grahame

2. Primary language:
English

3. Place of birth:
United Kingdom

4. Educational level or specialized training:
I am an ordained Scientology Minister and am trained as a Scientology Auditor.

Secularly I am a highly trained software developer.

5. To which ethnic group do you belong?
Caucasian.

More tomorrow.

Questions from a Nurse

I just got a couple of good questions:

Hello,

I am currently in nursing school to become an LVN. The new criteria is 'transcultural nursing'. This new subject is a way for nurses to cater better to the different cultures and religions that are in this wonderful world of ours. My theory teacher has assigned us all to give presentations on topics that we choose. Mine is Scientology. There are many questions that we are required to ask and learn so that we may educate our fellow classmates. Would anyone be willing to educate me on a couple of questions for now and then I can ask more later?

1. If ill or have a condition, do you seek out a doctor for help or a respected individual in the community?
2. If someone had a condition like hyper tension (high blood pressure), diabetes, or asthma, can you take prescription medications or are there remedies or herbs that you prefer? If so what are they and what is in them?
3. WHen pregnant does the individual see a doctor? If so does she go for regular check ups? In child birth are there rituals, traditions, or certain actions that are made or certain parts needed (such as umbilical cord, some cultures need it)? Is birth control an option for teens?

If I have offended anyone, I apologize. I would like to get as much information for my report and to educate my fellow classmates just as you will do for me. Thank you for any insight that you may provide and I look forward to hearing from you soon!

Best Wishes,

Taylor

Hey Taylor,

I'm going to answer each of these questions from the viewpoint of the Church as I understand it.

Q1: This depends on the individual and their preferences. It is recommended by the Church that a person get care when they are ill. This is one of the precepts of the book "The Way To Happiness". The book itself is non-religious, but it is recommended by the Church that Scientologists follow it. How the individual implements this recommendation is up to them. They could go to a medical doctor, a naturopath, a chiropractor or whoever they prefer. Such a choice is individual and not an area in which the Church interferes.

Q2: Again it is up to the individual. If you want to go to a medical doctor and take prescription drugs then that is your choice. If you prefer to try something that is actually effective (e.g., Lower high blood pressure, handle diabetes, handle asthma) then it is your choice. The Church simply recommends that you get care when you are ill.

Q3: This is really four questions in one.

The answer for the first and second parts: it is up to the individual.

For the third part of the question: At birth there is an additional recommendation that the birth is kept as quiet as possible. For full details you can read this article, Scientology Silent Birth: 'It's A Natural Thing' . There are no other recommendations and no requirements. The physical bits connected to birth should be handled in whatever way the individual decides. Standard hygienic practices are always a good idea.

And for the last part: guess what ... it is up to the individual and, in the case of someone underage, their parents.

Not any real earth shattering or controversial answers but, hopefully, they tell you what you want to know. If you have more questions please feel free to ask. I'll try to answer a bit quicker than I did with this one. Last week was rather busy for me.

Good luck with your studies.

Dianetics: Purpose of the Mind

The next axiom of Dianetics is:

The purpose of the mind is to solve problems relating to survival - L. Ron Hubbard

Think about that one for a moment. What are you using your mind for every second of every day?

Just deciding what to have for lunch is solving a problem relating to survival:
- Maybe you are on a restricted budget and must decide where to go that will give you the most food for the few dollars you have.
- Maybe you brought your lunch with you because you want to eat healthy fresh food and restaurants in the area don't impress you as healthy.
- Maybe you eat junk food because you like how it tastes and you have no idea of how unhealthy it is.
- Maybe you eat junk food because you have been given false information that it is fine to eat and has no bad health effects.
You see, the mind works on data and sometimes the data it has is wrong. In Dianetics this is sometimes called "didn't know the gun was loaded".

So now you know the purpose of the mind so how does it achieve that purpose? Stay tuned for tomorrow's article.

.

Dianetics: The Basics

As I posted yesterday, in its original form, Dianetics was a family of sciences addressing humanity and its betterment. The form of Dianetics that most people are familiar with and that was covered in the best known book on the subject, Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health, was first covered in the book, Dianetics: The Original Thesis.

