Church of Scientology Sponsors Red Ribbon Week Forum on Strategies to Reduce Drug Demand

Jesse Morrow, Social Reform Director of the Church of Scientology
National Affairs Office in Washington, D.C., introduces those attending
the first annual anti-drug forum of the Truth About Drugs.

Honoring Red Ribbon Week and its message of prevention and education, The Church of Scientology National Affairs Office in Washington, D.C. co-hosted the first annual anti-drug forum of the Foundation for a Drug-Free World on October 22.

Held in Chestnut Hall in the new National Affairs Office in Fraser Mansion at Dupont Circle, the forum focused on effective strategies to reduce the demand for illicit drugs. It was chaired by Jesse Morrow, Social Reform Director of the Church of Scientology National Affairs Office.

Red Ribbon week is a national drug prevention and education week, held in the last week of October each year to honor the memory of DEA agent Enrique “Kiki” Camarena, who was tortured and killed in 1985 by drug traffickers while working undercover in Mexico.    October is also National Substance Abuse Prevention Month, as designated in 2011 by President Obama.

The panel featured John Redman, Executive Director of Californians for Drug-Free Youth (CADFY), the group that created the first statewide Red Ribbon Week Campaign in 1985; Peggy Sapp, President of the National Family Partnership (NFP), the organization that initiated the first national Red Ribbon Week and sponsors the campaign; Courtney Bennett, Community Organizer for Wards 5 & 6 of the DC Prevention Center; and Imani Walker, Executive Director of the Rebecca Project for Human Rights.

The consequences of drug abuse affect everyone at all levels of society, whether or not they or their friends or families are directly involved. For example, drug abuse kills more than 37,000 Americans each year, more than the number of annual traffic fatalities. Teen deaths from drugs doubled in the first decade of this century. This year, the National Drug Control Policy Office reported that illicit drug use in America contributed to $193 billion in crime, heath-related costs and lost productivity.

In his presentation, Redman pointed out that much of the public discourse on legalization misrepresents the issue. He debunked myths that promote drugs as harmless, showing they are far more potent now than in the 1960s and 1970s.

Bennet’s presentation concerned synthetic marijuana, far stronger and more dangerous than marijuana. She covered its accessibility, the alarming effects of its use and its increased popularity among D.C. youth.

“Any successful drug prevention endeavor must include factual drug education at its base to empower individuals with the knowledge to decide for themselves,” said Morrow, “Once they have that knowledge, they make the right choice.”

The Church of Scientology National Affairs Office, opened Sept 12, 2012, at Fraser Mansion at Dupont Circle, was established to promote solutions to society’s greatest challenges. The historic building is configured to host a wide range of functions, from human rights symposiums and drug education workshops to panel discussions, press conferences and awards ceremonies.

###

Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard wrote, “The planet has hit a barrier which prevents any widespread social progress—drugs and other biochemical substances. These can put people into a condition which not only prohibits and destroys physical health but which can prevent any stable advancement in mental or spiritual well-being.”

The Church of Scientology sponsors one of the world's largest nongovernmental drug education and prevention campaigns. It has been conclusively proven that when young people are provided with the truth about drugs—factual information on what drugs are and what they do—usage rates drop commensurately.

 
^{A civilization without insanity, without criminals and without war, where the able can prosper and honest beings can have rights, and where man is free to rise to greater heights, are the aims of Scientology.~~~L. Ron Hubbard, founder of the Scientology religion}

Meet a Scientologist - Barbara Schneider's Happy Ending

Scientologist Barbara Schneider is a model, TV personality, paramedic, Scientology counselor and mother of four who didn’t anticipate how well things would turn out 18 years ago when things went wrong.  

Born and working as a paramedic in Lugano, Switzerland, in the early 1990s a failed relationship left her desperate to get away.

“I went to a travel agent and told him I needed a change,” she says. “I wanted to be someplace far away and on the sea.”

The next thing she knew, she was flying to Majorca with her 3-year-old son. Once there, she was paying a friend a visit at a hotel when a man directed her ‘right this way for the audition.’  She tried to tell him that was not why she was there, but he insisted, and she ended up being cast as co-host of a TV show.

