Cult News

Once again it seems Scientology is in potentially serious trouble in France.

Two officials of the French branch of Scientology have been placed under official investigation for “fraud and complicity in illegally practicing pharmacy,” reports AFP.

Allegations involve the use of high dosages of vitamins and giving “personality tests” without a scientific basis, ultimately as a means “to obtain money.”

In the United States its unlikely authorities would bother Scientology over such matters.

But in France Scientology does not have the special status of a recognized religion and is instead identified as a “cult.”

Scientologists claim they have “10,000” members in France.

However, membership claims routinely made by the organization have never been objectively verified.

Some say that Scientology may actually have less than 100,000 truly active members worldwide.

Scientology is ginning up its recruitment efforts within New Zealand as a direct result of Tom Cruise filming a movie in that country, reports the New Zealand Herald.

“There has been a lot of interest in Taranaki about the church since Tom Cruise has been down there,” said a Scientology spokesperson.

The controversial organization subsequently launched a two-day exhibition.

Scientology has always used its celebrities as poster boys and girls to bait recruitment efforts.

But hopefully, New Zealanders will look beyond the hype and recognize that Scientology cannot be fairly judged by its Hollywood stars.

What you see is not always what you get.

Very few Scientologists enjoy the elite treatment Cruise receives.

After all, why does the organization have special “Celebrity Centers” in the first place?

Scientology treats its cash cows and celebrities much like Las Vegas does “high rollers,” or what they call “whales.”

In Vegas high rollers receive special treatment, which often includes luxury suites, limo service and assigned staff catering to their every whim.

Cruise is a “whale” within Scientology. And whatever he says about his religious experience should be judged accordingly.

Most Scientologists can be seen as just fish. Hopefully, not many New Zealanders will get hooked.

It is becoming increasingly clear that some groups called “cults” are flexing their muscle through increasing influence within Washington.

The latest example appears to be a provision in a House Bill, sponsored by Rep. Max Burns (R-Ga.) and supported by Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.), intended to curtail use of the drug Ritalin, reports Roll Call.

Rep. Patrick Kennedy (D-R.I.) has pointed out that the legislation is backed by Scientology through an organization it founded called the Citizens Commission on Human Rights (CCHR).

He said, “I suspect…that [they believe] all medication for kids with [attention-deficit disorder] is wrong.”

Kennedy is right.

Scientology is not only opposed to Ritalin, but any drug prescribed by psychiatrists and the entire profession of psychiatry itself.

Scientologists essentially see psychiatrists and psychologists as their competition, because they believe that their “technology” alone is the only really effective treatment for the human mind.

What has become increasingly clear in recent years is the power some “cults” now wield in Washington.

Two followers of Rev. Moon, “messiah” of the Unification Church, have recently been appointed by the Bush administration to high-ranking positions in government.

One (Josette Shiner) claims somewhat suspiciously, that she had a religious epiphany and became an Episcopalian conveniently before entering government, after 22 years as a “Moonie.”

Scientology demonstrated the power of its influence previously within the Clinton White House and State Department, in calls to end alleged “persecution” of the organization in Germany.

Rev. Moon exercises considerable media muscle through the Washington Times and United Press International, both under his control.

Scientology and the Unification Church are no longer just fringe groups vying for religious converts. Through their wealth and Washington connections they are political players at the highest realms of American society. And their growing clout on Capital Hill offers proof of this fact.

The Church of Scientology seems to be working another “program” in England to get public funds.

This one is called “Criminon,” supposedly designed to reduce crime by rehabilitating prison inmates, reports England’s This is Kent.

The largely L. Ron Hubbard (Scientology’s founder) inspired program is now available as a correspondence course to some inmates, but Scientologists want to expand it.

“We would very much like to take it to the next level, which would be actually running courses inside prison,” says its executive director.

But the program spokesperson admits it will be “very difficult” to prove their “success rate.”

Criminon has reportedly managed to squeeze into prisons within South Africa, the USA, Hungary, Israel and Mexico.

However, Nevada governor and lawmakers recently turned down a free trip to see how a Scientology-related program was working in Mexico.

Criminon is part of Narconon, which is itself under the umbrella Scientology organization called “ABLE.”

One family in Ohio recently said they spent “$30,000 [on Narconon] in Oklahoma… based on Scientology,” but it “failed” to help their son’s drug problem, reports News Journal.

A Swedish expert questioned its premise and claims.

Maybe Scientology should prove its latest rehab’s “success rate” first through a pilot program amongst its own members before receiving further funding?

After all, historically there have been plenty of Scientologists arrested for apparent religiously related criminal activity around the world; in such countries as Spain, France, the US and Russia.

And let’s not forget former Scientology minister and bad boy financier, investment guru and convicted felon Reed Slatkin.