This form of Dianetics was described as:

A science of thought applicable to psychosomatic ills and individual aberrations - L. Ron Hubbard

It was based on a few important axioms (established rules or principles), the first and most important of which is that the lowest common denominator of the finite universe is SURVIVE!

The activities of the finite universe can be seen to obey this axiom as though it were a command. All works and energies can be considered to be motivated by it. The various kingdoms have this as their lowest common denominator, for animals, vegetables and minerals are all striving for survival. - L. Ron Hubbard

Think carefully and you will see the truth in that statement. Every living thing and all forms of energy are attempting to survive. Even if they are unsuccessful, they are still attempting in their own way to survive.

And don't think of survival as just for oneself. Survival is a broader concept than just survival of self. Look at the selflessness of a firefighter who puts himself in danger saving others. Clearly he sees survival as more than just "looking out for number one."

Even when a person attempts suicide they are doing it out of an idea that it will aid survival in some way. The idea could be completely crazy, but survival of someone or something will be found at the bottom of it.

This primary axiom leads us to the second which will be discussed tomorrow.

.

Dianetics: 60th Anniversary

May 9th, 1950 was the day that the book Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health was published.

Who would have thought, when it was published, that this book would become the genesis of a world-wide religion with over 8,600 Churches, Missions and affiliated groups, spanning 165 countries?

So what is Dianetics?

The earliest writings on the subject described it like this:

Derived from the Greek word for thought, dianoia. A term employed to embrace the science of thought and including a family of sub-sciences by which the individual and collective activities of mankind may be understood and predicted and bettered. - L. Ron Hubbard

The discoveries that came out of Dianetics led to the applied religious philosophy of Scientology and all the expansion described above.

To celebrate the anniversary, for the next few days I will be writing about Dianetics so you gain a deeper understanding of what it is and how it might help you and those you love.

Reference: Scientology Churches Celebrate Dianetics 60th Anniversary.

.

Steps Toward Handling the Drug Problem

Earlier this week, the Reverend Robert Adams told a coalition of anti-drug activists of a positive step taken by the White House Office of Drug Control Policy. It's something that could be duplicated at the State and local levels that could lead to meaningful demand reduction.

Read the article here: Scientology Official Calls for Government/Community Cooperation to Attack Drug Abuse.

.

Haitian amputee helped by Volunteer Ministers

My friend Denice just sent me some good news about Haiti. Here is the email she sent me and a picture that certainly paints a thousand words:

I haven't done an official debrief on my trip to Haiti with the Volunteer Ministers and Help for Orphans but I have had MANY one on one conversations. I have finally posted pictures on my website, many are different from my Facebook page. But today I couldn't help myself in emailing out this incredible news about a young amputee I had met in a hospital in Haiti working as a physical therapist. The two Volunteer Minister Physical Therapists got her papers to leave Haiti and get her feet. Today I received a photo of her walking!!!!. My eyes are still wet with joy. The two weeks I spent have continued to spread goodwill and inspiration to all who couldn't go and I am so grateful for all the support that I and the volunteer groups had to truly make a difference!!!
For all the help you give, walk a little more proud today!......... because Mana certainly is.
Much Love
Denice

(Click the picture to see it full size.)

.

Church of Scientology Los Angeles Grand Opening (Part 2)

Here is more on the Grand Opening of the Church of Scientology of Los Angeles. This features shots of the interior and exterior and also some footage of other grand openings over the last year.

Church of Scientology Los Angeles Grand Opening (Part 1)

Here is a video of the actual Grand Opening of the Church of Scientology of Los Angeles:

Church of Scientology Los Angeles (and more)

Another news video on the Grand Opening of the newly renovated Church of Scientology of Los Angeles:

Church of Scientology Los Angeles (More)

Another news report about the Grand Opening of the newly renovated Church of Scientology of Los Angeles.

One comment - the reporter got the definition of the word "thetan" wrong. Thetan is the Scientology word for spirit or soul. A thetan is a spritual being. In other words it's you, not you body or something you have but just "you".

Anyway, here is the video:

Church of Scientology Los Angeles

The Church of Scientology was founded in Los Angeles and the city also boasts the highest population of Scientologists in the world. The Church there was just renovated and had a Grand Opening in April. Here is a new report about the "new" church.