Despite the change in scenery and an exciting new job, a year and a half later, Schneider was still suffering.

“My twin sister Elena could tell I was unhappy,” says Schneider. “She had been a Scientologist since we were 16 and she was convinced Scientology would help me.”

Agreeing to give it a try, she received some Scientology spiritual counseling and was amazed—the upset vanished.

Schneider relocated to Clearwater, Florida—the spiritual headquarters of the Scientology religion.  It was there that she met and married husband Roberto. 

A Scientology auditor (religious counselor), she credits the skills she has gained from her training for her success as a mother and in so many other aspects of her life.

“I don’t know how I would raise a family in the world today without what I’ve learned in Scientology,” she says.

She is tremendously proud of how self-reliant and responsible her children are.

“My kids have a very good life but they work hard for it,” she says.  “It’s not automatically—‘Oh, you’re 16 so here’s a car.’ They earn what they get by studying hard and doing well in school. Even with my little one who’s only four, she loves contributing to the family.  She helps me around the house.  We make it a game and she’s proud of what she does.”

Schneider’s commitment to helping others extends beyond the family.  A Scientology Volunteer Minister, she traveled to Port-au-Prince in January 2012 with her three sisters and several close friends to help in the wake of the Haiti earthquake. 

 “We are all mothers and the children there really touched our hearts,” she says. “We took on helping more than 100 children who were living on the streets, orphaned or separated from their parents. We built tents, turned an old school bus into a cafeteria, cooked and served their meals, arranged medical care, and tutored them.  Where possible, we helped them find their families.  My sisters stayed on for months and made sure the children would be cared for when they left.”

Involved with helping others since she was a child, Schneider finds being a Scientology auditor (counselor) enormously gratifying.

“What I like most is to touch someone’s life with a bit of magic—that’s what I really love to do,” she says, “to inspire them, bring out the best in them, so they can see solutions on their own and go ahead and resolve their problems and be happy.”

To meet more than 200 Scientologists and hear their stories, watch the “Meet a Scientologist” videos at www.Scientology.org. 

###

The popular “Meet a Scientologist” profiles on the Church of Scientology International Video Channel at Scientology.org now total more than 200 broadcast-quality documentary videos featuring Scientologists from diverse locations and walks of life. The personal stories are told by Scientologists who are educators, teenagers, skydivers, a golf instructor, a hip-hop dancer, IT manager, stunt pilot, mothers, fathers, dentists, photographers, actors, musicians, fashion designers, engineers, students, business owners and more.

A digital pioneer and leader in the online religious community, in April 2008 the Church of Scientology became the first major religion to launch its own official YouTube Video Channel, with videos now viewed more than 7 million times.

^{A civilization without insanity, without criminals and without war, where the able can prosper and honest beings can have rights, and where man is free to rise to greater heights, are the aims of Scientology.~~~L. Ron Hubbard, founder of the Scientology religion}

L. Ron Hubbard Day -- March 13

L. Ron Hubbard

“For nearly a quarter of a century, I have been engaged in the investigation of the fundamentals of life, the material universe and human behavior. Such an adventure leads one down many highways, through many byroads, into many back alleys of uncertainty, through many strata of life…” - L. Ron Hubbard

Such an adventure is also what ultimately ledL. Ron Hubbard to the founding of Dianetics and Scientology and thus, a route to previously unimagined spiritual heights. Among other landmark events of the journey: In July of 1952, L. Ron Hubbard became the first to scientifically isolate, measure and describe the human spirit, while objectively demonstrating spiritual potentials well in advance of scientific thought. Moreover, those potentials were found to be possessed by every human being and just as universally attainable. Thus developed his description of Scientology as accomplishing the goal of every great religion: Freeing the soul by wisdom.

All told, L. Ron Hubbard’s works on Dianetics and Scientology comprise the largest cohesive statement on the human mind and spirit—more than 5,000 writings and 3,000 recorded lectures. Contained therein are answers to life’s most profound mysteries: the enigma of existence, the riddle of death, the realization of states not even described in earlier literature. Also from these works come Scientology technologies to rear children, repair families, educate, organize and provide relief in times of illness or suffering.

