Scientology Volunteer Ministries: Helping With A Hook?
Scientology Ministries was started thirty years ago by science fiction writer L. Ron Hubbard. In a Hubbard-scribed essay, “Religious Influence in Society” the author stated:
“If one does not like the crime, cruelty, injustice and violence of this society, he can do something about it. He can become a VOLUNTEER MINISTER and help civilize it, bring it conscience and kindness and love and freedom from travail by instilling into it trust, decency, honesty and tolerance.”
Sounds noble enough. However, Scientology critics would argue that the actions behind Hubbard’s statement, like so much of his new-age “religion,” aren’t representative of his “ministry” intentions.
Scientology’s Volunteer Ministries are known for showing up at disasters, as well as pitching their yellow tents (also called “cavalcades”) all over the world. Ostensibly, these volunteers are there to help those in need of relief or assistance after a natural or man-made disaster. Not unlike the more than a century old, Red Cross or Salvation Army, with a few notable exceptions.
On 9/11 when the Red Cross was taking blood from donors to help those injured, the Volunteer Ministries were passing out Hubbard’s books. During Katrina, when the Salvation Army was setting up shelters and handing out blankets to those who’d been displaced from their homes, Volunteer Ministries were busy passing out Scientology information pamphlets and giving people water donated by others.
In 2007, when a gunman killed 33 people, professional counselors gathered to help students and families with their grief. Scientology seized this opportunity to lend a hand in the tragedy with Volunteer Ministries pitching their yellow tents right next to the victims’ memorial boards on the campus. But unlike other volunteers, they were asked to leave because they were considered as “preying” on the grief-stricken students. This would become a common refrain for the VM, earning them the sardonic moniker, Vulture Ministries.
Perhaps the issue with their presence at these tragic events has something to do with their motives and intentions. Typically, those who show up when disaster strikes are there to do whatever is needed to relieve suffering and provide comfort and aid for the victims, but that doesn’t seem to be the m.o. for these Scientology VM’s. Their cavalcades rely on volunteers and their donations, but Scientology’s lucrative operation does not ACTUALLY donate food, water, clothing, or other supplies, rather, they show up with a truckload of L. Run Hubbard books. They will however, help hand out the donations of others. How altruistic. It’s just like what Tom Cruise said in his infamous Scientology propaganda video, “Being a Scientologist, when you drive past an accident, it’s not like anybody else. When you drive past you KNOW you have to do something. You don’t even think about it, because you know you are the only one who can help.” Apparently “helping” means foisting LRH material at them. Perhaps the pages can be used to stop profuse bleeding, or if nothing else, you can pound the victim in head with it and put them out of their misery.
Now, If a Scientology celebrity is involved, sometimes the celeb will donate “truckloads” of stuff like Kirstie Alley did for her home state of Kansas after the devastating tornado hit Greensburg back in May 2007.
During Katrina, Scientology celebs rallied to support the victims, but using of course, their own money and resources:
That is when the second, third and fourth wave of Volunteer Ministers were needed, and they arrived from all over the US and from as far away as Europe and South America: over 900 Scientology Volunteer Ministers in all.And joining the forces were some very famous Scientologists. John Travolta, accompanied by his wife, actress Kelly Preston, personally flew in with a planeload of tetanus shots for the rescue workers and supplies for evacuees. Kirstie Alley drove into town with tons of supplies in a 16-wheeler convoy. Lisa Marie Presley shipped in truck loads of supplies from nearby Memphis. Isaac Hayes, Anne Archer, Leah Remini and Nancy Cartwright (shown in center pic above) came to bolster the morale of emergency workers and evacuees alike, and to help everyone get back on their feet.
Scientology Volunteer Minister teams next took on assessing the damage in outlying areas. Provided police and National Guard escorts, they found entire towns that were without water and food, and they handled this on the spot. Once vital supplies were dispensed, they delivered assists, and used Dianetics techniques to help people overcome the effects of the trauma they had just experienced.
