Today in Scientology -- May 1st ***************

[Scientology Today]

Today May 1st in Scientology history
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Scientology: Anatomy of a Frightening Cult
May 1, 1980, Eugene M. Methvin, Readers Digest
http://www.lermanet2.com/scientologynews/ReadersDigest.htm

As history demonstrates, when a fanatical individual employing powerful
communication skills gathers an entourage of followers, infects them
with his own delusion, persuades them that the outside world is hostile
and they alone can save the world, and exacts blind obedience, the
collective may break the fabric of civilized restraints and descend
into terrifying crimes. Convictions, seized church documents,
stipulated evidence and defectors' affidavits demonstrate that
Scientologists have already indulged in burglary, espionage, blackmail,
kidnapping, false imprisonment, and conspiracies to steal government
documents and to obstruct justice; some have committed suicide. The
parents of a teen-age girl, after following her into Hubbard's
entourage for several weeks, issued an urgent appeal last January to
help prevent "what we believe could be another mass murder or suicide."

Tags: American Medical Association, American Psychiatric Association, Anne
Rosenblum, Apollo, Better Business Bureau, Blackmail, Bomb threat, Burglary,
CIA, Clear, Clearwater, Conspiracy, Conviction, DC, Death, False
imprisonment, FBI, GO, IRS, Julie Titchbourne, Justice Robert Jackson,
Kidnapping, L. Ron Hubbard, Margaret Singer, Mary Sue Hubbard, Michael Flynn,
Michael Meisner, Paulette Cooper, PC folders, Portland, Raid, Raymond Banoun,
Secondary copy, The Scandal of Scientology, US Attorney General, US Justice
Department

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CCHR and Narconon
May 1, 1991, Louis Jolyon West, Southern California Psychiatrist
http://www.caic.org.au/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=933&Itemid=12

In a previous article (SCPS Newsletter, July, 1990) I provided an
historical account of the Church of Scientology. It is a
pseudo-scientific healing cult that was formed in the 1950s, and has
grown, with the help of extravagant lies and deliberate deception, into
a multimillion dollar, international enterprise. Through its many
publications, but especially through its newspaper "Freedom,"
Scientology regularly defames its critics (such as myself) and praises
its friends (such as Thomas Szasz).

Tags: ABLE, Arthur Maren, CCHR, Dennis Clarke, Henning Heldt, Jerry
Whitfield, Narconon, Narconon Chilocco, Purification Rundown, Thomas Szasz,
William Benitez

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Doug Henning and the Giggling Guru
May 1, 1995, Martin Gardner, Notes of a Fringe-Watcher, Skeptical Inquirer
http://www.csicop.org/si/show/doug_henning_and_the_giggling_guru

First, some words about TM. Based on ancient Veda teachings that
Maharishi learned from a Himalayan holy man, it stresses a form of
meditation linked to the recitation of a Sanskrit word called a mantra.
The technique is said to relieve stress, slow aging, and promote what
TMers call "pure bliss." Moreover, TM instructors promise to teach you,
after you fork over thousands of dollars for advanced courses, a
variety of awesome supernormal powers known as sidhis. They include the
ability to become invisible, to see hidden things, to walk through
walls, and to fly through the air like Peter Pan and Wendy. Doug's
conjuring was fake magic. TM teaches real magic.

Tags: Deepak Chopra, Doug Henning, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, Transcendental
Meditation, Vedic flying

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Applied Scientology in Public Schools?
May 1, 1997, Craig Branch, The Watchman Expositor
http://www.watchman.org/sci/appliedscientology.htm

This was not true according to Ruth McKenna, chief deputy
superintendent of the California state board. She responded, "It is not
appropriate to imply that the department of education or the screening
committee has approved the content.... Our concern is that they
[ABLE/Scientology] are using us and the process to imply impending
approval" (Education Week, op. cit.).