So that all may avail themselves of these technologies, L. Ron Hubbard directed the rise ofScientology Churches all over the world and thus, the birth of a worldwide religion. It is a practical religion. It is applicable to every aspect of human existence and it is religion for the here and now. But at its core and within every Church of Scientology lies this enduring invitation from its Founder: “We are extending to you the precious gift of freedom and immortality—factually, honestly.”

A civilization without insanity, without criminals and without war, where the able can prosper and honest beings can have rights, and where man is free to rise to greater heights, are the aims of Scientology.~~~L. Ron Hubbard, founder of the Scientology religion

Meet a Scientologist—Sometimes, the Best Way to Help is by Saying “No”

At 16, Scientologist Lynda Allender had to make an important choice. The past 36 years have proved she chose well.

When she was 16, Lynda Allender was in love. But she was also in trouble.

The trouble came from drugs. She began with marijuana and “progressed” to cocaine. But when she started experimenting with heroin she was threatened with losing the most important thing in her life. That’s when she had to make a choice.

“I was a high school freshman, my boyfriend was a senior—we were completely in love. He wouldn’t just stand by watching me do myself in,” says Allender. “He made it brutally clear—if I didn’t stop taking drugs it was over between us.”

She decided to quit, and her boyfriend, a Scientologist, helped her through the rough spots with Scientology techniques. Allender was relieved to find how simple it was to overcome the cravings.

When she was 18, the couple moved from their hometown in the Silicon Valley to San Francisco, where they trained in the technology of Scientology religious counseling—called auditing, from Latin audire, “to hear or listen.” They audited one another and Allender eventually dealt with the issues that predisposed her to using drugs in the first place.

The couple married in 1979, and that high school romance not only survived, it is stronger than ever, weathering the many challenges of starting out young, earning a living, and raising two happy, well-adjusted (and drug-free) children.

Allender, 52, is a human resources specialist. She owns her own company that consults small businesses on California labor laws.

But her real passion in life is helping others with Scientology in much the same way her husband helped her.

“It is such a gratifying activity,” she says. “The problems people run into in their lives often seem impossible to resolve. But Scientology auditing and training make it so easy to sort things out and get things going in the right direction.”

To meet more than 200 Scientologists and hear their stories, watch the “Meet a Scientologist” videos at www.Scientology.org.

###

The popular “Meet a Scientologist” profiles on the Church of Scientology International Video Channel at Scientology.org now total more than 200 broadcast-quality documentary videos featuring Scientologists from diverse locations and walks of life. The personal stories are told by Scientologists who are educators, teenagers, skydivers, a golf instructor, a hip-hop dancer, IT manager, stunt pilot, mothers, fathers, dentists, photographers, actors, musicians, fashion designers, engineers, students, business owners and more.

A digital pioneer and leader in the online religious community, in April 2008 the Church of Scientology became the first major religion to launch its own YouTube Video Channel. The Official Scientology YouTube Channel has now been viewed by millions of visitors.

^{A civilization without insanity, without criminals and without war, where the able can prosper and honest beings can have rights, and where man is free to rise to greater heights, are the aims of Scientology.~~~L. Ron Hubbard, founder of the Scientology religion}

What is a Scientology Celebrity Centre?

The Church of Scientology Celebrity Centre was founded in Los Angeles in 1970 at the direction of L. Ron Hubbard and with the assistance of the rapidly growing artistic community within the Scientology religion.

Celebrity Centre provides Scientology religious services to artists, politicians, leaders of industry and sports figures while, like all Churches of Scientology worldwide, delivering the same services and remaining open to all. It focuses on providing the creative individual with a distraction-free environment where they may pursue Scientology spiritual counseling and courses. An accomplished artist himself, Mr. Hubbard long held that rekindling the artist spiritually enhances their creativity, restores high ethical standards, and otherwise helps the artist.

Achieving their own spiritual goals, artists routinely channel their inspiration in ways which contribute to the spiritual uplifting of society as a whole, and Celebrity Centre supports and assists the artist who wishes to participate in social betterment activities.

Celebrity Centre International coordinates the activities of a network of Celebrity Centres in world cultural capitals including Las Vegas, New York, Paris, Florence, Vienna and Nashville.

