Scientology has had a horrendous October.

They were convicted of fraud in France and both the St. Petersburg Times and ABC’s Nightline had very damaging reports from ex members who have spoken out.

A multitude of lawsuits are moving forward and the media continues to be a thorn in Scientology’s side.

One of Scientology’s long time members, celebrity Paul Haggis has recently flown the coop and has spoken out. Also many members, and high level “OT’s” have left the cult.

Two new books by ex members have just been published.

Marc Headley wrote “Blown For Good, Behind Scientology’s Iron Curtain” and Nancy Many has written, “My Billion Year Contract“. Kudos to them!

Both Books Available On Amazon.com

Well, November isn’t looking any better for Scientology.

Just yesterday, Australian Senator, Nicholas (Nick) Xenophon has called for a Senate inquiry into Scientology.
 

The Senator presented horrific stories that were sent to him by ex Scientology members, Aaron Saxton, Carmel Underwood, Paul Schofield, Anna and Dean Detheridge and Kevin Mackey. 

Xenophon stated,

 that the ex members claim that Scientology is an abusive, manipulative, violent and criminal organisation, and that criminality is condoned at the highest levels and thatand said he is seeing a worldwide pattern of abuse and criminality.

The Senator’s presentaion was well researched with highlights on the cult’s many abuses and their tax exemption status. 
Click the following links to watch Part One and Part Two on YouTube.
For the transcript listed on the Parliament of Australia website, click here.

A little look into what was said by ex members and reported by the Senator.
Ex member, Aaron Saxton’s who was born into Scientology, was made a security guard for the cult at age 16. His time while in the cult, tells a horrific tale of what Scientology forced him to do or suffer their consequences. 

Aaron said he had to commit many fraudulent acts on behalf of the cult. These acts included coercing Sea Org members into having abortions, family disconnection, he was made to falsify bank records, he blackmailed other members by using their private info from their files, and participated in defrauding of credit cards.

More disturbingly, Aaron had to pull out his own teeth because of lack of medical care. He was also told not to report that a man attempted to rape him. 

A couple of snippets from the Senator’s transcript, (please read the entire transcript):

Aaron said he was so heavily under the control of the organisation’s bizarre power structure he was complicit in ordering the beating of one follower and facilitated the beating of another.

Aaron has now left the organisation and is willing to cooperate with police investigations into these matters. He was born into the cult, and he says he regrets the control it had over him and the things he did as a result.

Ex Sea Org member, Carmel Underwood.
Carmel worked for the cult in Sydney. She was also the financial planning arm of the cult. When she became pregnant, she was pressured to abort her child.

Some snippets on Carmel from the transcript:

She was working for the organisation in Sydney she fell pregnant and was put under extreme pressure to have an abortion. When she refused, she was put on a disappearing program.

Carmel says she chose to speak out because she knows there are many more victims of Scientology many of whom are still caught up in the organisation and are being physically, financially and mentally abused.

Carmel’s husband, Tim, supports his wife’s story and says the couple suffered serious financial hardship because of their involvement in the organisation. He says they were forced to pay more than $100,000 to publicise the organisation and for so-called religious texts and courses.

And finally on to the very sad story of Paul Schofield.
Paul lost his two young daughters while in the cult.

Snippets from the transcript on Paul:

He alleges the cover-up of child abuse by the organisation and admits being part of a campaign to cover up the facts surrounding the deaths of two of his daughters. Paul says his first daughter, Lauren, who was 14 months old, was being babysat at the organisation’s building in Sydney when she was allowed to wander the stairs by herself and fall. She died in hospital two days later. Paul says he felt pressured by Scientology executives not to request a coronial inquiry—pressure he ultimately gave in to. He was also told if he sought compensation from Scientology he and his wife would be ineligible for any other services.

His second daughter, Kirsty, who was 2½, died after ingesting potassium chloride—a substance used as part of a so-called purification program run by the organisation. Under the direction of  Scientology executives, Paul says he perjured himself to the police, and during the coronial inquest, in order to protect the organisation. Under incredible pressure he agreed to lie because he was scared he would be heavily punished by Scientology if he told the truth. It is a decision he regrets to this day.

 

From ex members Anna and Dean Detheridge, taken from the transcript:

claim to have been subjected to physical and mental abuse during their time with the organisation.

From Kevin Mackey taken from the transcript:

Kevin Mackey wrote to me detailing his 26 years of abuse in the organisation.

Once you have taken the bait and become hooked, the real Scientology is presented, very slowly, over years.

This psychological conditioning Kevin is talking about eventually saw him and his wife hand over almost a million dollars to the organisation in exchange for services and products.

Senator’s closing statements to parliament pretty much sums up what anti Scientology protesters and ex members who have spoken out against the cult have been all saying right along:

Do we really want to be funding an organisation that turns supporters into victims in its pursuit of power and wealth? That is why I am calling for a Senate inquiry into this organisation and its tax-exempt status. In the past Scientology has claimed that those who question their organisation are attacking the group’s religious freedom. It is twisted logic, to say the least. Religious freedom did not mean the Catholic or Anglican Churches were not held accountable for crimes and abuses committed by their priests, nuns and officials—albeit belatedly. Ultimately, this is not about religious freedom. In Australia there are no limits on what you can believe. But there are limits on how you can behave. It is called the law, and no-one is above it.

