[extracts]
"In my 26-year experience as a Pastor, I had managed to meet 23 of the Two Witnesses of Revelation. I am tempted to say 11 pairs and one who thought he was both, but that’s not how it really was. Every one of these was a lone male, sometimes a pastor, sometimes a member, often times a lone religious renegade that no church would claim. For those of you unfamiliar with the concept of the Two Witnesses, these are the two final humans ..... who will tell all of us on the earth why the end has come. ..... The description is found here in Revelation 11 ....."
"While I personally feel that the chance of any two human beings being taken seriously in this role is about nil, it is none-the-less a very big part of the prophetic hopes of many literalists, especially those in what have become the remaining splinters of the now defunct Worldwide Church of God. ..... The Two Witnesses would never come from the Worldwide Church of God ....."
[extracts end]
_lots more here_
-----------------------------------------------------
Que's comments :-
So this is justification for thinking that Ronald Weinland - pastor of the Church of God - Preparing for the Kingdom of God - is very unlikely to be who he says he is. If there have already been over 20 people in the various Churches of God claiming to be one of the Two Witnesses the chances of another claimant being authentic are very slim indeed!
Further, if none of the prophecies come true, and the claimant doesn't have any of the Witnesses' powers, he or she is most likely suffering from delusions of grandeur, and is guilty of religious fraud and extortion. There should be a law against it.
Note. Fraud is described as being deliberate deception, trickery or cheating by a person who acts in a false or deceitful way. One meaning of extortion is to secure money or favors etc. by the misuse of authority. -- The pastor of a church that displays the characteristics of a destructive cult is most definitely "misusing authority".
.
Saturday, August 22, 2009
Saturday, August 1, 2009
Believe it or not! - Lose Weight Permanently Without Dieting
by 'pgrundy' (a writer from http://hubpages.com)
extracts :-
"Diets don't work !!
"More to the point, any diet will work for awhile. The problem is, at some point, after losing a few pounds (or a lot of pounds) the feeling of deprivation that a diet induces in the dieter causes that person to compensate by overeating. This phenomenon is partly psychological and partly physiological, but it is absolutely real."
"Nine out of ten people who lose weight on any given diet will gain it all back, and then some, within the first year after the diet ends. That's why every single diet commercial you've ever seen has the words 'results not typical' as a disclaimer at the bottom of each and every testimonial."
"In other words, for every single dieting success there are nine failures. And yet, each and every day, thousands of hopeful chubby people start a new diet convinced that this time they will be one of the lucky 10% to be transformed forever...."
..............
[summary of points made in the article]
-- The American way of life is deadly.
-- Just develop one new habit a week...
-- Eat a high fiber, high calcium breakfast.
-- Cut out processed foods six days a week.
-- Five servings of fresh fruit and vegetables each day.
-- Divide up your plate.
-- Take a daily walk.
-- Go to bed earlier.
-- Meditate.
-- Take emotional eating seriously.
-- Learn to appreciate whole foods.
-- Buy locally.
-- Love the body you have.
Please go here for explanations and more information :-
http://hubpages.com/hub/Lose-Weight-Permanently-Without-Dieting
.
extracts :-
"Diets don't work !!
"More to the point, any diet will work for awhile. The problem is, at some point, after losing a few pounds (or a lot of pounds) the feeling of deprivation that a diet induces in the dieter causes that person to compensate by overeating. This phenomenon is partly psychological and partly physiological, but it is absolutely real."
"Nine out of ten people who lose weight on any given diet will gain it all back, and then some, within the first year after the diet ends. That's why every single diet commercial you've ever seen has the words 'results not typical' as a disclaimer at the bottom of each and every testimonial."
"In other words, for every single dieting success there are nine failures. And yet, each and every day, thousands of hopeful chubby people start a new diet convinced that this time they will be one of the lucky 10% to be transformed forever...."
..............
[summary of points made in the article]
-- The American way of life is deadly.
-- Just develop one new habit a week...
-- Eat a high fiber, high calcium breakfast.
-- Cut out processed foods six days a week.
-- Five servings of fresh fruit and vegetables each day.
-- Divide up your plate.
-- Take a daily walk.
-- Go to bed earlier.
-- Meditate.
-- Take emotional eating seriously.
-- Learn to appreciate whole foods.
-- Buy locally.
-- Love the body you have.
Please go here for explanations and more information :-
http://hubpages.com/hub/Lose-Weight-Permanently-Without-Dieting
.
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
What the Ancient Maya Tell Us About 2012
by Mark van Stone, FAMSI (Foundation for the Advancement of Mesoamerican Studies Inc.)
This is the most definitive article on the subject I have seen.