Why not have Slatkin take a course or two and see how that goes, before hitting up taxpayers for more money?

Hmmm wait a minute, didn’t he already take in-depth courses to become a minister and then go bad?

Never mind.

Long-time Scientology critic and Internet pioneer for “cult awareness” Andreas Heldal-Lund has received a human rights award, reports CNET News.

Norwegian Heldal-Lund was awarded the “2003 Leipzig Human Rights Award ” by the European-American Citizens Committee for Human Rights and Religious Freedom in the USA.

The committee cited Heldal-Lund’s website “Operation Clambake” as “the most famous Internet site in the world…that exposes and opposes the fraud and human rights violations of the US-based Scientology organization.”

Scientology has subjected the Norwegian to intense harassment and legal challenges.

But despite this pressure he has carried on and triumphed over what Time Magazine once called, “a hugely profitable global racket that survives by intimidating members and critics in a Mafia-like manner.”

Heldal-Lund is the fourth recipient of the annual award.

The heir to the largest fortune in Australia appears to be hooked on Scientology, but his billionaire father seems to think that’s OK, reports the Sydney Herald.

James Packer 35, heir to the fortune of media mogul Kerry Packer, seems to be increasingly submerged within the world of Scientology.

On a flight from Australia to LA Packer Jr. was seen reading Scientology literature and listening to their CDs for many hours. And Packer was on his way to a Scientology bash.

But Packer’s father reportedly considers his son’s interest in Scientology “no great concern” and instead sees it “as a fairly harmless self-help tool.”

It appears this media mogul doesn’t read much or is in denial.

If the Packer patriarch bothered to do some serious research he would find quite a bit to be concerned about.

James Packer, like many of Scientology’s recruits, appeared to be depressed and at the bottom of a bad run when long-time Scientologist Tom Cruise seemingly scooped him up.

The movie star became his “friend” while filming “down under” and it appears this quickly led to Packer’s involvement with the controversial church, which has been called a “cult.”

The Herald article offers a history of James Packer’s troubled personal and professional life, which apparently made him easy pickings for Scientology.

Packer Jr. has reportedly attended “clearing” sessions with Scientologists, which means he has undergone what they call “auditing,” but what critics call “brainwashing.”

Australian newspapers not controlled by Packer Sr. are raising questions that maybe the father should be asking.

The Herald asked, has James Packer “joined a cult”?

Scientology has taken to the airwaves in Lafayette, Louisiana, reports The Advertiser.

Scientology’s show airs on Sundays and is called “Solutions.”

A spokesperson for the controversial church says, “We give them a forum to better understand what’s going on in the world around them and offer solutions without encroaching on a given faith.”

Wait a minute.

Didn’t Scientology fight for religious tax-exempt status? So doesn’t that mean that Scientologists have their own distinct faith and doctrines?

Never mind.

This Scientology program is part of the weekly lineup on KPEL Talk Radio, which also features notable commentators such as Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity and Bill O’Reilly.

How do these guys feel about being part of a programming schedule that includes the “Cult of Greed“?

The Scientology show is “one hour of talk, advice and call-in questions.”

But the controversial church’s “advice” certainly didn’t seem to help Lisa McPherson or Greg Bashaw. They both sought the group’s “solutions” for years, but now they’re dead, some say because of Scientology.

But don’t expect to hear any “call-in questions” about that.

In a recent interview plugging her new CD Madonna once again sought to promote the so-called “Kabbalah Center,” a controversial group led by Philip Berg, which has been called a “cult.”

The “Material Girl” even brought along her “rabbi,” for the NBC interview with Matt Lauer.
She thus provided a media platform for the Berg-man to plug himself and his leader’s teachings.

However, despite claims that the group is somehow engaged in the study of historical “Jewish mysticism” one former member says, “The whole system is based on them getting as much money out of you as they can under the guise of teaching this very watered-down system of spirituality.”

One article called Philip Berg’s version of “Jewish mysticism” called it “McWisdom,” implying that Berg’s teachings are more like fast food than digesting anything with meaningful depth.

But Madonna seems to love this alleged junk food. The star even brings her six-year-old child to the Kabbalah Center for “Happy Meals.”

The pop icon claims that the little girl is learning the “power of words” and that classes have “changed her immensely.”

Other celebrities have also raised their children in controversial groups called “cults,” such as Priscilla Presley, who began Lisa Marie’s Scientology indoctrination at an early age.

Much like Presley Madonna apparently has chosen to ignore the troubled history of the group she has become involved with.

Former Berg followers say the Kabbalah Center can be abusive and often exploits its full-time workers called “Chevra,” some are reportedly paid as little as $30.00 per week.

One ex-member opined, “We all know about physical rape…But we don’t have any protection for spiritual or emotional rape.”

