http://abclocal.go.com/kfsn/news/102804_nw_scientology.html Last Updated: 10/27/2004 10/31/004 Scientology Comes to Fresno snip> The Church of Scientology has opened a new facility in north Fresno. They held a ribbon cutting ceremony Wednesday night."

<p><hr><p> Subject: Re: Scientology oozes into Fresno
From: barb <bwarr1@cox.net>
Date: Sun, 31 Oct 2004 07:00:37 -0800

Zorrosblade........Z wrote:

> http://abclocal.go.com/kfsn/news/102804_nw_scientology.html
> Last Updated: 10/27/2004
> 10/31/004
> Scientology Comes to Fresno
> snip>
> The Church of Scientology has opened a new facility in north Fresno.
> They held a ribbon cutting ceremony Wednesday night."
>
>
>
>
from the paper's message board:

Oh, fortunate Fresno! Now you have your very own "church" of Scientology! That's just wonderful news for you, your friends, your families and your life savings.

You can expect a lot of things from this group. An influx of "Scientology Volunteer Ministers" to help you with any problem. Hint: all solutions involve paying money to take courses at the local "Org."

You can expect them to offer "free" drug awareness classes in your public schools. Hint: The classes have been kicked out of many California schools for being unscientific claptrap from science fiction writer L. Ron Hubbard; a college dropout who purchased a doctorate degree from Sequoia University, a diploma mill.

It's astounding that the article in today's paper didn't mention any of the more controversial aspects of Scientology, such as the harassment of its critics, the incredible amounts charged for courses, their secret agreement with the IRS, frauds, scams, deaths and the destruction of too many peoples' lives.

The only way people can avoid falling into their trap is by informing themselves. A good place to start is www.xenu.net. You should also do a google search combining Scientology with any of the above topics.

Good luck, Fresno!

-- --barb Chaplain,ARSCC

"Imagine a church so dangerous, you must sign a release form before you can receive its "spiritual assistance." This assistance might involve holding you against your will for an indefinite period, isolating you from friends and family, and denying you access to appropriate medical care. You will of course be billed for this treatment - assuming you survive it. If not, the release form absolves your caretakers of all responsibility for your suffering and death.

Welcome to the Church of Scientology."

--Dr. Dave Touretzky Peter Alexander

<p><hr><p> Subject: Re: Scientology oozes into Fresno
From: hkhenson@rogers.com (Keith Henson)
Date: Sun, 31 Oct 2004 17:10:55 GMT

On Sun, 31 Oct 2004 07:00:37 -0800, barb <bwarr1@cox.net> wrote:

>Zorrosblade........Z wrote:
>
>> http://abclocal.go.com/kfsn/news/102804_nw_scientology.html
>> Last Updated: 10/27/2004
>> 10/31/004
>> Scientology Comes to Fresno
>> snip>
>> The Church of Scientology has opened a new facility in north Fresno.
>> They held a ribbon cutting ceremony Wednesday night."

>from the paper's message board:
>
>Oh, fortunate Fresno! Now you have your very own "church" of
>Scientology! That's just wonderful news for you, your friends, your
>families and your life savings.

snip

Arnie put in a long one and I chimed in:

The writer of this article is doing a disservice to the community by parroting a press release. Taking the story a bit at a time:

"A fast growing religious movement. . . ."

"Fast growing" would have taken about 15 minutes on the net to determine was false. Scientology has claimed 8 or 9 million members for more than a decade, but the actual number is under 50,000 in the US and has been shrinking over the past ten years. Outside the US they are recognized as a criminal association more often than not, and the world-wide membership is no larger than the US.

"Religious movement" is really debatable. The FBI classes scientology as organized crime except for a short time when the "church" was buying assault weapons and the were classed as "paramilitary." They are certainly anti-christian.

"Scientology has hundreds of churches and missions around the world"

That's true, although a high fraction of them are post office boxes.

"and a big following in Hollywood. It counts stars like Tom Cruise and John Travolta among its followers."

It is true that actors are disproportionately involved in cults including scientology. The reason is that cults provide a lot of attention rewards and actors are particularly susceptible to attention. Once in they can't get out because scientology does not hesitate to use written "confessionals" for blackmail.

"Scientology was founded by l. Ron Hubbard in the 1950's. It's defined as the study of wisdom or knowledge."

Hubbard was a mediocre science fiction writer who lied about everything in his life. If the scientologists have not stolen it out of your library (something they are well known for doing) read L. Ron Hubbard: Messiah or Madman, by Bent Corydon.

Keith Henson

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keith_Henson

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