"Maya Scholars, in Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, Honduras, El Salvador and North America, have been watching with amusement and dismay as self-styled experts proclaim that ancient Maya prophets foretold an earth-shattering happening to occur December 21, 2012. This predicted phenomenon gets described in contradictory but often cataclysmic fashion -- as an ecological collapse, a sunspot storm, a rare cosmic conjunction of the earth, sun, and the galactic center, a new and awesome stage of our evolution, and even a sudden reversal of the Earth's magnetic field which will erase all our computer drives. One even predicts the earth's initiation into a Galactic Federation, whose elders have been accelerating our evolution with a 'galactic beam' for the last 5000 years. In sum, the world as we know it will suddenly come to a screeching halt."
"These predictions are alleged to be prophecies by so-called 'Ancient Mayans' whose 'astronomically precise' calendar supposedly terminates on that date. According to such accounts, these mysterious Maya geniuses appeared suddenly, built an extraordinary civilization, designed in it clues for us, and then suddenly, inexplicably, vanished, as if they had completed their terrestrial mission. These same experts claim special credibility for the Maya prophecies by asserting that these historic sages, with their possible extraterrestrial origins, had tapped into an astonishing esoteric wisdom."
"Could Any of This Be True?"
"The credibility of those claims deserves rational attention - which is what I intend to provide. Neither mystic nor prophet, I am a Mayanist. More specifically, I am a professional art historian and an epigrapher (less formally, a glypher), one who can read and write Maya hieroglyphs. For over a decade, I have focused my scholarly research specifically on Maya culture and writing, making some surprising discoveries that can present a more definitive perspective on the prophecies of the ancient Maya seers. As we approach the critical year, it is time to offer a more viable account of the Maya prophecy and expose both the fallacies and ethnocentricism tainting the current sensational accounts."
Lots more here :-
http://www.famsi.org/research/vanstone/2012/index.html
.
This is the most definitive article on the subject I have seen.
"Maya Scholars, in Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, Honduras, El Salvador and North America, have been watching with amusement and dismay as self-styled experts proclaim that ancient Maya prophets foretold an earth-shattering happening to occur December 21, 2012. This predicted phenomenon gets described in contradictory but often cataclysmic fashion -- as an ecological collapse, a sunspot storm, a rare cosmic conjunction of the earth, sun, and the galactic center, a new and awesome stage of our evolution, and even a sudden reversal of the Earth's magnetic field which will erase all our computer drives. One even predicts the earth's initiation into a Galactic Federation, whose elders have been accelerating our evolution with a 'galactic beam' for the last 5000 years. In sum, the world as we know it will suddenly come to a screeching halt."
"These predictions are alleged to be prophecies by so-called 'Ancient Mayans' whose 'astronomically precise' calendar supposedly terminates on that date. According to such accounts, these mysterious Maya geniuses appeared suddenly, built an extraordinary civilization, designed in it clues for us, and then suddenly, inexplicably, vanished, as if they had completed their terrestrial mission. These same experts claim special credibility for the Maya prophecies by asserting that these historic sages, with their possible extraterrestrial origins, had tapped into an astonishing esoteric wisdom."
"Could Any of This Be True?"
"The credibility of those claims deserves rational attention - which is what I intend to provide. Neither mystic nor prophet, I am a Mayanist. More specifically, I am a professional art historian and an epigrapher (less formally, a glypher), one who can read and write Maya hieroglyphs. For over a decade, I have focused my scholarly research specifically on Maya culture and writing, making some surprising discoveries that can present a more definitive perspective on the prophecies of the ancient Maya seers. As we approach the critical year, it is time to offer a more viable account of the Maya prophecy and expose both the fallacies and ethnocentricism tainting the current sensational accounts."
Lots more here :-
http://www.famsi.org/research/vanstone/2012/index.html
.
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Scientology Ads Take Over the Web
Scientology Ads Take Over the Web
by Jordon Golson, GigaOM, July 7, 2009.
"Google AdSense is serving up ads from the Church of Scientology, the cult/religion founded by science-fiction writer L. Ron Hubbard — and Seth Weintraub, for one, can’t seem to ban them from his site. Weintraub’s Macintosh rumors page, 9to5Mac, might seem an odd place for Scientology to advertise, but the Church is in the midst of a multimillion-dollar ad blitz to promote the organization."
"Weintraub noted that he didn’t have a problem with any advertiser in particular, until his readers started complaining about the adverts, especially since he hadn’t noticed any rise in ad revenue. However, when he attempted to rid his site of the ads with competitive URL filtering — one of the tools Google gives its AdSense users, they had no effect. Weintraub writes in Computerworld, “I’ve…put every Scientology URL in the filter. To no avail. The Scientology ads keep coming.” It seems this isn’t a new problem, either; other users have been having similar problems dating back to February."
more...
http://gigaom.com/2009/07/07/scientology-ads-take-over-the-web/
"Google didn’t respond to requests for comment."
Why aren't we surprised !!