Thankfully, the Australain Police are now taking complaints on Scientology.

Ex members are starting to come out from the veil of secrecy and fight more than ever. Yesterday, it was announced on the Ex Scientology Message Board, that former member Kevin Mackey, (mentioned earlier) is getting together a class action lawsuit along with twenty other former Scientologists.The lawsuit willbe filed against the I.A.S. (which stands for International Association of Scientology) and Super Power. Both are incorporated in California, so that is where the case is being filed. He is asking for any ex members interested in participating in this class action suit to please contact him.

Kevin and other ex members are demanding their money back for contributions that they made. The money they handed over to the cult, did not go where the cult promised it was going.

FYI … The Super Power they speak of is a building attached to the Ft. Harrison Hotel in Clearwater. It is of course called The Super Power Building. (<click to read about it, it’s a real hoot!)

Funds have been collected from members for years through Scientology’s  “Super Power Expansion Project”. Where did all that money go?

The building was supposed to have been finished by the cult years ago. But it still remains an empty shell to this day. As of late March 2009, work on the building which is the length of a whole city block, is still at a standstill; the daily fines levied by the city now total $245,000.
Click here, for more info on why the Super Power Building remains closed by Marc Headley aka BFG which was written almost THREE YEARS ago.

Why Clearwater stands for Scientology’s shenanigans, is beyond me. I would imagine since Scientology has managed to slink their way in and buy up most of Clearwater over the years, (originally came in under a FAKE church name to purchase the Fort Harrison Hotel), that city officials are probably afraid of falling prey to the cult’s litigious nature and fair game tactics. Sad.

So once again America…
Why so lax? What’s it going to take?

The more our government sits idly by and allows the abuses and fraud of Scientology to continue, the more complicit they are in helping them to survive.

Again, as always…
you can believe in what you want, and that is your right. But when there is a continuous mountain of evidence that your “church” is being an abusive and corrupt organization that does not follow it’s own creed, it’s time to reavaluate the reasons why you joined Scientology in the first place.
Be part of the solution, not part of the problem. Plain and simple.

If you need help leaving Scientology, or just need someone to talk to:
Call 1-866-XSEAORG.  (1-866-973-2674) This is a toll free call.
Visit the XSEAORG website:
http://www.exseaorg.com/

The people who contacted Senator Xenophon, are all listed on the “ex members who have spoken out” list on the Why We Protest Wiki along with their testimonies, interviews and videos. To view the WWP Wiki  list click here. (Thanks Anonymous!)

Currently, the count on the Wiki has reached 812 names, and it continues to grow.

WOW! That’s an awful lot of people saying the same thing.

How many times can Scientology deny all these claims before everyone including our government, realizes that Scientology is nothing more than an abusive, fraudulent business that is far from credible?

WAKE UP AMERICA!

Aviva, is a health insurance firm in the UK.
They has just named the top ten health fads of the rich and famous and has deemed them a total waste of money and useless.

Bad news for all the centers and people who offer these treatments and most importantly, bad news for Scientology.

Why Scientology? 
Because Scientology is BIG time into detoxing. And detoxing was number four on Aviva’s list.

Well hello Scientology’s Purification Rundown! A double shout out to Scientology’s NY Rescue Workers Detoxification  program. (which was spearheaded by Tom Cruise)

AND add to that list, is Scientology’s Narconon, Second Chance, Criminon or any of the many other names that Scientology hides this program behind. It’s all the SAME detox program. These programs are delivered by people without medical backgrounds and these centers and programs are all unlicensed. Shocked?

It’s hard to believe that someone would fork over so much money and sign up for such a grueling program without researching it first. It happens all the time to desperate families searching for a cure to get off drugs and states in the US have actually funded these programs with TAX PAYER’S DOLLLARS.

Celebrities and rich people are big targets for health fads, because they have the dough, they are vulnerable and I guess they just don’t do enough homework on the backgrounds of these treatments. 

Aviva reported:

GPs have slammed the health-styles of the rich and famous, warning that UK women are wasting money and potentially risking their health following celebrity health fads like cupping, colonic irrigation or extreme detoxes.

GPs have named and shamed the ten most useless alternative health trends used by celebrities and their fans and, in a damning diagnosis, declared many a waste of money and with no medical value. The research was done for Aviva.To try each treatment on the GPs’ list could cost women more than £800.GPs have issued a stark warning that celebrities are having a dangerous level of influence over women’s health choices and that celebrity endorsement of unproven health treatments could be putting the public at risk.

Nine in ten women believe celebrities pay for the very best and most effective treatments. A third will try a health fad simply because a celebrity has used it. Seven in ten would try alternative treatments rather than visit their doctor.

Dr Douglas Wright for Aviva says, “We understand that people like to deal with their own well being in a number of ways, but too many women are wasting money following health fads that have little effect, Just because it is expensive, or rumoured to be a celebrity favourite, is not an automatic guarantee that a treatment will work. Some women are opting for treatment trends rather than seeking medical advice.” 

 

The Daily Mail reported the top ten:

Cupping, a form of acupuncture in which heated cups are placed on the skin to stimulate blood flow and ease stress and pain, tops a list of ‘health hoaxes’ identified by GPs.

Second on the list is colonic irrigation, in which a large, water-filled tube is used to ‘cleanse’ the bowel.