Previous

Next

A civilization without insanity, without criminals and without war, where the able can prosper and honest beings can have rights, and where man is free to rise to greater heights, are the aims of Scientology.~~~L. Ron Hubbard, founder of the Scientology religion

The Problems of Work on DVD Earns Telly Award

Golden Era Productions was presented a Telly Award for The Problems of Work on DVD.

The Problems of Work on DVD was honored Monday, June 13, with a Bronze Telly Award for Charitable/Not-for-profit films, the second coveted industry award presented this month to the 66-minute filmed presentation of L. Ron Hubbard’s book The Problems of Work—Scientology Applied to the Workaday World.

Produced by Golden Era Productions, the central dissemination center of the Scientology religion, The Problems of Work film on DVD is drawn directly from the pages of L. Ron Hubbard’s book, illustrating basic Scientology principles for use in everyday life.

“All eight of the individual film chapters vividly illustrate the book’s principles and demonstrate its procedures for immediate application,” says Catherine Fraser, Director of Public Affairs for Golden Era Productions. “It contains the senior principles and laws that apply to every endeavor, every problem of work—discoveries which lay bare the core of these problems and explain the very fabric of life itself.”

The film is the centerpiece of an introductory Scientology course offered in every Scientology Church and Mission. To make the knowledge broadly available, the DVD has been translated and produced in 15 languages.

Among the Scientology principles presented in the film are the triangle of Affinity, Reality and Communication, which are the Components of Understanding; the Anatomy of Confusion; the Anatomy of Control; the Secret of Efficiency; and the underlying mental and spiritual reasons for exhaustion and their remedy.

The Telly Awards, established in 1978, has the mission of strengthening the visual arts community by inspiring, promoting, and supporting creativity. Today, the Telly is one of the most sought-after awards by industry leaders, from large international firms to local production companies and ad agencies. The 32nd Annual Telly Awards received over 11,000 entries from all 50 states and five continents.

On June 1, 2011, Golden Era Productions was also honored with an Indie Fest Award of Merit for The Problems of Work film on DVD. Golden Era Productions has earned 58 national and international awards for its films, documentaries, public service announcements and websites. For more information about Golden Era Productions and The Problems of Work film on DVD, visit www.Scientology.org.

^{A civilization without insanity, without criminals and without war, where the able can prosper and honest beings can have rights, and where man is free to rise to greater heights, are the aims of Scientology.~~~L. Ron Hubbard, founder of the Scientology religion}

BEGINNINGS OF THE CHURCH OF SCIENTOLOGY

With the publication of Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health, on May 9th, 1950, a national movement began. By summer people who had read Dianetics flocked to L. Ron Hubbard’s home in Elizabeth, New Jersey. They wanted to know more. They wanted to become more proficient in Dianetics auditing. And with this demand, four individuals (an attorney, a publisher, a doctor and an engineer) approached Mr. Hubbard to form a Hubbard Dianetics Research Foundation (HDRF). With his consent the Foundation was formed in Elizabeth.

Appearing on the New York Times bestseller list for 26 consecutive weeks, Dianetics created a storm of interest across the United States, requiring that four additional foundations be formed across America where students were trained on Dianetics.

With his continuing research into the mind, Mr. Hubbard, by late 1951, found himself studying the human spirit to answer the question of who or what was operating the mind. With this basic and elementary discovery of the human spirit, a new subject was founded: Scientology.

Groups of student from around the world traveled to Phoenix, Arizona, where Mr. Hubbard held classes and lectured on the subject of Scientology. As a result students returning to their areas formed Scientology groups not only in America, but in England, Australia, France, Germany, New Zealand and South Africa.

As the human spirit was truly in the realm of religion, a group of Los Angeles Scientologists formed the first Church of Scientology in February 1954. By the middle of the next decade over a dozen Churches of Scientology existed in some five countries along with scores of Scientology groups in dozens of nations.