Comments - at GigaOM
"And if it’s not Scientology itself, it’s a Scientology front group like Narconon. Those Narconon ads are everywhere, usually deceptively hiding behind another name.
What’s really annoying is how Google News indexes all the
Scientology public relations releases, as if they were actually news. Scientology starts churning those out whenever some negative story appears, to bury it.
Anyways, the Scientology Office of Special Affairs internet
patrollers will show up soon to comment here and explain this."
Bob Dobbs
"As much as people are getting frustrated about this topic which is starting to appear in a large number of articles now… I am a very positive person and you must look for the positive in every situation.
For people like me who focus on making money from their websites, this is an area that we can get some money out of Scientology group… haha! (Jokes).
Happy making money online!"
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Making money from visitors to websites is surely not a responsible thing to do when users clicking on the ads could easily be seduced by Scientology.
It seems obvious that Scientology is a destructive cult. No doubt (most) ex-Church Of God people wouldn't touch them with a ten foot pole!
Of course, it would help a lot if the websites could filter the Scientology ads effectively ....
and perhaps the mighty Google should ignore its huge profits for once, and ban ads from organizations that are widely regarded to be run by con men and women - who use powerful mind control techniques, and ruin peoples' lives and bank balances.
(Sure! ... I'll be amazed if that happens!)
http://hubpages.com/hub/Sorry--I-Dont-Want-A-Scientology-Ad-On-My-Hubs-Get-It-Off
.
by Jordon Golson, GigaOM, July 7, 2009.
"Google AdSense is serving up ads from the Church of Scientology, the cult/religion founded by science-fiction writer L. Ron Hubbard — and Seth Weintraub, for one, can’t seem to ban them from his site. Weintraub’s Macintosh rumors page, 9to5Mac, might seem an odd place for Scientology to advertise, but the Church is in the midst of a multimillion-dollar ad blitz to promote the organization."
"Weintraub noted that he didn’t have a problem with any advertiser in particular, until his readers started complaining about the adverts, especially since he hadn’t noticed any rise in ad revenue. However, when he attempted to rid his site of the ads with competitive URL filtering — one of the tools Google gives its AdSense users, they had no effect. Weintraub writes in Computerworld, “I’ve…put every Scientology URL in the filter. To no avail. The Scientology ads keep coming.” It seems this isn’t a new problem, either; other users have been having similar problems dating back to February."
more...
http://gigaom.com/2009/07/07/scientology-ads-take-over-the-web/
"Google didn’t respond to requests for comment."
Why aren't we surprised !!
Comments - at GigaOM
"And if it’s not Scientology itself, it’s a Scientology front group like Narconon. Those Narconon ads are everywhere, usually deceptively hiding behind another name.
What’s really annoying is how Google News indexes all the
Scientology public relations releases, as if they were actually news. Scientology starts churning those out whenever some negative story appears, to bury it.
Anyways, the Scientology Office of Special Affairs internet
patrollers will show up soon to comment here and explain this."
Bob Dobbs
"As much as people are getting frustrated about this topic which is starting to appear in a large number of articles now… I am a very positive person and you must look for the positive in every situation.
For people like me who focus on making money from their websites, this is an area that we can get some money out of Scientology group… haha! (Jokes).
Happy making money online!"
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Making money from visitors to websites is surely not a responsible thing to do when users clicking on the ads could easily be seduced by Scientology.
It seems obvious that Scientology is a destructive cult. No doubt (most) ex-Church Of God people wouldn't touch them with a ten foot pole!
Of course, it would help a lot if the websites could filter the Scientology ads effectively ....
and perhaps the mighty Google should ignore its huge profits for once, and ban ads from organizations that are widely regarded to be run by con men and women - who use powerful mind control techniques, and ruin peoples' lives and bank balances.
(Sure! ... I'll be amazed if that happens!)
http://hubpages.com/hub/Sorry--I-Dont-Want-A-Scientology-Ad-On-My-Hubs-Get-It-Off
.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Scientology - Newspaper Alleges 'Physical Violence' by Leaders
A three part report by the St. Petersburg Times (Florida, USA.)
Part One is _here_
Part Two is _here_
Part Three is _here_
also: Leaving the Church of Scientology: a huge step.
and: [The] Investigation Gets A Worldwide Response.
.
Part One is _here_
Part Two is _here_
Part Three is _here_
also: Leaving the Church of Scientology: a huge step.
and: [The] Investigation Gets A Worldwide Response.
.
Monday, June 22, 2009
Scientology News You Might Have Missed - #1
Katie Holmes Performs Memorial Day Play in DC
GlossLip.com - May 25, 2009
"Is it me, or does anyone find [Katie Holmes'] involvement with this ceremony upsetting?, Considering Scientology beliefs on anything to do with brain injuries, their stance on psychiatry, and especially the false war records of their founder L. Ron Hubbard."
