Cult News

This past week the state legislature of Kansas rejected a proposed “Religious Freedom Restoration Act,” which has been passed by 12 states including Florida, Illinois, Oklahoma and Texas, reports Associated Press.

One Kansas lawmaker commented, ‘‘I didn’t know that my religious freedoms needed to be restored.”

A similar federal law was stuck down through judicial review six years ago. So now a well-organized religious lobby, which has included the support of some groups called “cults,” is attempting to pass the provision state by state.

However, is this legislation really about “religious freedom” or special protection?

Based upon the way this law has been used historically it appears to be the later.

Certainly Americans have the right to believe whatever they want, but that constitutional guarantee does not mandate special privileges under the moniker of “religious freedom.”

It seems rather than restoring something lost, this group of specious lobbyists actually want something more.

Per Nielson Monitor-Plus Scientology spent $45 million dollars last year on advertising, reports Yahoo.

Now the controversial church has contracted a new firm named Horizon to handle its lucrative ad business.

And apparently Horizon is popular amongst Scientologists. It also handles Earthlink’s advertising, founded by prominent and outspoken Scientologist Sky Dayton.

So what’s up?

It seems like the celebrity cache of stars like Tom Cruise and John Travolta is just not enough to put the church over.

Big bucks must be continually dumped into ad campaigns to pitch Scientology, not unlike a new movie or retail product.

It looks like the Church of Scientology is looking for a handout from the federal government through President Bush’s “faith-based” initiative.

A Scientology minister attended a meeting in Alaska apparently to see if there might be money available for his church, reports the Anchorage Daily News.

But the Scientologist expressed concern that groups, which have experienced “discrimination,” would not receive money. This appears to be Scientology-speak for groups often called “cults”

The Lt. Governor of Alaska assured everyone there that he intends to “define religion broadly.”

Get ready for the lineup.

Controversial groups called “cults” such as the “Moonies,” Krishna and Scientology will likely be lining up to get their slice of the Bush pie.

The Scientology drug rehabilitation program known as Narconon, which is the basis for a pilot project now operating within a Mexican prison, will not be adapted and/or funded for any prisoners within Nevada, reports the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

Narconon has drawn considerable criticism and controversy over the years. The program is based upon the teachings of Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard.

Not even an offer for a free trip to Mexico could convince the overwhelming majority of state legislators to support a proposal by Reno Republican Representative Sharon Angle to bring the program to Nevada.

Angle first claimed it was partisan resistance by Democrats that doomed her proposal. However, when the Republican Governor of Nevada nixed her effort it seemed virtually no one was really interested.

So Scientology will not receive a reported $15,000.00 per inmate for treatment, from either Nevada or any other government source to implement its regimen of saunas, vitamins and oil rub downs that somehow are supposed to cure drug addiction.

Perhaps the controversial church, which has been called a “cult,” should stick with Scientology celebrities like Kirstie Alley, Lisa Marie Presley and Tom Cruise, who have plenty of extra cash–instead of trying to get taxpayer’s money.

Ayn Rand only wrote two books, The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged and died more than twenty years ago. But her idiosyncratic philosophy called “Objectivism” lives on and seems to perennially draw a renewed cult following amongst many college students.

Rand’s books still sell 300,000 copies annually.

However, when Modern Library surveyed publishers for its top 100 books of the 20th Century, Rand wasn’t even mentioned. But when they asked everyday readers to make their picks she came in number one, reports the Baltimore Sun.

Interestingly, sci-fi writer and founder of Scientology L. Ron Hubbard had three books in the top ten of that same popular listing.

What does this mean? Did the publishers somehow neglect or ignore the genius of these authors?

Some might conclude that the pop picks only reflected the devotion and organized efforts of those obsessed with their personal favorites.

Author of the Sun article and Pulitzer Prize winner Ray Jenkins points out the dark side of Rand. This includes, “megalomania,” self-centered indulgences and a humorless, dogmatic driven nature.

Does this sound familiar?

Is it possible that Ayn Rand actually had more in common with purported “cult leader” L. Ron Hubbard, than authors like Hemmingway or Joyce?

Wait a minute. No one is “deprogramming” Rand’s rapt readers.

But it’s interesting to note the parallels between “cults” and some aspects of Rand and her erstwhile acolytes.

Nevada’s elected officials are not interested in visiting Mexico on a free junket, at least not if it involves Scientology.

Only two legislators indicated that they would go on the proposed trip to visit a Mexican prison that uses the Scientology related Narconon program, reports the Las Vegas Sun.

One pro Narconon state assembly member said she is sponsoring a bill for a similar prison program that would rely upon federal funding through President Bush’s faith-based initiative.