A civilization without insanity, without criminals and without war, where the able can prosper and honest beings can have rights, and where man is free to rise to greater heights, are the aims of Scientology.~~~L. Ron Hubbard, founder of the Scientology religion

Scientology New Yorker and Subway Engineer, Phil

^{I really enjoyed reading Phil's story on the Scientology Media website. It was very real to me how much the death of his friend must have affected him. I can remember the first time I came face-to-face with death and man did I crash on that. It was twelve years later that I finally came to terms with it in a Scientology counseling session. I was amazed how much it helped me to look at that and free myself from the remorse. It really didn't help anyone for me to still be mourning 12 years later, and it certainly had not helped me whatsoever.}

^{I've been to several Scientology funeral services since then. In the Scientology service we acknowledge all the good the person did and wish him or her well and send them on their way. I believe a being lives again. I have my own personal conviction I've lived before. So I am no longer bereft of my friends who pass away. Sure I miss them, but I am confident they are going on to the next chapter of their lives.}

^{I love the Meet a Scientologist stories. I think they give a good presentation of all the different sizes, shapes, colors and tones Scientologists "come in."}

A civilization without insanity, without criminals and without war, where the able can prosper and honest beings can have rights, and where man is free to rise to greater heights, are the aims of Scientology.~~~L. Ron Hubbard, founder of the Scientology religion

Scientologists--Jive Aces

Love those Jives!

“I think the first book we all read was Dianetics.” “I’ve never been depressed since I picked up Dianetics.” “And it works so well the first time that I actually thought ‘No, they’re kidding me.’” “Every time he’d come back from the Church he was happier.” “We’re really enjoying ourselves.” “We just make people happy.”

^{A civilization without insanity, without criminals and without war, where the able can prosper and honest beings can have rights, and where man is free to rise to greater heights, are the aims of Scientology.~~~L. Ron Hubbard, founder of the Scientology religion}

Petition Targets Human Rights Education

Reprinted from the Scientology Newsroom

Churches of Scientology in 14 countries joined forces with Youth for Human Rights International (YHRI) last week conducting a global petition drive in support of human rights education. Based on the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the petition calls on governments to make human rights education mandatory and to conduct human rights education campaigns. The Declaration was ratified by the UN General Assembly in 1948 and defines the fundamental freedoms and human rights in the United Nations Charter. Since that time it has influenced national constitutions, treaties, laws, and human rights institutions the world over.

“The Universal Declaration does more than condemn discrimination, slavery and torture,” said Rev. Bob Adams, spokesperson for the Church of Scientology International. “Unfortunately, most people are unaware of the full scope of these rights and so have no way of knowing when these rights are violated. It’s not something only for governments to care for—we all have an interest in these rights.”

Scientologists, their families and friends took to busy street corners, festivals and shopping centers and city squares, where they presented booklets and videos, engaged in human rights discussions and gained support for the cause on giant petition boards. Active on many fronts of human rights initiatives and reform for five decades, the Church sponsors a worldwide human rights initiative to raise awareness and respect for the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. This includes distribution of millions of booklets and the airing of 30 public service messages, both based on the Declaration’s articles. In 2009, the Church sponsored the production of a new educational film, The Story of Human Rights, a 20-minute entertaining and historical account of the development of human rights, and a new human rights educators kit. To date, these materials have reached over 500 million people in 180 countries.

“The Universal Declaration of Human Rights recognizes the inherent dignity and rights of all members of the human family as the foundation of freedom, justice and peace,” said Rev. Adams. “The world needs a lot more people knowing it and supporting it.”

^{A civilization without insanity, without criminals and without war, where the able can prosper and honest beings can have rights, and where man is free to rise to greater heights, are the aims of Scientology.~~~L. Ron Hubbard, founder of the Scientology religion}

Petition Targets Human Rights Education

Reprinted from the Scientology Newsroom

Churches of Scientology in 14 countries joined forces with Youth for Human Rights International (YHRI) last week conducting a global petition drive in support of human rights education. Based on the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the petition calls on governments to make human rights education mandatory and to conduct human rights education campaigns. The Declaration was ratified by the UN General Assembly in 1948 and defines the fundamental freedoms and human rights in the United Nations Charter. Since that time it has influenced national constitutions, treaties, laws, and human rights institutions the world over.

