Title: Ask a question, get the L. Ron around
Source: The Australian, 03/08/2003
Author(s): Staff reporter
AN: 200303081005758415
Database: Newspaper Source
Ask a question, get the L. Ron around

Edition: 1 - All-round Country
Section: Local, pg. 005

IT was a room full of studied eye contact, wide smiles and sweaty palms.

The occasion was the official ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Church[sic] of Scientology's ``What is Scientology?'' exhibition.

It was all about disclosing the truth and dispelling the controversy surrounding the ``fastest growing religion[sic] in the world''. At least that's what the press release said.

In the booming voice used to announce the arrival of superstar acts at Homebush Stadium, singer Kate Ceberano, a third-generation Scientologist, was introduced to a room of 70 people.

Glamorous and vivacious at the podium, Ceberano described how Scientology -- which uses an ``E-Meter'' to measure a person's mental state to locate areas of spiritual distress -- was about individuals helping individuals.

``Religion is losing its popularity with a new generation because of the idea that religion is the cause of upsets in society,'' the singer said.

``We have in Scientology the application of the use of tools that get results the first day you begin.''

She outlined how Scientology -- founded by science-fiction writer L.

Ron Hubbard, followed by Hollywood stars Tom Cruise and John Travolta, and flirted with by James Packer -- ran community programs to help people get off drugs, marriage counselling programs to help with relationships and offered hope to people at a time when the world was in crisis.

A quick chat with Scientology public affairs manager Virginia Stewart revealed that the church[sic] disputed the Australian Bureau of Statistics figures on religion. Instead of the 2,000 people who wrote "Scientology" on their census form, the number was more like 250,000, she claimed.

``They think religion is a private matter and didn't want to put it on the form,'' Ms Stewart said.

``Two thousand is the number of our staff alone.''

Ceberano, back home from her base -- and the church's[sic] -- in Los Angeles, then cut the opening ribbon, and The Weekend Australian thought we'd ask her a couple more questions.

Did she still feel Scientology was stigmatised by the media or the public?

``It's not really possible to ask Kate anything,'' Ms Stewart interrupted.

``It's not about Kate, the church[sic] can answer any questions,'' she said.

``We used to be seen as controversial but that was years ago.

``We've been getting great press now and have a lot of celebrities following us.''

Trailing Ceberano outside, where she was photographed standing breezily on the steps of the Sydney Town Hall with her husband, film-maker Lee Rogers, hovering nearby, we thought we'd try again.

``Here in the press release it says it's still considered a controversial religion[sic]. Do you think that's how it's perceived?''

``I object to you calling it that,'' Ceberano said, not realising that was the way it was pitched to the media.

``It's not controversial, it's new. People didn't like brown bread when it was new. They said yuck.''

Copyright 2003 / The Weekend Australian

Source: The Australian, MAR 08, 2003 Item: 200303081005758415

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"Obedience is such a fundamental habit of the contemporary American mind that any kind of disobedience is regarded as a form of insanity." -- Edward Abbey

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