Tom Cruise was right about a Scientologist seeing tragic events differently than everyone else. Whereas most people see an immediate need to help those who are suffering, Scientologists see an opportunity to take advangtage and infilitrate a person’s life. From the St. Petersburg Times:
Scientologists helped usher Hubbard’s program into the school during the chaotic months after Hurricane Katrina. Celebrity Scientologists John Travolta and Isaac Hayes played key roles, as did a former Clearwater resident known for her persuasive voice.
The people who run the program say Hubbard’s teaching technique is divorced from Scientology, that it is just a masterful way to learn. They note that it has won the support of many non-Scientologists, including a number of academics.
Other experts, though, question the quality of the program. And some church skeptics fret that it is an insidious plan ultimately aimed at promoting Scientology.
Prescott’s principal had those same concerns. But after closely monitoring the program for more than a year, she is confident Hubbard’s program is not teaching Scientology.
It’s not that Scientologists aren’t helping during disasters, because they are. It’s that their “help” comes with a catch, and that catch is timed during when people are at their lowest and most susceptible to the organizations brain-washing techniques.
Scientology Volunteer Ministries go all over the world spreading L. Ron Hubbard Tech and Touch Assists. For those of you who are not familiar with Touch Assists, Touch Assists, according to Scientology, “…are techniques developed by L. Ron Hubbard. They operate on the principle that one tends to withdraw mentally or spiritually from an injured area. Only by restoring communication with this area can one bring the spiritual element into healing, thereby greatly speeding the healing process. Assists are used to alleviate stress and physical aches and pains, or to orient a confused or distraught individual to his present environment”. In other words, it’s a “Scientology massage” followed by a pamphlet handed to you about Scientology.
Much controversy comes from the fact that Touch Assists have never been scientifically proven to work. Scientology VM’s go into a disaster area and offer touch assists to people in hospital beds, people who just lost their homes, and people who are just plain down and out. Always the most desperate people. Few of us would doubt the healing powers of touch, especially in a time of crisis, but these “touches” come with a catch. You must also be forced to hear about Scientology’s teachings, including expensive religious courses. Sounds like a bizarre form of prostitution. Healing touch + desperation + tragedy = vulnerable convert.
The ministries also claim they can help you with drug problems, marital problems or in essence ANY problems you might face. They have a hot line with people on call 24/7, and they claim that, “they will speak to anyone FOR anyone about anything.”
Hmmmm, I wonder if they can help me with my taxes, or maybe clean out my closets?
On a more serious note… Scientology’s Volunteer Ministries are spreading to emerging third world nations. Like any religion, reaching converts is the lifeblood of a growing faith. The practice can be found in most established religions. Missionaries go and provide relief and assistance to the poor and down-trodden, in return you are offered tenets of faith and spiritual guidance. The reward for the religion is new souls saved, the reward for the convert is a renewed purpose, a sense of community and spiritual rejuvenation. Sounds like a win-win. The only difference is, in Scientology, in order to be “saved” you must spend upwards of $300,000+ to achieve the highest levels of understanding of the its “scriptures.”
While on the surface, Scientology may appear to be like any other mainstream religion, beneath the surface it is something quite different. Scientology isn’t being singled out because it’s weird, has alien-lore or outspoken celebrities shilling for it, it’s singled out because it engages in criminal activities and operates like as a well-organized ponzi scheme.
In part two of this series on the Volunteer Ministries we will show how Scientology is now reaching out to emerging third-world countries like India, in an attempt to spread it’s wealth and operations far beyond the reaches of the United States legal system.
Stay tuned.
(Post submitted by Glosslip contributor “Queen”)
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Great post Queen. In case anyone has not seen it, here is the leaked e-mail detailing how Scientologists at Ground Zero attempted prevent mental health workers from having access to the victims:
http://www.xenu.net/archive/events/20010911-tragedy/
The Scientologists also somehow scammed Fox News into believing they were a group of mental health professionals called “National Mental Health Assistance” (NMHA). For five hours on September 14, the toll-free phone number for this deceptive group crawled across the bottom of Fox News programming. It was a toll-free number to Scientology headquarters in Hollywood.