"Hubbard’s 'war hero' claims, have mostly been totally debunked. He greatly exaggerated his worth and rank in the military, and I am sure that any veteran would find these lies to be beyond despicable. And please feel free to go check out scans of his actual Naval records, it will make you cringe."
_more_
Are religious sects/cults invading the United Nations?
by Bill Berkowitz - The Buzzflash Blog - May 27, 2009
"A French government agency called Miviludes (Mission interministérielle de vigilance et de lutte contre les dérives sectaries -- Interministerial Mission for Monitoring and Combating Cultic Deviancy) recently issued a 199-page report charging religious cults with having a growing influence in international bodies such as the United Nations."
....
"Since its inception, Miviludes has apparently been the subject of intense scrutiny and broad criticism. Many of the groups listed in earlier reports expressed outrage at their inclusion claiming it would lead to them being stigmatized. According to Digital Journal, "NGOs said to be active in trying to destabilize the Miviludes' work include Human Rights Without Frontiers, the Institute on Religion and Public Policy, the Beckett Fund for Religious Liberty, and the Information and Advice Center for New Spiritualities."
"These and other organizations are said to be acting as front organizations for various religions who do not have UN accredited presence. Most notable amongst them is the Church of Scientology, which has launched several attacks on the Miviludes, notably by using the US State Department's clout at the UN. The Scientology Internet site logo looks very much like the UN logo and the Church presents itself as being 'Associated with the UN Department of Public Information."
_more_
What Does Greta van Susteren's Psychiatrist Sister Think of Scientology?
by John Cook - Gawker.com - May 28, 2009
"A tipster passed along something we didn't know: Noted Scientologist Greta van Susteren's sister is a psychiatrist. Or, as Greta's religion would have it, a practitioner of the 'industry of death,' a 'fraud,' a drug-peddler, and a 'rapist.' We asked her what she thought of her sister's curious views."
....
"We called Lise to ask her about Greta's views. 'These are private matters,' she said. 'I don't ever discuss them. The reality is, I don't know anything about Scientology's current campaigns. I know that in the past there were a few people who were very vocal about psychiatry, but I don't know enough to reasonably comment.' "
_more_
Wikipedia Bans Church of Scientology From Site
by Ian Rakowski - News.com.au - May 29, 2009
"Wikipedia has banned members of the Church of Scientology from contributing to articles in a bid to stamp out biased information."
"The site's administrators allegedly decided to impose the ban after finding members of the church were changing articles related to Scientology to promote their interests."
_more_
Is Scientology a Religious Cult or a Commercial Enterprise?
by Iman Kurdi - Khaleej Times - May 31, 2009
"A fascinating court case has opened in Paris this week. The accused is the Church of Scientology, recognized as a religion in the US but not in France where it is assigned the status of a [sect or] cult."
....
"Scientology lies in a gray area for me. I strive to respect all religions and beliefs, but scientology tests my limits. Quite frankly, I find it hard to think of it as a religion. So this trial is doubly interesting because at its center is the following critical question: Is scientology an organization whose aim is spiritual enlightenment as it proclaims or is it a commercial entity driven by the desire for financial gain?"
....
"There are several aspects of scientology which immediately raise alarm bells in my mind. The first is that it is proactively proselytizing and it does so in a manner which is clearly manipulative. When I was a university student, I accidentally stumbled upon them. There was nothing that suggested a church organization or an attempt at religious conversion in their approach, what I was offered was a free personality test."
....
"Once I had completed the rather lengthy test, I was given my results. I don’t remember much about them, but clearly there were areas in my life where I showed some dissatisfaction and this is when they attempted to sell me something more than a personality test, and selling is the right word. The personality test is free but after that things get expensive, very expensive. In my case, I did not go further than the free personality test, but the two plaintiffs in the trial, as well as other former adepts, tell of parting with vast amounts of cash. In the case of the two witnesses, they paid 20,000 Euros for ‘treatment’. That’s the thing about scientology. It doesn’t read like a religion as we know it. Its literature uses scientific terminology and promises physical cures to emotional ills."
_more_
Norwegian Government considers Prosecuting Scientology
en.WikiNews.org - May 31, 2009
"The Norwegian Ministry of Health and Care Services is considering prosecuting and banning some Scientology practices, in particular the use of the Scientology personality test to sell courses. State Secretary Rigmor Aasrud said that the activities in question might be prosecuted as fraud or as violations of existing healthcare regulations. A Norwegian Member of Parliament whose daughter killed herself after taking such a test, supports the idea of prosecuting illegal practices rather than trying to ban the movement as a whole."
"The statement was made after three journalists from the online edition of the newspaper Verdens Gang (VG) took the test. The journalists wore hidden recording devices, and did not disclose that they were journalists; VG put the recordings on its website. Scientology staff members told all three that they should buy a course to handle psychological issues."