Actor Ben Affleck has tried it, but there is no medical or scientific evidence it works, according to the NHS Choices website.

In third place is food intolerance testing, which singer Geri Halliwell has tried. Kits can cost up to £275 but the results are said to be highly variable.

The others in the top ten are: 4 detoxing; 5 macrobiotic diets; 6 aromatherapy; 7 reflexology; 8 vitamin B12 injections; 9 extreme yoga; 10 overnight health farm stays.
The list was compiled by insurance firm Aviva from a survey of 200 GPs.

 

Now although all of the top ten fads that Aviva named can be a waste of money, not all can be harmful. For instance, I doubt if cupping, food intolerance tests or extreme yoga (whatever that is) would be very harmful?

But detox is. I was REALLY pleased as punch to see detoxing on their list. Some of the detoxes out there can be quite harmful to the body. And of course one of the detoxes out there is Scientology’s Purification Rundown aka the “Purif” for short. 

This regiment consists of ingesting oil, and mega doses of niacin aka “vitamin bombs”, LONG daily saunas that are up to five hours a day for five or more weeks and working out hard on a tread mill. Niacin in such high doses can be very harmful to the liver.

Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard also claimed that this program can rid the body of radiation . *snort!*

Recently, ABC Nightline interviewed Scientology defector, Amy Scobee, in a two part series along with other defectors. 

Amy spoke about ”grey stuff” coming out of her pours from being on the Purification Rundown. She said she was FORCED to go on this program while she was in Scientology’s Sea Org and was put on a punishment called the RPF. (Rehabilitation Project Force)

Cult spokesman, Tommy Davis said that Amy was not forced to go on this program and that she used the program for “religious reasons”.

So…..
if the Rundown is “religious” as Davis states, then why is this same exact program used in Scientology’s Narconon and Criminon programs? And why are states funding these programs? Scientology has always claimed that Narconon and Criminon are separate from Scientology and non religious. Hmmm, which one is it Scientology? It can’t be both.

Scientology’s Narconon program has been banished from several countries.
Scientology was also recently convicted of fraud in France. One of the many charges involved it’s Purification Rundown. They were charged for dispensing vitamins without a license.
Thank you France!

Why doesn’t our government investigate Scientology? Especially after the numerous court cases filed against them. That is a real head scratcher, don’t you agree?

I guess it doesn’t bother our government that these programs are run by non professionals who have NO medical backgrounds. They are unlicensed and there isn’t any scientific data to back up their claims that the detox does ANYTHING beneficial for the body at all. In fact it is just the opposite.

Narconon’s outright lie of their 70% success rates (so laughable) of getting people off drugs with this detox regiment is utterly ridiculous. The government pretends to care about our well being, but they do nothing to stop this madness and allows Scientology to continue to prey on people who need REAL help.

Perhaps the insurance companies will do something about it? I doubt they will want to deal with cases filed with health related issues from these regiments. Easy solution… close all the Narconon and other Scientology detox centers down.

So what about the Scientology celebrities who support this pseudo science? 

Before John Travolta’s son’s untimely death this past January, Travolta put his son Jett on this SAME regiment and openly admitted it. Did John and his wife Kelly Preston actually believe that this regiment would really help Jett with his seizures or autism? Well, obviously they did. They are taught to believe whatever their “church” says without questioning it.

I am not quite sure on how the Travoltas were able to put Jett through such a grueling program? I would think it would be very difficult to put ANY child on this program. I guess since John and Kelly are celebrities, and their cult convinced them that this was the right way to go according to their teachings, they will never be questioned further about it. *shakes head*

Their son has been gone now for 10 months and John and Kelly said they are having “daily religious sessions“ with Scientology.

So it looks like there is no hope for John leaving the cult. Him and bimbo wife Kelly will continue to follow a cult that tells them that all psyche drugs are bad, psychiatry is totally evil, that a body is just a “meat body”and that normal emotions like grieving and sadness are very low on the tone scale.

To suppress such normal emotions, especially when it comes to a child’s death, is downright ludicrous and very dangerous to some one’s well being.

A little bit of info on some of the emotions listed on Scientology’s tone scale:

The tone scale states that grieving is 0.5 (out of a possible plus 40) Sympathy is 0.9, and NO Sympathy is higher at a 1.2.
Oh! and regret weighs in at a whopping 1.3. 

Nope, I am not making this up. Look it up for yourself. This is what every Scientologist believes. From Tom Cruise, to all Scientology members. I am not going to get into their whole Xenu alien belief system, as many religions have strange beliefs to some. People can believe in whatever they want and that is their right. BUT! when it comes to harming people both mentally and physically, family disconnection, other abuses, human trafficking, and forced abortions, something must be done about it.

Of course Scientology tells it’s members that the Purification Rundown is a wonderful and beneficial thing, and members do not question it. I read the program costs a member $15,000 (that price was from 1992) I am pretty sure that price has doubled. That’s a lot of money for oil, vitamins a couple of courses and a tone scale chart.

We all remember what Katie Holmes looked like after she went on this regiment. Her pictures were plastered everywhere showing her gaunt, pale, and sickly. She went on this program before she became pregnant. Great Tom, you’re my hero.

Katie also wore gloves for quite a while because her hands were purple from all the niacin she was ingesting. Oh Katie, how many times do we have to tell you? Run!