It’s unlikely that any such legislation will pass, but it’s interesting to note the connection to the Bush plan that allows federal dollars to be used by religious groups to fund supposedly non-sectarian social programs.

All three Nevada legislators who now seem interested in the Scientology program are social and/or religious conservatives.

But religious conservative Pat Robertson once opposed the Bush initiative on the grounds that controversial groups like Scientology might seek funding.

Looks like the televangelist was prophetic.

However, Robertson later lifted his objections after receiving a half million dollars from the fund for one of his pet projects called “Operation Blessing.”

Regardless of Robertson change of heart, evangelical cult watchdog groups such as “Watchman Fellowship” continue to warn conservative Christians and the general public about the perils of groups like Scientology.

Perhaps Nevada legislators should consider carefully Watchman Fellowship’s assessment of Scientology.

The Fellowship says, “Controversy continues to rage around Scientology due mostly to the totalitarian and abusive nature of its practices…It does, in fact, involve religious belief (in what most outsiders would regard as science fiction). But that belief appears to have been built chiefly as a cover for exploitive commercial operations.”

Scientologists were elected to the new Hollywood Advisory Council amidst controversy and allegations of packing the polls, reports the LA Daily News.

An election for citywide advisory councils last week included Hollywood, which is a bastion of Scientology with more than a thousand full-time staff.

According to one disgruntled candidate often blue uniformed Scientology workers “descended by the busload” to pack the polls and successfully elect their fellow Scientologists to the new council.

The guidelines for this election were murky at best and apparently Scientology’s seemingly organized election effort was legal.

Often in districts with low voter turnouts a determined and focused special interest group can exercise an inordinate influence, disproportionate to their size within a community.

If Hollywood residents don’t want Scientology to play a pivotal role within their advisory council they should turn out voters to cast a ballot.

However, voter apathy seems to be a constant dilemma within the American democratic process.

It looks like Helen Thomas was right when she dumped UPI.

After Rev. Moon of the Unification Church bought control of the historic wire service Thomas decided to move on and find a better place for her column.

And judging by its content maybe UPI has become something like a press release service for groups that are often called “cults.”

Here are two recent examples:

Rev. Moon, the guy who essentially now controls UPI, got quite a plug for his “peace conference” in South Korea recently. The headline read, “World leaders gather for peace.”

But is this really a legitimate news story or just another one of Moon’s self-promotional photo ops?

The rich “cult leader” often subsidizes such gatherings and frequently pays “leaders” to attend and hear his speeches and/or watch him receive some award.

A blurb in UPI’s “Capital Comment” titled “Hooray for Hollywood” touted Scientology’s effort to attack drugs prescribed by psychiatrists, through its front organization “The Citizens Commission on Human Rights.”

Scientology is against almost anything connected to psychiatry, since it sees itself as essentially the only valid means to mental health.

Maybe the Moon-controlled UPI wants to give other “cults” a plug too?

However, it is becoming increasingly difficult to see UPI as a credible “news source.” Instead, the historic wire service seems to have quickly become a spin-machine for Rev. Moon and his chosen friends.

The Church of Scientology has had problems regarding its controversial drug program called Narconon.

So the church, once called “The Cult of Greed” by Time Magazine, has moved some of its Narconon activity south of the border down Mexico way.

Now inmates within a Mexican jail can use the same method embraced by TV star and Scientologist Kirstie Alley to get clean and purge drugs from their bodies. That process includes saunas, heavy doses of niacin and the use of cooking oil.

Sound specious?

Never mind. Nevada legislators are being asked to come down on a junket to observe the program, with their travel expenses paid for by a mysterious Arizona man, reports the San Jose Mercury News.

Maybe not that mysterious, he is probably a Scientologist.

It seems that Scientology is once again looking for government money to fund its programs, like some taxpayer dollars from Nevada.

Perhaps they also hope that George Bush’s “faith based initiative” may enable them to scoop up some federal funds?

But is Narconon really based upon hard science? Or, is it instead really “faith based,” since no peer-reviewed scientific research supports it?

It looks like Scientology thinks the state known for gaming tables and slot machines may gamble that Narconon works.

The Greek Minister of Education and Religious Affairs has rejected Scientology as “a house of prayer, on the basis that it does not constitute a church,” reports the Greek Orthodox Church.

And an appeals court in Athens said, “[Scientology] is an organization with totalitarian structures and it …deceivingly acts…to attract members who in turn undergo… brainwashing.” It has also been “classified among dangerous and antisocial organizations.”

Hmmm, it seems the Greeks, who know all about “Trojan horses,” don’t want one possibly wheeling into there country.