_more_
Did Scientology Enlist Congressional Stooges to 'Attack' France?
by John Cook - Gawker.com - June 1, 2009
"Six members of Congress wrote a letter of protest to the French ambassador last month, taking the country to task for a new report from a French government agency that attacks some self-professed religions as 'cults.' Was Scientology behind it?"
"The letter said that the report—which was written by Miviludes, a French government agency that tracks cults and sectarian religions—'raises serious concerns regarding protection for an individual's right to freedom of religion in France.' The members of Congress didn't mention Scientology by name, but the Miviludes paper is reportedly highly critical of Scientology's efforts to influence the United Nations through 'front organizations.' "
_more_
Swiss More Fearful of Islam than Scientology
Turkish Weekly - June 7, 2009
"While the Church of Scientology could be dissolved in France if its members are convicted at trial in Paris, the religious movement raises few eyebrows in Switzerland. Unlike other religions, like Islam, which is facing a rightwing-backed popular initiative to ban minarets, Scientology and its one thousand Swiss followers hardly cause a stir."
"Popular fears are focused elsewhere, René Pahud de Mortanges, director of the Institute of Religious Law at Fribourg University, told swissinfo. 'After the September 11 [2001] attacks in New York the discussions and fears raised by sects in Switzerland were replaced by those about the Muslim faith,' he explained."
"Things were looking rather different for the Church of Scientology at the end of the 1990s, however...."
_more_
.
GlossLip.com - May 25, 2009
"Is it me, or does anyone find [Katie Holmes'] involvement with this ceremony upsetting?, Considering Scientology beliefs on anything to do with brain injuries, their stance on psychiatry, and especially the false war records of their founder L. Ron Hubbard."
"Hubbard’s 'war hero' claims, have mostly been totally debunked. He greatly exaggerated his worth and rank in the military, and I am sure that any veteran would find these lies to be beyond despicable. And please feel free to go check out scans of his actual Naval records, it will make you cringe."
_more_
Are religious sects/cults invading the United Nations?
by Bill Berkowitz - The Buzzflash Blog - May 27, 2009
"A French government agency called Miviludes (Mission interministérielle de vigilance et de lutte contre les dérives sectaries -- Interministerial Mission for Monitoring and Combating Cultic Deviancy) recently issued a 199-page report charging religious cults with having a growing influence in international bodies such as the United Nations."
....
"Since its inception, Miviludes has apparently been the subject of intense scrutiny and broad criticism. Many of the groups listed in earlier reports expressed outrage at their inclusion claiming it would lead to them being stigmatized. According to Digital Journal, "NGOs said to be active in trying to destabilize the Miviludes' work include Human Rights Without Frontiers, the Institute on Religion and Public Policy, the Beckett Fund for Religious Liberty, and the Information and Advice Center for New Spiritualities."
"These and other organizations are said to be acting as front organizations for various religions who do not have UN accredited presence. Most notable amongst them is the Church of Scientology, which has launched several attacks on the Miviludes, notably by using the US State Department's clout at the UN. The Scientology Internet site logo looks very much like the UN logo and the Church presents itself as being 'Associated with the UN Department of Public Information."
_more_
What Does Greta van Susteren's Psychiatrist Sister Think of Scientology?
by John Cook - Gawker.com - May 28, 2009
"A tipster passed along something we didn't know: Noted Scientologist Greta van Susteren's sister is a psychiatrist. Or, as Greta's religion would have it, a practitioner of the 'industry of death,' a 'fraud,' a drug-peddler, and a 'rapist.' We asked her what she thought of her sister's curious views."
....
"We called Lise to ask her about Greta's views. 'These are private matters,' she said. 'I don't ever discuss them. The reality is, I don't know anything about Scientology's current campaigns. I know that in the past there were a few people who were very vocal about psychiatry, but I don't know enough to reasonably comment.' "
_more_
Wikipedia Bans Church of Scientology From Site
by Ian Rakowski - News.com.au - May 29, 2009
"Wikipedia has banned members of the Church of Scientology from contributing to articles in a bid to stamp out biased information."
"The site's administrators allegedly decided to impose the ban after finding members of the church were changing articles related to Scientology to promote their interests."
_more_
Is Scientology a Religious Cult or a Commercial Enterprise?
by Iman Kurdi - Khaleej Times - May 31, 2009
"A fascinating court case has opened in Paris this week. The accused is the Church of Scientology, recognized as a religion in the US but not in France where it is assigned the status of a [sect or] cult."
....
"Scientology lies in a gray area for me. I strive to respect all religions and beliefs, but scientology tests my limits. Quite frankly, I find it hard to think of it as a religion. So this trial is doubly interesting because at its center is the following critical question: Is scientology an organization whose aim is spiritual enlightenment as it proclaims or is it a commercial entity driven by the desire for financial gain?"
....