This appears to be characteristic of Scientology's Applied Scholastics
as they also made "unsubstantiated" claims about an earlier foray into
California's public schools in the Compton district. Applied
Scholastics' promotional material "made claims of remarkable success"
but actually the school district officials canceled the programs (Los
Angeles Times, June 27, 1990, p. A18).

Tags: ABLE, ACLU, Applied Scholastics, Bridge Publications, FDA, Robert Lifton

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Combatants in Cult War Attempt Reconciliation / Peacemaking conference is
held near Seattle
May 1, 2000, Don Lattin, San Francisco Chronicle
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2000/05/01/MN88385.DTL

Fighting in the cult wars may have reached a peak three years ago, when
lawyers and other individuals linked to the Church of Scientology, one
of the nation's most controversial and powerful new religious
movements, sued the Cult Awareness Network into bankruptcy.

The network, which had been one of the most outspoken anti-cult groups,
eventually had its name, files and hotline taken over in a campaign
dominated by members of the Church of Scientology.

Tags: AFF, Cult Awareness Network, Cult Information Service, Eileen Barker,
Foundation for Religious Freedom, Gordon Melton, Nancy O'Meara

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Scientology foes continue rancor
May 1, 2002, Deborah O'Neil, St. Petersburg Times
http://www.sptimes.com/2002/05/01/TampaBay/Scientology_foes_cont.shtml

Millionaire Scientology critic Robert Minton has expanded his criticism
of the lawyer fighting the Church of Scientology over the death of Lisa
McPherson.

In a 26-page affidavit, Minton elaborated on his earlier testimony in
the case, arguing that Tampa attorney Ken Dandar asked him to lie, drew
up false court records for him to sign and urged him to generate bad
publicity for Scientology to prejudice potential jurors in the
McPherson wrongful death case.

Tags: Ben Shaw, Judge Douglas Baird, Judge Susan Schaeffer, Ken Dandar, Lisa
McPherson, Robert Minton, Samuel Rosen

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Anti-Scientology site spurs award
May 1, 2003, Lisa M. Bowman, CNET
http://news.com.com/2110-1025_3-999351.html

A critic of the Church of Scientology, Andreas Heldal-Lund, has
received a human rights award for maintaining his Web page despite
repeated legal attacks from church officials.

Tags: Andreas Heldal-Lund, Operation Clambake

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Guru Offers Message to Attentive Audience
May 1, 2003, Tami Abdollah, Daily Californian
http://archive.dailycal.org/article.php?id=11433

Prem Rawat, greeted with a standing ovation and loud cheers at
Zellerbach Hall, was accused of banning former followers from the event.

Tags: Elan Vital, Guru Maharaj Ji, Prem Rawat

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Scientologists' move meets opposition
May 1, 2009, Amy Wenk, Sandy Springs Reporter
http://sandysprings.lps2.com/Articles-c-2009-05-01-155887.113118_Scientologists_move_meets_opposition.html

Church members purchased the property around 2005. The congregation
plans to renovate the 46,000-square-foot structure and must seek
rezoning because current conditions limit the site to office and
professional use.

"We really aren't asking for a significant change - just the right to
have a religious institution on the property," said Woody Galloway of
Dillard & Galloway, the attorney for the church.

He said the church will spend more than $3 million to convert the
interior of the building. "The existing perimeter will not change."

Tags: Sandy Springs, Woody Galloway

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Jive Aces tried to lure me into cult
May 1, 2012, Ryan Sabey, The Sun
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showbiz/tv/britain_got_talent/4291734/Jive-Aces-tried-to-lure-me-into-cult.html

A FORMER member of Britain's Got Talent stars Jive Aces claims the band
tried to "brainwash" him into becoming a Scientologist.

Guitarist Johnny Gunner says the other members tried to control his
behaviour after they joined the religion - and he felt relieved to
leave the band.