Katie Looking More Like Grandma Cruise

So people save your money. Do some research. If the fad you are following is not dangerous and you have the dough, and it makes you think that you feel better, then that’s your business and good luck to you. But if it is harmful, and being delivered by non professionals with no medical backgrounds and there is NO scientific proof of it’s success besides patient testimonies, BEWARE and I say stay away.

It is obvious many of the states who have funded and continue to fund this “drug treatment” program, have not done their homework at all, when it comes to Scientology’s Purification Rundown. State officials MUST check backgrounds and research the name of these drug treatments being offered. Don’t forget, they are using your tax payer dollars to fund these programs. People must learn to read the fine print. If the name L. Ron Hubbard is found ANYWHERE within the program, then it is Scientology lock stock and barrel. No question about it.

These programs are also allowed to continue in our prison systems, which goes by the name of Criminon, or Second Chance and other names. And of course many Scientology members, both public and on staff do this regiment. 

You can find Narconon, Second Chance and other names used for drug rehab all over the Internet, even though many centers are closed. They advertise in college fliers on campus, they take out adds in newspapers, they hand out pamphlets in our schools. So Beware!

How is Scientology allowed to continue this giant farce? Especially for the fact that is is also all about indoctrination into Scientology down the line. It really blows my mind how our government continues to allow such idiocy.

Luckily, some states have wised up.
New Mexico was not only duped, by the Second Chance program, they were left with a hefty unpaid bill. And some other areas in other states have thankfully shown these Scientology programs the door. France finally convicted Scientology, and I hope the US follows suit and also puts an end to it and banishes all their drug treatment centers. Enough is enough.

If you have or know a family member or friend who is considering going to Narconon, Second Chance or any drug treatment, please warn them to do their homework first! Also If you have a friend or family member in jail who was put on this program or offers this program, you have been warned.

Help lift the veil of secrecy off Scientology. Write or call your town officials, heads of state, write to Obama, join an anti Scientology protest and let your voice be heard and say the Church of Scientology needs to be investigated and held accountable for all of it’s human rights abuses, phony drug treatment centers and all the lives they have ruined and continue to ruin.

We will continue reporting the abuses of Scientology until someone listens and something is done about it.

For more information on the scam behind Scientology’s detox programs visit these few web pages:

Narconon Exposed-
http://www-2.cs.cmu.edu/~dst/Narconon/

Australian News Report On Ex Narconon Couple -http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EV4stLA-aPc

Narconon Is Scientology- http://www.crackpots.org/

Narconon’s Influence In The Prison System http://www.scribd.com/doc/9506184/Second-Chance-MA-Thesis

Newkirk Herald Journal Report-
http://www.xenutv.com/print/newkirk/narconon-15.htm

Scientology Is Always On The Look Out For Fresh Meat

Everyone has their own taste when it comes to music.

What may be considered music to one’s ears, may be considered simply torturous to others. Just because I feel that Michael Bolton sounds like a cat getting skinned alive, and that his music is some sort of cruel joke to all of mankind, doesn’t mean that some other tone deaf person has to agree with me.

One thing is for certain, whether it is the sweet voice of Bonnie Raitt or the overrated raspy voice of Bruce who stepped in it Springsteen… if it is played at decibels to make you feel that your ears are going to bleed and it is played over and over… it can be quite torturous no matter who it is.

Everyone is aware that the prisoners at Gitmo (Guantánamo Bay) were needlessly tortured by water boarding along with other degrading and unspeakable acts. 

One of the methods used was music played repeatedly and at ear piercing levels. The songs used and some of the artists who made that music are not too happy to say the least. How would you feel if one of your songs was used to torture someone? I am sure you would be horrified.

Well, Michael Stipe of REM, along with twenty or so other artists have aired their disgust, and have banned together and formed Close Gitmo Now.   

A little info on Gitmo first, before we get into which performers are saying Gitmo has to go.

Gitmo has held nearly 800 detainees in it’s history. An alarming majority of those detainees were never charged, nor went to trial. Only THREE of those detainees have ever been convicted of a crime.To keep Gitmo open is costing tax payers MILLIONS.

So what did the spokesman for the CIA say when it came to using music as torture?
He said nuh-uh.

George Little, a CIA spokesman said:

“music was used only for security, rather than “punitive purposes”

And in a 2005 CIA document, it stated,

“loud music or white noise was needed “to mask sound and prevent communication among detainees”

So what tunes and artists made it to the Gitmo “top 20″?

According to the National Security Archive, they used anything from the Meow Mix jingle, to the Barney theme song. They used such artists as Marylin Manson to Britney Spears. Although the Meow Mix jingle and the Barney theme song both make me cringe and is enough to drive anyone buggy, at ANY volume… I wonder if the Meow Mix or the Barney people have a problem with the fact their music was used at Gitmo? I haven’t heard anything from either of them and I have to say, if they don’t have a problem with it, then I have a problem with them.

Why would they use the Meow Mix jingle and the Barney theme if it was just “to mask sound and prevent communication among detainees”?
And why were detainees subjected to “variable light patterns” while this music was played? Is the CIA going to say they wanted to have a disco effect for the detainees? Although it really wouldn’t surprise me in the least.

If the CIA claims are true, then why didn’t they just use classical music at non dangerous levels without light patterns? The term liar liar pants on fire comes to mind.