"There are several aspects of scientology which immediately raise alarm bells in my mind. The first is that it is proactively proselytizing and it does so in a manner which is clearly manipulative. When I was a university student, I accidentally stumbled upon them. There was nothing that suggested a church organization or an attempt at religious conversion in their approach, what I was offered was a free personality test."
....
"Once I had completed the rather lengthy test, I was given my results. I don’t remember much about them, but clearly there were areas in my life where I showed some dissatisfaction and this is when they attempted to sell me something more than a personality test, and selling is the right word. The personality test is free but after that things get expensive, very expensive. In my case, I did not go further than the free personality test, but the two plaintiffs in the trial, as well as other former adepts, tell of parting with vast amounts of cash. In the case of the two witnesses, they paid 20,000 Euros for ‘treatment’. That’s the thing about scientology. It doesn’t read like a religion as we know it. Its literature uses scientific terminology and promises physical cures to emotional ills."
_more_
Norwegian Government considers Prosecuting Scientology
en.WikiNews.org - May 31, 2009
"The Norwegian Ministry of Health and Care Services is considering prosecuting and banning some Scientology practices, in particular the use of the Scientology personality test to sell courses. State Secretary Rigmor Aasrud said that the activities in question might be prosecuted as fraud or as violations of existing healthcare regulations. A Norwegian Member of Parliament whose daughter killed herself after taking such a test, supports the idea of prosecuting illegal practices rather than trying to ban the movement as a whole."
"The statement was made after three journalists from the online edition of the newspaper Verdens Gang (VG) took the test. The journalists wore hidden recording devices, and did not disclose that they were journalists; VG put the recordings on its website. Scientology staff members told all three that they should buy a course to handle psychological issues."
_more_
Did Scientology Enlist Congressional Stooges to 'Attack' France?
by John Cook - Gawker.com - June 1, 2009
"Six members of Congress wrote a letter of protest to the French ambassador last month, taking the country to task for a new report from a French government agency that attacks some self-professed religions as 'cults.' Was Scientology behind it?"
"The letter said that the report—which was written by Miviludes, a French government agency that tracks cults and sectarian religions—'raises serious concerns regarding protection for an individual's right to freedom of religion in France.' The members of Congress didn't mention Scientology by name, but the Miviludes paper is reportedly highly critical of Scientology's efforts to influence the United Nations through 'front organizations.' "
_more_
Swiss More Fearful of Islam than Scientology
Turkish Weekly - June 7, 2009
"While the Church of Scientology could be dissolved in France if its members are convicted at trial in Paris, the religious movement raises few eyebrows in Switzerland. Unlike other religions, like Islam, which is facing a rightwing-backed popular initiative to ban minarets, Scientology and its one thousand Swiss followers hardly cause a stir."
"Popular fears are focused elsewhere, René Pahud de Mortanges, director of the Institute of Religious Law at Fribourg University, told swissinfo. 'After the September 11 [2001] attacks in New York the discussions and fears raised by sects in Switzerland were replaced by those about the Muslim faith,' he explained."
"Things were looking rather different for the Church of Scientology at the end of the 1990s, however...."
_more_
.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Scientology - News From French Trial
Digital Journal article by Michael Cosgrove.
[extracts]
"The Church of Scientology is on trial in Paris for organized fraud. Six individuals and two organizations have been charged and if they are found guilty the Church may well have to wind up some or all of its activities in France."
....
"Three Scientology services in particular are being analysed by the court and sworn-in experts. The French online paper Rue 89 gives a short description of them."
"The first is called Communication Lessons..."
"Another service involves Purification Rundown sessions..."
"But the service that is being most talked about right now is the Scientology Electrometer, pictured above..."
[picture from Wikipedia Commons - click on it for a larger image.]
.
Monday, June 8, 2009
Interviews With Cult Survivors
YouTube page :- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6w0ZdujeoU
YouTube page :- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QMx4xG4_YWU&feature=channel
YouTube page :- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CppijrqHSMU&feature=related
YouTube page :- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yj7iLNoXvu4&feature=channel
YouTube page :- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AkCS1lIcobY&feature=channel
YouTube page :- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O3_mDtyUGSA&feature=channel
====================================================================
See also :-
http://foresight-of-hindsight.blogspot.com/2008/12/how-people-get-sucked-in-to-cults.html
http://foresight-of-hindsight.blogspot.com/2009/02/join-us-film-about-cult-by-ondi-timoner.html
.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Scientology Church Accused of Organized Fraud
The Church of Scientology and seven of its French leaders went on trial yesterday on charges of organized fraud that could lead to a ban on the organization in France. They are accused of praying on vulnerable people "with the goal of seizing their fortune by exerting a psychological hold."
A report by Reuters is _here_.
(Writing by Crispian Balmer; editing by Elizabeth Piper.)