“The Universal Declaration does more than condemn discrimination, slavery and torture,” said Rev. Bob Adams, spokesperson for the Church of Scientology International. “Unfortunately, most people are unaware of the full scope of these rights and so have no way of knowing when these rights are violated. It’s not something only for governments to care for—we all have an interest in these rights.”

Scientologists, their families and friends took to busy street corners, festivals and shopping centers and city squares, where they presented booklets and videos, engaged in human rights discussions and gained support for the cause on giant petition boards. Active on many fronts of human rights initiatives and reform for five decades, the Church sponsors a worldwide human rights initiative to raise awareness and respect for the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. This includes distribution of millions of booklets and the airing of 30 public service messages, both based on the Declaration’s articles. In 2009, the Church sponsored the production of a new educational film, The Story of Human Rights, a 20-minute entertaining and historical account of the development of human rights, and a new human rights educators kit. To date, these materials have reached over 500 million people in 180 countries.

“The Universal Declaration of Human Rights recognizes the inherent dignity and rights of all members of the human family as the foundation of freedom, justice and peace,” said Rev. Adams. “The world needs a lot more people knowing it and supporting it.”

^{A civilization without insanity, without criminals and without war, where the able can prosper and honest beings can have rights, and where man is free to rise to greater heights, are the aims of Scientology.~~~L. Ron Hubbard, founder of the Scientology religion}

Scientology in Australia Attacks Human Trafficking—Demands Education to Protect Exploited Children and Women

Scientology volunteers demand effective action to knock out modern slave trade. Australia is the destination country for victims trafficked from East Asia, Southeast Asia, and Eastern Europe, says U.S. State Department.

Scientology Volunteers in Sydney circulated a petition at Sydney Town Hall November 16, calling for mandatory human rights education in Australia to eliminate human rights abuses. One of the worst abuses is the criminal practice of human trafficking in the country. As many as 27 million are enslaved in the world today according to the United Nations, earning perpetrators upwards of $34 billion Australian annually. Some estimate half of those trafficked come from Asia-Pacific and that at least half of all victims are children.

According to the US State Department’s Trafficking in Persons Report for 2009, despite major strides by law enforcement, Australia is the destination country for many of the victims trafficked from East Asia, Southeast Asia, and Eastern Europe, particularly the People’s Republic of China, the Republic of Korea, and Thailand.

Members of the Church of Scientology of Sydney held Monday’s petition signing because they believe Australians would never stand for human trafficking and other human rights abuses in their country if they knew of it.

Scientology Churches around the world sponsor the largest non-governmental information campaign the world over, which has made the Universal Declaration of Human Rights known to more than 900,000 people through public service announcements, booklets and petition drives.

For more information about the Church of Scientology human rights initiative visit the Scientology web site at www.scientology.org.

A civilization without insanity, without criminals and without war, where the able can prosper and honest beings can have rights, and where man is free to rise to greater heights, are the aims of Scientology.~~~L. Ron Hubbard, founder of the Scientology religion

Check out this new video

The Church just published a video on Golden Era Productions. I never saw the place before. Gorgeous. Check out the film studio--the size of a football field!

^{A civilization without insanity, without criminals and without war, where the able can prosper and honest beings can have rights, and where man is free to rise to greater heights, are the aims of Scientology.~~~L. Ron Hubbard, founder of the Scientology religion}

Haitian Student Rcovered!

I've been following the story of the Haitian engineering student who was brought to the US for medical care and a prosthetic leg. He has his leg and he's out of the hospital. That he is alive at all is testimony to the power of a being (he was buried alive for days before his father pulled him out of the rubble of his college).

He went to a university in Delmas, on the outskirts of Port-au-Prince, that completely collapsed. I've seen photos of the mounds of concrete that were left after the earthquake. That his father found him at all is a total miracle.

There was a Scientology volunteer minister who talking him into getting the amputation and arranged for him to get the prosthetic. The boy wouldn't be alive today if it were not for his doing that.

A very heartwarming story that proves there is good in the world.