Another little pesky factor besides the CIA not having the permission of the artists to use their music, is the fact that the artist’s music was used as an interrogation tool.

So which artists are pissed and saying close Gitmo now ?
Bonnie Raitt, Jackson Brown, REM, Pearl Jam, Roseanne Cash just to name a few.

Bonnie Raitt and Jackson Brown

Roseanne Cash recently appeared on The Daily Show with John Stewart to tell everyone about the petition they have created which people can sign at www.closegitmonow.org

The BBC recently reported:

REM call for Guantanamo closure

Rock bands including Pearl Jam and REM have joined a coalition of musicians to support the US president’s efforts to close the Guantanamo Bay prison.

The National Campaign to Close Guantanamo, which also includes former military officers, launched on Tuesday.

Many of the artists who have signed up are angry that their music was used as an interrogation tool in the jail.

But CIA spokesman George Little said music was used only for security, rather than “punitive purposes”.

In a statement, REM said: “We have spent the past 30 years supporting causes related to peace and justice. To now learn that some of our friends’ music may have been used as part of the torture tactics without their consent or knowledge, is horrific. It’s anti-American, period.”

Other artists to sign up to the coalition include Jackson Browne, Steve Earle, Roseanne Cash, Billy Bragg, Bonnie Raitt and Rage Against The Machine.

On behalf of the campaign, the National Security Archive in Washington is filing a Freedom of Information Act request seeking classified records that detail the use of loud music as an interrogation device.

‘Terrify and punish’

A report published in November 2008 by the Senate Armed Services Committee report, has already made several references to the technique.

In one case interrogators played records to “stress” a prisoner, Mohamedou Ould Slahi, who believed music was forbidden.

In 2003, he was questioned while being “exposed to variable lighting patterns” and repeated plays of a song called Let the Bodies Hit the Floor by the band Drowning Pool.

Jayne Huckerby, from New York University’s Center for Human Rights and Global Justice, said loud music was also played at clandestine prisons run by the CIA.

Following an early information request, Ms Huckerby received a CIA document dated December 2005 in which the agency explained that the use of loud music or white noise was needed “to mask sound and prevent communication among detainees”.

She argued that such sounds were not a “benign security tool,” but a way “to humiliate, terrify, punish, disorient and deprive detainees of sleep, in violation of international law”.

According to the National Security Archive, tracks by AC/DC, Britney Spears, the Bee Gees and Marilyn Manson were used at Guantanamo.

The Meow mix cat food jingle, the Barney theme song and an assortment of Sesame Street tunes also were played into detainees’ cells.

But the CIA insisted any music was played “at levels far below a live rock band”.

And Major Diana Haynie, a spokeswoman for Joint Task Force Guantanamo, said loud music has not been used with detainees since the fall of 2003.

Barack Obama pledged to close the Guantanamo detention camp by January, but Republican opposition in Congress has made fulfilling that promise look less likely.

 

So one of the reasons that Gitmo remains open is due to Republican opposition?
Although I am certianly not surprised by this…. WHY ARE THEY OPPOSED?
What reasons could the Republicans have to want to keep Gitmo going?

The NY Times stated that the estimated annual cost to operate Guantánamo Bay is anywhere from $90 million to $118 million. There are 226 detainees left at Gitmo. That is a cost of $400.000 to $520.000 per detainee. To incarcerate a prisoner in a supermax prison would be $75,000 in the US. Is anyone paying attention to this simple math? Get the facts

At a time when the US is in such an economic mess due to the carnage that was left behind by the lovely Bush administration, perhaps the millions of dollars spent on keeping Gitmo open can be used elsewhere? Ya think?

Now before our comment section turns into a shouting match between Republicans and Democrats…..
and people telling me to get my facts straight, (I only report what is out there) remember that this article is about how horrible it was to use an artist’s music to torture people AND the fact that their music was used without their consent. Not to mention what it costs to keep Gitmo going.

So if you have a comment about Close Gitmo Now or the musicians who started the petition, then that is fine. But if you want to argue about what Obama has done or not done to clean up Bush’s mess that he left behind, or the BS spin and scare tactics that the Republicans are using when it comes to the health care plan, (you know who you are, you silly teabaggers) OR if you are a Michael Bolton fan, then please go argue elsewhere. *SNICKER*

Can’t We All Just Get Along?

Church of Scientology lawyer Patrick Maisonneuve

Not a good week for the cult of Scientology!
On the heels of Scientology’s spokesman Tommy Davis’s disastrous interview on ABC’s Nightline last week, comes more news of Scientology’s downward spiral.

It has just been announced, that France has convicted Scientology of fraud. This news must have Scientology’s cult leader David Miscavige in quite the tizzy. Still nothing to say Miscavige?
David Miscavige is obvioulsy playing a “Where’s Waldo?” in all this breaking news.

The cult was also fined more than 600,000 euro. This is equivalent to $900,000 US. Almost a cool million. The court convicted the cult library (SEL bookshop) as well as SIX LEADERS. Scientology was found guilty of pressuring members to pay large amounts of cash by using harassment tactics, and also illegally dispensing vitamins.

Four of the leaders were given suspended sentences which can be anywhere from ten months to two years and the other two leaders were given fines.
Of course Scientology is going to appeal this verdict. Which is no surprise there.