"Judge Jean-Christophe Hullin ruled that the Scientologists' Celebrity Center, bookstore and seven Church leaders should be tried for fraud and 'illegally practicing as pharmacists'."
"The Church of Scientology is registered as a religion in the United States but has struggled to be accepted in Europe, with French authorities seeing it as a sect masquerading as a church to make money."
Apparently it is known as a sect in France because the French do not have a equivalent word in their language for the English word 'cult'.
"It has faced numerous setbacks in France, with members convicted of fraud in Lyon in 1997 and Marseille in 1999. In 2002, a court fined it for violating privacy laws and said it could be dissolved if involved in similar cases." (Reuters)
There is a video by Emily Reuben (Channel 4 News) _here_.
Selected quotes from the video :-
"The only purpose of Scientology is to take money from people." (French barrister/lawyer.)
"France respects freedom. But even with religious freedom France can't ignore people breaking the law." (Spokesman from a government agency setup to monitor the activities of sects.)
"They get you into a state of complete dependence. When you are in that state leaving the church is like dying." (Paraphrasing a former Scientologist.)
More news reports can be found _here_.
Legal History of the Church of Scientology
-- "In 2002, a Spanish court dismissed a 14-year-old case against Scientology's international president on charges of illicit association."
-- "In Germany, federal and state interior ministers declared the Church of Scientology unconstitutional in 2007, opening the way for a possible ban on the organization. But experts at Germany's domestic intelligence agencies believe there is not enough evidence to justify a ban, according to German media reports."
08/08/2007 - "Senior politicians from Chancellor Angela Merkel's coalition have rejected calls for a ban on the Scientology cult. A legal bid to outlaw it would fail because authorities haven't had time to build a proper case against the organization, they say."
"A bid to outlaw Scientology may fail because Germany's domestic intelligence service is unlikely to have gathered enough evidence against it to back court action against the sect."
"The interior minister in the city-state of Hamburg, Udo Nagel, had called for a ban on Scientology, echoing demands by the head of the city's Scientology monitoring group, Ursula Caberta, and church experts on sects."
"In Germany, the government views Scientology as a money-making cult rather than a legitimate church." (Spiegel On-line International, 2007 edition _here_ )
-- "Scientology says it has gone to court in many countries to uphold the right to freedom of religion."
(Legal history quotes from Television New Zealand website _here_ )
===============================================================
North America
Some readers from North America may be wondering if similar legal charges can be brought against extreme religious sects and cults in USA and Canada. I accept that I am an outsider looking in to those countries, but as far as I can tell, the United States First Amendment seems to be a problem (in USA) because it guarantees that "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof...".
On September 1st, 2008, I wrote :-
"Also, there must be a stage where the leader(s) will be guilty of fraud. It is true that: "People who behave unethically can be found in any part of life", but that isn’t a reason to protect religious leaders from prosecution. I suspect that the First Amendment wouldn’t apply in cases of criminal fraud."
http://foresight-of-hindsight.blogspot.com/2008/08/survivors-of-destructive-cults.html
In an open letter to the 'prophets' of doom on December 25, 2008, I wrote :-
"Hiding shamelessly behind your nation’s First Amendment is also regarded as being contemptuous and despicable. ( …) Maybe your founding fathers didn’t predict that their country would produce con men and women who would be guilty of religious fraud and extortion. (Yes, I believe those words are correct. Fraud is described as being deliberate deception, trickery or cheating by a person who acts in a false or deceitful way. One meaning of extortion is to secure money or favors etc. by the misuse of authority.) You need to be exposed as a fraud, with your Emperor’s New Clothes, for all the world to see and scorn."
http://foresight-of-hindsight.blogspot.com/2008/12/open-letter-to-prophets-of-doom.html
Further information about the Amendment is in this post (March 28, 2009) :-
http://foresight-of-hindsight.blogspot.com/2009/03/court-says-church-can-brew.html
So, for a legal bid to succeed it seems that a case of criminal fraud or extortion would need to be established that is serious enough to nullify the First Amendment (or render it legally void for that particular case).
===============================================================
Another possibility for legal bids or charges is explored in two posts on the Ironwolf forum.
http://ironwolf.dangerousgames.com/forum/index.php/topic,404.msg5250.html#msg5250
In the end, I came to this conclusion :-
"So it is possible to sue religious cults, but getting the cult to "come up with the money" looks to be a lot harder..."
"With regard to CoG-PKG, it is thought that most of their money isn't even in the USA! --- Switzerland was mentioned not so long ago as a location for their 'secret' bank accounts."
===============================================================
Apologies
Apologies to regular visitors. You would have noticed that there haven't been any new posts for about three weeks. All I can say is that sometimes blog posts have a low priority! Thank you for visiting the blog and reading my sometimes convoluted and verbose posts!
.
A report by Reuters is _here_.
(Writing by Crispian Balmer; editing by Elizabeth Piper.)