They rarely provide food, clothing, medical or housing assistance to disaster victims (those cost money) but are quick to take credit for other’s donations.
(They like to boast of passing out the above items, never mentioning they didn’t actually pay for them)
Scientology sees disaster areas as business opportunities, little more.
Comment by Rachel — March 6, 2009 @ 7:54 pm
Excellent write up, cant wait to see part 2!
For those not familiar with the touchy feely scilon tech, check out the Assists handbook on Wikileaks
https://secure.wikileaks.org/wiki/Scientology_cult_Assists_Handbook
^^Click on the “Discuss” tab for additional info and related references.
Comment by AnonLover — March 6, 2009 @ 8:33 pm
Thousands of men and women sacrife their own time and money to be at these sites or sponsor a volunteer to be there. Much of the help Scientology VMs provide comes from the booklets and mini courses that are available. The assists provide relief physically from situations and Dianetics auditing helps with the mental effects.
This article stats opinion with a splash of truth.
In disaster situations it is necessary to first do what is needed and wanted. Handing out food, blankets and water is done by VMs but is not their primary task. First and formost is to provide mental, spiritual and physical relief to the victim.
This article fails to mention the dead bodies VMs carried out of ares or the rebuilding projects they provide help with long after the crisis, using theit work skills to do so. Yes, many thank VMs for their help and some become Scientologists, but VMs are kind, organized and willing to help. In todays world, these are very much needed things.
This article tries to smear decent acts by introducing opinion about the motives of these men and women. Shame on the author.
Comment by Greg Lang — March 6, 2009 @ 8:52 pm
Yes, it’s not as if there hasn’t been enough accounts of the shifty intentions of scinetology’s Vulture Ministers over the years.
I am hoping a scientologist will post what it is exactly the VM’s donate in the way of food, water, blankets, cash donations or anything else other than cult booklets and their attempts to practice medicine without a license with their bogus “assists”.
Oh, how silly of me. Hubbard and his scientology are all about “fair exchange”, and to give anything away for free is “out-exchange” and/or even “out-ethics”.
Vulture Ministers are a danger to the vulnerable at disaster sights. Click my links and see for yourself what their true motivations are.
Here’s a hint
http://solitarytrees.net/cowen/misc/ground0.htm
http://www.cosvm.org/
http://www.lisamcpherson.org/cos-wtc.htm
http://www.newsfrombree.co.uk/stolgy_23.htm
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/aod/networks/fivelive/aod.shtml?fivelive/flreport_scientologynew
Comment by Anonymous — March 6, 2009 @ 8:57 pm
Yes I see that Scientologists are once again sending people to write up comments claiming VM’s are the best of everything. Anyone who has worked at a disaster knows that the last thing you need are members of some cult stumbling around and getting in the way. If you want real disaster relief, turn to the UN, The Red Cross, The Red Crescent and many other bonified relief organizations. The Scientology people are not real relief workers. They are there to recruit and that is their primary goal. Everything eles, including the victims, is secondary.
Comment by Anonymous — March 6, 2009 @ 10:58 pm
Interestingly enough, the Red Cross and the VMs are partners in southeast asia. Many Scientologists that happen to be Doctors also do their part. What is really needed at these sites is one on one assistance. All these disaster relief organizations do their part in providing relief. That is why the United States government has on its list of relief orgs, the Scientology Volunteer Ministers.
But many people don’t even have the time or momey to do anything at all. The VMs are doing something about it. They are helping, otherwise they would not be so successful in developing the connections they have with governments and relief orgs all around the world. Some just can’t take that Scientologists are concerned with helping because it doesn’t suit their agenda.
Again, these people think they are smarter than the Red Cross or FEMA and other such orgs. Ha! They have no idea the difficulties it takes to hrlp when times are tough.