Although prosecutors were going for an all out ban on Scientology in France, the court recently denied the ban. But even though Scientology has not been banned from France, this latest PR flap can’t be good news for Scientology, who desperately tries to hide all negative PR from it’s members.

The Infinate Complaceny Blog Webiste did a wonderful break down of the story (Much thanks to Jonny Jacobsen):

Here is a summary of the verdict and sentences in the Paris trial of Scientology. I have laid it out in the same style I used for What the Prosecution Wants to give you an idea of how far the court followed their recommendations.

Perhaps the most important feature of the judgement is what the court did not do: it made no ruling that would restrict the activities of either the Celebrity Centre or the SEL bookshop.

But the following individuals and organisations were convicted of organised fraud against some, but not all the alleged victims (of which more below):

The Association Spirituelle de l’Eglise de Scientologie CC (ASES), the Celebrity Centre, was convicted of organised fraud against the plaintiffs Aude-Claire Malton and Eric Aubry.

 It was fined 400,000 euros and ordered to pay for the details of the conviction to be published in the major French and English-language news outlets including Le Monde, Le Figaro, Libération, the Herald Tribune and Time Magazine.

Scientology’s network of bookshops Scientologie Espace Liberté (SEL) was also convicted of organised fraud against the Malton and Aubry. It was fined 200,000 euros and ordered to pay for the publication of the conviction in the same newspapers.

These were the sentences for the individual defendants charged on this count, against either Malton, Aubry or both plaintiffs:

Alain Rosenberg, the managing director of the Celebrity Centre, was convicted of organised fraud against Malton and Aubry; and of complicity in the illegal exercise of pharmacy. He received a two-year suspended prison sentence and a 30,000-euro fine

Didier Michaux, the bookshop’s star salesman, was convicted of organised fraud against Eric Aubry – but cleared on the same charge relating to Aude-Claire Malton. He received an 18-month suspended sentence and a 20,000-euro fine

Jean-François Valli, the other bookshop salesman, who also did work for the Celebrity Centre, was convicted of organised fraud against Aude-Claire Malton – but cleared on the same charge relating to Aubry. He received an 18-months suspended sentence and a 10,000-euro fine

Sabine Jacquart, who was president of the Celebrity Centre, was convicted of organised fraud against both Malton and Aubry; and of complicity in the illegal exercise of pharmacy. She received a 10-month suspended sentence and a 5,000-euro fine

Aline Fabre, who supervised the Purification Rundown at the Celebrity Centre, was convicted of the illegal exercise of pharmacy. She was fined 2,000 euros

Marie Anne Pasturel, who acted as an intermediary for G&G in France, taking orders for the vitamins required for the Rundown, was convicted of the illegal exercise of pharmacy and fined 1,000 euros.
All the defendants charged in relation to Pierre Auffret and his company Parangon – the Celebrity Centre, the bookshop SEL, Rosenberg, Jacquart, Valli, Michaux – were acquitted.

The court took into account the fact that Auffret himself had not filed a complaint: and he had insisted to investigators that any payments he had made were made willingly.

Neither Alain Rosenberg nor Anne Marie Pasturel attended the hearing.

Despite the guilty verdict and the fines, Maître Patrick Maisonneuve for the Celebrity Centre and Maître Louis Pamponet for the bookshop SEL (I think it was him) both looked extremely relieved – presumably because there was no attempt by the court to restrict the activities of either organisation.

FYI…
Alain Rosenberg, the managing director of the Celebrity Center in France, is an OTVII on Scientology’s Bridge to Total Freedom. He is one step away from the highest level on their bridge, which is OTVIII.
It’s amazing that his “OT powers” which have control over MEST (which is short for matter, energy, space and time) seemed to be totally on the fritz, and failed miserably during this court case.
Looks like you “pulled this in” Alain. Looks like the court was the one who was “at cause”.

To read more about Rosenberg and the case go here.

So back to this verdict..
So although France found them guilty and issued fines, France is not going to restrict Scientology’s activities?
So does that mean there will be more court hearings and fines down the line?
Hopefully….. that’s if more victims come forward and fight the cult.

Scientology was convicted of “illegal exercise of pharmacy”, but France is still going to allow Scientology to resume with their Purification Rundown? I am afraid I don’t understand.
Is Scientology going to continue to illegally dispense vitamins in hopes that more deaths and court cases will not occur in France?

The Purification Rundown for all of you who do not know what that is… is a Scientology program used to rid the body of toxins. (so they claim)
It involves ingesting LARGE doses of niacin vitamins and oil, running on a treadmill and sitting in a sauna for hours at a time daily. This regiment can last for FIVE weeks. It has NEVER been proven to have ANY beneficial qualities, nor does it have any scientific data to back up it’s claims of the regiment being successful with removing ANY toxins from the body at all. In fact it has been said that it is nothing but quackery and that large amounts of niacin can prove to be very dangerous to the liver.

The Purification Rundown, (also know as Narconon and Criminon) needs to be looked into extensively by the US Government and ALL Governments. Narconon goes into towns and sets up centers and claims they can cure drug addiction. They not only lie about their success rates with trumped up numbers, they talk towns into funding them with tax payer’s dollars. They also use the teachings of L. Ron Hubbard’s tone scale. 

This program has gone under the names Second Chance, HealthMed Clinic and The NY Rescue Workers Detoxification Program (after 9/11) just to name a few. There are many other front group names they have used world wide.