But Madonna doesn’t seem to care about such things. The “Material Girl’s” approach to spirituality seems as narcissistic, self-serving and devoid of any serious sensitivity as her earlier pop image conveyed.

For example, she offers as partial explanation for her last movie flop the “evil eye.” The effects of the so-called “evil eye,” which is a superstition often discussed within the Kabbalah Center.

Madonna wants the public to believe she’s changed, reinventing herself once again. She insists, “[Once] I wasn’t interested in what I could do for other people. I looked at people and said, what are they going to do for me?”

But after seven years in a controversial “cult,” it seems that Madonna still isn’t “interested in…other people” and remains focused upon “me.”

Madonna’s makeover into the “Spiritual Girl” lacks the same depth of her previous personas. And it looks like the same old self-indulgent narcissism.

Madonna told Matt Lauer, “I’m a Kabbalah,” much like the old Dr. Pepper motto “I’m a Pepper.” Perhaps that’s an appropriate title for a pop diva.

The singer gives herself a “C” concerning her “Kabbalah” studies with the Berg group, though the “rabbi” she brought along quickly upgraded her to a “B.”

However, it seems like Madonna’s exploration of religion should receive an “F.”

Her understanding of the potential harm that she may cause, by promoting a purported “cult,” appears to rank right along with her latest movie effort as another example of her personal failure.

Long-time “cult apologist” James Lewis has produced another book defending destructive cults.

But a review dismissed his work as “inflammatory” with “generalizations, and simplistic explanations,” reports YellowBrix.com.

For example, Lewis claims that those who criticize cults are “applying the cult stereotype to every religious group that strikes one as strange or different.”

Cult apologists he says are actually “defenders of the rights of minority religions.”

Following what seems to have become a Lewis standard regarding research, much of the material within the book “has been vetted by the groups themselves,” reports the reviewer.

An interesting example of Lewis acting as one of the “defenders of the rights of minority religions” took place in 1995.

The apologist flew to Japan as one of the “defenders” of the now infamous cult Aum. He claimed that the group was a victim of “persecution.”

Lewis was accompanied by two other well known “defenders of…minority religions,” Gordon Melton and James Fisher. And the trio’s travel expenses were paid for completely by the cult.

After spending only days in Japan Lewis quickly concluded that Aum could not have produced the poison gas used in the Tokyo subway attack, which sent thousands to hospitals and killed 12.

He came to this startling conclusion by examining material provided to him by Aum leaders. No doubt that material “had been vetted” first by Aum.

This essentially typifies the quality of “scholarship” and/or “research,” which has become a Lewis standard.

Needless to say the apologist’s conclusions regarding Aum have been proven totally false.

Overwhelming evidence has substantiated without question, that not only did Aum produce the poison gas used for the subway attack, the cult was also working on an array of other weapons of mass destruction.

Numerous criminal convictions of Aum members have since taken place.

Lewis, rather than representing objective scholarship, seems to be more of an academic cult collaborator, who produces opinions largely subject to a sponsor’s approval.

He has also worked closely with the Church of Scientology, which has recommended him as a “religious resource.”

Long-time “cult apologist” James Lewis has produced another book defending destructive cults.

But a review dismissed his work as “inflammatory” with “generalizations, and simplistic explanations,” reports YellowBrix.com.

For example, Lewis claims that those who criticize cults are “applying the cult stereotype to every religious group that strikes one as strange or different.”

Cult apologists he says are actually “defenders of the rights of minority religions.”

Following what seems to have become a Lewis standard regarding research, much of the material within the book “has been vetted by the groups themselves,” reports the reviewer.

An interesting example of Lewis acting as one of the “defenders of the rights of minority religions” took place in 1995.

The apologist flew to Japan as one of the “defenders” of the now infamous cult Aum. He claimed that the group was a victims of “persecution.”

Lewis was accompanied by two other well known “defenders of…minority religions,” Gordon Melton and James Fisher. And the trio’s travel expenses were paid for completely by the cult.

After spending only days in Japan Lewis quickly concluded that Aum could not have produced the poison gas used in the Tokyo subway attack, which sent thousands to hospitals and killed 12.

He came to this startling conclusion by examining material provided to him by Aum leaders. No doubt that material “had been vetted” first by Aum.

This essentially typifies the quality of “scholarship” and/or “research,” which has become a Lewis standard.

Needless to say the apologist’s conclusions regarding Aum have been proven totally false.

Overwhelming evidence has substantiated without question, that not only did Aum produce the poison gas used for the subway attack, the cult was also working on an array of other weapons of mass destruction.

Numerous criminal convictions of Aum members have since taken place.

Lewis, rather than representing objective scholarship, seems to be more of an academic cult collaborator, who produces opinions largely subject to a sponsor’s approval.

He has also worked closely with the Church of Scientology, which has recommended him as a “religious resource.”