Tags: Britain's Got Talent, Jive Aces

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Kate Bornstein's Amazing Voyage
May 1, 2012, Tony Ortega, Runnin' Scared, Village Voice
http://www.villagevoice.com/2012-05-02/news/kate-bornstein-amazing-voyage-gender-scientology/full/

I've read them all, interviewed the authors, and talked to many other
former members about their lives in the church as I've covered
Scientology closely on the Voice's news blog.

And that's why I can say with some confidence that none of these recent
narratives captures and conveys the hardcore Scientology experience
quite like Bornstein's book.

Kate describes, perhaps better than anyone has before, what it was like
to become a dedicated Sea Org member during Scientology's more
freewheeling heyday.

Lioce was a couple of years ahead of Al at college, but there was just
something about the younger man. For the members of Brown University's
theater scene in the late 1960s, such as actress JoBeth Williams-who
would go on to gain fame in movies like Poltergeist and The Big
Chill-Al was a transfixing figure. Someone you naturally looked up to,
Lioce tells me.

Tags: A Queer and Pleasant Danger, Abuse at the Top, Al Bornstein, Amy
Scobee, Apollo, Blown for Good, Chris Baxter, Clearwater, Counterfeit Dreams,
E-meter, Florida, Gender Outlaw, Harlem, Inside Scientology: The Story of
America's Most Secretive Religion, Janet Reitman, Jefferson Hawkins, Jessica
Baxter, Kate Bornstein, L. Ron Hubbard, Lawrence Wright, LGBT, Marc Headley,
My Billion Year Contract, Nancy Many, New York City, Paul Haggis, Portugal,
Rolling Stone, San Francisco, Sea Org, South Park, Suppressive Person, Tony
Lioce

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OKLAHOMA LEGISLATURE PASSES DRUG REHAB BILL AIMED AT SCIENTOLOGY'S NARCONON
May 1, 2013, Tony Ortega, Underground Bunker
http://tonyortega.org/2013/05/01/oklahoma-legislature-passes-drug-rehab-bill-aimed-at-scientologys-narconon/

Stacy Dawn Murphy Oklahoma's State Senate today passed SB 295 with a
unanimous vote of 43 to 0, and now the bill - aimed at tightening
regulation of drug rehab facilities in the state - will go to Governor
Mary Fallin, who is expected to sign it into law.

The new statute is a direct result of recent deaths at Scientology's
flagship drug rehab center, Narconon Arrowhead, which is in the eastern
part of the state. Three patients at the facility died between October
2011 and July 2012, resulting in multiple state and county
investigations and numerous lawsuits, all of which are still pending.

Last summer, Sen. Tom Ivester announced that he wanted to pass
legislation that would increase state oversight of the controversial
facility. The Democratic senator teamed up with a conservative
Republican in Oklahoma's House, Rep. Jason Murphey, and today SB 295
passed its final hurdle in the legislature.

Tags: 2011, 2012, Abuse, Colin Henderson, Jason Murphey, Lucas Catton, Mary
Fallin, Narconon, Narconon Arrowhead, Oklahoma, Quicky, Robert Murphy, Stacy
Murphy, Tom Ivester, Tulsa

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SCIENTOLOGY DENIED: CA Appeals Court Won't Help Church in Forced-Abortion
Lawsuit
May 1, 2013, Tony Ortega, Underground Bunker
http://tonyortega.org/2013/05/01/scientology-denied-ca-appeals-court-rules-for-documents-release-in-forced-abortion-lawsuit/

Things have really heated up in Laura DeCrescenzo's forced-abortion
lawsuit against the Church of Scientology. As we reported earlier, the
church has been ordered to turn over more than a hundred of
DeCrescenzo's "pc folders" - which contain notes taken while she
underwent intense interrogations at the hands of church officials, and
which should yield thousands of pages of supporting evidence for her
allegations of abuse in Scientology's "Sea Org." But with only days to
go, the church is fighting mightily not to release that material.

We have learned that a petition filed by Scientology was denied by
California's Appeals Court, and on Monday the church then filed a
petition with the state's Supreme Court.