Comment by Greg Lang — March 6, 2009 @ 11:15 pm
A while back a Scientologist on another forum claimed the Volunteer “Ministers” were “partners” here in the U.S. I called the Red Cross, their headquarters actually. And guess what? They said it was absolutely not true. Scientology has a long and sordid history of claiming to be “partnered” with legitimate relief agencies.
You have not developed “connections” with anyone. You are, more often than not, a nuisance, in the way of real relief efforts and shamefully promote your “church” when people are at their most vulnerable. If you think people need touch assists or copies of Hubbard’s The Way to Happiness after a disaster you are, quite frankly, delusional.
The volunteer “ministers” are a desperate, and unsuccessful, grab for good publicity Scientology so desperately needs.
And lastly, how about a link to an independent source confirming your partnership with the Red Cross in Asia.
Comment by Rachel — March 6, 2009 @ 11:55 pm
One of the more interesting and humorous asides to this story is that fact that all of the linked references these inspiring stories come from literally hundreds of Scientology sites. It’s one giant incestuous link farm that promotes the inversely proportioned “help” that results from these so-called “volunteers.”
A simple scan of the landscape reveals that there isn’t any real “substance” to Scientology’s social mission. Just look around your neighborhood … or your city. Any Clean and Beautiful projects or “This road sponsored by…” represented by the CoS? Any Church BBQ’s held where the public is invited? Do they get together and visit assisted living facilities and sing carols to the shut-ins? Do they have ANY charitable mission that doesn’t have a self-promoting motive?
All of the window dressing that is offered as evidence of a socially conscious “religion” can be written off with the same ink that would get on your hands from a fresh twenty dollar bill. If it smudges … it’s bogus! And this cult has dirty dealings that go back all the way to its founding.
So … anyone want a personality test while we’re sittin here talkin?
Comment by J.D. Hunter — March 7, 2009 @ 2:16 am
[...] Source: D [...]
Pingback by Celebrity Blog | Babelogs | Celebrity Gossip » Blog Archive » Scientology Volunteer Ministries: Helping With A Hook? — March 7, 2009 @ 4:05 am
In one case, they didn’t bring tents and food even for themselves. Instead, they scavenged off of the victims.
Recruitment time in Aceh January 29, 2005, The Guardian
http://www.guardian.co.uk/editor/story/0,,1401147,00.html
And there’s the BBC Radio report on the VMs after the London bombings, trying to interfere with trained trauma counselors.
Mind Games: Scientology vs. Psychiatry July 2, 2006, Five Live Report, BBC Radio
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/aod/networks/fivelive/aod.shtml?fivelive/flreport_scientologynew
Transcript:
http://www.newsfrombree.co.uk/stolgy_23.htm
Comment by D Hamster — March 7, 2009 @ 9:39 am
The Secret of the Volunteer Minister’s, this is what “works” for Scientology
from The Hypnotism Handbook by Charles Edward Cooke and A.E. Van Vogt < ( yes, the real, famous science fiction writer) 1956 – Page 73
Chapter VIII
Techniques of Disguised Hypnosis
“Relaxing” the Patient
Before using this technique, determine the patient’s reaction to “being touched.” Some individuals find the close personal touch involved in this technique disagreeable. For those few the effect of “back rubbing” is to increase the tensions rather than relax them. The great majority, however, will find the method very soothing. For the few exceptions, use a disguised visual fixation technique, or one of the other methods described in the preceding pages. (A word for word technique for the eye method begins on page 12)
Place the patient face down on a couch, treatment table, bed, etc., in a comfortable prone position. Make sure that earrings, belt buckles, things in the pockets, and other lumpy objects will not interfere with the patient’s comfort when he is fully relaxed. Use a gentle soothing touch. This is not a massage to break the muscle tension by force. it is a friendly “caressing” type of touch, the kind you would use petting a dog or cat, firm and gentle, not vigorous.