^{A civilization without insanity, without criminals and without war, where the able can prosper and honest beings can have rights, and where man is free to rise to greater heights, are the aims of Scientology.~~~L. Ron Hubbard, founder of the Scientology religion}

Scientologists speak their minds

Scientologists have a lot to say about Scientology. Here's a video where some of them speak their minds:




^{A civilization without insanity, without criminals and without war, where the able can prosper and honest beings can have rights, and where man is free to rise to greater heights, are the aims of Scientology.~~~L. Ron Hubbard, founder of the Scientology religion}

New Scientology Churches Revive Historic Buildings

_{Foyer inside the Church of Scientology on Victoria Street, London.}

When the new Church of Scientology of Pasadena opens its doors in the city’s historical core this summer, it will not only enable the Church to expand its service to the community, it will give back some of its cultural history. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the character of what was once a turn-of-the-century bicycle factory has been transformed into a unique blend of old and new, its four-story atrium and original façade still intact. With attention also given to 21st century detail, the restored building will also be LEED certified (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design).

The Church of Scientology International has been working for the past six years on a program to acquire new buildings for its regional Churches around the world. Launched in 2004 by Scientology ecclesiastical leader Mr. David Miscavige, the aim of the program is to establish each Church in premises ideally suited for its many and varied religious services as well as its community outreach activities. So far, 19 such ideal Churches have opened, eight of them in unique historic buildings, with more on the horizon.

_{The Brussels branch of the Churches of Scientology for the European Communities situation at Boulevard de Waterloo 100-103, is an early-20th-century structure fully renovated to serve the congregation and the community. It was dedicated 23 January 2010.}

“These Churches have already been in their cities for many years and their buildings need to be large enough to accommodate all their activities including a chapel, rooms for the study of our theology and introductory courses for new people and individual spiritual counseling rooms,” said Church of Scientology International spokesman, Tommy Davis.

Far from a Sunday-only meeting place, Churches of Scientology hum with activity seven days a week. In addition to common congregational services such as weddings, funerals, naming ceremonies for newborn children and Sunday service, parishioners can study days and evenings as well as receive the religion’s unique form of one-on-one religious counseling, participate in the Scientology Purification Program (a precise and closely supervised religious regimen that addresses barriers to spiritual gain) and take part in community betterment planning and activities, sponsored and initiated by the Church.

In May the Nashville, Tennessee Church of Scientology historic building took top honors in the city’s 35th Annual Preservation Awards for meeting all safety standards while preserving the beauty and grace of the 1898 building, which opened last year. Built just two years after the famous Grand Ole Opry in a similar style, its features include red brick walls, original doors and hardwood floors, 14-foot ceilings and an unusual three-floor atrium crowned with a glass cupola.

Last January, the Church opened the Belgium branch of the Churches of Scientology of Europe, an 88,000 square-foot early 20th century historic structure in the heart of Brussels. In October 2009, the Founding Church of Scientology in Washington, DC completed renovation of its seven-story, 49,000-square-foot historic building by architect Appleton P. Clark, Jr., half a mile from the White House. And another historic Church property fully restored in 2009 is the 1926 Mediterranean Revival-style Fort Harrison building in Clearwater, Florida.

_{The first floor hallway of the Brussels branch of the Churches of Scientology for Europe with study rooms, offices and the a Documentation Center which holds the written and recorded works of Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard.}

Other cities with historic buildings now home to Scientology Churches include: San Francisco, California; London, England; Tampa, Florida; and Buffalo, New York. The Church has also acquired historic buildings that are in pre-construction stages in Detroit, Michigan; Chicago, Illinois; Boston, Massachusetts; Portland, Oregon; Montreal, Canada; and Manchester, England.

“We take a lot of pride and care in adapting and rehabilitating our historic buildings,” said Davis. “The result is truly unique as these new Churches exemplify our religion and are dynamically practical and aesthetic, and enable us to practice the full range of Scientology services as laid out by Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard.”

^{A civilization without insanity, without criminals and without war, where the able can prosper and honest beings can have rights, and where man is free to rise to greater heights, are the aims of Scientology.~~~L. Ron Hubbard, founder of the Scientology religion}

Church of Scientology to open new HQ in Moseley

This showed up in the Birmingham news last week:

THE Church of Scientology is set to open its new multi-million pound Midland headquarters in Moseley within weeks.