"Judge Jean-Christophe Hullin ruled that the Scientologists' Celebrity Center, bookstore and seven Church leaders should be tried for fraud and 'illegally practicing as pharmacists'."
"The Church of Scientology is registered as a religion in the United States but has struggled to be accepted in Europe, with French authorities seeing it as a sect masquerading as a church to make money."
Apparently it is known as a sect in France because the French do not have a equivalent word in their language for the English word 'cult'.
"It has faced numerous setbacks in France, with members convicted of fraud in Lyon in 1997 and Marseille in 1999. In 2002, a court fined it for violating privacy laws and said it could be dissolved if involved in similar cases." (Reuters)
There is a video by Emily Reuben (Channel 4 News) _here_.
Selected quotes from the video :-
"The only purpose of Scientology is to take money from people." (French barrister/lawyer.)
"France respects freedom. But even with religious freedom France can't ignore people breaking the law." (Spokesman from a government agency setup to monitor the activities of sects.)
"They get you into a state of complete dependence. When you are in that state leaving the church is like dying." (Paraphrasing a former Scientologist.)
More news reports can be found _here_.
Legal History of the Church of Scientology
-- "In 2002, a Spanish court dismissed a 14-year-old case against Scientology's international president on charges of illicit association."
-- "In Germany, federal and state interior ministers declared the Church of Scientology unconstitutional in 2007, opening the way for a possible ban on the organization. But experts at Germany's domestic intelligence agencies believe there is not enough evidence to justify a ban, according to German media reports."
08/08/2007 - "Senior politicians from Chancellor Angela Merkel's coalition have rejected calls for a ban on the Scientology cult. A legal bid to outlaw it would fail because authorities haven't had time to build a proper case against the organization, they say."
"A bid to outlaw Scientology may fail because Germany's domestic intelligence service is unlikely to have gathered enough evidence against it to back court action against the sect."
"The interior minister in the city-state of Hamburg, Udo Nagel, had called for a ban on Scientology, echoing demands by the head of the city's Scientology monitoring group, Ursula Caberta, and church experts on sects."
"In Germany, the government views Scientology as a money-making cult rather than a legitimate church." (Spiegel On-line International, 2007 edition _here_ )
-- "Scientology says it has gone to court in many countries to uphold the right to freedom of religion."
(Legal history quotes from Television New Zealand website _here_ )
===============================================================
North America
Some readers from North America may be wondering if similar legal charges can be brought against extreme religious sects and cults in USA and Canada. I accept that I am an outsider looking in to those countries, but as far as I can tell, the United States First Amendment seems to be a problem (in USA) because it guarantees that "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof...".
On September 1st, 2008, I wrote :-
"Also, there must be a stage where the leader(s) will be guilty of fraud. It is true that: "People who behave unethically can be found in any part of life", but that isn’t a reason to protect religious leaders from prosecution. I suspect that the First Amendment wouldn’t apply in cases of criminal fraud."
http://foresight-of-hindsight.blogspot.com/2008/08/survivors-of-destructive-cults.html
In an open letter to the 'prophets' of doom on December 25, 2008, I wrote :-
"Hiding shamelessly behind your nation’s First Amendment is also regarded as being contemptuous and despicable. ( …) Maybe your founding fathers didn’t predict that their country would produce con men and women who would be guilty of religious fraud and extortion. (Yes, I believe those words are correct. Fraud is described as being deliberate deception, trickery or cheating by a person who acts in a false or deceitful way. One meaning of extortion is to secure money or favors etc. by the misuse of authority.) You need to be exposed as a fraud, with your Emperor’s New Clothes, for all the world to see and scorn."
http://foresight-of-hindsight.blogspot.com/2008/12/open-letter-to-prophets-of-doom.html
Further information about the Amendment is in this post (March 28, 2009) :-
http://foresight-of-hindsight.blogspot.com/2009/03/court-says-church-can-brew.html
So, for a legal bid to succeed it seems that a case of criminal fraud or extortion would need to be established that is serious enough to nullify the First Amendment (or render it legally void for that particular case).
===============================================================
Another possibility for legal bids or charges is explored in two posts on the Ironwolf forum.
http://ironwolf.dangerousgames.com/forum/index.php/topic,404.msg5250.html#msg5250
In the end, I came to this conclusion :-
"So it is possible to sue religious cults, but getting the cult to "come up with the money" looks to be a lot harder..."
"With regard to CoG-PKG, it is thought that most of their money isn't even in the USA! --- Switzerland was mentioned not so long ago as a location for their 'secret' bank accounts."
===============================================================
Apologies
Apologies to regular visitors. You would have noticed that there haven't been any new posts for about three weeks. All I can say is that sometimes blog posts have a low priority! Thank you for visiting the blog and reading my sometimes convoluted and verbose posts!
.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
