The Church of Scientology has a deeply troubled history, especially in Florida. And this may pose a problem for the organization regarding potential jurors in a coming wrongful death civil case.
Floridians commonly call the controversial church a “cult,” “scam,” “strange” and associate its behavior with “brainwashing.”
Scientology counters such criticism with accusations of “religious bigotry” and “hate mongering.”
However, one editorial recently said “residents…are well informed…have good memories” and simply have not forgotten “years of shenanigans,” opined the St. Petersburg Times.
“Bigotry” and “hate mongering” is essentially the typical label Scientology applies to almost any public criticism.
Such claims were once made against Time Magazine, regarding its 1991 cover story “Scientology: The Cult of Greed.”
Likewise, Germany’s close scrutiny of the organization has garnered them the inferred title of “Nazis,” from Scientologists eager to dismiss them.
But maybe “what goes around, comes around” and Scientology is now “reaping what it has sown.”
After decades of bullying its critics and some say abusing many of its members, its history appears to have come back around full circle to haunt the house that L. Ron Hubbard built.
Sadly for Scientologists a recent effort to burnish their image and promote positive spin doesn’t seem to have made much of a difference. Even after using celebrity spokespeople such as Tom Cruise, John Travolta and Lisa Marie Presley.
It seems unlikely that Scientology will find any venue in Florida where people don’t know about the bad behavior of the “cult” that prefers to be called a “church.”
Could there be an isolated swamp somewhere in the Florida wetlands, where no one knows about Scientology?
But you can’t call up alligators for jury duty, or can you?
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