—————————–
See Lermanet.com Exposing the CON’s Hypnotism in Scientology Index:
http://www.lermanet.com/exit/hypnosis-index,htm
Comment by Arnie Lerma — March 7, 2009 @ 11:02 am
Good reference document straight from Church of Scientology itself:
http://idealcanada.files.wordpress.com/2006/11/10d-eng-vm-org-bd.pdf
“VFP” = “Valuable Final Product”
Overall “VFP”:
“1. PEOPLE HELPED BY AND SUCCESSFULLY APPLYING LRH TECH FROM THE SCIENTOLOGY HANDBOOK ACROSS YOUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY.
“2. LRH TECH FROM THE SCIENTOLOGY HANDBOOK KNOWN AND APPLIED BY SOCIAL SERVICE AGENCIES IN YOUR AREAS WITH MANY MORE BEING HELPED BY THE TECH AND IMPROVED CONDITIONS THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY.”
Social agencies applying “LRH TECH” sounds like a scary thing to me.
Comment by rhill — March 7, 2009 @ 11:02 am
Comment by Greg Lang: “That is why the United States government has on its list of relief orgs, the Scientology Volunteer Ministers.”
Link to list, please.
Comment by David Pisscabbage — March 7, 2009 @ 11:07 am
$cientologist Greg asked for links to prove his claim of being a “partner” with the Red Cross and the U.S. government.
*crickets chirping*
Comment by Rachel — March 7, 2009 @ 11:31 am
@ J.D.
“So … anyone want a personality test while we’re sittin here talkin?”
sure. Let me guess, I’m “depressed” and $cientology can help me with that!
Comment by Rachel — March 7, 2009 @ 11:32 am
http://www.lermanet.com/exit/volunteerministers.htm
Comment by Arnie Lerma — March 7, 2009 @ 11:39 am
Seventeenth!
Comment by Terryeo — March 7, 2009 @ 12:06 pm
The BBC had an undercover reporter meet with a group of Volunteer Ministers. The BBC panel discussing the issue of VMs and how they are dangerous includes a psychiatrist talking about how touching a trauma victim is against all the rules.
Brilliant interview here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/aod/networks/fivelive/aod.shtml?fivelive/flreport_scientologynew
Transcript: http://www.newsfrombree.co.uk/stolgy_25.htm
Comment by Heather — March 7, 2009 @ 12:47 pm
I suppose anyone can criticize and ascribe evil intentions to others. Have any of you ever done or received a touch assist? I have done plenty of both, on Scientologists and non-Scientologists to the simple result of relief. Do I insist people I help immediately signing over $300,000? Oh give me a break. If Scientologists were as stupid or evil as some of you make them out to be, they’d never find their way out of their own front doors.
The basic point is, what is real help? To me, that is enabling a person to achieve their own positive goals. Who couldn’t use assistance with that? Something as simple as being a good listener can be valuable help. The next point is, does Scientology help with that? Try to deny it, but the most fundamental Scientology data all has to do with achieving a good level of communication. Tell me what fault you find with that?
Why is there no confront of these points? I guess some people can’t see past the bitterness and evil they surround themselves with.
This world can be made better. Let’s do something about it.
Comment by Milo — March 7, 2009 @ 1:15 pm
Hey Milo,
You want to REALLY impress us with your wonderful “helpfulness?”
Get some real emergency services training, then volunteer at a disaster site WITHOUT DOING ANY SCIENTOLOGY BS LIKE TOUCH ASSISTS, HANDING OUT BOOKLETS, OR TRYING TO KEEP PEOPLE FROM GETTING PSYCHOLOGICAL COUNSELING.
I’d be terribly impressed to see Scientology donate some of IT’S OWN MONEY to do something simple — like hand out food and blankets, or plywood and hammers… without making it a “scientology” thing.
I wouldn’t give you people any flak at all if you just showed up (prepared, trained, and ready to be self-sufficient) — and just worked.
That’s about as likely as seeing a Scientology soup kitchen feeding the homeless in any of the communities they take money from.
Comment by David Mudkips — March 7, 2009 @ 2:25 pm
Hey Milo!!! give me a break!
Here’s some confront!
Perhaps you didn’t read the whole article. It did say that the VM volunteers do things to help people. That is not the argument. The argument is, is that it comes with a hook. Hence the title.