If that petition is denied, Scientology may even petition the US
Supreme Court. The church claims that it should not be forced to turn
over what it says are confidential confessionals protected by
clergy-penitent privilege - even though it's the penitent, DeCrescenzo,
who wants access to the documents.

Tags: 1991, 2004, 2008, 2009, 2012, Adam Holland, Appeal, California,
Catholic, Church of Scientology International, David Miscavige, Debbie Cook,
Facebook, First Amendment, Google, Greg Arnold, International Association of
Scientologists, Laura DeCrescenzo, Los Angeles Superior Court, Narconon,
Narconon Arrowhead, Oklahoma, Paul Marrick, Quicky, Rehabilitation Project
Force, Robert Murphy, Sea Org, Stacy Murphy, Super Bowl, Toronto, US Supreme
Court

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Scientology's E-meter police, and the horse doctor of LaBelle, Florida
May 1, 2014, Tony Ortega, Underground Bunker
http://tonyortega.org/2014/05/01/scientologys-e-meter-police-and-the-horse-doctor-of-labelle-florida/

Last month we told you about Jillian Schlesinger, a young woman who
escaped from Scientology's "Sea Organization" and then, just weeks
later, began telling her story for publication. We wondered if that
short period between her dash for freedom and speaking out might be a
sign of Scientology's deepening crisis that is driving so many members
away.

And now another longtime member has decided to tell his story just
weeks after walking away from the church.

Lee Shewmaker, 71, is a veterinarian. Originally, he's from Kentucky,
and he speaks with a pleasant twang. He operates his animal clinic in
the Florida town of LaBelle, on the Caloosahatchee River, about halfway
between Ft. Myers and Lake Okeechobee. Lee serves the local community
not only with his clinic, but also with a converted RV so he can take
his practice on the road for large animal care.

Tags: 1990, 2013, Bridge to Total Freedom, Clearwater, David Miscavige, E-
meter, Florida, Freewinds, Golden Age of Tech, International Association of
Scientologists, Jillian Schlesinger, Karen de la Carriere, Kentucky, Lee
Shewmaker, Los Angeles, Operating Thetan, OT, OT 7, OT 8, Quicky, San
Francisco, Scientology celebrity, Sea Org, Sterling Management, The Way to
Happiness, WISE, World Institute of Scientology Enterprises

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Leaving Scientology: 'I think this recovery is something I'll be doing the
rest of my life'
May 1, 2015, Tony Ortega, Underground Bunker
http://tonyortega.org/2015/05/01/leaving-scientology-i-think-this-recovery-is-something-ill-be-doing-the-rest-of-my-life/

Once again we're featuring Chris Shelton today. He's one of the more
recent defectors from Scientology's Sea Org, and he's been doing a
great service explaining his experience, and Scientology itself, in a
series of videos.

He sent us a new video that addresses an issue we've also talked about
with Jefferson Hawkins and Jon Atack. After finally deciding to leave
Scientology's "matrix of thought" (as Jason Beghe put it in Going
Clear), how long does it take to recover from L. Ron Hubbard's mental
implants?

We think you'll enjoy hearing from Shelton on this issue. As he points
out, when you get in as deep as a Sea Org member does, you may be
recovering from Scientology for the rest of your life. But that doesn't
mean it has to be a burden. As he's found out (and many others we've
spoken to), life can be grand when you start over again from scratch.
Give Chris's talk a listen and let us know what you think of it...

Tags: Amazon, Assists, Australia, California, Canada, Chicago, Chris Shelton,
Claire Headley, DC, Florida, Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of
Belief, Hollywood, Ideal Org, Jamie DeWolf, Jason Beghe, Jefferson Hawkins,
Jon Atack, Los Angeles, New York City, Orange County, OT, Paulette Cooper,
San Diego, San Francisco, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Sea Org, Tampa, The
Unbreakable Miss Lovely, Toronto, Washington

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