AP - Sept 17 - Scientologists accused of misrepresenting selves during crisis
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Scientologists accused of misrepresenting selves during crisis
Monday, September 17, 2001
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(09-17) 20:06 PDT LOS ANGELES (AP) --
The National Mental Health Association accused the Church of Scientology
of attempting to recruit members under the guise of providing mental
health counseling after last week's terrorist attacks.
"This is a very important and sensitive time," Michael M. Faenza,
president and chief executive of the Alexandria, Va.-based NMHA said
Monday. "I urge the Church of Scientology to stay out of mental health.
The public needs to understand that the Scientologists are using this
tragedy to recruit new members. They are not providing mental health
assistance."
Scientology spokeswoman Janet Weiland said church volunteers who offered
assistance to people following last week's attacks at the Pentagon and
in New York City were upfront about their affiliation. The church added
in a statement issued Monday night that all of its volunteers wore
bright yellow t-shirts or jackets with "Scientology Volunteer Minister"
printed in 4-inch letters on them.
"We reject and, indeed, are outraged by the NMHA's attempt to use false
statements to create controversy in the midst of this tragedy," the
statement said. "While thousands of people of good will are uniting to
alleviate the suffering, NMHA officials are sowing discord."
The church, which said it has sent 759 volunteer ministers to New York
since the attack, promised to deliver a letter to the NMHA on Tuesday
protesting what it called "petty turf wars."
NMHA spokesman Mark Helmke said at least one television outlet, Fox
News, publicized a toll-free number for the church last week as one to
call for people seeking mental health counseling. A Fox official in New
York confirmed the number was on the screen for about two hours.
"Someone who called that number found out what it was and then they
called us immediately and then we took it down immediately," said the
official, who declined to be quoted by name.
A press release sent to Fox identified the number as belonging to the
National Mental Health Assistance crisis hot line.
"The National Mental Health Hot Line is open and available to anyone in
need of help -- or anyone who would like to assist the victims," the
release said. It made no mention of Scientology.
"Here they create a National Mental Health Assistance organization, with
the same initials as our organization's and convince one major news
outlet to post their mental health number, and what does it go to? It
goes to a place where they are trying to get people to join
Scientology," said Helmke.
"It's clear they aren't trying to help people with mental health but to
get them to join their cult," he said.
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