If you think touch assists work, then good for you. Many things can work as a placebo. The problem with all this “help” comes RECRUITMENT.
Instead of the VM’s higher ups donating clothing,food and water from all the money they get through the LRH courses, they have YOU go to touch assists and hand out pamphlets and spend the money on printing up MORE pamphlets and paying OSA to dig upo personnel stuff on people.
Are touch asists really the most important thing you can do for someone? The Red Cross, Peace Corps and other groups do NOT recruit.
Put yourslef in these people’s places. You lost your home, and family members, and you are dehydrated and hungry and all you have is the clothes on your back. Do you think you would want a “massage” and a pamphlet of somemone pushing their beliefs?
You say “Do I insist people I help immediately signing over $300,000? ”
No of course not. That is not your job. Your job as a VM is to help pass out OTHER people’s donations and spread the word of LRH. The only people who get that money are the vultures at the top, like Miscavige who has duped all you fools into thinking that it is ok to show up at a disaster on YOUR dime, and donate items on YOUR dime,fly to these locations on YOUR dime, stay in a hotel on YOUR dime, and then THEY get all the credit and all the money from recruitment. You get it now?
IT’S DECPETIVE. IT’S A SCHEME.
You ask “Try to deny it, but the most fundamental Scientology data all has to do with achieving a good level of communication. Tell me what fault you find with that? ”
I will tell you what fault I have with that. As far as comunication goes. Why do they silence critics,block freedom of speech, do not allow members to read anything they want or go online(this pertains mostly to staff and Sea Org members not Publics), can not come and go as they please,have all their mail gone through and confiscated,pasports taken, have phone calls blocked, disconnect from their family members,are not allowed to talk to anyone who is an “SP”, and hide from anyone who protests them (which is very low on the tone scale by the way).
This is communciation?? What a crock!
and your LEADER David Miscavige has not said one thing to the media or spoken in public in over a decade. Why? Jett Travolta dies, and he says nothing? People have protested his church for over a year and he says nothing? Ths stats are crashing like crazy in every org and he says nothing?
That is some GREAT communication there huh Milo?
Wake up and smell the coffee, you have been duped my friend! Good luck to you having a safe exit out of the cult.
“The most ethical people on the planet?”
MY ASS!
Comment by Vultures are Circling! — March 7, 2009 @ 2:39 pm
What have any of you people done to help disaster victims? Many Scientologists are educated in first aid as well as organization. Many are Doctors. Not qualified? Look at the youtube endorsements they get from police, firefighters, and others.
Comment by Myradel — March 7, 2009 @ 3:17 pm
I have donated money to REAL charities.
Not to an organization like Scientology that takes member’s money and then prints up booklets to pass out instead of food, water and clothing.
As far as the firefighters and police endorsemnet? They too have been had. Scientology “donates” money to local police departments to get them on their side and and their back pocket. “Infiltrate and disseminate” Hubbards own words.
The firefighters who went through detox on 911?? I hope their livers will survive the long term effects of niacin bombing they received.
Many police are hired by COS when they are off duty especially in Clearwater.
Scientology ALWAYS has an agenda. They do not do something unless the get something in return.
PLAIN AND SIMPLE.
Comment by Vultures are Circling! — March 7, 2009 @ 3:48 pm
L Ron Hubbard
“Writing for a penny a word is ridiculous. If a man really wants to make a million dollars, the best way would be to start his own religion” — L. Ron Hubbard
Comment by Scientology is a SCAM — March 7, 2009 @ 3:57 pm
@myradel
You said: “Look at the youtube endorsements they get from police, firefighters, and others”
Oh, do you mean endorsements like this one:
http://www.religionnewsblog.com/21792/scientology-new-york-fire-department-fraudulent-claim
Where a Scientologist is fraudulently running around in a NYFD commissioner’s uniform, handing out fake awards to Scientology?
Yep. That’s a pretty ethical endorsement y’all got right there.
Typical.