The well-known Grade II-listed Pitmaston building, in Moor Green Lane, was snapped up by the church for £4.25 million two years ago.

The whole concept of creating these beautiful, Ideal Scientology Churches comes from a directive issued by L. Ron Hubbard in the 1970s and taken up in 2004 by David Miscavige to really make Scientology services available at the correct order of magnitude. The photo comes from a video on the Scientology website. You can watch the whole presentation at http://www.scientology.org/churches/churches-of-scientology.html where you can also see videos on lots of other upcoming Ideal Scientology Churches.

News about Scientology Churches can be found at Scientology Today web site.

^{A civilization without insanity, without criminals and without war, where the able can prosper and honest beings can have rights, and where man is free to rise to greater heights, are the aims of Scientology.~~~L. Ron Hubbard, founder of the Scientology religion}

Another CNN Casualty--Should CNN examine editorial policy?

Article in the New York Times tells of another casualty in the CNN lineup--"This time it is Campbell Brown, and she is leaving with an extraordinary amount of candor." The Times goes on to state: " Ms. Brown said she was leaving on her own accord, having concluded that she was unable to compete with the opinion-mongers that dominate cable news in prime time. "

I've never been much of a CNN fan. Except in the moments after a tragedy, when they seem to have the first reporters on the scene, I tune out because of the sensationalism.

But I guess I'm not alone--their ratings are taking such a dive.

I look on them as a kind of a 90's anachronism. Their recent Scientology "exposé" (hah) was so pathetic it just cemented my earlier views. But judging from their continued slide to oblivion, it looks like I'm not alone in my opinion.

^{A civilization without insanity, without criminals and without war, where the able can prosper and honest beings can have rights, and where man is free to rise to greater heights, are the aims of Scientology.~~~L. Ron Hubbard, founder of the Scientology religion}

Church of Scientology Recognizes Educator for Human Rights Initiative

LOS ANGELES—The Church of Scientology International Human Rights Department presented Founder and President of Youth for Human Rights International (YHRI), Dr. Mary Shuttleworth, a certificate of commendation Saturday, praising her completion of a 13-country journey promoting human rights education. Coinciding with the 13th International Day of Families, Shuttleworth was acknowledged particularly for empowering children and families through human rights education.

A veteran educator, Shuttleworth founded Youth for Human Rights International (YHRI) in 2001 to activate youth in preserving human rights for others and themselves. “Children who have no concept of their rights are at far greater risk than those who are informed,” said Shuttleworth.

During the three-month trip across Mexico, Central and South America, Africa, Greece, Italy, Portugal, Taiwan, Japan and Hawaii, Shuttleworth lectured to thousands of students at 36 universities and schools on the articles of the United Nations Universal Decaration of Human Rights. She also met with more than 120 educators, community leaders and national and state human rights authorities to discuss ways of increasing human rights education and awareness.

In addition to carrying out international human rights educational programs and hosting an annual Youth Summit, YHRI publishes educational booklets and DVDs based on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, an international document ratified by the United Nations December 10, 1948. YHRI also provides teachers a free Educator’s Kit which can be ordered online at www.youthforhumanrights.org

^{A civilization without insanity, without criminals and without war, where the able can prosper and honest beings can have rights, and where man is free to rise to greater heights, are the aims of Scientology.~~~L. Ron Hubbard, founder of the Scientology religion}

Scientology Basics

I've been listening to Scientology lectures called "Technique 88." These are lectures Ron recorded just before and after writing the book The History of Man. Today I learned why it is that some people tend to hold on tight to anything they conceive wronged them. I'm sure you know some like that--you bump into their chair and it's some awful thing you did to them. And God forbid you actually do something to them-- you'll never live it down. Sound familiar? He tells you what you can do to help them overcome this too, because they ain't having any fun either.

I am so grateful that David Miscavige had the project carried out to make these lectures available. Before July 2007 you just couldn't listen to them-- they had never been published before.

^{A civilization without insanity, without criminals and without war, where the able can prosper and honest beings can have rights, and where man is free to rise to greater heights, are the aims of Scientology.~~~L. Ron Hubbard, founder of the Scientology religion}