The recently reported tragic deaths of those people in the sweat lodge in Arizona, received a lot of media coverage. It’s a wonder why our Government has not looked into the many deaths which have been related to this particular program.

Of course people are afraid to speak out against Scientology, never mind bring them to court. Hopefully this latest conviction in France will sway not only Scientology members to come forward with their stories, and perhaps file cases, but I hope it prompts non Scientology members who have also done The Purification Program through Narconon in hopes of being helped with their drug addiction. Second Chance and Criminon inmates also should be interviewed about this program.

I am sure Scientology will be on full damage control and looking for any Narconon or member success stories they can shove in people’s faces through the media, in light of France’s conviction. But please know that any success stories you hear, does not stack up against the fail rate of this program in any stretch of the imagination.

This news from France is especially bad on top of the latest Nightline stories that we just saw in recent days, and it was also announced today by the NY Post, that Tommy Davis tried to stop Nightline from airing these programs one hour before they were to air, made a scene and was asked to leave. Read about it here.
Wish there was film on that little hissy fit!

And oh yes….. not to mention the very recent defection of one of Scientology’s long time members, celebrity Paul Haggis. Again welcome out Paul!

Scientology members…. are you paying attention?

To France….
you almost had Scientology completely on the run. But this is good news too. 
Although the fines and sentences are nothing more than slaps on the wrist to a multi million dollar BUSINESS, and they will be able to continue to do what they were doing to bring them to court in the first place, at least it’s a start in the right direction of unveiling the illegal activities of this abusive cult.

We need a LOT more of that going on, especially here in the United States.

Looks like Spencer and Heidi have put a hold on their honeymoonin’.

Spencer Pratt aka Speidi (hate conjoined names with a passion) was interviewed by Pop Wrap of the NY  Post, and happened to mention that he hasn’t been gettin’ any from his wifey-poo because he is a fraid of her becoming pregnant. He is preventing Heidi’s dream of becoming a mother by refusing her sex. Oh Spencer, you are a side splitter!

He says that Heidi has him ”debating whether to cut off his nuts”. Considering there isn’t much to cut off in the first place Spence, I am sure there are many people standing in line who would be willing to do that for you.

Apparently, Spencer is mortified of Heidi going off birth control and not telling him about it. Hmmm, what’s that Heidi? Birth control? What would Jesus have to say about that?

Spencer also says that sex really isn’t a fact in their marriage. Wow, at their age, (or any age for that matter) I find that pretty sad and funny at the same time. Maybe they just totally bore each other to death in bed. Or perhaps they may be distracted by a mirror in the room and can’t stop looking at their reflections.

I guess Spencer and Heidi haven’t considered ALL the other alternatives they can do to get their groove on without doing the dastardly missionary position nasty. Perhaps you two should rent a couple of videos or buy a book or two?

But on the other hand.. maybe it’s a good thing that they are not reproducing. Speidi offspring is a frightening notion. After all, what will they do when their baby gets more attention then them? Oh the inhumanity!

At any rate, for the life of me, I don’t see how discussing their sex life, or should I say the lack of their sex life is very complimentary to their already failing careers. It makes Spence look like more of a wuss, and the admittance of Heidi’s birth control use, makes them look like the phony Christians they truly are.

People wrote:

There are many things most people would rather not dwell upon when considering the facts behind the marriage between Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt, perhaps the most reviled pairing in reality TV.

Thank God sex isn’t really a fact in their marriage, according to Pratt.

Speaking to the New York Post”’s PopWrap on Tuesday, Pratt, 26, says that he’s tried to prevent Montag, 23, from realizing her dreams of becoming a young mother – by refusing her sex.

“I’m not even kidding, my wife – OK, I’m gonna get crass here – but we’re barely having sex because I’m scared that she’s gonna have a baby,” he says. “That’s the level our marriage is on right now. I’m not even kidding – my wife has me debating cutting off my nuts.”
Hidden Fear
Behind his abstinence is his fear that Montag might go off her birth control without telling him, he says.

“She’s not the kind of person who would lie – she would just walk away and not answer the question,” he says. “So yes, I’m very concerned. Our sex life has dramatically changed recently.”

Pratt, who hints that he’d like to go on a double-date with President Barack and Michelle Obama to “share the spotlight,” and bashes frequent Speidi mocker Joel McHale, host of The Soup, as “a struggling wannabe actor just clowning on reality stars,” also gets in a dig at Lauren Conrad – whom he claims quit the MTV reality show only as a ruse to get more money.

“She quit The Hills because Speidi was getting more famous than her. So she quit thinking the show would end, but she was wrong. Her ego ruined her life and her career,” he says. “I pray for her every day and we’d all love for her to come back to The Hills when she realizes her move didn’t work.”

Pratt says he wants to go on a double date with Obama? *laughs holding sides*

Gee, what would that conversation be like over dinner? Would love to be a fly on the wall during that outing.
Maybe the double date would go something like this….

Obama: “So Spencer, why are you famous again? And why did I agree to this double date?” (as Michelle ducks into the bathroom for the 3rd time since they sat down to dinner, to avoid talking to Heidi.

Spencer answers Obama: “Uh… excuse me? I was on I Am A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here dude!”

Heidi corrects Spencer and says, “WE were on the show“.