Comment by David Mudkips — March 7, 2009 @ 4:08 pm
This is what I know for a fact.
The people who volunteer for the VM’s either use their own personal money or they must ask for donations from other scientologists for everything. Including, plane fair to get there, food money, hotel cost, money to first buy the pamplets/booklets or books from their local church book store that they then pass out to people. They even have to pay for those yellow t shirts they wear. Most volunteers I knew of were in their early twenty’s and teens. And if they had not gotten enough money together to pay for everything then they didn’t go. The church provides NOTHIG except for a “volunteer minister’s course” which they MUST complete and PAY for themselves before they are even allowed to become a VM! The church does not provide this for FREE! You can’t go unless you are certifyed thru this course first. Forget going if you can’t afford the class. So in reality, they also take advantage of their own members during a time of disaster. This organization is COLD blooded to the core. And their own members have been trained to not see what is right in front of their eyes.
Comment by Over the rainbow. — March 7, 2009 @ 5:19 pm
Links to all those ‘endorsements’ please. And don’t forget the links that prove you have been named a ‘partner’ by the U.S. government and Red Cross.
Do $cientologists actually believe they can just post whatever they want and no one will check the veracity of those statements? Would you people recognize the truth if it bit you?
Seriously, your reputation is beyond salvaging. You are now openly mocked by mainstream media, the lawsuits are piling up, your stats are in the toilet, people are leaving in droves and you can no longer lure in new suckers.
What people now know about your motives for having these Volunteer Vultures and their recruitment at times of tragedy is the LEAST of your problems.
Comment by Rachel — March 7, 2009 @ 6:40 pm
http://abcnews.go.com/US/Story?id=3445882&page=2
Scientologists Descend on Minneapolis Collapse Site
Church Says It’s There to Help, but Critics See Ulterior Motives
Soon after Wednesday’s bridge collapse in Minneapolis, at least 20 Scientology volunteers headed to the disaster zone, according to a spokeswoman for the church.
(ABCNEWS)
“The public needs to understand that the Scientologists are using this tragedy to recruit new members,” Michael M. Faenza, the president of the National Mental Health Association said in 2001. “They are not providing mental health assistance.”
In Minneapolis, the group said it’s working with the Red Cross. Yet members of the Red Cross working at the disaster zone questioned by ABC News weren’t aware of the Church’s assistance.”
Hmm, that sounds like a repudiation to me. I’ll take ABC as more stable datum than the anectdotal comments from the Scientology Internet handlers.
comments her
Comment by bob dobbs — March 8, 2009 @ 2:31 am
When you’re in a pool of quicksand and someone offers you a hand, will you grasp it? Or will you first query the person about his race, religion, family background, hair and eye color? Will you seek out ulterior motives for his help, or will you happily grasp the helping hand offered?
Comment by Unanimous — March 8, 2009 @ 8:28 am
And that is the conondrum isn’t it? People in desperate situations do grasp at every little bit of hope offered. There are at their most vunerable and thus the Scientology Vulture Ministers swoop in to take advantage of the opportunity. How many times do we hear about people taking advantage of disasters to start some bogus fundraising campaigns to get money from people wanting to help? In this case the opportunity is to be where the victims are in order to take advantage of their time of need to SELL scientology dogma. The public scientologist VM volunteers probably truly believe they are helping. Any pyramid schemes requires people on the bottom tier to feed those at the pinacle in order for it to work. You also need to keep replacing the ones on the bottom for the scam to perpetuate or it collapses. The volunteers have to believe that what they are doing is helpful or they would not expand their own monies. It’s basically a double scam; the volunteers themselves and the disaster victims with the upper echelons of scientology reaping the benifits. My family was helped immensely by the Salvation Army at one time during a personal disaster. Never did they try and preach to us or sell us on their religion. Their help was genuine and concrete. That is why I never hesitate to put some money into the kettle. I KNOW it will be used to help ANYONE in need irregardless of their religion, race, sexual orientation or creed. Scientology always has a string attached which can quickly turned into a ball and chain.