Obama says, “is that the show that you two left early and Heidi was crying all the time?”

Heidi interupts and starts to cry and whine… ”Yeah but… they were SO unfair! And there was icky bugs and stuff. And I was the only awesome person on the whole show! And if it wasn’t for Jesus, I would have left even earlier than holding out for those four torturing days. Thank God Baldwn baptized me on show”

Spencer chimes in “ahem! WE we the most awesome people on that show. We totally ruled dude.”

Spencer then asks Obama, “Well then, how about The Hills? Have you seen how awesome we were on The Hills?”

Obama, annoyed, realizing what losers they are….looks at his watch and says, “NO“.
 
Michelle comes back to the table and Obama gives the hint to Michelle for them to leave by shifting his eyes back and forth towards the door.

Spencer  says,  “you never heard of the Hills? Dude! that’s like SO impossible.”

Obama stands up and says, “well we really should be going, I have an important meeting tomorrow”

Spencer says, “ok cool man, you must be really busy with all the President dude stuff and all. Maybe we can do this again some time”The Obamas pretend not to hear Spencer as they hurry out the door.

Spencer proudly sits back and says ”Man, they totally loved us.”

And Heidi says, “Totally”

Spencer grabs Heidi’s leg, winks and says, “come on…. let’s get out of here and do some serious dry humping. Which I am totally rad at.”

Heidi says “Totally“.
End scene.

*Sigh*
I digress…
So back to not having sex and their dwindling careers….

Spencer and Heidi can always live off Heidi’s line of whore bag clothes called Heidiwood. (if they are still selling that is) I find the name Heidiwood for her fashion line totally ironic now.

Maybe they should change the title to “Speidi-Blue-Balls” and feature bedazzled chastity belts. Awesome!

Word of advice Speidi… Save your money dudes. I think your future careers will involve Heidi eventually doing a commercial for tampons. And down the line you both may be asking if people want paper or plastic.

Or perhaps you two can do a Christian public service video on abstinence? I can just imagine what it would sound like…. 
Spencer would say, “Just don’t do it dudes, you end up with babies and junk”
And then Heidi would say, “Besides sex can be SO icky! Yuck!”

I say if you want some really big bucks there’s always the all mighty sex tape leak that you two can fall back on. A comedy sex video that is. *snicker*

Oh wait….that’s  right… you ain’t gettin’ any.

Speidi Off To Dry Hump Like….Ummm, Errr…Rabbits?

Will Ferrell, Thomas Lennon (Lt. Jim Dangle on Reno 911), and Don Faison (Kirk from Scrubs) and a host of other celebs got together to convey their message against the super rich health care executives by starring in this Public Service Announcement (spoof video) which was listed on Funny Or Die. 

It was sponsored by MoveOn.Org which started out in 1988 as an email group and blossomed, well, more like exploded. As of 2009, MoveOn has a membership of 5.2 million, with 20 full-time and 20 part-time staffers. Not too shabby!
Wikipedia says MoveOn.Org is:

An American non-profit progressive, liberal public policy advocacy group and political action committee which has raised millions of dollars for candidates of the Democratic Party in the United States. Formed in response to the impeachment of President Bill Clinton,it has been cited in some accounts as a factor which helped propel the Democratic Party to power in the 2006 midterm elections.

This video received two million views in two days! It’s funny stuff!

Examiner.com wrote:

Celebrity PSA video about Obama’s health insurance plan gets 2 million views in 2 days.
With celebrities like Will Ferrell, John Hamm and Donald Faison opening the video with a “Something terrible is happening” chant.

“Health insurance executives are getting a bad rap,” Will Ferrell explains, dead pan.

“We need to remember who the real victims are,” Donald Faison, best known for his role in Clueless, says.

John Hamm fades into the viral video in black and white and explains: “Health insurance executives.”

A variety of stars then go on to explain in fits of sarcasm that if their little boy falls off his bike, he should pay for it himself and stop whining.

The US is in a complete tug of war over the skyrocketing health care costs and Obama’s plans to fix it. This video is a refreshing and funny look at just how wrong it is to keep padding the pockets of these health insurance companies.

I wish there were more PSA announcements that would show just how ridiculous it is to not support a total change in the health care system. 

Obama may not have all the answers right now. Hell, he has been in office for less than a year, and I am not saying everything he does will go right, but people are expecting miracles right off the bat in a very short time. They seem to have a very short memory of the mess that was left behind. The US citizens’ impatience totally boggles my mind. 

My wish is for Democrats and Republicans to ban together and fix what has been so wrong for so long.
Oh to dream…

I realize there are people in this country who aren’t happy about the outcome of our presidential election. I can feel their pain as I have been on the losing end of many an election in my lifetime and it’s very difficult to balance that sense of disappointment and fear over having your dreams and desires left unmet, but the outcome we’ve been presented with is historic. Historic not just for our country, but for the world at large.

The United States of American represents many things to many people around the globe, but most of all, it is a beacon of hope that true democracy can and does exist. Since the beginning of our country’s rich history, we’ve had only one kind of individual representing the executive office: white men. This year’s election no matter who would have won, would have broken that trend and that’s amazing.

So for one day, let’s put our bickering partisanship aside and embrace how really cool this moment is and be proud.

Barack, Michelle, Sasha and Malia Obama

Senator McCain, thank you so very much.