As we speak a UK Mother is at HGB trying to see her Sea Org daughter who she hasn’t seen in 9 years as the mother, an ex scientologist, has been declared and the daughter made to disconnect from her. All she asked is for one hour with her daughter to make sure she is allright. Some religion eh?
Comment by Mitsu Too — March 8, 2009 @ 10:00 am
One doesn’t need to ’seek out’ $cientology’s ulterior motives. They’re quite obvious. Try actually offering a hand instead of copies of Hubbard’s Way to Happiness and maybe someone will grasp it.
Personally, if $cientology were offering me a hand I think I’d take my chances with the quicksand.
Comment by Rachel — March 8, 2009 @ 10:02 am
D it appears my last comment fell into the filter spam again. KTHXBYE.
Comment by Mitsu Too — March 8, 2009 @ 10:38 am
I remember when the volunteer ministers wore black shirts with white collars as if they were priests. It was all part of a propaganda campaign to associate Scientology with Religion. For Shame!
Comment by JMB — March 8, 2009 @ 11:46 am
Funny. That’s Jason Beghe’s voice on the video. Even he didn’t buy it.
Comment by Just saying... — March 8, 2009 @ 11:08 pm
Cant see why scientology would bother targeting third world countries, they have no money!!!!!!
Comment by Rachel P — March 9, 2009 @ 11:16 am
Third world countries have no money but loads of potential for free labour. Many of those people would leap at the chance to come to North America and get a shot at a better life. Unfortunately once they get in they are left in foreign lands with no support and access to their passport and little or no money should they want to leave. Have you noticed lately then large number of foreign staff in the North America and UK? Human Trafficking anyone?
Comment by Mitsu Too — March 9, 2009 @ 11:27 am
I can understand why the cheap labour would appeal to scientology but surely (especially in the US) unfortunately racism is still an issue, would that not be detrimental to scientology, ie recruitment, selling its crap etc etc? Lets hope this leads to its decline.
Comment by Rachel P — March 9, 2009 @ 11:34 am
I hate this cult and the evil people running it
Comment by tiger — March 9, 2009 @ 2:00 pm
So where are all those Inter-Galactic DC8s? I imagine they would have come in handy delivering much needed supplies to all those victims. Oops, sorry. Wrong century.
What a bunch of Predators.
Comment by Jonathan — March 9, 2009 @ 2:18 pm
[...] long ago, Glosslip did a story on Scientology Ministries, where we mentioned that Scientology was reaching out to third world countries. One of those [...]
Pingback by GlossLip » Beck Tricks Fans Into Supporting Scientology — April 24, 2009 @ 3:56 pm
[...] long ago, Glosslip did a story on Scientology Ministries, where we mentioned that Scientology was reaching out to third world countries. One of those [...]
Pingback by Celebrity Blog | Babelogs | Celebrity Gossip » Blog Archive » Beck Tricks Fans Into Supporting Scientology — April 25, 2009 @ 1:30 am
[...] Ms. Pouw neglects to mention, which Glosslip talked about in Part One , is that the meals and tents ect. are always provided by someone else’s donations. NO [...]
Pingback by GlossLip » Scientology Volunteer Ministries Helping With A Hook Part Deux — May 1, 2009 @ 5:01 pm
[...] Ms. Pouw neglects to mention, which Glosslip talked about in Part One , is that the meals and tents ect. are always provided by someone else’s donations. NO [...]
Pingback by Celebrity Blog | Babelogs | Celebrity Gossip » Blog Archive » Scientology Volunteer Ministries Helping With A Hook Part Deux — May 2, 2009 @ 2:32 am
hello it Mr Perimenta marcel am in Cameroon in Africa i we like to join the Volunteer Ministers . am a scientology Cameroon
your are welcome
Comment by Perimenta Marcel — May 16, 2009 @ 5:26 pm
No thanks Perimenta, nobody wants to join your abusive cult. Stop trying to drum up business here.
Comment by COS is FAIL — May 17, 2009 @ 7:56 pm